2012 Autumn Movie Bits

Originally blog came to life because I wanted to recall the movies I have seen, especially those mainstream movies I watch and tend to forget about them because they did not impressed me. But for the last 7 years blog evolved into something more interesting (at least for me) and sometimes forget to register those mainstream films I have seen. That's how the seasonal "movie bits" post became sort of a blog tradition. A post that also shows my eclectic taste in movies, a taste that makes me watch almost "everything" is filmed in almost any genre.

Hope Springs by David Frankel, USA
I want to like all movies with Merryl Streep in the lead role, but sometimes it is not possible. This is one of the occasions as did not really enjoyed her performance in this movie that has been labeled as "comedy, drama, romance" and found that has not much comedy -even when there are some silly scenes with humor-, there are some awkward-to-see romance moments and mostly is a not-pleasant to watch drama. Believe that the biggest flaw movie has is the casting. Sigh.

Trouble with the Curve by Robert Lorenz, USA
No matter what the person does (like talking to an empty chair), I am Clint Eastwood fan.  I like the filmmaker for the great films he directs and also the actor in many films where he performs. Here he acts but gives the impression that in his old age he is being typecast as the old grumpy man, which he also plays here. Film tells the story of a father (Eastwood) and his daughter (Amy Adams) and is deeply based on the love of Baseball. Found film has not much wrong but is not out-of-the ordinary. It is watchable as an escape moment. Enjoy!

Resident Evil: Retribution by Paul W.S. Anderson, Germany and Canada
Yes, I have seen the Resident Evil movies as found them entertaining for an escape moment and who can resist seeing an action movie with a female character in lead? Not me, especially when the lead is Milla Jovovich. But the last installment was not enjoyable at all as perhaps is the movie that looks and feels more like a console game than a film for the big screen and when this happens is better to play the game than to watch a bad movie. So perhaps console game players will like film, but I did not. Sigh.

Liberal Arts by Josh Radnor, USA
Some positive buzz got me interested in watching this American indie, had low expectations and watched just hoping for an entertainment moment. But got bored quite fast as while story is not that bad, second film by Radnor clearly shows that he still has much more to learn about filmmaking, storytelling and directing. Biggest film flaw, doesn't easily engage audiences, but there are many more. Sigh.

Argo by Ben Affleck, USA
A good thriller/drama inspired by a true story as told by a newspaper article, which I strongly suggest you read as the article is truly fascinating. Maybe should remind you all that this film is not a documentary so takes many creative licenses outside the true facts, which obviously makes it a very enjoyable movie experience that wide audiences will enjoy. Film is as good as all the films Affleck has directed but has something different, thanks to playing an expressionless character his performance is quite good here. Surely film will get honors in current American award season. Watch it, you will like it. Enjoy!!!

Looper by Rian Johnson, USA and China
Perhaps the only thing that motivated me to see this film was Emily Blunt performs here. The Sci-Fi story is not that bad, but the crime and action part was not pleasant to watch, at least for me. Had no idea this was not a studio movie as the way it feels and looks is 100% Hollywood ordinary blockbuster film. Joseph Gordon-Levitt performance and looks are awful, but somehow Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt make film more watchable. Enjoy.

Arbitrage by Nicholas Jarecki, USA
Richard Gere not often plays villains, perhaps is because he is better performing light romance roles. Film story is not bad, neither is film storytelling style as a thriller, but how the drama was constructed could make some viewers to feel disappointed by film. Surely did it to me. Still imagine many viewers will like the movie even when I did not. Enjoy.

Magic Mike by Steven Soderbergh, USA
Not easy for me to find the reason-why Soderbergh decided to do this movie that definitively looks and feels very different to his previous films. The best "nice" word I can find to describe film is "cheesy" but not-nice words better describe this trashy B-film, especially for the truly awful actor's performances. If you skip it won't be missing much; me, I wish I did see it. Sigh.

The Vow by Michael Sucsy, USA, France, Australia, UK and Germany
I like romantic movies as much as anybody else, but it's been a while since I see one that impresses me and obviously this one is not the one. A bland, not engaging, no chemistry, no-good-acting, no-everything movie that find is below the standard of made-for-television movies, usually screen at the infamous LMN channel. Suggest to skip. Sigh.

Liz & Dick by Lloyd Kramer, USA
Talking about Lifetime channel made me recall this movie that critics' and many viewers strongly and loudly trashed. Watched for only one reason, wanted to hear Lindsay Lohan voice, period. So I had below low expectations. Then obviously Lohan doesn't look like Taylor, Bowler doesn't look like Burton and Lohan/Bowler chemistry is zero; but yes, I was surprised on how the story film tells made me recall the most famous "scandalous romance" as was told then in the news. So can tell that enjoyed movie more than what I could imagined.. The funniest thing was to read in twitter how many recorded film and had already watch it twice and more times. If Lohan was not being trashed by media as much as it is, I bet that many will dare to say that they enjoyed movie. But well, remember that this is not a big screen movie, is a TV movie and definitively should not have been considered as a anyone's "come back". Enjoy.

My Little Princess by Eva Ionesco, France
Ionesco's debut film was incredibly hard for me to watch for the story and for what is shown in the screen. Have no need to see, especially the images in this highly dysfunctional mother/daughter story. I can't believe what I am about to say, as is an Isabelle Huppert film, but I strongly suggest you skip this film. Refuse to rate this film.

Lawless by John Hillcoat, USA
It is an okay movie but was expecting a lot more from this film screened in competition at 2012 Cannes. Not really interested in the story film tells or the storytelling style the film has; but can't deny that there are some very-good performances that make film worth-watching. For those that love great cinema suggest to lower whatever expectations Cannes provoked in you, so you'll be able to enjoy the cast ensemble performances. Enjoy!!

Butter by Jim Field Smith, USA
Yep, watched this truly bad film with awful performances especially by Jennifer Garner. But who could resist watching the too-brief lesbian interest scene with Olivia Wilde and Ashley Greene? Not me. Film is truly not worth-watching, not even for that scene; instead watch scene in any of the many videos available in the net. Sigh.

Ethel by Rory Kennedy, USA
A documentary by Rory Kennedy, the youngest daughter of Ethel and Robert Kennedy, who wanted to tell the story of her mother and the father she never met as Bobby Kennedy died six months before she was born. Unbelievable to find that Rory Kennedy has directed 13 documentary films plus she has produced about 27; but then shouldn't be surprising as this very good and moving documentary documents the life of an unusual woman and while telling her story, also tells about her husband and well, a piece of America's history in quite turbulent times. With interviews with Ethel and Rory's siblings plus footage from the era, including Kennedy's home movies, film will take you into an unexpected surprising family story that surely will move you beyond whatever you can expect from a Kennedy's story. After all much has been told about John, but not that much about Robert, much less like in this very intimate portrait of his family. Suggest to watch, even if you are not a Kennedy's fan. Enjoy!!!

Prometheus by Ridley Scott, USA and UK
Can't believe never wrote about this movie that was entertaining for someone like me that hasn't seen any Alien movies and saw it just because Noomi Rapace was in movie. Had no idea that she is the lead, but hopefully she will refrain from doing any sequels as this is NOT the kind of movie she should be doing. Nevertheless film is okay for a sci-fi movie with many special effects that earn film to be shortlisted in the 2013 VFX Oscar category, but besides entertaining and some great visuals, there is not much to be said. Ah! that is why I forgot to write about movie. Enjoy.

I'm sure have forgotten many movies -should write at least the names to not forget them- but this is all for a season that has not ended yet; however, soon will be winter.