Letterboxd — Your life in film

Much like the last one, it whizzes, it bangs, it makes cutesy references to the original series and movies, it puts a weird opposite world kind of spin on WRATH OF KHAN, and then the lights go up and we go home. J. J. Abrams is a man who knows how to make spectacle, of that there is no doubt, but he seems increasingly unaware of what makes the Star Trek universe so appealing and special. He just might do wonders for STAR WARS VII, but he may do it in all the wrong ways.

Slight, but charming. It’s nice to see that an animated movie, with all the work and time it takes to make one, can be almost entirely eventless, gliding by on the charm of character alone. This seems to be the movie that Hayao wishes his son started out with, and it’s not lost on me that its themes include honoring the past while preparing for the future and the legacy great men leave with their children.

Shane Black does his very best KISS KISS BANG BANG but with a superhero and it's really good fun until he thinks he has to make a superhero movie like everyone else did since time immemorial. And while I like Ben Kingsley's performance, the turn nullifies some terrific and terrifying set up (despite the inherent ridiculousness of The Mandarin). Somehow, this was even more silly. But thematically, it all comes together quite well, and Black knows how to pen a quip that doesn't completely remove the audience from a moment. And don't miss Mark Ruffalo! Someone get that man his own movie.

Unabashedly stands on the shoulders of other, better sci-fi giants, but it puts such a pretty sheen on it that I can’t say I was disappointed by the experience. Gorgeous cinematography and solid direction can’t bring down this story, which while derivative, is very well told. A nice, solid piece of undemanding entertainment.

Unfortunately gets weaker as it goes on, which defeats the entire purpose as the third segment of the film seems to be the reason this movie exists. This small scale yet multi-generational epic actually falters by being so meticulous, leaving very little room for ambiguity in the actions and influences of its characters. A solid melodrama at times, it fortunately never falters into complete ridiculousness. Cianfrance's directing hand is solid, but if you ever wanted to watch CACHE and have everything painstakingly spelled out for you, I guess this is the movie for you.

A brilliantly wry portrait of how the empty (but powerful) language of advertising can be used for important, substantive ends. Bravo to Larrain for turning a painful time and era into an absurdist sketch that finds room to laugh at the ridiculousness that hindsight brings while being completely aware that very little separates pain from laughter. A very solid film that never quite breaks into the territory of greatness because it feels like it rests on simply being wry. It toes a certain line that I kept hoping it would cross.

A brilliantly meticulous film filled wall-to-wall with absolutely stunning shots, mindful camera placements, and an attention to quiet detail. A true film, one that impacts emotions through images and editing, as much as through story and dialogue. It's cinematic in scope, as well, capturing nature, the presence of God and the Devil, forgiveness, grace, peace, resurrection (both figurative and literal) in a community and culture that most people don't even know exists. I mean, this is just an excellent film that, despite its pace, doesn't waste a single moment.