Loved it. Post-apocalyptic is easily my favourite subgenre, and Stake Land scratched that itch like few other movies can. The production values are sky high, the world-building is wonderful (I adored the detail put into the small towns, the radio station, the bars, and the Brotherhood), the acting is spot on, the cinematography is beautiful, the characters are well-developed, and the vampire angle is an interesting twist on the classic Wasteland-wandering tale. It even features a crazy ambitious long take that will have you watching in awe and believing that the budget was ten times what it actually was.
There are of course a few problems. The second half of the film, after the party
leaves 'civilization' entirely behind
, is nowhere near as much fun as the first; I would have liked the movie to explore the survival aspect of the world in this section, but instead
they never really want for food or shelter and kind of just coast through
. Related to this criticism is a problem that many post-apocalyptic movies struggle with, namely how to end. In this case what we got was a pretty rushed and unsatisfying conclusion, including a final confrontation that left much to be desired and went against the established world rules that the movie set for itself.
But all this is easily forgiven, because what the film has achieved is absolutely mammoth. It's such a fun and wild adventure, although it's also suitably bleak and surprisingly emotional when it needs to be. I guess I'm just a sucker for these types of movies, but I really don't understand why this hasn't received much more acclaim. Sequel please.
Really fantastic. It goes off the rails a bit towards the end, and you definitely have to be on the same insane wavelength as Bong Joon-ho to appreciate his dark humour and the film's more eccentric elements, but this is easily forgiven when the premise is this enthralling, the action this visceral, and the plot this unpredictable.
The post-apocalyptic worldbuilding, even though it's confined to the interior of a train, is phenomenal, to the point where, as the party was driving relentlessly forward through the train, all I wanted was for them to slow down a bit so I could admire the scenery. Every carriage is designed like an intricate work of art, and this level of detail is matched by the increasingly deranged people that inhabit them and the bizarre rules that they have created for their own perpetually moving, self-sustaining society. It's just such an intoxicating and irresistibly cool concept, and whilst the film definitely owes a debt to the likes of Metropolis, A Boy And His Dog, and perhaps even the Fallout games, Bong Joon-ho's typically stylish, insane, and unorthodox approach to the genre is unquestionably unique and innovative.
There are some problems however. I don't think Snowpiercer is as philosophically engaging as it perhaps could have been given the premise, and it takes a few pretty serious missteps towards the end, with the protagonist's character-revealing expository monologue about the baby a definite low point. There's also a worry that the wacky elements of the film may well frustrate those who are not consumers of Korean cinema, especially as you could be forgiven for thinking, given the advertising and the majority of the cast, that this would be a fairly typical lower budget, single location Hollywood thriller. The fact that Snowpiercer can't be pigeon-holed like this is a strength and not a weakness however, and, weirdness and all, I can safely say that this is the most enjoyable 2014 release I've seen thus far.
Well I really enjoyed it. At times it fell into the trap of feeling like a lesser imitation of the first, but for the most part it's an extremely fun and highly stylised sword-n-sandals fantasy romp with some genuinely breathtaking, testosterone-driven naval battle scenes and a wonderful, scenery devouring performance from Eva Green. Admittedly otherwise it's a fairly mediocre show of acting from the surprisingly star-sparse cast, although Lena Headey also deserves a mention for her brief but enjoyable reprise of the role of Gorgo, and it's great to see Cersei
finally get a share of the action
.
The cinematography and effects of the movie are those of the original, turned up to eleven; this is the most Snyder(ian?) movie that Snyder never made, and I can understand how some might find it off-putting, but I just don't think I have it in me to hate a movie shot this beautifully. Murro has done a remarkable job of capturing the essence of the first film without his movie feeling like a parody, especially as someone whose biggest (and only) previous directing credit is a comedy. The most valid criticism of the movie is that there is too much exposition and 'plot', as evidenced by the much-maligned opening monologue, but I feel this was necessary to place the events of the film within the broader context of the original, and at least there's always something visually interesting going on, even when the action lags.
I don't get people saying they loved the first but hated this, because they're just so similar. And, when it's been six years between drinks for the franchise, I really don't see any problem with that. Turn your brain off, turn your appreciation for slow-mo to maximum (good training for The Grand Budapest Hotel anyway), and enjoy.
