I guess you could say I was a bit inspired this week as I left a voicemail for the boys on the Binge Cast about movie music. Color me obsessed but I’ve thrown together a list of ten albums you should have on your regular rotation of movie soundtracks. There’s no particular order but here they are:
I’ve heard Master and Commander referenced as some “seriously frumpy white-people shit”, and that might be true (I’m not a doctor), but I love the flick and the soundtrack for its grace and subtlety. In a film about war on the high seas, Master and Commander has a surprisingly improvisational feel, which is something that I think lends itself very well to the music selections used therein. Favorite track: J S Bach Prelude.
In the early days of my film studies, Tarantino and Rodriguez were my gods. I’ve always felt their soundtracks (Tarantino’s a little more than Rodriguez’, overall) were unique pieces of musical fusion, evoking feelings and memories of rich cultural history without nailing you in the face with the references. Desperado is a criminally underrated soundtrack, featuring some truly badass action-film riffs that immediately call back to the flick. Favorite Track: Cancion Del Mariachi.
Easily the most horrifying collection of music I’ve ever listened to, The Shining’s soundtrack is all about fucking with what you knew was normal. Fans of the movie will remember the violin shrieks, blaring horns and droning notes that send chills down your spine well, but listening to this independent of the film actually makes it a scarier movie. This Halloween, try playing this album on a loop at your house and see how many kids are brave enough to go up to your door. Favorite track: Lontano.
Out of all of Wes Anderson’s films, The Darjeeling Limited consistently comes up as his most divisive. I’ve never understood why, because I’m the oldest of three brothers and I feel like he absolutely nails the tone and feel of that experience with this film, but to each his/her own. Wes is always great at choosing songs from diverse genres that somehow all sound like the same band is playing them, and he does it here as well. The trifecta of Kinks tunes coupled with the more traditional Indian tunes and the French Les Champs Elysses are all great songs that I revisit almost monthly. Favorite track: Les Champs Elysses.
Sergio Leone knew how to make shit epic. While the Dollars trilogy showed just how well he can merge music with a moving picture, Once Upon a Time in The West proved that his previous inspiration was talent and no fluke. This is a great and criminally underrated score that deserves more love. Favorite track: Bad Orchestra.
The Departed is remembered for a lot of great reasons, but no one ever talks about how great the music was. While the main soundtrack encompassed a diverse array of pop and rock hits that worked phenomenally well, the score was great in its own rite. The way the music centered around the main theme’s tango, as if all the characters were dancing around one another, was to me a fantastic stylistic choice. Favorite track: Cops or Criminals.
I know I’m double dipping here with Wes Anderson flicks but this is another one that people just don’t seem to talk about. Seu Jorge’s Portugese covers of David Bowie are just incredibly pleasing to my ears. While some of his stuff was featured in the film, an entire album’s worth of covers is on display here. Great stuff for anyone looking to rediscover Bowie, The Life Aquatic or great, acoustic music. Favorite track: Rock N Roll Suicide.
It’s easy to overlook how brilliant the music in this movie is. After all, South Park is known for its vulgarity, not its show-tunes, yet this flick’s score was so well put together and phoenitically pleasing that it’s on my regular rotation. Plus, anyone who can make a group marathon song about farting needs to stand up and be counted. Favorite track: Kyle’s Mom Is A Bitch.
Another double dip (I love Kubrick, sue me), A Clockwork Orange excels in its strange-ness. While the high-class orchestral themes stand in stark contrast to the ultra-violence on screen, the soundtrack is actually a unique ride all on its own. The insanity/disturbing nature of Alex DeLarge comes through in musical form when the album transitions from I Want to Marry a Lighthouse Keeper to something like the William Tell Overture. The soundtrack enhances my enjoyment of the movie, and hopefully it will for you as well. Favorite track: Singin’ in the Rain.
I mentioned it in my voicemail to the boys this week but The Last Waltz is world-class stuff. When I was younger, I didn’t like this because I couldn’t understand why this was such a big deal. This flick and especially the music have aged exceptionally well and this remains as probably my favorite concert film (probably). You get The Band, Bob Dylan, Uncle Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Eric Clapton, Ronnie Hawkins, Van Morrison, Dr. John, Neil Diamond and so many more I can’t recall them at the moment, and you know what’s wild about the lineup? They all absolutely KILL it. This is a great film and a great soundtrack. Favorite track: Up On Cripple Creek.
Boom, and just like that, I’m out! But before I go, I just want to say two things. One, Ammon is a man of honor and I respect him immensely for totally owning that shirt. Two, here’s another glorious angle he sent me:
Comedy albums are either the best thing in the world or pieces of derivative, overblown trash with, for me at least, no real middle ground. Either a comedian hits hard or he/she just isn’t hitting my funny bone. Great albums like Hilarious or Class Clown immediately come to mind in the win category, and performances like Raw and Harmful If Swallowed are most certainly misses (deal with it). I revisited my all time favorite, Skanks for the Memories by the great Dave Attell and it got me feeling pretty nostalgic. It also got me angry that not enough people appreciate Attell, hence this week’s main point: Dave Attell might be the funniest comedian out today, we just don’t know it because he isn’t as out there as guys like Louis CK or Bill Burr. I think I’m always looking for the next Skanks for the Memories, and since nothing has made me laugh quite that hard since I guess that makes me a tough sell.
I was around 13 or 14 years old when my uncle hooked me up with a copy of the album and I remember listening to it incessantly. Seriously, I had that shit on repeat on the way to school every morning for weeks. I remember Attell being the first comedian I had heard up until that point who actually referenced things I knew about. His bit about his midget buddy Baby Shoes is legendary, but the punchline about him working in a chocolate factory…brilliant stuff. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how hard I laugh at the “Is she crazy like it says on her bracelet…or is she just looking at my sheets? I DON’T KNOW!” moment. This album is a clinic on modern comedy and I’m shocked that Attell didn’t gain more traction off of it.
