mattmav45

Film sucks balls. Best aspect of cinema is a good story told in a good way. If this was anyone but the Cohens, this film would be ridiculed. Enough said.

Good foundation, but the film simply doesn't know what to do with the story, and, more importantly, the characters within the story. The ending has a way of diluting and devaluing everything that happened prior. Middling cinematic viewing.

At this point Hardy's accents take on their own life force. I'm not sure he knows what the hell he's doing, but I'll be damned if l don't find it entertaining. He may as well have started a new nationality based on the accent here. Awesome.

LOL @ all the "profound" assertions. This film is not only devoid of substance, but painfully so. It may aim for profundity, but it fails in miserable fashion. It's a film that requires full immersion into Glass. Quite frankly, I was having trouble giving a rat's ass. Inarritu clearly knows his way around a camera, but I'm confident in saying he doesn't know the first thing about telling a story.

Fantastic film. A mood piece above all, but its magic lies in the cohesiveness of the end product. Quite dreamy at times, but propelled by a kinetic undercurrent of energy. Once it clicks with the viewer, don't be surprised to find yourself in a state of bliss and grinning ear to ear. Perfect film for a Sunday night before transitioning back into the working world.

In many ways the realization tied to the ridiculousness of high school is acquired concept. Given a bird's eye view, nothing really seems to be that off. You go to school, hang out with your friends, and prepare yourself for the next step in life whether that by college, work, etc. It is only after years of reflection that the absurdity of it all becomes readily apparent. After all, what does one expect pitting thousands of angst-ridden teens battling puberty within the confines of a single building? This is a film that takes that base level absurdity, and exaggerates it to create a memorable high school viewing experience. Veronica is the member of a powerful high school clique. As is the case with all high school cliques, death and impending destruction are nearby. Veronica isn't a big fan of the character held by her friends, and with newcomer J.D. she is able to act upon that very realization. Specifically, the two begin murdering fellow classmates, and pawning off the acts as that of mere suicide. What follows is a biting satire on not only high school life, but human nature in general. The biggest strength this film has lies in its comedy, and more specifically, in the nasty streak it brings to accompany said comedy. Many times as viewers we come across a film labeled as showcasing "biting satire." Fortunately for the viewer, this is a film that more than lives up to that billing. Not only does the film bask in the absurdity that is the high school hierarchy, it makes some scathing ruminations on human nature. Specifically, the way it portrayed suicide and the reactions held by the students, faculty, and school itself were the highlight for me. In many ways satire is only as effective as its own relevance, and this is ultimately what allows the film to succeed. Despite its obvious exaggerations, this is a film that is strikingly relevant to current events. In fact, one could make the argument that it has in fact become more relevant since its initial release in 1988. It is this relevance that remains fresh, and most importantly allows the film and relating satire to bite down to the viewer's bone. Took a drive down high school memory lane last night, and survived. As the film aptly shows, sometimes that's all you can ask for.

Simply a damn good time. As times as viewers we'll come across a film in which the vision in and of itself is strong enough propel the film to success. Said vision is able to bring a distinct and tangible energy to the proceedings, and most importantly, said energy has the stamina to last for the full run time. Fortunately for the viewer, such is very much the case here. At its core this remains a Christmas film. Sure, it's on the dark side, but Christmas nonetheless. Max and family gather for another family Christmas with some damn tasty grub. Naturally, the in-laws constitute creature feature material in their own right, and what follows is a poor Christmas experience. Max inadvertently rips up a letter to Santa, and in effect summons the dark spirit Krampus. The horror, the horror. In many ways the film can be divided up into two distinct halves. The first half sets up the characters and in many ways acts as the countdown to the impending destruction. The characters aren't necessarily developed well, but they are developed enough so that each person feels different and has their own energy. Perhaps most importantly, this first half showcases classic family Christmas dynamics that act as the base of the proverbial shitting of the fan. And what a shitting of the fan it ultimately is. As viewers at times we'll come across a film that, while not horrible, could have let loose a little bit. Thankfully, such is not a problem here. A flip is switched, and all hell breaks loose. Whether we're talking about maniacal teddy bears, deadly gingerbread cookies, or shady as fuck elves, there is a damn good time to be had here for any horror fan. It seeps creativity in spades, and as a viewer you just have to sit back and bask in it all. Superior Christmas horror cinema.

