February was a bit of a quieter month for me, but it is nice to have the good flicks taking precedence over the bad here. Though there were some definite disappointments, the combo of powerful docos, silly sci-fi and staunchly feminist drama won the day.

Worth Watching:

• Wild (2014), Jean-Marc Vallee – Whilst this film occasionally overdoes it tonally and stylistically, it’s still a sorely underrated film in my book. Both Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern are arresting, with the former taking the audience on that huge fuckin trek with her. The concept/cliché of life as a journey is encapsulated totally and satisfyingly in this film. The last five minutes of this are genuinely, painfully good. So much so they slap you in the face and remind you why you love cinema and just how powerful it can be.

• Citizenfour (2014), Laura Poitras – An exceptional film. It’s tempting to laugh at one point when a character refers to the goings on as like something out of a le Carre novel, but it’s so true. Poitras has masterfully marshalled a huge story into something digestible, with no shortage of filmmaking craft involved. She conveys the danger Snowden is taking on and the gravity of what he is revealing. She also creates a portrait of heroes for this age in Snowden, Greenwald and even herself.

• Troll 2 (1990), Claudio Fragasso – The hype is real! All I can really say is that if you’re a ‘good bad’ movie aficionado, then this is as good as they come.

• Pantani: The Accidental Death of a Cyclist (2014), James Erskine – This has so much more personality and insight compared to Alex Gibney’s recent Lance Armstrong film. Quiet poetic and scientific about cycling it also examines the magic that Pantani, a true throwback, bought to a sport at its lowest ebb. He was an instinctive artist in a scientific, analytical age. The film pushes a very pro-Pantani narrative, but it also captures the human, vulnerable side of him in a pretty universal way. An examination of what happens when a person’s one true passion is taken away.

• Jupiter Ascending (2015), Lana and Andy Wachowski – There’s something about the Wachowskis’ vision that I’m a big fan of. This is silly a lot of the time. But it’s also big, old-fashioned and bloody fun sc-fi more of the time. It looks great and grand too, though it lacks the thematic depth of the best of the genre. On the level of a thrill ride though, it’s exhilarating with a unique kind of innocence to it. Seriously though, what the fuck was with Eddie Redmayne’s performance. So off the mark and awkward it bordered on the unwatchable.

• The Good Wife Season 3 (2011), Robert and Michelle King – This is a show that continues to get better and better. Some aspects of this season work better than others. The hero/villain dichotomy set up between Peter and Alicia is a lot more satisfying than the incorporation of Eli’s PR firm into the main storyline. It buys into some racial norms, whilst subtly subverting some gender ones. Again the characters are where this is really at. Diane, Kalinda and Peter all get more to work with this season. Noth is excellent as Peter, a character delightfully hard to read, part idealistic, part menacing.

Not Worth Watching:

• The Theory of Everything (2014), James Marsh – It’s difficult to imagine a stuffier or more obvious reading of the Hawking tale. Suffers from being neither a biopic or a romance. Well it tries to be both, but is neither. Worst of all, it will make you feel absolutely nothing. Redmayne is obviously very good. But he’s more a mimic than an actor truly inhabiting the role. If anything, Felicity Jones is better. A pretty awful effort.

• Piranha (1978), Joe Dante – I cannot believe I didn’t like this. The opening sequences are the stuff schlocky dreams are made of. Boobs, military test sites and hellacious looking creatures. But it’s relatively slow and bleaker than I like my B movies. The body count is huge, including heaps of kids, and the filmmaking is perhaps a little too good, so I feel bad about that. Too many unnecessary kills and not enough B movie cheese.

• The Interview (2014), Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen – As far as contemporary comedies go, this is ok. But it’s still not particularly good. I enjoyed the first half more. There were some genuine laughs and some of the political points were actually kind of interesting. But once it hits North Korea, it gets overly puerile, silly and well, bland. Despite the absolutely epic brouhaha it caused, this is pretty run of the mill stuff.

• Life of Crime (2013), Daniel Schechter – This, based on an Elmore Leonard novel, is a pretty dire effort. The costuming and music are really reaching for the aesthetic of a period piece. The whole film is reaching really. For that slight comedic, gangstery tone. For something for the really excellent cast to actually work with. To be a good ol’ fashioned farce. It fails at all of these things and just feels really soulless and inauthentic.

If you only have time to watch one Wild

Avoid at all costs The Theory of Everything

Related beermovie.net articles for you to check out: Worth Watching February 2014 and Worth Watching February 2012.

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Always one of my bigger months in terms of viewing numbers, this January was no different. It’s a pretty wide range this month, with a couple that would end up on my end of year lists, some acclaimed art house entries that fell a little flat for me, a bunch of disappointing horror flicks and plenty more. Actually this month is notable for the fact that I suspect it is the most ‘not worth watching’ films in a single month. Take a read and share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Worth Watching:

• Zombeavers (2014), Jordan Rubin – My expectations for a film for that title were utterly sky high. And it at least partially delivers. The opening is exceptional. Bloody, funny, silly 80s inspired slasher riffing. It’s set on a lake of course and toys with slasher convention such as the use of killer’s eye view. It does taper off a little, but there are fun and very funny moments at regular intervals.

