Welcome to another Thursday Movie Picks, the weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves that consists of picking three films to fit the week's theme.
This week was tough. Probably because I'm not rich and I don't give a damn about this kind of movies. But here's my three picks anyway
Limitless (2011)
With the help of a magic pill that allows him to use 100 percent of his brain abilities, a struggling writer becomes a financial wizard. With that, however, comes danger. It's basically the original Lucy. And by far the best version. I haven't seen it in a while but I remember it being tense and very engaging.
Cosmopolis (2012)
The simple task of getting a haircut soon develops into an odyssey for 28-year-old billionaire Eric Packer as he meets people who start to tear his world apart. This is probably one of the worst things Cronenberg has made. It's dreadful. Robert Pattinson is quite good though.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
It follows the rise and fall of real-life stockbroker Jordan Belfort who lives the high life involving crimes and more. I hated this movie. Truly hated it. I really don't get all the praise. I only saw 3 hours of cursing, sex, drugs and Jonah Hill's penis.
We matched on The Wolf of Wall Street! Like I said in your review, I hated Cosmopolis lol. I never got around to seeing Limitless.
ReplyDeleteI think you'd like that one.
DeleteLimitless was recommended to me by a friend and though I didn't love it as much as she did I thought it was a decent film with an interesting concept. I haven't seen the other two though I've considered Cosmopolis a couple of times but negative word of mouth has kept me at bay. Your comment about Wolf of Wall Street is exactly why I've shied away from it. I'm in and out on Scorsese anyway and I can't stand movies with excessive swearing. They strike me as lazy screenwriting-can't think of dialogue stick in some vulgarity instead. No thanks.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy films set in this world at times as long as they don't become overly technical. These three fit that category.
Margin Call (2011)-When the head of risk management (Stanley Tucci) of a large Wall Street firm is unexpectedly laid off he tries to alert someone in the company of the project he was in the midst of that showed troubling evidence of an incipient mass failing of many money markets. He is met with total indifference so on his way out the door he hands the info to one of his assistants who is staying (Zachary Quinto). Intrigued at first and then dumbfounded by what he discovers he finally manages to attract the attention of the higher ups. As a series of late night conferences take place the dawning revelation becomes apparent that a global financial meltdown is set to occur and there is not a damn thing that can stop it. A well-directed look at the immediate lead up to the 2008 financial crisis.
Working Girl (1988)-Mike Nichols directed comedy about ambitious Tess McGill (Melanie Griffith-never more appealing) who despite her college degree and keen intelligence has trouble getting ahead. She goes to work as secretary to Ivy League Katharine Parker (a priceless Sigourney Weaver) in mergers and acquisitions at a large Wall Street investment bank. Lulled into a false sense of security when Katharine seems to extend a helping hand she tells her a provocative idea for a merger that she’s come up with. Katharine without a shred of shame steals the idea behind her back. When circumstances allow Tess to become aware of the duplicity she uses subterfuge teaming with the unaware Jack Trainer (Harrison Ford-sprightly and relaxed) to bring the plan to fruition for herself. All does not go as planned. One of the rare comedies about the financial world that works.
The Crash (1932)-Racy pre-code about Geoffrey and Linda Gault (George Brent & Ruth Chatterton-married in real life at the time), a rapacious couple who go to great lengths to accumulate wealth on the stock market up to and including Geoffrey encouraging Linda to pimp herself out for tips that can add to their fortune. She goes along because she can’t bear the thought of returning to the poverty of her youth. However when Geoffrey angers her with a request, she picks the precisely wrong time to hand him bad information and they are wiped out in the stock market crash of ’29. Staying together in name only while he tries to pick up the pieces she, haunted by her fears, continues to have gentleman friends who give her expensive things until a turning point is reached. Brief (only 58 minutes) and candid with a frankness that would vanish for decades with the implementation of the Production Code the next year.
Your picks sound great. I've been meaning to watch Margin Call for ages, now I think I'll finally do it.
DeleteI might see the first film since I saw Lucy which seems full of holes. I think I will skip the 2nd one but we match with the 3rd and I, too, hated this flick. It's ugly and disgusting
ReplyDeleteFinally someone who agrees with me on The Wolf of Wall Street!
DeleteGood call on Cosmopolis. That was an od film to sit through and I'm still not fully sure about the ending.
ReplyDeleteDid enjoy Wolf of Wall Street but not sure if I could sit through that again.
I feel the same about Cosmopolis ending.
DeleteWoah with the Wolf hate :) It's actually in my top 20 of all time :)
ReplyDeleteLook on the bright side, it's not in my top worst 20 of all time xD
DeleteTotally did not think of Limitless and Cosmopolis.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about Cosmopolis. It just super weird...like people speak in such a weird way. Robert Pattinson was ok...he did what he could with a terrible material.
I love David Cronenberg but.... Cosmopolis is the worst film he's done. It's so boring and lifeless.
ReplyDelete