Robert Altman's reinvention of noir stereotypes in The Long Goodbye is fantastic. Marlowe is much more interesting as the bumbling, friendly, clueless detective, than the grizzled cynic of 1940's detective fiction. Not to mention the dazzling finale, music and use of red herrings and misdirection. A must-see movie that's absurdly under-rated.
Silver Linings Playbook masquerades itself as a quirky, indie rom-com, but ultimately it's ruined by
an irrational turn to cliched romantic notions that feature in most rom coms
. When the film tries to deal with damaged, dysfunctional characters, it's hard to buy the elaborate dance competition set-up. It simply doesn't fit.
As for the performances, Bradley Cooper is bland, but fine, as usual. Jennifer Lawrence is the glue holding the film together, Tucker is surprisingly good, and it's nice to see De Niro doing something with some intent to entertain.
It's a fine film, but not must-see as the 2012 Oscar season would have you believe. Also, has symmetry with Zach Braff's Garden State (2005), but the narrative and execution run so much more smoothly in that one, while it may have not had the sheer star power that Silver Lining's Playbook does.
As many others have said this one's similar to the Marvel formula - the villain, the plan, the journey, but there's a far greater attention to detail, visual flare and genuine characterization that makes this one outshine it's predecessors.
Use of 80's tunes was a particularly fantastic idea.
I understand that Star Wars changed the face of contemporary cinema, but as a child of the new generation, I find it hard to connect with it as a film, I find it a bit shallow beyond the visuals and story, preferring sci-fi's with more substance like Alien, Blade Runner, Twelve Monkeys or Moon. It's hard to relate to, given the generational hype.
From a modern perspective, Ferris Bueller's Day Off is one of the best teen-movies ever made. It terms of how the story is told, the craftsmanship, the sincere development of characters (compared to the hackneyed teenage stereotypes in modern teen flicks) seem so genuine. Ferris Bueller himself doesn't seem to be the most likable character judging from other comments, but the sheer quality of Ferris Bueller's Day Off as a film is remarkably high - for what it is.
Soldier Blue is a widely underrated Western, that's mostly unknown - primarily to it's banning on release due to
mature imagery, primarily that of rape
. Past the corny love story that acts as filler, Soldier Blue is hard-hitting and brutal in its depiction of real events, attempting to break the often reinforced Western stereotype that native Americans were the bad guys.
Much like Inside Llewyn Davis (2013), very few of the integral stories of A Serious Man are resolved, but that's kind of the point. Larry Gopnik wanted answers for all of life's questions, but of course he never really finds them, nor was he mean't to, because that's life.
An authentic, curious and well-thought comedic drama from the Coens - the appeal is in the craftsmanship and in the characters.
Comments 1 - 7 of 7
Movie comment on The Long Goodbye
SamuelThorne
Robert Altman's reinvention of noir stereotypes in The Long Goodbye is fantastic. Marlowe is much more interesting as the bumbling, friendly, clueless detective, than the grizzled cynic of 1940's detective fiction. Not to mention the dazzling finale, music and use of red herrings and misdirection. A must-see movie that's absurdly under-rated.Movie comment on Silver Linings Playbook
SamuelThorne
Silver Linings Playbook masquerades itself as a quirky, indie rom-com, but ultimately it's ruined byAs for the performances, Bradley Cooper is bland, but fine, as usual. Jennifer Lawrence is the glue holding the film together, Tucker is surprisingly good, and it's nice to see De Niro doing something with some intent to entertain.
It's a fine film, but not must-see as the 2012 Oscar season would have you believe. Also, has symmetry with Zach Braff's Garden State (2005), but the narrative and execution run so much more smoothly in that one, while it may have not had the sheer star power that Silver Lining's Playbook does.
Movie comment on Guardians of the Galaxy
SamuelThorne
As many others have said this one's similar to the Marvel formula - the villain, the plan, the journey, but there's a far greater attention to detail, visual flare and genuine characterization that makes this one outshine it's predecessors.Use of 80's tunes was a particularly fantastic idea.
Movie comment on Star Wars
SamuelThorne
I understand that Star Wars changed the face of contemporary cinema, but as a child of the new generation, I find it hard to connect with it as a film, I find it a bit shallow beyond the visuals and story, preferring sci-fi's with more substance like Alien, Blade Runner, Twelve Monkeys or Moon. It's hard to relate to, given the generational hype.Movie comment on Ferris Bueller's Day Off
SamuelThorne
From a modern perspective, Ferris Bueller's Day Off is one of the best teen-movies ever made. It terms of how the story is told, the craftsmanship, the sincere development of characters (compared to the hackneyed teenage stereotypes in modern teen flicks) seem so genuine. Ferris Bueller himself doesn't seem to be the most likable character judging from other comments, but the sheer quality of Ferris Bueller's Day Off as a film is remarkably high - for what it is.Movie comment on Soldier Blue
SamuelThorne
Soldier Blue is a widely underrated Western, that's mostly unknown - primarily to it's banning on release due toMovie comment on A Serious Man
SamuelThorne
Much like Inside Llewyn Davis (2013), very few of the integral stories of A Serious Man are resolved, but that's kind of the point. Larry Gopnik wanted answers for all of life's questions, but of course he never really finds them, nor was he mean't to, because that's life.An authentic, curious and well-thought comedic drama from the Coens - the appeal is in the craftsmanship and in the characters.