Here's another movie round up - What I've watched in the last month. (Most recent first)
Village of the Giants (MST3K) - On my wife's birthday as it is one of, if not her favourite episode of MST3K. Excellent riffing and a fairly watchable trainwreck.
Gate of Hell - We've been enjoying Kurosawa films lately, having never watched much classic Asian cinema, so I picked up this Criterion release. I wouldn't say it was amazing, but it was incredibly beautiful to look at. The colours and the restoration are amazing. And it was a decent movie, just nothing incredible.
Yo Yo - The second movie in the Pierre Étaix boxset. I didn't like it as much as The Suitor, but it had a lot of really bizarre and inventive stuff. Fun for sure, looking forward to the next film in the set.
Young Adult - Finally caught up with this film from a couple of years ago. Probably even worked a little better watching this having a new baby. Unfortunately, we are also still the slobs that Charlize Theron's character is.
Diner - Really enjoyed three quarters of this movie, but the ending was a bit of a disappointment. Wrapped a lot of things up too neatly. Bacon's character should have had some kind of consequences, surely. And Mickey Rourke's ending... Yeesh. It was still mostly fun, especially to see that cast all so young!
The Public Enemy - OK, but really felt too dated. Didn't enjoy it as much as the first film in the Ultimate Gangsters set. But Petrified Forest is up next, and I love that film.
Peeping Tom - Very interesting to finally see the film that ended Powell's career. The Archers have been a huge recent discovery for me, so I was very curious. I am actually quite surprised that it was such a big deal, but thems was different times, I guess.
RiffTrax Live: Manos – The Hands of Fate - Great to finally see this!
Rocket Attack U.S.A. (MST3K) - Hoo boy. Great riffing, but a challenging movie
This Is the End - Great fun! Sure, it's dumb, but I love the concept and I laughed most of the way through it.
Design for Living - Surprisingly risque for the time! And a great ending that you wouldn't get away with in a mainstream Hollywood comedy ever again after the code.
Chungking Express - I preferred In The Mood For Love, but this was still great. I especially enjoyed the first story.
Le Havre - Surprisingly great! And beautiful to watch too! Must track down some more Kaurismäki films. (Also, there's a fantastic feature on the Blu Ray of the director and cast at a film festival doing a panel interview and being very silly.)
Behind the Candelabra - It was OK. Autobio pics are rarely that interesting. Douglas did a great job. Some of the other actors were maybe a bit cartoonish.
The Place Beyond the Pines - This is my second favourite movie of the year so far. Loved the structure. Seems like a lot of people who weren't impressed only liked the first third, but I thought it was all great.
Anna Karenina - Not too bad. I think the clever staging got in its own way a bit. Also, everyone seemed so young, like it was a high school production. Jude Law was excellent.
Drinking Buddies - A very quiet movie, but really well executed. Does a good job of not playing out exactly like you think it will at the start.
The Great Dictator - Conflicted on this one. Some of it 'went there' a bit too much for me. Of course it was made before the full extent of what went down was known, and Chaplin said he'd have never have made the film had he known. Touch on brilliance often, though, but in the end, I'd rather watch one of his other films, I think. Glad to have seen it though.