Then there’s Insomniac. Probably one of the raunchiest shows Comedy Central ever put out, Insomniac, for those of you who missed it, was Dave Attell going to cities around the country and staying up all night partying, drinking or possibly working with the nightcrawlers of said city. The premise was simple but some of the insanity Attell would get involved with made for a great show. I don’t know that Attell could host a talk show per-se but this was tailor made for him and he was great in it. I always hold out hope that some day he’ll do another season just because of how unique the show was, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed for now.
I can’t let a week go by without bringing this up, so I’m going to do it now and try to control myself. Those of you that know me and have followed my blog know that I despise one movie more than any other. That movie is The Sound of Music. So you can imagine my disgust and downright outrage that at this year’s Oscars they did a musical tribute to that gigantic piece of horseshit. Seriously, I can’t think of anything that encapsulated how I feel about the Academy Awards quite the way that this performance did. The spectacle of shit that is that fucking musical was on display and wasted no less than 10 minutes of my precious time. I don’t watch the awards shows anymore because I find them to be incredibly self-serving and boring, but can someone calculate the odds that the one Oscar ceremony I watch in a half-decade happens to do a Sound of Music tribute? Seriously? For A Few Dollars More also turned 50 but they didn’t feel the need to even mention that. I hate the Academy and fuck this year’s show, last year’s show and all the ones that came before it.
Thanks for checking this week’s blog, yo! Check back for more blogs and podcasts and, as always, Binge On!
Well, I think we all knew it was going to happen sooner or later. Hollywood loves to imitate the most popular thing, then flood the market with it until saturation has hit its peak. Well, for me, I think we’re there. At this point, I don’t anticipate new superhero flicks because I either A. Don’t give a shit about the characters involved, B. Know Marvel will do a good job and see it when I see it or C. Complain about how it was already done before. I’m not saying these movies aren’t going to continue being profitable, but I am saying I’m getting to the point where I can’t deal with them anymore.
You see, I caught a flick last night called Kingsman: The Secret Service, and I enjoyed the fuck out of it. I never read the comics it was based on, I think I might have seen one trailer, and yet it set the bar for action films for the year. Kingsman, which I give a solid 8/10, has balls, and it has a well-deserved R-rating because it takes chances and doesn’t pull punches in favor of showing you more of the same. Sure, the flick has some elements of plot devices and moments we’ve seen variations of before, but for the most part I loved the flick and what it did, which was the catalyst for writing this article. I doubt we’ll ever see the type of carnage shown during the church fight scene in any comic book film, let alone Marvel’s series, and that’s a shame because the schtick is wearing out fast.
You know, one thing I don’t hear enough about the Marvel movies is where they don’t do as well. Everyone loves to gloat about how Captain America: The Winter Soldier was an espionage thriller set in the world of superheroes, but I feel like everyone glosses over the fact that despite being named in the title of the film, the Winter Soldier himself was really underwhelming. His character is moderately interesting but the actor playing him did nothing to enhance the performance. Also, his main action beats were no more than the typical shit we’ve seen since The Dark Knight. His introduction and subsequent destruction of Nick Fury’s truck in particular was, to me, eerily similar to Joker staring down Batman on the Batpod. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the movie overall, but when looked at in comparison to all the other Marvel films that are coming out, and have come out, it’s difficult not to look around and say “Haven’t we seen this before?”.
Guardians seemed to be the exception, for a time. You had a ragtag bunch of outlaws and bandits coming together to save the world, or a world, rather. Chris Pratt proved that Robert Downey Jr. wasn’t the only snarky hero the Marvel universe could handle, and the emotional ties were outstanding, better than any other Marvel movie has done thus far. But even here, Guardians is little more than a reworking of Star Wars, which is both good and bad. It’s good because it works, and Star Wars was a product of its influences as well. It’s bad because, well, I hate to say it but Star Wars did indeed do it better. Again, I still loved Guardians as a popcorn flick, but these movies need to move away from the “Get the thing that the bad guys want, stop them via air-battle!” plot contrivance, and Guardians is just as guilty as the others.
The thing that showed me more than anything else how jaded I’ve become to these movies was the trailer for Ant-Man. Ant-Man had such promise when Edgar Wright was still on board, but the trailer they released looked very been-there, done-that. I like Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas, but this just looked like more of the lame-same. Oh, ok, he can shrink, that’s cool…but what else is this story about? You see, these stories hinge on the origin of the super hero. According to the trailer we see, Paul Rudd has a daughter, he’s in and out of prison and he’s probably a loser, and getting into this suit will help him become a man. Really? That’s the best you’ve got, Marvel? Iron Man 3 was pretty ingenious shit because they took the suit away and focused on Tony Stark, doing something both different and innovative. I wish more of the Marvel flicks took those kinds of chances, rather than try to reinvigorate old characters that probably won’t be as good as they were the first time around…
(Minus Spider Man 3, that movie sucks)
That’s it for this week. Check out the podcasts and, as always, Binge On!
Another movie year, another set of awards shows. While the fact that studios tend to put out some of their best stuff this time of year, I really wish they wouldn’t. Awards shows have become the absolute bane of the regular movie watcher’s world and it doesn’t look like things are going to get better any time soon. I’m sick of the ads. There was seriously a commercial with Neil Patrick Harris where one of the quotes was “Anything can happen”. That’s not fucking true. Anything cannot happen. A blazing demon can’t come flying in to murder Catherine Zeta Jones by impaling her with a lance. We’ll never get to see Winona Ryder shoot ping pong balls out of her cooch ala the South Park movie and I doubt my pending kickstarter campaign to get Moreno and Law to take over hosting duties won’t go over too well. I’m saying now, I’m fucking done with it.
