It's been a while since Disney had a good, non-Pixar branded, animated movie. They've done it again, and it looks like the 50th time is the charm. Tangled, Disney's sideways take on the Rapunzel fairy tale was funny as hell. A completely computer generated film, but with the style and charm of their classic hand-drawn features, Tangled succeeds where more recent fare has come up short. Based (loosely) on the Brothers' Grimm fairy tale, writer Dan Fogelman has learned many valuable lessons from the Disney classics of the past: tell the story, inject appropriate humor, invoke peril, happily ever after. Simple storytelling done right. The characters performances are fantastic, as every facial and body expression is just as easily interpreted as the dialogue. I haven't enjoyed a Disney movie this much since the days of Aladdin and The Lion King.
Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) is portrayed as a smart girl, who just wants to experience the world outside her window. She seems to be a bit of a hippie, so if you think that the only things she needs are patchouli and ankle bells, you're not alone. Flynn Rider (great name! Zachary Levi) is the wise-ass, street savvy petty thief who agrees, through a highly Disney series of events, to show Rapunzel that world. The supporting cast of characters in this absolutely makes this movie the comedy gem it is. Maximus, the palace guard's horse, is one of my new favorite animal characters (yup, I've got a top ten for that). He has one of the funniest fights this side of Jackie Chan. Pascal the chameleon, the den of rogues from the "Snuggly Duckling"(again, brilliant name!), even Rapunzel's "guardian", all have really great, laugh-out-loud bits.
It was really refreshing to see Disney return to its storytelling roots with this. Using CGI to update a classic fairy tale for the modern audience was a real treat. If you have kids, watch this movie. If you have a girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/wife, watch this movie. If you have an hour and a half, watch this movie. You will feel like a kid again, if only for a little bit. 8.25/10.
Tomorrow's movie: POT LUCK!!!!! I think I will do this every week, just for a bit of spontaneity. I've had to struggle to watch what I picked the day before recently. Not that they've been bad, just gotta be in the mood for some of 'em. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Day 26: "I just want to be perfect."
Darren Aronofsky has done it again. Black Swan is an amazing piece of storytelling. In his fifth picture, Aronofsky has put together the harrowing, tense, beautiful story of Nina, a newly crowned prima ballerina and her compulsive pursuit of perfection. She is surrounded by her controlling mother, an HR nightmare of a director, and competition in a new, talented dancer; this movie relies, almost exclusively, on its characters to deliver the tale. From her director's wildy inappropriate behavior, to her mother's insanity, to Lily's impulsiveness, it all plays into Nina's transition to her ultimate form. This movie is similar to another of Aronofsky's films: The Wrestler, only Black Swan is by far much, much bleaker in its outlook. A very heavy drama, there were enough twists, turns, and wtf moments for me to be reminded (in spirit alone) of Silence of the Lambs. Yes, there, I said it. The mental descent of this poor woman was vividly portrayed like it was a documentary. This movie succeeds on nearly every level of storytelling.
Natalie Portman (Nina) plays her best role to date (although it was a tough call, Matilda in Leon: the Professional is still my favorite), always pushing herself to reach that edge of insanity that the character required. She deserved that Best Actress Oscar. Period. Mila Kunis played a much different role than I have seen her in before, and my hat is off to her as well. It is very refreshing to see an actor break the mold of what I once thought they were capable of. Vincent Cassel should have been nominated for his role as Thomas Leroy. He portrayed this director as a man who would stop at nothing to get the performances he wants.
This was one of the best movies from last year, and the best that I have seen to date while writing this blog. You need to put this movie in your Netflix queue, buy it on Blu-ray, do what you must to see it. Darren Aronofsky has established himself as one of the great modern directors, and this does nothing but add to his amazing resume. A work of art. 9.75/10
Tomorrow's movie: something a bit lighter, I think. Disney's Tangled. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Natalie Portman (Nina) plays her best role to date (although it was a tough call, Matilda in Leon: the Professional is still my favorite), always pushing herself to reach that edge of insanity that the character required. She deserved that Best Actress Oscar. Period. Mila Kunis played a much different role than I have seen her in before, and my hat is off to her as well. It is very refreshing to see an actor break the mold of what I once thought they were capable of. Vincent Cassel should have been nominated for his role as Thomas Leroy. He portrayed this director as a man who would stop at nothing to get the performances he wants.
This was one of the best movies from last year, and the best that I have seen to date while writing this blog. You need to put this movie in your Netflix queue, buy it on Blu-ray, do what you must to see it. Darren Aronofsky has established himself as one of the great modern directors, and this does nothing but add to his amazing resume. A work of art. 9.75/10
Tomorrow's movie: something a bit lighter, I think. Disney's Tangled. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Day 25: "Make way, hero coming through!"
So did you see the movie about the ordinary boy who suddenly learns he is extraordinarily magically gifted, goes off to train in a remote magical location, makes friends with an overenthusiastic boy and a very book smart girl, then they save the world together? Yeah so did I. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief was it, unfortunately. This is essentially (as you may have already guessed) a Harry Potter clone that has bathed in testosterone. A lot of it; like a vat. Replace "genetic magic" with Greek mythology, and you've essentially got it. While I do appreciate Greek mythology, there is a limit to the amount that can, reasonably, be crammed into a two hour period. Case in point: the whole Vegas fiasco (you'll see). This is how fans of magical fantasy must feel about the Harry Potter series. On the plus side, director Chris Columbus obviously has this genre locked down (whatever that genre is). The effects are well done and the story moves along at a brisk pace. My major complaint with the story is the whole Lightning Thief thing. It's barely addressed until the movie is an hour and a half in.
The main characters are relative newcomers and, for the most part, hold their ends up well. The supporting cameos are something else entirely. I guess Columbus pitched the film to the ensemble as the next coming of (*sigh*) Potter, and actors came running; Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson, Catherine Keener, Joe Pantoliano. I could go on, but my point is made.
