79 - Paranormal Activity 4

    Set about 5-6 years after the first two movies, Katie and Hunter are a bit older, and are still doing something - which involves a neighbor family having to deal with the demon.
    For some reason, this movie has a poor reputation, even among fans of the series.  I actually liked it.  I think I liked it a bit more than the third one.  There are a few differences.  This one has a slightly more clever approach to the story.  We only figure out what the demon wants to do, or why it is haunting this family, about halfway through the movie.  The other movies had a much more gradual ramping up of the tension.  This one still applies the same approach, but the demonic attacks seem a bit more tame, and they only get especially dark close to the end.  In the other movies, most of the characters are aware of the haunting, and are investigating it.  In this, only two of the characters are interested in figuring out what's going on.  The adults seem to deny that anything strange is happening.
    The thing that really sells this installment for me is the two teenage characters.  The movie is primarily from their point of view, and I liked them quite a bit.  This is an unusual thing.  Normally, teen characters are annoying.  Here, they seem to be exactly what they should be.  Generally, good kids.  Fairly well behaved, but a bit emotionally distanced from adults.  It's the little kids - the 7-year-olds - that seem much more suspicious.  And this seems realistic to me.  Kids that age, in a friendship, tend to have a secret kind of relationship, and that comes across here.
    The relationship between the teenagers is incredibly cute.  The guy is clearly very interested in the girl, who really likes hanging out with him.  Their interactions have this really charming subtext of flirtation.
    This brings up one aspect of the movie that I didn't like, and it's a spoiler.

    I know I can't expect anyone to survive these movies.  While we don't see the death of the girl, it's implied.  But we do see the death of the teen boy.  I felt bad about this.  In a way, I think it would have been great if he survived.

    Again, another movie I still liked quite a bit.  The mythology is still building, and this ending left the door open for a wide variety of directions that the story could go.  Still don't think I'd have any reason to re-watch it.  Maybe in a few years, when I've forgotten the story.

78 - Being There

    A simple-minded gardener has spent his life inside a wealthy man's estate, and is let out into the world upon his employer's death.  People react to his simple statements as being indicative a brilliant mind.
    Although this project pre-dates Forrest Gump by about two decades, it's an easy comparison to make.  However, I believe that this is clearly a superior movie.
    First, Peter Sellers is fantastic.  He manages to play the part in a way that seems understated, but it's remarkably controlled.  He rarely smiles.  He seems a bit unfocused, but remarkably confident for someone who doesn't understand much of what he says.  His speaking is measured in a peculiar way.  He plays mannerisms very well.
    Second, the character is much more interesting.  While Gump is supposed to be a lovable idiot, and we're supposed to admire his homespun wisdom, Gardner isn't out to persuade anyone of his brilliance.  As far as he knows, he's simply repeating what he knows - thoughts about gardening, and phrases that he's picked up, like "I understand."  Gardner has picked up a lot of what he knows from watching TV, but I can't quite say that he understands it.  He sees things, and occasionally he will imitate things that capture him in a certain way.  This is shown primarily with a handshake technique that he imitates.  But he gets absorbed into exercise routines too.  We get a window into Gardner's being, but it's hard to say that there's actually anything there.  Not that it's a bad thing.
    Third, the approach that the movie takes is much more nuanced.  Gump pushes a comedic angle to almost everything, and manipulates the audience with a handful of sad moments.  But the message seems to be that it is superior to have these kinds of down-home perspectives.  This movie makes no judgments about the quality of Gardner's wisdom - or lack of it.  It's easy to understand how people misinterpret his statements.  If anything, it seems like the movie is more about the willingness of people to assume that people well-dressed are knowledgeable.  That wealthy appearances seriously influence the way that people react to them.

    While my wife and I watched this, there were at least two mentions of The Emperor's New Clothes.  It's a fascinating comparison, since it's easy to watch the movie waiting for someone to point out that Gardner is just an idiot.  But… he's got the clothes to play the role.  Maybe the message is that without the clothes, the Emperor is just a man?

