Only God Forgives (2013) - Nicholas Winding Refn

I really think I need to sleep on this one, but I also want to write this whilst it's fresh in my mind. I finally got around to seeing it, when Cineworld decided to do a special one off showing, thank God. I think this may be an important movie in the future, and I'm glad I've seen it on the big screen.
I am torn between two minds. Firstly, the thing that stands out about this film is the perfectionism and symmetry that occurs in every shot, and I can say, "Every" without generalising. 100 per cent of shots are perfectly made with Stanley Kubrick's rules of symmetry in mind. Refn has done this expertly well, but it is noticeable within the film. However, with the thought that has gone in to all of these shots comes the negative aspects of the film: has too much concentration been put upon what is seen rather than what is happening?
The story lacks a strong narrative. I'm all for keeping a bit of mystery around lead characters, but when a viewer comes away from a film without any kind of answer or even any particular message, googling must be done, and that is a no-no. It's this aspect of the film that makes me wonder if Refn is just fuelling his own ego, by trying to make something as slow paced as Drive (2011), but even edgier. It is slow-paced, sure, but that again is its downfall.
The narrative could be told completely differently, and in twenty minutes or less, and I don't think that it would skimp on the action. Again, like Drive, this film has brilliant, memorable scenes (and shots), but the rest of the in-between is just fodder.
Another point I have to pick up on is the Ryan Gosling top billing. It is in no way, shape or form his film. To me, his character and the sort-of-but-not-quite-explored-B-plot of his erectile dysfunction (or so it seemed to me) was sidelined to the real story of parents and their children, both through his relationship (in every sense of the word) with his mother (played by Kristin Scott Thomas), and between the under-acknowledged Vithaya Pansringarm and his child.
I cannot rate this film, just yet, as I still cannot make head nor tail of it, which means to me anyway, that Refn was at least a little successful in cementing it in my mind for further pondering. MUST REWATCH.

World War Z (2013) - Marc Forster

I paid £11.45 to watch this film at the Odeon cinema, Liverpool. At that price, I shall never be going there again. Back to Cineworld. Anyway, the film itself was completely different to the book, so it's impossible to compare the two. The film's action sequences were very good. The twelve seconds thing was pointless though, and you'll need to see the film to understand that, so go and watch it before it finishes in cinemas, but not at the Odeon because it's fucking expensive.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Now You See Me (2013) - Louis Leterrier

This film was the surprise unlimited screening at Cineworld St Helens, so I had no idea what to expect. It was a simple film, with a complicated plot. It was entertaining throughout, and the ending, whilst a little slow, did answer all the questions we as a viewer asked ourselves. At the beginning, make sure you look at the cards and see one, because if it works like it did for me, then that truly is what magic is after all. It really made me want to practise some more tricks.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Monsters, Inc. (2001) - Pete Doctor, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich

You all know I love a good kid's film, and 3D films come with my Cineworld Unlimited card, so I indulged my passion by attending today. It was good. I know the plot off by heart (and the song, "Put That Thing Back Where it Came From, or so Help me!"), but this film is a timeless pixar classic. And Steve Buscemi is scary as any Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) - Tobe Hooper bad guy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