Some Movies I've Seen Recently
Apr. 21st, 2010 03:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
crankyoldmanAnd by recent I mean like, in 2010 in general. Not all, just ones I felt like writing down stuff for them. I'll make a separate post for TV shows. Netflix is the best/worst thing for me ever.
Whip It!
Saw this because Ellen Page was in it and I'm willing to forgive her for Juno (I thought it was twee for all the wrong reasons) on account of how amazing she's been in everything else. Was very pleasantly surprised at how good this was. The requisite romance in the movie didn't detract from the overall plot, the overall plot was entertaining, and I especially like how the teenage rebellion was handled. Aka; not dickishly, and the dickish parts were totally called out on. A lot more believeable than a lot of "omg I am so diiiifferent" type of teen movies recently.
Also, hello, how fucking hot is roller derby like seriously?
Rocket Science
Another odd teen movie, about a kid who has a stuttering problem and joins a debate team because of a Hot Chick. Sounds like the plot of every other loserish guy and hot chick movie, but doesn't end like one, and has a lot of quirk. Yeah, quirk is the best way to put it. Enjoyed it, but not with as much enthusiasm as others. Definitely should give it a watch though.
Sin Noticias de Dios / Don't Tempt Me
This appeared in my netflix suggestions, and I tend to listen to them (worst case, I don't like it, I usually give the movie 20 mins to convince me). Hooked me right away. This movie is trilingual, and really kind of awesome for that. So the basic plot involves an agent of Hell and an agent of Heaven competing for the soul of this boxer dude. Sounds pretty substandard, but the depictions of Heaven and Hell are quite funny, the characters are engaging (especially the operations manager of Hell) and the theology is subversive and thinky without taking away from the fun aspects. Oh and there's femmeslash involving Penelope Cruz. Um, yes.
Paper Heart
Well this was different. I'm not nearly as charmed by Michael Cera as most of the world seems to be (he's a bit... lumpy? I dunno what it is) but I was extremely taken with Charlyne Yi, so basically I was watching it for her. It's a docudrama, meaning that there's a lot in there that's real (interviews with real people) but the main storyline is fictional (the romance with Charlyne and Michael). I'd watch it if you had some time to kill and like stuff with claymation-y reenactments and children being awesomely candid.
Lilies
A Canadian (specifically French Canadian) gay drama that is really really arty and beautiful. Involves this bishop who's been called to a prison to take a prisoner's last confession, but instead it turns out to be a confession of his own, through the prisoner making him watch a play of events from their past. Sounds wacky, but VERY artfully done. Sad story, but lovely nonetheless. If you like theater, you'll love this. If you're a fan of slightly angsty slashfic, you will also love this.
Hua yang nian hua / In The Mood For Love
More and more I love Hong Kong cinema. Seriously. Good stuff. Thank you netflix for letting me finally rent all the foreign films I've wanted to. Anyway, this is a wonderfully lush 1960s story about two people that are married and find out their spouses are cheating on them with each other. They enter a sort of friendship, but as the influence for this movie is Hitchcock's Vertigo, it's not as innocent as it looks on the outside. Very thinky, very beautiful, and I adore the acting like nobody's business.
Fucking Åmål / Show Me Love
Adorable Swedish lesbian teen film. The camera work is a little amateur (it looks like it was shot with a camcorder) but it is basically perfect if you are looking for something fluffy with girls kissing that doesn't end in suicide or death. It just made me happy. XD
Public Enemies
Fun, very full of awesome clothes, but there was something hollow about this movie. It made a good point that gangsters are not like they are in movies; but yet, it is a movie. I dunno, I didn't feel anyone was that fleshed out. Was a little disappointed.
Jennifer's Body
I'd almost forgotten that I'd wanted to watch this, then someone uploaded the album for it and I remembered I needed to see it. Wow, this was wicked, satirical, and basically awesome. Horror is the perfect place to be subversive, and this was a little subversive even for horror. Way to go, dudes. Good job! I'm going to go start a satanic emo band RIGHT NOW.
The Breed (2001)
Don't confuse this with the 2009 movie, which looks lame. This is like a vampire film noir and dystopian future all mixed together. If you love pulp and shenanigans, you will love this movie. And it's filmed GORGEOUSLY too. Lots of eye candy (and it's not just because Ling Bai is really really lovely, because omg she is).
Blood Angels
Take everything about cheesy B horror movies with vampires and put it into one movie, and MAKE IT AWESOME. It knows how ridiculous it is, and for that, it is awesome.
Pageant
Documentary about the Miss Gay America pageant. NEED I SAY MORE?
Whip It!
