Cinephilic Ramblings

It’s loud, bombastic, theatrical and over-the-top, but it’s Baz Luhrmann, so what exactly were people expecting? I don’t fully understand the naysayers. Beyond the pomp and circumstance, there’s a cast of incredible pedigree, including another iconic performance by Leonardo DiCaprio.

Jeff Nichols is a gem. He bravely places character at the forefront of his films, letting the plot naturally evolve around them. While not as strong as “Take Shelter” (his previous effort), ”Mud” is a great film. Nichols bravely looks at modern masculinity in an honest and personal way.

I’ve been something of a wet blanket when it comes to the Iron Man series. The first film, while filled with charming moments, left me uneasy with how it drew upon real foreign policy issues to pad its underdeveloped plot. I found “Iron Man 2” more agreeable. It embraced Stark’s narcissism and depicted him as more or less a complete dick.

“Iron Man 3” returns to the queasy undertones of the first entry. Real people, real cultures, real issues service cheap one-liners and 80s action genre tropes. Stark is still an asshole, but the audience is suppose to believe that he’s undergone some serious humanistic changes since the events of 2012’s “The Avengers”. The only change I see is that he’s replaced his self-involvement with self-righteousness, which could make for a compelling story if he wasn’t a super hero we’re expected to root for.

I can’t help but think this entire franchise would’ve been DOA if not for Downey’s charismatic portrayal of the character. Jesus, I’m tired of writing about comic book movies.

An emotional voyage. My brain is still swimming. The greater plot points don’t matter to me. What matters to me is what this film made me feel. Watch it and then listen to writer/director/producer/editor/composer and star Shane Carruth speak about it here.

The most realistic approach to a vampire I’ve ever seen in cinema.