Everyday is Valentine (2001)

185.0/43.5 - Watched another HK movie I ordered from Netflix, Everyday is Valentine (2001) starring Cecilia Cheung (the main reason I wanted to see this movie). This is like an old school Hollywood story but set in modern HK/Macau. Girl falls for a guy who pretends to be a rich guy due to a misunderstanding. He goes with it and comedy / romance / heartbreak ensues. Interesting that Cecilia, who is absolutely stunning here, is playing her age at 21 years old at the time. Not a great film but good enough. Hits all the right beats for a predictable conclusion.

Jackals

187.0/43.5 - Because it got a limited release I went out to AMC S.Barrington to see JACKALS. (Also saw the 40th anniversary re-release of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS to make it worth the long trip out there) Anyways, Jackals is half good. I like the cult aspect plus siege/home invasion premise. Unfortunately the family at the center of the story is so damn stupid that it makes the rest seem pointless.

Ingrid Goes West

188.5/43.5 - Because of the Labor Day weekend, office was closed early. So I split to go home and do more work before heading over to Muvico for a twilight screening of Ingrid Goes West. Was thrilled it had a showtime within the twilight window so I only paid $6.35. A good thing since moviepass isn't going to update my subscription until my renewal date (which is bullshit but whatever). I was really looking forward to this movie having heard good things. Turns out this isn't the movie for me. Well crafted and well acted but not a fan of stories like this. Super uncomfortable. I suppose that was the point.

Midnight Runners

190.5/43.5 - Had another physical therapy appt so bolted early to get home, changed and to the hospital. Was a little late but didn't bother Christina none. She's been a great therapist and I'll be sad when my visits end. However, I will be happy when I'm back to 100 percent. I'm still not there yet and have one more PT session to go. It's been a long process healing. I'll say it again; don't ever fracture your ankle.

After my PT session I headed up to AMC Showplace 12, my usual local cinema, for a movie. Midnight Runners, a new Korean film, was screening so I figured I'd take that in even though my moviepass subscription still hasn't updated to unlimited. So I paid the full admission price. Ah well. The movie is fine. It tries hard to be a comedy of two misfits trying to make their way into the police university. After they make it in is when the film starts to get more dire with a few humor beats thrown in to remind us of the comedy and keep it light.

The two leads are good but the action vs brains of the buddy cop team up never materializes. It’s just two recruits that are basically the same with the same interests and whatnot. Movie plays up the humor of this however and sometimes it works despite getting deadly serious when the crime ring unfolds. I don’t want to label as comedy but it tries so hard for half the film to be one then changes tone.

That these two guys have to break up the ring themselves is a odd thing to highlight the problems with process in the police force. I give it a half star bump for the post-credits stinger which affected me more than anything else in the film. Kinda amazing to note that my local cinema currently has three Korean films screening at the moment; Midnight Runners, A Taxi Driver, and The Battleship Island. I wish it was like this all year!

Noir City Chicago - Day 6

190.5/43.5 - Tonight was a Walter Matthau double feature of Charley Varrick and The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974). I had already seen Varrick but have been wanting to see it on the big screen bc it's such a wonderful flick. Has a terrific performance by Joe Don Baker. Taking of Pelham is one that's long been on my watch list and I've been holding off viewing for just such an occasion. Gotta say this was a great way to see it for the first time; the theater was packed and was really into the movie. Didn't realize how funny it would be.

Noir City Chicago - Day 5

191.5/43.5 - Headed back to Noir City Chicago at the Music Box tonight. Double feature is The Brink's Job and Six Bridges to Cross. Both I haven't seen!

193.0/43.5 - Laputa: Castle in the Sky. As far as movie things go, very few things are better than seeing your favorite Miyazaki film on a giant screen.

So happy that Studio Ghibli films are getting a limited run in theaters this year. I skipped both My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service having seen both somewhat recently (probably should've gone anyways). But no way I was missing Laputa. This is a perfect film. Has all the touchpoints and hallmarks of a great Miyazaki story: adventure, fantasy, science fiction, and heart. If this movie was screening every week I'd probably go see it.

