2057 - The To Do List

I remember when the trailer first came out for this and I was super interested in it then - largely because I’m knee deep in sex comedies of my own.  I thought that this was a really sweet, funny, and heart warming coming-of-age story.  It checks off all the required boxes that come along with a sex comedy - Aubrey Plaza continues to wow me in a character that could so easily be a stereotype but she finds the nuances and the layers without ever abandoning her characters initial concept.  We’ve seen the story a dozen times of the dude trying to lose his virginity so it’s nice to see the female perspective - especially since anytime a girl is shown being sexually adventurous she’s often labelled as a slut, here Plaza is courageous and curious - a go getter.  The 90’s setting was inspired and the jokes weren’t farcical and well placed.  

If you like smart sex comedies with heart this one is absolutely worthy of your time and attention and it’s on Netflix.  Give it a whirl.

2056 - Total Recall (original)

That's better!  Despite it's datedness, this film still stands up - the sci-fi isn't as corny as you'd expect it to be because it's got such a distinct style.  There's something mildly trashy about it with three-breasted hookers and hooker dwarves with machine guns and a young mutant Dean Norris.  But the thing that makes this miles ahead better is that the story is simple - the poor people are being screwed over by the rich - smothered by the lack of air that the rich are keeping, and can easily provide for them.  In this film it makes sense why Quaid was kept alive - I'm not entirely sure that it was in the remake.  The reason this also works is because we see physical evidence of what Arnold is fighting for - to let people breath and live - we keep cutting back to them to get a sense of the importance of his mission.  It means something for us and therefore we root for him... this film is fun and entertaining.  Both versions are on Netflix if you want to do a comparison - though I strongly suggest just spending time with this one - the remake is mostly's meh - though I quite liked how they better integrated Kate Beckinsale's character - a small victory in that non-film....

2055 - Total Recall (remake)

Meh.  Why the hell remake this film?  (then again, why the hell did I watch it?  and what was I expecting?).  The original was one of my favorite films from childhood - I remember rewatching it over and over.  This just feels so disposable.  Though now I'm going to rewatch the original.... maybe it doesn't hold up as well as I remembered.  This one however just feels kind of empty and pointless.  Meh.

2054 - Boyhood

There was so much hype behind this film that it was impossible to go into it with a fresh set of eyes.  When I first heard about the film and the construction of how it was made over 12 years I was a bit annoyed as I’d had a similar idea for a project - though because I knew it was Linklater doing it it made me excited.  It’s hard to separate the story from the style.  On one hand you’ve got an incredible cinematic achievement - on the other you’ve got something that’s pretty simple, a story that isn’t all that spectacular.  And while it’s full of nuance and some really lovely moments, on the whole I think I have to ask - was his really worth 12 years of someone’s life?  I realize that it happened in and amongst other projects and other things, but I don’t know.  I know I’m being a bit cynical because this film was so universally loved, but I just felt like this story could have been more universal in some ways and more affecting.  It did stick with me a bit.  I’d love to see what special features the DVD has.  I’m not dismissing it - I liked it - though I did find it dragged on in parts.  I’d wholly recommend it to anyone who likes simple character based stories.  

2053 - The One I Love

The trailer for this intrigued the hell out of me.  Combined with the fact that I adore Elisabeth Moss and really dig the Duplass brother’s stuff it had me at hello.  

Part of the fun of the film is the mystery element, and I don’t want to say too much.  It’s about a husband and wife who are at their wit’s end of what to do with each other, and then at the advice of their therapist they go to a retreat-esque cabin where all goes really well… too well… and they start to question that. 

The best part of the film is how the “element” (as I’ll call it in a non-spoilery way) does a really beautiful job of dissecting relationship issues in a fun, fresh, and really really smart way.  I LOVED that about the film.  The worst part is how the “element” closer to the end tries to explain itself in a realistic way, and almost destroys what came before by doing so.  I HATED that about the film.  So this is a tough one for me.  I think it’s worth seeing for sure, but by the end I didn’t love it as much as I did at about the half-way mark.  The performances are fantastic and the ideas are interesting - so based on that alone I can recommend it.  It’s definitely a conversation piece.  I’d say give it a go if you’re a fan of the cast and like messed up loved stories and think pieces.

2052 - Seeking a Friends for the End of the World

There's something really fun and freeing about the end of the world.  The reason The Walking Dead is so popular has less to do with zombies and more to do with the 'what if' scenarios that go through one's mind.  Here we have a story told in a world where the tone feels just a bit off. The film feels like it wants to be a satire, but it doesn't fully commit.  And while I actually quite adore Kiera Knightly normally, I found that she and Steve Carell were in two different films here, and I liked the one that he was in a bit better.  Ultimately it feels like she was mis-cast somehow - I just didn't feel their connection and it wasn't for a lack of trying on their part.  It just felt... forced.  And I think since the film hinges on it, it kind of ruins the ending for me.  I didn't hate it by any means, but it's also not the kind of film I'll go out of my way to recommend either.  For my money, if you want to see a solid end of the world flick that has a similar (but stronger) vibe, check out a Canadian classic "Last Night" by Don McKellar.  You won't be disappointed!

