Almost forgot. This week I’m doing something different (since I’m tired and lazy).

3 Thoughts…

Upstream Color (Shane Carruth, 2013)

1. It’s like Shane took an icepick and went off on my brain.

2. Kinda like Primer did; sadly, I’m afraid this film is nowhere near as brilliant.

3. It is wonderfully shot, though. Very disorienting/confusing; much like a half-forgotten memory/dream.

- 6/10

The Great Gatsby (Baz Luhrmann, 2013)

1. Visually/Stylistically/Technically, this film is a complete mess.

2. Leo and Carey are phenomenal. Far too good for the film they’re in.

3. Despite it’s glaring missteps (there are just so many), I enjoyed it quite a bit. Definitely more than I expected. And probably more than I’d like to admit.

- 6.5/10

Star Trek Into Darkness (J.J. Abrams, 2013)

1. Better than I expected. I loved it. Loved, loved, loved it. Probably my favorite of 2013 right now. (I know I say that a lot. Get over it.)

2. Benedict Cumberbatch. Enough said.

3. Alice Eve in a bra and panties. It must be in her contract.

If it isn’t, it should be. Gorgeous doesn’t do her any justice.

- 10/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

now my brain hurts.

Iron Man Three (Shane Black, 2013)

Marvel Universe meets Lethal Weapon. Black was the perfect choice for this installment, as his wit and knack with handling wise-ass characters in tight situations works wonders. It definitely feels more like an ‘80’s/’90’s action film than a comic book film. I got a lot of Tango & Cash in it, personally, and tonally I also, naturally, caught a lot Lethal Weapon throughout (many times Downey’s Stark felt reminiscent of Gibson’s Riggs, especially in a certain bar scene and its aftermath and a scene that found Stark tied up). Tony Stark has always been quick-witted, but here it felt a little less cheeky, which I think worked great within this story. The action scenes were solid; certainly more so than the scenes in the first two Iron Man installments. And the interaction with the Iron Man suits were as enjoyable as they were in The Avengers, if not better. This isn’t quite the film I expected going in, and thank god for that. While it’s not quite as good overall as the first one, it’s a welcomed formulaic departure from the first two films.

Tony Stark > Iron Man every day of the week (therefore, the second act gets a solid 10/10). - 8.5/10 

Submarine (Richard Ayoade, 2010)

I hated hated hated this film. A coming-of-age comedy only works if the lead character isn’t such an annoying little tw*t. - 1/10

Mud (Jeff Nichols, 2013)

Watching this, I often found myself thinking back to films like Sling Blade, Radio Flyer and other small town films similar to them. Nichols conveys an honesty through his approach to these characters and their world that brings us into the story completely, making us actually give a shit.

Mud is a film about trust, friendship and learning the meaning of both. It’s not a happy film, necessarily, but I left smiling because the story and performances never tried to trick me into buying the message being delivered. Tye Sheridan is a powerhouse here, and Matthew McConaughey proves once again that he actually gives a shit, delivering one of the best performances I’ve seen so far this year. (Sorry, he doesn’t win, Gosling does, and Franco is a close second. My feelings on this may change but that’s where I am now.) - 9/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.