Here we are. The final week of my Movie Mayrathon. I did it. I saw 31 movies in 31 days. I don't know if I will do this ever again. Not gonna lie, this was pretty exhausting. But it was fun! These are the last ten movies I saw this month. If you want to see my thoughts on the previous week's movies, click here. If you want to read about every movie I saw in May, then click here. Enjoy!
DAY TWENTY TWO: 12 Angry Men
DIRECTOR: Sidney Lumet
STARRING: Henry Fonda, 11 other angry men
RELEASE DATE: April 10, 1957
"Gentlemen, that's a very sad thing... to be nothing."
Here we have another all time classic that is as good as everyone says it is. The premise is simple: a man must convince his fellow jurors that a man is not guilty. What follows is a psychological drama full of arguing, bickering, debating, accusing and sweating. After all these years, this movie holds up tremendously. With a lot of older movies, the acting and the directing appear outdated today, causing those films to become looked back on not too fondly. Not 12 Angry Men. The performances are incredible, even to this day. The interactions between everybody is absolutely electric to watch and the way they act during the debates makes for some of the most riveting performances I've ever seen. The directing is fantastic, making perfect use of such a small space. It's claustrophobic and uncomfortably close, masterfully enhancing the severity of the situation and the interactions between the jurors. There are a lot of long takes used that perfectly invite us right into the room. I felt like I was sitting at the table with them. And this might be the greatest script I've ever witnessed. The unfolding of the murder trial and the little character moments included make the whole film feel up close and personal, just like the location. If I had any complaints, and trust me, this is a huge nitpick, the ending is a little weird. Not the ending of the deliberation, but what happens after. There is a very brief interaction that felt a little goofy. I get the purpose of the scene and the moment felt completely necessary in the context of the film, but it's probably the one part of the entire movie where the performances were not working for me. That's it. Everything else I absolutely loved. This movie grabbed me like few films have ever done, let alone during this marathon. It's dramatic, thought provoking and claustrophobic in all the right ways. This is the kind of movie that film students need to watch to analyze directing, writing and performance, particularly writing. I can't say for certain now as this movie is very fresh in my mind, but I can easily see 12 Angry Men becoming one of my favorite movies of all time. Everybody needs to see this masterpiece. Everybody.
FINAL SCORE: 10/10
DAY TWENTY THREE: Missing Link
DIRECTOR: Chris Butler
STARRING: Hugh Jackman, Zack Galifianakis & Zoe Saldana
RELEASE DATE: April 12, 2019
"Your utopia sucks!"
Missing Link is easily one of the most gorgeous animated movies I've ever seen. The landscapes that are included in this film are jaw droppingly beautiful. The colors are vibrant, luscious and full of life. The architectures are full of stunning detail. The incorporation of CGI made for some amazing shots. The lighting adds to the amazing camera shots. And the fact that this movie is primarily stop motion animation blows my mind. There were many instances where I kept asking "how did they do that?" in utter amazement. This is truly one of the prettiest animated movies I have ever seen and I love this movie for its visual presentation. It's such a shame, however, that the story being told in Missing Link is so forgettable. The story is about as predictable as it gets. A man wants something so he goes out to achieve it, where he forms a partnership with a creature. They get into shenanigans and they learn that the true meaning of life isn't getting what you want; it's friendship. This kind of story has been told thousands of times. That's not inherently bad, as long as it's told in an interesting way. Unfortunately, for this movie, it's just not the case. The story is bland, boring and dull. The chemistry between the leads wasn't really there, the humor wasn't all there and the emotional moments didn't feel earned. And having Mr. Link be solely comedic relief didn't get me to care about his story or about him as a character. Missing Link as a whole felt very safe. It's a kids movie through and through. Kids will love this while it's on, but it is the kind of movie to be easily forgotten. In that sense, it's cute. It's fine for what it is, but after Kubo and the Two Strings, I was hoping for more. Great animation, though.
FINAL SCORE: 6/10
DAY TWENTY FOUR: Commando
DIRECTOR: Mark L. Lester
STARRING: Arnold Schwarzenegger
RELEASE DATE: October 4, 1985
"Don't disturb my friend, he's dead tired."
