A Vast Profitmaking Enterprise. The big division in films for me is whether it nourishes me or not. We build our lives from stories, lucidly if we are lucky. Films are the bath in which we rejuvenate — some films. All other film experiences are to be taken apart for profit, to tell me why… Continue reading Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Tag: 2010s
Films released in the 2010s
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
Not that Kind of Tailoring From time to time in these comments, I remark on my surprise at how sophisticated young viewers are, and how they demand ever more complex and subtle self-referential folds. It gives me pleasure to realise that my flower children cohort were and still are largely incapable of this level of… Continue reading Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
Kite (2014)
Raped This could have been a good movie. I’m particularly sensitive to the cinematic power of sexual exploitation — after all, that’s pretty close to much of the cinematic experience. And child molesting adds great power to the experience. Also, I like Manga’s sometimes honest approach to sexuality. Yes, it is mostly prurient but it… Continue reading Kite (2014)
Knight and Day (2010)
The True Power Source Some things work in spite of themselves. Like the Agency depicted, this film is its own worst enemy, clumsily shooting itself at random opportunities. It should simply self-destruct. This is one of those films-by-frightened-committee that are rewritten and reshot in progress, so it has no central tone and it has unintegrated… Continue reading Knight and Day (2010)
Margaret (2011)
Situations Okay, I’ve been through both edits of this now, after recommendations from several readers. I get what he is trying to do. I am writing as someone who prefers the Cannes edit of ‘Brown Bunny’ and who eagerly sat through 3 1/2 hours of ‘The Falls’. I think this is a failure, a failure… Continue reading Margaret (2011)
Kick-Ass (2012)
Drawing One’s Self I saw this fellow’s last movie. “Stardust.” It was an idea full of potential but lacked coherence, soul. It took you a world (two worlds) that were puddles created by each craft. This is less incoherent, but still has no intent, no imperative in the world. Imagine a world in which imagination… Continue reading Kick-Ass (2012)
The Lego Movie (2014)
Gamer Gate The outer story is about a kid and his dad who doesn’t understand play. An inner story has tokens that elaborate on this, a story that is mostly flashiness. The animation is based on Lego and I am sure there is a large franchise in the works. An inner, inner story is about… Continue reading The Lego Movie (2014)
Star Trek Beyond (2016)
Rubber Bands Break Star Trek in any incarnation confounds me; I cannot understand the appeal without getting depressed about the low level of cinematic and narrative challenge some audiences require. But these days I am interested in smoke, water and the special effects that have devolved from them. We find them in a great many… Continue reading Star Trek Beyond (2016)
Lady Maiko (2014)
Adaptation The story itself is about adapting from a not ideal Japanese state to the purest state, a Geisha. In Japan, the rural north is considered to consist of country bumpkins, something like in the US we associate with the South. A Geisha’s training includes many arts but primarily speaking, and doing so in the… Continue reading Lady Maiko (2014)
Nightcrawler (2014)
Wet Spots There are some fine things about this that you can read elsewhere, There seems to be no lack of appreciation for the obvious things. What struck me was the role that Russo has. I am interested in films where the filmmaker — usually a man — is in love with his lead actress.… Continue reading Nightcrawler (2014)