Cinema-plosion! Sucker-punched and Thirsty for More

Figured I would increase the movie content on the site by sharing my thoughts on ten films I've seen recently. There's no connecting theme here, just that I've watched them for the first time recently. Let the reviews commence!

Sucker Punch (2011)

This is a movie that has everything and means nothing. Watching it was like being punched in the face with a fist made out of stupid. I was expecting something far better from the director of Watchmen, Dawn of the Dead, and 300, but alas, Zack Snyder should avoid writing his own material.

This would have probably been hugely entertaining to me when I was ten, but unfortunately I can see that it's a bunch of boring empty characters engaging in absurd disjointed action sequences that have no real meaning. This should have either been a video game, or it should have focussed on only one of it's ten themes.

House of the Devil (2009)

Lots of house, not enough devil. This movie is filmed in a way that makes it look and feel like it was pulled directly out of classic 80's horror and I really dug that. Not a lot happens for much of the movie but that just builds suspense (or boredom?).

Worth a rental if you like babysitters in creepy situations, and who doesn't? Spoiler alert, the house doesn't burn down like in the poster.

The Illusionist (2010)

While a French illusionist travels around trying to survive in a world that doesn't appreciate his dying trade he encounters a young girl who grows fond of him and tags along on his journey. The more I think about it, this movie is a lot like an animated version of Leon: The Professional, if you replaced being a hitman with being a magician.

It's a beautiful movie I'd highly recommend. And fear not, illiterates! Even though it's a foreign film there are no subtitles to read as the movie is practically devoid of any dialogue .

Buried (2010)

A guy gets buried alive in a coffin in Iraq and spends 90 minutes with a cellphone trying to escape. The movie never leaves his perspective for the entire thing but it's shot well enough to keep it interesting and tense throughout.

I liked it, but I wouldn't watch it again. I enjoy my stuck-in-a-coffin films ala Kill Bill Vol. 2, where you punch your way out immediately and get to more interesting things.

Thirst (2009)

A South Korean vampire movie from one of my favorite directors, it tells the story of a priest who becomes a vampire and the crazy bitch he falls in love with.

I'm not going to lie, this movie is long and slowly paced, but it's got some stellar moments of craziness and violence. I love the creepy characters, the twisted imagery, the sexy conflicts, the dark comedy, and everything in between. As far as vampire movies go, it's truly different, and after repeated viewings it's one of my favorites.

Insidious (2011)

I am disappoint. I really wanted to like this movie. I really wanted to be scared. But I don't, and I wasn't.

A lot of people seemed to really really like this movie, and even the people around me leaving the theater couldn't shut up about how scary and awesome it was. Is there something wrong with me? Have I become jaded?

Occasionally creepy? Yes. Good use of practical spooky effects. Yes. Scariest movie in years? Not even close.

Source Code (2011)

Groundhogs Day meets Unstoppable? Hurrah! Based on one of Phillip K. Dick's 74 million short stories, it's about a guy who has to solve a mystery about who planted a bomb on a train by reliving the same 8 minutes over and over.

It was interesting, fun, exciting, and while the ending left me with some moral questions, I was entertained throughout.

Catfish (2010)

A documentary that tells the possibly true story of a filmmaker discovering the truth behind a girl and her family that he met online. The trailers for this film would have you believe the ending of the film will be some graphic nightmare the likes of Texas Chainsaw, but it offensively misleading.

The ending is still horrifying in it's own way. Whether this is a real documentary or not makes no difference to me because it's presented in a way that's believable either way. A disturbing movie, and more evidence that we need to all lay off the facebook a bit.

Silver Bullet (1985)

This is a movie I would have loved as a kid and probably watched over and over. I have no idea how it slipped under my radar for decades.

If I could sum up the plot in one sentence it would be "Kid in wheelchair and Gary Busey vs. a werewolf". Actually it's not so much a wheelchair but a gas powered death-cycle that can outrace cars.

If any of that sounds interesting, give it a watch. It is so beautifully ridiculous and bad.

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (2010)
This documentary was much more interesting that I had expected. It follows the ups and downs of Joan Rivers through a year of her life, and for people who only know her only as the woman who would talk to celebrities about what they're wearing on the red carpet, this film lets you know what a important figure she's been in the world of comedy.

She is a workaholic constantly producing material with an insane schedule that doesn't let up. The movie helps you appreciate both her larger than life personality, but also reveals her insecurities and a compulsion to be in the spotlight. Joan Rivers has had a hell of career and there is no stopping this woman.