I did one of these a while back, and I suppose it's time for part II.
In Bruges- ***
This story follows the time that 2 assassins hide out in the Belgian medieval town of Bruges. (Pronounced like "rouge") I saw previews for this a long time ago, and thought that it looked pretty funny. What I didn't know when I went into it was that it was also a pretty serious drama. There were a few parts that stuck out in this film, such as why the main character is so distraught on this little trip, and the scene with the midget. As a whole, though, I felt that so much more could've been done with the plot that was chosen. I really did want to love this movie, and I liked it a decent amount, but I can't make myself give it more than 3 stars. If you're in the mood for a tragecomedy with a fair amount of gore, then I do recommend you check it out. Just don't expect the comedy to be too extreme or too abundant.
Vantage Point- ****
During a peace summit in Spain, the president of the USA is shot, and a bomb is set off. This film is shot in the "Go" tradition, meaning that you see the same 20 - 50 minutes from 8 different points of view. Some are shorter, and some longer, but what it equals out to is one twisting mind-fuck of a movie. The soundtrack is reminiscent of The Rock and Metal Gear Solid, making me think that Harry Gregson-Williams scored it, but upon further research I found that it is the debut orchestration of someone named Atli Örvarsson. It turns out that Hanz Zimmer was the consultant, so you can see where I would've made the mistake. Anyway, this movie kept me interested until the very end, and I highly recommend it.
The Mist- ****
Ok, I have to admit something. I'm a big fan of Stephen King's books. I think he has a way of writing that makes it simple for me to picture myself in the story he's telling. Conversely, nearly every movie based on one of Mr. King's books is excruciating to watch. Some of Mr. King's dialogue doesn't convert well to the screen sometimes, the screenplays somehow get all fucked up, and the endings are never the same as the novels. That being said, I thought The Mist was excellent. It's damn close to what Mr. King intended it to be, and the ending is pretty heartbreaking, if I say so myself. I've always been a fan of big apocalyptic monster filled movies, and this one didn't disappoint in the least. I've read the novelette that this was based on a few times over the years, and I strongly recommend checking it out. The soundtrack is almost non-existant, which actually works really well in the movie. It sort of makes an outlandish situation more realistic. In real life, if this shit happened, there would be no exciting music to get you pumped up. You'd just have to make due with what you have. Again, if you're a fan of movies like War Of The Worlds, and Cloverfield, you'll most likely be into The Mist.
The next one will be coming sooner than this one did. I promise.