The Hunger Games
Netflix Instant
I finally sat down to see what the hype was about and since it just got released on Netflix Instant it came easy. This is a bit overrated. It wasn't a bad movie by any sense and I really should applaud it for actually breaking the mold that the Twilight series and other young adult adaptions formed by actually being a film instead of a piece of trash. The frantic camera work got annoying fast and I really didn't dig the story that much but Jennifer Lawrence was fantastic and the movie was entertaining enough to keep me interested in how it ended although it was quite obvious. I don't understand the hype but appreciate it for actually trying unlike Twilight.
2.5/5
The Naked City
Hulu Plus
Classic film noir right here. The film is also a semi documentary in the way it acknowledges and explains how the film uses real shots of New York City and no sound stages. Having grown up in the suburbs of the big apple all my life, I appreciated seeing old New York through the eyes of an Oscar winning cinematographer. The story was not bad but definitely a basic "who did it?" mystery but with a great conclusion. Definitely worth the watch.
3.5/5
Rust and Bone
DVD
Very good film from the director of "A Prophet". The film might work better given no information about the plot. It certainly isn't a mind f*ck movie but more of an emotional ride that seems would hit harder with no back story. I will say that both leads were fantastic. Mathias Shoenaerts was just as good as he was in "Bullhead" which was one of my favorite films last year. Cotilard was also fantastic as always. I haven't seen El Vi En Rose but this is her best role I've seen. Definitely worth checking out if you can find a rental of it.
4/5
V for Vendetta
Blu-Ray
One of the good number of films I've had on backlog for f*cking ever because I'm never in the mood to watch it. I was in a blu ray mood today and instead of re-watching something from my collection I decided to borrow this from a friend and give it a go. I was half entertained and half disappointed. This thing is on IMDB's top 250. Did you know that? Then again, so is The Hobbit but this film remains one of those mysteries as to why it's given so much praise. I think it's just a fan favorite. I can see why. Portman was great and Hugo Weaving as V was a perfect cast. His voice and personality was perfect. The story however just didn't grab me and I read that the original graphic novel was more focused on chaos rather than freedom. I feel that a movie about chaos would have been much better.
3/5
The Loneliest Planet
Netflix Instant
This film should be renamed "Hey, let's go for a walk. Oh look! Trees! I'm sad."
This is in no way a bad film because I like watching films that do something different but my god nothing happens in this movie. If I were to write down what happens it would fit on a page of marble notebook paper that 1st graders use to practice writing letters. It was however filmed in gorgeous locations which provided eye candy for people who like nature which should be everybody. I'm also a big Gael Garcia Bernal fan as this is the second film I've seen with him this week and is why I watched the movie in the first place. Only watch this if you like art films and slow slow SLOW SSSSLLLLOOOWWW burns.
2.5/5