2049 - The F Word (aka What If)

If you're in the USA or UK then you might know this by the unfortunate title "What If" but here in Canada it's got the awesome title of "The F Word".  I love this movie so hard.  I'm a romantic-comedy nerd, so I give a lot of them a pass just because I like the genre, but when I find one that's done so amazingly well it makes me want to scream from the rooftops - and this one does.  It's a wicked funny script, a charming as hell cast, and a really mature direction that's also playful.  I think this was my favourite film at TIFF last year, and it's up there with my favourite of the year in general.  It's being added to the ranks of When Harry Met Sally and it deserves to be.  Elan Mastai and Michael Dowse have crafted a beautiful, funny, sweet, and heartfelt romance that isn't shy at all about being set mostly in Toronto.
This film came out wide in Canada this weekend and I think it's still in the USA - please please please go check it out - it deserves a huge audience.  If you see this film and don't laugh a fair bit it's likely because you're dead inside.  I love it and can't wait to own it!

2048 - Thank You For Sharing

Man - it looks like I haven't watched anything this month, but I've actually been watching a bunch of stuff, but just in bits and pieces as I prep for my next film, so it's weird to write about stuff in that context.  Although I feel like I've missed a few here.  Apologies!
I wanted to see this 'cause I like the premise and the cast a lot.  Josh Gad is a superstar in my mind.  I love Mark Ruffalo but he looks creepy unshaven.  I'm sorry to say, but that really weirded me out, that and his character's nonstop smile kind of grated at me in a way that was confusing because he's easily one of my favourite actors.  I just had a hard time really getting into and caring about his character and story - same with Tim Robbins.  Josh Gad stole the film for me, it could have easily been just about him and it would have worked well.  So I like this, but didn't quite love it.  Give it a whirl on netflix if you're curious - it's about sex addicts!

2047 - Guardians of the Galaxy

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is getting to the point, for me, where it’s akin to the work done in the heyday of Pixar.  And given that Disney owns both them and now Star Wars, anyone who owns stocks in the Mouse are certainly going to be happy in the upcoming years.

Like most people I didn’t know ANYTHING about Guardians of the Galaxy going into this.  And I came out wondering if this was my favourite of the Marvel side-franchises.  It is so goddamn good.  It’s the most fun I’ve had in a Marvel film, including Avengers.  It starts off with a huge gut-punch - which hit me especially hard because of personal reasons - and then it involved into something that was sweet and funny and grand.  Chris Pine is an all-star, and Bradley Cooper makes Rocket more than just a wise-talking side-kick.  

My only complaint, and this is more a big-world question than anything else.  The villain’s lair/world(?) just feels so small and empty.  He wants to destroy things, a planet, but I never really got a strong sense of why - outside of the fact that it was evil and he’s evil.  If I have a complaint with this film it’s that the villain was a pretty weak cardboard cut-out - zero personality besides ‘bad’.  So that was the weak part of the film for me - that said the rest of the ensemble is so delightfully entertaining that it doesn’t hurt the overall movie like it should.  

Keep up the good work, Marvel.  The way you weave all your properties together is such a clever way of insuring viewership - but it’s also rewarding for the audience.  Keep up the quality and I’ll keep showing up.  

2046 - Begin Again

It’s hard to watch this film and not feel like you’re floating.  It’s the kind of film that makes you remember emotions and feelings that you thought were numbed by every good thing that became before it.  It means one thing - it’s the kind of film that makes you feel new feels, and that’s something spectacular in and of itself.  I loved this film.  Kiera Knightly has never been better and she is magic alongside of Mark Ruffalo.  It’s a love letter to the art of creation so it has a special place inside of me.  The music itself is really fantastic and with a purchase itself (which I’m doing as I type this).  There are so many clever and beautiful sequences here that I’d love to go into great detail about, but I’d really rather just convince you to check it out yourself.  This is easily one of my favourite films of the year so far.  It’s a beautiful, entertaining, and powerful little flick.  I liked Carney’s “Once”, I love “Begin Again” - looking forward to a nice third instalment of this ‘making-an-album’ trilogy!

