Best Movie Watched In this Month

Looper

I would have thought it doubtful that anyone could have anything new to add to the sci-fi sub category of time travel movies. After watching Looper yesterday, i'm happy to report that Rian Johnson has removed those doubts and given me hope that sci-fi in Hollywood can be more than just empty spectacle.

First off i would say, don't get discouraged from watching the film if you think its going to be too complex or difficult to follow. To follow the story and recognise characters motivations does require a little concentration, but not to the point that you wont enjoy the action beats and other more visceral elements.

The story is well constructed, information and plot points are presented at an entertaining and well judged pace. There are some nice little throw away visual references and metaphors which, if you catch them, add a nice texture to the story and stop it feeling too clinical in its plotting.

The script is tight, hard edged and very dry in its humour, the actors are fantastic. I think its fair to say that Joseph Gordon-Levitt is well on his way to being "one to watch", Bruce Willis pops back to life here, clearly enjoying himself again, (although i wouldn't say this is solely a Bruce Willis movie in that definition).

This is a brilliant movie experience, its an wholly original and entertaining idea, that the writer/director has managed to successfully transpose to film without, it would appear to a layman, pressure or interference from external sources.

No matter how much of a good time you will have watching this film (and you will), Hollywood could stand to learn much more from it.

The Watch 

It's got a great cast, an interesting setup, some hilarious dialogue… and space aliens. The Watch is stocked with immature humor, gross-out gags and crass conversations as one would expect, but once the otherworldly visitors appear, it simply doesn't gel. The concept of defending against an extraterrestrial invasion has been successfully merged with humor before (see Men in Black, Mars Attacks! and Attack the Block), but here it feels like an afterthought, neither authentic nor necessary in conveying a story of misfit buddies attempting to protect their town. There are a few undeniably funny moments of vulgarity styled after the laughs often found in the works of Jonah Hill and Seth Rogen, but these segments feel misplaced in a film that can't wrap itself around a sensible plot to showcase the comedy.