It's a non-traditional family dramedy, one that needs to be watched. The dynamic of a two-mom household was an intriguing idea to me, and its portrayal in this film certainly seems accurate. My two favorite performances in this film were Mark Ruffalo and Mia Wasikowska, but Julianne Moore's also deserves recognition.
Liberal Arts, Josh Radnor: 3 / 4
As I re-entered the universe of this movie, hours after its completion, I raised its rating from 2.5. This film raises questions about how one can find happiness in his/her life. This idea is explored prominently by the characters portrayed by Josh Radnor, Allison Janney, and Richard Jenkins. I also spent much of the movie trying to figure out what book Dean was reading. When it was confirmed to be David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest I was elated. This book was perfect for the context of the issues being discussed. Dean's character also felt legitimately intelligent, even if only based on vibe. There's nothing I hate more that a faux-intellectual in a movie (hyperbole, but whatever). See Tommy Lee Jones' character in The Sunset Limited. I only managed to watch a half-hour of that. Anyway, Liberal Arts is a pleasant surprise from HIMYM's Ted. I'm looking forward to watching Happythankyoumoreplease.
Stoker, Park Chan-wook: 2.5 / 4
Upon discovering access to this film, I immediately watched. I had high expectations, largely because of the involvement of Mia Wasikowska and Nicole Kidman. Mia's character India was baffling and I spent the entirety of the film trying to understand her. The conclusion didn't offer much help. While I appreciated Park's style in the way this was filmed, I didn't feel the fear I expect in this sort of film. Maybe that's largely due to Wentworth Miller's screenplay, [SPOILER INCOMING] but I couldn't sense any danger for India's character; it just seem like Charlie threatened everyone but her. I didn't really care about Nicole Kidman's character, although she was well-acted. The eventual complete revelation about Charlie felt pretty standard; I thought there was potential for more.
Sister, Ursula Meier: 3 / 4
My descent into Léa Seydoux's work left me with this....I'm not sure how it should be classified. There are two central characters: Louise, played by Seydoux, and Simon, her younger brother. Their relationship is tragic, but distinctively human. This film also explores an astonishing class distinction at a tourist point. Initially, I rated this 2.5, but that's largely a product of my rating system. The ratings I give are based (perhaps disproportionately) on the immediate emotional response I have. The darkness in this film made me uncomfortable, but in retrospect, I can see this film's greatness.
Melancholia, Lars von Trier: 4 / 4
review
Fish Tank, Andrea Arnold: 3.5 / 4
possible review incoming
The Interview, Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg: 2.5 / 4
An instinctual watch, one I surprisingly didn't regret. Its satirical nature allowed me to simply enjoy the comedy rather than obsess over its political statement. I particularly liked the slo-mo shot of the helicopter explosion with Firework playing in the background. This movie was 3 / 4 if it ended with [SEMI SPOILER] Dave and Aaron leaving N. Korea with Seal Team Six. I thought the turmoil it left N. Korea in would've been perfect. Dave's book was meaningless, I despised the announcement of democratic elections in N. Korea: PEAK HAPPILY EVER AFTER. For some reason, the last few minutes of this felt like a bullshit (may I add, unneeded) political statement. The people in N. Korea immediately flocking to a concept like democracy is laughably unrealistic. Trying to determine what would happen in this scenario is nearly impossible, that's why I'd have advocated for it ending with Dave and Aaron's departure.
Note: I'm still deliberating over how to format my reviews. I feel certain films deserve a more thoughtful review. The three possible films I could review:
Come and See
Melancholia
Fish Tank
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