This definitely deserves a lot more attention. I'll refrain from calling it a masterpiece until I've given it a rewatch, but I can safely say that it's a fantastic British gangster flick that deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as some of the all time greats. The performance from Ben Kingsley is a masterclass that will be studied and admired for decades to come, and alone makes the movie well worth watching, but the direction from Glazer is also exceptional, with a great sense of style and energy, as well as enough unique, often surreal, touches to differentiate the movie from its peers. Sexy Beast has all the qualities that you look for in a movie of this kind: it's darkly hilarious, fast-paced, violent, fun, and menacing; although, whatever the name will have you believe, it is decidedly and deliberately unsexy. A properly brilliant debut feature.
This has to be the most contrived screenplay of all time. I mean I have a really strong suspension of disbelief when watching films, but even for me it was a massive challenge at times to not just laugh at the absurdity of the premise and the elaborate and entirely unnecessary scheme that the villains concocted. It's a real shame as well, because the execution is damn near faultless, with great performances from Hepburn and Arkin and a truly thrilling and inspired finale.
A tense, dark, tight thriller with a nice visual style, brilliant score, and very brave performances from the three leads. The relentless plot twists are unnecessary, and detract from the film's effective and defining minimalism, but I was still on the edge of my seat throughout, and what the filmmakers have done with the budget is nothing short of extraordinary; the movie looks like it cost ten times as much as it actually did. It's a real shame we haven't seen any more from Blakeson since this.
This was a joy to watch. Impeccable pacing, great character development, a fascinating premise, and what a cast! The use of a very clear and very signposted traditional three act narrative structure gives a real purpose to every single scene and makes the running time fly by, with the result that the film feels a lot shorter than it actually is. In fact if anything I'd argue strongly for a running time extension, in that I would have loved more of an epilogue in order to make the ending feel a little less rushed. The structure of the film, combined with the lighter tone (compared to most war movies) and ensemble cast of characters reminded me a lot of The Great Escape, and while I hold that film in very high regard I do think this is actually the superior picture in many ways. One of the most enjoyable war movies I've seen.
Visually ravishing, as you'd expect from Singh, but unfortunately his shift from a highly personal, narrative-driven labour of love shot entirely on location to this CGI-fueled and oddly soulless 300 clone could not be more pronounced. Still though it's worth a watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon, due not only to the visuals but also because of some great fight scenes that, refreshingly, don't feature a cut every other millisecond, as well as Rourke's enjoyable turn as the deliciously evil antagonist.
A great start and an even better finish, but sadly the film lags a little in the second act. Thankfully the animation is stunning throughout, to the point where you could freeze any single frame and hang it on your wall and it would be guaranteed to look fantastic, which seems to be the norm for Miyazaki's work but is nevertheless exceptional and worthy of praise. Still though I personally rather missed the usual Ghibli fantastical elements and lush worldbuilding, which only make fleeting appearances in dream sequences. The trademark Miyazaki child-like sense of wonder and awe has been replaced with, ironically, a much more grounded realism, but this only serves to demonstrate that he really is capable of pulling off pretty much anything, even if he is at his best when it comes to whimsical fantasy. Despite some flaws this is still a beautiful film in every way possible, and is a fitting way for the Japanese master to bow out, especially given his fascination with flight.
The 'romance' is definitely the weak point of this movie, it's the only element that doesn't really work at all. Apart from that however this is a very, very good late noir, with a fascinating premise and great use of Cold War paranoia that set it apart from many other similar movies.
A bunch of people I hated yelling at each other for two hours, with clumsy direction and questionable acting. At least the film had a message I suppose.
Great noir! Could have done without the narratively convenient
photos, that basically solve the entire mystery neatly without any need for an investigation
, as well as the cumbersome internal monologues, but the strong acting, clever and unconventional plot progression, and inventive camerawork make this quite the enthralling watch.
1. Treat it like an introduction to popular, mostly modern films. If you want to be able to talk about movies with your friends and understand references to movies in other media then this is as good a place as any to start, and the list is probably more effective at capturing popular culture than the IMDb Top 250 is.