• The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies (2014), Peter Jackson – I do think some of the derision aimed at this film is a bit premeditated. This is flawed and not as good as the second film. But it’s still really excellent large scale fantasy filmmaking to be thankful for. The main issue is that it feels like the stakes in this are the lowest of any of the Middle Earth films. But the main battle, which is basically what the film is all about, is pretty innovative and exhilarating with some definite shocks in there too. I definitely did not see some of the deaths coming.

• Starred Up (2013), David Mackenzie – A very matter of fact British prison film. Like any great prison flick, it illustrates the various power structures that are inherent in the institutions as a concept. Young lead Jack O’Connell is really good, bringing the requisite muscular intensity to his role. Ben Mendehlson though steals the show a bit. He’s fuckin explosive here. It’s a relatively lean film, without a strong plot. But the themes of power and father/son relationships negate the need for one. Gritty.

• Community Season 4 (2013), Dan Harmon – I think this is a bit of an underrated series overall. The supposed down-points are not quite as pronounced for me as others. Tis nice to see Gillian Jacobs’ Britta back at the forefront a little more, just as she was right back at the start. The casting throughout is excellent, with people like Ken Jeong and Jim Rash doing stunningly hilarious work. It brings major laughs, but is whip smart as well, both inverting and conforming to the structure and norms of a comedy series.

• Big Hero 6 (2014), Don Hall & Chris Williams – Disney are just miles out in front of Pixar at the moment and are crushing them with a really diverse range of stories. This is a wonderfully geeky adventure story, with some really heavy moments thematically. Mortality and power are both explored on a number of occasions. It balances fun and depth well, assisted by a supporting cast of fully formed characters. Both a superhero film and an exceptional adventure tale.

Not Worth Watching:

• Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013) Abdellatif Kechiche – The film situates itself firmly in teenhood, but at time does not ring true in that regard (a teenager in France not knowing lesbians exist, really?). The infamous sex scenes are wonderfully shot and it is notable for how realistic they are. The best aspects of the film revolve around intimacy, with Adele’s resultant sexual awakening feels the freshest of anything. Most of the rest is just far, far too talky and the audience is for some reason not privy to some of the most important parts of the relationship arc.

• All is Lost (2013), J.C. Chandor – This is muted, understated stuff for the most part. There’s much to respect: the quiet and solitude of the film, Redford’s piece of singular acting and the procedural focus that the movie takes. But I struggle with these films so reliant on monumentally ill-equipped sailors. This dude can barely even use a radio or navigate using a compass. Overall it’s a frustrating experience, with a few silly sequences betraying the rest of the film.

• Nurse (2013), Douglas Aarniokoski – A Dexter style ‘righteous’ serial killer in the health profession is an interesting horror concept. It is not rendered particularly well here though. There is a certain sexiness to it early on. But the acting, including from the usually decent Paz de la Huerta, is abysmal. Some promising, borderline feminist schlockiness, quickly gives way to awful effects and troubling plot utilisations of rape. Also abandons its premise almost immediately and delivers something much less interesting.

• Tim’s Vermeer (2013), Teller – Think I’m one of the few who did not dig this film. There’s some good stuff here – crippling self doubt of an artist, or a ‘regular joe’ in this case, the intriguing idea of Vermeer using tech and engaging sequences of the painting process. But it’s a pretty ugly film, not at all cinematic in its make-up. The major issue for me though was that I just could not get past the notion that Tim is just a very rich, very privileged dude playing with his toys and stroking his intellectual ego.

• St Vincent (2014), Theodore Melfi – Totally dire. Takes a special brand of material to make such a charismatic cast so overwhelmingly bland. Bill Murray shows occasional glimpses of his spark. But Melissa McCarthy, one of my favourite actresses, is totally wasted. Naomi Watts fares no better, as a Russian sex worker she is face-slappingly awful. It aims for quirky, heartfelt and hilarious. With this script though, it is far away from any of those things.

• Afflicted (2013), Derek Lee & Clif Prowse – Given how strongly it starts makes how poor this film ends up all the more disappointing. The ‘Youtube doco team’ structure and excellent acting early on are both refreshing. But it fails to scare and the life of a vampire aspects feel so sluggish, despite the occasional interesting note being hit as they look for their next ‘fix’. Then horror focused middle section turns into a shitty first person action film.

• The Water Diviner (2014), Russel Crowe – This really is the worst of Aussie film. Bland beyond belief, designed to be as unchallenging as possible. It’s almost uniformly average, aside from the occasional jaw-dropping piece of awfulness. A couple of slow-motion scenes and a comical CG fire fit the bill. For the most part, especially in the early battle scenes, this is a cheap looking film. Actually it reminded me a lot of a mid-90s TV mini-series ‘event’, both in regards to looks and plot.

