Buttered Popcorn: Buzzmans Movie Review Thread Part II

[Buzzman]

Prince Avalanche (2013)



David Gordon Green took a weird career turn. After making a handful of slow independent dramas and being hailed as a possible next-generation Terrance Malick, but then he took an unexpected career turn when he pumped out Pineapple Express, Your Highness and The Sitter. His interests seemed to weigh in for weird popcorn comedy that was a head scratcher for many. It was such a drastic turn in his career, but after getting that out of his system, he finds a very nice balance of both worlds here with Prince Avalanche.

The setup for the film follows Alvin (Rudd) as he gets a job as a road worker and has a favor to his girlfriend, gets her brother Lance (Hirsch) a job with him. There job is to paint the lanes on a single country road and put up reflector sticks to show the side of the road to night drivers. Not much else goes on here physically. Whilst on the job, the two form a manly bond that tests each other in different ways. They have a bunch of laughs together, they cannot stand to be around the other at times, and learn that they have their own flaws holding them down. It’s a very charming look into these two characters lives at a time when they are probably at their most interesting. One of the more surprising aspects were just how funny they managed to make this while never sacrificing heart. It comes so naturally between the characters, you don’t realize how much you’re laughing at times. I don’t know how I feel about the ending of this film, which feels like it’s deeper than it is, but I may have missed it. Everything that comes before it though is a joy.

Also visually, this film is very beautiful to look at. For a small indie comedy, some parts of the film feel a bit unattached to the rest of the film, but focuses on the surrounding. It gives itself over to the woods and environment and helps establish it and why Alvin treasures this time at hand bit more. In a different kind of role, Paul Rudd initially plays the routine character, but throughout reveals different bits to him that is enjoyable. He plays this mentor type to Lance. Emile Hirsch as the brother was a dumb fun idiot that is awesome to watch. His antics are so weird, he feels a bit retarded in a good way. These two make up the cast of the movie and do a great job.

This may be a film you haven’t heard of, but it’s one you should seek out. It’s a very nice return to form for David Gordon Green and helps you remember that you really do like Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch. A few duds from them kind of made them forgettable. This may not have been the year for blockbusters many have wanted, but the indie market is kicking just fine. This is just another addition to an already strong list and we haven’t even got into the bulk on indie darlings yet.

Overall Score: 8.5/10

[Buzzman]

Drinking Buddies is solid, but it coulda used some more of something. It felt like it lacked something to make it great, so it's just plain ol' good.

I have no problem with that. What was your opinion on Ron Livingston? I have found that the 2 other people who loved the film similar as I did, really enjoyed his character and we all couldn't give an exact reason why. Hes the least prominent of the four characters, but I just enjoyed his approach with having to deal with Olivia Wilde.

[dell71]

Prince Avalanche (2013)

Very cautiously looking forward to seeing this. I thought Pineapple Express, Your Highness and The Sitter all sucked and if he wants to be the next Terence Malick count me out because I don't like the first one. Still, I've heard enough good things about it to make me curious.

[Buzzman]

Don Jon (2013)



I walked into this thinking it was going to be a charming romantic comedy in the same vein as 500 Days of Summer where Don Jon is a playboy who lives life one night at a time until he meets the girl of his dreams. That it was not. It’s a much more raunchy film that focuses on addiction, appearance, and loneliness. It‘s a fresh new look into a form addiction, with this being pron. I’ve seen sex addicts, but never specifically porn. Its decision to focus on Don Jon and rarely stray away into other characters allows the film to really develop him as a character, but sometimes seems to forget about its other characters. Ultimately, it’s a nice solid directional debut that shows a lot of promise for future work that comes.

