Godzilla

Godzilla
2014
Director: Gareth Edwards

I know nada about Godzilla and to be completely up front, I've never seen a Godzilla movie from beginning to end before. Not even that crappy one from 1998... and I only say it's crappy because I think it was universally hated by most people. All I know is that after the first trailer for this reboot and the fact that it starred Walter White, I was sold. Tonight I got to saddle up and take my first ride on the Godzilla train.

Synopsis: I think you can figure it out.

While I really enjoyed myself at the movies tonight, Godzilla wasn't a masterpiece. It's flawed in a lot of ways, mainly the underuse of its acting talents... mainly Bryan Cranston. There are a few lulls in the front end involving humans with their feelings and shit. The film starts to take a big turn after the first hour and the last half become worth the wait.

The special effects are incredible and the monster designs are perfect mostly. Add that up with great direction and you have yourself a fairly pleasing monster movie. It's a fun time and what you'd expect from a blockbuster of its caliber.

My top five scenes:
1. The skydive scene.
2. Cranston's interrogation scene.
3. The opening credits.... loved them.
4. Godzilla flame!
5. Godzilla swimming.

Joe

Joe
(2014)
Director: David Gordon Green (IMDB)

Did you know there is a website called One True God with devoted followers who worship Nicolas Cage? If you Google search "One True God" it's the first thing that pops up. I think Nic Cage is a divisive actor, and for me,  I fall on the worship side. I love the dude. Raising Arizona, Bad Lieutenant POC, Wild at Heart, Con Air... the list goes on. When I found out he was teaming up with David Gordon Green for a new film, I was a little excited.

Synopsis: Joe (Nicolas Cage) is an ex con who runs a tree killing business. He befriends a young boy (Tye Sheridan) after hiring him and soon finds out about his troubling family life.

Joe is a very solid drama and much better than David Gordon Green's last installment Prince Avalanche, you can read my thoughts on that HERE. The film immediately reminded me of other films, especially Mud, mainly because of the location and Tye. Still, I enjoyed this a little more than Mud and found the relationship between Joe and the boy to be genuine. I loved the use of non actors (especially the boy's father and the manager of Joe's work crew) backed against pros like Cage and Sheridan.

Joe is beautifully shot and the score runs pleasantly within the world created on screen. The film paces itself well and the ending, although a little predictable, was satisfying enough.

Joe is available on VOD now. Give it a go, it's worth it.

Only Lovers Left Alive

Only Lovers Left Alive
(2014)
Director: Jim Jarmusch [IMDB]

I watched a copy of this film that was procured from the internet. I know what you're thinking... "that's bad Curtis." You would be right. It was wrong of me to do so and normally I try not too. But here's the thing-- this film has been available to watch online for over a month, but it just got a theatrical release this weekend. It's stupid. Hollywood should just put that shit out there for sale on VOD. I'd much rather buy a high quality download... or heavens forbid they release a blu-ray early. If you don't want pirating, give the consumer options. I'm sorry Hollywood. I'm sorry I watched a bootleg. It was wrong... but I do own over 600 blu-rays... so do you think you could give me a pass? I promise when this is available to buy, I will get it. Cool?

Synopsis: Two modern day vampires deal with living forever.

Jim Jarmusch is a quality film maker, and OLLA continues his streak of successful films. I really dug the angle he took on the vampire genre. It's real easy to see a typical vampire flick and there's nothing wrong with that. Hell, I love tons of them. But it's nice to see a director like Jarmusch put a cool spin on that universe. This film isn't scary, it's just a look into the lives of two vampires living in Detroit and how they deal with eternity. I thought Loki was really well cast and I loved the whole troubled musician angle they gave his character. I also thought shooting it in Detroit and Morocco was perfect. The two locations were distinctly different yet both had a strange eerieness to them.

This most reminded me of The Limits of Control, but better. I think if you dig Jarmusch's filmography, you'll like this.

BONUS: Jim Jarmusch's filmography ranked!