2. Ignore the rankings. There are a lot of really really good films here, but the majority of them are in the lower half. The top 50 in particular is laughable with its focus on Tarantino and Nolan, Reddit's director demigods, but lower down you start to get to some fantastic and ridiculously enjoyable modern movies that deserve to be in many, many more lists, such as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Dark City, as well as more artistic/philosophical films such as those by Tarkovsky that every wannabe cinephile needs to see.
3. Ignore every film released in 2013. I know we all love Her, but a few months is way, way too soon to start treating a movie as one of the best ever, even in a modern-oriented list such as this. Give it more time to allow people to view these films on a smaller screen and escape from the release hype, plus see how they stand up to the test of time and hold up on repeated viewings. Reddit gets way too caught up in hype with movies, just look at the positions of Her, Gravity, The Wolf Of Wall Street etc, and then look at 2012 movies that have all, with no exception, dropped significantly in ranking (Django Unchained was seriously ranked number 12 last year).
Not bad at all. Nic Cage is as exceptionally watchable as always, the disaster scenes are spectacular, and the
plane crash
aftermath long take in particular is an impressive feat of filmmaking. Unfortunately however the excitement levels have a directly inverse relationship with the stakes, so that as things ramp up steadily to the highest possible level the movie just gets duller and duller. At least the ending itself was nice, although I definitely could have done without the very final scene.
Admittedly Proyas gets a pass in my book for anything he does due to the masterpiece that is Dark City, but I honestly quite enjoyed this.
Devastating. The emotional equivalent of a kick in the balls, only the kick is really skilfully executed and beautiful to watch, so you kind of have to admire it even as it's causing you horrible pain.
I've seen this twice now and I honestly enjoyed it much more the second time round. However that doesn't change the fact that there's hopelessly poor storytelling in the first 30 minutes or so: it's contrived, badly paced, far too reliant on almost non-stop, very same-y songs, and surprisingly chaotic (bordering on confusing, the ultimate sin of any kids animated film). It's just way too long, way too uninteresting, and way too aurally abrasive for what is ultimately a set-up. Given that the script apparently underwent significant changes in the late stages of pre-production, perhaps this isn't all that surprising.
Thankfully however from the moment the first notes of the stunning 'Let It Go' kick in the movie goes from strength to strength, introducing some of the most memorable animated characters of the last few years and, impressively, managing to subvert fairytale cliches whilst not risking alienating the target demographic. The humour is spot on, managing to appeal to both adults and kids alike, and doesn't fall into the trap of relying too much on animal(ish) characters like many other Disney movies do; the humans here are just as fleshed-out and just as entertaining as their sidekicks. Sadly the action scenes feel a little unnecessary and uninspired, but luckily underpinning everything is phenomenal animation technology and skills that make even the duller moments of the movie simply shine.
I think it's one of the better animated film of the last few years, and it's certainly comfortably better than Pixar's post-Up offerings, but I maintain that the prolonged and meandering set-up phase prevents it from being considered a true Disney classic, and I don't think that's going to change no matter how many times I view it.
I dunno, maybe there's something wrong with me, but I really enjoyed this. Say what you want about old mate W. S., but he directs brainless guilty pleasure action movies with a style and energy that few can match, and the gulf in quality between this and the previous two installments helmed by different directors is a testament to that. Sure this film is derivative (why not just call the antagonist 'Agent Smith With Tentacles' and be done with it?), and very, very stupid, but I fail to see why that should stop anyone from enjoying it. My only problems were the underwhelming finale and the fact that Wentworth Miller didn't have the prison escape plan tattooed on his chest, but judged for what it is I think this is definitely a good movie, and possibly even a great one.
Comments 251 - 275 of 377
Movie comment on Stake Land
lachyas
Loved it. Post-apocalyptic is easily my favourite subgenre, and Stake Land scratched that itch like few other movies can. The production values are sky high, the world-building is wonderful (I adored the detail put into the small towns, the radio station, the bars, and the Brotherhood), the acting is spot on, the cinematography is beautiful, the characters are well-developed, and the vampire angle is an interesting twist on the classic Wasteland-wandering tale. It even features a crazy ambitious long take that will have you watching in awe and believing that the budget was ten times what it actually was.There are of course a few problems. The second half of the film, after the party
But all this is easily forgiven, because what the film has achieved is absolutely mammoth. It's such a fun and wild adventure, although it's also suitably bleak and surprisingly emotional when it needs to be. I guess I'm just a sucker for these types of movies, but I really don't understand why this hasn't received much more acclaim. Sequel please.
