Good decision.
Good decision.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT (2010)
Annette Bening and Julianne Moore star as a lesbian couple who’ve successfully raised two kids.
The kids are curious about their father (Mark Ruffalo), and track him down via the sperm bank.
They meet, they hit it off and he goes to dinner with the moms.
He’s charming and attentive, something Julianne feels is lacking in her marriage.
She eventually kisses him, in an awkward moment. Things lead to a sexual fling, defying her lesbian marriage. This movie focuses on marriage in general, it’s not a statement or manifesto.
There is no movie like this, and It’s topical, addressing real world problems.
Golden globe winner for Bening!
Directed by Lisa Cholodenko.
Last edited by Johann; 10-14-2022 at 02:37 PM.
"Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd
I reviewed it at the time. I found the acting excellent, but thought it got mired in detail. It was popular with some, and a critical hit.
You go into great detail (with accuracy) about the film.
I’m not particularly drawn to such a movie but I’m glad I saw it.
Ebert noted that marriage is unnatural, that we are not raised to co-habitate with another adult!
Last edited by Johann; 10-14-2022 at 03:37 PM.
"Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd
BY THE SEA (2015)
Written and directed by Angelina Jolie, who is not a bad filmmaker!
This was made during her honeymoon with Brad Pitt in Malta.
It’s about a couple whose relationship is rocky, and they get away to France in the 60’s.
It’s got a fairly languid pace, with gorgeous imagery- seems Jolie wanted a cinematic record of their honeymoon.
Apparently this was also made as a tribute to her deceased mother, who loved 1960’s films.
Thumbs up. She should direct more. She’s got skill.
"Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd
THE HANGOVER (2010)
“The highest grossing R-rated comedy ever” was a bust for me.
I never laughed at a single thing in this movie.
It was just redundant, redundant, REDUNDANT.
Jäegermeister, a mattress, a tiger, a baby, Mike Tyson and Las Vegas.
Trashed hotel room. A missing friend, an Asian naked guy locked in the trunk of a car.
All of this is supposed to be funny. It’s not. It’s Retarded.
It felt like someone was constantly farting in your face and laughing about it.
Nothing is logical or plausible here.
I intended to watch all three Hangover films tonite.
I read the synopses’ for the sequels and opted to save myself the torture.
Thumbs way down.
"Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd
A MAN APART (2003)
Vin Diesel stars as a former gang member turned DEA Enforcer.
He works at the California/Mexico border and in L.A. busting up cartels.
It’s no masterpiece but it’s watchable.
Gritty, violent and it has a realism that is pretty authentic.
"Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd
UNFORGIVEN (1992)
"I'm here to kill you Little Bill. For what you did to Ned".
Clint Eastwood's masterpiece.
See it at all costs. It's the story of a farmer with a bad past who does one more killing job for money.
This won 4 Oscars, including best picture and director and supporting actor for Gene Hackman.
Hackman is thoroughly loathsome as Sherriff "Little Bill" Daggett.
Morgan Freeman shines as Ned, Eastwood's pal. And even the guy who plays the Schofield Kid is great.
One of the best westerns you'll ever see.
"Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd
TAKERS (2010)
One of the best heist films you'll ever see.
A group of professional bank robbers pull off spectacular robberies- the opening one is great, the last one unbelievable.
Idris Elba is the leader, and they make a hasty plan with "Ghost", an ex-con to pull off a major heist involving C-4 and armoured trucks. Problem is Ghost involves too many people, including the russian mob. The heist gets pulled off, but not without hitches; 2 LAPD cops are on their trail and the russians are seriously pissed off, leading to a bombastic (slow-motion!) shootout at the Roosevelt Hotel.
Of note is a really exciting hot pursuit chase of Chris Brown- very well shot and edited!
Well worth your time.
I'd never heard of this film until today.
"Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd
I'm glad you liked it. I went to it for the cast which included Hayden Christensen, Matt Dillon. It didn't get particularly good reviews at the time, to put it mildly: Metascroe 45%.
It was great. Hayden Christensen proves he can do more than play a Jedi. Matt Dillon is the big star cop, and what happens to him at the end surprised me- the movie did not end the way I thought it would!
"Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (2014)
This is a marvellous comedy from the great Wes Anderson.
F. Murray Abraham stars and narrates his version of the history of the GB hotel.
Ralph Fiennes is Mr. Gustave, the effete and weird concierge (?), and we get a hilarious and quirky cavalcade of episodes he's involved in.
This film is impeccably shot, with neat camera tricks and perfect compositions- it looks like a trillion bucks on blu-ray. Wes Anderson is a singular genius, nobody makes a movie like him.
His films have the same consciousness as Kubrick had, and the editing is fast-paced. It may bowl a viewer over.
Plenty of stars here: Jude Law, Ed Norton, Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Jeff Goldblum and Adrien Brody.
Can't recommend it enough.
"Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd
CONTACT (1997)
An interesting film that fictionalizes making first contact with alien intelligence.
Jodie Foster stars as Ellie, a gifted woman who monitors radio emissions in Puerto Rico.
Her small team makes first contact and records it, which has an embedded video clip of Adolph Hitler's speech at the 1936 Berlin Games.
Matthew McConaughey is the love interest, a "Man of the Cloth without the cloth", and he serves as the moral compass, because Ellie doesn't believe in God.
Long story short, she's selected to travel light years in a gimballed machine financed by the great John Hurt.
Thought-provoking movie based on Carl Sagan's book of the same name.
"Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd
AEON FLUX (2005)
Karyn Kusama’s futuristic film about the last city and an underground operative named Aeon is not that interesting.
I remember the anime being much more exciting and visceral.
Charlize Theron is the emotionless Aeon Flux, fighting her way thru oppressive situations.
It looks ok- they had some vision for the production design and costumes and weapons.
The problem is a lot happens and we’re not engaged…
"Set the controls for the heart of the Sun" - Pink Floyd
Metacritic rating 36%!
https://www.metacritic.com/movie/aon-flux
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