• The Armstrong Lie (2013), Alex Gibney – Gibney is more or less without peer in terms of documentary making, but even he struggles to overcome the sheer sliminess of his subject. Even now, the introspection of what he has done seems more or less lacking in Armstrong. So whilst we get a solid portrait of a scumbag, one who has no qualms about abusing his power to further himself and a glimpse at just how disingenuous a human being can be, that’s not quite enough. It’s quite staid and uncreative in its construction compared to Gibney’s best, and Armstrong perhaps gets off a little easier than he should have. An unfocused film.

• The Double (2013), Richard Ayoade – This is one of a number of recent films that have just felt like ‘Gilliam-lite’ to me. The worldbuilding here is slack and uninnovative. Jesse Eisenberg plays one of those annoying characters to whom everything bad happens. The doppelganger construct at the heart of the film is a little clumsily handled and is taken the most obvious places. The film also feels a little insincere, filled to the brim with faux quirk. Of note though are the excellent performances from both Eisenberg and Mia Wasikowska.

• See No Evil 2 (2014), Jen & Sylvia Soska – The delightful old school slasher vibe of the first briefly carries over, especially with the morgue setting. However the awful script and acting quickly overwhelms proceedings. The kills are strangely structured too, balance between what to show and what to hide feels out of whack and the attempts to create tension are lame. Given I loved the first film and have heard so many positive things about the Soskas, this was a major disappointment.

For wrestling fans like me, the fact Kane wears a mask is basically the best thing about this film.

• Birdman (2014), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu – I liked a lot of the elements of this film. The performances from Keaton, Norton, Stone and I think an underrated Watts are all excellent. The score is innovative, the distorted, old sounding drums were a unique backing to the film and its style. But stylistically I wasn’t moved by it and the faux one-shot technique is barely noticeable. Thematically I could see all the points being made about ego, the plight of the artist and the role of the critic, but they just did not resonate with me. There’s not much of a narrative here either, and what there is just serves as a frame to hang thematic elements from.

If you only have time to watch one Big Hero 6

Avoid at all costs The Water Diviner

Related beermovie.net articles for you to check out: Worth Watching January 2014 and Worth Watching January 2012.

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December is traditionally one of my busier months in terms of watching as many recentish releases as possible, in anticipation of writing year end lists. A few early commitments meant it was a slow start, but in the end I saw a whole lot, a vast majority of which is worth checking out. Except for that one, lonely, crappy film not worth watching.

Worth Watching:

• Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014), Ridley Scott – There is a throwback sensibility to the scale of this film, which really does feel like a 50s biblical epic. The film certainly has issues: it’s too long, the pacing is out of whack and a lot of the symbolism clunks. But seeing momentous moments such as the plagues and parting of the red sea realised so grandly makes up for all that and at times wows. There are some good performances too, in particular from Joel Edgerton. Though the inclusion of kiddie God, whilst interesting from a theological and thematic perspective, doesn’t work on a narrative level.

• Nightcrawler (2014), Dan Gilroy – This is a very good film, though I think I like it less than most. Sets up a bleak cityscape and desperate economic times leanly at the start. But the first act is slow and never enraptures. Slowly though it reveals the character of Lou Bloom and the film builds as his character does. And the film is always more about his character rather than a focus on plot. Gyllenhaal is excellent as is Riz Ahmed as his offsider. I did find the treatment of the character played by Rene Russo pretty problematic, her actions at a number of points are hard to buy. A disappointingly drawn character in my view.

• They Came Together (2014), David Wain – Very self knowing and exceedingly silly. A combination that is endearing at first and more or less stays that way throughout. It is impossible not to love Amy Poehler and the material seems well suited to Paul Rudd. It’s not hugely original, but it is very funny and the casting right down to the minor roles is excellent. A really good comedy cast actually. Plus it has the best Michael Shannon cameo ever.

• The Purge: Anarchy (2014), James DeMonaco – This is a much more satisfying film than the first, which excelled only in fumbling a great premise. The action takes place in a very interesting near-utopia (for 364 days a year anyway), where the class divides of today are even worse. The broader, societal view taken in this film makes up for the shortcomings of the narrative and action. Smart casting (e.g. Frank Grillo), thematic commentary and genuine tension at times make this one of the better horror flicks of last year.

• Next Goal Wins (2014), Mike Brett & Steve Jamison – To follow what is literally the worst football side in the world is a wonderful idea for a doco. At times, particularly when focusing on the first trans player to play in a World Cup qualifier, the film rises above its premise. It is so interesting to see the natural acceptance of her in a Samoan context, especially when contrasted with how trans people are treated in the ‘west’. The team is a bunch of incredible characters and their faith and heart makes them a very welcome change from today’s world of heightened (and soulless) professionalism. By the end, you will be totally invested in the result and engaged by the ‘arc’ of the new coach at the helm.

• Child of God (2013), James Franco – He cops a lot of flack, but I like Franco as a director. His films show him to be an intriguing adapter of classic texts, here Cormac McCarthy. Scott Haze brings a raw, animalistic and unsettling presence to the main character. This is a very challenging film. Both necrophilia and seeing a man take a dump feature. Franco is also a lean, sparse filmmaker which slows the experience. But it always feels like he is out to challenge rather than repulse. A very different horror film – exploring the way that total ostracisation from society can result in a decent into madness.