This movie is not awful, I actually enjoyed it in quite a few places (Steve Coogan and Rosario Dawson are funny as hell), but it's a retread. Been done before, and been done better. One question I had that never got addressed though; why the hell is the entrance to Olympus located in New York City?!? Was I absent from class the day that particular connection was taught? One last thing: please, NO SEQUELS! Let this dog lie. 6.25/10
Tomorrow's movie: Princess Amidala and Tommy Chong's daughter in the award winning Black Swan. I cannot wait for this one! See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
The main characters are relative newcomers and, for the most part, hold their ends up well. The supporting cameos are something else entirely. I guess Columbus pitched the film to the ensemble as the next coming of (*sigh*) Potter, and actors came running; Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson, Catherine Keener, Joe Pantoliano. I could go on, but my point is made.
This movie is not awful, I actually enjoyed it in quite a few places (Steve Coogan and Rosario Dawson are funny as hell), but it's a retread. Been done before, and been done better. One question I had that never got addressed though; why the hell is the entrance to Olympus located in New York City?!? Was I absent from class the day that particular connection was taught? One last thing: please, NO SEQUELS! Let this dog lie. 6.25/10
Tomorrow's movie: Princess Amidala and Tommy Chong's daughter in the award winning Black Swan. I cannot wait for this one! See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Day 24: "Silence of the goats."
Grant Heslov's The Men Who Stare at Goats was not exactly what I thought it would be. It was better. It was weird in a very good way. Very much a comedy in the vein of Joel and Ethan Coen, Goats uses both subtlety and the outrageous to make you laugh. The story of a struggling, desperate reporter's journey to the Middle East for a story takes him on a trip down one of the most bizarre roads in (fictional or not) U.S military history. He meets up with a "psi-spy" on a covert mission and learns the history of a branch of Covert Operations no one would possibly believe. Calling themselves "Jedi" was especially amusing for me, as I am quite the Star Wars nerd, but I wondered how George Lucas must have felt if he saw this. My concerns were misguided, however, as the title is used with respect and obvious affection by those referred to by it. I also don't normally point out use of the score or any music in general in my observations, but this is an exception. Hands down, the best use of Boston ever, albeit briefly.
The cast obviously had a lot of fun making this, as the performances are not too over the top as to make them completely unbelievable. Ewan McGregor, George Clooney, and Kevin Spacey are funny as hell in their roles. McGregor plays straight man to Clooney's comedy very well and their chemistry on-screen feels very real. The gem of this picture is Jeff Bridges (like that's a surprise). His hippie, love-in Colonel is so fun and, at times, heartbreaking to watch that I really wanted more. A word of warning to casting directors everywhere, though: Jeff Bridges is capable of so much more than offshoots of "The Dude"; please don't trap him there. End of sermon. To Mr. Bridges: rock on, Flynn!!
Not your run-of-the-mill comedy, The Men Who Stare at Goats is very clever. The strong performances from the ensemble cast make this worth seeing, alone. Add an oddball plot to this and you will enjoy that particular hour and a half. Put it in your Netlflix queue, it's worth a watch. 7.75/10
Tomorrow's movie: the elaborately titled Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (and breathe). I know I'm going to regret this. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
The cast obviously had a lot of fun making this, as the performances are not too over the top as to make them completely unbelievable. Ewan McGregor, George Clooney, and Kevin Spacey are funny as hell in their roles. McGregor plays straight man to Clooney's comedy very well and their chemistry on-screen feels very real. The gem of this picture is Jeff Bridges (like that's a surprise). His hippie, love-in Colonel is so fun and, at times, heartbreaking to watch that I really wanted more. A word of warning to casting directors everywhere, though: Jeff Bridges is capable of so much more than offshoots of "The Dude"; please don't trap him there. End of sermon. To Mr. Bridges: rock on, Flynn!!
Not your run-of-the-mill comedy, The Men Who Stare at Goats is very clever. The strong performances from the ensemble cast make this worth seeing, alone. Add an oddball plot to this and you will enjoy that particular hour and a half. Put it in your Netlflix queue, it's worth a watch. 7.75/10
Tomorrow's movie: the elaborately titled Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (and breathe). I know I'm going to regret this. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Day 23: "Well, you've certainly blown your cover."
So, yeah. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's (I swear that's his real name) The Tourist had such promise for me. A solid cast and, what appeared to be, a good story is supposed to lead to good things in a movie. ZZZZZZZZZZ......... For a film only an hour and forty-three minutes long, it took forever to get started, and wound up going nowhere. Slowly. After the initial set-up in the first act, I was talking to my television, begging for something to happen already. Even the big chase through the canals of Venice is one of the slowest, least suspenseful things I have seen. The villains actually catch up to the escaping boats ON FOOT. I'm not kidding, they jog. I was sorely disappointed with this movie. The story meanders around, trying to get the audience interested in what few twists and turns it holds, but in the end, just comes to a stop. The good guys are predictable, and the bad guys are cardboard cutouts, filling scenes.
With the all-star casting of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie, I expected to see sparks fly, and enough sexual tension to kill a teenager. Unfortunately Depp just looks bored, and Jolie's British accent...well, if you close your eyes and listen hard, she kind of sounds like Jane Seymour. Paul Bettany played the part of an obsessed Scotland Yard detective very well, I only hope he begins to get offered better parts, given his recent stretch of roles.
This is another film that was the beneficiary of it's own publicity department. The trailers made it look intriguing, and I, again, fell for it. Even for die hard Depp and Jolie fans, I can only half-heartedly recommend this movie. It's so frustrating, because it could have been so much better. It reminded me of a slower paced Thomas Crown Affair (the Brosnan/Russo remake) if that helps you get an idea of how much it crawls along. 5/10.
Tomorrow's movie: George Clooney, The Dude and a Jedi in: The Men Who Stare at Goats. Yay, paranormal, military research! See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
With the all-star casting of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie, I expected to see sparks fly, and enough sexual tension to kill a teenager. Unfortunately Depp just looks bored, and Jolie's British accent...well, if you close your eyes and listen hard, she kind of sounds like Jane Seymour. Paul Bettany played the part of an obsessed Scotland Yard detective very well, I only hope he begins to get offered better parts, given his recent stretch of roles.
This is another film that was the beneficiary of it's own publicity department. The trailers made it look intriguing, and I, again, fell for it. Even for die hard Depp and Jolie fans, I can only half-heartedly recommend this movie. It's so frustrating, because it could have been so much better. It reminded me of a slower paced Thomas Crown Affair (the Brosnan/Russo remake) if that helps you get an idea of how much it crawls along. 5/10.