1. Mystery Train
2. Stranger Than Paradise
3. Broken Flowers
4. Permanent Vacation
5. Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
6. Only Lovers Left Alive
7. Deadman
8. Night on Earth
9. The Limits of Control
10. Coffee and Cigarettes

Nymphomaniac Part I & II

Nymphomaniac Part I & II 
(2014)
Director: Lars von Trier [IMDB]

Everyone likes sex right? At least most people do. So why is there this weird stigma involved with it? Especially with people who bang too much. From the looks of it, Nymphomaniac promised to focus on this issue and knowing Lars von Trier's prior work, I had a feeling it would get pretty uncomfortable, pretty quickly for most people... but not me, cause I'm a freak (just kidding mom.)

Synopsis: A sex addict named Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) recounts her past adventures with a new found friend (Stellan Skarsgard.)

Nymphomaniac was about what I thought it'd be. I don't know if that's good or bad. The first half is absolutely the strongest and going into part two I was hoping that momentum would continue. But it slows a little and the ending was kind of weak. My wife said the ending ruined it for her, but who cares, this is my review. I don't think I would go as far as to say it ruins it, but I do think it didn't need to be there. I found that Joe's story began to lose me after she starts her new job. I don't want to spoil anything, but Joe ends up getting an apprentice and I found all of that storyline to be a tad boring.

One thing that really annoyed me was the constant shifting of aspect ratio throughout the film. It was random and pointless. Outside of that one criticism, I thought the overall construction of the film (editing, cinematography and score) was great.

This is a film that you wouldn't want to watch with your parents, but it's fine for what it is. However out of all the Lars von Trier films I've seen, I think it's my least favorite.




ALSO: Here's the rest of his filmography that I've seen, ranked!

1. Europa
2. Dogville
3. Manderlay
4. Anti-Christ
5. Dancer in the Dark
6. Melancholia
7. Nyphomaniac


Obviously, I haven't seen them all, if you think there's a film I should pop on, lemme know!

Nebraska

Nebraska
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Alexander Payne [IMDB]

I've been to Nebraska on a few occasions in my lifetime. Whenever my travels would have me passing through the cornhusker state I would think to myself "I'm glad I don't live here." The only place that's tolerable there is Omaha, and maybe Lincoln, but outside of that, there's not much. I always find myself wondering who would decide to live in these towns you find yourself looking at, spread out between the farmland on your way out of Omaha. To be far though, I say that about any place outside a major city, in any state. Well Alexander Payne decided to tell you a story about those people. Let's see how good it is.

Synopsis: An old fart hits, what he believes, is the jackpot when he receives a letter in the mail stating he won a million dollars. He decides to head down to Lincoln to retrieve his winnings.

While watching Nebraska I was immediately reminded of David Lynch's The Straight Story, but in black and white. Payne does a fantastic job at bringing you into the story and into the setting of the film. The characters were all pretty believable and the performances were all decent, with the best one coming from Bruce Dern. Before watching Nebraska, I thought the comedy may come from showing you how absurd these hayseeds were going to be, which would be too easy. While there is a little of that (the two cousins mainly), Nebraska is relatable and the laughs just come from good writing. The score is subdued and pleasant, while the cinematography was bold but impressionistic at times. In the end, the whole package fit nicely together.

I really enjoyed Nebraska and felt the ending was perfect. It left me with happy feelings... I hate those stupid happy feelings. It's well worth your time and I believe it will be out on blu-ray by the end of the month.

12 O'Clock Boys

12 O'Clock Boys
(2014) [Trailer]
Director: Lotfy Nathan [IMDB]

My first review of a 2014 release. Let it soak in, feel it in all its glory. I actually heard about this documentary last year, after it got glowing reviews at Hot Docs. But like most films at Hot Docs, I had to wait until it got a wide release to sample it, which was this week when it open in theaters and VOD. So here we go.

Synopsis: This doc follows Pug, a young boy in a shitty Baltimore neighborhood who is trying his hardest to join a local dirt bike gang called... The 12 O'Clock Boys.

