BradWesley123's Movie Journal- October 2015

VUDU- 1hr. 45min.
First Viewing

Pretty much an extended episode of the series, but without the show's hint of relevancy. The cast is fine, though pretty much everyone seems disinterested, but it's the script that is pretty rank. It has little to no bite, or even the slightest bit of logic. The last ten to fifteen minutes of this movie leave the realm of male fantasy, drifting into outright delusion. Just a movie that really didn't need to be made.

DVD- 2hrs.

DVD- 1hr. 27min.
First Viewing

A lean thriller that is relatively fun in the moment, but ultimately pretty forgettable. The young actors are strong, and Kevin Bacon is good in the villainous role; the acting is the best part of this movie. The chases are solid too, but the story is just too similar to dozens of other similarly plotted films.

DVD- 1hr. 36min.
First Viewing

While it boasts some excellent performances, and beautiful cinematography, Aloft drowns in a too familiar, too scattered plot.

VHS- 2hrs. 18min.

Hulu- 1hr. 35min.
First Viewing

It's a pretty standard behind-the-scenes doc, but Saturday Night is also quite fun. While SNL's production methods are known, it's rare to actually see the show get put together, and that's where much of the fun of the film comes from. Not all cast members get a lot to do, though the ones that do make a solid impact (I'd say Bill Hader makes the strongest impression, and gets the most screen time). It's slight, but it's a solid viewing experience.

VUDU- 2hrs. 17min.

DVD- 1hr. 29min.
First Viewing

Occasionally funny, and surprisingly bittersweet, but just as often bland, Life After Beth never really lives up to the promise of its premise, but does have some strong moments that come close. It's best asset is it's cast, Plaza especially, but it's the script that often cuts them off from doing some truly outstanding work.

Netflix- 1hr. 40min.
First Viewing

Taking bits of 80s cinema an fusing them with modern indie sensibilities, with a dash of horror thrown in for good measure, A Girl will likely go on to be one of the biggest cult hits of the 2010s; and it deserves it. Ana Lily Amirpour shows an incredible eye for style and mood in her directorial debut, giving us (with DP Lyle Vincent) one of the most visually impressive movies in recent memory. It also has a strong cast, with Sheila Vand and Arash Marandi giving breakout performances. While the story is a bit too slight for it's own good, it does wonders when paired with the smaller moments in the script.

HBO Now- 1hr. 42min.
First Viewing

Pretty much the epitome of the generic mid-2000s action-thriller. The cast is fine-ish, and a couple of the action scenes are okay, but there's nothing in Firewall that would only me to recommend it.

DVD- 1hr. 55min.
First Viewing

Pitch Perfect 2 is a disappointing rehash of the charming original. As with the first film, the cast is the highlight, each do well on their own and make for an imminently likable ensemble. Even the new additions are solid. The musical numbers are pretty solid too, though nothing stands out like it did in the original. The problem is that the plot takes way too much from the original, and doesn't attempt to add anything to it. And for the new stuff; it's cliched and boring.

DVD- 2hrs. 30min.

DVD- 2hrs. 24min.

Netflix- 1hr. 33min.
First Viewing

Sometimes, a Netflix curiosity turns out to be a wonderful viewing experience. This is not one of those times. Innocence is an unbelievably stupid film with so many plot contrivances and flat out errors that you'd think it wants to be a "so bad it's good" movie. Unfortunately, it even fails in that regard, becoming nothing but an absolute slog.

Netflix- 1hr. 45min.
Note: In a weird coincidence, I watched this film on the exact same day in 2010. Next stop, October 20th, 2020.

DVD- 1hr. 35min.
First Viewing

What starts as a seemingly mundane look at sexual violence and, even, forgiveness, turns into nothing more than a exploitative revenge-flick. Granted, the first part is particularly well done, but it's something interesting and not often looked at. When the turn comes though, any goodwill built up goes out the window. One of the few saving graces is Pike's performance, which carries the film (even if it is a little too close to her Gone Girl turn towards the end).

DVD- 2hrs. 10min.

Netflix- 1hr. 28min.
First Viewing

An in-depth look at the grueling process of running a television series, Showrunners is one of the few television docs interested in the process of putting a show together, even though it isn't as piercing as one would hope. It doesn't shy away from the difficulty of making a show, but holds back too much to become anything more than a solid look into the art of TV.

DVD- 1hr. 53min.
First Viewing

A solid mystery slowly dissolves into something of a laughable mess, Dark Places is an infuriatingly dull film that benefits mightily from the efforts of it's lead. Theron is a strong here, even enough to keep us going through the film's slow and meandering pace. The plot, as mentioned above, starts off pretty strong, before the mystery starts taking too many inconceivable twists that are hard to swallow

DVD- 1hr. 50min.

Netflix- 1hr. 38min.
First Viewing

Side by Side is a fun and informative look at the discussion surrounding shooting a movie on film or digital. It has some great testimonials from some of the best filmmakers on the planet, and Keanu Reeves makes for a surprisingly solid interviewer.

DVD- 2hrs. 23min.