Tomorrow's movie: George Clooney, The Dude and a Jedi in: The Men Who Stare at Goats. Yay, paranormal, military research! See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Day 22: "Getting old ain't for sissies, kid."
One of my all-time favorite movie bad guys is Gordon Gekko. From his name on down, he was a total snake who got what he wanted, how he wanted. "Greed is good." That whole speech still gives me goosebumps. When I found out Oliver Stone was making a sequel to one of the quintessential 80's movies, I was, understandably, worried. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps was not the powerhouse that its predecessor was, but was a really good movie in its own right. I have to be honest, the financial world is a total mystery to me, and I can't even pretend to know what the hell was going on, business-wise (I felt like a three year old at a quantum physics lecture), but I'll be damned if I wasn't sucked into it. This is the story of the investment banking collapse from a couple of years ago. Remind me never to cross anyone in that line of work, they make Darth Vader appear a warm and fuzzy, well-adjusted father figure. The personal side of this neo-Greek tragedy revolves around Gekko's daughter and her fiance, himself a shadow of Bud Fox. Gordon has spent the last 8 years in prison, and, now out, tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter through her fiance. High drama, or an good attempt at it, to say the least.
Michael Douglas, of course, returns as Gekko. He is, again, great, giving the character the ruthlessness and greed that made him famous, as well as that bit of vulnerability that comes with a downfall. Shia LaBeouf (The Transformers series, Eagle Eye) and Carey Mulligan (Public Enemies) play the young couple railroaded into this disaster. Josh Brolin (W., True Grit) and Frank Langella (Dave, Frost/Nixon) both shine as opposite sides of the same financial coin. Brolin, in particular, continues to happily surprise me as an actor, he just gets better whenever I see him (Jonah Hex notwithstanding). Stone always manages to get fantastic performances from his actors, film after film. *POSSIBLE SPOILER* keep your eyes open for cameos!! *END POSSIBLE SPOILER*
As I stated previously, this is not the original Wall Street. This is a Wall Street for a new generation. Oliver Stone has again made an intelligent, thought provoking, and powerful film that will spark conversations. This will be making its way to my library, as Stone and Douglas did not let me down. 8.25/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Capt. Jack Sparrow and Mrs. Smith in The Tourist. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Michael Douglas, of course, returns as Gekko. He is, again, great, giving the character the ruthlessness and greed that made him famous, as well as that bit of vulnerability that comes with a downfall. Shia LaBeouf (The Transformers series, Eagle Eye) and Carey Mulligan (Public Enemies) play the young couple railroaded into this disaster. Josh Brolin (W., True Grit) and Frank Langella (Dave, Frost/Nixon) both shine as opposite sides of the same financial coin. Brolin, in particular, continues to happily surprise me as an actor, he just gets better whenever I see him (Jonah Hex notwithstanding). Stone always manages to get fantastic performances from his actors, film after film. *POSSIBLE SPOILER* keep your eyes open for cameos!! *END POSSIBLE SPOILER*
As I stated previously, this is not the original Wall Street. This is a Wall Street for a new generation. Oliver Stone has again made an intelligent, thought provoking, and powerful film that will spark conversations. This will be making its way to my library, as Stone and Douglas did not let me down. 8.25/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Capt. Jack Sparrow and Mrs. Smith in The Tourist. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Day 21: "I hate L.A....."
While The Mother Strause should be proud that her sons were actually able to make a movie, she should hang her head in shame that they made this one. The Brothers Strause (seriously.) Skyline held such promise for me. I am a science fiction fan, I love a good alien invasion, and I am always attracted to well done explosions. Unfortunately, this had only one of three, and a good explosion only goes so far. I just don't understand why it is so hard to make a quality alien invasion movie. This made Independence Day look like the Citizen Kane of hostile earth takeovers. The story takes place over a two and a half day period, and the main characters spend, literally, one full day going in a complete circle. You know a movie is not going to be a good time when you actually notice how nice the kitchen appliances in a certain character's apartment are (I did this a couple of times to be honest). The multi-tentacled, LED powered vagina monsters were more confusing than scary, and the most common phrase I uttered was, "well [insert character's name here] is screwed." I was more heart-broken when a brand new Ferrari got trashed than when people died.
The acting......where to start..... AWFUL. I can understand getting talented unknowns to play parts for their big break, but there were a couple of established actors (I won't embarrass them further by naming them here) who didn't even dial in a performance. It's like they knew they didn't have a chance in this.
I really want to give fans of this kind of movie some ray of hope, so here goes nothing. I am far from a lover of New York City, but it was refreshing to see another city suffer the ravages of disaster. Lady Liberty caught a break in this. I guess the irony of this movie is that I should have been sitting there saying "well, I'm screwed." Avoid this one unless you're desperate for a new alien movie (lower case alien). 4/10.
I let my wife pick this one (Lord knows, she's sat through enough of my picks), but I won't hold it against her. She still has pretty good taste in movies. Better luck next time, baby! Tomorrow's movie: Gordon Gekko returns in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. I really hope Oliver Stone doesn't screw up one of my all-time favorite bad guys. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
The acting......where to start..... AWFUL. I can understand getting talented unknowns to play parts for their big break, but there were a couple of established actors (I won't embarrass them further by naming them here) who didn't even dial in a performance. It's like they knew they didn't have a chance in this.
I really want to give fans of this kind of movie some ray of hope, so here goes nothing. I am far from a lover of New York City, but it was refreshing to see another city suffer the ravages of disaster. Lady Liberty caught a break in this. I guess the irony of this movie is that I should have been sitting there saying "well, I'm screwed." Avoid this one unless you're desperate for a new alien movie (lower case alien). 4/10.
I let my wife pick this one (Lord knows, she's sat through enough of my picks), but I won't hold it against her. She still has pretty good taste in movies. Better luck next time, baby! Tomorrow's movie: Gordon Gekko returns in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. I really hope Oliver Stone doesn't screw up one of my all-time favorite bad guys. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Day 20: "You're killing me man, when does the good fairy come in?"
