Krull

Krull
(1983) [Trailer]
Director: Peter Yates (IMDB)

My wife fell asleep twice while watching this movie with me. By that I mean, we started two nights ago and she fell asleep, I paused it so we could finish it the next night (because I'm considerate), then the next night came and she fell asleep again. So you can tell it's awesome!

Synopsis: A monster from space comes to Krull and steals a princess. Her prince gets a glaive and with a group of ruffians, he sets out to rescue her.

This is one of my favorite films from my childhood, so even if it didn't hold up, it'd still get a pass from me... good thing it still doesn't suck so I don't feel like a hypocrite. If you're fan of films like Willow, Star Wars, and Breakfast at Tiffany's, you'll love this. Wait... sorry not Breakfast at Tiffany's... I meant Dune, I always confuse the two. I love the effects and set pieces in this. Even though some don't hold up, I don't care, there's something comforting about them. Examples would be the Cyclops, the painted back drops, and the spider. You don't see quality practical effects like that in LOTR. That's right I just took a jab at Frodo & Co, deal with it. I will end with one of the most important elements of this film... the score by James Horner, it's something to behold... a classic if you will.

Get on board kids, this is a good time. Also... all the corporate guys at Columbia/Warner reading this, please go ahead and get this slated for a blu-ray release. Thanks.

Harold and Maude

Harold and Maude
(1971) [Trailer]
Director: Hal Ashby (IMDB)

BN.com is having sale! 50% off all Criterion blu-rays... guess who just loaded up? Me. So expect a lot of of those titles to be reviewed here.

Synopsis: Harold is a young rich eccentric who is obsessed with death. Maude is old and also a little out there. They meet and things happen... you get no more. 

I heard a lot about this inspiring Wes Anderson and his film making and you definitely see that influence. There's a lot of similarities in the characters, humor, and story line. If you're a fan of his movies, especially Rushmore, I think you will really love this. The score is provided by Cat Stevens and it rules very much.

SPOILER START: I really enjoyed the ending of this film and found it to be a little thought provoking. Throughout the film Harold is constantly acting out suicide attempts and when he finally sees someone he loves actually take their own life, it changes him. I think the crashing of his car at the end is the final act of death for him and that's why he walks away happy and playing music. SPOILER END: You're welcome for the warning.

This is a great movie and I found it extremely entertaining, get up on it.

Salesman

Salesman
(1968) [Trailer]
Director: Albert Maysles (IMDB), David Maysles (IMDB)

Movie blogging is a hard business and recently I have had to pick up another job to supplement my lavishness life style. I work in sales and it's also tough, but after watching Salesman, it's not so bad after all.

Synopsis: The Maysles Brothers lay down a classic documentary about door to door bible salesmen.

I wanted to check this out for a long time, its actually been sitting in my Netflix queue for over a year now. I finally got it... I rule! This little slice of cinema verite is considered a historically important piece of art and was selected to be preserved by the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress... It's also a Criterion release! All that must mean it's good right? Wrong... no I'm kidding, it's awesome.

This is such an honest little slice of real life and still just as effective today as I'm sure it was in 1968. The Maysles Brothers so easily mingle through the day to day of these men and capture their successes and failures as they chase the American dream. I absolutely see how this film has influenced more modern documentary films, especially the way it's shot, it's really impressive.

I loved this, if you're into or looking to start getting into docs, check it!

Casa de mi Padre

Casa de mi Padre
(2012) [Trailer]
Director: Matt Piedmont (IMDB)

Casa de mi Padre stands for "House of my Father." I just taught you Spanish... you're welcome or de nada.

Synopsis: Who knew Will Ferrell was Mexican? Well in this film he is and he's a ranchero who falls for his brother's girl.

The main drawl of this film is that Will Ferrell speaks Spanish throughout it but that starts to wear off immediately. I am impressed the guy took lessons and pulled it off, but it's gonna take more than that to sell this fim. It pays homage to telenovelas and a lot of 60's B-movie westerns... that aspect I liked. There are a lot of cheesy set pieces and effects, the whole acid trip in the middle of the film might be the best part of the whole thing. The rest falls short for me. Especially the dialog and plot, it's just very dull. Worst part of the film... Molly Shannon saying "Mexico is the bestico"...ughhh. Cringe.  I'd go ahead and pass on this. Esta pelicula es basura.