When we are first introduced to Don Jon, he’s giving a real dirty voice-over describing his life through a few words: his body, his pad, his ride, his family, his church, his boys, his girls, and his porn. Does it really shock you that he’s also a Jersey Shore looking meathead? It’s really a character that shouldn’t be much more than one-dimensional and on the surface, that is true. It shows his routine that he goes about and it initially is interesting but it becomes a bit tedious to watch the repetition occur on screen. We understand pretty quickly about what this guy does on a daily basis, so the initial scenes were enough to get the point across. His life turns upside down when he meets the woman of his dreams. His routine is disrupted and most importantly, his porn addiction is halted. For Don Jon, porn is better than sex itself. He lives in this fantasy where the women do whatever they want for him without any effort on his end. In doing so, he cuts himself off from reality and limits the ability to connect physically with someone, despite the appearance of living the dream. The concept to accomplish this was fine, but the execution might not have been as strong as it tried to be. The repetition was too heavy and a curious turn in the third act feels a little bit unearned. I enjoyed what the act tried to do, but it felt a little too forced, making it seem like a disconnect from the rest of the movie.

Joseph Gordon Levitt plays an absolute douche bag. He looks the part, sounds the part, and becomes the part, but he’s such a likeable guy you still never completely hate it like the movie seems to have wanted. I strain to think if he ever plays the full-on villain soon. In a very surprising turn, Scarlet Johansson plays a very against type character. She is despicable, dirty, whorish, and straight unlikable. She played the role in a fun way and turned in some nice work. The real question mark Is Julianne Moore. I expect people to like this movie based upon how much they like her character. She doesn’t ever really fit in, but effects the movie in such a large fashion. Tony Danza plays an older clone of Don Jon, but doesn’t come off as funny as he thought he was, and an on-going joke with Brie Larson becomes tiresome and a big waste of her talents. A lesser known would have worked better in her role.

Don Jon is a solid well-made movie all around film that looks fresh, new, and shiny, but lacks some of the emotional punch to make it great. It is a very easy recommendation, but if you go in expecting too much, I’d say there is a good chance disappointment waits. I look forward to what JGL goes from here and whether he can build upon a solid foundation he has achieved the first go-around.

Overall Score: 7.5/10

[Buzzman]

You’re Next (2013)



You’re Next is the exact kind of horror film that I tend to enjoy. It’s a group of people trapped in small environment being tormented by human killers. The real problem comes when those killers turn out to be some form of supernatural entity, jumping all over the place that clearly makes it a movie. The obvious comparison to You’re Next would be The Strangers with more bloodshed but the real parallel comes from The Last House on the Left; a movie where the victims, after being tormented, flip the switch and become the aggressors. With a few different scenarios and a less is more approach, You’re Next could have been amazing, but disappointingly settles into that alright territory.

The film opens up gathering the family into this vacation home of sorts to celebrate the anniversary of their parents. This segment does a nice job of establishing what kind of tropes these characters will fall into and kind of give you a blueprint as to who will last longer than the rest. As the family sits at the kitchen table bickering, an arrow comes through the window and the massacre begins. It’s a very effect scene that creates this chaotic atmosphere in which the characters respond with the appropriate response, but that quickly escalates into stupidity. The characters decide to play stupid, make dumbfounded choices that lead to singular deaths one by one until the large family ceases to exist. It’s very disappointing to see just how stupid everyone kind of is in this film, including the killers on the outside. A lot of problems could have been avoided, but then the movie wouldn’t be a movie and the audience wouldn’t be scared. A key example are the masks the killers where. They may be flashy for the film, but the slits in the eyes are so small and narrow, they have trouble looking around. It’s actually kind of funny to watch. The motive behind the massacre is pure disenjoyment and when you have a reason; it all doesn’t seem as cool as it was before. Not to get completely negative, I did love the use of camera and sound in the film. The killers looked huge, invincible, machines that give the impression that everyone else is powerless, that is except one. It’s a bit cliché to just happen to have a woman trained for this to be there, but it’s needed, otherwise the movie would be ten minutes long. It just did so many things that took me out of the film that as the minutes went on, its quality kept dropping.

I don’t expect the world out of the actors in horro films. In fact, a lot of the times terrible acting suits the film better and makes it funny, but there is some atrocious acting here from a handful of actors that will go unnamed due to spoilers because they involve the third act of the movie. Its cringe-worthy. Sharni Vinson plays the relentless survivor and does a good job when the script doesn’t have her going full-on B-film. She’s more than serviceable around some of these others. My favorite part was Joe Swanberg, who just cracks a ton of mean jokes that work well to get you involved into the movie. It’s nothing too big, but it stands out even weeks later after seeing it.