I don't think Phillip Noyce's spy pic Salt is a bad movie, far from it, in fact; I just can't decide how much I like it. The story revolves around star CIA operative Evelyn Salt. When a Russian spy comes in to defect, he informs her that she is not the person she believes herself to be, then he tells her she is going to be the one to commit a high profile assassination. At this point, all hell breaks loose, and we see just what kind of badass "Jane Bond" Evelyn Salt is. The plot eventually dissolves into: is she this? Is she that? No, wait, she's this. Crap, now it's the other way...dammit, story make up your mind!!!! The action is well done and, at times, sufficiently over-the-top. There were actually a couple of times when I caught myself saying, "That's it, she's effed." Let's just say being a super-spy has some awesome perks int terms of escape methods. My main complaint is that the story seems to be about 25 years late. This would have been very well received during the Cold War.
Angelina Jolie plays Evelyn very naturally, distancing herself a bit from the lackluster films of recent memory. She can still do convincing action scenes just as well as she ever has, and has actually improved on her more emotionally intimate performances. One of Hollywood's most underrated actors, Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins:Wolverine, The Manchurian Candidate) does a wonderful job as Salt's CIA boss, Ted Winter. He brings a great intensity and gravity to, what could easily have been, a throwaway role. I love this guy, and can't remember a role he did not deliver in.
OK, so after writing this, I have to say Salt is a decent option and quite a bit of fun. It falls into the same category as the Bourne films, it just doesn't take itself as seriously. Not a game-changer in the spy/action genre, but not a bust either. 7/10.
Tomorrow's movie: I haven't got a freaking clue...pot luck I guess. I'll just close my eyes and let the fickle finger of fate decide. Feelin' a bit lazy... See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Angelina Jolie plays Evelyn very naturally, distancing herself a bit from the lackluster films of recent memory. She can still do convincing action scenes just as well as she ever has, and has actually improved on her more emotionally intimate performances. One of Hollywood's most underrated actors, Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins:Wolverine, The Manchurian Candidate) does a wonderful job as Salt's CIA boss, Ted Winter. He brings a great intensity and gravity to, what could easily have been, a throwaway role. I love this guy, and can't remember a role he did not deliver in.
OK, so after writing this, I have to say Salt is a decent option and quite a bit of fun. It falls into the same category as the Bourne films, it just doesn't take itself as seriously. Not a game-changer in the spy/action genre, but not a bust either. 7/10.
Tomorrow's movie: I haven't got a freaking clue...pot luck I guess. I'll just close my eyes and let the fickle finger of fate decide. Feelin' a bit lazy... See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Day 19: "Sweet...coins!!"
Cool. Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) has hit another home run with Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World. I honestly have no idea, or reason why I never saw this in theaters, and am worse for it. It was great on a smaller, home theater screen, but I can only imagine the spectacle on a screen at my local multiplex. The comics told the story of nerds in love, and the movie, although different in many key ways, conveys the same feelings and emotions in a separate medium. The tale of an aspiring musician seeking fame, fortune and love is wonderfully told in terms that its target audience understands: video games. The whole movie is a collage of "what the shit!?!" moments, and boss battles galore. I mean that in the most affectionate way possible. This is the pinnacle of "nerd awkward" and the battles that being one entails.
Michael Cera (Superbad, Year One) should no longer be allowed to play the awkward, dorky teenage hero. He'll never top this performance. All of his previous nerdtastic roles were a road leading to this. I've said it before, but it bears repeating, using a different tone: move on Michael! Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Live Free or Die Hard, Death Proof) was amazing in her portrayal of Ramona. She played a comic book character as a real person, and I completely bought into her performance. The seven evil exes of Romona are played so over the top, that when we are returned to the sweet "real-life" romance of Scott and Ramona, it's that much more engaging because of its subtlety.
I loved this movie, and it will eventually be making it's way into my permanent library. If you have any kind of nerd tendencies, like comic books or video games, odds are very good you will have a blast. If you haven't read the comics (they are available as a compendium), please do that, as well as watching the movie. Time well spent. 9/10.
Tomorrow's movie: something I heard about from a friend of mine from the 1970's. Never heard of it, but I thought I'd give (I hope this is what it's called) The Star Wars a shot.
Not buying that one, huh? OK, fine.....the favorite customer of several African adoption agencies, then, in Salt. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Michael Cera (Superbad, Year One) should no longer be allowed to play the awkward, dorky teenage hero. He'll never top this performance. All of his previous nerdtastic roles were a road leading to this. I've said it before, but it bears repeating, using a different tone: move on Michael! Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Live Free or Die Hard, Death Proof) was amazing in her portrayal of Ramona. She played a comic book character as a real person, and I completely bought into her performance. The seven evil exes of Romona are played so over the top, that when we are returned to the sweet "real-life" romance of Scott and Ramona, it's that much more engaging because of its subtlety.
I loved this movie, and it will eventually be making it's way into my permanent library. If you have any kind of nerd tendencies, like comic books or video games, odds are very good you will have a blast. If you haven't read the comics (they are available as a compendium), please do that, as well as watching the movie. Time well spent. 9/10.
Tomorrow's movie: something I heard about from a friend of mine from the 1970's. Never heard of it, but I thought I'd give (I hope this is what it's called) The Star Wars a shot.
Not buying that one, huh? OK, fine.....the favorite customer of several African adoption agencies, then, in Salt. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Day 18: "There's thousands of them..and they're pissed!!"
Goddamn, I hate 95% movies shot for 3D. HATE. Every single opportunity the director has to wave something in your face, he grabs with a death-grip. Subtlety is not an option. It's almost like the filmmakers were paid by the effect. Alexandre Aja's Piranha started with such promise. A cheesy horror flick that looked like it wasn't going to make the mistake of taking itself too seriously. The first five minutes contained a really funny homage to an earlier water-based horror. Then it went downhill...fast. I was not hoping for a masterpiece with this remake of the 1978 film, but I foolishly hoped for better. Instead of a genetic experiment gone awry, these fish are angry about being stuck in an underwater cave since the mesolithic era. Yes, they are dinosaurs. Lucky for them, there is a resort town nearby, deep in the throes of spring break. Now I am all about the come-uppance of the stupid and ignorant, but holy crap, when everyone is stupid and ignorant, it kind of loses its meaning. Luckily, these fish can distinguish between tasty flesh and inflatable rafts while in the middle of a feeding frenzy. No inner tubes were harmed in the making of this movie. Yeah, it's that kind of bad.