"Don't turn a scientific problem into a common love story." It's somewhat common practice for one to feel unworthy to aptly comment on cinema classics, but this is pretty damn ridiculous. What we have here is a film that muses over what it means to be human, and how that humanity co-exists in the science fiction realm. The subject matter alone can overwhelm the viewer at times. As such, I will merely try to convey the impact last night's viewing had on me. While I am in dire need of a re-watch of Kubrick's 2001, I can't help but think that the two make fantastic companion pieces with one another. While 2001 approaches its material with big conceptual ideas, Solaris grounds science fiction in humanity. I'm not sure I've seen a film like this before, but what ultimately comes out is an affecting, emotionally resonant piece of superior science fiction cinema. The entire story centers on Kris Kelvin, and in many ways he serves as the human case study for the film. At the outset he is warned about seeing "others" and the effect it may have on him. And yet, as is aptly shown, Kris is only human. When he first sees his deceased wife in his quarters, he can't help but succumb to a kiss. We can know that something is not real, but our perceptions and emotions are powerful. Perception is reality, after all. Perhaps my favorite character in the film is that of scientist Sartorius, and more specifically his reaction to the phenomenon. Sartorious sees the apparitions as mere distractions and is searching for intelligent life. And yet, I can't help but feel his character misses the point. The apparitions, and more specifically their effect on human behavior, is very much science fiction. Two different but ultimately intelligent celestial bodies reacting to one another. I'm still just beginning to wrap my head around the impact of that last shot, but what a way to go out! The last shot alone serves as simultaneously a celebration and condemnation of humanity. Kris's connection with his wife was so strong that he stayed on the damn island in hopes of re-living their glory. It would be quite easy to say that humanity got the best of him, but as explained above, perhaps this was science fiction all along masquerading as a study on humanity. Towering cinema that I can't wait to watch over and over again.

Superior Pixar cinema. Pixar once again shows itself to be a master of taking a quirky, somewhat off-beat subject, and portraying that subject material in way that lends itself to high-quality cinematic viewing. Whether we're talking about a young boy's relationship with his toys, a child's fear of monsters, or simply a robot searching for love in a desolate world, Pixar has shown over and over again that it's not about the story per se, but rather how the story is ultimately told. Flash forward to <i>Inside Out</i>, which has to be considered among their most ambitious projects to date. Riley and family move to San Francisco from their idyllic Midwest home. Naturally, there is an adjustment period, but leave it up to Pixar to show that adjustment period in a way that's never been done before. Specifically, the story is told from Riley's point of view, and how her different emotions (Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger) deal with their new plight in Riley's developing mind. It is a brilliant set-up that once again shows that, more than anything, Pixar films are masterful at emotionally investing their viewer in a subject. The greatest strength here has to be the collection of characters on display, and more importantly, how those characters are handled. They are handled with meticulous care and attention, and as a result no character goes wasted. I've always thought that Pixar's supporting characters are always crucial in bringing out the film's themes, and such is clearly evident with that of Bing Bong. Constituting Riley's imaginary friend, it would have been easy for Bing Bong to have simply been one-note comedic relief, but instead he is one of the driving hearts of the entire film. It is quite clear when a film has strong love for the characters found within. Thankfully for the viewer, such is very much the case here. The manner in which the themes are not only written, but also presented are crucial here. This is a film that could have easily been emotionally manipulative, but instead it becomes a poignant musing over growing up. What connected with me the most was the way the film brought out the nostalgia connected to our memories. And ultimately, that is the way the film is able to connect universally to its viewers. All of us can relate to childhood memories, and the way they make us yearn for more simple times. It is that very fact that makes the ending montage and demise of Bing Bong such excruciating emotional events. Emotional turmoil has never been so simultaneously adventurous and devastating. Such is the Pixar way, plain and simple.

Got Shyamalan'ed as fuck on Monday, and lived to tell about it. Passable mainstream PG-13 horror cinema. Nothing more, nothing less.