This documentary and the view into the world of Pug and The 12 O'Clock Boys is awesome. Lotfy Nathan does a fantastic job just capturing everything as it is and letting the pieces fall where they may. It's unbiased in its aim and allows the viewer to ride along with the boys and see what their life is all about. Whether or not you agree with them, it's still worth the trip.

Construction-wise, this piece hits a lot of sweet cinematic notes and elevates the documentary genre a little higher than normal. I gotta say, there's not much I can think of to rag on.. maybe it could have focused on some of the other members a little more. Then again, maybe it didn't need to.

Check it out, it's available on your cable box or Apple TV through video on demand.

Miami Connection

Miami Connection
(1987) [Trailer]
Directors: Woo-sang Park (as Richard Park), Y.K. Kim (uncredited)

So bad it's good. That's a phrase that gets thrown around a bit, especially with Miami Connection. I do believe in that mantra and I love a good shitty movie from time to time. So I made the $15 dollar blind buy on the blu-ray and went all in on this ninja masterpiece.

Synopsis: A Taekwondo rock band (yes, you read that right) are targeted by a group of secret ninjas for extermination... and I'm not really sure why.

This movie is definitely bad. Real bad. The acting is hilarious, it makes the film a comedy. I'm not really sure who told Y.K. Kim (the main protagonist) he could act, but thank God they did, because he sucks in the best way possible. I love that the kung-fu band are all orphans, all live together, play in a band together, and all go to college together at the University of Central Florida (which was made apparent in many scenes). 

The band also plays some pretty sweet tunes including this masterpiece:

There are a slew of weird things about this movie. Things that make no sense. It's fun sitting back and watching it unfold and thinking to yourself "Why? What in the hell were they thinking?" Like why is the black dude always walking around the house with his pants unbuttoned? Or why do the cops show up with guns drawn to an empty parking lot, then seemingly just give up trying to figure out where all the bad guys just went? Great police work there guys.

Or why they decided to film this scene?

This film is a trainwreck, but worth a poke just to see how awfully awesome it is.

Blue Jasmine

Blue Jasmine
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Woody Allen [IMDB]

I can't say I'm a huge Woody Allen fan. I mean, I could say that... but I would be lying to you and that's not cool. Everytime I think about having a Woody marathon I remember the dude has bolted out over 70 films and then I decide to just wash those thoughts away with a shitty 80's horror movie. Blue Jasmine is the fourth film I've seen by him and I'm hoping this is the one to light my Woody Allen fire.

Synopsis: An ultra rich Manhattanite loses everything and is forced to move in with her plain Jane sister in San Francisco.

This is by far the best Woody Allen film I've seen, which isn't saying much... but still, there you have it. Blue Jasmine is a wonderful look at crazy. That neurosis is delivered brilliantly by Cate Blanchett who is extremely convincing. After my viewing, I couldn't imagine anyone else in her role... she would be the definition on "owing it". Everyone else was alright, but felt a little lackluster compared to Cate. I thought the sister and all her friends in San Francisco felt too New York or too New Jerseyish to be from there. Plus, she lives in San Francisco in a decent sized apartment and is a grocery bagger... I call bullshit.

The story of Blue Jasmine is interestingly laid out by Woody and it's paced perfectly. I loved the ending,  which was like a nice depression cherry on top. My internal promise to start watch more Woody Allen films has once again been ignited. We'll see what comes next, but for now... go see this.

Dallas Buyers Club

Dallas Buyers Club
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée [IMDB]

Back in middle school I used to think AIDS was an automatic death sentence. It was fucking scary and if you got it, your life was automatically getting flushed down the toilet. Today, that's not so much the case. With adequate health care, you can live with AIDS for a long ass time (Magic Johnson). If my recollection of AIDS from the 90's was an entree, it'd be a deep dish pizza, it was pretty heavy. If Dallas Buyers Club AIDS from the 80's was an entree, it'd be a Turducken, it was absolute madness.

Synopsis: A free wheelin' rodeo stud's life hits a brick wall when he contracts AIDS and is given 30 days to live.