• Paddington (2014), Paul King – Simple, classic storytelling done with a little stylistic flourish often goes a long way, as it does here. I love Sally Hawkins’ performance. Such a charm to her onscreen. The two kids are really good and the CGI bear is integrated seamlessly. Love that the villain is an evil taxidermist from the Natural History Museum. That’s dark. But can we put a ban on scenes where a man reluctantly dresses in drag and is then hit on by an unsuspecting male. So tired.

• Pride (2013), Matthew Warchus – This is a fun and quite powerful film about intersectionality as well as the importance of the union movement. It’s also a piece of gay history that it is great to see reaching a wide audience. It weaves in a lot: the arc of a young man coming out; emergence of the AIDS virus and problems and fissures inherent in all protest & social justice movements. But it never for a second feels like you’re being lectured to.

• American Juggalo (2011), Sean Dunne – Wow, what a subculture! Like with all of them, or religions, they attract followers for very different reasons and people take very different things from them. A lot of beauty to what is taking place, so much of it is about acceptance and accepting people no matter what they’re into. Hell of a lot of abuse though. Definitely a seam of misogyny running through it, but perhaps no more than in society more general. You can watch the film on Vimeo here.

• Orphan Black Season 1 (2013), John Fawcett & Graeme Manson – This is highly stylised both in terms of plot and style. I like how the main character in this is a total fish out of water, rather than the usual perfect super spy. There are some initial teething problems. It’s a little pedestrian early on and there are some logic issues. But that doesn’t last long and this is a pretty original piece of television. It is an awesomely bonkers premise that just keeps growing outwards. The different performances from Tatiana Maslany are bloody impressive.

• The Drop (2014), Michael Roskam – Liked this one quite a lot. Has the inner city focus that distinguishes a lot of Lehane’s best work. Didn’t love the fact it felt it needed a twist in the end. Overall though I love the specific world. Tom Hardy, James Gandolfini, Noomi Rapace and a cuteass dog don’t hurt either. Also like the relatively small, confined story. Not everything needs to be grand and this film recognises that.

• Orphan Black Season 2 (2014), John Fawcett & Graeme Manson – Even better than season 1. This really ups everything – the conspiracy, the action and the complexity. Maslany inhabits her roles so completely, you actually forget they are all played by the same person. As well as continuing to expand the story out and out, this also examines in greater depth the questions of identity this clone tale is ripe for. The best aspect of this comes through the introduction of a trans character. It’s an admirably diverse show. The finale, whilst not totally landing, sets up a hell of an intriguing season 3.

Not Worth Watching:

• Horrible Bosses 2 (2014), Sean Anders – I mean it’s not horrible. But it’s not particularly good either. There is the occasional laugh to be had and the cast is pretty solid – with the exception of the usually decent Sudekis who doesn’t bring a whole lot here. But the main issue is the (lack of) story and the seeming lack of effort overall. It’s really just comedy sequel 101 with no distinguishing factors.

If you only have time to watch one Pride

Avoid at all costs Horrible Bosses 2

Related beermovie.net articles for you to check out: Worth Watching December 2013 and Worth Watching December 2011.

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Though November was a little up and down in terms of my writing output, for the same reason it was actually a very good month in terms of viewing numbers. Blowing out my back meant a lot of time lying on the lounge room floor watching flicks which I guess played a part. A few absolute cracking 2014 releases that are amongst my favourite of the whole year in this lot. Though there were a couple of beloved recent releases in here where I just did not see the hype at all.

Worth Watching:

• Two Days One Night (2014), The Dardenne Brothers – I found this to be a very tough, raw and brutal watch. Cotillard’s depiction of depression and anxiety is heart-wrenchingly accurate. Actually hit very close to the bone for me. She may well be the best actress in the world right now and I’m not even sure who is second. Initially I found the reactions of those she chatted with – essentially asking them to give up a 1000 euro bonus so she could keep her job – hard to believe. But really, the way depression is still perceived in our society and the way some people believe they must trample others to get what’s theirs, it rang very true.

• Burden of Dreams (1982), Les Blank – So great to see a young(er) Werner Herzog talk about his craft and the inspiration behind Fitzcarraldo (1982). In the end, this plays like an incredible historical document of borderline artistic madness, convoluted tribal politics and boundaries that probably shouldn’t be broken to make a film. This is the eccentric, persistent and treading that line between genius and insanity that we all love about Herzog writ large. Also amazing to see him breaking down the meaning of the film.

• Saboteur (1942), Alfred Hitchcock – Hitch has such an eye for a shot. Recalls the Lumiere Bros in that respect, a purity in some ways to his work. This is a pretty film, even for him. The script is a little clunky but there is plenty of nice, vintage intrigue in the set up. Also a fair bit of social commentary as the rich old dudes get away with stuff whilst the working class get screwed over. It wanes a little through the middle, but there is some incredible tension throughout. And it finishes with a couple of classic set-pieces in the final act, especially the one atop the Statue of Liberty.