Movie comment on Sparks
lachyas
Some serious Busey on Busey action in this one.Movie comment on Ernest et Célestine
lachyas
A warm and beautiful movie. The winter painting sequence is one of the most stunning animation scenes I've ever seen.Movie comment on Snowpiercer
lachyas
Really fantastic. It goes off the rails a bit towards the end, and you definitely have to be on the same insane wavelength as Bong Joon-ho to appreciate his dark humour and the film's more eccentric elements, but this is easily forgiven when the premise is this enthralling, the action this visceral, and the plot this unpredictable.The post-apocalyptic worldbuilding, even though it's confined to the interior of a train, is phenomenal, to the point where, as the party was driving relentlessly forward through the train, all I wanted was for them to slow down a bit so I could admire the scenery. Every carriage is designed like an intricate work of art, and this level of detail is matched by the increasingly deranged people that inhabit them and the bizarre rules that they have created for their own perpetually moving, self-sustaining society. It's just such an intoxicating and irresistibly cool concept, and whilst the film definitely owes a debt to the likes of Metropolis, A Boy And His Dog, and perhaps even the Fallout games, Bong Joon-ho's typically stylish, insane, and unorthodox approach to the genre is unquestionably unique and innovative.
There are some problems however. I don't think Snowpiercer is as philosophically engaging as it perhaps could have been given the premise, and it takes a few pretty serious missteps towards the end, with the protagonist's character-revealing expository monologue about the baby a definite low point. There's also a worry that the wacky elements of the film may well frustrate those who are not consumers of Korean cinema, especially as you could be forgiven for thinking, given the advertising and the majority of the cast, that this would be a fairly typical lower budget, single location Hollywood thriller. The fact that Snowpiercer can't be pigeon-holed like this is a strength and not a weakness however, and, weirdness and all, I can safely say that this is the most enjoyable 2014 release I've seen thus far.
Movie comment on 300: Rise of an Empire
lachyas
Well I really enjoyed it. At times it fell into the trap of feeling like a lesser imitation of the first, but for the most part it's an extremely fun and highly stylised sword-n-sandals fantasy romp with some genuinely breathtaking, testosterone-driven naval battle scenes and a wonderful, scenery devouring performance from Eva Green. Admittedly otherwise it's a fairly mediocre show of acting from the surprisingly star-sparse cast, although Lena Headey also deserves a mention for her brief but enjoyable reprise of the role of Gorgo, and it's great to see CerseiThe cinematography and effects of the movie are those of the original, turned up to eleven; this is the most Snyder(ian?) movie that Snyder never made, and I can understand how some might find it off-putting, but I just don't think I have it in me to hate a movie shot this beautifully. Murro has done a remarkable job of capturing the essence of the first film without his movie feeling like a parody, especially as someone whose biggest (and only) previous directing credit is a comedy. The most valid criticism of the movie is that there is too much exposition and 'plot', as evidenced by the much-maligned opening monologue, but I feel this was necessary to place the events of the film within the broader context of the original, and at least there's always something visually interesting going on, even when the action lags.
I don't get people saying they loved the first but hated this, because they're just so similar. And, when it's been six years between drinks for the franchise, I really don't see any problem with that. Turn your brain off, turn your appreciation for slow-mo to maximum (good training for The Grand Budapest Hotel anyway), and enjoy.