During his acceptance speech for the Golden Globes, Matthew McConaughey said he was glad it took forever for Hollywood to green light this film because it allowed the role of Ron Woodroof to fall into his lap... I, for one, couldn't agree more. McConaughey rules hard all over this movie. He has been on a roll lately (Killer Joe, Bernie, Magic Mike, The Wolf of Wall Street) and with DBC he hit another home run. Jared Leto also blasted out an incredible performance. You can tell that both of them really submerge themselves into the film and it pays off. The story is also very compelling and unfolds at a nice pace.

The only real negatives would be the film making itself, it was a little basic and felt like the quality you'd get from something like a made for HBO film.

It's still out there in theaters and is certainly worth a poke.

Lone Survivor

Lone Survivor
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Peter Berg [IMDB]

Before watching Lone Survivor I read a bunch of negative reviews, basically stating it was America Ra Ra and pro-military. I had also heard a lot of positives from people on facebook, many of whom were military themselves. So I was interested in seeing how it would unfold. I like Peter Berg's films mostly (not including Battle Ship) and thought how bad could it be?

Synopsis: The retelling of a failed mission by US marines in Afghanistan and their fight to survive.

I don't get it. This film didn't feel like pro-war or pro-America at all. If anything, it's ultra violent and makes war look unfun. The haters of this film just think that way because it's a modern tale from Afghanistan... which for many is an unpopular war. But take this story... a unit trap behind enemy lines fighting to get out, and place it in WWII, and everyone would love it. No matter what your politics, war is ugly, and Berg captures that masterfully in Lone Survivor. Going in, I knew what would happen, most people do, but waiting for it all to transpire was nerve racking. When the battle ensues, I was locked in and inthralled.

Berg also succeeded with the score, cinematography, and cast. Marky Mark and Tim Riggins were impressive and it was good to see Emile Hirsh playing some what of a different role.

The action felt a little over the top and Holly Woodish at times, which surprised me, but ultimately it wasn't enough to even come close to ruining it for me.

Lone Survivor is in theaters now and I believe #1 at the box office as of last weekend. Shit... Berg is ballin hard.

Inside Llewyn Davis

Inside Llewyn Davis
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

3 Coen Brothers films sit inside my Top 100 Films of All Time list, I guess that means they are my favorite directors... or at least, almost my favorite directors. Who cares, they are rad and I've been meaning to check out their newest film Inside Llewyn Davis for a hot minute... I just used the term "hot minute", you can punch me in the throat next time you see me... sorry about that.

Synopsis: Llewyn Davis is a struggling folk singer living in NYC during the 60's... this is his story.

Inside Llewyn Davis was a big winner for me. I thought the one thing that may bring it down was the music, but I actually really enjoyed the soundtrack a lot. The fact that it was all recorded live while shooting is also incredible. Llewyn is the proverbial starving artist, but an extremely honest version of that which didn't feel forced. I loved going along for the ride with him, both literally when he took a road trip to Chicago and throughout the rest of the movie. He is a character that is flawed and ultimately heading down a dead end path, but you still want to see it unfold.

There were a lot of stand out moments for me... like the scenes with the cat, John Goodman, and the audition in Chicago. It also feels like a movie, on a rewatch, that will offer things you missed on the first viewing, as is the case with all Coen films.

Inside Llewyn Davis is still in theaters and comes highly recommended by me.... Curtis.

Her

Her
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Spike Jones [IMDB]

Spike Jones is responsible for Being John Malkovich, which is in my Top 100 Films of All Time. He also cranked out Adaption, which would be a close runner up for that list. Point is, I like the dude, okay? When I saw his first trailer for Her, I was excited to lay my eyes upon the final product. Her and Inside Llewyn Davis were probably the two films I regret not seeing the most before I made my Top Ten of 2013, but I'm a busy man (internet porn) and I can't see everything. Finally Her gets its day in court, WFR court that is.

Synopsis: In the future people use Operating Systems to help them get their act together. Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with his OS... played by the voice of Scarlett Johansson.

