First Time Viewings: October 2022

Viewed: 01-10-2022

One of those "Greatest Films Ever Made" that I'm only just watching for the first time. It's visually impressive and the fact this was only Tarkovsky's second feature shows how ambitious he was. Even though the film is titled for him and he's in the film, it's less about Rublev and more about the era of 15th century Russia. Certainly, don't go into it expecting a standard biopic where you learn about the person, because even after 3+ hours you don't learn much. It's more a poetic journey of early 1400's Russia. It's slow going at times but it's so visually stimulating that it counterbalances the pace and it's a truly rewarding journey. I think this is one film that would definitely benefit from a 2nd viewing to be able to take this spectacle in properly.

9/10

Viewed: 01-10-22

Utterly charming short film from Andrei Tarkovsky before he made his first feature, and already showing plenty of skill behind the director's chair.

8/10

Viewed: 03-10-22

Allison Janney gives an excellent performance in this otherwise unremarkable thriller. Every twist and turn is telegraphed well in advance and the supporting characters aren't all that well drawn. Still, it has some solid passages and the aforementioned performance by Janney makes it worth a watch but don't expect to be blown away by it.

6/10

Viewed: 03-10-22

Billed as a biopic but this is more like a horror film of the life of Marilyn Monroe. Fictionalized because who really knows the true story of Marilyn. We certainly know that she had a tragically short life, used and abused by Hollywood and spat out. Ana de Armas is given the role of a lifetime and performs to the highest level. Director Andrew Dominik creates an appropriately jarring, brutal but mesmerizing film with a dreamlike quality, actually make that a nightmarish quality.

The near 3-hour runtime seemed a little daunting to begin with, but this film had me in its grip from start to finish. This will undoubtedly split audiences down the middle, just like any great art will do, and it does feel a tad exploitative using the life of a real person to make such a film, but it's so meticulously and lovingly created that I believe there were only good intentions involved. Relentlessly heartbreaking and suffocating, it's definitely not a film to watch for a good time.

9/10

Viewed: 03-10-22

This heist film starts off as some silly fun, but the fun slowly dissipates and all that's left is the silliness. The characters are quite likeable for the most part, but the entertainment level drops significantly when the heist starts getting planned out. The plot starts to get disjointed, and the villain just isn't memorable. Add to that, the comedy really falls flat in the second half. All in all, it just gets a little bland.

5/10

Viewed: 04-10-22

Highly regarded but aloof film by Krzysztof Kieslowski about the argument against murder but then tries to compare murder with capital punishment. I must say it doesn't put up a very good argument against capital punishment, in fact it makes me want capital punishment in my country even more after watching this. So, in that respect, it has failed miserably. If you take away the agenda of the film though, it's a very well-made film. It has some narrative missteps, and I might not agree with everything that Kieslowski believed but it has many powerful scenes that makes it worthwhile.

7/10

Viewed: 06-10-22

Slow-burn drama based on a Stephen King short story. It is billed as a horror, and it does have some horror elements to be sure, but it's no way what you might expect from the trailer. A fairly simple and well-told story without the usual gimmicks, which is quite refreshing. Fairly solid all round, without being anything mind-blowing.

7/10

Viewed: 06-10-22

Beautifully filmed, wonderfully acted and cleverly written sophisticated thriller. You could even take the plot out of this film, and I would be happy just watching these characters in conversation. It really had me from the first scene and just gets better and better from there. Every time you think you know what's about to happen, it doesn't, or it does but in a much different way. Interesting, entertaining and compelling the whole way through. An absolute joy to watch.

9/10

Viewed: 07-10-22

This film has all the ingredients, but it never quite hits the high notes for me. The two leading women, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, are fantastic. Director Todd Haynes is meticulous in recreating this world and atmosphere of the early 50's. It looks great, sounds great but it just falls a little flat. I'm only saying this because it's widely regarded as a masterpiece in many circles. If it was met with disdain, I would be praising it. It has many fine things going for it and is a wonderful motion picture in several ways, I just wasn't as moved by it as I had hoped.

7/10

Viewed: 07-10-22

Mila Kunis and Chiara Aurelia are both brilliant playing the lead role of Ani Fanelli in the current day and flashbacks. Ani is a strong woman going on to bigger and better things at work and is 6 weeks away from getting married, just as the terrible things from her past start to catch up with her. There are a few unvarnished scenes that are very direct and blunt and will likely be very difficult to watch for many people but it's important that they are not watered down. The film straddles a fine line of being entertainment and being a socially conscious film that can hopefully change people's perspectives. The fact that it is both things, elevates the film above if it was just one or the other.