There are a number of respected and well-known actors in this, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why. Richard Dreyfuss, Elisabeth Shue, Ving Rhames, Jerry O'Connell, and Christpher Lloyd, to name a few. The producers must have had something very incriminating on the actors, because that is the only reason I came up with as to why they agreed to do this (Dreyfuss being the lone exception, I loved his part). I mean, come on, the police take a captive fish to a local PET STORE to be identified.
I Remember how Hostel was a clever balance of boobs and blood? Piranha does its best to top it, but ultimately comes up very short. A clever start was ultimately unsupported by the rest of the story. A disappointing 5/10. Oh well, back to 1978 I go....
Tomorrow's movie: the awkward teenager returns in Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World. I have heard good things. Confidence is high, repeat, confidence is high. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
There are a number of respected and well-known actors in this, and for the life of me, I can't figure out why. Richard Dreyfuss, Elisabeth Shue, Ving Rhames, Jerry O'Connell, and Christpher Lloyd, to name a few. The producers must have had something very incriminating on the actors, because that is the only reason I came up with as to why they agreed to do this (Dreyfuss being the lone exception, I loved his part). I mean, come on, the police take a captive fish to a local PET STORE to be identified.
I Remember how Hostel was a clever balance of boobs and blood? Piranha does its best to top it, but ultimately comes up very short. A clever start was ultimately unsupported by the rest of the story. A disappointing 5/10. Oh well, back to 1978 I go....
Tomorrow's movie: the awkward teenager returns in Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World. I have heard good things. Confidence is high, repeat, confidence is high. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Day 17: "Very odd, what happens in a world with no children's voices..."
Children of Men is one of the bleakest films I have seen in a very long time. That does not mean it was bad, just very depressing. Alfonso Cuaron crafted a dark future tapped directly from the depths of you worst Orwellian nightmare. Apparently, in the near future, the human race will be struck impotent. It's unclear what has actually caused this(God's wrath is hinted at), but the world has also fallen apart at the seams as well. Britain is in full militarized, isolationist mode, and Big Brother has totally stomped on the populace. Although a paranoid, dark movie, there is a familiar ray of hope for the downtrodden. The story moves along at a fair clip, slowing only for a chance for the audience to grow attached to the heroes. Without spoiling anything, the climax of this picture is extremely powerful, utilizing almost no dialogue and relying heavily on the actors' (all of them) performances. It blew me away.
Clive Owen (Shoot 'Em Up, Sin City) plays Theo, the broken hero. Claire-Hope Ashitey is marvelous as the heroine Kee. She brings a depth and reality to her character that is normally not seen in such a young actress. Michael Caine and Julianne Moore round out the main cast with wonderful performances of their own, especially Caine. He was brilliant as the father figure to Theo, providing a very necessary comic dimension.
There's a lot to absorb from this story, try to take as much as you can in on your first viewing, because, as I said, it is very bleak (if you saw The Road, you'll know what I mean). Fantastic performances and a taut, smart script make this movie, definitely, worth a watch. 8/10.
Tomorrow's movie: a remake of the 1978 monster fish tale: Piranha. Loved the first one as a kid, hope to like this. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Clive Owen (Shoot 'Em Up, Sin City) plays Theo, the broken hero. Claire-Hope Ashitey is marvelous as the heroine Kee. She brings a depth and reality to her character that is normally not seen in such a young actress. Michael Caine and Julianne Moore round out the main cast with wonderful performances of their own, especially Caine. He was brilliant as the father figure to Theo, providing a very necessary comic dimension.
There's a lot to absorb from this story, try to take as much as you can in on your first viewing, because, as I said, it is very bleak (if you saw The Road, you'll know what I mean). Fantastic performances and a taut, smart script make this movie, definitely, worth a watch. 8/10.
Tomorrow's movie: a remake of the 1978 monster fish tale: Piranha. Loved the first one as a kid, hope to like this. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Day 16: "He's not evil....he's just....rude."
Actually left the house to see today's movie. Man, was it worth it! Greg Mottola's Paul was a(n?) hysterical look into the lives and memories of science fiction nerds everywhere. From beginning to end, a constant flow of in-jokes, ranging from the common to the completely nerdcore, had me doing something I rarely do in public: belly-laugh out loud. The script was extremely clever, keeping the story constantly moving forward. The special effects were very well done as well. The title character was one of the most believable, lifelike computer-generated characters I have seen. Being a sci-fi geek myself, I am usually not very happy or proud of the way my fellows are portrayed on screen, but writers Simon Pegg and Nick Frost know and, more importantly, respect their audience, and have crafted two of the best screen geeks ever. Yes, I said EVER. It is almost impossible for me to say anything more of the story or jokes, as I could potentially spoil it for you who have not seen this gem. The irony of this film is that Paul is more at home on his adopted world than the pair helping him on his journey are.
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost reunite yet again (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) for another marvelous, complimentary pairing. These two play off each other as well as Bud and Lou, or Stan and Ollie; they are that good together. Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, Green Hornet) lends his voice as Paul the alien. My favorite performance of his to date. The rest of the cast is mostly seen in cameos and short expositions, but their identities and performances I will leave a surprise. Trust me, they're worth the admission price as well.
The R rating is well earned, as the language is seasoned generously with profanity. Believe it or not, the story would actually suffer if it was edited out though! A few shots are taken at organized religion, so be prepared for this as well. I had an absolute blast seeing this, and will, very likely see it again before it makes its way to the home entertainment market. If you enjoyed Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, see this movie! it is worth plunking down your hard earned cash to view on the big screen and again when it's released to own. Take a friend...take three! 9.5/10.
Why are you still reading?!? Go now!!! Oh, wait...tomorrow's movie: Clive Owen in Children of Men. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!! LIKE PAUL!! NOW!!
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost reunite yet again (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) for another marvelous, complimentary pairing. These two play off each other as well as Bud and Lou, or Stan and Ollie; they are that good together. Seth Rogen (Knocked Up, Green Hornet) lends his voice as Paul the alien. My favorite performance of his to date. The rest of the cast is mostly seen in cameos and short expositions, but their identities and performances I will leave a surprise. Trust me, they're worth the admission price as well.
The R rating is well earned, as the language is seasoned generously with profanity. Believe it or not, the story would actually suffer if it was edited out though! A few shots are taken at organized religion, so be prepared for this as well. I had an absolute blast seeing this, and will, very likely see it again before it makes its way to the home entertainment market. If you enjoyed Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, see this movie! it is worth plunking down your hard earned cash to view on the big screen and again when it's released to own. Take a friend...take three! 9.5/10.
