Movie reviews and media related resolutions.
I'm going to try to keep track of the movies I've seen this year. I can't promise to do an in depth review of each one, but I will try to at least mention it. I'm going to do the same for the books I read. I hope to see a lot more movies (and with a Netflix subscription, that shouldn't be difficult as long as we keep up with it) and read a lot more books this year. I did better last year than I have, perhaps ever, but there's a lot more fiction I'd like to read this year, since I broke my streak of reading nothing but non-fiction last year.
Now, on to the two movies I've seen so far this year. I'll try to always put these behind a cut since I don't intend to be careful about spoilers.
This movie was unexpected and I say that fully knowing it's a Cohen brothers film. I haven't laughed so hard at Brad Pitt since his roll as the stoner Floyd in True Romance. He just does dumb really well, I guess. John Malcovich does screaming, angry drunk really well, too. I noticed a comment on imdb by someone titled "A smart movie about dumb people" and I think that pretty much sums it up. All the main characters get mixed up together in a tangled web of blackmail, divorce lawyers, affairs, internet dating, paranoia, murder, the CIA and the Russian Embassy. If you like dark comedy, this is a pretty good one.
Favorite quote: "Osbourne Cox? We have your shit."
4 out of 5 stars
This one was really kind of interesting. I was sort of in and out, since we mostly turned it on for Jonah. But it was kind of interesting to see Pixar take on a post apocalyptic atmosphere. I can tell they've been working on realistic camera motion too, even throwing in some focus blurs. There wasn't much dialog at all, but the music and actions of the robots really told the bulk of the story. Most of the robots could only say a word or two. The humans were all living on a space ship waiting for the robots to clean up the mess they had made of Earth. It had been hundreds of years since they had left Earth, but Wall-E found a plant and therefore, life was sustainable again and the humans could return. But, a very HAL-like autopilot doesn't want them to return because, well, then they won't need him anymore basically. All of the humans are totally lethargic, huge Hut-like wads of flesh that all ride around on something kind of like a Rascal. Most of the movie seemed like a thinly veiled social commentary on our sedentary lifestyles and pollution habits. It was pretty good though. Not the best thing I've seen come out of Pixar, but worth watching.
Favorite quote: "We can grow food, like. . . PIZZA!"
3 out of 5 stars
2009 movie count: 2
Now, on to the two movies I've seen so far this year. I'll try to always put these behind a cut since I don't intend to be careful about spoilers.
This movie was unexpected and I say that fully knowing it's a Cohen brothers film. I haven't laughed so hard at Brad Pitt since his roll as the stoner Floyd in True Romance. He just does dumb really well, I guess. John Malcovich does screaming, angry drunk really well, too. I noticed a comment on imdb by someone titled "A smart movie about dumb people" and I think that pretty much sums it up. All the main characters get mixed up together in a tangled web of blackmail, divorce lawyers, affairs, internet dating, paranoia, murder, the CIA and the Russian Embassy. If you like dark comedy, this is a pretty good one.
Favorite quote: "Osbourne Cox? We have your shit."
4 out of 5 stars
This one was really kind of interesting. I was sort of in and out, since we mostly turned it on for Jonah. But it was kind of interesting to see Pixar take on a post apocalyptic atmosphere. I can tell they've been working on realistic camera motion too, even throwing in some focus blurs. There wasn't much dialog at all, but the music and actions of the robots really told the bulk of the story. Most of the robots could only say a word or two. The humans were all living on a space ship waiting for the robots to clean up the mess they had made of Earth. It had been hundreds of years since they had left Earth, but Wall-E found a plant and therefore, life was sustainable again and the humans could return. But, a very HAL-like autopilot doesn't want them to return because, well, then they won't need him anymore basically. All of the humans are totally lethargic, huge Hut-like wads of flesh that all ride around on something kind of like a Rascal. Most of the movie seemed like a thinly veiled social commentary on our sedentary lifestyles and pollution habits. It was pretty good though. Not the best thing I've seen come out of Pixar, but worth watching.
Favorite quote: "We can grow food, like. . . PIZZA!"
3 out of 5 stars
2009 movie count: 2