Briefly, on what I thought of the first four movies I watched in 2014. Warning: mild spoilers ahead.
Lawless (2012) dir. John Hillcoat
I wasn't aware that you could make such an 'eh' movie with such a stellar cast. It was probably the script, which I found lackluster at best, and the lack of any decent characterization. It was also incredibly difficult to feel for any of the characters, with the exceptions of Tom Hardy's Forrest, the eldest of the bootlegging brothers, and Jessica Chastain's elusive and proud Maggie. I could probably watch Tom Hardy being extremely awkward around Jessica Chastain all day. But unfortunately, the movie's main character (?) and narrator was Shia LaBeouf as the youngest brother Jack - who was an annoying little shit at best. I almost wanted him to die half way through, but, Gary Oldman showed mercy and decided against killing him, which was stupid. Also, Gary Oldman is barely in this movie. What a sham.
The film was beautifully shot however, with some really great shots especially near the end that involves a tunnel. And Tom Hardy never dies despite having his throat slit and being shot multiple times. I probably would've stopped watching if he had died earlier on. Guy Pierce sported a haircut almost as scary as Javier Bardem's haircut from No Country for Old Men, except his character was no way as strong as Bardem's. He was rather comical and one-dimensional - another bore.
★★☆
Kick-Ass (2010) dir. Matthew Vaughn
Hm. It's a decent watch but forgettable. Matthew Vaughn does action pretty well; the action sequences in Kick-Ass are a delight to watch. The main star of the movie is Chloe Moretz, who really shines in her role as Hit Girl. And this is probably Nicolas Cage's finest role in recent times; he's dreadfully funny as Hit-Girl's manic father Big Daddy. Overall it's a decent movie, but I kept thinking how it could have been so much better, maybe explore more into the idea of superheroes in a real world where superpowers don't exist. But perhaps I was asking for too much. Another boring protagonist (Aaron Johnson as Dave) aside, Chloe Moretz was really awesome. I just wish they didn't pull that 'male protagonist saves the female character' trick. Why did she run out of ammo so quickly when she carried in a luggage full of them into the lion's den? I did not care much for Dave's growth through the movie, I just wanted more Hit-Girl...
★★★
Snatch (2000) dir. Guy Ritchie
I like Guy Ritchie's movies. He has a pretty distinct style and I love the way he films action scenes. (The reoccuring theme of masculinity and homoeroticism in his movies is also something I'd like to look further into.) I think he has pretty great sense when it comes to the music he uses for his films, and the soundtrack for this film is fantastic. Despite having so many characters and sub-plots happening, the movie had a tight script that made perfect sense and was never boring. Such fascinating characters! They were such a joy to watch. Brad Pitt is especially fun in his role as Mickey, all in his incomprehensible accented and terribly-tattooed glory.
★★★★
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) dir. Tomas Alfredson
This movie is eerily slow and quiet, which I'm sure would bother some, but I had a heck of a time with this film. I will admit that it is a bit difficult to understand what's happening at times, and I had to rewind the movie at certain bits to make sure I didn't miss anything (for example - I thought Mark Strong died very early on in the movie, but he didn't. I was thoroughly confused). But it should be lauded for having so much suspense in such a slow-paced, calm movie. Gary Oldman is phenomenal in his subtlety. Beautiful cinematography is one of the film's strongest points, as it kept me engaged during the film's slowest moments. Befitting its setting as a Cold War espionage film, Tinker Tailor Solder Spy is brutally cold... but utterly captivating.
★★★★
