(2013, Sophia Coppola)
Pure magic. There are moments that dragged, but most of them are subjective stylistic choices. Overall I thought there were some brilliant performances, and Coppola married the content with the film style stunningly. What amazes me is how absurd the scenario is but most of the truly outrageous behavior is pulled straight from reality. I've watched this half a dozen times since I picked it up. Great attention to detail, simple scenarios and dialogue that end up being powerful. Watch watch watch. A year end favorite for sure. 9/10
Oblivion:
(2013, Joseph Kosinski, Karl Gajdusek, Michael Arndt)
I'm somewhat torn, like I have been on several action blockbusters lately. It was a great adventure with fun visuals and a good balance of action. As with the directors other big hit, Tron legacy, I'm happy to take a unique universe and give the audience lots of time to absorb it and enjoy the detail put in. I liked spending time in the creepy sky house. I liked the strange cult-like behavior they promoted. The creepy reappearance of the same drone.
Jobs:
(2013, Matt Whiteley)
I thought this was the Aaron Sorkin one. I didn't really realize there were two Steve Jobs movies being made. This one sucked. Good luck Aaron.
Ok Ill hand them a few compliments. Ashton Kutcher and Josh Gad were great. I genuinely think they did a great job with the material they were handed. My biggest problem with Jobs is that it's only purpose is to glorify the creation of Apple computers. Regardless of inspiration, I think a movie should stand firmly on it's own two legs. There's no substantial story or conflict, no relatable characters. There are some huge missing puzzle pieces that make me furious.
Steve Jobs is set up as both a hero of his time, and the worst boss I've ever seen. From the get go, his only redeeming characteristic as a protagonist is his genius and vision for the company. Which is fine, I love a flawed character, but as someone in the movie said, he's an asshole. He's an asshole who does shitty things, then gets fired from his own company. Then he's let back in and he's... better? He planted some radishes and he's magically a better person? When you make a movie someone doesn't just magically go from neglecting their family to being father of the year. Aaron Sorkin, show these amateurs how it's done please. 4/10
(2013, Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling)
I liked it? I think?
It might be stockholm syndrome. Brit Marling is brilliant and makes great movies. I just don't know if I want to see this again. Cults are big this year, and I sort of feel like I joined one by watching this. It's great, but jarring and slightly disturbing in an unconventional way. It's flawed in execution but I'm giving this movie a lot of credit for being substantially different, with a strong sense of story and good characters. 6/10
Oblivion:
I'm somewhat torn, like I have been on several action blockbusters lately. It was a great adventure with fun visuals and a good balance of action. As with the directors other big hit, Tron legacy, I'm happy to take a unique universe and give the audience lots of time to absorb it and enjoy the detail put in. I liked spending time in the creepy sky house. I liked the strange cult-like behavior they promoted. The creepy reappearance of the same drone.
But this wasn't that great of a movie. It's stole some plot points from Moon. It has atrocious dialogue, hidden by the fact that Morgan Freeman can literally say anything and make it sound like a revelation. It also kind of avoided action sequences. Which isn't the point at all. I think Tom Cruise was a bad casting choice. He isn't an every-man. If someone else played this guy, then I'd believe their avoidance of fighting and basic instinct he has for a simple life. When there is a crazy helicopter chase scene I'm like "It's cool, I saw Top Gun. No problem." It also needed to lose about 20-30 minutes in editing. Good to see, but don't expect anything revolutionary. 7/10
Jobs:(2013, Matt Whiteley)
I thought this was the Aaron Sorkin one. I didn't really realize there were two Steve Jobs movies being made. This one sucked. Good luck Aaron.
Ok Ill hand them a few compliments. Ashton Kutcher and Josh Gad were great. I genuinely think they did a great job with the material they were handed. My biggest problem with Jobs is that it's only purpose is to glorify the creation of Apple computers. Regardless of inspiration, I think a movie should stand firmly on it's own two legs. There's no substantial story or conflict, no relatable characters. There are some huge missing puzzle pieces that make me furious.
Steve Jobs is set up as both a hero of his time, and the worst boss I've ever seen. From the get go, his only redeeming characteristic as a protagonist is his genius and vision for the company. Which is fine, I love a flawed character, but as someone in the movie said, he's an asshole. He's an asshole who does shitty things, then gets fired from his own company. Then he's let back in and he's... better? He planted some radishes and he's magically a better person? When you make a movie someone doesn't just magically go from neglecting their family to being father of the year. Aaron Sorkin, show these amateurs how it's done please. 4/10
The East
I liked it? I think?
It might be stockholm syndrome. Brit Marling is brilliant and makes great movies. I just don't know if I want to see this again. Cults are big this year, and I sort of feel like I joined one by watching this. It's great, but jarring and slightly disturbing in an unconventional way. It's flawed in execution but I'm giving this movie a lot of credit for being substantially different, with a strong sense of story and good characters. 6/10
The Croods
(2013, Kirk DeMicco, Chris Sanders)
For a kids movie it's great, but I'm annoyed that its about men showing how they can save their women.
I thought Emma Stone was the lead, but I was mistaken. This movie is only tangentially about her. If you make a badass female character, can you at least make her badass? She doesn't need to be saved by a handsome prince. Have her save the prince.
I also don't like that many kids movies illustrate a kid branching out and finding themselves by deliberately disobeying their parents. Maybe not a good role to show? Anyways I think it's a much better movie than Wreck it Ralph (which isn't saying much.) It's like James Cameron's Avatar, for kids. Its worth seeing. 7/10
For a kids movie it's great, but I'm annoyed that its about men showing how they can save their women.
I thought Emma Stone was the lead, but I was mistaken. This movie is only tangentially about her. If you make a badass female character, can you at least make her badass? She doesn't need to be saved by a handsome prince. Have her save the prince.
I also don't like that many kids movies illustrate a kid branching out and finding themselves by deliberately disobeying their parents. Maybe not a good role to show? Anyways I think it's a much better movie than Wreck it Ralph (which isn't saying much.) It's like James Cameron's Avatar, for kids. Its worth seeing. 7/10
