Going The Distance

Photo credit: soyleona.com

Going The Distance this second time I didn't even like this film as much and worse, they cut it.

Delibal

Photo credit: www.burakoli.com

Delibal beklediğimden güzel çıktı. Bu bir Hint filminin yeniden çevrimi eğer doğru anladıysam ama öyle güzel becermişler ki, hem ağladım hem güldüm hem keyiflendim. Acıklı bir öykü ve filmde belirtilen hastalıktan muzdarip bir arkadaşım olduğu için bazı kısımları tanıdık bile geldi. Orjinali nasıl bilmiyorum ama bunu tavsiye ederim. 

Sinister 2

Photo credit: www.fangoria.com

Sinister 2 was on Dvdigi and as usual I started watching hoping that I wouldn't quit (this happened more than once and I haven't bothered to write about them). Well my horror film luck is high these days since I really liked this film. Very good cinematography and a decent scary plot (a sequel but I didn't feel the lack of watching the first film) good cast and more than a few disgusting scenes of violence. 

El Secreto De Sus Ojos (The Secret In Their Eyes)

El Secreto De Sus Ojos I admit to be only curious of this film when they made a remake. And I'm so glad I watched it because even though I saw the twists etc. I very much enjoyed a different style of melodrama. One that made me cry with pain and with joy at different times. I highly recommend this. 

Attachments

Attachments was so so good. I really like Ms. Rowell's style and probably need to read more from her.

I'm conflicted about reading Carry On though since it is actually a fan fiction in a fictional novel.

I Give It A Year

I Give It A Year was an impulse purchase and to be honest it was not very good. It might be from the producers of Love Actually etc. and carry some of their staples such as obnoxious close friend but it lacked the charm and melodrama. 

Half A War

Half A War is the last of the Shattered Sea Trilogy novels and I liked it very very much despite foreseeing all the twists. It has the same humour that I love. The trilogy ended in a very Joe Abercrombie way and I liked it a lot.

Also I'm a bit sad now since there is only Sharp Ends left and I have already read the first two stories. 

It Follows

It Follows I know of the good reviews, I know everybody liked it and thought highly of it. But still I'm so jaded when it comes to horror films, I was not expecting to be scared. But I was scared, and scared a lot. This film has a good concept and the actors, the sets, the effects were all good.

The story is of an entity who gets attached to you if you have sex with someone it was already attached to (like STD but the one who transfers is rid of it, unless you die, if you die, it comes back to you).

Now this was made a lot scarier since the entity just walks towards our heroine in a moderate speed but it takes the shapes of different people, some she knows some she doesn't.

There is a scene at the beach when the entity is approaching and no one sees it (only the person it follows and the person it recently left are able to see it) and I was going "turn back and see it, turn back it is coming!!!" all throughout.

There are different dynamics in their little group but these guys all love and believe each other.

Anyway this is very good and highly recommended. The lead actress reminded of Britanny Murphy.

Ex_Machina

Ex_Machina is a film I really wanted to watch for sometime and the dvd never got to discount even after a year so I just bought it. And it was every bit as good as I hoped it would be. I don't like spoilers and never read anything about it and I'm glad I hadn't.

The lady in the cover is a robot with artificial intelligence. The gentleman with the eye glasses made her. This man is a genius and he is very rich. The English looking man in the middle is the employee of the righ genius and he is chosen to test the robot.

SPOILERS

I think it unfair to imprison an intelligent being without proper reason. This robot makes the employee fall in love with her and he helps her escape and she leaves him imprisoned there and kills her maker.

Of course I don't think the robot would be able to seduce the employee if it didn't look like Alicia Vikander (the genius made her look like a woman that would appeal to the employee since he can access what he looked for in his search engine) and the poor thing really fell for her. I know he meant well but as I said (and read in a very intelligent review of the film) he would not be so emphatic if the robot looked like Oscar Isaac. 

The Great Escape

Photo credit: siblingcinema.com

The Great Escape was a surprise because I didn't fall asleep (I did a little bit but not for long). And I have found myself getting interested as the film progressed. I was rooting for all of the guys and wanted them to escape. And felt horrible when most of them didn't make it. And Steve McQueen has wonderful on screen presence. He seems to be one of the lucky human beings, all men want to be him and all the women want him. All in all this film is considered a classic for a reason. And I also love the way the old films progress. There is no rush, no urging, one needs to be patient and everything will slowly unfold but also escalating towards the end. Only Tarantino I think values this nowadays. Anyway I like it and was happy. 

