Green Room (2016)

Punk band playing for gas money & take out winds up with a gig at an out-of-the-way club whose sole clientele seem to be the Aryan brotherhood. When one of them witnesses a crime, things go bad quickly.

Extremely violent, but it was sensible enough that I didn't get to the point of anxiety. Though gruesome at times, it was always in service of the story. Still, not really my cup of tea.

B-

The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies (2014)

True-life story of a man wrongfully arrested for the murder of his tenant. Because he’s a true eccentric -- his mannerisms, speech, and looks all playing into his otherness -- the papers reported maliciously, which nearly ruined his life. Absorbingly well done.

B+

Amanda Knox (2016)

Low-key doc told with a sense of remove from the proceedings. It just wasn't terribly affecting.

C+

Wild Bill (2011)

Mid-level slinger gets out of prison after an 8-year stint and finds that the mother of his 15 and 12-year old kids took off several months back, leaving them to fend for themselves. Though he neither wanted nor expected it, he’s thrust into a caregiver role and finds out that he’s not too bad at it.

I was surprised to find myself so moved by this film.

B

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016)

There were scattered giggles, but it was really just a joke that went on way longer than it should’ve.

C

They Look Like People (2016)

Two friends reconnect just as one is trying to take charge of his life and the other is struggling to keep his together. Though this is, unquestionably, a horror film, the facet I enjoyed the most was the perfect depiction of a friendship that, though it hadn’t been “active” in the last several years, is obviously a lasting one. The way that they could be idiots together after just a tiny bit of initial awkwardness was heartwarming. Also, both guys are people for whom you’re rooting. Though the “more together” one was obviously taking his self-help a bit too far (evidenced by a note from a co-worker) he is also really there for his friend during what’s obviously a tough time.

It’s a winner of a film that delivers scares without jump scenes or excessive effects.

B+

Wildlike (2015)

Teen is sent to Alaska to stay with her uncle while her mother rehabs, but she’s not safe from her uncle’s attentions, so she bolts.

This could’ve gone south fast, but instead it turned out to be a beautiful story about how, sometimes, people can make the world a little less scary and lonely for each other.

B+

Mustang (2015)

The guardians of five Turkish sisters fear that they are becoming too promiscuous. In attempting to keep them free from worldliness, they go too far by turning the house into a prison. Their education is done in-home and is, essentially, wife prep.

Although this was well-done, I have no idea if there’s any resemblance to reality here. My thought is that the attitude is on point, but the extremism may be exaggerated. At least I hope it’s exaggerated.

B-

Ilo Ilo (2014)

Filipino woman travels to Singapore to take a job as a housekeeper/nanny. The family doesn’t have much money, the wife is both controlling and jealous, and the 10-year-old boy is, frankly, an asshole. But somehow, it's still a prime position. By the time the family has to inevitably let her go due to financial constraints, the boy has become attached.

The film was never quite as moving as I thought it could have been, e.g. the nanny has an infant child back home but I couldn’t tell if that was causing her any great pain. Still, not bad.

B-

King Jack (2016)

Higher schooler Jack is having a rough time. He has to attend summer school, girls share around his sexted privates for a laugh, and neighborhood bullies make sure he’s always got some fresh bruises. And now, due to a family emergency, his younger cousin is set to spend a few days in their house.

Though it’s a small story told over the course of just a few days, Jack's world is fully realized. His loneliness and desire to be liked were palpable, as were the motivations of almost every person we saw on screen even though we only spent a few minutes with some of them.

A superbly crafted slice of life that far too many of us will recognize.

B+

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

It feels like every time I see a Kubrick film I get the idea that he’s a HACK and how has no one ever noticed this in the history of cinema?? The Shining, Barry Lyndon, A Clockwork Orange, 2001, most of Full Metal Jacket and now this atrocity! ...But then I check out his IMDb page and am reminded that he was also responsible for Paths of Glory (my #2 all-time favorite movie/#1 favorite drama) and The Killing and Dr. Strangelove, and my theory falls apart. But still. What happened? He went from competent, lean storytelling to, well, I can’t even figure out what he was going for here so I probably shouldn’t speculate.

This film is a complete mess -- just more than 2½ hours of nothing much. In a nutshell: Dr. Tom Cruise runs into an old friend who tells him about a floating sex party that the doctor is desperate to attend, but once there everyone somehow realizes he doesn’t belong (though the explanations don’t fit with the early warnings he received) and he’s in trouble and ordered to strip until a woman comes to his defense by taking his place. After the party he’s being followed and is generally scared and finally comes clean with his wife who, after being hurt, says they should fuck. The end.

Other than the presence of an abundance of perfect tits, there’s really nothing to recommend this film. Though, actually, Kubrick even screwed up the boobs as there were soooo many that they became about as sexy as elbows. This is garbage.

F