This week’s theme was a bit of a challenge for me because the first few movies I came up with, I’ve already mentioned. That does not mean these three picks are in some way secondary by any means, because all three are pretty decent movies which came to mind when I thought about the trees.
1. THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (2012)
Oh my, me and horror movies aren’t really friends but I have seen a few, and those few, I’ve actually enjoyed. So The Cabin in the Woods, a movie that was praised a lot and I finally gave up and watched, was alright. Now honestly, I remember liking it quite a lot, but don’t ask me to talk you through it because… I don’t remember it that well. It’s weird, but I might have watched most of the movie through my fingers, so the memory loss is normal. But it’s good, ignore me not remembering it well.
2. SWISS ARMY MAN (2016)
This one was a weird experience, and really strange from start to finish but… I liked it. It was surprisingly different and that’s what stood out – not to mention the fact that Daniel Radcliffe was giving one of his strangest performances yet. The ending was a little too out of the box for me but the journey until then was thrilling. The main characters, one of which a corpse of course, try to survive in the woods and thanks to the corpse’s ability to do extraordinary things (addition to being “alive”) they survive.
3. THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (2012)
Now, this movie has a special place in my heart because it features an Estonian composers’ track and it fits the movie beautifully. Also, the symbolism of the movie is very strong, and I had such a fun time reviewing it four years ago (you can read it here). It is a serious movie, and a bit slow paced, but it has strong performances by Gosling and Cooper, as well as Ben Menderlsohn.
THIS SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES
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The Place Beyond The Pines is one of my favourite movies of all time! I haven’t seen Cabin In The Woods or Swiss Army Man, but I am interested in watching both of those as well! Great list!! 😀
Woah, it’s a rare pick for a favourite movie I think.. but that’s amazing. 🙂
Hahaha! I know a lot of people found it really long, but I loved how dark it was! Definitely my kind of movie! 😀
I haven’t seen the other movies but Swiss Army Man was a delight!
It was wasn’t it.. it’s the type of movie that’s hard to forget for sure!
I’ve only seen Swiss Army Man and it was….odd. Interesting and bizarre but once was plenty for me. Been meaning to see Place Beyond the Pines but haven’t gotten there yet. The horror movie is a no for me.
My first is an intriguing adventure with an excellent lead performance from the recently depart Powers Booth and it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the theme. The other came to me more slowly.
The Emerald Forest (1985)-Engineer Bill Markham is in Brazil with his wife Jean (Meg Foster) and young son Tommy (the film’s director John Boorman’s son Charlie) working on a hydroelectric dam on the edge of the rainforest. One day while the three are having a picnic near the site Tommy is taken by a forest tribe known as The Invisible People. Markham spends the next ten years searching the jungles for Tommy meeting many obstacles including the cannibalistic Fierce People along the way. Beautiful looking complex adventure based on true events.
Sometimes a Great Notion (1970)-The Stamper family, father Henry (Henry Fonda), oldest son Hank (Paul Newman), his wife Viv (Lee Remick), younger brother Leeland and nephew Joe Ben (Michael Sarrazin & Richard Jaeckel) are independent Oregon loggers. When the local union loggers go on strike against the corporate giant that controls most of the area they urge the Stampers to join them but being struggling independents they fear they won’t survive and refuse. The tensions that run high among them and the townsfolk is mirrored within the family leading to conflict and tragedy. Based on a Ken Kesey novel this is a sometimes slow but extremely well-acted (Jaeckel is a particular standout) complicated family drama.
The Edge (1997)-Uber rich Charles Morse (Anthony Hopkins) has gone with his model wife Mickey (Elle Macpherson) on a photo shoot to a remote mountain area along with photographer Robert Green (Alec Baldwin), who Charles suspects is involved with Mickey, and his assistant (Harold Perrineau). While Mickey stays behind the three men fly into the wilderness for nature photos but the plane crashes killing the pilot and the three men must struggle to survive not only the elements but the giant bear tracking them through the woods and ultimately each other.
You know, although I liked Swiss Army Man.. I don’t see myself rewatching it soon, so I guess it might be a one timer for me as well. The movie’s just so heavily styled in a sense that fits a very specific mood and not a mood that comes around frequently.
Thank you so much for the comment! I feel like I’m waiting for your comment each week to see what movies, I haven’t seen or even heard of, you recommend. 🙂
I’m a huge fan of both The Cabin in the Woods and The Place Beyond the Pines. I haven’t seen Swiss Army Man, but I will very soon. Great picks.
Thank you! Let me know when you do end up watching Swiss Army Man, I’m curious to know what you think.
I haven’t seen any of these but I might now see Cabin in the Woods which is popular this week. The Place Beyond the Pines I totally forgot about but may also give it a try
I think The Place Beyond the Pines is a movie that demands a lot of attention and might feel slow to some, so I don’t recommend it for a nice Summer day. 😀
Great picks! I also chose The Cabin in the Woods. Swiss Army Man was awesome. I didn’t love The Place Beyond the Pines but there were some great things about that movie.
I also feel like there are things about that movie that stand out (Beyond the Pines, I mean). It has that connection to me personally with the Estonian composer, and it has visual elements that I myself adore. It’s definitely not for everyone. Thank you for the comment!
I didn’t like The Place Beyond the Pines. It’s just that the trailer had me expecting a whole different movie and I think that ruined it for me.
Well now, back in the day, when Place Beyond the Pines came out, I didn’t watch trailers.. so I have no idea what it might have created in terms of expectations but I totally get it.. I hate when trailers mislead viewers .. but sometimes I love it!
I didn’t make it through the Pines. It was so boring and they threw blonde Gosling in there…just nope. But I adore The Cabin in the Woods
You know.. I had nothing against blonde Gosling… which is weird because I usually like them dark. 😀
The Place Beyond the Pines is such a good pick for this list. Great choice!
It’s getting mixed comments here, some like it, some don’t.. but I think that’s the beauty of it. 🙂
All of these are great picks. I regret I haven’t seen Cabin in the Woods. Somehow slipped by me. Place Beyond the Pines is an inspired pick here. Love that one.
Thank you! I recommend Cabin in the Woods.. I saw it ages after it was talked about and don’t regret it at all!
Ah The Place Beyond the Pines is beautifully shot, I love the music as he rides down the road through the forest. The soundtrack to that film is brilliant. I too am not a horror fan BUT I did like Cabin in the Woods as it not really about the group, its bigger and weirder than imagined.
Some of these horror movies manage to be visually stunning and interesting, which makes them like a step above just horror movies. Though Cabin in the Woods looked weird , it still managed to look beautiful too in my opinion.