Well, I watched four less movies than last month but I’m okay with that. Apparently I was really digging documentaries and crime/dramas this month. I’m hoping to get in some good horrors in October.
*The title of each film is linked to the trailer for it.
ABSOLUTELY LOVED
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (documentary) – First off, thank you again to Tori for recommending this! If you want to be inspired by someone, look to none other than Ai Weiwei. He puts his life on the line in the sake of art.
The Kings of Summer (drama) – Maybe I’m bias but a movie about building a house out in the woods, free to explore…count me in! Loved the cast, the story, and that house.
The House I Live In (documentary) – What I loved most about this film was how it showed the detriment the ‘War on Drugs’ is having by getting the perspectives of the prisoners convicted, lawyers involved, corrections officers, and the cops doing the arresting.
West of Memphis (documentary) – Wow. Wow. Wow. Though centered around the killings of three boys in West Memphis and three teenagers accused of the crime, what this film is really about is just how broken our system is. Powerful. Informative.
REALLY LIKED IT
This is Not a Film (documentary) – Yet another artist barred for making art. While simple, it’s also inspiring.
Side Effects (crime/drama) – I was totally caught off guard by this one, in a good way. Loved it, the acting, the cast, and the twists and turns of the story.
Happy (documentary) – This documentary does a great job touching on the topic of happiness, via interviews and research.
IT WAS GOOD
The East (crime/drama) – I was probably too excited about this because hello Alexander Skarsgard. I was also excited because of the concept, revenge on big businesses wronging people. I think it was making a statement for our time. While I did enjoy it, my expectations were too high and that was my fault.
World War Z (action/horror) – I read and enjoyed the book World War Z but I knew the film was taking a very different approach with it. I expected it to be cheesy and poorly done and honestly, I enjoyed it. Zombies aren’t much my thing because I don’t find anything all that scary about slow moving dead people but in World War Z, they aren’t slow at all and I think that elevated the action.
Coraline (animation/fantasy) – I’ve been on a Neil Gaiman kick after reading and loving The Ocean at the End of the Lane. So I read and enjoyed Coraline, wishing I had a friend like her when I grew up, and I think the film adaptation did a great job of telling the story.
MEH – JUST OKAY
Man of Steel (action/adventure) – I’m one to love super hero films (love!) but meh on this one. Henry Cavill played an excellent Superman, which I expected nothing less, but all else didn’t live up to his acting for me.
UGH REALLY?
The Bling Ring (crime/drama) – This one just didn’t peak my interest at all and I’m not surprised by its low ratings.
What movies did you watch this past month? Any recommendations?