Sunday, December 31, 2017

The Disaster Artist (Quick Review)

When you hear the term “so bad it’s good”, everyone has their own go to film.  Perhaps it’s Plan 9 from Outer Space or Birdemic: Shock and Terror.   For many including myself, however, we first and foremost think to The Room—a film so bafflingly, wonderfully bad one may believe it was done so on purpose.  Yet it’s not, despite what its director otherwise claims, and perhaps even more mystifying than The Room itself is the man behind its creation.  The Disaster Artist, based on the biographical book of the same name, details the odd relationship between Greg Sestero (Dave Franco) and Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) and the events that led to their creation of The Room.

Sunday, December 17, 2017

The Shape of Water (Quick Review)

Every year, there’s at least one critically acclaimed film that I find to be, at best, decent.

These are the worst kinds of films to review.  The Shape of Water is such a film.

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Elvis & Nixon (Film Review)

Author's Note: This review was written back in 2016, before the recent Kevin Spacey scandal.  Just to make abundantly clear, and this goes for all my reviews, my praise towards Spacey's acting does not equal support for the actor himself or his actions.  I consider art and the artist to be two separate realities—fiction and reality—and you can praise one while scorning the other.  If next week Micheal Shannon is discovered to have murdered a dozen people, my opinions on his past work would remain relatively unchanged (though they may be altered slightly depending on how relatable his roles were to his crime).  That said, I would most certainly condemn and support punishment for his actions, just as I do with Kevin Spacey.

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Midnight Special (Quick Review)

Author’s Note:  This review was written back in 2016, yet I never got around to releasing it—hence explaining the contradictory criticisms towards Adam Driver despite Paterson making such claims null and void.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Nocturnal Animals (Quick Review)

The premise to Nocturnal Animals is simple enough.   Susan (Amy Adams), a high-class art gallery owner living a shallow life receives a novel from her estranged ex-husband Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal) titled Nocturnal Animals—a nickname he used to give her.  The novel is a gruesome thriller, detailing a humble, weak-willed man’s (also Jake Gyllenhaal) life being destroyed by one unfortunate encounter—paralleling Edward’s own destroyed relationship with Susan.  The plot is understandable, but I still have no clue what its opening is all about.  Talk about an R-rated big-lipped alligator moment.  It comes out of nowhere, is absolutely bizarre, stays for an uncomfortably long amount of time, and is never talked about, nor mentioned again.

Monday, December 4, 2017

Take Shelter or: The Greatness of Michael Shannon (Film Analysis)

The year is 2011, about one year into my newfound film hobby.  At the time I had become more interested in smaller indie films, with director Jeff Nichols’ recent Take Shelter catching my eye.  Before Take Shelter I was unfamiliar with its lead actor Michael Shannon, having only seen him in bit roles that were nothing significant or noteworthy.  Take Shelter was my first real introduction to Michael Shannon, and boy did it leave an impact.  Even if Shannon’s role had been played by another, less compelling actor, Take Shelter would have still been a great film.  The film contains great direction, great cinematography, a great performance from its lead actress, and a thoroughly engaging story.  Yet it’s Shannon’s fantastic performance in the lead spot that soars Take Shelter to new levels of impact and significance.

IT’S MICHAEL SHANNON WEEK!!!

That’s right folks, for one whole week I’m paying homage to one of the decade’s most talented actors, Michael Shannon!

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