thereeldeal
Bio: movies are fun
despite what my tiers may say i generally enjoy most movies i see to some extent. 30 and below is when it gets abrasive
i usually don't rate TV shows. i plan to make a separate account for those to avoid clutter. i do, however, rate the TV shows of my favorite directors on this account just to clear those entries off their pages.
i tend to go in and out of movie obsession phases. if i haven't updated for a long time, don't worry, i'll be back.
Recent RankingsCheck out thereeldeal's...
| 55 T3 | Trouble Every Day (2001) - Aug 16, 2017
"Some of the bloody imagery here is gorgeous, but most of Trouble Every Day is forgettable. The analogy of sex to cannibalism or murder is hardly anything fresh, and in its minimal approach the film fails to say anything more. Even in regards to what themes are there, sex is actually extremely distant from the narrative and most is Gallo wandering in near silence, acting poorly, and searching for someone between scenes and images where we aren't given enough information for any possible emotion."
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| 80 T8 | [Rec] (2007) - Aug 15, 2017
"I never watch horror films with the hope to be scared, because it barely ever happens. I just like macabre, tense stories. For what it's worth [Rec] is one of the most effective I've ever seen in the fear department. Everything about the film's concept is a recipe for mediocrity but it overcomes it all. I'm hardly shaking in my boots, but the danger escalates in a way that's actually realistic. Characters are just the right amount of incompetent in their hysteria to identify with them."
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| 80 T8 | The Kingdom II (1997) - Aug 10, 2017
"Like apparently every great TV series ever made, The Kingdom had production problems and ends up being unfinished. It's almost comical how fucking often this happens, and only to shit actually worth caring about. With Järegård dead there's no way a third season would be worth it, and von Trier doesn't seem willing to just give us the screenplays. A heartbreaking abrupt end, but unintentionally harsh and apocalyptic without its conclusion in a way that suits von Trier. Suitable, not excusable."
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| 80 T8 | The Kingdom (1994) - Aug 08, 2017
"Surprisingly well-rounded for a Lars von Trier written story. Perhaps for the softer TV crowd, but this work is only improved by its joyous balance between exaggerated drama, clever dark humor, and eerie psychological horror. Just about everything works when combined with an engaging cast and a particularly interesting character played by Ernst-Hugo Järegård. Some special effects are very dated and hurt a few horror scenes, and it can be as contrived as your usual TV drama, but it's unique."
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| 55 T3 | The Boss of It All (2006) - Aug 06, 2017
"In the overabundance of bureaucratic comedies, Von Trier's The Boss of It All is predictably irreverent in its predictability. Audience winking and editing ill-suited to this dry humor sabotage a solid premise for an ignoble, possibly pretentious meta goal. It's more "clever" than funny, but is it really? The satire being as bland as it is, being funny would've been much preferred. The narrative's poorly placed exposition and lackluster detailing of characters ruins joke setups and any heart."
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| 65 T4 | Proxy (2013) - Aug 05, 2017
"Proxy is a solid entry into the style of slow, dark, minimalist thrillers such as Blue Ruin and Enemy. Though it had potential to be a standard. The slow pace aids the hypnotic tension, but this is a film that doesn't benefit from a two hour length and certain digressions should've been cut down or cut out entirely. There's also a loose theme about motherhood vanity that nothing's really done with, so its only acknowledged. And much of the dialogue is overly explanatory and contrived."
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| 80 T8 | What We Do in the Shadows (2014) - Aug 04, 2017
"What We Do in the Shadows could've had a bit more of an emotional punch for my liking, but through its great characters and success at its quirky premise it does manage to be more than just a very funny horror comedy. Some jokes are stupid instead of clever, and certain scenes drag too much (anything with the werewolves), but that goes for just about any comedy."
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| 75 T7 | Super (2011) - Aug 03, 2017
"It's impressive and frustrating as Super succeeds and fails to pull in two different emotional directions in single scenes. Existing as a fantastical dark comedy while at the same time dedicating realistic framing to highlight how pathetic and dangerous some of these concepts actually are. It's a movie that's not satisfied with just being funny and nearly cancels its good qualities out with its ambition, but it holds together for a fun, unique ride. Other than the left-field saccharine finish."
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| 80 T8 | City of God (2003) - Aug 02, 2017
"It's the production that really makes this film what it is: a symphony of a city God has overlooked, with any traces of light dying or being diverted through frantic, fragmented shots of always ugly chaos no matter what color feelings they're behind. It's easy to get swept away in this maelstrom, and with your focus always being shifted you can't make any sense of it either. You're just watching the storm play out. True, colorful film making evolves City of God's familiar story and characters."
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| 55 T3 | Vampyr (1932) - Aug 02, 2017
"Unlike 1922's Nosferatu, this "classic" is an absolute bore. Dreyer's effects to create shadows in Vampyr are novel and worth seeing, but aren't worth even this 73 minute run-time. Dreyer's lack of commitment to sound films results in a dry narrative with inexplicably pointless spoken dialogue and the lack of it. Obnoxious on-screen cards needlessly break the "show don't tell" rule, and Allan Gray's endless wanderings aren't atmospheric, they're empty and monotonous. No sense of threat or dread."
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