1986 - Inception

It would appear that I'm on a Christopher Nolan kick at the current moment.  This is another film that plays with a lot of slight of hand - which is something that Nolan does in a lot of his films.  The imagination inside of this film is super exciting - dreamscapes are a fun playground to be within, and this one is done on a epic proportion.  It's got a super strong cast that are having fun playing within this playground.  Few films have set pieces on this scale, but the best part is that they aren't just mindless action, but they all contribute to a really complex and unique narrative.  This is easily one of the more heady thrillers ever made and just another in a line of proof that Christopher Nolan is one of our most exciting filmmakers - whether he's dealing with an original concept of his own or adapting someone elses - he knows how to keep an audience excited.  If you haven't seen this, dig in!

1905 - Don Jon

Only Joseph Gordon-Levitt would cast himself in a role like this and thank the sweet lord that he did.  Holy shit did I love this film.  I loved how fun it was, how much the cast gelled, and how inspired the casting was (especially Tony Danza).  I loved the style of the images, it's repetition.  Such a wonderfully endearing and fucked up lead character that you really love and want to see get what they want and need.  Again, this is a film where I don't want to give away a single damn thing, but know that I smiled from ear to ear from start to finish.  Not only is this a great film, but for a first time filmmaker, it's the promise of a great career as a filmmaker and I'm so excited to see what he does next in his regard.  See this the instant you're able.

1824 - 50/50

Rewatched this mostly as a visual inspiration or something I'm working on.  I still love the hell out of this film.  The cast is pitch perfect.  Anna Kendrik is beautiful awkward, Rogen is oafish and loveable, and JGL is wounded and honest.  If you want a more in-depth look into my thoughts they're around here somewhere - I'm not sure I'll say anything new since I still just loved the hell out of every inch of this film.  When it was finished I wanted to watch it again right away.  If you haven't seen this film you absolutely must.  It's not a heavy-handed piece by any means.  It's light, but with some poignancy and heart to it.  Please, please, see this film.

1788 - 50/50 (commentary)

You can find a full review or two here already of this film as it's not my first viewing, but I decided to check out the commentary whilst I was doing some other things.  It's not the most informative - but it's a good time had by what appears to be good friends hanging out - including the writer whom the film's story is based on.  The commentary provides some decent stories and laughs but I wouldn't call it essential listening.  If you haven't see the film yet please do though - it's fantastic and one of my favorite of last year.

1766 - Looper

I can't remember the last time I saw a film on opening weekend.  It's been a while.  I'm still behind and haven't seen Rian Johnson's last film "Brother's Bloom".
So, first and foremost, as always I enjoyed the hell out of Joseph-Gordon Levitt - he's on such an amazing streak right now.  They make-up job they do on him to make him more like Bruce Willis is pretty impressive for the most part.  The film is pretty fun - for those unaware it's about a future where time travel was invented and then made illegal, and crime syndicates use it as a way to get rid of people by having a "looper" on the other end kill them and dispose of the body.  Sound complicated?  It is.  In fact, it's complications like this that, ultimately, keep the film from really working for me.  I enjoyed it a lot.  Emily Blunt was enjoyable as well, and the kid in it was goddamn phenomenal - what a discover he was!  There's so many fun and inventive sequences and it's entertaining and worth checking out.  If I ever get around to watching it again I'll get into all the nit-picky stuff that really nagged at me, but I'll let it go and not ruin anything for you fine folks.
If you're curious, at all, as to the nature of my nit-picky, it has, mostly, to do with just the complete brushing aside of even trying to explain why and how the time travel works - it just feels a tad lazy - like an amazing concept was had and to avoid having to make it logical they just decided to avoid explanation.  Bitch, moan, just enjoy the film already, right?
It's being billed as a thinking man's action film, and I'll give it that, just don't think on it too hard or it might start falling apart on you.

1754 - The Dark Knight Rises

I'm on this a few days late (was shooting this weekend!).  I think I expected that the world, in general, was bound to be disappointed by this film in some way.  The love for The Dark Knight was so wonderfully grand that to surmount it would be near impossible.  And so, honestly, it's almost unfair to even try and compare the two.  But then you get guys like Harry Knowles rip it to shreds because he doesn't believe that the film got what Batman was all about.  Well godforbid that someone decides to shake things up in a decades old character…
I have to say that it's a feat in and of itself to make a nearly-three-hour film feel like it moved along at a non-stop pace.  I never found myself bored or lacking enjoyment.  I was glued and enjoying it the entire time.  Bale has never really been the reason for me to enjoy this series - nothing against him by any means, he's just not one of those actors that really does anything for me one way or another (although I quite like him in The Prestige).  Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt all shine like the top of the Christler building here and give us characters and story to care about.  Given how complicated the plot is I was impressed that each of the characters had a pretty decent arc.  One thing that was quite interesting was hot little 'Batman' there actually was.  I'm not going to get into specifics at all here because the film has just come out and I want you to enjoy it yourselves.  I will say that it's a very satisfying conclusion to a pretty damn fine trilogy.  Nolan has done what may in time be considered his masterwork, and if it is, there's no shame in it whatsoever.  I look forward to a time where I can sit back and marathon the entire series.