Movie comment on Sexy Beast
lachyas
This definitely deserves a lot more attention. I'll refrain from calling it a masterpiece until I've given it a rewatch, but I can safely say that it's a fantastic British gangster flick that deserves to be mentioned in the same sentence as some of the all time greats. The performance from Ben Kingsley is a masterclass that will be studied and admired for decades to come, and alone makes the movie well worth watching, but the direction from Glazer is also exceptional, with a great sense of style and energy, as well as enough unique, often surreal, touches to differentiate the movie from its peers. Sexy Beast has all the qualities that you look for in a movie of this kind: it's darkly hilarious, fast-paced, violent, fun, and menacing; although, whatever the name will have you believe, it is decidedly and deliberately unsexy. A properly brilliant debut feature.Movie comment on The Poseidon Adventure
lachyas
I guess it was a magic Christmas tree that only allowed people who had received character development to climb it.Movie comment on Wait Until Dark
lachyas
This has to be the most contrived screenplay of all time. I mean I have a really strong suspension of disbelief when watching films, but even for me it was a massive challenge at times to not just laugh at the absurdity of the premise and the elaborate and entirely unnecessary scheme that the villains concocted. It's a real shame as well, because the execution is damn near faultless, with great performances from Hepburn and Arkin and a truly thrilling and inspired finale.Movie comment on The Disappearance of Alice Creed
lachyas
A tense, dark, tight thriller with a nice visual style, brilliant score, and very brave performances from the three leads. The relentless plot twists are unnecessary, and detract from the film's effective and defining minimalism, but I was still on the edge of my seat throughout, and what the filmmakers have done with the budget is nothing short of extraordinary; the movie looks like it cost ten times as much as it actually did. It's a real shame we haven't seen any more from Blakeson since this.Movie comment on The Dirty Dozen
lachyas
This was a joy to watch. Impeccable pacing, great character development, a fascinating premise, and what a cast! The use of a very clear and very signposted traditional three act narrative structure gives a real purpose to every single scene and makes the running time fly by, with the result that the film feels a lot shorter than it actually is. In fact if anything I'd argue strongly for a running time extension, in that I would have loved more of an epilogue in order to make the ending feel a little less rushed. The structure of the film, combined with the lighter tone (compared to most war movies) and ensemble cast of characters reminded me a lot of The Great Escape, and while I hold that film in very high regard I do think this is actually the superior picture in many ways. One of the most enjoyable war movies I've seen.Movie comment on The Blues Brothers
lachyas
Featuring Rust Cohle on the sax.Movie comment on Immortals
lachyas
Visually ravishing, as you'd expect from Singh, but unfortunately his shift from a highly personal, narrative-driven labour of love shot entirely on location to this CGI-fueled and oddly soulless 300 clone could not be more pronounced. Still though it's worth a watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon, due not only to the visuals but also because of some great fight scenes that, refreshingly, don't feature a cut every other millisecond, as well as Rourke's enjoyable turn as the deliciously evil antagonist.Movie comment on Kaze tachinu
lachyas
A great start and an even better finish, but sadly the film lags a little in the second act. Thankfully the animation is stunning throughout, to the point where you could freeze any single frame and hang it on your wall and it would be guaranteed to look fantastic, which seems to be the norm for Miyazaki's work but is nevertheless exceptional and worthy of praise. Still though I personally rather missed the usual Ghibli fantastical elements and lush worldbuilding, which only make fleeting appearances in dream sequences. The trademark Miyazaki child-like sense of wonder and awe has been replaced with, ironically, a much more grounded realism, but this only serves to demonstrate that he really is capable of pulling off pretty much anything, even if he is at his best when it comes to whimsical fantasy. Despite some flaws this is still a beautiful film in every way possible, and is a fitting way for the Japanese master to bow out, especially given his fascination with flight.Movie comment on Pickup on South Street
lachyas
The 'romance' is definitely the weak point of this movie, it's the only element that doesn't really work at all. Apart from that however this is a very, very good late noir, with a fascinating premise and great use of Cold War paranoia that set it apart from many other similar movies.Movie comment on Do the Right Thing
lachyas
A bunch of people I hated yelling at each other for two hours, with clumsy direction and questionable acting. At least the film had a message I suppose.Movie comment on Ascenseur pour l'échafaud
lachyas
Great noir! Could have done without the narratively convenientToplist comment on Reddit Top 250
lachyas
Your guide to enjoying the Reddit Top 250:1. Treat it like an introduction to popular, mostly modern films. If you want to be able to talk about movies with your friends and understand references to movies in other media then this is as good a place as any to start, and the list is probably more effective at capturing popular culture than the IMDb Top 250 is.
