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8 mini reviews and 13 Assassins
May. 25th, 2011 05:18 pmRemember when I said was going to keep track of the movies I saw this year, then didn't write about any for two months straight? Well as hard as it will be to believe for anyone who's met me, I didn't actually go two months without watching a movie. But I want to get to the one I saw this afternoon, so here's a shortened version of what I've watched since March:
Movie 53: Source Code
Not on par with Moon, but between the two films Duncan Jones is definitely a director whose work I will seek out. Some of the most thoughtful sci-fi being made today.
Movie 54: The Tin Drum
Watched this for a paper in my Communication Law class. I'd seen it before, and liked it then, but was so young I completely missed the allegory for the effects of WWII on the citizens of Germany. Not that it was a big part of the movie or anything, just the ENTIRE PLOT.
Movie 55: Banned in Oklahoma
Documentary about the legal controversy stirred up in Oklahoma when a judge labeled it obscene almost 20 years after its release. Even though I agree with the stance the filmmakers took, I would have liked to have seen a less one-sided take on the issue.
Movie 56: Super
This is the movie last year's Kick-Ass wants to be when it grows up, an dark examination of what real-world masked crime fighters would be like that doesn't turn into a generic comic book movie in the third act.
Movie 57: Hanna
Thoroughly entertaining action movie that succeeds because it doesn't try to be anything more than what it is: a fun brain-under-the-seat movie.
Movie 58: Monsters
Impressive monster movie done on a shoestring budget, but the middle drags a little.
Movie 59: Enter the Void
Gaspar Noé really likes tracking shots and strobe effects. Not as disturbing as Irreversible, but also not as interesting or effective.
Movie 60: Bridesmaids
It needed some editing - there are scenes that go a little too long and hurt the pacing - but it's still the funniest movie I've seen all year.
Movie 61: 13 Assassins
This is the one that inspired me to get back to writing about movies as I see them. 13 Assassins currently holds the title for best movie I've seen this year. It stays true to its samurai movie roots (comparisons to The Seven Samurai are all but inevitable) while never seeming old fashioned or outdated. There are a few definite Takashi Miike touches, but the violence and bloodshed are surprisingly toned down compared to his other films. The first two acts could have easily felt like they were just there to set up the finale, but the characters and situations are so well developed that it's almost as interesting as a political drama as it is an action movie. But as good as the first two thirds of the film are, the real reason to see this is the battle at the end, where the titular assassins face off against an army. It goes from extremely fun action to gritty realism to high drama in turns, and every tonal shift is perfectly timed and executed. If you enjoy a good samurai movie (or a good western, since the two genres borrow so heavily from each other), I highly, highly recommend seeking this one out.
Movie 53: Source Code
Not on par with Moon, but between the two films Duncan Jones is definitely a director whose work I will seek out. Some of the most thoughtful sci-fi being made today.
Movie 54: The Tin Drum
Watched this for a paper in my Communication Law class. I'd seen it before, and liked it then, but was so young I completely missed the allegory for the effects of WWII on the citizens of Germany. Not that it was a big part of the movie or anything, just the ENTIRE PLOT.
Movie 55: Banned in Oklahoma
Documentary about the legal controversy stirred up in Oklahoma when a judge labeled it obscene almost 20 years after its release. Even though I agree with the stance the filmmakers took, I would have liked to have seen a less one-sided take on the issue.
Movie 56: Super
This is the movie last year's Kick-Ass wants to be when it grows up, an dark examination of what real-world masked crime fighters would be like that doesn't turn into a generic comic book movie in the third act.
Movie 57: Hanna
Thoroughly entertaining action movie that succeeds because it doesn't try to be anything more than what it is: a fun brain-under-the-seat movie.
Movie 58: Monsters
Impressive monster movie done on a shoestring budget, but the middle drags a little.
Movie 59: Enter the Void
Gaspar Noé really likes tracking shots and strobe effects. Not as disturbing as Irreversible, but also not as interesting or effective.
Movie 60: Bridesmaids
It needed some editing - there are scenes that go a little too long and hurt the pacing - but it's still the funniest movie I've seen all year.
Movie 61: 13 Assassins
This is the one that inspired me to get back to writing about movies as I see them. 13 Assassins currently holds the title for best movie I've seen this year. It stays true to its samurai movie roots (comparisons to The Seven Samurai are all but inevitable) while never seeming old fashioned or outdated. There are a few definite Takashi Miike touches, but the violence and bloodshed are surprisingly toned down compared to his other films. The first two acts could have easily felt like they were just there to set up the finale, but the characters and situations are so well developed that it's almost as interesting as a political drama as it is an action movie. But as good as the first two thirds of the film are, the real reason to see this is the battle at the end, where the titular assassins face off against an army. It goes from extremely fun action to gritty realism to high drama in turns, and every tonal shift is perfectly timed and executed. If you enjoy a good samurai movie (or a good western, since the two genres borrow so heavily from each other), I highly, highly recommend seeking this one out.
