This is a massive catch-up on films I’ve seen over the last few weeks. I promise to post something other than 120+ movie stuff on this blog some time soon.
True Grit (15/02/11)
A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father’s murderer.
A simple, old-fashioned Western is how I would describe this film. Really enjoyed it. Didn’t tax my brain all that much. There was some gorgeous cinematography as well as some minor hokey bits of computer graphics towards the end. But overall, a really good film. Not just a film with good performances from everyone, but the film worked as a whole. Hailee Steinfeld was shockingly good for someone so young. She really held the screen well alongside Jeff Bridges. Who’s Western accent was very authentic. Though I think it got so authentic that I couldn’t actually understand what he was saying at times.
True Grit also has one of my favourite movie posters of the year so far. Love the typeface and the feel to it. More film posters like this please! Though obviously not exactly the same, but something other than sticking the main actors on the poster with no imagination.
Rating: 4/5
Red (19/02/11)
When his peaceful life is threatened by a high-tech assassin, former black-ops agent Frank Moses reassembles his old team in a last-ditch effort to survive and uncover his assailants.
Why on earth does this have such a high rating on IMDB? I think I got bored part way through the film and then completely forgot the plot points of the film to care much more as the film got to the climax.
The ongoing joke about these people being too old and yet getting things done got old pretty quickly. Though John Malkovich’s character kept me most amused. He was actually funny! Oh and Morgan Freeman did a good enough job too. But Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren? Poor show!
Rating: 1/5
Invictus (20/02/11)
Nelson Mandela, in his first term as the South African President, initiates a unique venture to unite the apartheid-torn land: enlist the national rugby team on a mission to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
This is one of those films that has some great performances but ultimately just lands a little flat. Morgan Freeman really convinces as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon transforms himself really well to play a believable rugby player. Nelson Mandela’s story of trying to get a united South Africa did get transformed to screen well enough, the film just felt like it was missing something.
That something was missing big time during some of the rugby scenes towards the end of the film. There was just no drama or urgency to them. Whether it was to do with how they were shot or edited. They just didn’t pack the punch I was expecting them to.
I wish I could give this film a higher score, but it was just an average film with some great performances.
Rating: 3/5
Coraline (28/02/11)
An adventurous girl finds another world that is a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but it has sinister secrets.
A really good gothic feeling animated story. Aside from some lovely animation I wasn’t caught up in the spell of the film. I feel like I’m getting old! It was a very charming story but nothing in it really swept me up into the story.
Coraline herself managed to annoy and frustrate me at times with her petulance. Or what I translated as petulance. Maybe that little fact led me to not get caught up in the film. Shame!
Rating: 2/5
Juno (02/03/11)
Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes an unusual decision regarding her unborn child.
I know, I know – it’s taken me a long time to see this film. I think I’ve got a copy of the soundtrack which I’ve listened to and loved before even seeing the film.
A nice fun and inoffensive film to watch. Ellen Page was great as the quirky Juno. I really warmed to Jennifer Garner’s character and her wishes and hopes of being a mother. Loved Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons as the parents too. Always love J.K. Simmons in almost any films he’s done – he makes me laugh!
Glad I finally got around to watching it.
Rating:3/5
Monsters vs. Aliens (06/03/11)
When a meteorite from outer space hits a young woman and turns her into a giant monster, she is taken to a secret government compound where she meets a ragtag group of monsters also rounded up over the years.
Distinctly below average animated film. The whole notion that we should be happy in our own skins is something that’s been done in other films before and a lot better. Of course I can’t remember any of those films off the top of my head right now, but they’re there!
Pixar’s raised the bar so high when it comes to the quality of computer generated animation it’s hard not to compare. Monsters vs. Aliens really can’t compare with any Pixar films.
There’s some good voice talent in the film, just a shame the actual film part of the film just doesn’t measure up.
Rating: 1/5
Jennifer’s Body (06/03/11)
A newly possessed cheerleader turns into a killer who specializes in offing her male classmates. Can her best friend put an end to the horror?
Hey, look, it’s Young Neil! That’s pretty much how I spent watching the film. I wouldn’t say it was a horrendously bad horror film but it’s pretty close to it.
I’m putting the blame firmly on Megan Fox and Diablo Cody. Diablo for trying to make an uncomprehendingly cool sounding script and Megan for just not being very good. When you’re meant to feel compassion for Jennifer, I couldn’t find an ounce of sympathy. She was just a bitca.
Poor Amanda Seyfried – she did the best she could and was the best thing in this mess of a film.
Rating: 2/5
Read on to see the entire list of movies seen this year so far:
22 Movies so far this Year
- The Horse Whisperer 3/5 (1/1/1)
- The Informant! 3/5 (09/01/11)
- The Fighter 4/5 (11/01/11)
- 127 Hours 5/5 (14/01/11)
- The Wolfman 3/5 (15/01/11)
- Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story 4/5 (16/01/11)
- The King’s Speech 5/5 (19/01/11)
- The Town 4/5 (20/01/11)
- Ninja Assassin 2/5 (24/01/11)
- He’s Just Not That Into You 1/5 (25/01/11)
- Imagine That 1/5 (27/01/11)
- Gentlemen Broncos 2/5 (04/02/11)
- Hachi: A Dog’s Tale 4/5 (06/02/11)
- Daybreakers 3/5 (12/02/11)
- The Book of Eli 2/5 (13/02/11)
- True Grit 4/5 (15/02/11)
- Red 1/5 (19/02/11)
- Invictus 3/5 (20/02/11)
- Coraline 2/5 (28/02/11)
- Juno 3/5 (02/03/11)
- Monsters vs. Aliens 1/5 (06/03/11)
- Jennifer’s Body 2/5 (06/03/11)