• Joe (2013), David Gordon Green – This is all Southern, decrepit, gothic and gritty. It’s the South where everyone is a full-blown alcoholic and flashes of violence are just around the corner. It is in some ways a slight story which prioritises themes – manhood, the concept of work, violence in society – in a way that is actually satisfying and leaves you not really minding the lack of story. Even if it could have handled more focus on the central relationship, this dark film is worth watching for the thematic approach and tops central performances.

• The Sacrament (2013), Ti West– Knew very little about this going in and it totally blew me away. So grounded, the use of real life company Vice, the sharply shot faux-doco style that never feels forced and a well written script that never feels overwritten. Guess not a horror film in the usual sense of the world and never went where I was assuming it would. There was an extended stretch late in this where I actually had a physical reaction to what I was seeing, fists clenched and mouth wide open. Deeply creepy, foreboding and close to the most compelling film of the year.

• Nebraska (2013), Alexander Payne – Bruce Dern is really something and it is almost to the film’s detriment, because he puts everything else in the shade. But there is a fair bit else to enjoy here, from the refreshingly artful black and white shooting to the quirky script that nails what it is like to watch someone age as well as the pain of dealing with idiots, no matter the ages involved. I actually found it to be a lot more boisterous and ‘laugh out loud’ than I was expecting. A film that manages to be sweet without being sentimental.

• Willow Creek (2013), Bobcat Goldthwait – In a slight year for horror, this stands out as a cerebral little film. Setting up the equipment is a funky way to establish the found footage confines of the film. The central couple has a really good rapport that doesn’t feel forced. It is a fun, then tense examination of the bigfoot mythos. Well crafted and creepy, especially one extremely long scene of them in the tent that should be so boring but is totally freaky. The female lead Alexie Gilmore gives a really effective horror performance. Tops ending too, paying off the build without ruining the vibe of what had come earlier.

• Draft Day (2014), Ivan Reitman – I liked this a whole lot more than I think I should have. It is a slick, glossy film. But it manages to give an insightful, if very mainstream, look into the mechanics of building a sporting team. The cast are all really good at what they do, and it is no different here with Chadwick Boseman, Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner and Dennis O’Leary all being fun to watch do their thing. Costner especially fits the role of grizzled, under pressure sports boss like a glove. It’s utter fluff, but well made and easy to watch fluff (at least for sports fans).

• Under the Skin (2013), Jonathan Glazer – The focus early is on quiet, sterile sci-fi imagery in a distinctly Scottish setting. The interesting sound design drives proceedings along. To see people against the sheer black and white imagery and see how that evolves through the film is pretty wondrous. Though the exceptionally slow pace and not particularly coherent storyline does mean that the impact is at times lessened. But when it isn’t, the horrifying existential terror elicited is powerful. Be prepared for the ethereal, minimalist and hard to grasp narrative though. Didn’t all work for me, and much of the last act is too ponderous. But it will make you think.

• Winter’s Tale (2013), Akiva Goldsman – One of the most maligned films of recent times and I think pretty harshly so. This is a nice piece of magical realism I think. Perhaps that is a genre that just doesn’t work for a lot of people. There is a bunch of really cool imagery though and some nice sentimentality. The good type of sentimentality. The cast is good especially Russell Crowe, hamming it up no end. There is a lot of over-acting in this, but just like the sentimentality I think it actually works given the style of the material. The combo of the very real and the very fantastical is something I found a little refreshing.

• Calvary (2014), John Michael McDonagh – This was very different to what the trailer advertised. It is one of the blackest comedies I have seen in a long time. Refreshing the way it deals with religion. Brendan Gleeson’s priest, when confronted with a person who was raped by another priest, responds that he has no idea what to say to that. Gleeson is a powerhouse and this director/star team continues to excel. It’s not an easy watch, but this is a damn clever film. They’ve actually taken the time to write something complex about ‘the church’ and its role today. A dense script geared at painting an incredible portrait of a man of faith. Challenging and oh so dark.

• John Wick (2014), Chad Stahelski – Bloody hell what an action flick. One of the best of the past half decade I think. Reminds you of just how great a straight up action flick can be. Keanu and John Leguizmo lead an excellent cast. Reeves especially is refreshing, following some tepid efforts (including one below). Put simply, if you love action films, this is the must see action film of the year.

• Evangelion: 1.11 You Are Not Alone (2007), Hideaki Anno– Anything Evangelion seems to be pretty iconic on the anime scene. This was a like not love from me, perhaps due to the fact that I have not seen any of the series that precedes this film. But the art and visuals, especially the mech battles and cityscapes are impossible not to love, as are some of the age old ideas explored. A little flat in terms of stakes and the human animation is poor. Gets by on the visuals though.

• Interstellar (2014), Christopher Nolan – A flawed, unwieldy behemoth of a film that contains three or five of the most exhilarating cinema moments of the year. The science is mind-bending, but never dense for the sake of it. Visually it’s as pretty and assured as sci-fi comes. I was awe-inspired and just wish I could have seen it on Imax. Can see why it is so divisive as it is just so plot heavy. Cleverly written though and it challenges on a host of levels – narratively, existentially. One of my favourite scores of recent times too. Incredibly emotional for sci-fi this dense as well. They don’t really make them like this anymore. Perhaps they never did.

