Author: tedmills

Boilerplate origin story/enlightenment tale, but hoo-boy! the special effects are just ace. I’ve been grizzling for years about the wasted potential of “The Architect” character in “Inception” and the kaleidoscopic showdown at near the end of act three (of four) as New York refracts upon itself was just masterful, as was the various trips into multiuniverse dimensions, bringing back the best of 1960s psychedelic Marvel (Kirby and Ditko, et al). Some nice light humorous touches as well in the dialogue, and some moments of physical comedy too. Cumberbatch is a great choice in the lead. Also: not horrifically long.

Vía Letterboxd – Ted Mills

You might be watching this at home, but let me tell you about the mass catharsis that awaited you at a live screening, if you’ve reading this years later. There was sort of a heavy sigh and letting go, a bit of baleful anger, and a sadness as we all worked through this requiem for our childhood friend, our childhood, and a large part of the nation’s heart and soul.

1) The animated sequences really work as you realize how deep that tiger connection goes.

2) The quick clip of FOX News was like being sprayed in the soul by vomit.

3) Like the first one, the Second Coming of Christ was missed by the majority of folks or taken for granted.

4) Who walked our vowing to be more like Fred?

Vía Letterboxd – Ted Mills

Effective, low-budget, one location, three-location horror film which unfortunately drops the ball in the third half, and then earns “the finger” with the final shot. (NO! Don’t do it…ahhhhh, you did. Shame.)

On the other hand, and in it’s favor, is there any other horror film that has a father-son relationship at its core that isn’t antagonistic? Nice economy of dialog and acting situate the two male leads early on, and the reveal of “Jane Doe” in dirt has something very primordial to it.

COULD have been good, but a whole bunch of poor and/or mediocre choices follow. Ah well.

Vía Letterboxd – Ted Mills

Effective, low-budget, one location, three-location horror film which unfortunately drops the ball in the third half, and then earns “the finger” with the final shot. (NO! Don’t do it…ahhhhh, you did. Shame.)

On the other hand, and in it’s favor, is there any other horror film that has a father-son relationship at its core that isn’t antagonistic? Nice economy of dialog and acting situate the two male leads early on, and the reveal of “Jane Doe” in dirt has something very primordial to it.

COULD have been good, but a whole bunch of poor and/or mediocre choices follow. Ah well.

Vía Letterboxd – Ted Mills

Effective, low-budget, one location, three-location horror film which unfortunately drops the ball in the third half, and then earns “the finger” with the final shot. (NO! Don’t do it…ahhhhh, you did. Shame.)

On the other hand, and in it’s favor, is there any other horror film that has a father-son relationship at its core that isn’t antagonistic? Nice economy of dialog and acting situate the two male leads early on, and the reveal of “Jane Doe” in dirt has something very primordial to it.

COULD have been good, but a whole bunch of poor and/or mediocre choices follow. Ah well.

Vía Letterboxd – Ted Mills

Effective, low-budget, one location, three-location horror film which unfortunately drops the ball in the third half, and then earns “the finger” with the final shot. (NO! Don’t do it…ahhhhh, you did. Shame.)

On the other hand, and in it’s favor, is there any other horror film that has a father-son relationship at its core that isn’t antagonistic? Nice economy of dialog and acting situate the two male leads early on, and the reveal of “Jane Doe” in dirt has something very primordial to it.

COULD have been good, but a whole bunch of poor and/or mediocre choices follow. Ah well.

Vía Letterboxd – Ted Mills

Your reaction to this documentary will tie in, I guess, with how you feel about “genius”, about those who undoubtedly are, but also are tyrants in their own way. Would you give anything to work for a genius like Kubrick? Because Leon Vitali did, and it quite literally sucked the life out of him as witnessed by his current appearance in this film. Devoted to Vitali’s career as Kubrick’s right-hand (arm/appendage) man, Vitali gave over his life to working for the director. I was surprised that he managed to court, marry, and have kids in this time, but maybe that’s the editing of this doc. It is shameful the way he was treated when LACMA mounted their exhibition on Kubrick, but Vitali holds no grudges, so what can I say?

Vía Letterboxd – Ted Mills

This review may contain spoilers.

It’s as if Assayas took the mood of the final 10 minutes of “Clouds of Sils Maria” and kept Stewart’s character on. A film about wandering around rootless in grief, Stewart’s Maureen is like a ghost herself: buying clothes for a celebrity she never sees, engaging in sexual/stalkery games with a mysterious texter, inhabiting rooms that are not her own, but finding no solace at home either. She talks earlier about being a medium and how it’s often like looking through the crack of a door…in a film that has numerous mysterious doors, including one that feels positively Lynchian in its menace. Even the ending, which promises human connection as last, eludes Maureen that which she desires. Great stuff. Stewart is perfect for these haunted roles.

Vía Letterboxd – Ted Mills

This review may contain spoilers.

It’s as if Assayas took the mood of the final 10 minutes of “Clouds of Sils Maria” and kept Stewart’s character on. A film about wandering around rootless in grief, Stewart’s Maureen is like a ghost herself: buying clothes for a celebrity she never sees, engaging in sexual/stalkery games with a mysterious texter, inhabiting rooms that are not her own, but finding no solace at home either. She talks earlier about being a medium and how it’s often like looking through the crack of a door…in a film that has numerous mysterious doors, including one that feels positively Lynchian in its menace. Even the ending, which promises human connection as last, eludes Maureen that which she desires. Great stuff. Stewart is perfect for these haunted roles.

Vía Letterboxd – Ted Mills

This review may contain spoilers.

It’s as if Assayas took the mood of the final 10 minutes of “Clouds of Sils Maria” and kept Stewart’s character on. A film about wandering around rootless in grief, Stewart’s Maureen is like a ghost herself: buying clothes for a celebrity she never sees, engaging in sexual/stalkery games with a mysterious texter, inhabiting rooms that are not her own, but finding no solace at home either. She talks earlier about being a medium and how it’s often like looking through the crack of a door…in a film that has numerous mysterious doors, including one that feels positively Lynchian in its menace. Even the ending, which promises human connection as last, eludes Maureen that which she desires. Great stuff. Stewart is perfect for these haunted roles.

Vía Letterboxd – Ted Mills