It’s not a question of whether or not the award is given to the right film, because what does that even mean? And it’s never about what the actual “Best” film is. These awards shows, whether it’s the Oscars, Golden Globes, Hollywood Bullshit Statues, whatever, they’re all about Hollywood finding a way to sell more ad revenue by getting all us suckers to watch these people congratulate themselves for making art. It’s insanity and this is the first time I’m seeing this for what it is: a sham.
I’m not saying that I don’t agree with the films that get nominated, or even win, from time to time, but I’m saying the scales are tipped in the wrong direction. I’m sorry, but if you don’t at least recognize Andy Serkis for his work in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes then you are wrong. Giving Best Picture to Annie Hall over Star Wars, well, it’s astounding. I don’t need to tell you which of those films has been more important to film history over most of our lifetimes.
I guess I’ve just hit my ceiling with all of this garbage. I’m tired of the implication that I’m supposed to respect films that are associated with these awards shows more than other movies. You know what? What We Do In The Shadows was a better movie for me than The Imitation Game. Suck it, Oscar.
Everyone enjoy this glorious, snow-day filled week and, as always, Binge On!
In catching up with the award nominees/winners over the past few weeks, I hadn’t realized I worked up such a craving for some genre stuff. Granted, it has turned out that most of the movies up for nominations this year are pretty stellar across the board, but still, I like to bring it back and get my fan-boy fix to keep myself grounded. Cue What We Do In The Shadows, a spoof of The Real World, only with vampires in modern-day Wellington, New Zealand, that plays as the heir apparent to the best Christopher Guest has to offer. Basically, part of the comedy nucleus behind Flight of the Conchords, Jermaine Clement, and one of his writing partners Taika Waititi, put together a pretty fantastic little comedy-spoof that, for me, hits all the right tones. As is the case with a lot of comedies, the characters are what sell this, and between Vlad, Viago and Deacon, you’ve got three distinctly different, absent-minded and hilarious vampires. This is the kind of flick that, to me, is right in line with stuff like Bubba Ho-Tep as a small genre flick with a lot of originality and wit. This is an easy 8 on 10 for me and rewatchable as fuck.
Not only was I blindsided by the fact that Parks & Rec was starting back up this week, but you can imagine how stoked I was when Werner Herzog showed up in a bit part. This show has to be the most consistently funny sitcom of the past decade. There are so many moments, characters and story arcs that make me chuckle just in thinking about them that I can’t help but appreciate everything these writers throw at us. Add to the fact that despite his star turn in Guardians of the Galaxy that I can still see Chris Pratt as the moronic Andy Dwyer and I’m all in. Great start to the season and I’m anxious to see where they take us, especially in reference to the mysterious “Morningstar”…
71 hours later I completed my first run of Dark Souls II. The verdict? This is easily my favorite medieval RPG of all time. The challenge this game gives you and the deep customization/effect you can have on the game world is fantastic. I will admit at times I’ve been scratching my head, trying to figure out what the FUCK I’m supposed to do next/how to kill said boss/why the controller won’t let me jump to THE OTHER FUCKING PLATFORM, etc. But for all the frustration, I can honestly say this game has everything I want from it. The combat is fantastic and engaging. The challenge is consistent and rewarding. The story, while sparse and impossible to digest in a lot of ways, is mysterious and really fantastic. I know I’ve fifed over this a few times before but seriously, stop being a bitch and play this.
What, did you think I’d go through an entire article without mentioning my ultimate pride? I’ve posted that pic above and to the left here before but the one on the right was taken following the New England blowout of the Ponies. Look, I like and respect Pagano and Luck a lot. Pagano, with all his personal and health issues and Luck with his respect, patience, intelligence and reverence to the sport and his colleagues are both incredibly admirable people to have in your organization. The owner might be a drunk, but that’s not my point. My point is, Manning plays for the Broncos, so I’m ok with the Colts. Especially since the last four times we’ve played them they have been absolutely spanked. All that being said, sorry not sorry. If you can’t capitalize throughout the game and your quarterback is making bad decisions on the field, you deserve to be embarrassed. Hopefully Luck learns from this and improves his game, because as I said I’d like to see him improve and become a really solid quarterback. I’ve been lucky to see two AFC Championship games. I understand the time I’m living in. My grandfather lived to 78and never saw the Sox win once in his entire lifetime, so I do understand that as a fan I am completely spoiled by this team. But I’ll tell you what, seeing Brady get the team fired up on the sideline in the third quarter was fantastic. Belichick giving a rare grin after the win was pretty awesome. Gronk dancing with the team (unfortunately for me with his pants ON) was a lot of fun and the atmosphere was electric. I can’t wait for the Super Bowl. Ammon and I will commence some shit talking, but we will find the right time and place for it (hopefully a podcast sometime in the next two weeks).
Also, I’d just like to take a moment and bring light to something that’s currently making the rounds on NFL media. The whole Deflate Gate thing is, in my mind, completely retarded. Also, isn’t it on the refs to notice something like that as it happens? Also, why did it take the refs so long to actually get the proper ball on the field? Also, doesn’t temperature change have something to do with ball inflation? Also, why is is that every great Patriots win has to be questioned on a level that no other team has to deal with? Also, is the entire NFL butthurt that no one could stop us again? I think the last question has everything to do with the previous ones. You’re witnessing the GOAT, stand up and pay your respects.
Keep an ear out for some fresh commentaries and shows this week and, as always, Binge On!
