METTEL RAY

Thursday Movie Picks: Let’s Start at the End

 

 

 

               THIS SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES

3. TWELVE MONKEYS (1995) 

With trying to pick out movies with endings I didn’t know were endings, Twelve Monkeys also came to mind pretty quickly. Bruce ending up at the beginning which was his ending, but also the beginning? That is pretty messed up! Yet that doesn’t come as a surprise for a time travel film. Those tend to mess with the timeline the most. Twelve Monkeys has one of my favourite Brad Pitt performances too. I just love it when he is a little bit crazy, and off-center. Which, come to think about, is something he brings to all his performances. Some more off than others, but all a little… quirky. Now I miss Brad… better watch Snatch. again!

2. ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004)

Another one of those messing with your mind films is of course Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It’s one of Jim Carrey’s best roles, if not THE best. It’s heartbreaking, surreal, completely nuts and very good! Visually, Eternal Sunshine shines bright as well! There are numerous scenes that will stay with you for a while. But I think the true strength lies in its script, penned by Charlie Kaufman. The rest is simply enhancing the story that Kaufman has created. The narrative structure is super complicated but also, very beautiful.

1. DESTROYER (2018)

Not gonna lie, Destroyer was the first film that came to mind for this week’s theme. The ending melting into the actual beginning as if it is the beginning!? In Destroyer that melting process is so good, that it actually messes you up a bit by the actual end. Yes, it’s that good! Which is part of the reason why I liked this film so much! Another reason I liked the film was the performances. Nicole Kidman was great, so transformed and raw. But so was Sebastian Stan, who stole the movie for me. Him in those tight jeans!? I mean, sure I was watching the film for the plot, but definitely not all the time. But a little bit of hotness was good, in the middle of such a dark film. Because honestly, Destroyer was super dark.

I absolutely love this week’s theme because it’s so great to talk about fun movies. And mixing the narrative is fun stuff. It’s also a bit spoilery, if you’re me and me picks a theme within a theme. This time I’m recommending movies with the kind of endings in the beginnings that you don’t realise are endings before the actual ending. The end.

 

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Thursday Movie Picks

12 responses to “Thursday Movie Picks: Let’s Start at the End”

  1. Brittani Avatar
    Brittani

    lol I see what you did there.

    Destroyer comes out on DVD next week and I’m really looking forward to seeing Nicole’s performance in it.

    Reply
    1. MettelRay Avatar
      MettelRay

      Haha, yes, the things I do for TMPs. 😀

      Reply
  2. sati Avatar
    sati

    Great call with Destroyer! I was a bit underwhelmed by the reveals but the way it tied to the beginning in the end was really cool

    Reply
    1. MettelRay Avatar
      MettelRay

      I was more shocked about the way it tied with the beginning more than the twist itself, which is a first.

      Reply
  3. Sonia Avatar
    Sonia

    I rewatched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind a few weeks ago and it wrecked me. And yes, that’s Carrey’s best role and performance.

    Reply
    1. MettelRay Avatar
      MettelRay

      It wrecks everyone I think. I really need to revisit it too.

      Reply
  4. Joel Avatar
    Joel

    Well you have one I liked very much-12 Monkeys, one I hated-Eternal Sunshine (though I know I’m in the minority, and one I know nothing about but probably won’t see because of my indifference to Kidman. They all fit well though.

    I went with three that deal with death in one way or another.

    Memento (2000)-Leonard (Guy Pearce) is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty however of locating his wife’s killer is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he’s going, or why. His solution is to tattoo clues onto his body to arrive at the answer. Complex mystery begins at the end and works in fractured time lines throughout.

    Sunset Boulevard (1950)-As the film opens failed screenwriter Joe Gillis (William Holden) is found floating face down (but facing the audience) in the swimming pool of former film queen Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). Harking back we then learn how things came to such a sorry pass. Brilliant, tragic, pitch black Billy Wilder masterpiece of broken dreams and dashed hopes with vivid performances from the entire cast and a dazzling iconic one by Swanson.

    Double Indemnity (1944)-Los Angeles insurance agent Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) stumbles into his office late one night with a bullet in his shoulder falls into his office chair and starts recording his confession for his boss and friend Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson). We then flashback to how his foolish involvement with the amoral, heartless Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) lead to duplicity, deception and murder. Another Billy Wilder noir classic.

    Reply
    1. MettelRay Avatar
      MettelRay

      Oh, see, I got all the possibilities in one post, that’s great!
      Memento was also one I thought about but I haven’t seen it in ages and it really deserves a rewatch from me. Oh and I’ve also seen Sunset Boulevard, where I guessed the twist right away. Which was disappointing.

      Reply
  5. Birgit Avatar
    Birgit

    I have only seen 12 Monkeys which is a great film and one I almost went with. I think it had one of the best roles for Bruce Willis in this film. I still have to see Eternal Sunshine and I want to see Destroyer which looks quite good.

    Reply
    1. MettelRay Avatar
      MettelRay

      Bruce was great, Pitt as well. But you need to see both of the other films too, for sure! They are so worth it!

      Reply
  6. Wandering through the Shelves Avatar
    Wandering through the Shelves

    I really don’t remember Twelve Monkey’s opening but it’s a time travel movie and a pretty loopy one at that where endings are often beginnings in a most likely never ending cycle.

    Reply
  7. MettelRay Avatar
    MettelRay

    Time travel movies are so often loops that it’s not even funny anymore but that’s sort of why I like them anyway.

    Reply

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