Oh Su...

Bottle Rocket(dir. Wes Anderson)[rewatch]
*** out of ****
Bottle Rocket(dir. Wes Anderson)[2nd rewatch]
*** out of ****
Bottle Rocket(dir. Wes Anderson)[3rd rewatch]
I feel the portion at the hotel and the romance between Inez and Anthony is the best part of the movie, but when you come to accept Dignan as he is, the 2nd half doesn't feel as disappointing. The 2nd half never felt horrible by any means, but you start to miss the whimsical nature of the portion set at the hotel. Much like Taxi Driver, this film relies on your acceptance of the character for ultimate enjoyment. Maybe Rushmore is the same and maybe I should rewatch that film again down the line.
***1/2 out of ****
Munich(dir. Steven Spielberg)
Spielberg's most mature "mature" film? Probably. It doesn't try to entertain or offer a fairly sentimental view on a historical event, which makes it one of his best works. The running time seems quite excessive especially during the middle portion of it and it seems to hammer the message that killing doesn't solve anything. Holds up suprisingly well as a rewatch.
*** out of ****
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow(dev. Konami)
The film is addictive at first but quickly becomes tiresome. The whole soul collection aspect of the game seems like it would be addicting and a lot of fun, but you'll quickly realize that most of the souls are useless and you should stick to a handful of souls. The level design is surprisingly bland for a Castlevania game. Playing Julius mode quickly reminded me of how much better the pre-SOTN Castlevania games were mainly due to the relatively the fast-paced nature and focus on action. Now the series's focus is on collection of items and exploring. The boss fights are the best part of this game mainly due to the old-school nature of the battles, which force you to remember patterns and exploit weaknesses.
*** out of ****
Elite Beat Agents(dev. Inis?)
I haven't completed the game so my opinion might change, but right now, this game is charming and hilarious. The cut-scenes are ridiculous and the premise is genius and alittle insane. The humor might wear off on me and the game might not seem as enticing as it did, but this game is easily one of the best rhythm-based games I've played due to it's challenging and brief nature of it's songs. The one thing that struck me as particularly frustrating with a game like Guitar Hero is that you could easily mess up halfway through a relatively long song. This game never becomes frustrating because the songs last for only a couple of minutes and the cut-scenes add an incentive to keep going and complete the songs. Best DS game I've played so far.
**** out of ****
There Will Be Blood Teaser Trailer
Don't usually review trailers, but this one is easily one of the best I've seen just because it offers a sense of possibility that most trailers and teaser trailers wish they were able to offer. You get a real sense that this film could do anything and could possibly be the greatest film on the face of the planet. It's unusual nature with it's soundtrack and Daniel Day Lewis's(sic?) menacing voice over adds a sense of dread and evil to the picture. The images shown are both beautiful and haunting. Some have said the film gives off a Terrence Malick vibe, which is easy to see due to the voice over narration and beautiful cinematography, but Malick never provides the sense of horror and ugliness that this trailer provides. I can't wait to see this.
**** out of ****
Damned if You Don't(dir. Su Friedrich)
Excruciating and compelling? This type of personal film-making could easily not resonate with some people. It almost plays like a diary entry. Maybe not as much as the next film being reviewed, but yeah. The deconstruction of Black Narcissus in the beginning seemed relatively pretentious until the ending occurs. The ending redeems all the boredom and ennui that this viewer felt during the experience. The film deals with the sexual longing that a Catholic upbringing can create. Most Catholic teachings tell you that sex is bad unless married. This film offers the argument that sex should be viewed as ultimately spiritual thing. There is a sense of release you feel at the end mainly due to the repressive nature the film has before it. You also feel that the nun character feels spiritual enlightenment due to giving into her temptations. It's hard not to be hot and bothered by the ending being a heterosexual male, but it is ultimately cathartic and outstanding on more than a sexual level.
**** out of ****
Rules of the Road(dir. Su Friedrich)
A sense of longing is felt in this picture as well, but more of a romantic kind than a strictly sexual kind. Plays like a love letter for cars and a therapy session for the filmmaker. The ending much like the film above is cathartic and offers a sense of release. It might not be as artistically successful as the film above, but it makes up with it's amusing combination of love songs and images of station wagons in various scenes.
**** out of ****
First Comes Love(dir. Su Friedrich)
Then comes marriage? The film is quite ambigious at first and plays like a mixture of Frederick Wiseman and Kenneth Anger(think Matrimony Rising) with it's stark documentary footage and use of a pop soundtrack. The film has a fairly romantic view of marriage which makes perfect sense given the film's message. The filmmaker calls for a legalization of homosexual marriage and thankfully, the filmmaker doesn't decide to offer this message in an allegorical fashion. It is upfront and literally written out for the audience. The list of countries that do not provide legal homosexual marriage is amazingly drawn out and provides a valid argument for the film's cause. The only footage is of weddings and with the use of love songs, becomes something beautiful and sacred that it almost changes my opinion on marriage and weddings. If a film forces me to question my beliefs, it obviously is a great one.
**** out of ****