8/10

Viewed: 09-10-22

Mostly by-the-numbers spy thriller that is lifted by a strong lead performance by Noomi Rapace and several solid supporting performances by Orlando Bloom, Toni Collete, John Malkovich and Michael Douglas. If only they'd taken as much care into making a better film as they did with the casting. The writing is incredibly lazy throughout. The characters are meant to be smart, but they do some pretty dumb stuff. There are some really good action scenes though. On an escapist level (which is the only level you should be watching this), it's short enough and the quality actors make this entertaining enough to be passable.

6/10

Viewed: 09-10-22

Silly, trashy and fun creature feature from Chris Sun. Between the blood and gore, there is some great Aussie banter between characters, especially John Jarratt & Roger Ward. Destined to be a future cult classic. Watching Nathan Jones rapping along to Ice Ice Baby is also a highlight. If you like some gore mixed with comedy in an Aussie setting, then this is for you.

7/10

Viewed: 09-10-22

Anna Biller has faithfully recreated the look and feel of a late 60's/early 70's softcore porn film. It doesn't feel like a parody though, as it's not at all funny. It feels like Biller is genuinely paying homage to those terrible films, by making a terrible film. It would work better as a short film, or even a shorter feature length film, but the two-hour runtime is a chore to get through. It's a tough one, because this film is a success at what it's trying to achieve. The acting is atrociously but intentionally wooden, the set designs and colour palette are all spot on. If I didn't know this film was made in 2007, I would think this was the real deal. While I give it props for what it is, it just isn't that entertaining to me.

4/10

Viewed: 10-10-22

Frustrated. That's the first thing I felt after watching this highly celebrated film. It looks great and I love the style, but the screenplay is painfully anaemic and the amateur actors are very wooden. Having non-professional actors was meant to make it more realistic but I could never get involved with the story because of how unrealistic they actually were. Lead actress Nadine Nortier does a decent job, but the under-written script failed to draw me in. This is one of those "great" films that I just can't agree with. As I said, it was a frustrating watch.

5/10

Viewed: 10-10-22

Anna Biller's sophomore feature film is much more successful at being entertaining. Samantha Robinson is a lot of fun in the titular role, who makes men fall in love with her so much that they would literally die to be with her. Colourful campy fun, though still on the overlong side.

7/10

Viewed: 11-10-22

Takashi Miike puts his own spin on a Djangoesque spaghetti western with a nod to Shakespeare. Certainly a little confusing at times which affects the pacing, but quite entertaining with a large amount of violence and black comedy thrown in for good measure.

7/10

Viewed: 12-10-22

What's starts as a fascinating study of integrating AI into our social and personal lives turns into a ho-hum love story by the end. It frustratingly poses a lot of questions that it lazily sidesteps too. But there are positives. The film looks great, the soundtrack is amazing and the whole feel of the film is quite beautiful that it will entertain you most of the way through until near the end when you start asking questions. Not bad, but the second half should have been so much better considering the strong beginning.

6/10

Viewed: 13-10-22

Aussie slice-of-life about a troubled teen who seems to be a complete no-hoper but has plenty of confidence and charm to actually be a likeable character. He knows all the tricks to scam some money, or get into a nightclub, or run from the law. This coming-of-age drama has plenty of comedic moments in amongst the depressing nature of this kid's life. I really enjoyed seeing the Australian life of this era which just adds to an already entertaining film. It doesn't really end up anywhere all that interesting though, but the journey there is quite enjoyable.

7/10

Viewed: 13-10-22

A movie like this is usually based on a play, as there's only one location and four total characters. It was however, borne out of necessity at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Though regardless of the genesis of the story, I do love a film like this. They are heavily dialogue and character driven, and this film is no exception. Jesse Plemons is the standout here and his character definitely drives the intensity of the plot through to the end. I do have a hard time viewing Jason Segel in a serious role though, but he does a good job and it's probably more my fault than his. Lily Collins is also very good. The film looks and sounds great, the story had me interested the whole way and it doesn't overstay its welcome, a terrific piece of entertainment. Highly recommended if you like films based on plays, even though this one isn't.

8/10

Viewed: 15-10-22

Moody, contemplative drama that is terrific for a majority of the runtime but takes a turn towards the end that just doesn't gel with the rest of the film. All four of the main actors are excellent, but Ralph Fiennes deserves special mention as this performance is right up there with the best. The film has many wonderful shots throughout that make me wonder how they pulled it off, and the location on an Italian island is absolutely gorgeous. So, there are many positives to make this film worth a watch indeed, but the last act really derails the film and kills all the momentum it had.