Party voice. Do you know what that is? That is when a young lady smokes and drinks, then finds herself out in loud social environments where she has to shout a lot. If these steps are repeated often enough, her voice will start to sound raspy. Scarlett Johansson has party voice. I never really noticed until this movie. Maybe it's because you never see her and that's all you can focus on. Anyways, onto more pressing matters.

Her is effective at painting a very realistic portrait of the future. Sure, the future may not be exactly as it's portrayed in the film, but it's believable enough that you almost forget it's sci-fi. But it is, and a wonderful example of how sci-fi doesn't need epic space battles and CG to sell it. Her has an interesting concept and one that is executed fairly well. Spike Jones' direction is concrete and the pacing of Her was smooth. Phoenix and Johansson were both great, and made on screen chemistry in a unique way. Amy Adams was mediocre, like she is in most films... sorry Amy Adams fans. The film takes some turns towards the end which I think could have been handled differently, but ultimately I was happy with the overall take.

Her is still in theaters and I'd recommend it. Especially if you are familiar with the director's prior work, I think you'll enjoy it.

The Spectacular Now

The Spectacular Now
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: James Ponsoldt [IMDB]

I've been consistently seeing The Spectacular Now popping up in many peoples best of the year lists. It has also garnered a lot of attention in the film festival circuits. I figured... I like a nice indie drama as much as the next guy, why not?

Synopsis: A party bro falls for a nice sweet girl and deals with the pitfalls of exiting high school.

I only wish I could have gotten piss drunk, passed out on a lawn, woken up to, and fallen in love with a girl like Shailene Woodley when I was a senior in high school. Actually, that's not true at all, I was straight edge my senior year and I had a girlfriend, but still... this guy is one lucky bastard.... or is he? See that? That's me throwing a curveball at you, mixing up a little mystery into the pot.

Following the story of Sutter (the protagonist) was amusing and entertaining. The Spectacular Now takes notes from Cameron Crowe and John Hughes, but it has its own spin on the coming of age genre flick, which worked for me. People perceive themselves a certain way in high school, and what you think are, others may not agree with. That aspect and the understanding of what you want out of life are complex things that Spectacular does a great job capitalizing on. Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley's chemistry was solid and I was psyched seeing Kyle Chandler in there... gotta love Coach Taylor.

Above all things, The Spectacular Now felt real to me, that believability makes it worth your time alone. It's not top ten material, but still worth a poke.

August: Osage County

August: Osage County
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: John Wells [IMDB]

I first saw the trailer for August when I went to go see American Hustle. Like American Hustle, the trailer was mediocre and didn't really spark my interest. Then my friend Doug (shout outs!) saw it and claimed it was best film of the year. He also informed me it was from the same writer that brought you (me) Killer Joe and Bug... so at that point my interest peaked. I just checked it out, here's the low down.

Synopsis: A family with issues is reunited for the funeral of a loved one and things get ugly.

August is a solid film and has some superior performances coming from the Pretty Woman and Meryl Streep. I also liked the edition of Chris Cooper, that guy is always an asshole, it's nice to see him in a more kind hearted role. Osage County captures disfunction and addiction in a believable and comedic way mostly... but the film is extremely dramatic and a little over the top at times. There were a few things that I felt tipped the scales which I won't get into because of spoilers (you're welcome.)

I rather enjoyed August: Osage County and felt like its characters and simplistic settings made it a winner. It's a dark film with a not so happy ending. If you're not into that kinda shit, skip it. But I love stuff like that cause I'm a deep dude. It's still in theaters and I'm pretty sure it expanded wide.

All Is Lost

All Is Lost
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: J.C. Chandor [IMDB]

All Is Lost was a film I really wanted to squeeze in before I made my Top 10 List for 2013... sadly I didn't get the chance. After watching it, it probably would have made it in there, or been really close. Here's why.

Synopsis: A man is stranded at sea... you watch... you enjoy.

