The Skin I Live In
Pedro Almodovar has made something impressive. All at once it seems filthy and distasteful and wonderfully shocking brain candy. I don't really know how to describe it. All I can say is, there's a moment in the third act when me and three of my friends (mind you none of us are squeamish or afraid to stare down a shocking moment) looked at each other with mouths agape. Something had wracked our brains and I'm almost positive we had all been raped. That's the only explanation I can think of. And yet, somehow, I need to see this again a maybe probably even need to own this and it's certainly making a run for my top ten films of 2011.
Genre: Softcore, Sci-Fi, Mindmashing Tragicomedy.
The Three Musketeers (in 3D)
Well goshdarn if I wasn't forced to see this movie for a friends birthday. All I can say about this film? Similar notes as the above... I feel as though Paul W.S. Anderson has raped me. But this time there is no joy in the experience. Just utter pain. Thoughts of suicide. If you go to see this movie, just go in aware that you will lose a full two hours of your life that you can never ever ever get back again.
Genre: Blunt ripoff of an adaptation that hadn't read the source material in the first place.
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Oh man. This movie was something else. As if getting another great performance from John Hawkes wasn't treat enough, I'm all at once introduced to Elizabeth Olsen. And you know what? I want to get to know her better. This girl is the younger sister to the Olsen twins and wow can she act circles around the both of them. Good, crazy movie worthy of at least a single visit.
Genre: Cult Thriller.
The Rum Diary
This prequel to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is not bad. I like Depp as Hunter. I like Richard Jenkins in everything. And Aaron Eckhart is a fine actor. Still, it never really touches on that insanity we see in Fear and Loathing. Perhaps it's the absolute lack of Gilliam, or maybe it's just that the original story is just and earlier work and thus Hunter himself had not been quite so corrupted by sin. Whatever it is, it's alright. We get more plot sans insanity and I honestly like "more plot" (I know I'm one of the few in Hollywood). Not a half bad, no exactly perfection.
Genre: Sin Dramedy worthy of a few shots of Rum beforehand.
Footloose
If you have any memory of loving the original, this is a very worthy remake. The dancing is far superior and almost everything works. I have only two minor complaints here: Dennis Quaid isn't bad, but he just can't deliver like John Lithgow can. They are just a different caliber of actor. So sadly ( and I like Quaid) this casting becomes a downgrade. The other thing is, the plot of this movie just doesn't work in a modern world. In the 80s it was fine. I could easily believe that a town would be so capable of shutting its self off from the rest of the world. But not today when phones have internet and internet is everywhere. This is something that is completely ignored. And perhaps that's for the best. Though I wish they had just accepted that it HAD to be a period piece like Donnie Darko is a period piece. Still, this is a good movie and worth your time and money.
Genre: Dance Flick with a Heart.
Melancholia
I just got back from this one and am pleasantly surprised. The first act is far more comical than I expected. The actors make good use of interesting dialogue and little quirks I am certain were written into the script from the get go. It's just a well thought out film and that is something I am always happy to see. The ending is pretty solid and worth two plus hours wait it takes to reach it. And the acting, even by Kirsten Dunst, is quite good. Perhaps this is not an Oscar contender, but that would simply be due to politics. Quality entertainment here.
Genre: Epic, Sci-Fi, Tragedy.
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