Svetlana and I are pretty obsessed with Netflix. I take the slightly more OCD route though by rating all my movies (between 1 and 5 stars) and rearranging my queue on an hourly basis. I will often berate her for giving odd ratings: "5 stars out of 5 for The Descent? Really?" She doesn't care. I also send a lot of "notes" to friends, a Netflix feature that allows you to suggest movies to your friends via an up to 200 character mini review. Svetlana wishes I would channel all my Netflix energy into BYT. So at her request every once in a while I'll post some of my mini-reviews from the past 4+ years, ten or so at a time. Feel free to give me shit like I give her shit:
Together
Goofy Swedish film about a leftist hippie group home in the early 70s. Satirical but sweet, provocative but funny, with great performances and an excellent soundtrack - an absolute must see.
5 Stars
Die Hard With a Vengeance
Loner McClane gets Sam Jackson for a buddy, and for the most part it works. Not as clever as part 1, more preposterous than part 2, terrible supporting cast, and 15 min too long, but still enjoyable.
3 Stars
Special
This no budget indie superhero parody has a great premise, but after 82 min it grows a bit tiresome and is kind of a downer. Fine for a lazy Sunday watch instantly tho.
3 Stars
Funny People
Apatow + Sandler sounds like my least fav movie ever, but this was really great. A perfect blend of tones and an uncredited edit by Paul Thomas Anderson elevated this above it's self aware dick jokes.
4 Stars
The Foot Fist Way
Like a dress rehearsal for Eastbound & Down with McBride doing exactly the same shtick he always does. But he does it so well, who cares? Plenty scenes fall flat, but worth it for the great moments.
3 Stars
Gerry
If you want to watch an hour and 40 min of Damon and Affleck getting lost and walking around a pretty desert landscape in silence, go for it. Or just say you did and not actually have to be bored.
2 Stars
Oldboy
I'm only giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because I don't think anyone could actually "love" this movie. One of the most fucked up films I've ever seen. Bloody brilliant tho.
4 Stars
Tokyo!
この映画はよく、奇妙である! 部2は私の好みである! 涼しい人に匹敵すれば、映画を楽しむ!
4 Stars
Paper Heart
Mixing the doc and mock together is a great idea, but only the real stuff really works here. I still haven't tired of the Cera shtick yet, but the awkwardness explosion may be too much for some.
3 Stars
The New World
At times it is gorgeous to look at and beautifully acted, but as the hours tick by the editing becomes more and more aimless until you just become numb to it all and want to go watch cartoons.
3 Stars
Wanna be my Netflix friend? Click here:
http://www.netflix.com/BeMyFriend/PmzrQcDhoaLYHM0oKBu0
Check out One Second Movie Reviews Part 17 here:
http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/movies/one-second-movie-reviews-part-17/
Wanna know what's going to be avail to steam on Netflix? Check these guys out:
http://www.streamingsoon.com/
Also check out this cool article on nytimes.com that Svet found where you can click on DC and then scroll through movies to see what neighborhoods rented them:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/01/10/nyregion/20100110-netflix-map.html?hp
God loves a cheerful giver.
"walking around a pretty desert landscape in silence" ..but what about "make me a dirt mattress, I'm rock-marooned" the dialogue is sparse but good.
technically it was a 2.5, but I rounded down.
Oldboy was excellent.
Also interesting:
The Caller.
There is a re-make of OLDBOY being made. Will Smith is playing the lead.
Also Gangster No. 1. Check it out.
@Elizabethreat!
Actually, that doesn't seem to be happening anymore:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldboy#Other_adaptations
Cale, I still demand you move Thirst to a higher position on your Netflix queue.
Brief Encounter - David Lean directed this bittersweet romance. Doesn't stand the test of time, was probably more emotional in 1946. 3 stars
Yi Yi - A critical darling focuses on three generations of a Taiwanese family. Pleasant but overlong. 3 stars.
Outrage - Kirby Dick accuses Charlie Crist of being in the closet. Solid documentary on the political hypocrisy. 4 stars.
Trumbo - Documentary about blacklisted screenwriters, featuring A-list actors reading his letters. Surprisingly engaging, often funny. 4 stars.
Becket - Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole star in this historical epic. With interesting dynamics and amazing acting, the hours fly by. 4 stars (almost 5)
Lorna's Silence - The Dardenne brothers make another sympathetic story about pathetic Belgians. Not as powerful as The Son or The Child. 3 stars
La Strada - I continue my look back at Fellini. Anthony Quinn is great as the brutish strong man. 4 stars.
Creation - Takes Darwin's story and morphs it into a tedious family drama. 2 stars.
Grace - Disturbing little horror movie about an undead stillborn baby who craves human flesh. Not for the queasy. 3 stars (almost 4)
Done.
All these have been at the top of my queue since they were avail, yet the Blu-Rays have had a long wait and I haven't gottten any of them for like weeks now. Starting to get annoyed...
The Hurt Locker
Family Guy: Something, Something, Something, Dark Side
The Hangover
Moon
Inglourious Basterds
Thank Goodness! That would have been a massacre.
i hate when they take fooorrevverr to send me a new release movie. ive been waiting for weeks to see inglorious bastards. there's a good trick to send your movie out on saturday to pretty much guarantee you get the new tuesday release, but if you forget to do that, welcome to my boat.
The worst is that I'm paying EXTRA for bluray service yet being punished by having to wait longer. Shouldn't it balance out and be the same? I was going to meail and complain but you can't email customer service anymore and I'm too lazy to call.
Also Alan & Michael, please weigh in on Gerry.
I agree with you on Gerry. Van Sant is a talented director, but his Out There projects are often more tedious than anything else. I liked Elephant, didn't like Gerry or Last Days. Paranoid Park was ok.
For Van Sant's Paranoid Park I just have one thing to say....Shower scene was amazing.
http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/movies/writing-is-fundamental-a-review-of-paranoid-park/
also, in lieu of last days: http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/movies/film-review-about-a-son/