Bricks in Motion
We are a friendly filmmaking community devoted to the art of stop-motion animation using LEGO® and similar construction toys. Here, you can share your work, join our community of other brickfilmers, and participate in periodic animation contests!
A place to discuss, share, and create stop motion films.
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Kubo and the Two Strings
Watched this twice (the first time being with a few friends and the most recent with about 20 of 'em), and it's no less amazing the second time around. If it's at all possible, watch this.
Kubo and the Two Strings
Watched this twice (the first time being with a few friends and the most recent with about 20 of 'em), and it's no less amazing the second time around. If it's at all possible, watch this.
Mighty speaks the truth, go see this movie if you haven't already.
Seen a lot of films last week, but I'll share some of the highlights;
Kubo and the Two Strings
When I found out Laika were doing another stop-motion feature, I was immediately hooked. Seen this at the weekend with the family, and all I can say is that it was beautifully well crafted, and a joy to watch.
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Alas, I'm a massive fan of Studio Ghibli, but only got around to seeing this gem recently. The style is much different from their normal works, but I love it (a sketchy style) The story was very charming, and easily one of their best pieces of work.
Seven
Having seen screenshots of this film and being recommended by my teacher, I immediately gave it a watch. Man, is this film a stunner. As per usual, I'll say no more, but just watch this (even if you dislike Brad Pitt haha!)
Léon: The Professional
I have always had the DVD of Léon lying around our house, and decided to give it a watch. It definitely stands out among many action thrillers, due to the superb acting, and the relationship both Léon (Jean Reno) and Mathilda (Natalie Portman) build on screen. Gary Oldman's character is another highlight of this delight.
Next film, is Oldboy, and yes, the Park Chan-wook original, not the Spike Lee remake.
Haven't done one of these in a while but,
Akira
I had never see this before. I think I'd have to watch it again to figure out the specific details about my opinion but I think overall I liked it. It left me with a Nolan effect—not much of an idea what to think and kind of baffled. If you haven't seen it, definitely watch it at least once. It's an experience.
Also, you should listen to Kaneda's Theme
Akira
Thought it was too cluttered and hectic. It felt like the third act went on foreverrrr. But yeah, the soundtrack is crazy good.
Seven
[...] just watch this (even if you dislike Brad Pitt haha!)
Brad Pitt is great!
Been catching up on the films of Apichatpong Weerasethakul (or "Joe") and Hong Sang-soo. Right Now, Wrong Then (Hong) and Syndromes and a Century (Joe) are the stand-outs so far, though I have plenty of canonical works by both filmmakers left to see. Both are somewhat similar in how their narratives are structured, letting you see the same events transpire twice but with various differences. In RN,WT we see a man and a girl spend a day together from two different perspectives (the man's/the woman's? reality/constructed fantasy?); in Syndromes the goings-on of two different hospitals (a very modern/an older one) but with the same, or at the very least very similar, characters. They use the gimmick to very different results, though. Both are highly recommended.
Also rewatched Alien and The Shining during Halloween. Had totally forgotten how great those two films are.
Wish for Christmas.
One fo the hallmark movies. The lead female role is a regular on these movies.
Zootopia
Nah.
Batman (1989)
I used to always prefer Batman Returns (or even Batman Forever) to the original within the so-called Burtonverse. Recently, however, the original's been growing on me with each subsequent watch. The sets, while limiting in certain ways, are stunning to look at, especially when lit in such a particular way as the work of Tim Burton usually is. Much less of the batcave is actually shown as opposed to the sequels or reboots, which really adds to the mystery of the location, and adds a certain flair to the titular character IMO.
While this film is a bit dated now (not necessarily a bad thing), I think that it still really holds up well. The miniature batwing is a welcome effect, very different from today's CGI-filled special effects. The ending, too, is really spectacular. I've got a soft spot for enclosed-set pieces (especially when they attempt to recreate things such as bell towers). Perhaps because they seem a bit reminiscent to how Lego releases sets based off of IPs - small recreations of a much larger 'real' thing.
I'd give Batman a really solid 4 out of 5. Batman Returns is still 4.5 for me though. (not at all due to the fact that it's the first Batman-based film I ever saw 
) Although, who knows, I may prefer the original one day. Those first two films in particular are spectacular... I'd love to see Batman (as well as DC comics films... and even Marvel films, for that matter) return to that style of film making once again.