Not Worth Watching:

• Force Majeure (2014), Ruben Ostlund – This focuses on a very interesting concept, turning on a single moment – how a husband (and father) reacts in a genuine life and death scenario. Unfortunately I was not so enamoured with the rest of it. Too much of it slips into one of those couples arguing films that don’t really enlighten very much. That was the dominant outcome for me, over and above the strong female lead performance and some good sequences examining the main dude’s actions.

• X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Brian Singer – I do feel that you can cram too many X-Men into one film, which is one issue here. They don’t all feel as unique and special as they should. There are some cool plot points but I just had a lot of niggling issues with this one. It’s a strangely ugly film and tonally felt off, at various times too silly or too serious or too sentimental. The best character is Quicksilver and he is strangely dispensed with after the film’s best sequence. A strangely flat experience, which is a shame because I like how it is trying to bring complex comic book continuity to the big screen.

• Oculus (2013), Mike Flanagan – Evil mirror… got it. This was such a nothing film for me. Flashback structure totally sucked the mystery out of the story. The performances from both leads are really poor, the plot is totally all over the shop and worst of all the film has zero atmosphere or good ideas. One of those horror films where the characters have to make the most illogical decisions imaginable for ‘terror’ to ensue. At times, laughably bad.

• Life After Beth (2014), Jeff Baena – As a big fan of Aubrey Plaza, this is a major let down. Overall it is just a bit weak, and the great cast which also features Dane DeHaan and John C. Reilly are just not given enough to work with. So flat and tellingly, it is a really unfunny comedy. No drive, pop, or sharpness to this pretty bland ‘zom-com.’

• 47 Ronin (2013), Carl Rinsch – Japanese infused samurai silliness from the get-go. Which is fun for about 15 minutes and then it is just a little all over the shop. Some of the CGI monsters look pretty rad, even though there is absolutely no reason for them to be there. They clearly spent way too much money on a film that was never going to be a hit. Terrible expositional dialogue abounds and the character development of our supposed heroes is so thin as to be non-existent. I have no idea what this film was trying to be, but I am pretty sure it failed.

• Gone Girl (2014), David Fincher – What an utterly silly film. I’m pretty bemused by how beloved it is. There is a whip smart script… for about ten minutes. Reznor’s score is phenomenal… for the first five minutes. This film just did not work on any level for me and I found the last really terrible. The big reveal in the centre fell flat for me whilst the gender politics are a little troubling. But I actually found the film so awful I barely even noticed that. It’s so overlong too. The trailer park section just meanders on and on and goes nowhere. The couple of good female characters, the cop and the sister, are totally wasted.

If you only have time to watch one Interstellar

Avoid at all costs Oculus

Related beermovie.net articles for you to check out: Worth Watching November 2013 and Worth Watching November 2011.

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This is rather later than usual. I have been writing a little less to recover from the epic CIFF 2014 effort and currently have a sprained joint in my back, which is never fun. That has left me lying on the floor, unable to sit to write or head to the cinema for an entire week now. Anyways that also meant writing this in short little spurts over a few days. A mixed, fittingly horror-centric bag for October. Share your thoughts on all of these in the comments below.

Worth Watching:

• The Good Wife Season 1 (2009), Robert & Michelle King – It’s a shame how novel a show with a true female protagonist is. Julianna Marguiles is great as the woman re-entering the workplace after 15 years. The show is immediately concerned with gender roles and sexism. Along with the courtroom scenes it has a cool whodunit vibe to go along with it and successfully weaves in a broader conspiracy subplot. Even though it can be a touch melodramatic, the script writing is good throughout.

• See No Evil (2006), Gregory Dark – Everything about this film – marketing, DVD menus, religious overtones, the fact it stars a professional wrestler in character – screams that it is a real throwback. And it is basically the best 1980s Elm Street sequel made this millennium. The set-up is classic – juvenile delinquents are sent to clean up a creepy abandoned hotel overnight on some sort of day release program. Of course nothing could possibly go wrong there. There are some nice touches, the camera is used well to create movement and it is never totally clear who the ‘main’ and therefore final to die character is, which makes for some surprising kills. Highly recommended for classic slasher fans.

• The Good Wife Season 2 (2010), Robert & Michelle King – There are concerns early that this season is going to be overly contrived. A new partner brings with him a new investigator and the battle between him and the firm’s Kalinda is a distraction the whole way through. But it picks up after a slow start. Cary being all of a sudden in the public defenders office makes for a fresh dynamic. And it also deals with big issues quite well, the tense race against the clock death penalty ep is a highlight and cuts to the heart of that issue. The show really benefits from spot-on casting, both amongst the regulars and guest stars.

