TPB AFK: The Pirate Bay Away from Keyboard

This "slice of life" documentary (no narration, no post-interviews, just film and a few on-screen comments and glossary) covers Peter, Fredrik, and Gottfrid, the founders of The Pirate Bay, from their 2009 trial in Sweden through the loss of their finals appeals in 2012. Told almost entirely from their perspective, it presents one view (the correct view) on the legality of the case against them. If you've ever been interested in TPB from a legal or political perspective, I encourage you to check this out.

And yes, in accordance with the wishes of the filmmakers, feel free to find, download, and share the film online.

TPB AFK: The Pirate Bay Away from Keyboard
2013, 82 minutes, directed by Simon Klose

V/H/S/2

Having acquired a heap of knowledge and a pile of leftover tapes from their first outing, this second installment of the V/H/S horror line feels more polished and... boring... than the first.  Sure, everything tied together better in a central theme: private detectives are asked to look for a college student who's been missing for a few days.  At his house, they find lots of static-y monitors and piles of VHS tapes.

This time, it all feels more predictable in its narration.  There's a story with ghosts, one with zombies, one with occult, and one with aliens.  It's all nice and tidy.  And that's what makes it boring.

V/H/S/2
2013, 95 minutes, directed by Simon Barrett, Adam Wingard, Eduardo Sanchez, Gregg Hale, Timo Tjahjanto, Gareth Huw Evans, and Jason Eisener

The Paramount was already running an hour late after their first film.  I stayed in line for Evil Dead for two hours, but when the film was supposed to have started and the previous screening was still letting out, I bailed for dinner and a sure spot at this midnight film.  Knowing now that some people made it (barely) to both thanks to V/H/S/2 also being inexplicably delayed, and knowing that I didn't care much for the midnight film, makes me angrier at the Paramount and SXSW for being unable to keep their schedules even remotely on time.

Upstream Color

Kris is kidnapped. Brainwashed. Wiped out. Left with nothing but emptiness, and a subtle link she can't explain. Jeff has the same emptiness, but he's found her. And then there's the sound. Quinoa. The connection. The hypnotic telepathic worms. Told with minimal dialog, this surreal film explores the involuntary bonds these people share with each other and their counterparts. More than that, I can't explain.

Upstream Color
2013, 96 minutes, directed by Shane Carruth

Warm Bodies

Well yeah, it's cheesy.

Zombie with an inner monologue meets cute girl, eats her boyfriend's brain to absorb his memories, and learns to love again.

But the inner monologue is pretty funny - at least for the target PG-13 crowd.  And it works.  Pretty well, even.

Warm Bodies
2013, 98 minutes, directed by Jonathan Levine

A Good Day to Die Hard

I heard bad things about this film.  Most of them were true.  Rehashed catchphrases fill 75% of the dialog.  The bad guys are stupid.  And no one that age would survive that much abuse and keep moving, ruining any suspension of disbelief.  And, worst of all, this McClane has no respect for civilians; this one would have blown the roof.  Disappointing.

A Good Day to Die Hard
2013, 98 minutes, directed by John Moore

Silver Linings Playbook

There are a lot better, more in-depth reviews of this Oscar-nominated film than I'm going to write.  Broken person meets broken person, both with past mistakes and loss, and they try to make it work.  Can they?  It's a fantastic performance by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, with a strong supporting cast.

Silver Linings Playbook
2012, 122 minutes, directed by David O. Russell

Django: Unchained

The Alamo's new assigned-seat process frustrates me.  They've chosen now to cater exclusively towards people who can plan to see a film 12 or more hours ahead, which is rarely possible for me, or towards people willing to sit on the front row, which I am not.  Sure, they can cater to whoever they wish, but I can still be frustrated about it.

The only film with a decent available seat today was Django: Unchained.  It's Quentin Tarantino, which means it's gross, vile, sick, base, revolting.  So, you must set this aside.  Push all of that below you, and rise up to the surface.  From there, enjoy the beauty of the waves.

Django: Unchained
2012, 165 minutes, directed by Quentin Tarantino