San Andreas

Photo credit: www.telegraph.co.uk

San Andreas is not the type of film I usually am eager to watch. Not really that into disaster films. Even though I like Dwayne Johnson, it just wouldn't have been enough. However I watched some parts of it during commercials and decided to give it a proper go. I love the clean cinematography and this one has it. The effects are very visible and there is not a confusion on what's going on in our part. I liked the fact that yes one Brit was evil but there were two decent ones. It is pretty much a by the numbers American big film but it is entertaining and the visuals are impressive.  

She Is The Man

Photo credit: www.collegefashion.net

She Is The Man is another one of those cute Shakespeare adaptations that usually work out very well. And this is no exception. Very cute, funny and entertaining. 

Ohayo

Photo credit: www.unchangingwindow.com

Ohayo is a classic for a reason. And it never  gets old. Just as funny as the first time I saw it. I mean look at that cute boy and he is so adorable in the film too. This may not be the best film of Ozu San (I think that is Tokyo Story) but it is my favorite by far. 

Life Happens

Photo credit: www.timeout.com

Life Happens is not the type of film I'd have chosen but it was right there on Digidvd and I had not watched it yet and I ended up liking it despite the predictable plot etc. I liked the strong women message best I suppose. 

Macbeth

Macbeth is probably my favorite of Shakespeare's plays (the ones I have read that is) I like the fact that human beings are weak and easily tempted. And everyone gets what they deserve I suppose. This film was nice to watch since the visuals were striking and pretty but it has that visual vignette and heavily studied mise en scene type of feel where the story does not flow and the acting is wasted. I actually went to sleep at some point and had to rewind. 

When Animals Dream

Photo credit: www.pophorror.com

When Animals Dream is a quiet and contemplative sort of horror film. It is more of a physcological story than horror but there are some blood and gore too. In that I was thinking that at least the werewolf girl has found someone who loves and accepts her as she is (not the uncle in the photo, a hot young guy, that man is her father who has loved her mother, the werewolf as she is but tried to change her due to being scared what the community might do to her). 

While We're Young

While We're Young was just not for me. I liked Frances Ha a lot but this one was a bit strange and not funny at all. I do like Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts and Amanda Seyfried but not that keen on Adam Driver and anyway it was just not for me. This one I have to count a miss :( 

Just Wright

Photo credit: www.nydailynews.com 

Just Wright is a rom com I have seen multiple times and watched again, delighted once more. Here we have a great female character who is nice, intelligent and good at what she does. The only thing is that she is not beautiful. So when she meets Mr. Right (in the form of a pro basketballer who is brought up real nice and into art and stuff and a complete gentleman) and he treats her like a friend, she is used to this type of thing, especially as men gravitate towards her very pretty friend. Only this friend is beautiful but she is not after improving herself, she just wants a rich and succesful husband. And unfortunately her Mr. Right loves this woman. Well events unfold and our heroine helps Mr. Right out of a tough situation and the pretty girl leaves him (not really liking him you see but his situation so when it changes she bolts) aaaaand right after Mr. Right is strong and popular again pretty girl resurfaces and he agrees to try again (this would have been very nice since it shows that he is not fickle only the night before this he has slept with our female lead). 

All in all, I don't get tired of this film. I love Queen Latifah though and she is fantastic in this one (but she always is fantastic). 

Kept Woman

Photo credit: etienne08.wordpress.com

Kept Woman was on TV just as I turned it on and I started to watch it and have decided to keep watching it. It is not that good a film but as a woman it was interesting to me. Apparently it is inspired by real events. The world is an awful awful place but good overcomes the bad eventually.

Return Of The Condor Heroes

Return Of The Condor Heroes is the second novel of the Condor Trilogy by Jin Yong. This man is wonderful and his prose is so so good. I used to like the first book Legend of The Condor Heroes the best but this second reading made me join the majority in agreeing that the second novel is better.

I have read it from the link below. This is not an official translation of course and there are numerous editing and grammar mistakes. However these guys are doing it for the love of literature and their efforts shine all the better with the huge heart behind them.


www.spcnet.tv

Half The World

Half The World was so so good. I ended up laughing, crying and enjoying it so much that I have started Half A War right after (I had decided to pace them a bit, to last them longer, alas). 

