Holy Indie last couple weeks!
February 3rd:
The Descendants
Very well acted, kuddo's to George on his range of emotions from pissed to numb to emotional surprise and turmoil, the grandpa stole his scenes being a hard ass, and it's well balanced out with the humour of parenting a teenager(great acting by Shailene Woodley) and young daughter(another good choice of actress) as a guy by himself; while also being an excellent travel guide to the beauty of Hawaii with it's well done cinematography and the direction is just superb for the pacing and choice of camera work. Ultimately it coleuses into a story about a man that is stuck in a hard place but respectful of his soon to be passed wife despite her faults toward the end of her life, all people in her life and those affected in one case and all.
February 10th:
Fargo
Directed, written, acted and possessing the photography like any other Coen brothers film(all of which are fucking excellent), it's major fault is it's "humour", it's humour is based on the over exaggerated Minnesota accent and the situations such as calm cops in a scene of multiple murder piecing it together then going on their way as if it's normal, or an attempted kidnap resulting in the victim knocking herself out. Such is the fate of such humour as being what I define as "fucking retarded" because it requires a simple mind to laugh every time at "oh yah!" constantly coming at you, or how homely and simple the characters are even in a homicidal situation. The only thing about the story that really saved it for me is how dark it is. Over-fucking-rated as fuck.
The Ides of March
Not too big of a fan of political thrillers but I can say that the aesthetic qaulity's are all excellent, cinematography was perfect and well thought out scene set ups abound(in particular Goslings character in the shadow of an american flag like some Patton scene), Gosling himself was superb, George was, well, George; and that sexy as fuck Even Rachel Wood was perfect in her role. Story was well paced, acting was excellent, cinematography George who helped write, produce and directed this piece of cinema really knocked it out of the park.
February 11th:
Shame
Micheal Fassbender's girlfriend must be proud of his man and love him in the sack -- seriously -- he had me thinking "whoaw that's a big dick." So ladies if you ever wanted to see that mans penis, book an appointment for Shame(no homo.) Now, onto the other aspects. Fassbender goes all extremes, even more so than George in The Descendants -- and he handles them with the precision of a laser guided missile. Carrey goes on much the same extremes of emotion but as a supporting role she gets less screen time as it stays on Fassbender for the majority of the movie. Cinematography is well done, camera work perfect, directing superb -- the artistic balls one has to have to release this in North America! Sex literally makes up most of the movie, it has full frontal of both sex's, threesomes, homosexuality; Steve set out to make a movie showing a sex addict and the reason it is an addiction for him and he never falters or folds. Highly recommended if you're into movies with story and drama -- the real shame is the fact that Steve, Fassbender and Carrey got snubbed this year at the grammy's having them play safe and "uncontroversial" this year.
February 12th:
Blood Simple
Starring one of their common actresses, this is the Coen Brothers first movie and it showed the promise they would come to be known for, good choice of cinematographers, excellent writing and directing. This is a noir cinema must; it defines what it's title represents: the addled, fearful mindset people are in after a prolonged immersion in violent situations.
A Serious Man
a Coen Brothers comedy based around a jewish man who has an ever growing stressful situation; it's humour is based around the jewish religion -- but tastefully -- not LOL funny but intelligently funny. Not much to say since I've said everything that comes with a Coen Brothers movie as is.
Fish Tank
At this point I've developed a man-crush on Fassbender, his role in this movie is just as good as in Shame. The story revolves around a teenage girls life with her selfish mother, little sister, and her mothers new boyfriend -- however her story develops from a poor essex apartment life into an ultimately flawed human drama. A knockout performance by Katy Jarvis makes this coming of age story a must see. Currently on Criterion, now I just have to actually buy it.
Incendies
Next to Shame and Fish Tank -- this is among the best of this indie weekend -- the plot revolves around a brother and sister looking into their mothers past when she passes away, however, the past isn't always the prettiest thing to look back on. That being said the french canadian movie is perfect in every aspect. The Mother among the flashbacks, the brother and sister and employer who supports their cause are all superbly acted, the cinematography is just amazing, the chapter like structure fits the plot perfectly; visually the depictions of war and all the things that go with it are realistic as fuck. Bottom line, watch this before you die, it's a must for it's end moral and depth of plot alone.