    The ending of the movie seems a little strange, but it leaves things open to interpretation.  Does it mean that we're dealing with Jesus?  Does it mean that Jesus was an unintentional fraud?

    A great movie.  I'd encourage anyone to see it.  I have no idea if it's worth watching more than once, though.

77 - The Sentinel

    A young lady rents her own apartment, and finds that the other tenants are especially bizarre.  As her health deteriorates, her boyfriend investigates the building, and the story, and her role in matters, is revealed.
    I found this movie mentioned on the wiki article for horror films, and I had never heard of it.  It has a remarkable cast - Burgess Meredith, Ava Gardner, Christopher Walken, Beverly D'Angelo, Jeff Goldblum.  Of course, many of those have small parts, but still, it's an impressive ensemble.  Many of the summaries out there give a substantial spoiler, which is only revealed during the last ten minutes.
    It's a good movie.  The pacing is a little slower than things would normally be, by modern standards, but it's still impressive.  It's hard to tell exactly what direction things are going, and there are some unexpected moments of strange horror.
    There's an unusual type of horror, and it can be remarkably effective, or it can be completely forgettable.  It's when the audience is shown something that doesn't quite make sense.  We don't have enough information to put the pieces together.  Most notably, this happens in The Shining, with the shot when Shelly Duvall is running up the stairs, and looks down the hallway at the pair of men in the room at the end of the hall.  This movie uses a few of those moments, but they're mostly lumped together at the end.
    One of the signs that this is a good movie is that I finished it wanting more.  I wanted more backstory, I wanted to learn more about a lot of the secondary and tertiary characters. 

76 - Star Trek Into Darkness

    After a Starfleet office is bombed, Kirk is sent on a mission to kill the man responsible.
    Yep, that's the most spoiler-free summary I can provide.
    Having just re-watched the 2009 Star Trek last night, I'm amazed at how consistent this one is.  The tone is still there.  The direction is the same (although with considerably fewer, and more restrained lens flares) and most importantly, the characters feel like they're just as we left them.  Everyone gets a bit of development.  Even Scotty, even though he's out of the action for a big chunk of the picture, his few scenes get to develop him wonderfully.
    The villain is much more interesting than Nero was in the first one.  They both have legitimate reasons to be angry.  But In this case, I feel like this one has much more reason to be unhappy.  I almost with that the plot were tweaked, and a clearer focus made on his role as a villain.  Instead, his villainy gets to be shared with a co-villain.
    I have a few reservations about the movie, but I don't think they're anything I'll hold onto.  There's a strange feeling of there being too many big-excitement ending sequences in a row, but that might go away with repeated viewings.  There's a pleasure I get out of seeing stronger action in a Star Trek picture - notably Spock's big fight.  This is pleasing, but there's something that feels like they're dumbing the franchise down for a broader audience.  On the other hand, anything that sinks more people into accepting the Trek franchise is something that encourages more people to understand the Trek ideals, and hopefully, become better people.
    Which brings me to one of the core ideas behind this movie.  Earlier in the movie, Kirk makes a good decision - that he plans on capturing the villain and returning him to Earth to answer for his crimes.  We see Kirk praised for making this decision.  Later in the movie, as we learn more about the villain's overall plan, it becomes apparent that Kirk's decision wasn't just the moral decision, it avoided a much worse situation.  This message - that justice doesn't involve unilaterally killing people deemed threats - is remarkably unpopular in America right now.  There's a trend toward buying into peace through aggression.  As is stated near the end -

"There will always be those who mean to do us harm. To stop them, we risk awakening the same evil within ourselves. Our first instinct is to seek revenge when those we love are taken from us. But that's not who we are... When Christopher Pike first gave me his ship, he had me recite the Captain's Oath. Words I didn't appreciate at the time. But now I see them as a call for us to remember who we once were and who we must be again."

