This week, on top of our illustrious Love Film accounts, we both became Netflix users which surely must mean that we have thoroughly saucered our eyes with an obscene amount of films, yes? Well, sort of… Y’see Sam has had a week of hardly any shifts at work, lots of free time, an exciting sparkly new Netflix account and many opportunities to hide himself away in front of a cracking film. Whereas on the flip side of the coin Joe has had a week that has been full of the newest brother Cinemazov, Hugo Melies Oliver and therefore has kinda had his hands busy with looking after a puppy so film watching hasn’t exactly been his top priority. Puppy watching though, he has been all over like a damn rash. Hugo’s a puppy by the way, in case you hadn’t made that connection. Anywho let us begin.
SAM’S WEEK
Drive Angry (2011)
It’s a rare and somewhat disconcerting moment when a film that stars Nic Cage is defined not by the mentalness of Cage but by the mentalness of the film itself. Drive Angry is such a film. It was made to be seen in 3D but not being actual idiots we brothers don’t own a 3D TV so we watched it in 2D which highlighted two things, the ridiculous silliness of 3D (“Watch out for that bit of hair coming straight out of the screen!!”) and the shoddiness of effects in 3D films. The graphics may’ve looked awesome when you were being distracted by things flying at you but without them the shoddy shoddy graphics become the thing that hits you. That being said it’s a fun, distracting, very mental and not unenjoyable way to spend 90 minutes. Worth it just to see Nic Cage make sweet whiskey fuelled love and then shoot about 14 dudes. 2 stars. "Joe says: It's a much better use of your time to watched Shoot-em-Up with Clive Owen followed by Hobo with a Shotgun, aka best Grindhouse reboot in the world."
The Piano Teacher (2001)
Michael Haneke doesn’t like to make easy films. I’ve never thought “Y’know what I need something light, I’ll smack Funny Games on.” But that’s what Haneke does and flip me sideways he is good at it. The Piano Teacher is a tough watch frequently disturbing, uncomfortable and sticky but it is very worthwhile viewing a testament to what uncompromising can truly achieve. 4 stars.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
I was so so so not in the mood to watch this when I did. I was hungover, I was tired, I’d suggested we watch Anchorman, that’s the kind of mood I was in. As a result I didn’t get down with Oldman’s specs half as much as I did when I saw it first time round. So I’ll say no more.
Countdown to Zero (2010)
Rampart (2012)
Woody Harrelson as a bad ass take-no-crap LA cop given full rein to go crazy, deliver a truly powerhouse performance and teach us lessons about racism in the LAPD? This looks boss. It really did, I was well stoked for Rampart yet I left feeling thoroughly disappointed. There were many times that I thought that it was going to majestically soar off into new unchartered amazing territory but it never fully took off. Woody Harrelson is awesome in it mind, an incredible performance and along with Fassbender and Gosling ranks as a Oscar worthy performance that was unfairly snubbed. However the film that surrounds such a powerful performance is lacklustre, dialled in and a bittuva let down. Alas. 3 stars.
The Last Detail (1973)
Brilliant film, I mean just look at this damn poster and tell me that it isn’t awesome: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3773079040/tt0070290 I couldn’t tell you exactly why but it is such a cracking film. It’s not groundbreaking or revolutionary but the performances of Jack Nicholson and Randy Quaid are fantastic and it is they that provide an engaging talking point in such a simple film that in the hands of less talented actors would’ve been firmly relegated to bargain bins. Like Jack? Then you’ll love The Last Detail I sure did. 4 stars.
Super High Me (2007)
“Yeah Dude, and then totally do it like it’s a rad stoner comedy. *tokes* yeah. That’d be awesome.” It is. 4 stars. "Joe Says: ...............................................................................sorry I forgot what I was gonna say.............*tokes*"
The Descendants (2011)
The other day some guy at work told me that he hated this film, he said that it was pants and such a cliched story that he’d seen done better a million times before. I was worried. Also, his name was Sam too… However I had no reason to worry The Descendants is awesome. Simple, quiet, affecting, funny and acted like a true pro by gorgeous George Clooney, a glorious follow up from Alexander Payne, I just hope he
doesn’t wait as long next time round. 4 stars. "Joe Says: Wait I think I remember what I was gonna say about Super High Me..........nope it's gone."
FILM OF THE WEEK
The Believer (2001)
I went into this film knowing almost nothing of what it was or what happened in it and enjoyed it so much more for the surprise it was. Suffice to say that Ryan Gosling plays a Nazi Skinhead who was raised Jewish and it is ridiculously cool, clever and cracking. Seek it out with the greatest of haste. 4.5 stars. "Joe says: After Sam sent me a text me saying I should check this out cause it was mega radical I bought it on amazon. Now one of the DVDs on my shelf has a swastika on it......... awkward."
Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
A sublime, glorious, incredible slice of hysterical comedy perfection, literally bursting at the seams with clever jokes, witty lines, amazing characters and more ingenious ideas in one ninety minute stint than most contemporary comedians have in their entire life (Noel Fielding I’m looking at you.) Also that Spike Milligan cameo is a thing of true true true beauty. 4.5 stars.
In Bruges (2008)
I’d heard an awful lot said about In Bruges. People absolutely raved about it and from what I’d garnered it looked set to be a delightful slightly prejudiced romp through lovely Belgium delivered with great panache and cracking Irish accents. And it was. However I was not banking on quite how dark some of it is, less a black comedy more a pitch dark bottom of a cave with your head inside a light proof box comedy. I was taken aback but pleased because the delightful shades that the film is painted in make for a truly unique and exhilarating ride, with Irish accents. 4 stars.
Crash (1996)
Not the Oscar winning superstar racism one, the seedy Cronenburg car crash sex one. If you haven’t seen this film chances are that its reputation precedes it and having watched it without just cause. Yes it’s shocking at times and a bit weird but once you accept that it’s a film about perversion it all becomes a bit blasé and rather than being shocked at seeing groping in a car wash or some bruises in unsightly places you become irked at how these perversions are only displayed, not explored, only exploited not explained. It irked me. An alright film but not as controversial or worthy of hushed whispers as it thinks. 3 stars.
JOE'S WEEK
This week I got an adorable puppy. He's a springer spaniel and he has floppy ears and he gets confused when I whisper.........so yeah....he's cute. Having a dog does mean that this week I was incredibly busy and had very little time to watch any films. I did watch three that were pretty decent; The Others (atmospheric and some beautiful fog but it relies far too much on it's twist), Waiting For Superman (American kids are screwed 4 Stars) and Drive Angry (disappointingly unfunny/not nearly original and crazy enough to reach it's goal 2 Stars), but that was it. I'm sorry to have let the side down. This video is a pretty good representation of how I spent my week.
As the puppy settles down I expect the film watching output of JO will get back to normal..I really hope it does.
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