Noir City Chicago - Day 3

192.5/43.5 - Four films on the schedule for today at Noir City Chicago 2017. Feel lousy from staying out too late and drinking too many crazy drinks at HO's birthday bash. Was a fun time from what I remember. Need some good noir films in a dark theater today to make me feel better.

Noir City Chicago 2017

192/43.5 - Noir City Chicago 2017 kicked off and today's my first day to attend. Hitting 3 films then a birthday party this evening. My last post about Noir City was 5 years ago. Can't believe this is the 9th Noir City Chicago. Glad to return after skipping last year.

Otto Preminger

195/43.5 - Picked up a couple of Otto Preminger flicks at the library that caught my eye. Figured I'd slide these in before Noir City Chicago 2017 kicks off. Seemed appropriate.

sleestakk's Top Ten Films of 2015

It's been a while... 4 years to be precise. Anyways here are my top ten favorite films from 2015:

1. Mad Mad: Fury Road
2. Green Room (festival screening)
3. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
4. The Hateful 8: 70mm Roadshow
5. Brooklyn
6. Creed
7. The Assassin
8. Carol
9. High-Rise (festival screening)
10. Bone Tomahawk (festival screening)

Link to my top 25 on Letterboxd.com

sleestakk's Top Ten Films of 2012

Because it was such a good year for film I struggled narrowing down my list to only ten films. The pool I chose from is pictured here but ultimately I decided to go with the films that gave me the most enjoyment.

10. Cabin in the Woods

9. Holy Motors

8. Dredd

7. Nameless Gangster

6. Agneepath

5. The Avengers

4. Pitch Perfect

3. A Werewolf Boy

2. Django Unchained

1. Killer Joe

Three of my Top Ten I saw more than once. The others I will gladly watch again and again. But I could say that for any of those 25 pictured above. Clearly my list isn't what critics would consider the "best" of the 2012 but I'm no critic nor does "best" mean much to me. Check out the entire 25 films I considered at Letterboxd.

Music Box of Horrors

Chicago was fortunate to have TWO 24-hour Horrorthons this year. This was the first one.

The (Annual) 24-hour horror movie marathon at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago was held on October 13 - 14. Formerly known as the Music Box Massacre, now called Music Box of Horrors. Kicked off Saturday at noon, here was the line-up of films (in order), all of which were presented in 35mm except the newer films, Satan’s Little Helper and Eddie: The Sleepwalking Cannibal both DCP. The Golem was 16mm. Special guests included Sybil Danning and Jeff Lieberman. Roughly 600 people attended the event over the 24-hour period (around 150 were there at the end).

I arrived right before The Golem kicked off the event. I stayed (awake) for 10 films leaving around 6:30am after The Phantasm. I would have loved to stay but I needed s little sleep before the "Day of Chicago Firsts" event at Portage Theater in the afternoon. I really wanted to see Deadly Spawn and Blood Diner on the big screen. Ah well. Still managed 18 hours of film.

Best moment: meeting Sybil Danning and chatting for a bit around the midnight hour. She is an awesome person.

WTF moment: during Q&A, audience member asked Jeff Lieberman what he thought about the demise of 35mm film, expecting him to provide his lament. Instead he said, "fuck film. I love digital. I'm not looking back." (paraphrasing)

Good times.

Noir City 4: Chicago

The Noir City Film Festival has ended and I'm glad that I was able to view as many titles as I did. Total of 8 films out of the 15 presented. Some true gems too including a few not available on home video.

The films I saw were: Three Strangers (1946), Black Angel (1946), Phantom Lady (1944), The Window (1949), Shakedown (1950), Undertow (1949), This Gun for Hire (1942), and The Great Gatsby (1949). Wish I could have seen more! Maybe next year.

Godzilla Fest 2012 Kick Off

Spent the afternoon and evening at the Pickwick Theatre for a line-up of Giant Monster movies to celebrate the 19th annual G-Fest event. The afternoon was two Godzilla influences and the evening was two Godzilla rivals films. Highlight was easily viewing Kong Kong '33 on the big screen. Still such an incredible movie.