Film: 3/22-3/28

God's Not Dead, Harold Cronk: 1 / 4

This film is propaganda. According to its creators, the artistic value of this film is secondary to the viewer's experience. And this viewer is not a critical film goer, but a commoner. The commoner must extrapolate the world of this film to his/her own reality. They must become a Christian.

Hulk, Ang Lee: 1.5 / 4

This one missed, which is surprising considering my high regard for Ang Lee (for Brokeback). The story seemed to be there, but it wasn't executed in a way that evoked any sort of emotion. It wasn't too great visually either, but that was based on their lesser CGI at the time. So any Marvel fan, feel free to skip this one.

The Master, Paul Thomas Anderson: 2.5 / 4

There are some phenomenal performances in this film, notably PSH, Joaquin, and Amy Adams. Lancaster Dodd's self-delusional personality displays what's required to lead a cult. Freddie's a sex-obsessed, emotionally-broken degenerate who finds solace in Dodd's companionship, and solely that. Amy Adams is the rock, the structure that keeps the cult from falling apart. Her affirmation seems to keep Dodd from spiraling off into the abyss. This film is a character study, a phenomenal one. I couldn't think of better prep for the upcoming Scientology doc: Going Clear. Who knows? Maybe I'll read the book too.

Ranking Revisions

I've decided to modify my favorite actors/actresses pages. They'll now be displayed in a single page of favorite performances.

Here is the inaugural edition, in some sort of order:

Saskia Rosendahl in Lore

Naomi Watts in Mulholland Drive

Mads Mikkelsen in The Hunt

Kirsten Dunst in Melancholia

Ryan Gosling in Only God Forgives

Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds

Also, I've dropped my superficially-thought-out tier system.

Film: 3/15-3/21

Cinderella, Kenneth Branagh: 3 / 4

The Silence, Baran bo Odar: 3.5 / 4

Mulholland Drive, David Lynch: 4 / 4

Upstream Color, Shane Carruth: 2.5 / 4

Shame, Steve McQueen: 3 / 4

Europa Report, Sebastián Cordero: 3 / 4

Blue Velvet, David Lynch: 3 / 4

Saw, James Wan: 2 / 4

Bloodline, Season 1

Although I consume a considerable amount of television, I hadn't really considered writing much on it. That is, until I watched Bloodline. Netflix dropped Season 1 in its entirety Friday morning and by about 11:30 Saturday night, I'd made it through all 13 episodes. It's an odd thing really; despite the magnitude of the binge, this isn't really an experience I'm satisfied with. I was drawn to this series by a reply on twitter, one that identified this show as a better version of "The Killing." (Upon re-reading that twitter reply, Bloodline was identified as "much better" than TK rather than a better version)

Film: 3/8-3/14

Sharknado, Anthony C. Ferrante: 2.5 / 4

This film film basks in its own absurdity. A tale of shark-filled tornados in Los Angeles, the ultimate location for cinematic disaster. I actually laughed out loud several times. Each of the characters was a stereotypical horror movie character and did stereotypical things. I watched this movie because I needed a light escape, and that's what I experienced. There is no level below the superficial here, pure sensory experience.

The Graduate, Mike Nichols: 2.5 / 4

Dustin Hoffman's character is weird here. His accomplishments don't seem to match his personality. Anyhow, watch this film, even if only to analyze the final scene.

Prozac Nation, Eric Skoldbjaerg: 3 / 4

The depths of mental illness are addressed in this film. Christina Ricci's character is portrayed honestly. The most profound event in this film was her transformation under medication. There is a legitimate question about the merits of using antidepressants. This question isn't medical, it's about identity. What will you sacrifice for stability? Is life worth continuing if identity is lost?
Another bright spot is Jason Biggs....never thought I'd say those words. He completely elevates above his standard character (OITNB, American Pie), becoming likable! Unfortunately the end isn't successful; an attempt to generalize Christina Ricci's character's story to everyone, identifying a "Prozac Nation," completely fails. It seems as though it's a book concept without enough explanation, just thrown in to sort of finish the story.

I Heart Huckabees, David O. Russell: 3 / 4

This is something that's experimental, yet was offered to the mainstream. It's a testament to Russell's reputation that he was able to create this. I'm writing this awhile after the fact and it seems I've over-rated this film. I don't recall anything profound, it was simply an interesting idea, a brief moment of philosophy entering the mainstream. Yet the philosophy felt mainstream, it's feeding the stereotype of what a philosopher is, possibly. There are certainly absurdist ideas here. In terms of the performances, Mark Wahlberg stood out; he captured the attention of every scene he was in. Also, for  all its identification as a comedy, not that funny.

Lore, Cate Shortland: 4 / 4
review

Lore, Cate Shortland

This is one of the most human films I've seen, one I'd recommend to anyone with a somewhat mature understanding of human emotion or humanity. The central character, Lore, is extraordinary. She's one of the many victims of Hitler's cult of personality. The struggle of this film is hers; she must deal with loss, both physical and emotional. The nature of her actions is ambiguous, yet entirely understandable. Her world is turned upside-down, and she's forced to rely on herself with the absence of her parents. The innocence she once had is entirely gone; she must face the bleak remnants the Third Reich alone. Her struggle in this film is strangely valiant, an attempt to return to her previous state, one of both innocence and of victimhood.

Shortland's style in this film perfectly meshes with the plot. The film flows seamlessly; each moment is significant. Her depiction of the desolation of the German state is pure, blunt realism. The unexpected close-ups and the camera's shifting focuses, fully expresses the disarray of the subject matter; the world is fragmented. 

This is peak cinematic adaptation. Shortland modified a screenplay adaptation of The Dark Room to maximize its artistic potential. This film defines profound.

4 / 4

Film: 3/1-3/7

Cool Hand Luke, Stuart Rosenberg: 2.5 / 4

My first Paul Newman film didn't disappoint. His character is incredibly likable, and immediately establishes his unwillingness to conform. Prisons are built to conform. The inhabitants are conditioned to act a certain way, to be parts of a machine. And most all comply, but Luke immediately rejected what they, his fellow prisoners, considered to be common sense. His individual attempted to transcend the universal. There was a shift in his persona following two failed attempts to escape; he was broken down, physically and emotionally. When he became the animal-like being, serving the overseers, it was undoubtedly the most terrifying part of the movie. It signified the loss of his former identity, which was the source of his likability both to the viewer and his fellow prisoners. He lost any distinctive human characteristics. When he flipped to his former persona, he rejected the idea that the servitude was a planned charade, stating that he'd never planned anything in his life. Some say the ending of this was depressing, but it was certainly less depressing than what his potential return to the road prison would've been, considering the punishment after his second escape attempt. It was merciful, and Luke sort of recognized this in those last moments in the church with Dragline, and embraced his oncoming death.

King Kong, Peter Jackson: 2.5 / 4

I watched this separated over two nights, and didn't regret it. There was some extremely ambitious CGI which didn't totally flop. It looks weird at times, but it's transfixing. Naomi Watts plays Ann well, as one with a simultaneously ambiguous and unambiguous relationship with Kong. (It's certainly cooler to call him that) Everyone else is fine, whatever. Yes, there's the slow Jack Black zoom-in with the slight eyebrow raise. There's also some terrifying (and massive) insects. Probably the scariest insects I've seen. There's cool stuff in this, watch it.