75 - Star Trek

    The destruction of Romulus in the future causes a Romulan to travel back in time.  His actions split the Star Trek continuity.  Kirk joins Starfleet, and meets the crew of the Enterprise.  He deals with the time-traveling villain.
    I'm not sure how many times I've seen this, but it's a remarkable feat of a movie.  With the original series, it took a long time to develop a lot of goodwill between fans and the characters.  In this case, the movie effectively defines the characters, and makes us like them, and reminds us of what we liked about their original incarnation.
    There are a few weaknesses that persist.  I still don't like the stuff with Kirk being marooned.  The lens flares are an interesting element.  Sometimes, I really like them, and feel like they make it seem a little more natural.  Once I start paying attention to them, I feel like they're happening way too much.
    I still admire this script quite a bit.  It was a marvelous way of re-inventing the Star Trek universe while still accommodating all of the Trek purists.

74 - Walled In

    An engineer goes to evaluate a building, in the middle of nowhere, that is scheduled for demolition.  The building was used by the architect to kill victims by sealing them in the walls, and encasing them in concrete.  As she learns more about the architect, she is haunted by the building.
    It's hard to say what I think of this.  The story didn't feel especially meaningful.  I didn't care about any of the characters in particular.  It wasn't especially creepy or anything.  While that doesn't sound like I care that much about it, it wasn't bad.  In fact, the only element that bothered me was a repeated focus on comparing the building to the pyramids.
    With some different choices, this could be a much more interesting movie.  Many of the best movies that use the setting as a key element (Session 9, The Shining) or as a character itself, treat the set with a certain reverence.  The photography brings out elements of the appearance that direct the viewers, and make them feel drawn in.  In this case, it started off well, but it may have just been the lower budget that made it seem like just a handful of sets.  A few tracking shots would have worked wonders.
    I also never felt like there was a distinct direction that the story was going in.  Like it was a very low-key drama.  The scenes that were supposed to be tense (mostly, all the stuff on the 8th floor) just seemed a little confusing, not scary or tense.

73 - Quantum of Solace

    Bond picks up where Casino Royale left off, investigating the organization behind Vesper's manipulation.  After an MI6 employee turns out to be under their control, Bond starts an investigation.  He deals with an environmental philanthropist who uses that role as a cover for a scheme to control water supplies in Bolivia.
    While I still like Quantum of Solace quite a bit, I have some problems with it.  The biggest problem is still the opening chase, which is edited in a way that makes it incomprehensible.  It's terrible.  The action sequences get progressively better throughout the movie, but the direction of them is a pain to watch.
    The editing is really fast, but part of what makes the sequences poor is the angles they are shot from.  I paid special attention to these, and I noticed that he sticks to shots that are primarily 1 - shot fairly close, and 2 - shot from a level height.  There aren't many (or any?) shots that are slightly above, and from a reasonable distance.  This makes it really difficult to put the actions into context.
    There are still some sequences that I really love.  The opera scene is great.  And Bond's return to the hotel.  And I actually like the plot more upon re-viewing the picture.  The villain, Greene, is a nerdy-type guy, but he actually plays a villain well.  Not quite up to the Philip Seymour Hoffman level from Mission: Impossible 3, but his assured manner is really pretty compelling.
    And this time through, I finally felt like Bond had a more solid character arc.  He achieves a measure of peace, but it's clear that his betrayal and the death of Vesper really shaped him.  This movie also set up Skyfall very well, with the development of his relationship with M.