The Hateful Eight

The Hateful Eight is the eight film by Quentin Tarantino and I liked it very very much. It is a talky film that goes on with some suspense and turns into a blood bath towards the end. Great cast, great script, visuals were wonderful and the cast excellent. All in all, another triumph as far as I'm concerned. 

The Heart of Darkness

Heart of Darkness was simply not for me. I couldn't get into the prose despite the reader doing a good enough job. 

One Man's Bible

One Man's Bible by Gao XingJian was among a purchase at an internet second hand bookshop. I had found the book I wanted (The Heroes) and checked other novels out to see if I can reach the free delivery quota. And I did and this was one of the novels purchased to fill the shipping quota.

It turned out that it is the type of novel I was always reluctant to read but when I do I was not able to stop reading. I liked the story structure (it is a story but presented in vignettes of past events, more recent events that caused the remembrence of those past events and thoughts and thoughts and thoughts. I really liked it and will look for more novels from this writer.

Here is a page that contains some of the thoughts that I liked while reading it

Recep İvedik 4

Photo credit: onedio.com

Recep İvedik 4 diğer üçü kadar komik gelmedi bana (komiklik sırası filmlerin çıkış sırasına ters orantılı gidiyor bence) Ama survivor teması ve Recep İvedik'in her zamanki tuhaf ve iğrenç davranışları yine de eğlendirdi kendince. En sevdiğim sahne osuruğu ile ateş yaktığı sahne oldu artık gerisini siz düşünün. 

Entourage (The Film)

Photo credit: www.thesamecinemaeverynight.net

Entourage is probably made to cash in on the show's success. And the thing that surprised me most was that the film was not cut at Dvdigi. I hope it will be possible to watch other film uncut too. It was similar to the show (which is alright if you have nothing better to do and come across on TV but otherwise I wouldn't bother). 

McFarland

Photo credit: screenrant.com

McFarland is a Disney film inspired by a true story and it made me cry a lot but in a good way. The thing is that I like Kevin Costner. Especially when he is playing a person related to sports. He was great in it and Maria Bello too (I love it that she doesn't have any plastic or botox or whatever and looks all natural and lovely). Anyway it is an uplifting story of Mexican workers in USA beating all odds and being state champions in cross country running. Yeah yet another American film where there is success at a chosen field. Anyway I liked it very much despite all the crying. 

Midnight

Midnight this secon hand bookstore purchase was surprisingly engaging since I don't much care for Mr. Koontz apart from Watchers and this was very similar to Watchers and I have even cried at a section in the end. It is a bit preachy but I think his intentions were in the right corner. 

Tipping The Velvet

Tipping The Velvet was on sale at Audible and since I like historical fiction I went for it. And I'm glad I did because I really liked not only the novel but the narration as well. I would recommend this to anyone but with a caveat, it has some mild lesbian erotica so if it is a turn off for you then maybe choose another novel by the same author. I'll probably seek more novels written by her. I'm thinking Fingersmith (since the plot seems similar to the new Park Chan Wook film) 

Mothers and Daughters

Photo credit: www.villagevoice.com

Mothers and Daughters is not a good film. With a very bookish scprit that was (thankfully) easy on its characters and I have cried a lot during but all the time knowing that I was manipulated. I will not recommend it but strangely enough I'm not unhappy to have watched it. Some of the names in the cast are impressive but it is just a mediocre TV film that's all. 

Point Breat (2015 Remake)

Photo credit: www.cinemablend.com

Point Break (2015) the original is a film I love. For a lot of reasons. And I certainly was not interested in the remake. But it was there and I gave it a try. It is a decent enough film but nowhere near as the magic of the original. The protagonist and villains are extreme sports performances and there were nice shots of nature and men performing fantastic feats. But their philosphy and way of life was on the surface and dependent on financial income. When the police cut their legitimate resources they didn't hesitate to rob a bank and killing people. In the original the robbers were surfers who rob to maintain their passion and they didn't have any qualms in robbing a bank (the system, they never cared for). This time they wanted to give an environmentalist message as well I suppose but it was muddled. I also didn't like the female reprsentation. The female in the original was a respected surfer (who was not aware of the robbers illegal activities I guess) who fell for the undercover agent. She was a strong woman. Here the female lead has large breasts (not a physical attribute to be objectified in an of itself) but she only slept with the hero, made some exposition and then killed by the hero. That was her whole function.

Anyway this was a pleasant viewing mainly due to cinematography. 

