gangster squad (2013). directed by ruben fleischer.

reminds me of brian de palma's the untouchables (1987) and curtis hanson's LA confidential (1997). fun, but not quite there yet. may be a light take on both movies? perhaps. but i like josh brolin in it. very old school. 

sister my sister (1994). directed by nancy meckler.

unfortunately this movie was branded as a lesbian movie even though it was about isolation due to different classes in society. i feel sorry for both lead characters who have to endure the horrible mistress of the house and her equally dull daughter. while they are not treated badly, they are not acknowledged as people or even as workers, it is the failure of human society that such division must occur purely due to disparity in material wealth. 

the call (2013). directed by brad anderson.

i don't really enjoy this movie. probably because i've seen anderson made better movies (session 9 (2001), the machinist (2004)) and like his style of horror that does not depend on cheap props, lazy plots and screaming scantily clad women. perhaps this is an intentional departure from his usual style - the fact that halle berry is in it definitely gives the film a more commercial feel to it.   

the place beyond the pines (2012). directed by derek cianfrance.

i like cianfrance's 2010 movie blue valentine, and this one has that dark undercurrents going right from the start. i like his careful mood setting - you know something life changing is going to take place and it doesn't happened in a cheesy manner. 

it takes time to move from one story to another - starting from gosling's story of trying to provide for his baby son via robbing banks to cooper's shooting him and suffering immense guilt for killing a father - as cooper is also a father of a baby boy. he feels disconnected from his son, that guilt also drives him to bring down the corrupt police force at his precinct. 

however, the real losers of the event are the sons. one grew up not knowing his dead father, the other grew up without his father's love and attention.  

one has to employ patience when watching this movie. the story telling is not conventional but i appreciate the effort cianfrance puts in to explore the nuances of each characters' experiences. 

bradley cooper can actually act, no?

call me crazy: a five film (2013). directed by laura dern, bryce dallas howard, bonnie hunt, ashley judd and sharon maguire.

this made for tv movie is pretty good, even though it doesn't break new grounds in exploring the theme of mental illness. it is good in terms of bringing this issue to the public - skimming the surface of what it is like to suffer from mental illness, and the loved ones who stand by them. 

pee mak (2013). directed by banjong pisanthanakun.

quite enjoyable stupid fun. 

star trek into the darkness (2013). directed by j. j. abrams.

i enjoyed this movie because i have zero expectation of it being any good. so it was quite enjoyable. it is amusing to see benedict cumberbatch out-acting everybody which reminds me of the same deal with micheal fassbender in x men: first class (2011).