Coming up. This looks like a strong line-up.
Watched: Looper
Observations:
- I thought I was going to miss the emotional beat of this film, but there was a moment at the end where I actually teared up (and it’s a key moment, too). Thinking about it, though, that a film that deals with weighty time travel conceits actually manages to stop itself from getting wrapped up in being clever is impressive by itself.
- Worst casting: Paul Dano. Not because he’s bad; in fact, it’s the exact opposite. This is a film that has heart, and the emotion with which he portrays his character (and what later happens to that same character) colours the rest of the film. I was having flashbacks at inappropriate moments.
- Gordon-Levitt’s prosthetics really aren’t distracting. You forget about them after three minutes or so.
- Apparently, the Chinese release of this film reinstated a few scenes set in Shanghai. I’d like to see that cut - if there were ever any pacing issues, it was because the film glossed over the events there a little too quickly.
- I really liked this film. That it’s clever, doesn’t patronise, manages to look futuristic without shoving it in your face (and the reverse of that: manages to be a smaller film about time travel without just applying an HDR filter) and actually has a plot worth caring about (it’s not Brick!) is an achievement. And the casting - even Emily Blunt’s occasionally questionable accent included - is inspired. Jeff Daniels? God.