2045 - Bad Grandpa & Bad Grandpa.5

Working on a hidden camera show I thought it would be fun to check this out.  I like this better than the typical Jackass fair because of the storyline that’s present - it’s actually a decent little storyline in and amongst fucking with a lot of strangers - which I can absolutely get behind.  I won’t ruin a damn bit because that’s half the fun.  Netflix offers the .5 version, which is essentially a combination of making-of and also bonus scenes - if you like behind the scenes stuff this one is pretty entertaining, especially the inner workings where they show how the hides, etc… work.  This isn’t for everyone, but the people who like this sort of thing are going to like it a lot.

2044 - Oldboy

It’s always dangerous territory to remake a much celebrated film - especially one that has such a twist ending as Oldboy - and then to do nothing new with the twist… it’s a bizarre choice given that the only real audience for this film is fans of Spike Lee and people who have seen the original - and that is likely the same audience, I imagine.  So I guess my first question is - what the hell was the point of this?  Stylistically this film doesn’t even touch the original - there’s nothing super special or unique happening here outside of Lee’s own version of the “hammer fight” sequence.  It might have looked a bit flasher, but the original still takes the cake by a long shot, as does the entire film.  Who knows, maybe if I’d seen this without the original I’d have a different opinion - but it’s just a bit too much of a rehash.  Shame.

2043 - Men in Black III

Part of the problem with this series now is that the freshness of the concept is long gone.  Pulling back the curtain and showing how further integrated aliens are into our world isn’t fresh anymore.  Gags like Andy Warhol work mostly because of the casting rather than the gag itself.  The casting is interesting - there’s a spot on Josh Brolin doing a young Tommie Lee Jones, but despite how much I LOVE Emma Thompson, is Alice Eve REALLY the best representation of her at a young age.  For his credit I didn’t even recognize Jermaine Clement as Boris the Animal.  

I think if you can over look the logic issues with the time travelling it’s a fun film, and way way way better than the second instalment.  That said, had it not for being on Netflix, I doubt I would have ever put any effort into checking it out.  Enjoyable enough!

2041 - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Andy Serkis - you are easily one of the most underrated actors of your generation.  I re-watched bits and pieces of the first instalment of this re-boot to head into this and I have to say that this is shaping up to be one of my favourite franchises.  I think these two films blow the water out of the original series.  Not just because of the effects, although to be fair it’s the technology that allows for the emotional layer that makes it truly special.  

What’s really lovely about this second chapter is that we care about both sides of the camp. It’s not humans or apes - both parties are good and bad.  It’s real and honest in that sense.  We’re conflicted and have no idea how it’s going to go.  

I don’t want to say much more, because it’s best just to experience this all for yourself.  This is the best blockbuster I’ve seen this summer, and I can’t wait to see it again.  If you have absolutely any interest in this film do yourself a favour and see it on the big screen.

2040 - Wish I Was Here

I was a Kickstarter backer on this project.  I was a fan of Garden State, and as a crowd-funder myself I wanted to follow the campaign.  One of my perks was to get an advanced screening of the film, so that’s how you’re hearing from me early.

I have to be honest.  I didn’t love it.  Some other reviews have said “it was good enough to make you wish that it was better” and I think that’s fair.  Another review that said it’s “Phony, shallow, and completely disconnected from reality. To make matters worse, it thinks it’s sincere, deep, and realistic.” and while that’s pretty harsh - I can’t disagree.  There’s so many lines in this that feel like it’s really clever, but no one would ever talk like that let alone consistently always have the perfect thing to say at the exact perfect moment.  At times it feels like we’re watching a marathon of clever ideas that Zach Braff had and how he wedged them all together.  And wedging isn’t far off - there’s so many things going on here that look like they’re there for the sake of the visuals than anything else.  

I read somewhere that Braff spent years trying to get this film made within the system and couldn’t get it done - which seeing the end product, it doesn’t surprise me.  The last thing I wanted to do was crap on this film, but I can’t honestly endorse it. I like what he’s trying to accomplish - it’s a film about the difficulty of being a parent, so there’s things here that I dig, but as a whole - it’s messy.  And it’s hard to care about a hero who puts himself ahead of his family and tries to use his dream as a defense.  A lot of us find a way to do both.  

The highlights are Mandy Patinkin and the soundtrack - which is worth buying for sure - though it feels clumsy with how it’s used in the film, especially compared to how well the music was used in Garden State.

So if you were obsessed with Garden State than you’re going to see this anyway.  If you don’t dig Zach Braff to begin with, this likely won’t help.  Please do check it out for yourself though - I’d be happy to be in the minority when it comes to disliking something.