Went rogue as fuck on a Wednesday night, and for the most part enjoyed every damn minute of it. My viewing progression with the MI films hasn't quite turned out the way I had hoped. I am still waiting on MI3 and MI4 to arrive from Netflix, so I ultimately can't make comparisons in the way I had hoped. As such, this review will simply try to convey the thoughts pertaining to my viewing last night. Specifically, this is a solid piece of popcorn entertainment from a franchise that is quickly becoming the flag-holder of popcorn cinema. It seems at this point that these films seem to center their plot around another IMF banishment. Much like Ghost Protocol, the IMF team is forced to work off the grid, but in this instance they have been discontinued and absorbed by the CIA. Naturally, Ethan doesn't give a damn, and lives life as a fugitive while trying to gather information on the syndicate. What follows is a sharp and slick spy offering that thrives on the tricks it has up its sleeve. For a big summer blockbuster, this is a franchise that attains a large part of its goodwill by way of its characters. Ethan Hunt is a household name by now, but each member of the IMF brings forth their own personality and disposition. Newcomer Isla Faust (played by Rebecca Ferguson) is able to seamlessly inject herself as the driving focal point of the entire film. In the end, even with a blockbuster such as this, the foundation lies with the characters. Assemble an appealing character base, and the story typically follows suit. Thankfully for the viewer, such is very much the case here. Outside of the first film, this has never been a story-driven franchise. As we see here, this is a franchise that uses its characters to not only drive the story, but the major plot points and details within said story. As a result, the somewhat shallow nature of the plot is easily forgiven as this is a viewing that thrives on style and character. While it is standard blockbuster fare, it differentiates itself by being clever in ways that you don't quite expect. As mentioned above, to me a MI film always has a few tricks up its sleeve, and it is ultimately those tricks that allow the franchise to remain fluid and fresh. Sit back and chow down on some popcorn. After all, nobody in this age quite does popcorn like the MI franchise.

Whoops, thanks for the catch!

Both films are natural progressions of the careers of the respective directors. I'd argue that George Miller's vision and style is fully realized in Fury Road, whereas in Interstellar Nolan continues to fall in a downward spiral of biting off more than he can chew.

Primal as fuck. It has no name and it has no explanation, but what it does have is a singular purpose. That singular purpose is to kill. I can assume that many out there have tried to interpret just what this force is, but for me, I want it to be nameless. Specifically, this is horror in its most pure form. Nameless, formless evil that will stop at nothing to get what it whats. At times it is what is not explained that is most terrifying. Thankfully for the viewer, such is very much the case here. Jay Height is living a somewhat normal life among family and friends. Unfortunately for Jay, she decides to have sex with her boyfriend, and said act ultimately brings with it some............side effects. It is quite frankly a brilliant set-up, and as such one could only hope the filmmakers are in tune enough with the material to fully bring it to life. By way of clever camera angles, realistic yet grotesque imagery, and a vibrant score, the filmmakers are able to maximize the idea's potential. I'm not even going to both separating those three aforementioned aspects into multiple paragraphs. The heavy bass used brings forth a heavy sense of dread, I could feel my hit skip to every bass hit. The imagery alone particularly interesting as shots mundane shots of dark corners and run-down houses come across as terrifying. Finally, camera angles are used to unbearable effects at times in squeezing out tension and suspense. These three technical aspects are a living, breathing, organism, and what they ultimately do is bring the evil to life. Once the evil is indeed alive, it becomes the main character. It dominates the screen every damn second of the run time. In fact, at times the film is most terrifying when the mere thought of the sight of someone turning the corner and walking at that brisk, but leisurely pace has you shaking in your boots. It is powerful, it is dark, and if allowed, it will provide one of the more intense horror viewings to come out in some time. Unfortunately, not all is perfect. The film kind of sputters to the finish line as the ending is somewhat silly. I'll give them a light pass here for the preceding brilliance, but it kind of feels like the filmmakers didn't quite know how to end the story. My biggest complaint lies with the role Jay's friends play in the film. The skin-tingling scenes in this flick were mainly Jay alone against the evil. I can't help but feel that the involvement of her friends took away some intensity in this respect. Problems aside, I'll just come out and admit that the thought of turning on the damn light crossed my mind a couple of times during my viewing last night. Enough said.

When the fuck is Apatow going to learn how to edit his films? Judging from this, not anytime soon.

Pretty much an archetype of the modern blockbuster experience. Bask in some bright colors, get over-stimulated, and leave the theater starving for something of substance. As we walked out my buddy asked me what the names of the main characters in the film were. I had no response. Enough said.

Simple-minded as fuck. Deep cinema for those who can't swim.

It's fucking awesome. Enough said.

Simply put..........got biopic'ed as fuck Sunday afternoon and lived to tell about it. Enough said.

It's a good film, but good horror film? Ehhh, it's been done before, and it's been done better (Jacob's Ladder). I suppose it tells you how bad horror is now that this is being portrayed as some kind of knight in shining armor for the genre. Hopefully It Follows will live up to the hype more.

