I'll do my best to throw one of these posts up every weekend (gotta be reliable, you know). And of course, feel free to give your thoughts and comments below! So let's begin!
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JANUARY 8-14
A Trip to the Moon (1902)
Directed by Georges Melies
The world's very first science-fiction film! A scientist (played by the director, the famous Georges Melies) convinces a group of fellow astronomers to go to the moon. Upon arriving, they discover that the rocky surface holds a secret. Watching it today is certainly an interesting experience. Although obviously primitive, A Trip to the Moon contains special effects that were mind-blowing at the time, and many of them led to innovations and revolutions in the science of editing. However, as interesting and educational the film is, watching it nowadays could be considered a chore for some people. It wasn't for me, but I can see how many would be turned off by its turn-of-the-century styles. Thankfully, its short 14 minute running time make it easy to sit through and appreciate. For interested parties, the film can be found online (Youtube, for example).
The Lady Vanishes (1938)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
A young woman makes friends with a nice old lady while on a train. After she wakes up from a nap, she discovers that the old lady has up and disappeared. Making matters weirder is the fact that no one on the train even acknowledges that the woman even existed! Hitchcock weaves a tale of mystery and romance interspersed with bits of truly humorous comedy, and the leads (Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave) deliver wonderful performances, making The Lady Vanishes a very enjoyable watch. At times romantic, suspenseful, and even action-packed, this one is highly recommended! [Available on Netflix Instant, as well as BD/DVD]
Another Earth (2011)
Directed by Mike Cahill
We go from 30s era Hitchcock to more modern fare. Rhoda is a smart young woman who's got a bright future. After being accepted into a prestigious college, she celebrates at a party and gets hammered. While driving home, she does something unforgivable. Another Earth is a story of forgiveness (and even forgiving yourself), searching for redemption, and the nature of love. The titular second Earth that looms in the sky is a constant reminder of the choices you make in life, because maybe there's another you up there, and have they made the same mistakes you did? The doppelganger theme is present throughout the whole thing, and the movie packs one hell of an ending. Brit Marling, who co-wrote the film, turns in an incredible performance as Rhoda, and she has good chemistry with the distraught widower John, played by William Mapother. For those intrigued by the sci-fi angle of the picture, be warned that it's merely used as a springboard for the narrative. Thankfully, the narrative works very well. [Available on BD/DVD]
Face/Off (1997)
Directed by John Woo
John Travolta and Nic Cage play both heroes and villains, trading places in this action-packed thrill ride. Explosions, car chases, firefights, Nic Cage being crazy, and John Woo's signature doves in slow motion make this a fun little movie. Come for the set pieces, stay for the joy that is seeing Travolta play a bad guy and Cage being Cage. Not much else can be said about this one. [Available on BD/DVD]
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
Directed by Brad Furman
A typical run-of-the-mill courtroom movie, staring Matthew McConaughey. Since I love courtroom movies and can tolerate McConaughey, this movie seems like it was made for me. Matt plays a defense attorney, who has no problem with getting a guilty person off the hook as long as he gets paid. But when he takes on the case of a rich kid with a controlling mother, he starts to have a change of heart. This is the second time McConaughey has portrayed a lawyer (the first in A Time to Kill, which I'm going to watch in a few days), and he seems to fit the role perfectly. The Lincoln Lawyer does nothing to differentiate itself from other courtroom dramas, and even the titular Lincoln town car adds nothing to the overall story. But it's perfectly serviceable, ad McConaughey is fun to watch, so it's a decent way to spend two hours. [Available on BD/DVD]
The Game (1997)
Directed by David Fincher
What do you get a man who can get anything? Michael Douglas plays a very successful business man who is detached from everything. He finds no meaning in anything, and is possibly depressed. On his birthday, he goes to dinner with his brother (played by Sean Penn), who has gotten him an invitation to Consumer Recreational Services, a company that creates personalized "games" for their clients. Once the game begins, reality begins to spin out of control and nothing is as it seems. This film keeps you guessing until the very end, and throws multiple mind-blowing twists at you throughout its 129 minute running time. That time seems to fly by, thanks largely to the excellent pacing. This movie is dripping with tension and atmosphere, and Douglas and Penn deliver decent performances. You could do worse than The Game. [Available on Netflix Instant and BD/DVD]
Battle Royale (2000)
Directed by Kinji Fukasaku
Here's the setup: For some reason, the Japanese government decide that these darn kids need to get off their lawn. Or something. So they enact a law that says that every year, one randomly selected class of high school kids will be transported to an island against their will to fight to the death. Forty-two go in, one comes out. It's a concept that sounds remarkably similar to The Hunger Games, a book series that I recently finished. I'm looking forward to the upcoming movie adaption, so I checked out Battle Royale out of simple curiosity. This is a decision I regret. It's a fine film in its own right, no doubt. I just couldn't handle seeing all those innocent kids (some more innocent than others for sure) meeting such gruesome, graphic ends. That's all I really have to say about it. This is a well-loved film, and most people I've spoke to about it didn't have the same emotional reaction to the violence as I did, so YMMV. [Available on DVD]
North By Northwest (1959)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
PICK OF THE WEEK
A simple case of mistaken identity sends a man careening on a 2,000 mile journey across the country fleeing for his survival. Cary Grant plays an ad agent who is mistaken for a spy and, through a series of unfortunate events, gets on the top of the nation's most wanted list. On his trip that spans from the United Nations building in NYC to the top of Mount Rushmore, Grant must deal with malicious gangsters, the police, the government, a double-crossing female agent, and even a crop-dusting plane hellbent on running him down. Hitchcock's famous mastery of everything that is cinema is fully present here. Combined with the stellar performances from Cary Grant, who is incredibly charming and likable, and Eva Marie Saint as Eve Kendall, this makes North By Northwest a must-see film, for cinephiles and casual movie-goers alike. [Available on BD/DVD]
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So that's it for the first installment of Weekly Watch. Thoughts? Comments? Think my opinions suck? Let me know in the comments section! See you next week fellow movie lovers!