72 - Men in Black 3

    A time-traveling alien assassin goes back in time and kills Agent K in 1969.  Agent J goes back in time to save his partner, and prevent an overall invasion of Earth.
    Normally I'm a pretty big fan of time travel stories.  They offer lots of opportunities for clever writing.  And in this case, there are a few nice touches.  But overall, it's a pretty weak outing.
    I don't know exactly what I thought of the first two movies.  I think I remember a few good moments, but a lot of it played out in a way that I can't recall.  In fact, I don't think I can remember anything specific about the second movie.  I'm not sure why I would expect to like the third one better.  Maybe I'm just a sucker for aliens.
    There are a few nice touches.  The idea of the alien who can see alternate realities is a fascinating idea, and one that could result in a much more interesting plot.
    But there's this vibe that floods the movie, and I found it very distracting.  I thought that the premise was that there were plenty of aliens around, but they all remained in disguise, and until they did something or other, they would remain human-looking.  In this movie, the aliens seem to be all over the place, and don't seem to hide especially carefully.  This is worst during the chinese restaurant scene early on.
    To give the movie some heart, a lot of the picture tries to focus on the relationship between the agents.  This is an entirely appropriate idea, but it just doesn't work for me.  I guess it would help if I felt like the characters were ones that I cared about, which would rely on the other two movies being better.

    So I don't hate this movie.  But it's just not that great.  And I will forget it within a day or so.
    Also, the amount this movie was tailored for 3-D is terrible.

71 - Iron Man

    Captured by a terrorist organization, Tony Stark escapes by building a suit of armor, then decides his company should not manufacture arms.  He deals with a duplicitous employee, and refining his armor design, along with his power supply.
    I still haven't seen Iron Man 3, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to fit it in.  But I wanted to go back and see what it was that actually sold the character.
    After reading a decent number of Iron Man comics, I've had a hard time understanding what makes the character viable.  I eventually found a run of issues during the late 80s-early 90s that was excellent.  The stories were a little more interesting, and more of the story revolved around mankind's relationship with technology.
    And that's what makes this story work.  So much of the story deals with the relationship Tony Stark has to his company's products, and by extension, the relationship that mankind has with weapons.
    The romantic subplot, between Pepper and Tony, isn't fully developed, but that's appropriate.  The story is intended to develop over time, which is exactly what has happened.
    The one thing that really stood out this time was how gradually the villain is developed.  Once we reach the point where he comes out as a villain, it's not a huge surprise, but it's also something that doesn't seem obvious from the start of the movie.

70 - The Game

    A very regimented investment banker is given a gift certificate to Consumer Recreation Services, which provides a tailored game to each client.  The banker's life falls into turmoil as he deals with the game, and the company behind it.
    I saw this in theaters, and I remember liking it.  I saw it a few times since then, but it's been several years since I last saw it.  Criterion got the rights to distribute it, so this is finally a good transfer.
    I think I like it a bit more than I used to.  Some people couldn't accept the ending, and thus they feel like the whole movie is worthless.  I never felt like the ending was a problem.  In fact, this time through, the ending felt better than it ever has.
    The relationships stood out a little more.  And while I've often described the movie as being nightmarish, this time, it seemed even more potent than I remembered.  I usually latch onto how terrible it would be to wake up in Mexico.  But there are plenty of scenes prior to that part that are just as terrifying.
    As I had said, the relationships stood out more.  It was a little more clear how much the experience has made Van Orton appreciate his brother, his ex-wife, even his deceased father, and his maid.  Some of these are tiny things, but they contribute a character that clearly develops over the course of the picture.
    Also, Michael Douglas is absolutely perfect in this movie.  There is no other person who could have pulled off the role in exactly the right way.

69 - Badlands

    Loosely based on Starkweather's murder spree, a pair of young lovers embark on a murder spree.
    Well, I didn't know quite what to expect.  I don't consider this to be a remarkable movie, but it's really fairly good.  It's directed by Terrence Malick, who I've never seen any work of.  It's well shot, and the script is fairly interesting, especially given the laid-back pace, and a remarkable lack of the story going anywhere.
    I've been into serial killers for some time.  Their stories are invariably interesting.  The things that motivate them to kill have a wide variance, between obvious motivations, or something that just makes them do it.  In this case, Kit's motivation is a little strange.  I think it's just that he feels like he's stuck in a dead-end, and the only good thing in his life was his girlfriend.  When her father stands in their way, he feels obligated to protect himself.  All of the murders that follow seem to be a result of that initial choice.  Plus, he feels like he has defined himself into a role.
    Holly is an interesting variation.  She's not exactly an accomplice.  She seems remarkably detached from his actions.  Maybe a little annoyed at them.  She's friendly.  While her narration indicates that she's very attracted to Kit, we don't see much evidence of that.  Perhaps she's just drawn to him irresistibly.
    By the end, Kit and Holly seem to have separated, but it doesn't seem to bother either of them.  Their relationship had just reached a natural end?

