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A Band Called Death 2012
A documentary about the dreams, failures, compromises, and eventual success of a seventies punk band. I knew some of the story going in, but had no idea of the emotional heft involved - nor did I expect the band to have such a religious streak. An excellent movie for RSD.
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Some Girl(s) 2013
Neil LaBute adapted his stage play into a screenplay. As a result, it never stops feeling like five one act plays. It's neatly divided into five parts in which Adam Brody reaches out to five girls from his past to make amends for the way he has treated each.
For Neil LaBute, the movie feels a bit neutered. And Adam Brody's performance doesn't help. Per the play, he's a serial seducer who has left a trail of hurt and damaged…
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Ape 2012
The story of a bitter stand-up comic in worn out chucks who feels put upon. Then, he takes an apple from a man in a Satan outfit selling fruit and not much changes.
There's a point in the movie when the lead character is protesting the tepid reception he's receiving from the audience during his stand-up. He vows to kill his remaining three minutes by eating an apple on stage. I thought, "Surely we as the audience won't have to sit through all three minutes of him silently eating an apple." I was wrong. The movie in a nutshell.
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A Letter to Momo 2011
The story of a young girl and her widow mother as they cope with the recent loss of her mother. They move to a new city as is the norm with anime, there are magical creatures about to help with the healing process. Some of the imagery is beautiful and there are wonderful moments, but it was too syrupy for me.
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The Baron of Arizona 1950
Disappointing for a Sam Fuller western starring Vincent Price. A large portion of the story takes place in a monastery in Spain - making the tone inconsistent. A dearth of violence and too many good feelings toward the end despite the threat of a lynching. A fascinating true story, but not the Fuller/Price western I was hoping for.
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Here Comes The Devil 2012
The story involves a couple whose children go missing one afternoon. When they find them, the children are ... different. Wrong conclusions are drawn and there are some disturbingly bloody consequences. An interesting and ambitious idea derailed by a muddled sound design, unimaginative direction, and subpar acting. The concept nearly saves the movie, but the amateurish elements rob the movie of its power.
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The Capsule 2012
From the director of Attenberg. I thought this movie was ridiculous, pretentious and silly as hell. There's only so many times I can watch someone walking a goat on a leash in slow motion.
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The Lords of Salem 2013
This movie lacks one of the essential elements that makes horror films so engaging for me: conflict. No one is fighting for their life or even their sanity. Instead, the audience watches as someone succumbs to the inevitable. There's never really enough time for characters to realize what's happening.
Regardless, it's moody and eerie. We get a strong sense of the lives the characters lead without really learning a whole lot about who they are. Sheri Moon Zombie plays a…
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Mekong Hotel 2012
Not much happens save for a guitarist whose strumming remains on a constant loop. It's pretty, but I'd rather be there looking at the view live than watching five minute static shots of the river.
At least it's short.
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The Night Buffalo 2007
A Mexican emo movie.