2. Ignore the rankings. There are a lot of really really good films here, but the majority of them are in the lower half. The top 50 in particular is laughable with its focus on Tarantino and Nolan, Reddit's director demigods, but lower down you start to get to some fantastic and ridiculously enjoyable modern movies that deserve to be in many, many more lists, such as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Dark City, as well as more artistic/philosophical films such as those by Tarkovsky that every wannabe cinephile needs to see.
3. Ignore every film released in 2013. I know we all love Her, but a few months is way, way too soon to start treating a movie as one of the best ever, even in a modern-oriented list such as this. Give it more time to allow people to view these films on a smaller screen and escape from the release hype, plus see how they stand up to the test of time and hold up on repeated viewings. Reddit gets way too caught up in hype with movies, just look at the positions of Her, Gravity, The Wolf Of Wall Street etc, and then look at 2012 movies that have all, with no exception, dropped significantly in ranking (Django Unchained was seriously ranked number 12 last year).
Movie comment on Knowing
lachyas
Not bad at all. Nic Cage is as exceptionally watchable as always, the disaster scenes are spectacular, and theAdmittedly Proyas gets a pass in my book for anything he does due to the masterpiece that is Dark City, but I honestly quite enjoyed this.
Movie comment on Blue Valentine
lachyas
Devastating. The emotional equivalent of a kick in the balls, only the kick is really skilfully executed and beautiful to watch, so you kind of have to admire it even as it's causing you horrible pain.Movie comment on Frozen
lachyas
I've seen this twice now and I honestly enjoyed it much more the second time round. However that doesn't change the fact that there's hopelessly poor storytelling in the first 30 minutes or so: it's contrived, badly paced, far too reliant on almost non-stop, very same-y songs, and surprisingly chaotic (bordering on confusing, the ultimate sin of any kids animated film). It's just way too long, way too uninteresting, and way too aurally abrasive for what is ultimately a set-up. Given that the script apparently underwent significant changes in the late stages of pre-production, perhaps this isn't all that surprising.Thankfully however from the moment the first notes of the stunning 'Let It Go' kick in the movie goes from strength to strength, introducing some of the most memorable animated characters of the last few years and, impressively, managing to subvert fairytale cliches whilst not risking alienating the target demographic. The humour is spot on, managing to appeal to both adults and kids alike, and doesn't fall into the trap of relying too much on animal(ish) characters like many other Disney movies do; the humans here are just as fleshed-out and just as entertaining as their sidekicks. Sadly the action scenes feel a little unnecessary and uninspired, but luckily underpinning everything is phenomenal animation technology and skills that make even the duller moments of the movie simply shine.
I think it's one of the better animated film of the last few years, and it's certainly comfortably better than Pixar's post-Up offerings, but I maintain that the prolonged and meandering set-up phase prevents it from being considered a true Disney classic, and I don't think that's going to change no matter how many times I view it.
Movie comment on Philomena
lachyas
It was alright. No way in hell was this one of the best nine films of 2013.Toplist comment on 100 Great Unofficial Checks
lachyas
This should be made an official list.Movie comment on Resident Evil: Afterlife
lachyas
I dunno, maybe there's something wrong with me, but I really enjoyed this. Say what you want about old mate W. S., but he directs brainless guilty pleasure action movies with a style and energy that few can match, and the gulf in quality between this and the previous two installments helmed by different directors is a testament to that. Sure this film is derivative (why not just call the antagonist 'Agent Smith With Tentacles' and be done with it?), and very, very stupid, but I fail to see why that should stop anyone from enjoying it. My only problems were the underwhelming finale and the fact that Wentworth Miller didn't have the prison escape plan tattooed on his chest, but judged for what it is I think this is definitely a good movie, and possibly even a great one.Movie comment on August: Osage County
lachyas
One of the most dull, repetitive, pointless, uninspired, and above all else hateful movies I've ever had the misfortune of watching.Movie comment on 28 Weeks Later
lachyas
This needs to battle it out with Prometheus for the Stupidest Characters Of All Time award.Showing items 251 – 275 of 377