I’m sorry but at this point in the year, movies and tv are completely secondary. It’s the FUCKING playoffs and my boys just played what might be the best game of the season. Credit to Baltimore across the board for the goddamn chess match they put together, and especially credit to John Harbaugh’s Belichickian use of a timeout before the end of the game. That game easily took a year off of my life. For your viewing pleasure, I put together my favorite images from the game. I’ll say it now: even if this is as far as we get, I have enjoyed and appreciated the FUCK out of my Patriots this year. Outlasting what they did, stomping the goddamn Denver Donkeys and then seeing Satan Manning himself lose at home was the sweetest goddamn cherry on top of this season. Don’t try and throw the bullshit hate/jealousy in my face, I don’t give a fuck. You don’t play through 14 seasons, 9 AFC Championship games, 5 Super Bowl appearances and 3 Super Bowl wins without sustained success. Fuck the haters, fuck the Jets, Super Bowl or bust.
This made me laugh. How could you pick the Ravens today? Stunning.
Brady is the Dragonborn.
An amazing shot of what is probably the play of the game. While watching this I think everyone except the Pats were completely confused as to what the fuck was happening, but an incredible call at an incredible moment.
The result of Edelman’s pass. Stunning (also stunning that the refs didn’t call it back, given Dez’s troubles on Sunday).
Nice pic of Edelman screaming at the extremely butthurt Flacco.
Yes, Harbaugh totally was. The butthurt was real.
So glad this is becoming a franchise.
Lulz.
I’m not a huge sports fan, but it’s moments and games like the one today that remind me what can and is so great about watching sports. An amazing tug of war, complete with titan-like performances on both sides of the ball, bullshit calls from the refs on both sides and some truly incredible moments. On to the Colts.
Well, we’re into the one-week season as playoff football is in full swing. If you asked me who I want to see the Pats play, I’d be lying if I told you another tilt with the Ravens would have been my first choice, but after giving it some thought I couldn’t be more excited for the matchup. You see, the past few years I’ve been really luck to see a couple games at Gillette, but my first game is the one you see me pictured at below:
About three years ago now, I got to see the Pats take on the Ravens in the AFC title game. This probably doesn’t matter to most of you, but you football fans may remember this play:
I got to see that happen live and in person. It was an amazing experience, not because it was the Patriots, and not because it was to go to the Super Bowl (although all of that helped), but more so because it was the simultaneous reaction of 80000 people all losing their fucking minds at once. It’s a high I can’t describe, but anyone who has seen something like this in person gets it. Despite the season not going our way in the end, this was an incredible moment for me, and it’s stuck with me since it happened. It’s part of why I love football, and it’s moments like this one that get me extra excited for this Saturday’s matchup.
These days I’m not as big into video games as I used to be, but I fucking love me some Dark Souls. The first one was one of the best games I’ve ever played, and for my style of play it seems like they perfected the formula with Dark Souls 2. Anyone who has played it knows the style, but I’ll give you an idea of the difficulty curve, which is just as demanding/rewarding as you might have heard it is. Basically, you are a “hollow”, or a soulless husk/zombie that is exploring the world of Drangleic. The world is inhabited by bad guys varying from demons to evil knights and other humanoid characters. You have a health bar, which is sparse and a stamina bar that dictates your ability to sprint, block, swing your sword, cast your spells or dodge an attack. You have to manage your stamina and health in a battle of wits with each and every enemy in the game. Make the wrong move and you will fucking die. Try to rush through an area without thinking and you will fucking die. Do all of these things properly but make a small misstep and you will fucking die. However, when you beat an area and progress there is absolutely nothing better than the feeling of knowing you beat the FUCK out of it. Patience and persistence are key for this game, but it is one of the best.
Last week I gave you my yearly rankings of the films of 2014 that I got a chance to see. Whiplash was high on my must-see list, but because of where I live and the fact that God hates me I was not presented an opportunity to see the flick last year. Luckily, anonymous movie guy delivered it today and I gave it a watch. This is, without question, exactly the kind of movie I love. A tightly-written, skillfully performed story with great characters, pitch-perfect direction, a dynamite soundtrack and some really fantastic moments throughout. Whiplash hit me the same way Birdman did, and had I seen it last year it would have been the second 10 on 10 rating of the year. I hate Miles Teller but here, well, he’s perfect. The kid gets across the angst and discomfort of mediocrity and the lack of recognition some of his family and friends give to him. J.K. Simmons is winning AT LEAST the Oscar for Supporting Actor this year and I can’t see the director not getting noticed for his work. Whiplash is the kind of movie that maintains its timelessness by planting its feet firmly in the emotion and feeling of its characters rather than the conventions of the time in which the story is set. Movie like Whiplash come around MAYBE once a year, if you’re lucky, so get on that shit if you haven’t already.
Get your hands on Whiplash and see it NOW. I cannot stress this enough. Go Pats and Binge On!
Despite what some have said about the current state of cinema, I truly believe 2014 was an outstanding year for movies. While I didn’t find a lot of favorite films, there was a lot of high-quality output, especially in terms of the blockbusters. While I didn’t get a chance to see everything yet (who ever does), I put together this list for you, loyal readers, and ranked everything I saw this year. Everyone does a top 10 list at this time of year, so I figured I’d throw it all at you and see what sticks. Here we go.
The Expendables 3 – Rating 2/10
I have not enjoyed The Expendables movies. The first one seemed like a good idea, the second one showed promise but completely failed on every level. Come time for me to sit down and view part 3, I was all done. I won’t deny the fact that I did not go into this flick with the best intentions, but even expecting absolute shit I still was let down. Stallone has no idea what to do with these characters and he hasn’t right from the beginning. You wanna make a good team-up action flick? Take a look at Fast Five, Ocean’s Eleven and The Avengers and go for that. Here, it doesn’t work. The formula is tired and no one cares anymore, least of all me.