68 - Bad Kids Go to Hell

    A collection of students attend Saturday detention, and a bunch of strange stuff happens, eventually resulting in some death.
    I'm very conflicted about this one.  I was leaning negative for the vast majority of the movie, but around the last ten minutes, much of the movie redeems itself.  Prior to that, it's a seriously bizarre movie.
    The primary problem is in the writing.  Nearly every character is a caricature, and the writing plays out with dialogue that is completely unbelievable.  While almost every character talks like a stereotype, that can't work if they all do it.  This just made things boring.  And it wasn't just their dialogue.  Sprinkled throughout the movie, there are flashbacks to some of the incidents that landed them in detention.  All of them are unbelievable.
    There are loads of references to The Breakfast Club, which could have provided an interesting foundation.  I haven't cared for The Breakfast Club in a long time, but it might have been interesting to see something that was a little more like an anti-Breakfast Club.  I thought that's where this was going, but… nope.
    Everything else about the movie alternated between being interesting and seeming like a nonsensical change of direction.  Most of the time, I had no sense of why characters were acting in any particular way, or what motivated any of them to take specific actions.
    The ending is a nice series of twists, only one of which I saw coming.  The problem with the twist was that it was still built on a foundation of unbelievable events.
    Who knows if I'll remember it.  At least it was nice to see Judd Nelson.
    This was based on a comic, and I wonder if it works better in that medium.
    Also, the sound was a pain to listen to.  A lot of dialogue mixed too quiet against loud music.

67 - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

    Indiana Jones finds that his father has gone missing while on a trip to search for the holy grail.  After following him, Indiana finds himself competing with the Nazis, and working with his father to get to the grail before them.
    When this came out in theaters, one of my brothers worked at a theater in Shrewsbury.  As a result, I saw this movie nine times in theaters.  So, of course, I knew is backward and forward.  I also watched it on VHS many times.  I think by the time I reached high school, I had little interest in seeing it again.  Since then, I've probably pulled it out about three times.
    I still like it, but not in the same way.  Many of the jokes have lost their humor to me.  I still recognize them as jokes, but they're kind of dull.  I find Elsa to be a remarkably dull character.  Vogel is a little more worthwhile, at least as a stereotype.  While these things are weaknesses, they don't detract from the movie that much.  The focus of the movie is on Indiana and his relationship with his father.  Villainy is just a distraction.  Every important passage of the movie plays around their relationship.  The catharsis of the ending doesn't come with Indy finding the grail - it comes with his father calling him Indiana.
    On a technical note, I've gotten more annoyed with how poor the effects in this movie are.  The tank falling off the cliff, bouncing around.  Vogel's screaming face.  The weird, CGI-ish appearance of the blades near the first challenge.  The third challenge has a seriously strange effect.  When Indy is standing on the bridge, and the camera moves, Indy looks like he's moving around - like he was green screened on a surface that had more give, then they put him on solid rock.  However, to be fair, I still think that Donovan's death has some pretty good effects.

66 - Ocean's Eleven

    After getting out of jail, Danny Ocean hatches a plan to rob the vault storing money from three casinos.  In order to pull off his heist, he recruits an ensemble of colleagues.
    I'm always impressed with the Ocean's movies, because the writing keeps the audience informed in just the right way.  We learn about the heist with only minimal information.  We don't see much of their planning.  As the story unfolds, there are slight hints about how their plan works.  This makes repeat viewings more enjoyable.
    I don't suppose I have that much to say about this.  It's a very satisfying movie.  I wonder if multiple viewings close together would hurt this one.  As it is, I think I'm watching it every two or three years, so it can't be all that bad.