The week in brief (30 April - 6 May)

As I mentioned last week, I've decided to have a bit of a change of format change for Kirk's Movie Blog. I'm going to cut back on reviewing every film I see and instead just do a quick list with my thoughts for the week. That should give me a bit more time to do my Listorama! top ten lists - look out for my top ten L.A. movies list, coming up tomorrow.

Anyway, this week, I have been mostly watching...

Dark Star (1974) 5/10
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) 8/10
City of Men (2007) 7/10
The Kite Runner (2007) 7/10
Animal Kingdom (2010) 9/10
Super 8 (2011) 8/10
Donkey Punch (2008) 7/10
American Reunion (2012) 6/10
The Children (2008) 6/10

Best film of the week will have to go Animal Kingdom, which was just as good as when I saw it last year. I can't decide who's scarier - Ben Mendelsohn as psychotic, creepy gangster Andrew 'Pope' Cody, or Jacqui Weaver as his mother, whose genial, friendly front masks a ruthless and calculating interior. Also (unexpectedly) very good: Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which started off a little slowly, but comes to a brilliantly executed climax, set on the Golden Gate Bridge. Worst film of the week? Probably Dark Star - though I'm a big fan of a number of John Carpenter's movies, this was his first picture and it's very rough around the edges.

Looking to the future, I've had a look at the upcoming releases for the UK, and it's looking good for the next few months. There's something I want to see almost every week from now until August:

11 May: Dark Shadows
18 May: The Raid: Redemption
25 May: Moonrise Kingdom/ Men In Black III
1 June: Prometheus
8 June: The Innkeepers/ A Fantastic Fear of Everything
29 June: Killer Joe
4 July: The Amazing Spider-Man
20 July: The Dark Knight Risaes

Kirk's Quote of the Week: 

Barton Fink (1991)


"Mastrionotti: Started in Kansas City. Couple of housewives. 
Deutsch: Couple days ago we see the same M.O. out in Los Feliz. 
Mastrionotti: Doctor. Ear, nose and throat man. 
Deutsch: All of which he's now missin'. 
Mastrionotti: Well, some of his throat was there. 
Deutsch: Physician, heal thyself. 
Mastrionotti: Good luck with no fuckin' head."