Under the Skin – Rating 2/10
When I sat down to watch this, I knew what I was in for. Based on the reviews and the limited knowledge I had of the film, I expected something in David Lynch’s wheelhouse. While I wasn’t totally wrong on that front, I also wasn’t totally right. This flick is a serious mindfuck, but I think it’s much less coherent than Lynch’s work. Scarlett is a mostly mute alien that attracts men back to her apartment, kills them in mysterious fashion and then…I don’t know…absorbs them? I have no clue what happened. I honestly couldn’t tell you whether or not this flick makes logical or emotional sense. Absolutely one of the worst flicks I’ve seen this year.
The Amazing Spider Man 2 – 3/10
I grew up with Spider-Man 1 and 2 and love them both. While I can see the flaws with each, I still think they do a fabulous job of setting up Spidey’s world and capturing the kinetic energy of the web-slinger. I hated the idea of remaking Spidey, and The Amazing Spider Man failed to impress me. I think Garfield is a much better Peter Parker, but the flick is too much of a retread for me to give it fair credit. Part 2 is even more awful, throwing so many subplots at you that by the end I was scratching my head wondering what it all might have meant. Actually, this movie is unique in that you can take the opening sequence and the closing sequence, cut out everything in the middle and you’d have a better movie than what they gave us. Especially in a year with Marvel churning out three high-quality comic-book flicks, there’s just no comparison.
Video Games The Movie – 3/10
I love me a good documentary, which makes it all the more painful to admit that this one is pretty awful. I think someone should come along and re-make this, as the way this one is put together it basically acts as an extended advertisement for every video game you’ve ever heard of. It’s baffling, however, that stories such as Sonic 2’s Day aren’t even mentioned. There’s no intellectual depth to anything here and that makes this a really frustrating movie to sit through. It’s not bad, per-se, it just doesn’t really have much going for it.
Blue Ruin – Rating 6/10
Blue Ruin had a lot going for it with a strange premise and an off-kilter tone. I think Moreno said it best when he described his reaction to the film as wanting revenge, but not knowing why. I love where this film goes, and the grimy, down-and-dirty method the storyteller uses to unfold things to us is pretty solid. I think overall, I liked the point of what this story was doing but I didn’t think the execution was all that great. While being a unique little movie with a bunch of relatively little-known actors, I feel like there needed to be some bigger performers peppered in here to get the audience to care a little more. Overall, Blue Ruin does what it set out to do well enough, it just didn’t have much of a lasting impact on me.
Godzilla – Rating 6/10
Godzilla is a perfect example of a film that delivers some real high-quality throwback-style action and not much else. The way Godzilla is portrayed in the film is, to me, pretty spot-on. I’m no huge fan of the franchise, and admittedly I was so young when the ’98 flick came out that I used to watch it a ton, but I can understand and see where the filmmakers really strove to harken back to the days of the franchise’s youth. The only thing I can’t figure out about this flick is why Bryan Cranston is so criminally underused. He’s the best actor in the flick and we don’t get near enough of him. Also, Aaron Taylor Johnson is a vanilla ass-clown and I’m not looking forward to seeing him in the new Avengers flick next year. Also, how fucking convenient is it that because he’s wearing camo, no matter where he is there’s always some military outfit willing to accept him as one of their own? Couldn’t fucking stand that about this flick, but I did appreciate the music from 2001: A Space Odyssey being used during the skydiving scene.
Cold in July – Rating 6/10
Similar to Blue Ruin, Cold in July is a psuedo-revenge tale centered around some low-moral-middle-class people. The big difference between the flicks is that with Cold in July, we get Sam Sheppard and Don Johnson, two guys who when given good characters to work with really excel in their performances. While I liked the acting more here, I still found this story to be very ho-hum, sort of run-of-the-mill once it gets going. Something in the plot turns around the midway mark and, to me, really changes the trajectory of the story, which I didn’t care for. Michael C. Hall is a great actor and I think that had the plot stuck to its original concept we’d have a better movie. Still, though, good little flick that stands as a great counter-point to the big-budget stuff we see on an almost weekly basis every summer.
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon – Rating 6/10
Some documentaries exist solely to illuminate a certain character, aspect of life or part of the globe. Supermensch centers on Shep Gordon, PR and celebrity agent-extraordinaire who has worked with and rubbed the shoulders of pretty much everyone you’ve ever heard of. Put together by Mike Myers, this documentary serves to highlight the career of a guy who is little known outside of the Hollywood insiders but had a major impact on the industry, especially in the way of creating the entire idea of the celebrity chef. While there are a lot of talking heads that you’ll no doubt enjoy listening to, there’s no special insight into this guy outside of the fact that he is universally liked and a good person. That’s well and good, but it doesn’t really make a great documentary, hence the 6/10. Worth a watch but not much else.
The Zero Theorem – Rating 6/10
Being a die-hard Terry Gilliam fan, I’ve seen most of his films over the years. The Zero Theorem is another battle film from the director full of the same sorts of oddball choices and unique thinking we’ve come to expect from the guy. Because of the nature of the flick, and through his Facebook updates, I’ve seen that, according to him, the studio mishandled the release of the film and didn’t release it globally all at once, making this a difficult film to find, let alone watch. Leave it to Gilliam to create an entire sci-fi world that he only shows for ten minutes of actual screen time. Brazil might be his best overall film, combining his weird aesthetics with a fully-formed story. Theorem kind of fails on the story front. Christoph Waltz is great, as I always assume at this point, but the film, while being visually appealing and featuring an interesting cameo (especially in light of recent releases) there isn’t enough here to chew on for me.
