Brain-Police
Fapstronaut
"The Post" - Steven Spielberg - (6/10)
Spielberg. The name has become a household brand, and though in some respects, it's well deserved, in others, not so much. That's right, I just said that. This is a film about how the documents have been leaked for the U.S.'s involvement in the Vietnam War and how it was for no other reason other than to send troops to die and how news reporters are terrified of reporting on it after the Times gets taken to court for it.
The Post is a well-made film on a technical level and definitely has moments that are interesting, but it doesn't feel urgent. It's hard not to play compare and contrast with other reporter/whistleblower films such as the famous and great film "All the President's Men" where it lets the events unfold, even though you know the ending without holding your hand. The Post feels too safe and doesn't quite say anything besides there should be more strong female leaders. Nothing wrong with that, but it didn't exactly drive it home all that well. Beautiful cinematography, and soundtrack, and well acted; but nothing special.
Didn't mind watching it, but wouldn't watch it again.
"Truth" - James Vanderbilt - (5.5/10)
Another reporter/whistleblower film. Another not great film, but not terrible and it was well acted with some heavy hitting actors. The dialogue bothers me. I hate flashy, self-serving dialogue such as Tarantino's narcissistic, childish horse-shit (that's right, I said it!), Kevin Smith, and that fucking idiot Ass (Joss) Whedon who single-handedly influenced all those godawful, the-world-is-better-without shit-Marvel movies.
What "Truth" is about is how this news station (forgot the name) finds a team that discovers that Bush has received favors to be relieved of duty as Bush goes around fronting what is essentially, stolen valor. Then the article the news station gets out, and internet forums tear apart the documents and call them fake. The validity is then put into question. It was interesting.
Though the dialogue doesn't overdo it, it can be intrusive and took me out of it a couple of times. Once again, not a bad film, decently made, but it felt slow, and unbelievable at certain parts, and took way too many easy ways out. It held your hand way too much. Didn't really care for it and I could've gone without.
"Good Night, And Good Luck" - George Clooney - (6/10)
Just like "The Post," another well-acted, well-made film, and it has a lot of political overtones, such as "The Post" that overlap with today's times. (Forgot to mention that in "The Post" review) About a tv broadcaster who outs Nixon and goes to toe and walks the fine line between controversial, pandering to one political side, to enlightening. It had a lot of great actors in it. Once again, didn't mind watching it, but wouldn't watch it again.
"Dark Waters" - Todd Haynes - (9/10)
Now, as you can already tell, I've been on a reporter/whistleblower binge of movies and this one was a rewatch. I've seen this before last year and the first time watching it, I didn't give it the credit it deserved because I watched it after "Spotlight" - Tom McCarthy which was also another whistleblower film that ALSO stars Mark Ruffalo and it was fantastic! (Highly recommend SPOTLIGHT as well!) Spotlight was hardcore, and I was coming off of that, but that doesn't take away anything from this one. This one is about the great Robert Bilott case against DuPont about how they've been poisoning people since the 50's with Teflon. Brilliant, frustrating, and beautiful film about how fucked up the system is and how they use their pull to their advantage. Couldn't recommend enough!
"The Thin Red Line" - Terrence Malick - (8.5/10)
I bought this movie about 7 years ago and for whatever reason, maybe its because I was intimidated at the time of the length of the movie, (2 hours and 50 minutes. Honestly, even at that time, was not even close to the longest movie that I've seen...) or maybe it's because I wanted to get to other movies first,
Whatever it may have been, i finally watched it and it was amazing. All-star cast with everybody knocking it the fuck out. It's a war film, that's all I will say about that that happens to be a philosophical, poetic one. Different approach, and though at times, the voice-over can be a bit corny, other times, it's beautiful and speaks a lot about war and the experience that others go through. Though I feel it's more fantasy and the way we SHOULD feel about war, unlike other war films that represent what war turns us into, such as movies like "Full Metal Jacket", "Paths of Glory", "The Deer Hunter", "Waltz with Bashir", or "Apocalypse Now."
(All great fucking films!!! Watch them!!)
So THE THIN RED LINE is more poetry, keep that in mind, but still brutal. Another recommend. It definitely got the brain jogging, and inspired me to write.
