Pusher (1996) - Nicolas Winding Refn

This was a really good movie. It reminded me so much of a dogme 95 film, just because most of the shots were handheld, and even had Thomas Bo Larsen from Festen (1998) in it, as a druggie.
A brilliant start to Refn's career as a director. I want to watch its sequels.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The Wizard of Oz (1939) - Victor Fleming

There's a reason it's a classic.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) - Sam Raimi

One expects something from Sam Raimi, and no, I'm not talking about a Bruce Campbell cameo, (which this has, by the way).We do get what we want. We do get a good film. The only problem is it's not The Wizard of Oz (1939) - Victor Fleming, nor is it another Evil Dead (1981) - Raimi. Raimi seems to have become over reliant on CGI in recent years, and whether that's the studio (probably Disney doing the same thing they did to Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland [2010]) or himself, it just seems a little lazy.
James Franco wasn't quirky or fun enough to pull off a film set in a magical land, and it made me think how much better the film could have been, if it had been Zach Braff in the lead role. He was way underused, as a flying monkey, but did his best to show off his signature JD-ness, that he does so well.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Drive (2011) - Nicolas Winding Refn

My girlfriend is in love with Ryan Gosling, so I may come off as a bit biased when I say I don't get what the big deal is about this film. I can watch it, yes, but I don't think it's Refn's best film. For me, that would have to be Bronson (2008).

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) - Quentin Tarantino

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) - Quentin Tarantino

I love the first one. I think it's Tarantino's best movie. BEST MOVIE! And that's saying something. But yeah, I love the Japanese film influence. I think for the Vol. 2, it wasn't done enough. It was very underdone, and I think the second one, whilst it would be good as a standalone film, does not do what the first has set it up to do.
I went to a double bill of them both at the local independent cinema, and thought that as it's supposed to be one big massive film, it doesn't really work. So, I'll do another post for Vol. 2, to give it a star rating.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

No Country for Old Men (2007) - Joel and Ethan Coen

This film did not live up to the hype for me. I found myself waiting for Javier Bardem's scenes, and that is purely because they had a bit of action to lighten the film up a bit. A disappointing Western to be honest.
However, I did spot the kid that played Young Earl in My Name is Earl, which was a cool trivia point. (NB Trivia points are imaginary and made up solely for this post. Haters gon' hate.)

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