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Beasts of the Southern Wild
(2012) [Trailer]
Director: Benh Zeitlin (IMDB)

I saw the trailer for this film a few weeks back and immediately wanted to check it out. It seemed a bit strange and kinda out there but also right up my alley. I've talked about my alley before on this blog, it's a fucked up place.

Synopsis: Hushpuppy and her father Wink live on a distressed island called the Bathtub. Wink's health starts to deteriorate but they also have to deal with floods, ancient wildebeests, and getting kicked off the Bathtub.

This is one hell of a movie and it currently sits as number 1 for my best of 2012 (however... we still have The Master, Django Unchained, Dark Knight Rises, and The Hobbit to come.) I will start by saying I can honestly think of no movie that looks or feels like this film. It's a total original which is rare in Hollyweird nowadays. By no means is it perfect, but what little flaws are there are over shadowed by everything else that's great. The set pieces are fantastic, they have this weird run down vibe about them that I love. The cinematography and score are on top of their game. The performances of both Quvenzhané Wallis and Dwight Henry are incredible, especially considering they are first timers. This movie dances between fairy tale and the real world so gracefully that you almost weren't sure what was going to come next... something realistic or a giant pig beast. The plot tends to jump around a little, but nothing too hard to wrap your head around. It's very whimsical and done in a way that some could say is pretentious... those people are idiots. I'm kidding, everyone has their own opinion, it's just their opinion is wrong.

Check this out... a big recommendation coming from your boy Curtis Talls. It's in limited release currently, so it may be hard to find, hopefully it'll go wide soon.

Out of Sight

Out of Sight
(1998) [Trailer]
Director: Steven Soderbergh (IMDB)

Another Steven Soderbergh selection up for review here. I've never seen this film before and luckily found it used on blu-ray for a fiver the other day. So here we go guys! YEAH!!!

Synopsis: George Clooney is a bank robber who escapes from prison and ends up falling for J Lo who is an FBI agent.

Another winner for me from Mr Soderbergh. This films has it all... good comedic moments, crime, drama and a pretty believable love story. Okay, that's not "all" but it's a lot dammit. I really enjoyed the romance angle of this movie and found it authentic and cleverly executed. The car trunk scene was a pretty cool way to start a love connection and show intimacy between the two main characters. I also enjoyed seeing Michael Keaton, Ving Rhames, and Don Cheadle up in the mix. Out of Sight is as stylish as any Soderbergh film and the musical queues are also pleasing. My only complaint is that the film felt a little long.

Micmacs

Micmacs
(2009) [Trailer]
Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet (IMDB)

I really enjoy Jean-Pierre Jeunet's movies. All of the ones I've seen have been pretty awesome. He definitely has a style that is all his own and Micmacs is no different.

Recently I sat down with my best friend Kurt after a long day celebrating Bastille Day and popped this bad larry in. What better way to celebrate France than a movie?

Synopsis: A guy gets shot in the head, befriends a group of rag tags and sets out to get revenge on the people responsible for killing his father.

This movie looks fantastic and has some spectacular cinematography.   At times, the visual feel of this film reminded me of Citizen Kane and other classic films. There were a lot of interesting set pieces, especially the trash heap house they lived in. The story line is a bit odd and I found it unfolded a little slowly at times. There are also a good amount of fantastical elements that may be hard for some people to digest. If you've seen any of Jeunet's other films you'll know what to expect... it's quirky, funny, and very entertaining.

The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese Falcon
(1941) [Trailer]
Director: John Huston (IMDB)

Humprey Bogart is considered the greatest male star in the history of American cinema and for good reason, he's a bad ass. Recently I've been slowly making my way through what are considered to be classic staples in American film and many of these movies star Humprey Bogart. I think some people look at old black and white movies and think they're boring. Sadly they will miss out on some great stories, this being one of them.

Synopsis: Sam Slade is a private dick whose partner is killed. There are all kinds of players involved and Slade has to figure out who did it.

This is a classic crime noir and it unfolds nicely over its 100 minute run time. Bogart and the rest of the cast were excellent and execute a stellar storyline. I really loved the dialog in this movie and found a lot of it to be surprisingly humorous. The use of lighting and the cinematography gives this an interesting feel which has been mimicked in later films I've seen... like Pulp Fiction, Barton Fink, and LA Confidential. I really enjoyed this and if you're looking for a classic to sit down with, I'd recommend it.