So... here's the thing. I totally 100% get what Commando is going for. This is a cheesy, testosterone filled action movie full of one liners, explosions and Arnold Schwarzenegger killing people. It's not supposed to be taken seriously. You're just supposed to sit back and enjoy the dumb fun. I completely get that. And I do love me some action movie schlock. However, I think Commando is past my threshold of what I can handle in a dumb movie. There's something about this movie that is so unflinchingly stupid that I just felt numb while watching. This is because of a number of things. One is Schwarzenegger's really bad yet admittedly charming performance. Another is the hyper edited action that makes Schwarzenegger look so superhuman that any of the tension is cut out. Another is how over the top everything little thing is. But pure and simple, what managed to turn me off from this film is just how stupid the story is. And trust me, I love a good stupid story. But there is something about the progression of the story and story conveniences that baffle me. Like I said, I get it. This movie is supposed to be stupid and I shouldn't take anything that happens seriously whatsoever. Believe me, I understand. Simply put, as condescending as it sounds, I think this movie is too stupid for me. There were some fun action scenes, as ridiculous as they were, and the one liners were pretty funny, but as a whole, I found Commando exhausting. If you like dumb, cheesy action movies, then I think you'll get a kick out of this one. As much as I love dumb, cheesy action movies, I do have my limits. Commando reached them.
FINAL SCORE: 4/10
DAY TWENTY FIVE: The Lovebirds
DIRECTOR: Michael Showalter
STARRING: Issa Rae & Kumail Nanjiani
RELEASE DATE: May 22, 2020
"I never want to see a horse again in my life."
I don't have a whole lot to say about this one, so I'm going to get right into it. The Lovebirds has great performances from its leads with great chemistry, and the relationship dynamic between them is interesting to watch. The idea of a broken up couple getting accidentally roped into a crime thriller is a cool idea. Unfortunately, the idea is set in a weak comedy. The comedy isn't very funny and the mystery element gets full on absurd as it goes along. If the film was a drama, focusing more on the falling out of the relationship instead going along on this really dumb mystery, then the movie would be a lot better. It don't know if it would be great, but it would definitely be more interesting to me. Instead, we get a mediocre crime thriller with entertaining leads making the movie watchable. If you're bored, you might get some enjoyment out of this. I will say that The Lovebirds makes good background noise if you're doing something important. Otherwise, I wouldn't really recommend it. Not the worst, but certainly not for me.
FINAL SCORE: 4/10
DAY TWENTY SIX: Locke
DIRECTOR: Steven Knight
STARRING: Tom Hardy
RELEASE DATE: April 25, 2014 (US)
September 2, 2013 (VFF)
"I want to know that I'm not driving in one direction."
Locke is a unique movie. The entire movie takes place in one car with Tom Hardy driving. No other actors are seen in the movie. Through this storytelling device, we see a story of a man's life falling apart right in front of him. A story of a man basically ruining his life is something we've all seen before, but never in a way like this. I have to commend Knight for writing and directing such a different variation of a drama. This movie feels fresh and it was released seven years ago. The directing and editing do they're damnedest to keep the film visually interesting as Locke drives down this long highway, and it works out very well. The story is fascinating to watch unfold, making concrete seem so much more dramatically captivating than it actually is. If you've seen the movie, that will make sense. But the real star of the show is Tom Hardy. His performance is incredible. This is a one man show in every sense of the word and every bit of emotion he has to convey is pulled off so believably. This is easily the best performance I've seen from him and one of the best performances I've ever seen in my life. That's how good it is. As for negatives, this movie can get cheesy at times, particularly from the voice actors. The entire movie is a series of phone calls and sometimes the dialogue and performances of those voice actors can be silly. And the movie, while unique, can't help but feel gimmicky in parts. With some of the editing choices and certainly the music, I can't help but think that the movie is pushing how fresh the storytelling is a little too hard. Those moments come from when there is no dialogue and Locke is just driving. That's when the film starts to turn into a car commercial in my eyes. But overall, I liked this movie. The drama is very well told and the way it's told certainly makes for a unique experience. There's nothing about the movie that's mind blowing, but I appreciate what Locke was going for and I think it worked out pretty well. If you like dramas but want something a little different, then check this out. What I will say is that if Tom Hardy were not starring, this movie would feel somewhat pointless and repetitive. Hardy elevates this movie from being average to being really good. He is the building that's on top of the concrete of the film. That was really corny, I'm sorry.
FINAL SCORE: 7/10
DAY TWENTY SEVEN: Under the Skin
DIRECTOR: Jonathan Glazer
STARRING: Scarlett Johansson
RELEASE DATE: April 4, 2014 (US)
August 29, 2013 (TFF)
"Do you think I'm pretty?"
