MOVIES

Aside from my usual movie related posts, I will post some favorite movies here as I see them!

Whiplash

96% on Rotten Tomatoes

The comparisons to Full Metal Jacket are apt. J.K. Simmons is terrifying and brilliant as a demanding, sociopathic jazz professor at an elite school in New York, with Miles Teller as his prodigious pupil who is fighting to be great. The performances keep you on the edge of your seat and the lengths that the story goes to emotionally will have you exhausted by the end, but it's worth every tense second.

Snowpiercer

95% on Rotten Tomatoes

This is an action movie unlike anything you've seen lately. It revolves around the themes of class warfare and the fragility of our environment. The uniqueness of this particular story is that it is told entirely on a train, where the last of civilization and life exists. It is frenetic, twisty, and entirely unexpected. The visuals are incredible and it just feels so new. The cast is great, but Tilda Swinton really works her crazy magic.

Short Term 12

99% on Rotten Tomatoes

This lovely indie takes a look at the lives of foster children and does so beautifully. It shows so many different circumstances interweaved and it does every character justice. It is a wonderfully told story that takes its time and grows as you watch it. Brie Larson is a marvel.

Nebraska

92% on Rotten Tomatoes

I pretty much like everything that Alexander Payne does and this is no exception. Smart, snarky, and intimate, this is one of the most interesting character studies that you'll dive into this year. June Squibb is wildly hilarious which her unfiltered commentary on everything and Will Forte gives an impressively restrained performance that speaks louder than others might have.

American Hustle

92% on Rotten Tomatoes

This is so 70s. It just breathes tackiness and glitter. Amy Adams is ferocious and just tears apart the scenery. Each of the actors around her truly become their characters in the best way possible. It is hilarious, tense, and just moves with the soundtrack that's thumping underneath it. This is another great film by David O. Russell that I already cannot wait to see again.

Enough Said

96% on Rotten Tomatoes

This is a funny, touching, and wonderfully honest testament to love and the way we sabotage ourselves in our relationships. Gandolfini's last is so worth seeing and there is really no one better than the inimitable Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

The Way, Way Back

84% on Rotten Tomatoes

An excellent coming of age story that embraces the painfully funny akwardness of adolescence to make you laugh, cry, remember summers past, and feel like you belong. Plus Sam Rockwell and Cape Cod.

Star Trek Into Darkness

87% on Rotten Tomatoes
All I know about Star Trek I learned from J.J. Abrams' first foray into the franchise. The energy and excitement continues into the sequel with character development, twists that don't necessarily make enough sense, and a whole lotta lens flare.

Iron Man 3

78% on Rotten Tomatoes
Iron Man is best when he's flying by the seat of his pants, which is exactly what this gives you. So much fun to watch unfold. Thank god, it's a whole lot funnier than the trailers show and it has gravity without losing the essential Tony Stark humor.

Silver Linings Playbook

92% on Rotton Tomatoes
Intelligent, visceral, and perfectly performed. It's rare that you feel the heart in movies so completely. Cooper and Lawrence give superstar performances and De Niro finally finds his spark again.

Argo

96% on Rotten Tomatoes
I haven't really said it enough, but Argo was truly a fantastic movie. Having seen it a few times now, it hasn't become less exciting or less funny. Each time, I'm glued to the seat and completely invested. Affleck for president?

The Descendants

89% on Rotten Tomatoes

This is a movie that, despite the pain and hardships that are endured, feels like comfort food. Shailene Woodley gives a breakout performance and Clooney is at his best. This is just such an honest film from Payne.