Reviewed on The Goods: A Film Podcast
Categories
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Category: Legacy
Funnier, stranger, and more beautiful than I remember. The astonishing Technicolor, all-time soundtrack, and world-class production are grounded by Judy Garland’s humane role as Dorothy (at age 17!)
A post-Wes Andersonian end-of-high school comedy that’s simultaneously charming and a bit dull, despite a lean sub-90 runtime. Cast is full of winners but led by a blank slate.
Categories
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
The script and story are flimsy in comparison to the visuals, which are rousing. Epic action sequences and world-building, with some apocalyptic moments. Heavy Avatar: The Last Airbender vibes. Enjoyed but wanted more.
A bizarre documentary about pet cemeteries that manages to be both hilarious and perhaps the most probing look at the human condition that I’ve ever seen.
The animation is astoundingly beautiful, the story epic and Shakespearean, the Zimmer score aggressive but stirring. The politics are wonky and the protagonist uninspiring, but the overall product is still mesmerizing. Near-masterpiece.
Noisy, dumb, and bloated — but phenomenal spectacle. The broad characters work just well enough, and the effects that matter (the exploding buildings) are real good.
Categories
The Last Day of Summer (2007)
I declare that “Jansen” shall be my measurement unit for annoying child actors. Jansen Panettiere comes in at 1.0 Jansens in this film, the yardstick of shittiness.
This Australian coming-of-age flick is far too quirky and disjointed, proud of its satire and flipping of tropes, but certainly unique and powerful in moments. Leads are quite good and non-generic