Now come to think of it, I need to watch more war films.
Spielberg. The name has become a household brand, and though in some respects, it's well deserved, in others, not so much. That's right, I just said that. This is a film about how the documents have been leaked for the U.S.'s involvement in the Vietnam War and how it was for no other reason other than to send troops to die and how news reporters are terrified of reporting on it after the Times gets taken to court for it.
The Post is a well-made film on a technical level and definitely has moments that are interesting, but it doesn't feel urgent. It's hard not to play compare and contrast with other reporter/whistleblower films such as the famous and great film "All the President's Men" where it lets the events unfold, even though you know the ending without holding your hand. The Post feels too safe and doesn't quite say anything besides there should be more strong female leaders. Nothing wrong with that, but it didn't exactly drive it home all that well. Beautiful cinematography, and soundtrack, and well acted; but nothing special.
Didn't mind watching it, but wouldn't watch it again.
"Truth" - James Vanderbilt - (5.5/10)
Another reporter/whistleblower film. Another not great film, but not terrible and it was well acted with some heavy hitting actors. The dialogue bothers me. I hate flashy, self-serving dialogue such as Tarantino's narcissistic, childish horse-shit (that's right, I said it!), Kevin Smith, and that fucking idiot Ass (Joss) Whedon who single-handedly influenced all those godawful, the-world-is-better-without shit-Marvel movies.
What "Truth" is about is how this news station (forgot the name) finds a team that discovers that Bush has received favors to be relieved of duty as Bush goes around fronting what is essentially, stolen valor. Then the article the news station gets out, and internet forums tear apart the documents and call them fake. The validity is then put into question. It was interesting.
Though the dialogue doesn't overdo it, it can be intrusive and took me out of it a couple of times. Once again, not a bad film, decently made, but it felt slow, and unbelievable at certain parts, and took way too many easy ways out. It held your hand way too much. Didn't really care for it and I could've gone without.
"Good Night, And Good Luck" - George Clooney - (6/10)
Just like "The Post," another well-acted, well-made film, and it has a lot of political overtones, such as "The Post" that overlap with today's times. (Forgot to mention that in "The Post" review) About a tv broadcaster who outs Nixon and goes to toe and walks the fine line between controversial, pandering to one political side, to enlightening. It had a lot of great actors in it. Once again, didn't mind watching it, but wouldn't watch it again.
"Dark Waters" - Todd Haynes - (9/10)
Now, as you can already tell, I've been on a reporter/whistleblower binge of movies and this one was a rewatch. I've seen this before last year and the first time watching it, I didn't give it the credit it deserved because I watched it after "Spotlight" - Tom McCarthy which was also another whistleblower film that ALSO stars Mark Ruffalo and it was fantastic! (Highly recommend SPOTLIGHT as well!) Spotlight was hardcore, and I was coming off of that, but that doesn't take away anything from this one. This one is about the great Robert Bilott case against DuPont about how they've been poisoning people since the 50's with Teflon. Brilliant, frustrating, and beautiful film about how fucked up the system is and how they use their pull to their advantage. Couldn't recommend enough!
"The Thin Red Line" - Terrence Malick - (8.5/10)
I bought this movie about 7 years ago and for whatever reason, maybe its because I was intimidated at the time of the length of the movie, (2 hours and 50 minutes. Honestly, even at that time, was not even close to the longest movie that I've seen...) or maybe it's because I wanted to get to other movies first,
Whatever it may have been, i finally watched it and it was amazing. All-star cast with everybody knocking it the fuck out. It's a war film, that's all I will say about that that happens to be a philosophical, poetic one. Different approach, and though at times, the voice-over can be a bit corny, other times, it's beautiful and speaks a lot about war and the experience that others go through. Though I feel it's more fantasy and the way we SHOULD feel about war, unlike other war films that represent what war turns us into, such as movies like "Full Metal Jacket", "Paths of Glory", "The Deer Hunter", "Waltz with Bashir", or "Apocalypse Now."
(All great fucking films!!! Watch them!!)
So THE THIN RED LINE is more poetry, keep that in mind, but still brutal. Another recommend. It definitely got the brain jogging, and inspired me to write.
Now come to think of it, I need to watch more war films.
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