This is a film where years of hype essentially destroyed it. If you haven’t followed it very long, Id be curious to see your opinion, because I was waiting nearly two years, and it never really had a chance. I was expecting it to be a bit smarter and violent, but it fits in pretty well with the more cheesy horror films of the genre. It’s doesn’t stand out a whole lot and its one of my biggest disappointments of the year.

Overall Score: 6.5/10

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

I saw You're Next and didn't get what the hype was about.

After I finished watching it, I felt exactly how I did after watching The Cabin in the Woods.

[Buzzman]

I saw You're Next and didn't get what the hype was about.

After I finished watching it, I felt exactly how I did after watching The Cabin in the Woods.

Yea, it was a very paint by numbers horror film, but I could imagine enjoying it a lot more had it been released years ago and see so many people hold it like some sort of horror gem. I don't get how its some sort of gem when it doesn't do anything remotely original. Cabin in the Woods I would disagree with you if the ending had been better, but that ending kills that movie for me.

[Buzzman]

The World’s End (2013)



I have been a huge fan of the makers of this unofficial trilogy featuring Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, and was very excited to see it come to a close with World’s End. I was a little thrown back to see it feature yet another end of the world scenario, but when done correctly, this setting is a fun one to have. The World’s End does some really fun things, but ultimately feels too familiar to make as much of an impact as the ones that came before it.

This time, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost play friends in a group of young adults who drifted apart as they grew up. When one of the characters rallies the gang back together to finish a drinking marathon that failed at earlier, things start to kick into gear. Hopping from bar to bar, the people seem strange, and when confronted are revealed to be robots. Bear in mind these have to be the cheapest robots ever made. A single punch or pull can tear them apart, leaving you blue in the face. It’s really absurd. This entire concept of the film feels unneeded and you could have accomplished the same themes with a simpler story. It feels too big scale, with little thought put into the actual robots of the town. In the middle of the battle with the robots, the groups of guys slowly reveal their faults throughout the night and learn to fix them amidst all the chaos. It’s my favorite part because they seem to play against type from the first two films and seems to achieve a little more heart, but then the giant sci-fi elements force their way into the conflict and pull you away. Its ending too brings into question whether anything was really learned, but at that point, it’s already lost its disinterested viewers.

Simon Pegg as Gary is funny. He’s a bit of an unlikeable asshole, but the other characters come off a bit worse to make you like Gary more. Nick Frost really goes against grain and essentially plays it straight face the entire film and his interactions with Pegg feel less fun because his character doesn’t want to have fun. He’s too bitter. Throw in some of the side characters you may see as recognizable faces such as Martin Freeman, Eddie Marsan, Paddy Considine, and Rosamound Pike and the rest of the cast is pretty solid. They provide a few chuckles, but for the most part feel like characters that are ripped right from the first two.

It’s a movie that just feels all too familiar. I feel that had this come first, my enjoyment of it might have been a bit higher, but it didn’t and so it pays the price. It’s a decent time killer, but ultimately brings a disappointing send-off to the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy. If they somehow make a fourth, I’ll be right there, ready and willing, but this feels like a big miss in my books.

Overall Score: 6/10

[Buzzman]

Gravity (2013)



As the film begins, you hear nothing as the camera reveals a view of earth from space. There is utter silence as the camera pans to reveal the space shuttle comes into view and astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) drifts by as he floats around the satellite that Dr Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is repairing. This opening shot sets the pace for the rest of the film and solidifies many great things to come. It’s an uncut thirteen minute scene that flows without friction and changes its tone in an instant. It feels like a remarkable achievement in cinema and I’m amazed it never stumbled afterwards. After you set such a scene, it feels like it could only go down from there.

