All this talk of Twin Peaks, can't wait for the third season. Big fan of the movie and show, just ordered the blu ray set from Amazon for only £16 the other day, and also downloading the extended fancut of Fire Walk With Me which puts the 90 odd minutes of deleted scenes back in, which even on their own are quite an amazing watch.
As for what I've seen recently? Well I haven't done this in ****ing ages but I just finished a Civil Procedure essay and this is a nice change. So let's just see what I've seen more recently or the highlights of a bit further back.
Ex Machina - 9/10
This weeks viewing for Genre and the Moving Image under the subheading Sci Fi and the Post Human. Alex Garland's directorial debut shows the same level of intelligence and unique questioning on human nature and instincts as 28 Days Later and The Beach (the book, sadly Boyle's film doesn't quite convey this as much as the book), and makes for fascinating and beautiful viewing. Quite uncomfortable and unsettling throughout, you don't know who to like or who to trust. But sadly, for the large part, it is quite predictable, which is a disappointment. You call most twists and events, and you feel at times like you've seen bits and pieces of this done before in other places. Other than that, fantastic sci fi viewing with beautiful direction and fascinating writing.
Boy Meets Girl - 6/10
Was at a best friends place, and after a rewatch of Silent Hill, she decided it was time for "something gay" at the recommendation from her girlfriend. The movie starts and some may groan at the opening: what at first view appears to be an emo girl creating a suicide note/video through Amanda Todd-esque flash cards. We then move into the plot. From the natural lighting to the quite real feel of sets, this movie feels cheap and independent from the strart. The story follows a trans girl and her love with, well, it gets messy. Anyway, the movie starts of with great dialogue and feels like a nice change from the usual romance of movies, however this doesn't last long before it devolves into what is essentially every fan fiction romance in existence. Taken characters fall in love and kiss after only two brief meetings, there's drama, its all so painfully cliche. On top of this, you have these very graphic "the talk" like conversations dispersed throughout that function less as comedic relief, and more just extremely awkward and uncomfortable in their crude nature. What they're trying to do here is admirable, and I wanted so much to like it, but found myself so disappointed by bizarre character actions, dropped characters or plots, and the overall feel that this is less the product of a talented filmmaker and more a bored teenage girl translating a fanfiction into a "real" story 50 Shades style.
Silent Hill - 8/10
Oh yeah, about this. First time watching it since it first came out, still as creepy as ever, and one of the most visually impressive movies I've seen. However this time I realised not just how extremely long this movie is at just over two hours, but also how confusing this could be to someone with no prior knowledge of the games. Many elements of the plot are left until only the very end of the film, and even then, some just aren't even explained. That said, still love it, and it's way better than the turd of a sequel.
Blair Witch - 9/10
Could not wait for this, haven't been this excited for a movie in ages. Saw it opening day, and well, mixed signals. It falls into a Force Awakens situation where it feels almost like a remake at times, and the first 2/3 seem to fall into some quite bad cliches. Characters popping out of nowhere to accidentally scare friends. Bodies mysteriously dragged off screen after their demise. Some plot devices aren't consistent (a severely infected delirious girl who can barely walk manages to climb a tree several meters high with little trouble later). However, the ideas this film plays with and creates for the lore are fascinating and horrifying. And then we reach the house. Oh boy. Quite possibly the most terrifying 30 minutes of film I've seen. Pure dread and terror. I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't seen it, but it's intense, claustrophobic, and almost a bit revelatory for the franchise. I can understand the flack it cops for its first few acts, but honestly, like the original, its slowburn and shows its true colours right at the end. However, expectations also have to be changed considering what the original film is. The original films magic was that it could very easily be real. The location, everything that happens. This film favors the supernatural and the spooky a lot more throughout, and it works to its favor in the end. The very obvious location shift from Maryland to British Columbia is instantly noticeable however, in that the trees themselves are wildly different and this environment is much less flat and sparse like in the first film. Give it a shot, but lower your expectations.
Suicide Squad - 8/10
Ohhhhhhhhhh boy. This was terrible. It's like a fun terrible cheesy action movie. You can tell from the start its a mess. The editing is awful, holes everywhere, forced soundtrack, anemic plot that feels like the bare threads of something that once was, not to mention confusing. Cringe worthy writing. Cara Delevinge's performance as Enchantress sucks, and her CG body once she changes is distracting and disturbing. So why the high rating? Simple, its fun! It's like the shitty movies from latter decades we watch and laugh at and have a great time, delivered to us with a multi-million dollar budget and an amazing cast. The cast, as well, are a big draw. The performances for the most part are flawless. Jared Leto does an amazing job of the Joker once you get past the questionable costuming, whilst Will Smith and Margot Robbie give perfect performances. I'd argue Margot Robbie's absolutely perfect job of Harley Quinn is worth seeing the movie for. I really hope this gets an extended cut (without the shitty soundtrack) like BvS did, as it's clear there is a lot missing, especially of the Joker.
That's all I feel like for today, may do more tomorrow
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