1717 - (500) Days of Summer

Another film I wanted to check out for a visual reference for my upcoming film.  Decided to watch it with the commentary on (which wasn't anything really special, sadly). 
Zooey and Joseph are two of the most adorable actors of their generation and they continue to be so here.  What's interesting about this film visually is that, well clearly they had a decent enough budget, however you can see where they really put the money up on the screen, and then other areas wherein they kept it simple.  What I do like about this is the blend of lighting as reality, and that things are allowed to be a little dark and reflective of the characters mind sets. 
Now I want to watch the film again with the commentary off (and I might just do so in the near future...).  If you like rom-coms with a dash of coming-of-age that aren't scared to go with an honest emotion, there's a lot to like in this film.  Give it a go.  I believe it's still on Netflix...

1688 - 50/50

Okay, so this is still my favourite film of last year.  It's rare that a film grabs you so emotionally like this one does.  You're sitting there, loving the characters, laughing along, and then all of a sudden you're crying and you have absolutely no control over it.  Maybe I'm just a big suck, but on both viewings of this film it got me in two places.  So well done, film, well done.
Seth Rogen and Bryce Dallas Howard are both pretty darn great in their supporting roles, but this film belongs to Anna Kendrik and Joseph Goron-Levitt.  Their chemistry is absolutely adorable, but they also bring this amazing vulnerability to their roles.  You just want to wrap them both up and keep them safe.
I don't put a hell of a lot of stock into the award shows, I think of them more as extended advertising for the films, and in that paradigm this is a film that was absolutely robbed by not getting a single nomination.  Regardless of the fact that the script is so damn solid, and the direction is inspired, this is a film that's extremely timely.  I imagine it's rather difficult this day and age to find someone who hasn't been affected by a loved one with cancer.  This is a story that needed to be told.  It's uplifting when it needs to be, and grabs you oh so well.  I absolutely loved it.  If you haven't seen this yet, get thee to whatever-the-hell you want things on now.  Do it!

1630 - 50/50

The reviews warned me, but I didn't listen.  Sometimes I hate reading reviews because all they really do is fuck with my expectations.  In this case the reviews were pretty consistent in saying that it's a cliche for a film to make you say, "I laughed, I cried" but in this case you did.  And I did.  I sure did. 

This is a film about a young man who discovers that he has a rare spinal cancer, and what happens with his treatment.  Heavy stuff.  Could easily be movie of the week material - hell, it IS movie of the week material, but not the way that it's handled here.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt is phenomenal here.  There is a moment near the end of the film in a car that just shook me.  He dazzles on screen (and that's not a word that I use lightly).  The entire cast sizzles.  Rogen is delightful and doesn't over do it.  Howard is lovely as usual, but Anna Kendrick is simply a sight to behold.  She's a very unique actress and I think that it's going to serve her well - what I absolutely love about her is the moments that she plays inbetween moments.  And I normally don't care much for Angelica Houston, but she really did grow on me here. 

I'm not going to give away any details because this is the kind of film that you just need to see for yourself.  There is some stuff that may appear inappropriate, however I think you'd have a heart of absolute stone not to be drawn into this film.  Easily one of the best of the year.  Go see it.

1483 - The Lookout

So I guess it's pretty safe to say that I've abandoned my Christmas-film-fest. Alas. this has been sitting on my desk for some time now, I picked it up based on the cast alone. Big fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Matthew Goode - not to mention Jeff Daniels (all are far more versatile than I think casting in films gives them credit for - although the latter two do get a better shake in that department), not to mention Isla Fisher is here and you can never go wrong with casting Isla Fisher.
I like the idea behind this film, but furthermore I liked that it wasn't predictable. There were so many ways that it could have gone. It just bordered some bizarre cliche things, the character Bone, etc... The robbers, who seemed pretty normal, didn't take much to become instant sociopaths - which was a shame story wise. I think they could have done something a little more honest and original with that.
Still a nice little film and well worth watching if you like any of the aforementioned actors or crime stories at all.