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I recently ran across a list online of the most disturbing movies released in the past ten years or so. Funny Games topped the list. Being the sick, twisted individual that I am - what I read about the movie interested me greatly. So I decided to check it out.
Without spoiling too much, the movie focuses on two unhinged individuals who go around terrorizing people. Things start out innocently enough. One of these two fellows shows up at the door of the main character, played by Naomi Watts. He just wants to borrow some eggs. Everything goes south quickly as the creep refuses to leave, and is soon joined by what appears to be his brother. These two hold the family captive and terrorize them. And the way they do it is unsettling because they are unfailingly polite almost the entire time.
The film focuses less on shock value and violence and more on the threat of implied violence. Not to say that violence doesn't occur, but it isn't the focus of the movie. I did find the movie to be very disturbing and psychologically unsettling. It isn't necessarily the most original concept ever, but I enjoyed the movie a lot. It should make my top 5 for the month, barring a major upset (I write these as I go, so I still haven't decided what is going to move on and what is not).
This was another film on the disturbing movies list that I decided to check out. Unlike Funny Games, however, I thought this movie was terrible.
I can only vaguely tell you what it was about, because I mentally checked out of the film halfway through it. It focuses on a small city populated by inbred looking rednecks. Apparently the city had been decimated by a major storm several years ago, and they were now trying to put the pieces together. The movie is comprised of several different story lines all going on at the same time. Most of them focusing on different disgusting, trashy people and what they are up to. There is no real plot to the movie. Gummo is like a behind the scenes look into poor white hillbilly trash and what they do to keep themselves entertained.
I hated it and was bored to tears.
I have seen this movie before, but I had the random urge to pick it up and watch it again, so that is what I did.
I am not a huge Tom Cruise fan but I do really like this movie. In it, he plays a soldier in the middle of a war with aliens who finds himself repeating the same day over and over again. Each time he dies, he starts the day over again. Eventually he discovers that he holds the key to defeating the aliens, and uses his power to relive the same day and keep trying until he gets it right.
Great movie, really keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you're a sci fi fan you are doing yourself a disservice by not watching this. The only thing working against it is the fact that I just watched it last year, so the "wow this is really good!" factor has warn off for me. It's a toss up as to whether it will make my top 5 for the month or not.
I never thought that a documentary could actually scare me, but this one did the trick. The movie is all about night terrors and sleep paralysis. A group of people are interviewed and share their stories.
Each story brought chills to my spine. And I don't scare easily. There is just something about hearing these normal people relay their nightmares to the viewer. I never took sleep paralysis or night terrors seriously before watching this movie, but now I am forced to look at them from a new perspective. It really seems like something dark and malevolent is behind them.
I'd definitely recommend this for anyone interested in the subject, or even anyone just out looking for a good scare.
I thought that the movie Foxcatcher was boring, but it was recommended to me that I would find the documentaries more entertaining than the actual movie. And this proved to be true.
This movie is all about John Dupont and his eccentric behavior, as told through the eyes of several people that were around him during the whole Team USA wrestling debacle. I didn't like Foxcatcher because it depicted Dupont as some kind of serial killer-esque psycopath. But this film shows that he had some kind of clear mental illness and paranoid scizophrenic tendencies. It was interesting watching his slow decent into madness, and equally interesting hearing what the people around him thought of his odd behavior.
Definitely worth a watch. If you are interested in the whole Foxcatcher thing, I would recommend watching this (Team Foxcatcher) rather than the Hollywood movie that is based around these events.
People like to knock this movie, but I have always really enjoyed it. Yes it is kind of silly, but I find it to be silly in a good way. Charming, even.
This is just a fun, good time movie and that is all there is to it. If you come into it expecting a serious, dark, and intense thriller, you will be disappointed. Judge Dredd is all about big action scenes, fun characters, and an over the top plot infused with humor. I never understood the hate it received. OK, the acting isn't perfect, but it fits the fast paced and fun tone of the film perfectly.
I have always liked this movie. It is just flat out fun. Relax, people! Sit back and enjoy this for what it is and lighten up a little bit.
