Watched the first two back to back last night. A rarity.
Room (2015)
9/
10This didn't start out as a great movie, but it evolved into one for sure. It very nearly lost me with the lack of story progression early on. I mean after 5 minutes you've got the picture more or less... and then it's another 25 minutes wherein you learn everything about their existence except for that thing which is the ONLY thing you really want to know. But you are given only the most vague drips of information. It became quite maddening, boarding on art-house levels of
CINECAST!-the-audience. Then just as I'm about to say CINECAST! you back and turn the movie off, the glacier finally begins to move. Thereafter a great movie takes place.
To be clear, the film gets great well before they leave the room, but there's stagnant middle to that first act that is simply annoying.Went in blind on this one. Excellent.
You know a movie is doing something right when you see a shot of a
kid on a swing in the park and feel nothing but the worst sense of dread.
World War Z (2013)
9/
10After a handful of viewings of each, WWZ has emerged over 2008's Dawn of the Dead as the superior, more rewatchable film.
The momentum of the storytelling is just terrific. It's something I don't think I've ever experienced outside of a Nolan or a Jason Bourne film (except for
Jason Bourne (2016) which sucked so hard the series was RUINED FOREVER
evereverever!!!!!!!!!!!!!WWZ just refused to let my mind wander. Sitting through it late at night, having already watched a rather taxing film, I was completely absorbed! I didn't check my phone, I didn't think about the time, I was all the way in. Level 10,000 engagement.
100% it would make a great sick-day movie for that very reason.
It's a helluva movie... it even has a simple but satisfying
theme which I appreciated a lot, and it's used to good effect.
The action is properly butt-squinching.
If it lacks anything maybe it's a stronger emotional attachment to the character. But the film wisely does not overplay it's hand and try to capitalize on something which really isn't there. Had the script demanded it I have no doubts that Pitt would have risen to the occasion.
The Matrix 10/
10This movie is like a price tag on a dvd box. It just refuses to go away.
May it never be remade. >_<