Saw this because Ellen Page was in it and I'm willing to forgive her for Juno (I thought it was twee for all the wrong reasons) on account of how amazing she's been in everything else. Was very pleasantly surprised at how good this was. The requisite romance in the movie didn't detract from the overall plot, the overall plot was entertaining, and I especially like how the teenage rebellion was handled. Aka; not dickishly, and the dickish parts were totally called out on. A lot more believeable than a lot of "omg I am so diiiifferent" type of teen movies recently.
Also, hello, how fucking hot is roller derby like seriously?
Rocket Science
Another odd teen movie, about a kid who has a stuttering problem and joins a debate team because of a Hot Chick. Sounds like the plot of every other loserish guy and hot chick movie, but doesn't end like one, and has a lot of quirk. Yeah, quirk is the best way to put it. Enjoyed it, but not with as much enthusiasm as others. Definitely should give it a watch though.
Sin Noticias de Dios / Don't Tempt Me
This appeared in my netflix suggestions, and I tend to listen to them (worst case, I don't like it, I usually give the movie 20 mins to convince me). Hooked me right away. This movie is trilingual, and really kind of awesome for that. So the basic plot involves an agent of Hell and an agent of Heaven competing for the soul of this boxer dude. Sounds pretty substandard, but the depictions of Heaven and Hell are quite funny, the characters are engaging (especially the operations manager of Hell) and the theology is subversive and thinky without taking away from the fun aspects. Oh and there's femmeslash involving Penelope Cruz. Um, yes.
Paper Heart
Well this was different. I'm not nearly as charmed by Michael Cera as most of the world seems to be (he's a bit... lumpy? I dunno what it is) but I was extremely taken with Charlyne Yi, so basically I was watching it for her. It's a docudrama, meaning that there's a lot in there that's real (interviews with real people) but the main storyline is fictional (the romance with Charlyne and Michael). I'd watch it if you had some time to kill and like stuff with claymation-y reenactments and children being awesomely candid.
Lilies
A Canadian (specifically French Canadian) gay drama that is really really arty and beautiful. Involves this bishop who's been called to a prison to take a prisoner's last confession, but instead it turns out to be a confession of his own, through the prisoner making him watch a play of events from their past. Sounds wacky, but VERY artfully done. Sad story, but lovely nonetheless. If you like theater, you'll love this. If you're a fan of slightly angsty slashfic, you will also love this.
Hua yang nian hua / In The Mood For Love
More and more I love Hong Kong cinema. Seriously. Good stuff. Thank you netflix for letting me finally rent all the foreign films I've wanted to. Anyway, this is a wonderfully lush 1960s story about two people that are married and find out their spouses are cheating on them with each other. They enter a sort of friendship, but as the influence for this movie is Hitchcock's Vertigo, it's not as innocent as it looks on the outside. Very thinky, very beautiful, and I adore the acting like nobody's business.
Fucking Åmål / Show Me Love
Adorable Swedish lesbian teen film. The camera work is a little amateur (it looks like it was shot with a camcorder) but it is basically perfect if you are looking for something fluffy with girls kissing that doesn't end in suicide or death. It just made me happy. XD
Public Enemies
Fun, very full of awesome clothes, but there was something hollow about this movie. It made a good point that gangsters are not like they are in movies; but yet, it is a movie. I dunno, I didn't feel anyone was that fleshed out. Was a little disappointed.
Jennifer's Body
I'd almost forgotten that I'd wanted to watch this, then someone uploaded the album for it and I remembered I needed to see it. Wow, this was wicked, satirical, and basically awesome. Horror is the perfect place to be subversive, and this was a little subversive even for horror. Way to go, dudes. Good job! I'm going to go start a satanic emo band RIGHT NOW.
The Breed (2001)
Don't confuse this with the 2009 movie, which looks lame. This is like a vampire film noir and dystopian future all mixed together. If you love pulp and shenanigans, you will love this movie. And it's filmed GORGEOUSLY too. Lots of eye candy (and it's not just because Ling Bai is really really lovely, because omg she is).
Blood Angels
Take everything about cheesy B horror movies with vampires and put it into one movie, and MAKE IT AWESOME. It knows how ridiculous it is, and for that, it is awesome.
Pageant
Documentary about the Miss Gay America pageant. NEED I SAY MORE?
(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-21 08:51 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-21 08:53 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-21 08:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-21 11:47 pm (UTC)I just got netflix recently myself...I can finally watch all those horror films that NOBODY wants to watch with me!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-04-22 03:40 pm (UTC)My girlfriend's more into horror movies than I am. She reccs the best ones. Usually the cheesiest.