Why are you still reading?!? Go now!!! Oh, wait...tomorrow's movie: Clive Owen in Children of Men. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!! LIKE PAUL!! NOW!!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Day 15: "It IS very quiet, I thought I heard my cells dividing..."
What can I say about Marc Lawrence's Did You Hear about the Morgans? Not a whole lot, good or bad. This, extremely vanilla, romantic comedy had me asking if I really wanted to know what happened to the Morgans. The unoriginal premise of this movie has our estranged, intrepid couple entering the FBI's witness protection program to hide from a hit man, whose job they, well, witnessed. Insert "hilarity" here. Paint-by-numbers. Fade to black. Roll credits. That's really how interesting this was. I am curious if couples with relationship issues go looking for life-threatening situations so they can go to the FBI to try and save said relationship in the relocation program. The country-fried wisdom coming from the small, rural, hide-a-witness townsfolk was just so predictable that my wife and I had more fun (correctly) predicting the next lines than actually watching the plot resolve itself. "Meh" would be the perfect descriptor.
The cast looks like, honestly, they just needed the paychecks. I am a Hugh Grant fan (c'mon, the guy is funny) and the best performance is from him. Unfortunately, even he looks like he really doesn't care. Sarah Jessica Parker is (as usual) atrocious. The woman just couldn't act her way off a cliff. The true tragedy of this movie is the inclusion of one of the most underrated American actors: Sam Elliot. I really feel bad for the guy, he's a great actor who will forever be remembered as the "Beef. It's what's for dinner" guy. Come on Hollywood, Give this guy a role he deserves.
An ultimately forgettable, below average, romantic comedy. You really will not care what happens to the Morgans...keep your Lincolns, Hamiltons and Jacksons where they are. 4/10.
I am really excited for tomorrow's movie!! Going to the local cinema to catch the latest from the newest generation of British comedy, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost: Paul. Can't wait *tittering like a small girl*!!! See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
The cast looks like, honestly, they just needed the paychecks. I am a Hugh Grant fan (c'mon, the guy is funny) and the best performance is from him. Unfortunately, even he looks like he really doesn't care. Sarah Jessica Parker is (as usual) atrocious. The woman just couldn't act her way off a cliff. The true tragedy of this movie is the inclusion of one of the most underrated American actors: Sam Elliot. I really feel bad for the guy, he's a great actor who will forever be remembered as the "Beef. It's what's for dinner" guy. Come on Hollywood, Give this guy a role he deserves.
An ultimately forgettable, below average, romantic comedy. You really will not care what happens to the Morgans...keep your Lincolns, Hamiltons and Jacksons where they are. 4/10.
I am really excited for tomorrow's movie!! Going to the local cinema to catch the latest from the newest generation of British comedy, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost: Paul. Can't wait *tittering like a small girl*!!! See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Day 14: "I've seen what you do with your right hand...no thanks."
Harold Ramis' Year One, or as I like to call it: Two Idiots Traipsing Through the Old Testament was not as God-awful as I would have imagined. It was by no means art, but it did its job making me chuckle. I'm not sure if it was actually funny, or if I'm still the same sucker for fart jokes as I was in high school; pretty sure it's the latter. Ramis squeezed what possible funny there was from this script and managed to get it on-screen while struggling to tell its haphazard, all over the place, thin tale. The plot itself is nothing more than a series of vignettes threaded together by the two main characters stumbling through them.
I'm not really a fan of Jack Black (the only thing I enjoyed him in was a video game), as he tends to overact so much, it's tough to tell if that is the extent of his range. I AM a fan of Michael Cera (Superbad, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World), although the socially awkward teenager thing has kind of played itself out; move on Michael!! The two play off each other well, acting as kind of a neo-Oliver-and-Hardy, only with more cursing and sexual innuendo. I am surprised at the talent Harold Ramis got to agree to be in this: Oliver Platt, Olivia Wilde, Hank Azaria, Xander Berkeley, Christopher Mintz-Plasse...I could go on...but I won't. They all play their parts with, amazingly, some gusto; hence the few laughs i got (mostly from Azaria, but come on, the guy is great in most of what he does).
Not the complete waste of time I thought it would be, but ultimately a sub-par comedic effort from director Ramis. If you REALLY like fart jokes, ok, fine, see it. For everyone else, there is much better out there. If you want a suggestion, Strange Brew. Seriously. That is art. Coming from the guy who loves burp and fart jokes..... I digress, Year One gets a 5.5/10.
Also, in case you haven't noticed, I have a brand new header picture, courtesy of my friend Melinda Brand!!! Thanks a bunch Melinda!!! If you are in or around Morgantown, WV, check out more of her work at Save Point, A local gaming/internet cafe. Those murals: her work.
Tomorrow's movie: Did You Hear About the Morgans? starring Hugh Grant and (uugghhh) Sarah Jessica Horseface....sorry Broderick.....wait Parker (I really do not like her...). See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
I'm not really a fan of Jack Black (the only thing I enjoyed him in was a video game), as he tends to overact so much, it's tough to tell if that is the extent of his range. I AM a fan of Michael Cera (Superbad, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World), although the socially awkward teenager thing has kind of played itself out; move on Michael!! The two play off each other well, acting as kind of a neo-Oliver-and-Hardy, only with more cursing and sexual innuendo. I am surprised at the talent Harold Ramis got to agree to be in this: Oliver Platt, Olivia Wilde, Hank Azaria, Xander Berkeley, Christopher Mintz-Plasse...I could go on...but I won't. They all play their parts with, amazingly, some gusto; hence the few laughs i got (mostly from Azaria, but come on, the guy is great in most of what he does).
Not the complete waste of time I thought it would be, but ultimately a sub-par comedic effort from director Ramis. If you REALLY like fart jokes, ok, fine, see it. For everyone else, there is much better out there. If you want a suggestion, Strange Brew. Seriously. That is art. Coming from the guy who loves burp and fart jokes..... I digress, Year One gets a 5.5/10.