The BabaDIIIICK – Rating 6/10
The BabaDIIIICKhad a ton of hype before I sat down to watch it, and I feel like that really detracted from my ability to judge the movie based off of its content alone. I had heard all the hyperbole for this one, stating it’s the “scariest horror film of the year” and that it deals with really complex psychological issues. I found The BabaDIIIICK to be a less-than-average horror flick. Look, the best horror IS psychological in nature, because without that primal fear being referenced, the boogeyman doesn’t have any legs to stand on. While The BabaDIIIICK deals with loss, I just feel like child-horror has been done much better. Mr BabaDIIIICK even didn’t have much going for his design. Not impressed.
Enemy – Rating 7/10
(While IMDB says this came out in 2013 it was not available in my area until 2014, so you can split hairs but I’ll tell you to fuck yourself, fair warning).
Off of the BingeCasters recommendation I sat down and got cozy with Enemy. Then I watched it again. Then again. Enemy is that kind of flick. While I think anyone with a brain can figure out the main jist of what the filmmaker is trying to do within the first half hour, Gyllenhaal really sells his performances in this one. The direction is solid and the cyclical nature of the plot are all things I really liked about the film. However, I think that given the metaphor of the film being so on the nose, in my opinion, the rewatch value of a flick like this diminishes severely once you understand, or think you understand, what’s going on here.
Noah – Rating 7/10
I’ll say it here as an officially Confirmed Christian: I hate religion. I know it’s not a unique opinion to me, but I really can’t stand religious stories and methodology of any kind, simply because its very nature is to subvert and brainwash the reader into a particular line of thinking or ideology. Cue Noah, Aronofsky’s decades-long passion project. I was beyond ecstatic to see this, having waited years for it. I had visions of a supremely spiritual journey filled with complicated morality and Aronofsky’s usual fantastic filmmaking. The end result had those things, just not in the way I expected at all. I never thought I’d see a film that paints Noah as a vindictive disciple of what he believes to be God. The idea of taking a character that is so well known and looking at his journey from a logical perspective was what impressed me. The rock angels, though? Maybe a little much. Aronofsky sort of takes the best pieces of the fable and reshapes them around what he wants to use them for, and disregards others. I’m fine with that, but I just don’t think the film is bold enough for me to rank it higher.
Neighbors – Rating 7/10
I’ve never been a big Animal House guy, always arguing The Blues Brothers is the superior film, so I’m not one for frat-comedies. Neighbors, however, went well beyond what I thought it would and gave me a ton of laughs. From the 3d-printed dildos to Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne trying to fit in with the cool kids next door, this movie works really well. This will definitely be on the comedy rotation for me going forward.
The Interview – Rating 7/10
Maybe the most infamous movie of the new century, The Interview was, thankfully, made available to us despite the controversy and terrorist threats. The verdict? It’s pretty good. I say it’s pretty good because it is. It fits right in with most of the other Rogen/Franco/Apatow flicks, even if the political undertones get a little heavy-handed at times, forsaking some hilarity. All in all, this flick is a bunch of easily quotable fun that I’m sure will get a bunch of added value on repeat viewings.
Edge of Tomorrow – Rating 7/10
Tom Cruise is a guy who rarely does a bad action film. Thankfully, Edge of Tomorrow continues that trend. The mere concept of Groundhog Day as an action movie sound fantastic on paper, but the execution is arguably even better. Cruise, Brendan Gleeson and Emily Blunt are all great in the film, and the action is hard-hitting and of high-quality, but I really think the direction here is what’s most impressive. Through visual cues, you never get confused as to where Cruise is on his journey, i.e. if he’s done what he’s doing before or not, and for that this movie gets exemplary marks. That being said, the ending, no matter what you explain to me, doesn’t make sense. If Ammon gets pissed off about the X-Men time travel bullshit, then the bullshit here must drive him up a fucking wall because it doesn’t make sense anywhere. You can tell him I said that.
22 Jump Street – Rating 7/10
The first flick was a welcome surprise, but you can’t make lightning strike twice, right? Turns out you can, and they did. 22 Jump Street plays with the idea that it is a sequel to a really hilarious degree while giving us some very solid jokes and sequences throughout. A flick like this just goes to show you that with a little thought and some creativity, you can take a shitty premise and spin it into gold.
The Dog – Rating 7/10
I’ve always maintained Dog Day Afternoon as my favorite Al Pacino performance, and a contender for my all time top 10 films. Seeing the real life John Wojtowicz and his recounting of his life is hilarious and further illuminates an already great flick. Where a flick like Supermensch fails in delving deep into its subject, The Dog goes farther than you’d expect. Hearing John recount stories about sleeping with almost everyone he comes in contact with at any given moment is strange and revealing, but I found myself laughing at this guy for most of the movie. I think you could see him as a sad individual, but I see him more as an opportunistic, horny douchebag, which I think was the point.
Gone Girl – Rating 7/10
Gone Girl is one of the best books I’ve read in years, undoubtedly. That being said, the book totally ruined my experience with the movie. Much like The Usual Suspects, when you know what’s going to happen, this entire story loses its’ appeal. The themes of a power struggle in a marriage and gender roles are fascinating, and will have me revisiting this flick at least one more time, but this story is so reliant upon the plot and where it goes that, again, knowing where that path leads diminishes the final result for me. I think the performances are great, the direction is fantastic and the music is creepy as fuck, but I just don’t think it all comes together that well.
Nightcrawler – Rating 7/10
Take 1 part Taxi Driver, 1 part Network and 1 part Drive, put in a blender and mix for 30 seconds and you would get Nightcrawler. Now you would think that taking three films that I would rank as 10 out of 10 would make an amazing movie, but that proves to not be the case here. Gyllenhaal is great here again, as he was in Enemy, but I think the script isn’t near dark enough and the filmmaking reveals way too much in the beginning of the story. Worth a watch, just don’t expect it to be the second coming of Christ.
