The Assassination of the Half Gate Limited

I watched quite a few movies this past week, here are my thoughts. These are in order of when I watched them.

1. Half Nelson- Gosling is great, the camera work and script are not. Note: Handheld camera is okay, "shaky, NYPD Blue cam" is not.
2. Black Sheep- A movie about killer sheep on a rampage should be great, right? This had it's moments, namely one of a guy beating the crap out of a sheep, and then the sheep driving the truck over the side of a mountain. Moments like this were few and far between. Black Sheep, you could have been great.
3. Sleepaway Camp- One of the most disturbing endings to a movie ever. If you haven't seen this, I'm not saying rush out and get it, and it is not for the squeamish or easily disturbed, but if you haven't seen this and like this kind of teen horror film you owe it to yourself to see what people have always told you about, but will never actually tell you.
4. The Darjeeling Limited- I saw this twice this week. I love Wes Anderson movies, love 'em. As my friend Adam Pinney says, "I'm a Wes Anderson apologist." That is what I am, but I was not impressed with Darjeeling as a whole. It seems Anderson has become obsessed with his own style, and doesn't know how to shake it up. Yes, he writes hilarious dialogue, and very interesting characters, but his movies are as whole, other than Rushmore and Bottle Rocket, kind of sloppy. I enjoyed Darjeeling, but I was kind of disappointed.
Side note: On the Wednesday screening, Jason Schwartzman was there and did a Q&A. Emmi had done a drawing of Max Fischer (Rushmore) back in her Freshman year at RISD, and I thought it would be a funny gift to give him. So, after his Q&A he was walking up the crowded aisle, over run with fans, and I stopped him and told him we had a gift for him. So, Emmi gave him the Mona Lisa of Max Fischer, and he was excited, he said his girlfriend would love it, and then gave Emmi a nice forceful, appreciative hug.
5. Gone Baby Gone- I love movies about Boston. I don't know why. I can't explain it. I've watched The Departed way too many times. I watched Good Will Hunting a lot when it came out. Mystic River was an ehhh kind of movie, but it was rough and tumble as a Boston movie should be. Gone Baby Gone is a good movie, not great, but good. Casey Affleck is amazing, but as Alex Orr said, Harris and Freeman could have been played by anyone. And if someone else had played Harris' part, it could have brought a better nuance to the character, Ed Harris isn't the most subtle of actors.
6. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford- One of the best movies of the year, or the best movie of the year. How in anyone's right mind can they not like this movie? It is amazing. Flat out incredible. The train robbery sequence is one of the collest things I've ever seen. Casey Affleck, once again, steals the movie, he seems like he is going to cry or burst out of his nervous, made-fun-of, obsessed skin at any moment. Pitt is great as is Paul Schneider and Sam Rockwell. Why can't Hollywood make these kind of movies more? Because they don't have it in 'em. If this film is overshadowed by a certain Ridley Scott film come Awards season it will be a crime.
7. No Holds Barred- I'll ask the question Rip asks, "What's that smell?" The response, "Dooooooookkkiiiieeee." Yes, this film is dookie. It is hilarious, also. Yes, the Hulkster cries, he gets angry, he gets revenge and all is well in the end. Except for maybe his brother who gets his neck sent into traction by Zeus.
8. The Gate- Young Stephen Dorff and his friend open a gate to hell that unleashes tiny demons into the world. I don't know what to say. It was rock n' roll that caused it, explained it, but ultimately couldn't stop it. What could stop the evil? That's right, a rocket and Stephen Dorff's love. You think I'm joking?