This film immediately sinks its teeth into you and doesn't let go for the rest of the ride. I loved it and was captivated by every minute of it. It's like a procedural for surviving at sea and almost has a weird documentary vibe to it. There's no dialog... minus the monologue in the beginning, Robert Redford says all of 4 words in the whole thing. It doesn't really need that though, I was just caught up in the act of him staying alive and keeping his shit together. Redford rules the role and is convincing enough that I think he may have lived on a sailboat in real life at one point.

I feel extremely satisfied with All Is Lost and I haven't seen anything like it before. It takes the whole "lost at sea" sub-genre (if there is such a thing) and reinvents it in an interesting way.

Curtis' Best of 2013.

Before I start let me first say there are a few movies I haven't seen yet that I wish I had gotten to... Inside Llewellyn Davis, All Is Lost, Dallas Buyers Club, and Her would be the main ones, but I got get this list done, so here you go.

This year has been killer for movies. I've seen a ton of great shit, and some not so great shit. I must say I've been pretty consistent with reviewing everything I watch, but a few of these titles I never got too... sorry. Either way, here are my top ten, then the rest of 2013 ranked.

1. The Wolf of Wall Street (Review)
2. Before Midnight (Review)
3. To the Wonder (Review)
4. Star Trek: Into Darkness (Review)
5. 12 Years A Slave (Review)
6. The Place Beyond the Pines (Review)
7. The Lords of Salem (Review)
8. Captain Phillips (Review)
9. Spring Breakers (Review)
10. The Hunt (Review)

There it is, feel free to disagree, I don't care... you are wrong. Here's the rest of what I saw in 2013.

11. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Review)
12. Stoker (Review)
13. Only God Forgives (Review)
14. Fruitvale Station (No Review: 4 1/2 Arnolds)
15. The Conjuring (Review)
16. Pacific Rim (Review)
17. Gravity (Review)
18. Behind the Candelabra (Review)
19. Side Effects (Review)
20. You're Next (Review)
21. Maniac (Review)
22. Prisoners (No Review: 3 1/2 Arnolds)
23. Frances Ha (No Review: 3 1/2 Arnolds)
24. Upstream Color (Review)
25. Mama (Review)
26. American Hustle (Review)
27. Bad Milo! (Review)
28. The Lone Ranger (Review)
29. World War Z (No Review: 3 Arnolds)
30. Elysium (Review)
31. Riddick (No Review: 3 Arnolds)
32. This Is the End (Review)
33. Pain & Gain (Review)
34. The Last Stand (Review)
35. Oz: The Great and Powerful (Review)
36. Prince Avalanche (Review)
37. Evil Dead (Review)
38. Man of Steel (Review)
39. VHS 2 (No Review: 2 1/2 Arnolds)
40. After Earth (Review)
41. A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III (Review)
42. The Purge (No Review: 2 Arnolds)
43. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (No Review: 1 1/2 Anrolds)
44. Sharknado (Review)

12 Years A Slave

12 Years A Slave
(2014) [Trailer]
Director: Steve McQueen [IMDB]

It's crazy to think that slavery was abolished in the US only 150 years ago. It's also crazy to think that the practice of slavery still exists in some parts of the world today. The human species is a strange animal capable of incredible things and also horrific things. Slavery is an ugly scar in the timeline of humanity, it's something that should never be stamped out, and it shouldn't be sugar coated. George Orwell once said “The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”

Synopsis: A free man living in New York is abducted from his family and forced into slavery for 12 years.

Before watching this, I heard a ton of hype... "best film of the year", "it's gonna win tons of oscars", "It's the most powerful film ever made"... after watching it, I can see why. Hype or no hype, 12 Years A Slave is a profound film and one that deserves any accolades it receives.

12 Years is a harsh and blunt look at slavery, taking no liberties with the subject matter. Within all the despair and heartache McQueen found way to take his style and make it work. The score, cinematography and editing bring a level of mastery that shows the promise he has as a director and I'm absolutely looking forward to more films from him. Side Note: I've only seen one other Steve McQueen film, Shame, and I really enjoyed it... read about it HERE.

History is important and 12 Years A Slave captures a part of it so effectively that it's hard not to recommend it. For what it was trying to achieve, it's perfect.