Tusk – Rating 7/10
Love it or hate it, you can’t call Tusk unoriginal. Sure, part of the plot is a psuedo-Human Centipede rehash, but beyond that the strange, almost comedic nature of the flick is something, like Red State before it, wildly different than what we’re used to. I can see this being a movie most people would hate, but thankfully I’m not one of those people. I’m happy this is the trajectory that Kevin Smith’s filmmaking is taking and I can’t wait for his next horror film, whenever that may be. While a lot of people are giving a certain A-list actor some shit for doing this role, I thought it was the most original thing he’s done in the last eight years, something that I really want to see more of. Now if I could just find me one of those walrus suits on Amazon…
The Lego Movie – Rating 8/10
Another splendid surprise, The Lego Movie went way beyond what anyone expected it to and has now launched an entire Lego movie-franchise. While that annoys me, I can’t deny how much fun I had with The Lego Movie. The same creative time that brought us 22 Jump Street made this as well, and to be honest the self-referential humor almost works better here. Of course, the fact that Batman is a main character definitely helps, and the great Chris Pratt makes this whole thing work flawlessly. A great family film but also hilarious for those of us who only own a cat (aka me).
Jodorowsky’s Dune – Rating 8/10
Without question my favorite documentary of the year, Jodorowsky’s Dune gives us insight into the Mexican filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky’s failed Dune project. Seeing him recount their journey to make the film so passionately serves to reveal so much about the whole reason for making a movie worth fighting for and pure artistic expression. We hear from people like Nicholas Winding Refn and H.R. Giger about the film and the massive storyboard book they created for it (which I hope gets released for sale someday). The scale of the thing was gigantic, with Pink Floyd coming on to score music and guys like Orson Welles and Salvador Dali signing on in key roles. This would have been an amazing film to watch, if maybe not a hugely successful or entertaining one. The most interesting aspect, however, is the sequence near the end of the film where they show you sequences from the storyboard that were clearly borrowed and used on other films such as Contact, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars. Great stuff across the board, highly recommended.
Captain America The Winter Soldier – Rating 8/10
I’m a mark for Marvel flicks, plain and simple. I was never a big comic book fan but these movies give me what I want from them on a regular basis. Some of the flicks are better than others, as we’ll even see later in this list, but I am not yet bored of the constant super hero saturation (although I’m sure that’s coming soon). Cap 2 was a solid, low-level action flick for most of the runtime. While there were large set-pieces, I like the down-and-dirty style of the Cap and his brand of fighting. Hand-to-hand, bashing-with-a-shield style stuff isn’t given the credit it deserves. I like how they’ve further informed Steve Rogers as a character and the inclusion of Robert Redford got me excited. I love the guy and the fact that he signed up for this gives the flick some added credibility. While this does end with a giant air battle, I still think that the espionage angle they took with this is a welcome change of pace from even the first flick.
Guardians of the Galaxy – Rating 8/10
Talk about a surprise hit, Guardians kicked all sorts of ass. You have the previously mentioned Chris Pratt, a possibly-autistic superhero named Drax, a solid female lead played by Zoe Saldana and two fucking CGI characters that are a talking raccoon and a tree. If anything, those last two characters are a gigantic middle-finger to guys like Michael Bay in the way that those characters are fully realized and written well. Even Groot, with his three/four word vocabulary displays a wide range of emotions. Couple that with the fact that this is pretty much a modern reworking of Star Wars and I’m sold. Bring on part 2.
John Wick – Rating 8/10
Where movies like The Expendables franchise have no idea how to stage or create quality action scenes, John Wick is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Wick knows EXACTLY how to put together amazing, low-budget action scenes with finesse, quality and hint of old-school cheese. While this won’t be an all-time favorite film, it’s probably the best Dad-flick I’ve ever seen, delivering on what it promises in spades by the end. Keanu could turn this into a franchise, but I hope he doesn’t. I’d love to see him do more work like this, as I think he’s do for a nice little resurgence as a leading action hero, just not a sequel. They do everything so well here that it doesn’t need to be revisited or re-evaluated. The world the film creates is simple and, in a way elegant in its own simplicity. You get enough information to know who is who, what is what, and why is why, and that’s it. Few films can trim the fat and still deliver a great product as effectively as John Wick.
Interstellar – Rating 8/10
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 1000 times: Interstellar was better in 1967 when it was called 2001: A Space Odyssey. I know I’ve been harping on this, but if you’ve seen Interstellar and love it please see 2001! It is the far better film and delves into identical themes, plot points and structure. I can’t really fault Nolan, though for emulating a film that he has admitted as being a primary source of inspiration for his entire career. McCounaghaids knocks it out of the park in a simple but gloriously understated role, and the human factor here in his relationship with Murphy is really touching stuff. I got to see this on 70mm Imax, and I have to admit this was an astounding piece of work. The wormhole sequence was one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen in a movie theater and certainly helped immerse me in the experience. But seriously though, 2001 was better.
Playing for the Mob – Rating 8/10
Any movie that makes Goodfellas even more fascinating gets high marks in my book, and Playing for the Mob does just that. Much like The Dog, hearing the real-life Henry Hill speak and interact with old friends/enemies is hilarious and odd. While Henry was in witness protection for a long time, by the time they shot this documentary he clearly gave no fucks about who knew where he was and what he was doing. His hilarious idiocy drives the story, and by association some aspects of the documentary. This is a solid 30 for 30 documentary about a guy who in reality was much different from the way he was portrayed on screen, and for that reason alone this documentary is a must see.