I keep going back and forth as to whether I actually like this movie or not. When I first saw it, I was extremely disappointed in it. I was a huge fan of the original Indy trilogy, and I absolutely couldn't stand what they did to the franchise with this film. It is so completely different in tone from the original movies.
Over the years I have relaxed my stance a little bit, though. When I watched it in November, I just tried to kick back and enjoy the film for what it was. Campy, sure. Not up to the standards set by the original films, sure. But still a relatively fun time.
I think my opinion will be forever influenced by my thoughts on the original movies, but I have to admit that I kind of liked the movie this time around. It's not the best film out there, but it was entertaining.
I think I might be burnt out on Gremlins. I watched this movie dozens of times as a kid. As an adult, I usually pop it in around the holidays every couple of years or so. It has been a few years since I have watched this movie, so I figured I was due this year.
But I just couldn't get into it. I think this is a case of "I've seen this movie way too many times and now I can't enjoy it anymore". It happens. I feel the same way with Jurassic Park and a few others. Great movies, yes. But hard to get into because I have seen them so many times.
I love Gremlins, but it may be hard for the movie to crack my top 5 for the month. I do still love the scene where the mom fights the Gremlins in the kitchen, though. That is probably my favorite part of the whole film.
I've enjoyed watching this movie every couple of years or so for the past 15 years. The first time I saw this movie, I remember being really freaked out at how over the top and repulsive it was. Admittedly, the movie has lost a bit of that shock value for me.
Watching it this year, I was more annoyed than anything. Good lord, some of the members of that psycho family are annoying. The old guy who yells at everyone, the dude with the metal plate in his head.... like, shut the hell up already! There was simply too much yelling and stupid chatter going on for me to really enjoy the movie.
And I didn't think it was as disturbing as I found it in years past. The only part to really repulse me was when Leatherface put the mask of human skin onto that girl's face. Ew. But for the most part I actually found this movie to be kind of stupid.
I had never heard of this movie until just a few months ago, and when I did hear about it, the concept intrigued me. I finally got around to watching it this November, and I can say that I really liked the movie.
Blake Lively plays a woman who has recently lost her mother. She sets out to find the beach where her mom used to come to unwind. When she does find it, she heads out to surf the waves and enjoy the beauty of the landscape. Maybe reflect a little bit on old memories.
When out on the water, she encounters a giant floating whale carcass. Before she realizes that this probably isn't a good sign, she is attacked by a shark. She loses her board, and the whole movie becomes one big fight for survival. She has to do whatever it takes to survive. And one of those steps involves climbing up on the massive, rotting whale carcass. Ew.
I am a fan of man vs nature movies.... or in this case, woman vs nature. I thought this was really good. I was riveted the whole way through. Very intense, very well done. This film should be a lock to make my top 5.
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All right, that wraps up my thoughts on all 10 movies I watched this month. which 5 will make the cut? Let's get to it. Moving on this month are:
The Shallows
Funny Games
The Nightmare
Edge of Tomorrow
Judge Dredd
It was a close call as to whether Team Foxcatcher would make it or not. Excellent documentary, yes. But in terms of excitement and entertainment it comes up just short of the 5 that did make it.
11 months down, 55 movies have moved on to my year end ranking. At the end of December, 60 will stand. I will immediately cut that number down to 50 - and then begin ranking my 50 favorite movies watched in 2016. Are you excited? I am. Here are the 55 movies, with November's offerings included:
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Cake
American Sniper
Predator
Friday the 13th Part II
Locke
Evil Dead
Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter
Elysium
Snowpiercer
Room
Manson Family Vacation
Deadpool
Goodnight, Mommy
Unforgiven
Big Driver
The Martian
Pixels
JFK: The Smoking Gun
Crimson Peak
It
Creed
The Revenant
Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
No Good Deed
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Krampus
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Night of the Living Dead
Mad Max: Fury Road
Forrest Gump
The Little Rascals
Deliverance
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Zombieland
Coming to America
American History X
Ghostbusters (2016)
Darkman
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
ARQ
Quills
The Visit
Platoon
Saving Private Ryan
Green RoomCaptain America: Civil War
10 Cloverfield Lane
Circle
Would You Rather
The Shallows
Funny Games
The Nightmare
Edge of Tomorrow
Judge Dredd
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