Saturday, July 30, 2011

Attack the Block (2011)

Revisit
Venue: Alamo South Lamar


Still my favorite movie of the year, was happy to finally have the chance to pay to see it. SUPPORT THIS MOVIE! I reviewed it way back in March. Whoop whoop!

Rating: 10/10 Atkins

Ip Man (2008)

Revisit
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell


Introduced some friends from out of town to the blisteringly fast, incredibly exciting Ip Man. They loved it, as I still do.

Rating: 9/10 Atkins

The Mummy (1999)

Revisit
Format: HD-DVD
Venue: Rivendell


As fluffy as adventures films get, but that does little to detract from the experience. My boy Luke covered this tightly-wrapped schlock tart for this week's Junkfood Cinema. Read it from Film School Rejects...not the Book of the Dead.

Rating: 7/10 Atkins

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Death Proof (2007)

Revisit
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell


I love this movie, I miss my South Congress apartment. Always makes me want to go to the Chili Parlor...again.

Rating: 8/10 Atkins

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Revisit
Format: HD-DVD
Venue: Rivendell


Still one of my favorite Coen Bros movies. It took my many years to understand how much a traditional film noir it really is, just with a few extra esoteric trappings. The dude does indeed abide.

Rating: 9/10 Atkins

The Punisher (1989)

Revisit
Format: DVD
Venue: Rivendell


I love this odious piece of cinematic crap. It may very well be this week's Junkfood Cinema...more to come.

Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Insidious (2010)

Revisit
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell


Still not wild about the sound design, but my God is this movie creepy. Some of the most simple, disturbing imagery I've ever seen.


Rating: 7/10 Atkins

Monday, July 25, 2011

Back to the Future III (1990)

Revisit
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell


Battle over: I like 3 more than 2. The Blu is gorgeous and Luke has now officially seen the entire trilogy. Hooray!

Rating: 7/10 Atkins

Nightwish (1990)

1st View
Format: Netflix WI
Venue: Rivendell


One of the most pedestrian horror films I had ever seen slowly dissolved into one of the most inexplicably bugnuts horror films I have ever seen. Worth it just to watch it go completely off the rails.



Rating: 2/10 Atkins

The Adjustment Bureau (2011)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell


 Missed it in theaters. Quiet, thoughtful sci-fi that qualifies as such by virtue of its cerebral concepts as opposed to flashy set pieces or additional dimensions. Plays with the relationship between sci-fi and religion but never gets too preachy on either's behalf. Very strong.

Rating: 7/10 Atkins

Captain America (2011)

1st View
Venue: Alamo South Lamar (Summer 2011) 



Sooooo many Captains of America on my list! This would be the big-budget blockbuster from Marvel studios. So far, this may be my favorite film of the summer. Joe Johnston brings his campy adventure mentality and refines it with interesting story and respectable performance. I think we're all ready for The Avengers now.


Rating: 9/10 Atkins

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Captain America (1990)

Revisit
Format: "DVD"
Venue: Rivendell


Watching the original crappy version of this film after seeing Pyun's abysmal director's cut was like a giant cinematic hug. Sure, it's still awful, but it looks like a auteur piece of genius by comparison. The enjoyable badness of this film, coupled with the impending release of Marvel's blockbuster reboot of the Cap'n, made it the perfect subject for this week's Junkfood Cinema. Don't shield your eyes.

Rating: 5/10 Atkins

Captain America Director's Cut (1990)

Revisit
Format: 35mm
Venue: Alamo South Lamar (with Director Albert Pyun live)


I had seen the 90s Captain America before; was privy to its shortcomings and loved it regardless. What was unleashed upon us, the unsuspecting crowd sitting that night in naive anticipation in the theater, was something far worse than the film we knew and ironically loved. Albert Pyun's director's cut proves that his dismissal from the project at the behest of the studio was 100% warranted. I will never be able to truly communicate how inept and amateur this chore of a director's cut really is. Sufficed to say, I prefer my Captain America fighting the forces of evil over, say, sweeping the floors at a Gold's Gym. Not. Making. That. Up.

Rating: 1/10 Atkins

Rounders (1998)

Revisit
Format: DVD
Venue: Rivendell


One of favorite movies of all time. This is the film that taught me to play poker, and win occaisonally. Matt Damon's Mike McDermott was the subject of this week's (last week's?) Reel Men for Movies.com. Ante up and give it a read.


Rating: 9/10 Atkins

We Are the Night (2010)

1st View
Venue: The Great Hall's


I've heard people describe We Are the Night as the gender-flipped Near Dark...and those people are absolutely correct. So much of the plot behind this German vampire flick feels very reminiscent of Kathryn Bigelow's phenomenal 1987 horror classic. It's well shot, features great performances, and operates under some fascinating feminist ideals.

Rating: 7/10 Atkins

Paul (2011)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: The Great Hall's


I love Simon Pegg and Nick Frost; two of the funniest guys working today. But Paul is flat, lazy, and desperately pandering. My theory on this is that Pegg and Frost were trying to recapture the greatness of their series Spaced, wherein a nonstop parade of geek culture references marches to the delight of a niche audience. But what they ended up proving is that it is unwise to remove Edgar Wright from the equation if you are hoping for the same result.

Rating: 4/10 Atkins

Beauty and the Beast (1946)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell



Rating: 7/10 Atkins

13 Assassins (2010)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell



Rating: 9/10 Atkins

Damnation Alley (1977)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: The Great Hall's



Rating: 6/10 Atkins

The Nesting (1981)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell



Rating: 5/10 Atkins

The Reef (2010)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell



Covered these next few titles in this week's Under the Radar for Hollywood.com so I'm gonna run through them quickly. More thoughts here.

Rating: 5/10 Atkins

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt 2 (2011)

1st View
Venue: Alamo South Lamar (Summer 2011)


A fitting end to one of the most epic and encompassing film franchise's in history. Did they cover everything I wanted them to? No. But striving to do so would have been a fool's errand. I think the studio, the screenwriter, and Peter Yates did a superb job adapting a massive book into two great films. Their task was unenviable and they excelled. Poor out a little butterbeer, Harry's journey is at an end.

Rating: 8/10 Atkins

Tron: Legacy (2010)

Revisit
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell



Upon a second viewing, it's clear that the first 30 minutes of this film is amazing. But the minute they enter Castor's club, the movie begins to de-res the bed and never recovers. Still looks great.


Rating: 5/10 Atkins

Demolition Man (1993)

Revisit
Format: Netflix WI
Venue: Rivendell



Another of my beloved bad movies. Covered this cinematic cheeseburger for Junkfood Cinema long ago and far away; one from the archives.


Rating: 6/10 Atkins

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Tangled (2010)

1st View
Format: Blu-ray
Venue: Rivendell


Witty, charming, and incredibly fun. Got to see this while the family was in town; Disney has meant a lot to us over the years. Mom said it was her new favorite, no small compliment coming from her.


Rating: 8/10 Atkins