I'm at a loss for words. I genuinely don't know how to convey my thoughts and feelings towards Under the Skin to words. I... think I loved it? Emphasis on the word think? I don't know. What I do know is that this movie is expertly made. The cinematography is gorgeous and the score is both captivating and unnerving. Scarlett's performance as this alien is mesmerizing from start to finish and her interactions with real citizens of Scotland were fascinating to watch. This movie is genuinely creepy with certain scenes legitimately getting, no pun intended, under my skin. The story is simple, but the way it's told is quite intriguing. Very little spoken dialogue is actually said. The characters Scarlett interacts with have more speaking lines than she does. There are a lot of scenes of silence with the score and visuals doing the talking. And, side note, there are some very weird visuals going on. Full on avant garde stuff. But, back to the story, the movie focuses almost entirely on visual storytelling, which I love. And certain things that happen in the story leave me with a lot of questions that I know will not be answered after multiple viewings. This movie does get tedious after awhile, especially considering the pacing is so slow, but I found myself consistently invested and disturbed by this movie. I'm pretty sure I love it, but this movie is so odd, slow and unsettling that I'm not entirely sure how I feel. Maybe that's the point. Maybe this movie is supposed to give us a kind of psychological/emotional conflict while watching. I'm not sure. What I do know is that this movie is fantastically made and I certainly want to see it again.
FINAL SCORE: 8?/10
DAY TWENTY EIGHT: Reservoir Dogs
DIRECTOR: Quentin Tarantino
STARRING: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney and Michael Madsen
RELEASE DATE: October 9, 1992 (US)
January 21, 1992 (Sundance)
"I don't wanna kill anybody. But if I gotta get out that door, and you're standing in my way, one way or the other, you're gettin' outta my way."
I am so friggin' impressed. This is Tarantino's directorial debut and his voice is so completely present. The characters, writing and directing are all defined. They feel distinctly Tarantino. I love how contained and tense the story is. For the most part, the entirety of the story takes place over a couple of hours, making for some great urgency. The writing is very clever, with amazing dialogue perfectly encapsulating the characters. You don't know anyone's names (except for a few people) and yet they all feel believable. The performances are top notch as well. Harvey Keitel in particular is so entertaining to watch and the frenetic relationship he builds with Tim Roth is as captivating as it is heartbreaking. I love the use of one single location being used throughout most of the movie, making the story extra claustrophobic. And the camerawork makes perfect use of that space. Not a single shot feels wasted. While the actual look of the movie is somewhat bland, the shot compositions themselves are sleek, stylish and very Tarantino. But it's really the interactions of the characters that sells it. Reservoir Dogs is a fantastic movie. Tarantino proves himself as a writer and a director right from the get go and I am thoroughly impressed. As of right now, from what I've seen, Reservoir Dogs is tied with Inglorious Basterds as my second favorite Tarantino film right behind Pulp Fiction. If you like a good contained thriller, then you can't go wrong with this one. It's short, sweet, to the point and so damn good.
FINAL SCORE: 9/10
DAY TWENTY NINE: Casablanca
DIRECTOR: Michael Curtiz
STARRING: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman & Paul Henreid
RELEASE DATE: January 23, 1943
"Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine."
Of all the movies I saw this month, my opinion on Casablanca will be my hottest take. Now, don't get me wrong, I like this movie and I appreciate it as an all time film classic. However, I didn't love it like so many people have. After seeing the movie, I get why it's so beloved. The directing is still fantastic today, doing a great job shooting big crowds. The first shot in the town square I found especially impressive because of how good the camera was at following so much commotion. Rick is a great character and Bogart does a good job portraying him. This is a man who's facing a lot of demons and I found his character progression to be very interesting. The story does a nice job bridging the gap between a love triangle and a war fable and the conclusion is very satisfying. So why didn't I live this movie? Honestly... I don't know. Maybe this movie just isn't for me. Maybe it's because this is a really old movie; a movie whose technology is quite out of date compared to today. Maybe the story just didn't grab me like it should have. I'm not sure what it is. It might be all those reasons. It might be none of them. I do know that I found myself zoning out at certain points of the film, especially during the negotiation scenes. But trust me, I did like it. I think it's a very well made film especially for the time. It just didn't stick with me like it should have. On a second viewing, that opinion could change, but for know, I appreciate and respect this film more than I love it. Casablanca is really good and an important moment of movie history and it should be remembered as such. I just didn't love it. Again, keep in mind, that could change on second viewing. We'll see.
FINAL SCORE (for now): 7/10
DAY THIRTY: Django Unchained
DIRECTOR: Quentin Tarantino
STARRING: Jamie Foxx, Cristoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson
RELEASE DATE: December 25, 2012
"I like the way you die, boy."
