movies

Silver Linings Playbook

“This is what I learned at the hospital. You have to do everything you can, you have to work your hardest, and if you do, if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining.”

I love the book, and was shocked how coherently Russell turned it into a script; it’s a really good movie, but like all of his recent films doesn’t have any bite, while I can appreciate the craftsmanship of someone who has a fully-formed idea of what he wants and delivers on it, I’m just not quite on his resonant frequency.

★★★★✩

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.”
Motto of Life Magazine

Spectacular, in every sense; like books I think you can see movies at just the right time to change your life and this is definitely one from that category, beautiful and memorable.

★★★★✩

End of Watch

“By law I am unable to walk away. I am a consequence. I am the unpaid bill. I am fate with a badge and a gun. Behind my badge is a heart like yours. I bleed, I think, I love, and yes, I can be killed. And although I am but one man, I have thousands of brothers and sisters who are the same as me. They will lay down their lives for me, and I them. We stand watch together. The thin-blue-line, protecting the prey from the predators, the good from the bad. We are the police.”

Expertly made, you really feel like you’re alongside these guys and the tension in some scenes had me holding my breath (which is rare); for a film shot ‘handheld’ it still manages to be beautiful and extremely visually interesting even if everything looks washed out in the hazy LA sun.

★★★★✩

Blue Jasmine

“Can you please not fight in here? I don’t think I can take it. For some reason, my Xanax isn’t kicking in.”

One of Woody Allen’s better films, it’s a black dramedy about a woman suffering a psychotic break with only the appearance of holding it together.

★★★★✩

Prisoners

“Pray for the best, but prepare for the worst.”

A mediocre story well told by the director and actors, makes an average revenge thriller something pretty interesting.

★★★★✩