July 31, 2016 - Mini-Reviews
July was been such a busy month for me so I haven't been able to write as much as I would've liked to, unfortunately. But that doesn't mean I haven't stopped watching movies! So here's another batch of mini-reviews. I love being able to tell all of you what I think of these films, even if these are little snippets of my thoughts. Also, I feel like in these little mini-reviews, I can speak more informally with you guys.
Green Room (A-)Green Room is almost unbearably tense. Like, fuck. This movie is insane. It accomplishes what it sets out to do so well that it has to be considered one of the greatest genre exercises of the decade. Green Room feels like the embodiment of indie spirit and will shake you to your core.
Knights of Cups (C-)Knight of Cups is an ambitious misfire. Unlike its almost-brother The Tree of Life, this film is less sprawling and 10x less moving. Malick hopes to understand the connection between materialism, sexuality, and a man's quest to find authentic love in an inauthentic world. We can at least appreciate that Malick is brainy. The problem is, Malick doesn't quite know what to offer his audience beyond these weighty ideas and winds up beating us over the head with incoherent mumblings, stunning cinematography, and people arguing on top of buildings.
Everybody Wants Some!! (B)Everbody Wants Some!! gives off such a free-wheeling, it's-all-about-having-fun time that I found it's energy infectious and a little off-putting. I think the film is definitely about something; it's a celebration of youth. I also feel like it could've benefited from a more structured screenplay. But maybe that's the point.
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The Invitation (C)The Invitation fumbles and clumsily juggles its tense moments. When shit hits the fan, it's all sort of too little, too late. The film serves up half-baked scares that fail to connect and although The Invitation can feel like something more than a genre exercise, perhaps some intelligent musings on the stages of grief, it suffers from a conflict of convictions and can't quite decide what it wants to be.
Colonia (B)If this changes your opinion about me, I totally understand. But I kind of had a good time with Colonia. Sure, it's ridiculous and totally manipulates real-life tragedies to create entertainment... but it's also wildly entertaining. Consider Colonia one of my guilty pleasures this year. Michael Nyqvist creates a chilling villain and Emma Watson delivers an emotionally involving performance. Don't worry about the critics and just enjoy yourself.
Mountains May Depart (B)Jia Zhangke's thoughtful reflection on the passage of time is affecting in its depiction of rural China, its inhabitants, and their strained relationships. I think the film can fall into some monotonous lulls but on the whole, this is a graceful little film with a lot to say. And I also don't think the film's third act is as ill-advised as other critics have noted.
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