7/10

Viewed: 15-10-22

Considering how nonsensical this movie is, it's actually somewhat entertaining. Vin Diesel plays a badass cop well and is very charismatic. The movie looks decent too but has holes galore in the script. There were a lot of reshoots which only add to the confusion of the plot. It's a completely unoriginal revenge actioner. Despite those things, I still found myself being entertained which I'll put down to some really exciting action scenes and Diesel being a solid action leading man, and he convincingly pulls off some fairly emotional scenes as well.

6/10

Viewed: 16-10-22

Absorbing drama filled with mostly first-time actors. A rage-fueled man decides to travel a long way to see his 13-year-old son for the first time after getting himself into some trouble. Meanwhile, his son is also getting himself into trouble and gets sent away to a boot camp to learn how to live off the land and mature. At the same time, but apart, they are both learning how to be a man. The town's local cop is the glue that holds this film (and their community) together. Played by Greg Tait, this is a masterful performance, perfect for the tone of the movie, especially given that this is his first acting performance. A very solid first feature film from Brendan Fletcher.

8/10

Viewed: 16-10-22

I only found out after watching this film that this is a sequel to Mystery Road, which I haven't seen. This film stands on its own quite well, but I would've liked a bit more back story for the main character, which I now know he has. That's my fault. This crime thriller has a slow pace, but that's fine because it lets the viewer take in the gorgeous scenery. The story itself is fairly standard, but it's the way it's told that makes it interesting.

7/10

Viewed: 16-10-22

Mystical and nightmarish film from Peter Weir. Starts off as a standard drama of a tax lawyer getting drawn into a murder case but things get weirder and weirder as it moves along. It's hard to explain and gets a little confusing but it's always riveting to watch. Quite a unique film that's difficult to pigeon-hole.

8/10

Viewed: 22-10-22

Engaging prohibition-era gangster film based around a real-life bootlegging band of brothers. Expertly filmed with atmosphere to spare, and solidly acted throughout. The violence is not all through the film, but it's very graphic and brutal when it does appear. There is a little something lacking to make it a truly great film but it's certainly an excellent one.

8/10

Viewed: 22-10-22

Steven Soderbergh goes neo-noir in this excellently presented and performed film in which there are many characters, and the complexities of the plot are sometimes confusing, but every scene is an entertainment marvel. I was utterly enraptured by this film. This is right up there with Soderbergh's finest films.

9/10

Viewed: 23-10-22

Well, definitely not the film I was expecting. Tom Hardy goes all out playing the titular gangster in the final year of his life. He has neurosyphilis, is always angry, mumbling something and chomping on a cigar. He's an unpleasant man, and has been his whole life, but now he has absolutely nothing to give back to his family and friends who have remained loyal to him. There are also some fascinating dreamlike sequences which add some energy to this otherwise slow film. This is certainly a unique take on a biopic, some of it is a slog, and I can fully understand its detractors, but there's some interesting elements here too and Hardy's performance needs to be seen to be believed.

6/10

Viewed: 23-10-22

Hokey romance is saved by beautiful locations and excellent music. The characters do hold some weight at times but then some old movie trope comes along to spoil everything. But there is so much gorgeous scenery in this film that I can tune out whatever corny dramatic turn the film is taking and enjoy the scenery because it plays a huge role. I'm a huge fan of Julia Stone which makes this film easier to enjoy as well, as she has a small supporting role and songs sung by her.

6/10

Viewed: 23-10-22

On paper this sounds like an exciting, action-packed and fun-filled film from a director that has delivered before, but something went wrong. I can put it down to the hackneyed script. Every cliche in the book gets used, all of the deaths are telegraphed well in advance, and everyone still somehow has plenty of time to stop and have heart-to-hearts even though there are zombies after them and there's a nuke headed their way. Oh, and it's way overlong. If they edited out all the sentimental rubbish, this movie could have been told in 90 minutes and be a very entertaining watch. It was not to be. As it is, it's a great premise and looks good with several terrific scenes by themselves but it left me feeling completely flat overall.

5/10

Viewed: 25-10-22

The traveling circus element of this film was quite fascinating, and Christoph Waltz is always wonderful, but the script took too many shortcuts to get where it wanted to go. I'm sure that's a necessity when a film is adapted from a book, but in this case, it kept me from fully committing to the story, which is a shame because the production design is fantastic. It's a nice old-fashioned romance but it falls back onto too many old-fashioned plot devices to keep moving forward. It's a decent film, I guess I just wanted to be immersed into it a lot more than it let me.

6/10

Viewed: 27-10-22

David Cronenberg returns after an 8-year break with a beautifully gruesome film that only he could've made. I really can't imagine anyone else making such grotesque images look like visual poetry. This is such a unique film-going experience that will be loathed by many and loved by just a few unfortunately. One minor quibble is that I felt there was more to explore with this story and felt a little short-changed when it ended.

8/10