Also, in case you haven't noticed, I have a brand new header picture, courtesy of my friend Melinda Brand!!! Thanks a bunch Melinda!!! If you are in or around Morgantown, WV, check out more of her work at Save Point, A local gaming/internet cafe. Those murals: her work.
Tomorrow's movie: Did You Hear About the Morgans? starring Hugh Grant and (uugghhh) Sarah Jessica Horseface....sorry Broderick.....wait Parker (I really do not like her...). See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Day 13: "Life...only better."
Jonathan Mostow's Surrogates is yet another movie that suffered from a lack of a proper publicity campaign. Based on the graphic novel by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele (which I now need to read), this movie is a smart action mystery that explores humanity's loss of itself in light of new and overwhelming technology. All of this is wrapped up in a clever corporate murder mystery that owes a lot of its overall tone to the writings of Phillip K. Dick. The plot weaves in and out of the moral tapestry that is laid out in a short montage during the opening credits. Imagine my surprise when the story had me fully engaged less than 10 minutes in. The premise this universe builds upon is that a technological breakthrough now allows humanity to live out its lives vicariously through robotic stand-ins, or surrogates. This means that there are no (physical) consequences for actions taken. When your surrogate dies, you just get out of your chair and move on. The psychological implications of this society are staggering. It's when someone is actually murdered through the connection to their surrogate that these implications begin to be examined. Wow.
Bruce Willis (another who has done it all, again look him up), Ving Rhames (Mission:Impossible, Pulp Fiction), and James Cromwell (Secretariat, W.) are great in their roles. Willis is the investigating FBI agent utilizing this technology, Rhames is the militant anti-surrogate leader, and Cromwell is the "father" of surrogacy. I loved how theses characters absolutely gave this reality a credibility that lesser actors my have let pass.
The universe of Surrogates is like a poison M&M. A glossy, sweet, candy coating over a decaying, dysfunctional center that threatens to explode at any moment. I was very surprised by this and would recommend its place on your queue. The only shame about this film is that Phillip K. Dick had nothing to do with it, but his influence is there, so all is well. 8/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Gulliver and an awkward teenager in Year One. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Bruce Willis (another who has done it all, again look him up), Ving Rhames (Mission:Impossible, Pulp Fiction), and James Cromwell (Secretariat, W.) are great in their roles. Willis is the investigating FBI agent utilizing this technology, Rhames is the militant anti-surrogate leader, and Cromwell is the "father" of surrogacy. I loved how theses characters absolutely gave this reality a credibility that lesser actors my have let pass.
The universe of Surrogates is like a poison M&M. A glossy, sweet, candy coating over a decaying, dysfunctional center that threatens to explode at any moment. I was very surprised by this and would recommend its place on your queue. The only shame about this film is that Phillip K. Dick had nothing to do with it, but his influence is there, so all is well. 8/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Gulliver and an awkward teenager in Year One. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Day 12: "Just a good ol' boy barbecue, huh?"
Oh. My. God. Scott Stewart's Legion (he directed and co-wrote). Where to begin on this. A festival of action film cliches? Check. Stereotyping gone wild? Check. This was like watching Dogma, only it wasn't supposed to be funny, and Kevin Smith had done his research for his film. First off, The Archangel (for those who believe), is Gabriel, not Michael. Secondly, God does not have an army of Terminators with wings waiting to annihilate the human race (so I am told). This movie is just awful. In every conceivable way. The script wants to be a morality play, then an action movie, then a zombie movie. It's like Scott Stewart and Peter Schink were grade school buddies who wrote a script in grade school and tried to tweak it into something comprehensible as they got older. It had to be rednecks that were the trapped victims here, no other stereotype could possibly be stupid enough to believe/ignore all of the cliche portents and situations flying by them.
The acting quality remains consistent with the rest of this turd. Even Dennis Quaid (he's done everything, look him up) can't salvage a believable performance. I am a fan of Paul Bettany (The DaVinci Code, A Knight's Tale), but this role is best forgotten by fans. This is as far from his best as the North Pole is from the South. Oh, and by the way Hollywood, just because some one is "attractive", doesn't mean they can act. The rest of the twenty-something cast is abysmal. I truly cannot say enough bad things about this "movie".
So to sum up, run screaming from this movie. There is no water hot enough to wash its taint from your eyes. You cannot unsee it. If you pass this in your video store, or on Netflix, for God's sake keep moving before you get a rash. Biblically bad. 2/10.
After only 12 days of serious film watching, I am really beginning to feel for real (read; paid) movie critics out there. There are truly more bad movies than good. The real artists on most of these movies are the creators of the trailers. To be able to cobble together something tempting from a mound of shit must take real talent.
Tomorrow's movie: John McClane in Surrogates. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
The acting quality remains consistent with the rest of this turd. Even Dennis Quaid (he's done everything, look him up) can't salvage a believable performance. I am a fan of Paul Bettany (The DaVinci Code, A Knight's Tale), but this role is best forgotten by fans. This is as far from his best as the North Pole is from the South. Oh, and by the way Hollywood, just because some one is "attractive", doesn't mean they can act. The rest of the twenty-something cast is abysmal. I truly cannot say enough bad things about this "movie".
So to sum up, run screaming from this movie. There is no water hot enough to wash its taint from your eyes. You cannot unsee it. If you pass this in your video store, or on Netflix, for God's sake keep moving before you get a rash. Biblically bad. 2/10.
After only 12 days of serious film watching, I am really beginning to feel for real (read; paid) movie critics out there. There are truly more bad movies than good. The real artists on most of these movies are the creators of the trailers. To be able to cobble together something tempting from a mound of shit must take real talent.
Tomorrow's movie: John McClane in Surrogates. See you then, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Day 11: "Thank you for another useless motto!"
Disney's The Sorcerer's Apprentice probably would have been better off titled The Adventures of Dave the Sorcerer. Apart from the name, a brief crappy "homage" to the Fantasia segment, and a smattering of the classical piece, this movie does nothing to deserve its title. This is a juvenile (I mean that in the insulting way) film playing with a grown-up's effects box, resulting in poor decision-making.....wait a minute....oh, forget it, I'm sure the filmmakers were unaware of this particular irony. If you want a reference point for this, think: Harry Potter meets Street Fighter. I'm talking to you Jon Turteltaub, there's a reason you were not picked to make a Potter film. The main plot is fairly interesting and did keep me tuned in...for the first hour...ish. The romantic subplot is utter crap and the actors just look stupid instead of awkward. I do have to admit, however, that Disney's sorcerers do know how to pick a supercar for a chase scene (nod and a wink to Top Gear). Never thought I'd see a McClaren chasing down a Ferrari in a movie about magic.