JeruZalem

photo credit: www.eyeforfilm.co.uk

JeruZalem is a film I had come across the trailer of and didn't even want to click on it. But when it was right in front of me on Dvdigi I clicked on it and in about 8 minutes in I realised that this is one of those "found footage" films. I stopped watching but the next day I returned back since there was not any other interesting thing on. I'm glad since I surprisingly enjoyed it very very much. The found footage is recorded this time by one of those glasses that can connect the internet and do everything a smart phone does. It was put into good use. Two Jewish friends go to Israel for a relaxing vacation and unluckily enough fall into a resurrection of different creatures. I liked how the Israeli Jewish directors were not really biased since there were Muslim and Christian characters in the film and they were all treated aqually. It kind of showed that your humanity is not based on your religion. Or is it? And if so in what why? How would you behave when your world is falling apart and people you hang out with and/or love can be a danger to you and themselves? All in all I'm glad I watched this one and I recommend even if you don't care for found footage. The special effects were not really that good but not that bad either. 

Altar

Photo credit: www.top10films.co.uk

Altar was a film I was happy to see listed on Dvdigi and it turned a nice one with that certain clean cinematography I like. The cast and the setting were very good and I liked the story and its ending (although I felt bad for the kids) 

The French Connection

The French Connection  I have found this dvd at the bargain shelf and decided to give it a try. I have come to appreciate Gene Hackman after disliking him for long (for no obvious reason apparently). Anyway Roy Schneider was also in the film and I love that guy. All in all I didn't expect to like it so much. There is a sense of patience in the film. Today most action films are go go go go one sequence after another in quick succession over without one realising what is going on. This film has slow action sequences (mostly chases, on foot or in a car or in subway) and not only you are able to view everything but one has a chance to establish a certain emphaty since one has time to do that. A lot of people walk and walk and walk. People stand on the streets in the cold and wait in the cars at night without any talk among them. It was an interesting experience and I liked it very much. 

Half A King

Half A King is a very very good book. And I fell for Joe Abercrombie at first sight (The Blade Itself). I'm actually reluctant to read the rest of the Shattered Series trilogy since I don't want to finished them all off :) 

King Rat

King Rat is a gamble I hope will pay off. I just saw this writer's novels at a used book store in LA and got three of them based on the plot. It turned out that this was the earlier novel and the other two were the last two parts of a trilogy of sorts. So did I like it a lot? Not really. I liked some parts of it. The prose was nice if a bit repetitive. I liked the fact that the protagonist was a rat. And not a cute and clean rat at that but a disgusting one eating trash and smelling awful from wading in shit at the seweres. I like the fact that someone dared to do that. Even Anita Blake has never slept with a wererat as far as I know.

The second thing I liked was the description of music. And a genre I don't understant or care (samples mixed and played by DJs) and he called it as it is.

I have purchased the audiobook of the first novel of the trilogy and hope that I'll like it more. He is not an instant fave this China Miéville but I kind of want to read more (thank God)

Enemy

Photo credit: contemplatrix.wordpress.com

Enemy is the type of film that I like a lot. It has a clean cinematography and long shots. I love Jake Gyllenhaal ever since Love and Other Drugs and he doesn't dissapoint in this one. He acts two different people very successfully. All in all this is probably the best of the weekend bunch as far as I'm concerned. I liked this director's Incendies too. 

Love The Coopers

Photo credit: www.seattletimes.com

Love The Coopers This is the type of ensemble film that you don't really like but since there is nothing good on TV and you like a couple of people in the cast you watch. I have cried but I cry in everything. And Olivia Wilde looked really pretty. 

Un peu, beaucoup, aveuglément!

Photo credit: cinema.jeuxactu.com

Un peu, beaucoup, aveuglément! Well I have forgotten the film's name and it took me some time to find on internet. Anyway this film would not be so nice if it was not French I suppose. There is a certain something in French films that appeal to me and I liked it here as well. Whimsical but in an elegant way. 

Nights In Rodanthe

Photo credit: vinnieh.wordpress.com

Nights in Rodanthe is just as romantic and good the second time around. Not really a fan of Nicholas Sparks' novels but I have read and liked this one. Dianne Lane and Richard Gere are a great on screen couple. I have cried a lot during this one. 

Mercy

Photo credit: www.shortlist.com

Mercy it was ok. Not scary but filmed and acted nicely. 

Friends With Kids

Photo credit: www.filmmisery.com

Friends With Kids It looks like I like this trope. And this film was entertaining enough.