Time for a film

I’ve decided to give the Twilight series a watch with the final movie out in a fortnight, so I caught the first, as well as New Moon and Eclipse. Paul Thomas Anderson gave a great Q+A at the Astor theatre last week ahead of the Australian release of The Master. I watched Punch-Drunk Love the night before to get into the mood. I also checked out Inglourious Basterds which was probably my favourite Tarantino film to date.

2012 releases of Lockout and Man on a Ledge were viewed as well as one of the week’s new releases in End Of Watch. Read on for mini-reviews!
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Punch-Drunk Love (2002) – There is something very unique about this film that often had me mesmerised while watching it. It was likely the use of music over the top of dialogue and key scenes that intrigued me and overall it was quite enjoyable. Adam Sandler is great in a serious role and I loved seeing Mary Lynn Rajskub as a key character as I loved her in 24. Sandler’s character’s whirlwind of emotions was a highlight. B+

The Master (2012) – The first half of this film had me hooked, perhaps surprisingly, as my expectations were neither high or low for PTA’s newest film. The acting was fantastic from Phoenix, Hoffman and Adams. However, I found the second half to be extremely long, slow and boring. It went nowhere for me and I simply can’t give it a better rating since I was just waiting for it to finish for the final 45 minutes. C+

Man on a Ledge (2012) – A film I wasn’t going to bother with, it surprised me to an extent. I didn’t realise the plot was so decent, as it was my understanding the man (Sam Worthington) was simply on a ledge the whole time. It’s certainly a good popcorn movie, and if you can get over some of the silly decisions made by characters it’s rather entertaining and gripping. You could do worse but I would probably suggest you stay clear unless extra keen! C+

Inglourious Basterds (2009) – Some regard this as Quentin Tarantino‘s best film to date and personally I would agree. For a long film (152 minutes) it held my attention and scenes seemed well structured and interesting. The opening scene is glorious, with some great acting, shots and a twist. It’s a bit violent, to be expected from Tarantino, and also encompasses some hilarious moments, including Brad Pitt putting on an italian accent. I respected Inglourious Basterds, I don’t think it’s a film I’d watch again in a hurry, but it was very well made and executed. A-

Lockout (2012) – Guy Pearce gives his best 2012 performance in my opinion, with this cool sci-fi doing enough to entertain me for the most part. Maggie Grace plays a slightly more mature character than her one the Taken movies and I quite liked her as well. Worth a watch if you just want some entertainment. B-

Twilight (2008) – The highly maligned Twilight series was one I hadn’t seen and after watching the first I didn’t mind it at all. It helps that I love Billy Burke from Fracture, Anna Kendrick as my celebrity crush and Kristen Stewart as well. The first film really had to introduce a lot of characters as well as the whole concept of vampires. I found the final scene to be a bit boring, but for the most part I was intrigued. The acting was fine and I was eagerly anticipating the next in the series. B-

End of Watch (2012) – Out today (1/11) in Aussie cinemas, End of Watch has some real highs, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña as two policeman in a dodgy suburb. It utilises a lot of found footage style camerawork, sometimes working effectively, other times it’s a bit pointless. A bit long overall, I found it got some emotion out of me as well as being exciting at times. The chemistry between the two is great and there’s some great laughs and humour to be had. Also, some scenes are a bit nasty, probably not for the faint hearted. Bonus points for Frank Grillo and Anna Kendrick. B-

Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) – New Moon ramps up the series, introducing the werewolves, the natural enemy of the vampires. I enjoyed the plot developing as it’s started to become deep and complex. Lautner’s chracter adds to the intensity of the relationship between Bella and Edward and while many found scenes silly, I was basically hooked throughout! I quite liked how they open with a dream-like scene from Bella which comes to fruition later on in the film. B

Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) – Possibly the best in the series, the intensity is great as more parties become involved and we see the two enemies reluctantly work together. I don’t have too much to say except that if you have liked the first two up until here, I see no reason why this one won’t be a winner as well. Was almost worthy of a B+ however I disliked the final scene which seemed a bit indifferent to the previous scene’s outcome. B
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I may catch up on Frakenweenie and Bacholerette this week, please let me know if you’ve seen either and what your thoughts were! Will probably catch Breaking Dawn Part 1 tonight before the final film comes out in a fortnight.