Saturday, May 31, 2014

Palo Alto

Coming of age is a very popular movie genre. In Palo Alto we see a group of high school students struggle with decisions and the consequences. Performances are what sets this film apart. Emma Roberts plays a conflicted teen effectively. Kinda sad. This is a good film, but a bit depressing. Then again, so is being a teenager.

Blast of Silence

Film noir has never looked better than in the crime thriller Blast of Silence. Gorgeous cinematography. This gritty story of a conflicted hit man is well worth a look.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Today's Special

I was listening to an interview with Aasif Mandvi about his career and comedy. While talking about his most recent film, Million Dollar Arm, he mentioned the film Today's Special. When I found it on Netflix Instant, I thought I'd give it a look. This is a story of family, career, ambition and love. Well written with excellent performances. I liked this film a lot.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Chef

We all struggle to balance work, career, passion and family. In Chef ,Carl Casper embodies these struggles, draws us into a big bear hug and takes us on the road. He brings a trusted, talented friend and his charming son. We are treated to genuine fun, hard work and a lot of love. Though there were predictable moments, the script is sincere with a little edge, the performances are satisfying and the food is to die for. I really liked this film.

Godzilla

I get a kick out of monsters. I get a kick out of cheesy monster movies. I get a kick out of outrageous screen battles between movie monsters. I got a kick out of Godzilla.

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Movies A-Z

Rambling Film

Lists can be fun. Rambling Film is doing a blogathon challenging folks to put a movie title to the letters of the alphabet. This was a fun exercise.

Almost Famous
Big Lebowski
Chinatown
Dog Day Afternoon
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
Fightclub
Godfather
Host
In Her Shoes
Jaws
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Little Miss Sunshine
Moon
Nine Queens
Once
Pieces of April
Quills
Ratatouille
Shall We Dance? (96)
Trick 'r Treat
United 93
Volver
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
X-Men
Young at Heart
Zodiac

Saturday, May 17, 2014

I Shot Andy Warhol

Listening to an interview with Jared Harris, I was reminded of the film I Shot Andy Warhol.  Though he plays a convincing Warhol, it is Lili Taylor who owns this film. As Warhol's assailant, she is compasionate and compelling. A riveting portrayal of a dynamic story.

Saturday, May 03, 2014

Apollo 13

After seeing Ron Howard in person last week, and hearing all of Brian Williams questions about Apollo 13, I thought it was time to revisit the film. The dramatization of the Apollo 13 flight is skillfully done. So much care was taken to get the characters just right. The practical effects are true movie magic. A carefully crafted movie that holds up and pays tribute to its subject. This is another film that is worth watching the making-of documentary on the DVD. Well done.

Friday, May 02, 2014

Escape from Tomorrow

Escape from Tomorrow would have been a trippy thriller no matter what. A crazy story of a father's decent into delirium at the end of a family vacation. Hallucinations and sci-fi-like sequences intertwine with the family's last day at a theme park. Another element of crazy is added by the setting of Disney theme parks. Shot in Disney World and Disneyland guerrilla fashion, there is an extra level of tension and intrigue. If you see this on DVD watch the making-of featurette. An interesting project.