After the initial catastrophe, the two astronauts get stuck in space, with little oxygen, no immediate escape in sight, and an even longer journey ahead. Now one think that it would get a bit repetitive of constant obstacles hitting them over and over again just when they thought they were safe would get repetitive, but they manage to make each scene feel so much different than the one before it. It’s constantly moving, very rarely getting a chance to breathe. The very few times it lets you, its jarring how much you needed a breather, yet still cringe at what will come next. It’s a very complex film made from a simple story that feels like anything you’ve seen before. It’s a movie that showcases exactly why you love cinema in the first place.

The film only features two characters throughout its runtime. I have never been a fan of Sandra Bullock at all. I just think she plays the same character, and plays it poorly. That said, she is great as Dr Stone. She shows off an emotional range she hasn’t shown before. She’s terrified amidst all the chaos, tries to keep a straight head, and does what she needs to survive. As the lead, she turns in a dynamite performance. Not to overshadowed, George Clooney might have done a better job. Considering most of the film is from Bullocks POV, all Clooney has is his voice. He’s in a few shots, but mainly is just talking Stone through it, calming and relaxing her. He does is with such ease and when shit hits the fan, the ferocity in his voice is commanding as ever. It’s a performance that will get overlooked, but is just as good as anything he’s done before. The amount of pressure they faced as the films only two characters was high and they threw a great one-two combination to blow you away.

Along with the acting, Alfonso Cuaron directs the shit out of this movie. I don’t know exactly how much was green screen, (I’m guessing 80% or more), but it flows so smoothly between the CGI and the live-action that I’ve never seen anything like it. It looks so amazing and the motion Cuaron achieves with the camera is insane. It floats around the scene as if it’s literally floating around in space and the constant POV shots add an extra layer to the chaos. He pulled off a visual stunner and the long production schedule is seen in every shot. When the film arrives in October, IMAX 3D is the only way to see it. This is a movie that was made to be seen in a theater that is as loud as possible. Not something you want to first witness at your home.

Overall Score: 9/10

[Buzzman]

Prisoners (2013)



There are many movies that want to glamour you with endless amounts of fluff. That could range from shootouts, explosions, and endless twists and turns. Prisoners goes against that traditional grain and consumes you with a long observational investigation that continues at a slow and delibrate pace. It rarely overlooks a single detail on its way to its conclusion, and while it hinders a bit from its own style, it mainly relishes in itself to become a daunting watch that drains you. It asks questions about yourself and lingers on the edge long enough shorten your breaths. It’s a thrilling movie, but not in the way you’d expect.

For such a slow film, it opens up pretty quickly. In a matter of minutes the two little girls are taken and the investigation to find out what happened to them begins. The introduction of Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) might be the films very best moment. It’s a very tense scene that is enhanced by the amazing cinematography that you will see throughout the film. It establishes the kind of film you should expect the rest of the way. Things don’t come and go. It lingers on and forces you to watch the violent acts a man would go through to save ones child. They are brutal, raw, and uncomfortable to watch; specifically when the man’s involvement in the abduction gets called into question. Morality of religion in relation to violence and vengeance along with mans shocking capability for cruelty in the service of imagined righteousness are asked and shown. It works even better when the film flips its perspective and you see the situation through the eyes of a determined detective that follows every lead, no matter how small, and mainly follows procedure with a very good sense of right and wrong. His side of the story is far less repetitive and given a different path than we’re used to. More mystery is presented, more things tend to happen, and his Detective Loki’s determination to solve the case paints him as a better character than Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman). In a way to not spoil anything, its conclusion helps the film become not what it seems, making for a hell of a finish.

Hugh Jackman as the determined raged induced father is really good here. Its some of his best work of his career, but he kind of plays it in one-note. It’s not exactly a bad thing, but we never get to see a different side of him. The film hints at things that could be going on inside his head but never follows through with much of it. I don’t disagree with people that praise Jackman, but I don’t go out of my way to defend him otherwise. The real star of the film is Jake Gyllenhaal as Detective Loki. He’s presented as a much more compelling character right from the start and just goes for it. His determination and tactful approach to any scenario had me glued to the screen waiting to see what he’s going to find next and which methods he would use. It was such a brilliant performance and may be the best I’ve seen all year. Jake Gyllenhaal may just be the most underappreciated actor working today. In smaller roles, Melissa Leo and Paul Dano don’t get a whole lot of screen time or much to do in them, but they feel like perfect casting notes. Specifically, Paul Dano, who does so much just by appearance and mannerisms.

