THE DANMAN CAN

Beautiful visuals, highly stylized, but a bit silly and takes itself a little too seriously, trying to incorporate real life events. This film had the potential to be really cool and bizarre, but plays by the numbers in the last quarter of the film. It started out very promising, but turned into a series of clichés. It reminded me of Santa Sangre , but wasn't nearly as good. I'm still giving it ***, because I enjoyed many aspects of this film.

I'm having a hard time even giving Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy  (2011) ***. I'm also having a hard time wondering why this film is being praised so highly. I guess I can sort of admit that I just didn't "get it". I went into this film only with the knowledge that  Gary Oldman was in it, that it was directed by Tomas Alfredson ,   and that it was about spies. That was enough for me. I had no idea that John Hurt , Ciarán Hinds ,   and Tom Hardy , all actors that I enjoy, were in it. I like slow burn films. I don't need lots of action in a film to enjoy it. I don't even necessarily need lots of dialogue either. But there was almost NO action in this film and the majority of the dialogue was just not interesting. I also felt like I paid attention throughout and I still didn't understand exactly what happened to these characters, and why, nor did I really care. There is a lot of intelligence jargon going on. I honestly found this film to be a snoozefest...

Maintained and updated  here .

3 reasons to see this film:

Still an excellent film, upon second viewing. My original review  here . Far far too many gorgeous images in this film to post, but here's a couple of very blue ones.

The Conversation (1974) is a fantastic paranoiac drama featuring a beautiful, rag-like score by David Shire ( The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three (1974), All The President's Men  (1976),  Zodiac   (2007)).

Still my favorite Wes Anderson film. Simply perfect.  Angelic.   Dr. Nelson Guggenheim : We're putting you on what we call sudden death academic probation. Max Fischer : And what does that entail? Dr. Nelson Guggenheim : It entails that if you fail another class, you'll be asked to leave Rushmore. Max Fischer : In other words, I'll be expelled. Dr. Nelson Guggenheim : That's correct. Max Fischer : Can I see some documentation on that, please? Max Fischer : Sic transit gloria. Glory fades. I'm Max Fischer. Rosemary Cross : Hi. Max Fischer : Hi.    Max Fischer : So you were in Vietnam? Herman Blume : Yeah. Max Fischer : Were you in the shit? Herman Blume : Yeah, I was in the shit.   Max Fischer : I like your nurse's uniform, guy. Dr. Peter Flynn : These are O.R. scrubs. Max Fischer : O, R they?  "UNLOCK IT!!" Max Fischer : The killing's gotta stop, esse. It's getting too loco....

I used to watch this A LOT as a child. I realize that it's not terribly good, but I still enjoy it.

"It's me, Billy." Sergeant Nash : "Excuse me? Could you give me the number at the sorority house? Please?" Barb Coard : "Yeah, sure. It's, ah... Fellatio 20880 . Fellatio. It's a new exchange, FE."  

 

Just as exciting, compelling and expertly crafted as the 2009 film .  Rooney Mara is a great Lisbeth Salander , neither better nor worse than Noomi Rapace , just different, in my opinion.  Fincher is obviously the more skilled and experienced director, but both films are excellent, so see them both. And no, I honestly don't think it matters which one you see first. There is a difference to the ending, that has been mentioned, and I won't spoil it, but it didn't affect my viewing or change the tone of the film for me.

"I am the servant of the power behind The Nothing." "Why don't you give 'em a good punch in the nose?" "We don't even care if we die." "To the winch, wench!"

SNDN  (1984) is pure trashy fun. "You're scared, ain't ya? You should be. Christmas Eve is the scariest damn night of the year." "Punish!" "Naughty."

For some reason, no matter how much I wanted to love Season 1 of this show I didn't. It just never grabbed me the way that I expected that it would, but I stuck with and despite the first few episodes of this season still not blowing me away, boy was it worth it. Something. Just. Clicked. And now it's my favorite show currently on television.

Overall a decent season (possibly better than Season 5 , but not by much), with the usual great moments here and there, but I feel like this show is wearing out its welcome. The final moment (literally - moment) is a great one, but I feel like the writers were just building up to that for the entire season, probably patting themselves on the back for how amazing it was gonna be, without giving us enough "meat" the rest of the season.

One of my favorite holiday films. Have YOOOUUU been good this year? Santa's a leg man. "All right, once more with feeling, you mugs. Merry Christmas!"