The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

I was bored the other night and this film was literally the first thing to pop up on Netflix. So I thought I’d give it a try although I was pretty sure I would not like it. I have never seen any of Wes Anderson’s films. His films look pretentious and weird and … I still feel the same way after seeing The Grand Budapest Hotel. But, I did like the movie more than I thought I would.
The most enjoyable aspect of the movie for me was all the cameos from great character actors. Each time I saw someone new I got a thrill. Tom Wilkinson! Jude Law!
Jude Law was great in his brief role. But I absolutely hated the way he narrated some of his scenes with “he said,” “then I said,” It just pissed me off. I’m watching a movie, not listening to someone read out a book.
The humor in this movie is just too weird for me. Most of the time I didn’t even giggle (and I usually laugh at everything). Although there was one moment I absolutely loved.

Oh God I laughed and laughed. So funny.

I also thought Adrien Brody was great, he is such a talented actor who isn’t in nearly enough movies. Vampire Alien Queen Tilda Swinton was also great in her brief role.
I don’t understand why everyone else seems to think this movie is so great. The humor mixed with such violence and darkness…it really put me off. There are some fine performances from the actors, but The Grand Budapest Hotel is too bizarre for me to really enjoy. 6/10.

Platoon (1986)

I didn’t love this film. It’s hard to love a war film, especially one like this, one that seeks to show the harsh realities of it. Platoon focuses on Chris (Charlie Sheen) a young man growing up while serving in the Vietnam War. My favorite part of this movie was when the audience is seeing strictly from Chris’s perspective. This instances really pulled me into the film and into the experience of war. I also enjoyed Chris’s letter (or letters? Can’t quite remember) to his grandmother. I thought it was an effective way to give a little bit of a commentary without being too exposition heavy. I really enjoyed watching Chris grow and how he was affected by both the war and the people he was surrounded by.

Elias (Willem Dafoe), Chris (Charlie Sheen), and Barnes (Tom Berenger).

A highlight of this film for me was the superb acting and presence of Willem Dafoe as Elias. Elias (other than maybe Chris) is the most likeable character in Platoon. There were times when Willem came on screen, smiling that smile of his, which made me smile in return. I’ve always known he was a great actor, but this is the first time Willem’s acting has truly affected me (I haven’t seen very many of his films).
The other thing that I found unique and interesting about Platoon was the use of lighting. It was atmospheric (I guess?). Lighting that would actual exist in the real world, not fake movie lighting. The way the light falls through the canopy of leaves or a face barely illuminated in the dark. It really struck me as did the score. The music is perfect and used sparingly, making it all the more effective. I found it quite refreshing since these days there seems to be a lot of background music in films and it can be distracting.

Oh yeah, young Johnny Depp! I think he only speaks once or twice, but whatever.

I’m not a big fan of war movies, so my reaction to this film is a little subdued. I can see how people more interested in these kinds of films would enjoy Platoon more. I’m glad I watched it, but it’s not a film I will be revisiting anytime soon. 7/10