Zootopia
Nah.
Didn't you like it?
When it comes to Batman, what do you think of the animated series and the animated films, like Mask of the Phantasm, ect...?
I think that the majority of Batman TAS was hit or miss. Some episodes, while certainly very action packed and colorful, (and as close as "comics coming to life" as we'll probably ever get) just aren't to my liking. Episodes like Beware of the Gray Ghost, or the entirety of season 1 are true gems, however. Seasons 2 and 3 falter a bit for me.
I really like season 4, though. The redesigns were a bit odd, but, I'm also a really big fan of Superman TAS, so, the changes were mostly welcome from me. Whenever I watch Batman TAS, I hunt for Paul Dini written episodes. Those are usually sure to never let me down. I like his writing - especially on this character.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
Mask of the Phantasm, however, is also not my cup of tea.
I hate the portrayal of a young pre-Joker. And, while the reveal of the Phantasm is unexpected, I'm a little disappointed that such a great character (and villain) would just give it all up in the end.
I would have preferred Andrea to keep up the Phantasm persona, or, at the least, stay with Bruce - perhaps as a steady girlfriend. She really is the only thing he has (aside from Alfred) from before he took up the mantle of the Batman. But to each their own. That final line on the cruise ship is really great and memorable!
Zootopia, on the other hand, wasn't entertaining for me for numerous reasons... Non of which I'd care to explain here. The graphics, though, were almost as stunning as The Lego Movie was to me upon first viewing. As just one example - a gun is shown in close up at one point, and the texture of it is 100% spot on. Breathtakingly so.
But flashyness doesn't override weak storytelling or the great missteps with characters and plot throughout. Simply put - I watch entertainment to be entertained. Zootopia failed on that job for me. I'd quicker recommend any other Disney film (aside Marvel) to that one, period.
Last night I saw the movie ARRIVAL! Wow was it stunning. The cinematography and story, along with great acting made this film amazing. If I could rate this film, I would give it a 5/5. Its my favorite movie of this year, which is saying a lot. I highly encourage you guys to go and watch it well its still in theaters! I could go on for a while about this movie, but i don't want to spoil anything. So just go see it yourself. Amy Adams did a amazing acting job.
Arrival (Denis Villeneuve)
Hampered by some pretty clumsy storytelling (what the heck is up with that expository montage mid-film?) and a terrrrible epilogue that goes on forever, spelling out the ambiguities that would have made this a refreshingly subtle Hollywood-flick. Still, it's got a very nice subversive edge to it.
Youself and Yours (Hong Sang-soo)
Pretty tame and unengaging as far as Hong goes, but still a worthwhile 80 minutes at the cinema.
American Honey (Andrea Arnold)
Absolute garbage. Arnold should've just published a picture book instead, because the only redeeming quality in AH is the landscape imagery she throws into the mix every now and then. The metaphor she hammers in is shallow, there is an over-reliance on pop music and all characters are under-written. And it's three hours long.
Paterson (Jim Jarmusch)
It's great! Very uneventful but constantly engrossing, finding the beauty in everyday life.
Nocturama (Bertrand Bonello)
A highly effective paranoia thriller that utilizes some of the most creative and impressive editing I've seen in ages. It's unorthodox in execution but still conventionally exciting, a line I find few art-house genre films seldom balance very good (eg. The VVitch).
Hell or High Water (David Mackenzie)
Meh. Nothing that stands out about this film at all, really. It's only been a week or two since I saw it but I don't remember anything about it. That says it all.
Manchester by the Sea (Kenneth Lonergan)
Still undecided on this one. I'll have to revisit it in its theatrical run--hopefully without some doofus with a phone that vibrates for the entire second half of the film--but as of now I'm a bit underwhelmed by it. I cried, but not as much as I hoped I would. My enormous hype might've factor into the equation some.
Dog Eat Dog (Paul Schrader)
Nicolas Cage doing Nicolas Cage always means you're bound to have a good time, but this is really just an obnoxious crap fest.
Haven't posted here on BiM in a while, kinda coming back for THAC, but I thought I'd share some various movies I've seen this year.
Swiss Army Man
This movie features Daniel Radcliffe playing a farting corpse that has...certain anatomical features that guide the way back home.
It's extremely bizarre. And I loved pretty much every second of it.