Foxcatcher – Rating 9/10
If there’s anyone who had doubts about the acting chops of Tanning Chatum, here comes the flick to give that sentiment a staunch middle finger. Foxcatcher is, to me at least, the year’s best adult drama. Focusing on the strange, dark story of Olympic wrestlers Dave and Mark Schultz and their benefactor John DuPont, Foxcatcher might be the year’s most tense film. Without doing much, Steve Carell completely sells his role as the very clearly emotionally and mentally disturbed DuPont so well that even simple scenes where he is around become endlessly more scary and keep you on the absolute edge of your seat. The juxtaposition of the quieter scenes acting as counter-point to the louder intensity of the wrestling practice sessions and matches really disorient you and make the film all the more unsettling. Foxcatcher is the kind of movie that we all wish for come this time of year, something that combines great performances, excellent direction and an engrossing story into a great little film.
Boyhood – Rating 9/10
After all the mixed reviews from everyone else on this goddamn website, I squeezed in Boyhood as a last minute addition to my yearly flicks, and boy(hood) am I glad I did. This movie hits on such a broad range of emotions and subtlety that I’m in awe of it. When I was growing up, I had a similar childhood in some ways to this kid, so the smaller moments and little things that happened throughout such as little looks and the way conversations slowly turn a certain way were, to me, executed perfectly. While at times the kid was a little empty, I think the gimmick works really well as unique vessel to tell a story about the type of family lots of people have. I found myself relating to almost all of the lead characters at one point or another, and I liked how Linklater stuck to his guns throughout and gave us something truly unique. I happily give this a 9/10.
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Rating 9/10
There’s only one word to describe this flick, and it is delightful. I love Wes Anderson, and here he is at the very top of his game. I think that sometimes filmmakers reach an apex of their career where absolutely every piece of their craft is at its pinnacle. I believe this film to be Anderson’s apex. The characters, storytelling, acting and direction all come together to form an absolutely delightful movie full of comedic gold and wonderful characters. With time this may become a perfect 10, but for now I’m sticking with a 9.
Chef – Rating 9/10
Back in the day, some of the most popular films around were being directed by a guy named Frank Capra. You know him as the director of It’s A Wonderful Life, but he also made a series of feel-good stories about normal people in tough situations who find a way to come out on top. In fact, for you film students, Frank Capra is often listed as Steven Spielberg’s favorite film director. Chef is a throwback to Frank Capra with a modern twist. By the end of Chef, and this is a mild spoiler, but things work out almost too well. But you know what, what’s wrong with that once in a while? This is a story about a man passing on his craft to his son, and I can’t think of a more noble and genuine story to tell. Plus, the food seen in this film looks straight up ILLEGAL. I’ve never seen a grilled cheese look so amazing, and am forever inadequate for having seen it.
X-Men Days of Future Past – Rating 9/10
I won’t say much here, as we’ve already covered this in the podcast, but X-Men gave me what I wanted from it. Nothing more, nothing less.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Rating 9/10
Despite everything else that came out this year, this was without question the best blockbuster. While Guardians and X-Men were fantastic in the standard comic-book ways, Dawn was great in terms of it being a standalone film. I absolutely loved the struggle of Caesar knowing what is right and wrong, but having to do what is necessary in spite of it. Andy Serkis is simply incredible in the part, and I have to admit that this is one of the only times where I feel special effects are enhancing the storytelling. The minutiae of ape communication and how it works is incredible and serves the story particularly well. The casting across the board works flawlessly and the morality of the actions is fantastic. Dawn is a film I will revisit for a long time.
Birdman – Rating 10/10
My only perfect 10 on the year, Birdman is everything you want and more. I don’t want to spoil a thing here, but Keaton is amazing, the cinematography is incredible and the story rings especially true given all the comic-book films we see each year. There’s no way to discuss this film without spoiling it, so I’ll leave this as the absolute best film I’ve seen this year, an instant classic for me and a nice return to form for Keaton. See it now.
Hope I didn’t lose too many of you on the way here but I figured I’d give everyone a nice, concise recap. Now, I haven’t had an opportunity to see a bunch of shit, from Big Hero 6 to The Imitation Game to Whiplash, hence this not being a “top-anything” list, just a recap. I hope everyone has a good New Year and, as always, Binge On!
As always happens, I’ve been floored by a new BingeCast recommendation. Black Mirror is one of the most fresh new shows I’ve seen in a long time. I don’t really consider the bad side of technology much at all. Hell, I’m studying to work in the industry and I constantly advocate for more and better ways to utilize current technologies. Black Mirror has me second guessing that line of thought. I’ve gotta say, after having gotten through the first series, episode 1 was probably the most affecting of the bunch thus far. I love the moral confusion put on display by the Prime Minister, his staff and the country at large in response to what happens. Episode 2, dealing with some sort of dystopian prison/work house was also really fantastic storytelling, even if I felt like the end was a little convenient. Episode 3 was fantastic, showing a concept that on its own could be its own series. All in all, a great series that I’m thoroughly enjoying, high marks so far.
Yes, that’s right, once again we run the AFC East. It’s always great to go to a game, but it’s much sweeter when, given a shitty first half, our boys come out and beat the fuck out of our opponent. It’s that much better when it’s a divisional rival, especially one that rather consistently has our number in their own house. Condolences for crushing Dolphins fans playoff hopes for the year, but it’s Gillette fucking Stadium. If we lose there, it’s a fluke. Doesn’t matter how it gets done, if Brady throws 4 TDs or the ground game gets unleashed. I will say, though, Brandon Browner is pissing me right the fuck off. The guy draws a flag from farting in the direction of a ref and I think at this point they’re just sending him a message. I’m ont arguing that he didn’t commit those penalties, but he has to be smarter going forward. Also, Gronk catch ball, Gronk score, pants dropped. All in a great Sunday, wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Almost through the December insanity, I’m a little over a week away from being done with it for the year. This time of year is taxing for everyone, but combine final exams with the entire weight of a small business in its busiest week of the year and you get the idea. Keep an eye out soon for my Year in Review article, and as always, Binge On!