movie

Rated Oddity 8/10

Rated The Secret Agent 6/10

Rated Jay Kelly 6/10

Added Mystery Men to Watched Movies

Rated Is This Thing On? 9/10

Rated The Animatrix 8/10

Added The Substance to Watched Movies

Added Behemoth! to Movie Watchlist

Added The Ten Commandments to Movie Watchlist

Rated Home Again 6/10

Added Cannibal! The Musical to Watched Movies

Added Drive Angry to Watched Movies

Added Project Hail Mary to Watched Movies

Added Wicked: For Good to Watched Movies

Added Friendship to Watched Movies

Rated Godzilla 4/10

I didn't particularly love the creature designs (Godzilla seemed too bulky and its adversaries too angular), but their movements were handled very capably. One of the good things about this film is Gareth Edwards's style of directing, which relies heavily on partially obscuring his monsters to create intrigue (and setup for the big reveal). In this sense it's easy to see what he took from <a href="http://letterboxd.com/film/monsters/"><i>Monsters</i></a> and applied here. It's also interesting to see what was borrowed from other films in the the process of creating this monster flick. Here I'm specifically thinking of <a href="http://letterboxd.com/film/jurassic-park/"><i>Jurassic Park</i></a> (that opening shot immediately reminds one of the InGen chopper heading to Isla Nublar), <a href="http://letterboxd.com/film/the-lost-world-jurassic-park/">its sequel</a>, and <a href="http://letterboxd.com/film/reign-of-fire/"><i>Reign of Fire</i></a>, though even elements from Emmerich's <a href="http://letterboxd.com/film/godzilla-1998/">1998 entry</a> make an appearance. Despite these successes in directing, there are noticeable problems with a script that (cheaply) forces children into what is ostensibly a disaster movie at every turn and which places our protagonist's wife in the action haphazardly and in such a way that she is never actually allowed to respond to those circumstances. As a result the characterization becomes the least compelling thing about the film. There are certainly a lot of notable faces who play scientists here--Watanabe, Binoche, Cranston, Hawkins--but the things they are forced to say and the manner in which they say them forces strong, undesirable comparisons to <a href ="http://letterboxd.com/film/prometheus/"><i>Prometheus</i></a>. Sadly, it's not just the scientists that this flattening happens to; Strathairn's talents are equally diminished by a screenplay more concerned with setting up (and reaching) plot points than establishing coherence. Thanks to its visual style the film is watchable, but unwieldy bulk of its writing crushes nearly everything else underfoot.

Rated Enola Holmes 3 7/10

Plenty fun enough, silly in parts, sweet in others

Rated Chronicle 8/10

This was amazing. There's a really honest and gritty feel to the high school environment in this that is sure to resonate with most teens, and there's also a kind of sincerity that comes across in the bonding of the three male protagonists. The first half really nicely sets these bonds up, while the second half serves to test the limits of friendship. This is sort of a twist on the standard 'mistreated boy gets powers and becomes altruistic' yarn that is often spun in superhero tales. In this there never is true redemption for the main antihero/protagonist and we're left to ask ourselves what life circumstances are truly insurmountable. Dane DeHaan (Andrew) does a masterful job playing a teen with too much on his plate and his acting really serves as the film's heartbeat and impetus. I enjoyed that by characterizing Andrew as a student with baggage who finds himself empowered, this movie serves as a lesson about security, violence, and the social conditions necessary for both. I personally would've loved to see a bit more about the backstories of the other two friends, though arguably they are present to serve as checks and balances. In terms of dialogue I thought this movie earnestness and borderline authentic. Some of it felt a bit forced and contrived, though what about adolescence isn't forced and contrived? The directing was pretty good, though the use of footage from the camera's perspective was a bit tiresome (and occasionally disorienting). The action and special effects were reasonably nice to look at and rarely got in the way of pacing. All in all this is a great story for the sci-fi/teen angst set and I sincerely hope there's a sequel.

Rated A Jihad for Love 6/10

Rated The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader 6/10

baby will poulter is the highlight of the movie.*that* aslan line ruined to whole saga for me, sorry not sorry

Added The New Mutants to Movie Watchlist

Rated The Disaster Artist 6/10

Rated Weapons 7/10

Rated Dog Pound 10/10