Viewing recap February

Life Itself (2014)
Martin Scorsese: “He made it possible for a wider audience to appreciate cinema as an art form, he really loved it, he really loved films, and he did not get caught up in certain ideologies about what cinema should be”
The most interesting part for me is how Ebert was friends with filmmakers like Scorsese and others, and was criticized for this, because it could cloud his judgement. Yet as is said, 200-300 years ago, it was common for critics and artists to mix and encourage each other.
The first half of the doc about Ebert’s rise to fame and early life was the most interesting. His recent problems everybody knows about already, if you are vagely familiar with him. The best thing is it doesn’t just praise Ebert, but reveals his flaws as well.
Rating 7/10

Whiplash (2014)
A gripping drama. I liked the main character for the first 40 minutes or so, up until the family dinner, after that my opinion of him changed. I guess you could say it was a brave move by the filmmakers to make Andrew Neyman a layered main character, and I commend them for not just letting him be a “faultless“ guy up against the “harsh” teacher. JK Simmons plays the teacher and he is unforgettable in his oscar winning performance.
SPOILERS: A couple of moments confused me, which has Simmons character not get mad about him being late at 6am, did Simmons not even intend to show up until 9am? Also, who stole the song sheets in the hallway? Was it Simmons character, because he wanted the other drummer to look incompetent, and thus replace him?
The message of the film is interesting. Because on the one hand it’s a motivational Hollywood movie which encourages us to work harder in order to reach our goals. Yet on the other hand Whiplash is also quite off-putting in how Andrew subjects himself to an almost torturous lifestyle, and the film suggests Fletcher’s questionable behavior to some degree is effective teaching, which is actually reprehensible, in that it green lights school teachers to go in that direction. The films also does nothing to suggest learning is not a one-size-fits-all, but is different for each individual. There’s a feeling that if a relaxed teacher had helped Andrew Neyman the film would not have gotten Oscar attention. It’s all about the showy performances.
While I’ve heard Whiplash may have technical inaccuracies in terms of how to set up a drum kit and the injury was sustained on the wrong hand, I did find the story totally captivating, hence my rating.
Rating 8/10

Imitation Game (2014)
Historically important, so it's worth seeing as a history lesson. But it could have been better, we don't really learn enough about the enigma code breaking, and why/how it was able to save so many lives.
Rating 6/10

Inherent Vice (2014)

For me, the biggest disappointment of the 2014 releases. Has moments that work well, but the storytelling is needlessly confusing, and lacking in tension and vitality. I’m guessing it's more pleasurable to read as a novel. Nice soundtrack, but a rare misfire by the great director. Was the first PTA film that had me bored, I didn’t care about the characters or the conversations.

Rating 4/10

Heathers (1988)
An 80s cult classic that didn’t wow me like it has others. Maybe if I had seen it as a teenager the impact would have been bigger. I was surprised how dark and shocking the screenplay is, apparently it’s a black comedy. In some respects, it’s an eerie reflection of American society. Winona Ryder gives a strong performance, and I liked the score
Rating 6/10

Wait Until Dark (1967)

Mainly takes place in the confines of an apartment. Good for suspense. But why was she so protective of the doll and willing to risk her life for it? If she gave it to them she wouldn’t have to worry anymore. This was something that really irritated me about the ending.

Rating 7/10

A Day At The Races (1937)
Entertaining Marx Brothers comedy, considered among their finest. So many great one-liners, I'll definitely be rewatching this again. A treat. The musical numbers do go on a tad too long and feel a bit of place, but in some ways act as a breather from the dialogue. Highlights are the "tutsi-fruitsi" ice cream sales man scene, the background verification telephone call of Dr. Hackenbush, and of course the ending by the race track.
Rating 8.5/10

Birth (2004)
From Jonathan Glazer, the director of Under The Skin. Good performances by Nicole Kidman and the boy she meets. More time could have been spent on flash backs to the real Sean and why she loved him so much. What we get is good for 30-40 min, but just feels too repetitive. Potential for a great short film, but the plot is a bit thin for a 100 min movie.
Rating 6/10

The Warriors (1979)
Overpraised gang movie, which starts out with an epic scene at a gathering. Then becomes about a group who must navigate their way home through enemy territories, which to me becomes repetitive after a while.
I expected more from the movie considering its reputation. I prefer Walter Hill's previous outing The Driver (1978)
In the City by Joe Walsh is a great closer.
Rating 6/10

The Way of the Dragon (1972)
Spurred on by a blog post written by Wendell at Dell on Movies, this is only my second Bruce Lee film.
The final showdown between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris is what the film is remembered for, but it’s so much more than that, and surprisingly funny. The way he uses the weapon depicted on the poster stayed with me.
Rating 8/10

The Big Boss (1971)
The story of injustice is pretty good, but overall it didn't have a lasting impact on me, and was a bit formulaic. I don't remember the fight scenes.
Rating 6/10

Abigail's Party (1977)
TV movie directed by Mike Leigh. A stressed husband must navigate both his job and a party at home, while his wife is not very helpful and doesn’t offer to buy the beer, and expects him to do it. However sympathy for the husband soon evaporates once the guests arrive and he belittles his wife in conversation.
During the film, themes such as divorce, marriage, raising kids are explored. Amusingly the husband and wife's taste in music doesn't match at all.
The story does show it’s datedness in a few areas such as the husband not allowing his wife to take a driving license, but it’s not overbearing, and doesn’t become a distraction.
Rating 8.5/10

Nuts in May (1976)
Entertaining and amusing depiction of a couple on a camping holiday with their tent. The male lead could be so annoying that it might lead you to switch off though.
Rating 7.5/10

College (1927) 
Buster Keaton comedy. More about story and less about stunts, although he still has daredevil moments. The scene when he sways back and forth and the group sway with him is memorable, as is the bullying scene with the old lady in the window. The sports activities are fun to watch too, even if Keaton’s failings become slightly predictable.
Favorite quote, customer to waiter: “Bring me something you can’t stick your thumb in!”
Rating 7/10

The Dreamers (2003)
While it is controversial and daring, I found the story a bit lacking and forgettable. The scene that stuck with me is when the parents return home and see them sleeping naked.
Rating 6/10

Home from Home – Chronicle of a Vision (aka Die andere Heimat - Chronik einer Sehnsucht) (2013)
Directed by 80 year old Edgar Reitz. A criminally underseen German epic, filmed in black and white. Set in a fictional town in the 1800s, I felt transported back to this era, when they faced different problems than we do today. The characters are memorable, and the pacing is well-handled, considering a running time of almost 4 hours. You could almost say it's a mini-series. See it if you get the chance.
Rating 9/10 

A Second Chance (2014)
Director Susanne Bier has said in an inteview she wanted to combine believable characters yet also let it be a thriller with twists. The film has good performances, and there are a few surprises I didn't see coming, yet the weakness is the last act, the writers have written themselves into a corner, and there is only way it can logically end. Also feels unresolved in terms of supporting characters. Worth a watch, but I prefer Bier's previous Scandinavian films.
Rating 6.5/10



Seen any of these? Agree or disagree? Watched anything great in February? As always, comments are welcome