February 3rd:
The Descendants
Very well acted, kuddo's to George on his range of emotions from pissed to numb to emotional surprise and turmoil, the grandpa stole his scenes being a hard ass, and it's well balanced out with the humour of parenting a teenager(great acting by Shailene Woodley) and young daughter(another good choice of actress) as a guy by himself; while also being an excellent travel guide to the beauty of Hawaii with it's well done cinematography and the direction is just superb for the pacing and choice of camera work. Ultimately it coleuses into a story about a man that is stuck in a hard place but respectful of his soon to be passed wife despite her faults toward the end of her life, all people in her life and those affected in one case and all.
February 10th:
Fargo
Directed, written, acted and possessing the photography like any other Coen brothers film(all of which are fucking excellent), it's major fault is it's "humour", it's humour is based on the over exaggerated Minnesota accent and the situations such as calm cops in a scene of multiple murder piecing it together then going on their way as if it's normal, or an attempted kidnap resulting in the victim knocking herself out. Such is the fate of such humour as being what I define as "fucking retarded" because it requires a simple mind to laugh every time at "oh yah!" constantly coming at you, or how homely and simple the characters are even in a homicidal situation. The only thing about the story that really saved it for me is how dark it is. Over-fucking-rated as fuck.
The Ides of March
Not too big of a fan of political thrillers but I can say that the aesthetic qaulity's are all excellent, cinematography was perfect and well thought out scene set ups abound(in particular Goslings character in the shadow of an american flag like some Patton scene), Gosling himself was superb, George was, well, George; and that sexy as fuck Even Rachel Wood was perfect in her role. Story was well paced, acting was excellent, cinematography George who helped write, produce and directed this piece of cinema really knocked it out of the park.
February 11th:
Shame
Micheal Fassbender's girlfriend must be proud of his man and love him in the sack -- seriously -- he had me thinking "whoaw that's a big dick." So ladies if you ever wanted to see that mans penis, book an appointment for Shame(no homo.) Now, onto the other aspects. Fassbender goes all extremes, even more so than George in The Descendants -- and he handles them with the precision of a laser guided missile. Carrey goes on much the same extremes of emotion but as a supporting role she gets less screen time as it stays on Fassbender for the majority of the movie. Cinematography is well done, camera work perfect, directing superb -- the artistic balls one has to have to release this in North America! Sex literally makes up most of the movie, it has full frontal of both sex's, threesomes, homosexuality; Steve set out to make a movie showing a sex addict and the reason it is an addiction for him and he never falters or folds. Highly recommended if you're into movies with story and drama -- the real shame is the fact that Steve, Fassbender and Carrey got snubbed this year at the grammy's having them play safe and "uncontroversial" this year.
February 12th:
Blood Simple
Starring one of their common actresses, this is the Coen Brothers first movie and it showed the promise they would come to be known for, good choice of cinematographers, excellent writing and directing. This is a noir cinema must; it defines what it's title represents: the addled, fearful mindset people are in after a prolonged immersion in violent situations.
A Serious Man
a Coen Brothers comedy based around a jewish man who has an ever growing stressful situation; it's humour is based around the jewish religion -- but tastefully -- not LOL funny but intelligently funny. Not much to say since I've said everything that comes with a Coen Brothers movie as is.
Fish Tank
At this point I've developed a man-crush on Fassbender, his role in this movie is just as good as in Shame. The story revolves around a teenage girls life with her selfish mother, little sister, and her mothers new boyfriend -- however her story develops from a poor essex apartment life into an ultimately flawed human drama. A knockout performance by Katy Jarvis makes this coming of age story a must see. Currently on Criterion, now I just have to actually buy it.
Incendies
Next to Shame and Fish Tank -- this is among the best of this indie weekend -- the plot revolves around a brother and sister looking into their mothers past when she passes away, however, the past isn't always the prettiest thing to look back on. That being said the french canadian movie is perfect in every aspect. The Mother among the flashbacks, the brother and sister and employer who supports their cause are all superbly acted, the cinematography is just amazing, the chapter like structure fits the plot perfectly; visually the depictions of war and all the things that go with it are realistic as fuck. Bottom line, watch this before you die, it's a must for it's end moral and depth of plot alone.