Movie Reviews Part 1
(December and January)
Hi
everyone! I planned on finishing my list for the best movies of 2011 a while
ago, but there are still a couple more movies that I'd like to see before I
finalize the list. Therefore, I will continue with my last set of capsule
reviews. I'm splitting up the reviews into 2 parts so that you don't die from the
long posts/boredom. There are some strong films here, but this bunch of films
isn't up to the quality of other recent movies:
DVD/On
Demand:
1. Straw Dogs- 3 and 1/2 stars
After some very mediocre reviews, I was
really hesitant to see this movie. But I still gave it a shot and ended up
loving it. Straw Dogs is an excellent film, and in my opinion, it's one of the
best and most brutal thrillers made in the past few years. The cast here is
outstanding, particularly Alexander Skarsgard who uses his star presence to
make a complex villain who is both charming and brooding. The last act of this
film is insanely thrilling and violent. This isn't a movie for everyone. It's
difficult to watch. This story about a group of deranged men who harass an
innocent couple is extremely menacing and dark. At times, it's pretty
uncomfortable. And it's a slow-burning movie that gradually builds tension. I
like that it takes its time to flesh out the characters and establish the
setting. It sets itself apart from a lot of other cliched thrillers/horror
films.
2. Beginners- 2 stars
Let me first start off by saying that
Beginners has one of the best casts of the year. Christopher Plummer is pretty
much guaranteed to win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. He deserves it. He's
excellent here as an old man with cancer who decides to come out to his son.
Ewan McGregor equals him. He gives a tender and layered performance. Melanie
Laurent is absolutely charming. So where does this movie go wrong? It's an
indie picture that is too "indie." The film moves at an extremely
slow pace. It focuses more on McGregor's relationship with Laurent, which isn't
nearly as interesting as his relationship with his father. I really wanted to
like this film. It's a shame that it's simply too depressing and too slow to be
enjoyable.
3. Margin Call- 2 and 1/2 stars
Margin Call chronicles a fictional
account of a company realizing that the 2008 financial crisis is about to
occur. Within a 24 hour time span, we see multiple characters struggling to
comprehend the madness of impending doom. The script here is really strong, and
I liked how the writing sorta dumbs down and explains things to the viewers who
don't really understand economics. The cast includes many A-listers who are
excellent. Sometimes, the subtle direction comes across as a little drab, and
the plot kinda meanders, but it really is an excellent Wall Street thriller.
4. Moneyball- 1 and 1/2 stars
This is one of the biggest
disappointments of the year. Reviews for this film were absolutely glowing. I
didn't like this movie. This film about Billy Beane and the use of statistics
to raise the quality of the Oakland A's is both repetitious and dry. So many of
the scenes are really boring. Brad Pitt is the only really great thing about
this movie. He gives one of his best performances. Besides a couple of witty
lines of dialogue and a few well directed scenes, this film ranks among the
worst of the year.
5. Contagion- 3 and 1/2 stars
This thriller really left an impression
upon me. I am a little germaphobic, so all the scenes of human contact with
germs sorta made me squirm. I really liked this film because it's believable.
It's one of the most realistic disaster outbreak movies you'll ever see. Plus,
the humongous excellent cast doesn't hurt. All of the stories are really
compelling, and once the complex layers start coming together, the film becomes
really satisfying.
6. Hanna- 3 stars
This thriller about a little assassin
fleeing away from evil operatives is really exciting. Saoirse Ronan is
excellent in this film, and the score by the Chemical Brothers ranks among the
best of the year. The action sequences are stunningly choreographed, and Hanna
is a really interesting protagonist. I wish that the twist towards the end was a little more
shocking and that some of the scenes were a little more believable, but I
really enjoyed this movie. It's like an action thriller that collides with a
fairy tale.
7. Weekend- 3 stars
This little-known British film is one of
the best romance movies of the year. I didn't know if I really wanted to see
this movie (especially considering the subject matter), but after hearing great
reviews, I saw it and loved it. This film tells the story of two men who meet
at a bar, hook up, and then spend the weekend together as they find out more
about each other and themselves. The performances here are outstanding, and the
director does an excellent job of making the movie feel real and naturalistic.
This isn't specifically a "gay" movie. It's a romance movie that's
applicable to all people, regardless of sexuality. The final moments of this
movie are really haunting. Like one of my favorite movies Once, the ending is
both heartbreaking and uplifting.
The Debt- 2 and 1/2 stars
This is
another compelling thriller that chronicles Jewish spies who are ordered to
take down an evil Nazi doctor. This twisty little film has an excellent cast
and some really brutal action sequences. The plot device of flashing back and forth
between the present and the past is both a strength and a weakness. Sometimes,
it makes the film more exciting. Sometimes, it makes it more confusing. Plus,
the story of the past is more interesting than the story of the present, so I
found myself not liking the latter half of the film as much. Still, the pacing
of The Debt is quite good, and I was continually guessing as to where the plot
would go. I enjoyed this movie.
8. Jane Eyre- 3 stars
This is a really lovely adaptation of the
book. The director does an excellent job by turning this gothic romance story
into something more. It's dark, deep, and occasionally, really frightening and
suspenseful. The actors and actresses in this film are all outstanding, the
color palette and production design of the film is beautiful, and the costume
design is really exquisite. I like that this film twists the novel a little bit
by putting things out of sequence and fast forwarding through some of the more
boring parts of the book. This is a fine movie.
9.
The
Change-Up- 2 and 1/2 stars
This
film doesn't really do anything new with the "switched bodies" comedy
genre, but it is a fun movie. Reynolds and Bateman are pretty hilarious, and
their performances are really strong. I liked how this film really goes for a
"hard R" rating. At times, the raunchiness feels a little forced, and
the jokes aren't always great, but I was amused the entire time. Towards the
end, the movie actually has some nice messages, which is a strange but
interesting touch.
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