• Crawlspace (2012), Justin Dix – The director has a pedigree in design and effects work, making it unsurprising that the ‘look’ of this is its strongest aspect. It’s smart enough not to overuse the cool looking gimmick shots. The big scares don’t always land, but the film creates a decent enough sense of tension, with the fast moving combatants and sound design lending a kinetic energy. All this helps to overcome a slight story and dialogue which occasionally clunks.

Not Worth Watching:

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), Jonathan Liebesman – This is even worse than I imagined a Michael Bay driven turtles film would be. It looks surprisingly cheap and is shot with bullshit angles and shaky cam stuff. Everything is wrong and even worse, nothing is true to the spirit of the turtles and the film dispenses with so much of the mythology. It’s unnecessarily violent and the voices off the turtles are so off. They look garbage too. Worst of all is the objectification of Megan Fox which is just constant and atrocious. We need to put a stop to that shit, in all films but especially those targeted at young people.

• A Lonely Place to Die (2011), Julian Gilbey – Begins with an awesome sense of place in the Scottish Highlands. But following that, the film offers next to nothing. Melissa George turns in a terrible performance and accent. The characters are uninteresting and there is no build-up in terms of atmosphere. It doesn’t look good either, with weird and ill-advised use of slow-mo. It’s a horror film with no sense of build or tension. Such an uninteresting film.

• Annabelle (2014), John R. Leonetti – This is a good example of how a horror film can be utterly terrifying, but still pretty awful. Weirdly (stupidly), the film does not focus on the freakyarse doll that much. The bloated narrative simply feels derivative of a bunch of better Wan and co. movies. All the non-doll centric plot points, which make up most of the movie, are totally standard and unengaging.

• Dracula Untold (2014), Gary Shore – Somewhat refreshing to see an origin story rather than the 4 billionth Stoker adaptation. But the first two thirds of this are terrible. By the numbers character building, lightweight narrative, garbage dialogue and it looks damn ugly too. That last one can mainly be attributed to its reliance on mid-90s standard CGI. Absurdly out of nowhere, the final third becomes a cracking origin story payoff. Just wish there was more of that brilliance in the rest of the film.
  

If you only have time to watch one The Good Wife Season 1

Avoid at all costs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Related beermovie.net articles for you to check out: Worth Watching October 2013 and Worth Watching October 2011.

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A far, far quieter month compared to July. MIFF took up a fair bit of my film devoted time and there were no 24 hour long plane trips to boost the numbers either. Madly finishing up one day job and starting off another was a massive (lame) stress contribution as well. There is some good stuff this month though amongst what I did manage to see. Be sure to share your comments on these below.

Worth Watching:

• Charlie’s Country (2013), Rolf De Heer – De Heer and star David Gulpilil are one of the most important creative teams in Aussie film history. Gulpilil won best actor at Cannes for this and he definitely deserved it. The film, much of it based on the actor’s real life struggles, says some really important things that are often only communicated in non-fiction works. The impossibility of Indigenous culture being maintain, the daily ignominy of someone being on your land, telling you what to do, how to live and even how you can spend your money. I would encourage anyone with a passing interest in the contemporary Australian Indigenous experience to seek this one out.

• Parks and Recreation Season 5 (2012), Greg Daniels & Michael Schur – Season starts a little disjointed due to characters being in separate cities. But it settles back into being the funniest show on TV. Some hilarious political cameos by the likes of John McCain and an incredible one from Joe Biden. Aubrey Plaza really stars as April this season. She has crafted such a witty and cutting character. But so many of them – Leslie, Andy, Ron, Donna, Gerry – are iconic. The show, especially in this season’s wedding episode, is really good at combining the heartfelt and the hilarious.

• Muscle Shoals (2013), Greg Camalier – One of the first films I ever programmed at a film festival, so it holds a special place in my heart. Incredible imagery of the area around the Tennessee River where some of the greatest music ever recorded was made. Massive name talking heads such as Bono and Keith Richards are shining a light on pretty obscure music history. Much more than just a music doco though, tis broad ranging and as much the incredible life story of producer Rick Hall as anything else.

Not Worth Watching:

• Lucy (2014), Luc Besson – First off, it is great to see a female focused film both kicking ass at the box office and also showcasing this kind of character. The results in this utterly nonsensical, though at times very fun film, are quite mixed. Much of it highlights the issue of god-like characters – tis very hard to maintain a sense of stakes when one character is all powerful and it is difficult for human intelligence to write super-human intelligence. Some wonderful boldness on the visual side of things and Johansson kicking arse are the chief joys, which help counterbalance a pretty poor script.

• Hercules (2014), Brett Ratner – Probably the worst film I have seen this year. Sexism and horrid CGI show up in the first two minutes and it doesn’t improve at all really. I cannot imagine a more cliché and predictable experience being possible. The tone is all over the shop. I suspect they were going for slightly comedic. Training montages are interminable whilst the battles which go on forever are if anything less engaging.

If you only have time to watch one Muscle Shoals

Avoid at all costs Hercules  

Related beermovie.net articles for you to check out: Worth Watching August 2013 and Worth Watching August 2011.