Prisoners is a very dark, bleak look into an investigation that more than likely is going to end very badly. It never attempts to rush taking its time establishing characters, setting the story, and slowly revealing facts about the case until two hours have gone by and you still have thirty minutes left. It’s a little long, but what it manages to work in with that time feels very effective. It’s a movie that had built a good amount of hype and everyone involved must have come away feeling very proud of the final product. Its one of the year’s best movies.

Overall Score: 9/10

[SethMode]

I enjoy reading your reviews Buzzman, but the comma is a friend deserving of respect (and usage).

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

I've read a bunch of reviews for Gravity and I'm shocked its getting great reviews...didn't think it'd live up to the billing. Will definitely check it out at this point.

[Buzzman]

I enjoy reading your reviews Buzzman, but the comma is a friend deserving of respect (and usage).

Sometimes I re-read them to fix mistakes, other times I do not. Laziness is a bitch.

[albidnis]

Buzz I only see movies you suggest man..lol

[Buzzman]

Lone Survivor (2013)



There are many moments in film where a character is tested, dragged through living hell, and comes out of the turmoil a better man in-spite of it. They can consume that experience and shape it into something positive. For the four Navy SEALS sent in to assassinate an active Taliban, this is not one of those times. They are in a fight that should cost them their lives, but they fight with meticulous control, holding strong until help can arrive and bring them home. Peter Berg brings this true event to life in this harrowing two hour battle in hell.

The opening moments of Navy SEAL training, composed of frightening real stock footage, prepare you for what’s to come; you’d have a hard to believing some of the shit otherwise. It quickly briefs you with light backgrounds of the SEAL team members, but it’s enough to give you something to latch onto. The pacing here is very effective because while quick, fills it up with no filler. In no time, they are in the mountains of Afghanistan, moving forward with their mission. When the mission becomes compromised, the intense debate of right and wrong isn’t left to linger as a firefight begins. In the films strongest stretch, the four SEALs fight off an army of Taliban in what essentially mounts into a non-stop action piece for forty-five minutes. It’s very impressive and really adds to the claustrophobic, frantic adrenaline that they all feel. You can barely get off a breathe before more bullets begin flying and when all hope is lost, these men keep going. Somehow. Someway. They fight. Death feels like a pleasurable sight in light of what vicious violence they endure. So much so, a fight nearly as big to conclude the film feels tame. Coming off an adrenaline high, trying to take in what you’ve witnessed, it’s cool down between attacks is much-needed before thrusting you back into its finale.

The four SEALs are played by Taylor Kitch, Ben Foster, Emile Hirsch, and Mark Whalberg. A lot of people wrote off Kitch from his blockbuster failures from the previous year, but the dude shows off talent we all saw from him in Friday Night Lights. As Lieutenant Michael Murphy, he excels as competitive personality fixed on practicality. It crucially comes into to play at the films turning point. We’ve all said Ben Foster needs to be given better roles, and he finally gets one of them. He’s great as expected, creating complexity on very simple tropes. Emile Hirsch turns in a surprisingly against type badass. He takes the worst of it all and all three of these guys connect very easily with the audience and become the characters they are playing. The questionable one comes from Whalberg himself. I enjoy him and most of his movies, but theres never any doubt, that’s Whalberg. He doesn’t act; he plays himself. That is no different here. His role is the film’s most important and you never entirely invest in him because of that fact.

It’s a great movie that could’ve left you emotionally crushed, but falls a bit short come credits. Thy four of them combine to make a great ensemble and do justice to a story worth telling. Had a better caliber actor been cast in Whalbergs role, it might’ve been fighting for the best of the year, but settling for a top fifteen film is a good consolation prize. Let’s hope Hollywood responds to Lone Survivor well enough to trust Peter Berg to makes the films he wants rather than forcing him to make shit like Battleship first. It was well worth it though.

Overall Score: 8.5/10