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Mads Mikkelsen wins Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival 2012 for his role in Thomas Vinterberg’s The Hunt (Due for release in Jan 2013).

Trailer: http://youtu.be/9Umv4CyxTdg

Remember Me (2010)

In anticipation for Cronenberg’s “Cosmopolis” I wanted to see if Robert Pattinson could actually act without having to endure him as a moody vampire.  So I gave “Remember Me” a shot and to my surprise I ended up becoming a fan.

There is a big twist at the end which is kinda out of nowhere but I suppose it’s justified.  I enjoyed the film up until the end just as a dramatic love story type movie and the ending was actually a very effective one.

Props to Pierce Brosnan too for playing an asshole dad to a tee.

Kill List (2011)

I wasn’t sure about this movie all the way up until the end.  I had previously seen Ben Wheatley’s first feature “Down Terrace” and been a bit dissapointed. So when I had heard his 2nd feature had rave reviews I was sceptical to say the least. 

It’s basically about a guy who gets back into the killing business after a bad experience with his soldier friend.  They are contracted to kill 3 people but become worried they are being set up.  It feels a bit unrealistic and is sometimes very violent.  It reminded me of “Valhalla Rising” in it’s approach.

The last 15-20 minutes is where this film really shines. Out of nowhere it gets very weird and the final shot is as shocking as it is bizarre. Worth a watch if only for the ending.

Malcolm X (1992)

Clocking in at 3hrs 21mins, Spike Lee’s biopic of Malcolm X covers nearly every aspect of X’s life from his upbringing to his hustling days and imprisonment to his religious beginnings and political activision to his eventual assassination.

The greatest achievement of this film aside from Denzel Washington’s portrayal of Malcolm X is Spike Lee’s ability to make the viewer care about Malcolm without inciting like or dislike towards the man.

I’d been trying to see this film for about 3 years and when it was finally re-released on DVD earlier this month I just had to see it.  Definitely one of the best biopics I’ve seen and definitely one of Spike Lee’s best.

The Big Year (2011)

Don’t really know what I expected from this film but I did end up quite enjoying it.  A mixture of comedy and drama mixed with a real knowledge and passion for “birding”.  Some really nice shots of birds really help the viewer get excited when the characters find rare birds.

Nothing spectacular but an enjoyable movie nonetheless.

Snowtown (2011)

This film reminded me a lot of 2010’s Animal Kingdom. Gritty, realistic and dark.  Daniel Henshall is nothing short of brilliant in his portryal of John Bunting. Very disturbing but very much worth watching.

Trailer: http://youtu.be/fvu_tBQgZyI

While on location in Marfa, Texas, No Country for Old Men was the neighboring film production. One day, director Paul Thomas Anderson and his crew tested the pyrotechnical effects of the oil derrick fire, causing an enormous billowing of smoke, intruding the shot that Joel Coen and Ethan Coen were shooting. This caused them to put off filming until the next day when the smoke dissipated from view. Both this film and No Country for Old Men would eventually become the leading contenders at the Academy Awards a year and a half later.

Purchased.

Pearl Jam Twenty (2011)

I’ll start by saying I’m not a massive fan of Pearl Jam in any respect but of course I’ve heard most of their better known songs.  This documentary by Cameron Crowe does a great job of recalling the formation of the band and their early days.  I do think, however, it was a little heavy on live performances and not as detailed a story on the 2nd ten years.

There was a lot about the band I didn’t realise such as the Roskilde tragedy happening during one of their sets in 2000. 9 people were killed in a crush and many others injured at the Scandinavian festival.

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Currently making my way through this series. Got to be one of the funniest programs on TV right now.

Every situation Larry seems to get himself into is so awkward you get the feeling his is drawing from personal experience.

The Avengers (2012)

Great action scenes and some amusing gags. Predictable plot and lacking in depth. That’s about all i’ve got to say.

In my opinion it ranks somewhere around:

Thor>Iron Man>The Avengers>The Incredible Hulk>Captain America>Iron Man 2