Slow-burn high-concept sci-fi cinema. One's like or dislike of this film may in fact be tied to their thoughts regarding the phrase above. For me, such phrase brings thoughts of slow-cooked ideas that are developed gradually and change in an organic manner throughout the run time. Moreso than dominance of any one character, it is the films' ideas that dominate in my best-case scenario. Thankfully for the viewer, such is very much the case here. Caleb is chosen by Nathan to come out and inspect his A.I. specimen at his house/laboratory. This is not necessarily a new idea in the sci-fi world as A.I. consciousness has been a relevant theme for decades now. What does separate this film is the handling of its ideas and the dynamics within. This is a film that understands that sci-fi will always be most effective with the the mere presentation of ideas. A good idea alone takes on a whole persona of its own, and this is where the slow-burn aspect of this film comes into play. This is a film where the ideas are the viewer's guide, and as more details come into the fray, the viewer is once again free to take them wherever they wish. In many ways, one can look at this film as placing a variety of ideas in a simmering pot, and letting the tension/suspense boil throughout the run time. For all the talk about A.I. intelligence, I feel much of the film's ideas are found in the bridge between A.I. intelligence and human emotion. It was the contrast between the two that makes this film work on so many levels. Specifically, can there be legitimate consciousness without emotion? It's interesting how the characters of Caleb/Nathan and their dynamics within are crucial in the foundation of the ideas. The best sci-fi stories are typically ones with a human element. Thankfully for the viewer, this is a film that uses humanity and emotion as the springing board and energy for the entire film. In an indirect way, a celebration of humanity.

Bombastic as fuck. One could make an argument that this franchise is an acquired taste, but it's more than that. Specifically, in somewhat poetic fashion this series is more about the journey it took to get to this point than anything else. I can't help but feel that full appreciation of the films can't be had without being there from the beginning. Let's be honest, this was a pretty damn poor offering of films prior to Fast Five. Fast Five proves to be big, powerful, and glorious. The sixth film, while still strong, treaded too close to Fast Five for my taste. One could only help that this finale would take things that worked in Fast Five, and make them something else entirely. Thankfully for the viewer, such is very much the case here. It makes no sense to justify the happenings on on-screen here as you pretty much know what you're getting into at this point. If you can't bask in the absurdity of a badass car jumping from glass building to building amidst the sunset, you're doing it wrong. It's clear story doesn't matter here. I would say the non-action scenes serve as a bridge to the action, but in all honesty this movie is basically all about the action. And for that very reason, it succeeds. Of course, action alone isn't quite enough. We've all seen enough Michael Bay films to attest to that. In truth, it does help that investment in the characters is easier after six previous viewings. That being said, this movie's forte is simply being loud. In fact, it's loud as fuck at times. It is an action flick that pummels your senses into oblivion for over 130 minutes. For me, that alone makes it a powerful experience. I can't help but respect an action flick that leaves my ears ringing after viewing. A fitting conclusion to a series that,for at least the last few years, has been among the more consistent and flat-out entertaining franchises Hollywood has to offer.

Rupert fucking Pupkin. What a name, what a name. More importantly, what a character. A discussion cannot begin without mention of Robert DeNiro here. At the height of his career, he was an actor that could immerse himself into any role. In this instance, he takes on the role of a crazed celebrity fanboy, and what a role it ultimately is. At times as viewers we come across a film that simply would not be the same without the lead performance at its disposal. Thankfully for the viewer, such is very much the case here. This is my type of film in many ways. Take subject matter that while funny on the surface, has varying depths of darkness lying underneath. There is no denying the inherent creepiness that comes with celebrity worship and obsession. The idea of an individual being so empty or leading such an unfulfilled life that one has to vicariously live through others is a fascinating subject. Of course, what better man to take on such a subject than that of Martin Scorsese. While taking on the subject of celebrity worship, this is a film that can also be viewed as a descent into madness. It's clear that Rupert is not well at the beginning, but circumstances are set in motion that bring him over the edge. Specifically, an encounter with his idol Jerry Langford gets his delusions going into overdrive. Things ultimately reach a boiling point when Rupert meets up with fellow obsessor Masha. Suffice to say, the delusions leap off the screen, and unfortunately for the character of Jerry Langford, they find a home in his celebrity persona. Of course, it all comes full circle with the ending. In the end Rupert's crazed antics achieve exactly what he wanted all along. One cannot find a more scathing commentary on celebrity worship and society. Of course, at this point, with the explosion of social media, this has only gotten much worse. Perhaps Scorsese is simply pointing out that at a certain point, it's best just to sit back and get amused by all the nonsense. As a viewer, I was more than happy to sit back and oblige here.

Time to be "that guy." I'm not as enamoured with this as many seem to be. Not a bad flick, but you can do much better in the Ghibli realm. Specifically, Nausicaa tackled a similar story, but was able to develop the characters in a much more satisfying manner.

At times it's truly unsettling, and nothing less than a testament to how a strong atmosphere can build heavy tension in a film. Unfortunately, the ending very nearly cancels it all out, but this is still a interesting watch for horror fans.