2034 - Edge of Tomorrow

From the guy who made Swingers… Sorry, I can’t help but say that in my head whenever I see a Doug Liman film.  I have to say that I don’t really have a strong love or hate for Tom Cruise.  With few exceptions (Magnolia, etc…) I find that Tom Cruise is pretty much Tom Cruise in most things - not a bad thing, but nothing to get super excited about.  This is one of his most fun roles to date - a serious action movie that doesn’t take itself super seriously.  It’s Groundhog Day as an action sci-fi film.  I love that we get a combination of seeing him stumble through the ‘repeat’, but then also seeing sequences where he’s clearly done this several times, and watching Emily Blunt be the ‘fresh eyes’ each time is ALWAYS enjoyable.  She’s a powerhouse and a fantastic edition to the action lady group.  You can have your Angelina Jolie’s (for the record, I like Jolie) - but give me Emily Blunt any day and I’m a happy man.  I also quite enjoyed Bill Paxton here, and I’m often so-so about him.  

If you’re up for a smart and fun action flick, this one doesn’t disappoint at all.  Well worth seeing, especially in the theatre.

2032 - 22 Jump Street

This could very well be one of the most self-referential and meta films of all time with how aware it is of the conventions of this type of film, but also with it being a sequel.  It borderlines between being very funny and sharp to being a bit too-much at times, when really we want to get a little more invested into the story and characters.  If I have a complaint about this film it’s that it spends more time trying to be clever than it does just being a fun flick - which is not to say it’s not a fun flick.  Lots of laugh out loud moments.  Jonah and Channing are charismatic as hell and a really awesome team together.  The film ends with a suggestion of this franchise going on forever and I think I could be lured back to a third adventure for sure.  I didn’t realize that it was the same filmmakers that did Lego Movie (which I rewatched AGAIN with my son this afternoon).  It’s got a similar energy and tone, which is interesting.  

Bottom line - if you liked the first one, this one will not disappoint at all.  

2030 - The Fault in our Stars

"I fell in love the way you fall asleep, slowly then all at once.".  This is the kind of film that was 100% kick your ass if you aren't completely dead inside.  It's the story of a young woman who should have died when she was 13, but by a miracle is still here, although sick, and what happens when she falls in love with a boy who isn't exactly the pique of health himself.  Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort are an absolute breath of fresh air.  They're charming and honest and real.  The film doesn't pull punches and it's not the after school special that would have been so easy to make.  The only false step it takes is in a moment that goes embarrassingly too far and it super cheesy.  You'll know what I mean when people start to clap...
You know from the get-go that this is the kind of film that's likely going to break your heart, but it doesn't make it any less worth the journey.  There's a lot that I could write about this film, but I think I'd prefer you to discover it yourself.  It's beautifully written, directed and performed.  And what makes this film all the more special is that it's done so well at the box office - proving that you don't need to be a superhero to rule the summer.  You just need a great story, beautifully told.  Please see this film while it's in theatres.

2027 - Chef

Swingers remains one of my favourite films.  It came to me when I was a teenager and really fixated on wanting to become a filmmaker, and the story behind how it made, everything about it, was kind of intoxicating.  If you’ve never seen that film it’s absolutely worth hunting for.  The reason I bring up Swingers is because it feels like Chef is the first personal film that Favreau has made since - his career became fixated on blockbusters, so it’s nice to see him return to his roots.  Chef almost feels like Fav’s commentary on the current studio system and the film itself being his own personal food truck.  One can’t help but wonder of the food critic isn’t standing in for a group of film reviewers.

There’s something magical about this film - visually it’s a treat, especially the food porn.  At it’s heart it’s the story of a man finding his way back to his roots and becoming a real father to his son.  Story-wise the film is pretty light - but what it lacks that way it makes up in character and charisma.  It’s the kind of film where heavy-weights like Robert Downey Jr., Scarlet Johanson, and Dustin Hoffman show up to act the hell out of a scene and then let the film take over.  

Only issue was that the backstory of the marriage falling apart with Sofia Vergara seemed random - they never seemed to have any issue with each other and it almost felt forced to give him some kind of hurdle to get over… Her character was a bit too one-note and supportive - it would have been a good way to flesh out his character a bit more.  

All in all it’s a really fun and lovely little film, a nice palette-cleanser from the typical summer-studio-fare.  If you like character based films with a heart - and you’re a bit of a foodie, this one’s right up your alley.

2025 - Marie Antionette

I have to admit that I watched this in the background while getting some work done - and it was a first time watch - so I feel a little guilty about that, but I think it made me enjoy the film more.  A lot I've read and heard about this film is that it's beautiful to look at, but not a ton happens.  I found myself liking it a lot more than I expected to.  I don't love Kirsten Dunst - I don't have anything against her, but she doesn't overly excite me - so given that, I was really impressed here and surprised by how I liked her - it was like catching a glimpse of what I loved so much with her from Interview With a Vampire (still my favorite performance of hers).  I like how Sofia has modernized this in it's style with the music and the dialogue being more casual, it works nicely and is refreshing for that reason alone.  Glad to have finally caught it.  Now I'm only behind by 2 Sofia Coppola films :)