Stoker

Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode
Director: Chan-wook Park

Stoker is nothing like I've seen before. It certainly is captivating to watch the scenes unfold as viewers get to the bottom of the allure that the family holds. There is some great cinematography in the works, and there are great actors attached to this project. There are also numerous striking scenes, each scene detrimental to the depth and the reason behind the plot. For the English film debut of Korean filmmaker Chan-wook Park, he certainly has a hit in his hands.

In Spirit of Halloween

With Halloween a day away, there are sure plans of hitting parties with the easiest, or craftiest costumes you can get your hands on. However, if you're 1. not so much of a horror movie fan and 2. staying at home that night, or simply having a movie night, here are some movies that stay in the theme of the occasion, without so much of the chills and spooks. 


Trailer: X-Men: Days of Future Past


The first trailer is here! It looks good so far, as everyone who reprised their role was present (I think). I'm worried (to use the term loosely) about the amount of involvement with everyone. Since this is technically a sequel of X-Men: First Class, I'm going to assume that the new batch of heroes will have more screen time. Still I'm willing to bet we won't be getting enough of the other familiar faces, and the team up will eventually lead to a third movie. The tone of the film seems darker, as the future and the past have somehow managed to cross-over together in order to save the world. I think there might be some explanation needed (particularly with the resurrection of Patrick Stewart), but I'm willing to bet that this would be set before the X-Men events, particularly in a direct effect. Still, while it takes a darker tone, the trailer doesn't give much to work with, particularly the extent of the participation between their past and future (present) selves. This is going to my anticipation list, as I'd like to see how everything would pan out. 2014 could not come soon enough! 

One Season Wonder: Awake

CAST: Jason Isaacs, Laura Allen, Steve Harris
CREATOR: Kyle Killen 
PLOT: After a car accident takes the life of a family member, a police detective lives two alternating parallel lives, one with his wife and one with his son. Is one of his "realities" merely a dream? 
AIR DATE: 2012 

This was a show that shouldn't have gone off-air that fast. Each episode was mind-blowing as the next, and while the cancellation was unexpected (having taped the episodes prior to the announcement), they did have a very good series finale. The show was smart and interesting, and was advanced for its time. It plays with the notion of time and space, as well as adding a little crime drama that gets viewers hooked. Each episode leaves unanswered questions, as well as dives further as to what its inner cause it. Awake was a show that placed its focus more on the scientific/psychological matter rather than the crime aspect of it. When the series unfolded, I thought that the crime part could use some work, as there was a really incompetent reason as to why it all happened. However, they portrayed it through an interesting avenue that leads the mind away from the crime, and into the mystery of existence that it presents.

Trailer: Captain America: The Winter Soldier


The trailer for the new Captain America movie is out. The wait wouldn't be much longer, as they're having an April release (the wait between Iron Man 3 and Thor seems long, but it's probably the same amount of time). This time we see Steve Rogers teaming up with the Black Widow, and there is a more defined presence of SHIELD in this one. The first Captain America movie wasn't really a hit or miss with me, so I'm definitely reserving my judgments until seeing the installment. 

Trailer: That Awkward Moment


To be honest, I hardly noticed that Zac Efron went off the radar this year. Now he's back with a couple of comedies, this being one of them. It looks like a light watch, and he has a likable cast backing him up in the form of Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan. Not expecting much from it, but considering it for a lighter flare.

Rabbit Hole

Cast: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest
Director: John Cameron Mitchell

A child becomes an orphan when his parents die. But what about a parent who just lost his child? Rabbit Hole touches on the subject, the unhappiness and the feeling of not knowing what to do next. I think if one is familiar with the subject, or knew people who have experienced the same fate, one would have expected it to be a film filled with emotion, that the outbursts themselves can relay what these people with experiences have felt. Rabbit Hole may have not given its extent in the area, but has provided much more. It's not a film that will emotionally drain a person, but it gives enough to trigger something in you.

Trailer: The Grand Budapest Hotel


The trailer for Wes Anderson's newest film is here! It looks great, and features a lot of familiar faces. Hopefully everyone involved gets ample screen time, as there are many names attached to the project. The film has a dark comic tone to it, as it focuses on the death of a long time client, and a painting that was passed on to the hotel manager. I can't wait to see what Ralph Fiennes does with his character (as it is rare that he appears in comedies), and to be engulfed by the style that Anderson has used for his work. Definitely something to look forward to!

Prisoners

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis
Director:  Denis Villeneuve

I made a mistake of watching Prisoners alone. All I knew was it was supposed to be a crime thriller, but I didn’t expect to watch what I saw. I thought it was going to be similar to those kinds of movies Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal typical appear in. It wasn’t. It was a rather gritty, and had a very dark tone throughout, cutting out every inch of hope that we usually look for in depressing movies. Still, it’s one of those movies where it wasn’t drowned by the names of the people involved, rather it makes the crime stand out, and the desire to solve the puzzle unite the movie into one piece.

Gravity

Cast: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris
Director: Alfonso Cuaron

I've seen the trailer of Gravity once. When a fellow movie-lover mentioned that she was excited for it, I had to ask her why. It was, after all, just two people floating in space. I was wrong. The work was visually captivating. It was agonizing to watch one misfortune after the other, but seeing in projected in a vast area like that, all I can say is...wow. It captures your attention from the beginning, and it doesn't let go afterwards. I'm not a fan of 3-D, but I regret not seeing it in that medium. I think this may be one of those films that should be seen in the said medium, as it enhances the spacial experience. I honestly think this could be an Oscar contender for visuals and cinematography, as it managed to make space beautiful and scary at the same time.

Adore

Cast: Naomi Watts, Robin Wright, Xavier Samuel
Director: Anne Fontaine

I’d like to think that we’re no strangers to relationships with considerable age gaps. We see it on television, and in movies, and in other people’s lives. Some may be in this kind of relationship. Adore plays no stranger to the concept, and is one of those films that capitalize on the relationship. However, I think that the movie took the concept to a different level, becoming a movie that is unusual in a familial aspect. I personally don't approve of the film’s concept, but after seeing the overall picture, I’d like to think it was beyond that strange situation that the characters were put in, and somewhere through all that mess, is something that was done tastefully and was made to captivate its viewers.

September Round Up

New movies watched: 23
Repeats: 6
Total: 29

So that was long. September was quite a busy month. I've moved houses for a month because of work, and I've been taking some time settling back down, thus the lack of any blog activity. I only got to occasionally check on my favorite blogs, so I'll be skipping the monthly links for now. I don't think October would be any different work-wise, but hopefully I get a couple of movies (and reviews) logged in.