Not gonna lie, I've been kind of on a Tarantino kick the past few days. Seeing Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs even inspired me to start writing a screenplay that I've had in my head for a while. And yes, Django Unchained is yet another great film from the writer/director. He tells a tale of slavery that mixes his usual Tarantino style of heavy dialogue, stylish camerawork and lots of blood. There is a lot of high octane entertainment in the shootouts and in the dialogue, but the mix of that central slavery story is heavy. There are a few scenes that are genuinely difficult to watch. I commend Tarantino for presenting this kind of story with a lot of maturity and grace while still mixing in his writing and directing style. The performances are all great, with Foxx and Waltz having amazing chemistry, and the cinematography might be the best in Tarantino's entire filmography (at least from what I've seen). The writing is great, the dialogue is captivating and the directing is impeccable. And the action scenes are the perfect amount of over the top. Each shoot out is a blood bath and they are all a blast to watch. Now for me, what holds this movie back from being as amazing as some of his other films is that the storytelling of Django Unchained is kind of sloppy. The entire movie feels episodic and the progression of the story is rather choppy. There are also scenes of the classic Tarantino "talking about nothing" style of dialogue he loves to include in his movies. But here, those moments feel out of place. For example, in the scene where all the racist gangsters and slave owners come together on horseback to take down the two leads, they all start complaining and arguing about the bags on their heads. Sure, the scene was funny, but it didn't add anything to the film and by the end, the entire scene felt rather pointless compared to the rest of the story. Despite that, I thought Django Unchained was great. It's an unflinching tale of slavery and fighting for freedom with great writing, cinematography, directing and performances all around. So far, this is one of my least favorite Tarantino movies, but that's like comparing peanut butter cookies to chocolate chip cookies. Both are great, but one is definitely better.
FINAL SCORE: 8/10
DAY THIRTY ONE: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
STARRING: Harrison Ford & Sean Connery
RELEASE DATE: May 24, 1989
"Nazis. I hate these guys."
I'm concluding my Movie Mayrathon with the conclusion of the Indiana Jones trilogy. No, the fourth one doesn't count. After being relatively disappointed with The Temple of Doom, I found myself having a blast with The Last Crusade. The story is a lot simpler than Temple of Doom's and as a result, I found myself much more invested. Indiana Jones is a great character as always and the chemistry between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery is absolutely amazing. Connery plays the perfect foil to Indiana Jones. As with the previous two Indiana Jones movies, the directing is immaculate, perfectly capturing beautiful architecture and set pieces, as well as offering us some exciting, full throttle action. And let me tell you, the action in this movie is astounding. The tank scene in particular is the highlight of the entire movie. John Williams score is as epic as ever, perfectly capturing every triumphant moment the movie has to offer. What I think surprised me the most about The Last Crusade was how funny it was. Some of the dialogue between the two leads, as well as the slapstick, caused me to laugh out loud on a number of occasions. The fireplace scene is probably one of the funniest scenes I saw this entire month. As for negatives, there are a few moments that are just dumb. Whether it be some kind of character action/line or something that is discovered, there are some moments that caused me to roll my eyes and question the plausibility of what I'm watching. I don't like critiquing believability in movies because movies are dramatized and not necessarily supposed to be realistic, but there were a couple moments that just felt silly. Like, the X is so obviously on the library ground, you don't have to climb an entire flight of stairs to see something you can find by just looking down! There are also some obvious moments of ADR that took me out of the movie. I get that audio dubbing is a necessary part of filmmaking, but the sound quality is so different from any other line that it threw me off. Besides those issues, I had a blast with The Last Crusade. I still prefer Raiders of the Lost Ark, but this is a worthy sequel, especially considering how disappointing Temple of Doom was. If you haven't seen this movie, or any of the Indiana Jones movies, then what are you waiting for? Watch them! Maybe not Temple of Doom, but watch them!
FINAL SCORE: 8/10
WEEK RECAP
BEST: 12 Angry Men
WORST: The Lovebirds
GUILTY PLEASURE: Missing Link
BIGGEST SURPRISE: 12 Angry Men
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Missing Link
MAYRATHON RECAP
BEST: Pulp Fiction/It's Such a Beautiful Day/12 Angry Men
WORST: The Last Thing He Wanted
GUILTY PLEASURE: The Velocipastor
BIGGEST SURPRISE: The Naked Gun
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Thank you for reading this series! It was a lot of fun. Stay tuned because I might have a video about the experience. Maybe.
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