What to Watch: Lee's top 5 movies so far

These are some of my favorite 2013 movies. Like David, I'm including a 2012 foreign film that did not reach American theaters until this year. The top five are in no particular order and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.

Lee:

Blue Jasmine – I'm not a huge Woody Allen fan, but his writing and Cate Blanchett's performance made this story of an uppity socialite's fall into a surprisingly effective tragicomedy. Despite her unsympathetic behavior, I pitied the increasingly unhinged Jasmine while enjoying her darkly comical struggle to adjust to lower-class life.

Captain Phillips – Paul Greengrass made his depiction of the well-known 2009 Maersk Alabama hijacking a tense thriller by focusing on the humanity of the victims and attackers. CP shows that the key to effective tension isn't spectacle (not that I don't appreciate a well-done blockbuster); more important are character development and depth that make you invested in the situation and its outcome.

Short Term 12 – This story about a teen group home and its workers is full of great characters and moments. It feels like a real glimpse into the troubled lives of these youths, one that doesn't sugarcoat their lives but also doesn't try to make them seem overly depressing. Brie Larson is great as the caring lead worker struggling to help them while dealing with her own issues.

The Hunt – Stories of wrongful accusations are often told as mysteries, but The Hunt instead focuses on a clearly innocent man's fight for his reputation. It hurt to watch an upstanding member of a community be seen as a monster due to the disturbing words spoken by a seemingly innocent child.

The Place Beyond the Pines – I expected a crime film but got an ambitious triptych about troubled fathers and the effects they have upon their sons. It was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed watching the story's three distinct sections play out, the woodsy upstate New York setting and the performances of everyone involved.

Honorable mention:

Before Midnight – Before Sunrise and Sunset were sweet glimpses of brief, ill-timed romantic connections. BM brings the romance trilogy's fleeting lovers down to earth by examining the challenges and shifting relationship dynamics that arise during long-term commitments.

Don Jon – I enjoyed Joseph Gordon-Levitt's mocking homage to romantic comedies and his ability to make the somewhat asinine lead character into a likable womanizer.

The Way, Way Back – Some of the family drama feels familiar, but it's very fun to watch the awkward main character interact with his wacky water park coworkers and possible love interest. His development and interactions feel real and hilarious, largely thanks to Sam Rockwell as his man-child boss.

What to Watch This Weekend: September 6, 2013

It's a pretty light theater weekend but if you're looking for something to see, check out Drinking Buddies.  Otherwise, catch up on some DVD and streaming movies you might have missed!

In Theaters: Drinking Buddies

This romantic dramedy just arrived at DC's Landmark E Street. It's about two craft brewery coworkers (Olivia Wilde and New Girl's Jake Johnson) who seem perfect for one another, except that neither are single. It sounds incredibly generic, but it's gotten many good reviews praising its performances, complicated relationships and avoidance of formula. Lee hears it's like 2011 indie comedy Your Sister's Sister.

On DVD: Now You See Me

This magical caper has a great cast, fun character interaction, distracting CG and an increasingly convoluted heist plot. The characters feel like variations of the actors' best known roles, especially those played by arrogant Jesse Eisenberg and smartest man in the room Morgan Freeman, but the personalities work well together. Now's your chance to check it out. 

On DVD: The Place Beyond the Pines

The Place Beyond the Pines is a long, complex, and thoughtful movie about fathers' legacies and their effects upon their sons. However, its slow pace and length made me conclude that it was ultimately a rental. It starts as a crime tale about a dad (Ryan Gosling) taking desperate measures to provide for his family, but takes a very different path after the first act. Lee really liked the story's unconventional structure, along with Gosling and Bradley Cooper's performances. For those of you who listened to me, now's your chance to see it. For those that didn't listen to me, well, now you can see it again!

Streaming (Netflix): There Will Be Blood

This is the very acclaimed tale of the rise of a ruthless oilman in early 20th century California. Daniel Day-Lewis won numerous awards for his very intense lead performance. Paul Dano is great as twin brothers who butt heads with him during his conquest of the land, particularly as the local church-leading twin who annoys the heartless oilman throughout the story.

Streaming (Amazon): Zoolander

Zoolander is one of those movies that I can watch again and again and still enjoy it. It's not a great movie, but it's a very funny one and features some very funny actors at their funniest. If you haven't seen it, make sure to watch this one. If you have seen it, then watch it again.

What to Watch This Weekend: August 9, 2013

There are a lot of great DVD releases this week, if you don't make it to the theaters, make sure to stop by a Red Box or your local DVD store / rental place and grab a few!

In Theaters: We're the Millers

We're the Millers is just a funny movie; it has great interactions between some very funny actors and sharp writing. Although it doesn't look like it from the trailers, it is definitely worth a watch. 

On DVD: Oblivion

Oblivion spends a lot of time setting up a beautiful, interesting sci-fi world. Although the final act is a little ridiculous, you'll forgive it because so much time is spent establishing this wonderful place. 

On DVD: The Place Beyond the Pines

The Place Beyond the Pines is a long movie that deals with some very complex issues. It has three distinct acts that will take the viewer through some involved plot, but if you're willing to stick it out, it is worth the time.

On DVD: Mud

Mud is one of those indie movies that had a very successful box office time. It's supposed to be phenomenal (especially Matthew McConaughey's performance). It's definitely a movie we'll be checking out this weekend, and you should too!

Streaming (Netflix): Arbitrage

Richard Gere made one of his most praised performances in last year's thriller Arbitrage, playing a corrupt hedge fund manager fighting to cover his tracks following an unexpected accident. Some reviewers note holes in the plot, but even they mostly agree that Gere's unsympathetic schemer and his suffering family make Arbitrage an absorbing character study.

Streaming (Netflix): Zodiac

David Fincher's Zodiac focuses on the hunt for California's elusive Zodiac Killer during the late 1960's and early 1970's. Though it is a mystery, it places greater emphasis on the investigation process and its effects upon those involved rather than the killer and their victims. Outside of a couple of brief scenes, the two-and-a-half hour film is driven by dialogue and suspenseful encounters rather than murders and confrontations. Maybe this is why Zodiac--possibly the director's second-most acclaimed film following The Social Network--is Fincher's lowest-grossing film, taking in much less than his more macabre Seven and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It's good, but don't expect a standard serial killer plot.

Review: The Place Beyond the Pines

Release Date:  March 20, 2013

Running Time: 140 minutes
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Ray Liotta

Who to see it with: People working out their daddy issues

David: 

The Place Beyond the Pines is a very interesting movie.  It's a long, complex, thoughtful movie; it's not for someone who wants to take in a quick flick.  Essentially, it's three related movies that have connecting story lines and characters.  The overarching theme is the legacy one person leaves to another; it's an interesting theme that permeates the three main stories of the movie.  The director, Derek Cianfrance, does an amazing job shooting this.  The cinematography is phenomenal and the stories relate in some very interesting ways.  He also successfully draws parallels between the different parts of the movie by using similar shots and similar musical cues.  And the tension!  The director is a master of creating and utilizing tension; there are some crazily tense scenes in this film.  This movie is not for everyone.  It's long and definitely feels like a long movie.  But, for those who have the interest in this movie, it will definitely reward you.  I definitely found myself thinking a lot about the movie and the different characters after it was over.  If that sounds like something you'd like to see, then see it.  Otherwise, 

Rent it.