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July was a busy month. A couple of epic plane rides (the kind you can only manage living in Australia) and plenty of nights alone overseas meant I caught some good stuff. Also some trash, as planes seemed to go well with rubbish films in my mind. Which meant there was definitely no repeat of June’s all Worth Watching month. July also features my most controversial Not Worth Watching of the year, if not ever. This film month also brings back some nice memories of seeing some of these flicks in fun cities like Dublin and Belfast.

Worth Watching:

• Grand Piano (2013), Eugenio Mira – This is a high concept and well executed thriller that managed to have me totally enthralled even in the surrounds of an airplane. Elijah Wood continues his cool jaunt into genre territory, playing a pianist beset by stage fright who receives a death threat whilst on stage. The structure means it is kind of inevitable things slow a little. But some neat stylistic touches and a really satisfying twist at the end make this a winner.

• Muppets Most Wanted (2014), James Bobin – This really sank without a trace on release which was surprising given the rapture around the previous film. There are some great references and meta-allusions to being a sequel. I’m not a Ricky Gervais fan but he brings a nice smarminess to his role. This succeeds pretty well, mainly down to a clever, witty script and the iconic characters. A charming film where fun, silliness and nonsensical songs fill the void where the plot should be. Plus it features Cristoph Waltz dancing the waltz.

• Divergent (2014), Neil Burger – Wow, what a massive surprise this film was. Not the rubbish version of The Hunger Games I was expecting. There are similar elements, but the bloody incredible cast mean they won’t bother you. There is a dense set of rules and societal castes that give a real sci-fi feel. The film has some good things to say about conformity which set it apart and it is definitely not afraid to be really bleak. Sure, there is plenty of training montage and franchise set-up. But good ones. Impressive.

• Battle of the Sexes (2013), James Erskine & Zara Hayes – A doco focused on the Billie-Jean King vs Bobby Riggs tennis match that also takes a broader look at sexism in sports and the battle for equal pay. Horrid how embedded sexism was (and really still is). Bobby Riggs really was just a publicity seeking misogynist really. There are some unnecessary re-enactments but overall the film looks slick. Billie-Jean is a hell of an inspirational character. Riggs though looks a little like Woody Allen, which is apt cause they are both friggin scumbags.

• Dawn of the Planet of Apes (2014), Matt Reeves – So much of this is really terrific. For starters, it looks incredible. The apes are just mind boggling to look at and their interactions with humans are totally smooth. Must be one of the most technologically advanced films in history. Overall it is a rollicking, if overlong, ride. My other main criticism is that it does feel a little predictable in terms of the beats it hits. You always have a fair sense of where it is going. But there is no denying it is one of the better of the ‘apes’ films.

 Not Worth Watching:

• Need for Speed (2014), Scott Waugh – Basically Fast and Furious-lite. Which is far from a compliment. There is a nice little homage to the first person driving perspective of the video game and some decent driving/crashing sequences. Aaron Paul is such a good actor he can transcend some of the script’s lesser moments. But the narrative is just so damn daft. Even worse, I found that in the interactions with the police and even a schoolbus, street racing is just a little too glorified for my liking.

• Boyhood (2014), Richard Linklater – I just did not quite buy in on this one. There is so much to love about this film and its construction. But the first 45-odd minutes are too ‘vignetty’. Also, one character’s story in particular covers familiar plot points too regularly without saying anything new. It was a lot funnier than I was expecting though and Ethan Hawke elevates impressively whenever he is involved. For me though, the film never quite matched the idea of the film.

• Fast & Furious 6 (2013), Justin Lin – I do really like both The Rock and Gina Carano but even they don’t make this much fun. Actually Carano is totally wasted and her acting is more rigid than usual. The plot meanders along, with no weight to the elements that should be carrying the film. They of course manage to wedge a meaningless street race into the film that has nothing to do with the plot. When the set-up for the sequel is the best thing about a film, you have not done well.

• The Station (2013), Marvin Kren – Opening is promising. Uber creepy credits and a great setting – an isolated, glacier bound research station. There’s even a frickin blood glacier! But from there it is all downhill. Really poor practical effects that are 60s Kaiju film standard. Monsters that are either hidden or look garbage. Ham-fisted climate change message. And just derivative of a bunch of far better films basically.

• Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), Michael Bay – This is one of the better Transformers films, but it is still terrible. In this one, Bay manages to create one of the most vapid and useless female characters I’ve ever seen. It all looks too much like an ad and the expository dialogue manages to dumb things down more than you thought was ever possible.

• Tammy (2014), Ben Falcone – The first half hour is a decent and refreshingly female driven comedy. Even though Melissa McCarthy is becoming increasingly one-note, she is still one of comedy’s most hilarious performers. But right around when Mark Duplass shows up as a love interest, it all starts to go pretty wrong. The script totally loses its way and there is no thrust to the narrative. The dialogue becomes awkward, growing ever more cliché. Tis unfortunate that such a positive start is so wasted.

If you only have time to watch one Divergent

Avoid at all costs Transformers: Age of Extinction

Related beermovie.net articles for you to check out: Worth Watching July 2013 and Worth Watching July 2011.

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