It surprisingly has a lot to say about life and cultural norms and what we see as embarrassing. And also farts. But the farts are executed so well by how dramatic they play it. It strikes that perfect balance. And it's weird to comment about the performance of a character that is a corpse, but Daniel Radcliffe is actually hilarious and quite excellent.
8.8/10
The Girl on The Train:
The cinematic equivalent of standing in a circle and being pushed around by all the plot twists that aren't interesting at all. It's so focused on being "OOH LOOK AT THIS! OH WE GOTCHA WE'RE OVER HERE NOW!" and I just didn't care.
4/10
Space Cop:
7/10
Nine Lives:
I've never seen Blade Runner. I've never seen The Matrix. I've never seen The Lord of the Rings.
But I have seen Kevin Spacey phone it in as a talking cat. And some of it is ironically hilarious, but sadly, never enough to be a so-bad-it's-good classic.
2/10
Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made:
A really fun documentary about a pair of friends trying to finish their shot-for-shot recreation of Raiders of the Lost Ark decades after abandoning it with one scene left. It's an awesome exploration of nostalgia and childhood. It does have a few structuring problems, but overall it's a lot of fun. And it's on Netflix if you wanna check it out.
7.7/10
Arrival
As of writing this, this is my favorite movie of the year. The way the narrative is told so expertly woven into its themes and concepts and it's just so fascinating to watch. It manages to be so expansive in scope but yet so close and intimate with its characters. Not only that, but its ideas about language and communication are intelligent and wonderfully told.
9.2/10
Escape from New York 1981
I've sort of been on a John Carpenter/Kurt Russell kick lately, it all started with Big Trouble in Little China, and who knows maybe I'll keep watching these films a little longer, for some reason I've never seen Escape from New York before but it's filled with all the stuff that is exactly why I like John Carpenter and Kurt Russell films.
Moana
This is absolutely brilliant! Honestly one of Disney's best films ever. Didn't think they would top Zootopia this year, but they just did. If you haven't seen it yet, go see it now! There have been a few Ice Age 5's released, but overall, this has been an outstanding year for animated movies.
Last edited by William Osborne (December 8, 2016 (11:56pm))
Rogue One
Too early to say anything about it, except for this: It's a war story, in Star Wars... Not a typical Star Wars story, no, but a war story.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story:
A fun enough time in a galaxy far, far, away. I see this film as the exact inverse of The Force Awakens, which had a flimsy plot and interesting characters. Rogue One has an interesting plot and flimsy characters. And because for me, the plot is secondary to characters, this one suffers more than TFA did.
That is its biggest problem: each of its characters has its one defining feature that rides along with them until the end, in which each of those traits is brought up again, pretending to be an arc. The characters aren't unlikeable per se, but they never grabbed me or made me want to see more of them.
That all being said, it's still a good amount of fun. The action is great, it's exciting, and the last third had a surprising amount of nerve. Even when it goes into some of the fan-service, its mostly handled in a way that's logical enough.
Mostly. There are some that are eye-rolling though.
The last about 15 minutes or so are fantastic, however. I had some hopes going in, and luckily they were met in those minutes. Although, I did have a list of things I didn't want to see, namely a certain weapon and certain characters being brought back...but I saw both of those things. And I somehow liked them.
Overall, it's still a decent time.
7.2/10
rogue one
just go see it.
especially if you like ship to ship combat
Nocturnal Animals:
One of the best viewing experiences I've had at the theater. Great performances by both Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal, a well-crafted story, and a powerful soundtrack.
Moonlight:
One of two local theaters was screening this film for only a short time, so I'm glad I went when I did. An excellent film–I can see why it's doing so well at the festivals. It's clear that Barry Jenkins had a very distinct vision and successfully communicated that through the film. Often times, large jumps in time can feel unnatural and take the audience out of the film, that is not the case here. Each jump in time is necessary and all the performances feel incredibly real. Also, great soundtrack. If you have the opportunity, check this film out.
Candy (1968)
60s psychedelic arty film, featuring Ringo Starr and Marlon Brando. Rock music and Eastern themes as is to be expected. It didn't make a lot of sense until I really thought about it and the commentary is really quite biting, and also still relevant to this day IMO. Some great cinematography I really dug and it was pretty enjoyable on the whole, honestly probably the best film I have seen in a long time. Go figure.
Last edited by Blue Ghost (January 11, 2017 (11:51pm))
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