There's No Place Like Home

There's No Place Like Home

2012
★★ Watched

Frat bro Tobey Maguire annoys everyone so much that they eventually do what he wants them to do.

About as in-depth as that sounds...

3 Stolen Cameras

3 Stolen Cameras

2017
★★★★★ Watched

First and foremost is that this short documentary manages to encapsulate the 40-year struggle of the Western Saharan people to gain independence and their human rights from the Moroccan occupation.

Secondly, it is a beautifully succinct piece of filmmaking. By focusing on the experience of smuggling, hiding, and losing cameras - and then having stolen cameras used against them - the filmmakers construct a snapshot of modern activism and the impact these opposing lenses have.

Please watch and spread it round:
http://www.3stolencameras.com/the-film/

Untold: The Rise and Fall of AND1

Untold: The Rise and Fall of AND1

2022
★★★ Liked Watched

I can't lie, I still blame those shitty early trainers for tearing my ankle ligaments.

Some great footage and ridiculous early 2000's nostalgia for me, but this could've taken a much harder look at the founders of the company and what they really stood for.

Slam

Slam

1998
★★★★½ Liked Rewatched

One of my favourite ever films. I haven't watched it for years but it still hits me hard. Documentary, musical, polemic, love story all mix to produce a powerful drama.

Some stylistic quirks show its age, but I love them.

Morvern Callar

Morvern Callar

2002
★★★ Liked Watched 1

Lynne Ramsay is smashing at putting things on screen and making them look good. She's also nae bad at drawing out the perfect visual moments and soundtrack to complement her characters' experiences.

Unfortunately, none of that helped me care much at all.

Predator

Predator

1987
★★★★½ Liked Rewatched

John McTiernan and Donald McAlpine flatten the space, obscure our and the characters' views, and make so much of what we can see hazy. The feeling of being cramped and disoriented is perfect and brilliantly thought out.

Carl Weathers and Bill Duke are great. Jesse Ventura delivers one of the all-time action movie lines. And this is arguably the most convincing Arnie would ever be.

The film is a solid 4 until the final showdown elevates the whole thing.

Cop Land

Cop Land

1997
★★★★ Liked Rewatched

Not as intense as I remember, but I was but a child when I first watched it. I still like the slow burn, neo western approach, and there are some unholy, entertaining line reads here. Ray Liotta is in full Liotta mode.

Da Yie

Da Yie

2019
★★★½ Liked Watched 2

Being perhaps a little generous with my rating, but it's probably worthy of it.

Thought provoking short, beautifully shot, but lacking in originality.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

2019
★★★★★ Liked Watched 1

Direct and imbued with intent from the beginning. Even though it feels like it's definitely going somewhere, its every moment and emotion is better than expected.

Iconic images that aren't forced into your eyes, but instead exist purely to serve this beautiful story.

The subtle yet expansive range shown by the two leads is central to the effect, but this is incredibly well written, shot, and edited film.

One Cut of the Dead

One Cut of the Dead

2017
★★★★ Liked Watched 1

It's kind of immense in how it let's every character play out just enough to give them life and honesty, all the while bringing them together in cooperation in such a moving and funny way.

Do as I did, watching it having read very little about it, and you will be drawn in by the end, I promise.