Rush (2013) - 8/10
Bio-pic depicting the rivalry of race drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt in the 70s F1 circuit. The movie is most times inappropriately glamorous-looking considering the subject, in a Michael Bay sort of way, slathered in a Blockbuster-y teal and orange color palette which makes the 70s time period perhaps look inauthentically "modern", the acting in general feels a bit stagey, especially Hemsworth who feels like he is line-reading and projecting all the way to the back row in a norse god kind of way, and it somehow at times feels both a bit too focused on one small aspect of the world it presents, yet also doesn't really delve deep enough into it, feels slightly superficial and quick to skip large swaths of time.
And I'll be damned if I wasn't on the verge of tears by the end of it. Damn you Ron Howard, damn you. Hans Zimmers score sounds familar yet for this purpose, with fragile cars roaring through pouring rain, it perfectly meshes.
Special mention for the actor who plays Niki Lauda who really does an exceptional job, he also played the German soldier/sniper in Inglorious Bastards.
The Net (1995 - 5/10
90s thriller. Sandra Bullock comes over some computer floppy disk and becomes the center of attention of some bad people. Actually better than I remembered it, cheesy and corny, but it's actually the most realistic depiction of computers and hacking I've seen in a while, which is kind of sad. Some heavyhanded commentary on our digital identities and how easily manipulated the can be.
The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991) - 6/10
Not as good as the first one. There are slightly too many instances of characters mugging for the camera and acknowledging the jokes, rather than continuing the style of the first film and playing the jokes almost completely obliviously. Still plenty of jokes land just right and compared to most spoof comedies, it's great fun.
The Frozen Ground (2013) - 6/10
Pretty decent thriller with Cage and John Cusack. Definitely a breakout role for Vanessa Hudgens, who is almost unrecognizable as a prostitute who just escapes the clutches of a serial killer. She has great timing and reactions most of the time, and is just really convincing in her portrayal of situations and emotions.
Kiss The Girls (1997) - 6/10
Overall very good 90s thriller with Morgan Freeman as Alex Cross pursuing a serial killer and kidnapper, in the process teaming up with Ashley Judd who manages to escape before becoming a victim herself.
Definitely watchable and it doesn't really offend. It feels very 90s, but in a good, comfortable sort of way.
Along Came A Spider (2001) - 5/10
Decent sequel to "Kiss The Girls", following Morgan Freeman's Alex Cross as he gets involved with a kidnapping. Some horrendous 90s CGI, and Monica Potter to rest the eyes on. OK waste of 90 minutes.
Jennifer Eight (1992) - 7/10
Andy Garcia as a cop getting caught up in a criminal case after relocating to a sleepy smaller town.
If you ever need verification that Uma Thurman is beautiful, this is the movie to watch.
The ending is unfortunately rushed, but a great atmospheric thriller. Mostly classy and character-driven.
Spies Like Us (1985) - 6/10
Is this a good movie? Not really.
Charmingly 80s? Yes.
Up in the Air (2009) - 7/10
Entertaining drama sprinkled with comedy, George Clooney plays a man who travels across the US firing people for a living. Has a pleasantly hazy message and resolution, which feels like a breath of fresh air and allows for a more contemplentative style.
Prisoners (2013) - 8/10
The best film David Fincher never made. Stylistically feels like a cross between "Zodiac" and "Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", even using the same bleak-blue or orange-green color palette and general look as them.
Simply superb film, one of the best this year. Hugh Jackman is phenomenal as the father of a kidnapped daughter, and everyone else are superb aswell, Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, everyone.
Gripping, tense as hell, and one of the best edited films I've seen in a long time, this thing is 2h30m, but there is not one moment where you aren't on the edge of your seat for one reason or another. The narrative flow of it just needs to be seen for that reason alone.
Mr. Nobody (2009) - 7/10
Cloud Atlas-like storytelling, weaving together and jumping between different storylines where characters made different decisions at key moments in life.
The structure prevented me from being fully emotionally drawn in, since you are putting a mental puzzle together as you are watching it. I'd imagine repeat viewings will be rewarding though.
Feels a bit Malick-ian in a way that reminds me of Tree Of Life.
Beautiful cinematography, shot on Fuji filmstock which gives it a slightly different color look and contrast curve.
Jared Leto is good, but the actor who plays Leto as a teenager is the highlight of the film, he is superb.
From Hell (2001) - 7/10
Excellent thriller, I watched it simply because I knew of it and the storyline of Depp chasing Jack The Ripper.
Excellent film in its own right though, which was understandable when I saw that it's based on a Alan Moore graphic novel. Really stylish, with some nighmarish visuals and hallucinatory sequences, the overall look of the film really has a deep red-orange hell-like quality to it.
Most of it looks shot in natural light and there isn't that 3-point "lit" quality to most scenes, which makes the world seem more authentic and raw. Definitely recommended if you want something that dares to occasionally step outside the boundaries of the standard mainstream thriller.
Punch-Drunk Love (2002) - 6/10
My least favourite PTA film, but it's charming and very intelligently put together. I feels more like a small side project almost, compared to his other films. I think that was the idea for it though, to not be Boogie Nights or Magnolia but different.