With a scant few exceptions, the acting is atrocious. Only Nicolas Cage (I'm not even going to list any movies, if you don't know who he is, you're reading the wrong blog) and Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2, Raiders of the Lost Ark) are the only ones who look like they are even trying. In Cage's case, trying way too hard. Even a cameo from Monica Bellucci (The Matrix Reloaded, Tears of the Sun) can't help this mess; but she still looks great trying (personal weakness.....but I digress).
Sorry folks, this one is strictly for the kiddies. Watch it with the family, but pass on it otherwise. The "Prime Merlinian".....seriously?!? I'm curious to see if Disney further molests the carcass of Fantasia. Coming, Christmas 2011: Tim Allen stars in A Night on Bald Mountain!!! 4.5/10
Tomorrow's movie: I'm actually just gonna wing it and pick one at random. Sorry no clues. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
With a scant few exceptions, the acting is atrocious. Only Nicolas Cage (I'm not even going to list any movies, if you don't know who he is, you're reading the wrong blog) and Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2, Raiders of the Lost Ark) are the only ones who look like they are even trying. In Cage's case, trying way too hard. Even a cameo from Monica Bellucci (The Matrix Reloaded, Tears of the Sun) can't help this mess; but she still looks great trying (personal weakness.....but I digress).
Sorry folks, this one is strictly for the kiddies. Watch it with the family, but pass on it otherwise. The "Prime Merlinian".....seriously?!? I'm curious to see if Disney further molests the carcass of Fantasia. Coming, Christmas 2011: Tim Allen stars in A Night on Bald Mountain!!! 4.5/10
Tomorrow's movie: I'm actually just gonna wing it and pick one at random. Sorry no clues. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Day 10: "There's a lot of secrets in District 9"
I had delayed, for a long time, seeing Neill Blomkamp's District 9 because I was on the fence about what it was going to be. Was it an alien invasion movie? Was it a "we aliens just want to go home" movie? After debating the topic with myself, I decided that now was the time to see it. Boy, did I waste a lot of time in debates. I was completely drawn into this movie from the first 5 minutes. Shot (initially) in a documentary style similar to The Blair Witch Project (only with more professional cameramen) it follows the story of Wikus van der Merwe, a mid level management type, in his job to relocate the aliens from their current slums to a new relocation camp elsewhere in the country. As the story progresses, the film begins to follow a more standard narrative, with documentary style bits placed for further exposition. I didn't even notice the transition until I watched it a second time.
The actors do a great job telling this story as well. The aliens, or "Prawns" as they are most commonly referred as, were CGI, and the actors react to them in realistic and honest ways. Blomkamp must have had amazing reference actors for the mains to play against. Not once did I notice any actor looking in the general direction of the "prawn" they were interacting with. They looked them straight in the eyes when talking to them. The special effects team did it's job extraordinarily well. The "prawns" were magnificent CGI creations, each having its own personality and physical traits. You could tell which was which in terms of character. It was bizarre feeling more for these creatures than for some protagonists in other movies I've seen.
District 9 was an absolute treat. I had so much fun watching this. Be warned, though, it does earn it's R rating, as the violence is extremely graphic and f-bombs drop quite a bit (if any of you might have wanted the whole family to watch). I will be putting this one in the permanent collection. 9.25/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Ghost Rider plays with a different kind of magic in The Sorcerer's Apprentice. See you tomorrow and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
The actors do a great job telling this story as well. The aliens, or "Prawns" as they are most commonly referred as, were CGI, and the actors react to them in realistic and honest ways. Blomkamp must have had amazing reference actors for the mains to play against. Not once did I notice any actor looking in the general direction of the "prawn" they were interacting with. They looked them straight in the eyes when talking to them. The special effects team did it's job extraordinarily well. The "prawns" were magnificent CGI creations, each having its own personality and physical traits. You could tell which was which in terms of character. It was bizarre feeling more for these creatures than for some protagonists in other movies I've seen.
District 9 was an absolute treat. I had so much fun watching this. Be warned, though, it does earn it's R rating, as the violence is extremely graphic and f-bombs drop quite a bit (if any of you might have wanted the whole family to watch). I will be putting this one in the permanent collection. 9.25/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Ghost Rider plays with a different kind of magic in The Sorcerer's Apprentice. See you tomorrow and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Day 9: "10 foot steel safe...only as strong as the guy with the key."
I am normally not a fan of Ben Affleck's work. With The Town, however, he puts forward his best piece to date. Affleck directs and stars in this blue-collar heist film. With obvious nods to such crime movies as 1995's Heat and the 1981 James Caan classic Thief. This movie delves the depths of the relationships between lifelong friends involved in the world of armored car and bank robbery. Although it plods along at certain points, the crime scenes (no pun intended) are well paced and full of action with just a dash of tension for good measure. Affleck shows that he has the chops to put together a good story and tell it well.
The other stars include Pete Postlethwaite (The Usual Suspects, Inception) as the local "boss", and in a great turn as Affleck's best friend: Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, 28 Weeks Later). Renner just gets better every time I see him perform. He dominates every scene he is in with a powerful performance as a sociopath looking to maintain his lifestyle, yet not lose his best friend. Not quite the performance he put into Hurt Locker, but not too far behind it, either. My main concern with the performances, was that I really only got attached to was Doug MacRay (Affleck). If this was by design, it did a great disservice to the other characters who should have gotten the same writing treatment. There were no real "good guys" in this, and I feel the movie suffered for it.
In conclusion, a really good movie that could have used just one more rewrite to fill out those flawed characters. Worth a rental, at least. Enjoy it with someone and have a lively debate afterward about the influence of environment in upbringing. 8/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Producer Peter Jackson's District 9. See you tomorrow and, GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
The other stars include Pete Postlethwaite (The Usual Suspects, Inception) as the local "boss", and in a great turn as Affleck's best friend: Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker, 28 Weeks Later). Renner just gets better every time I see him perform. He dominates every scene he is in with a powerful performance as a sociopath looking to maintain his lifestyle, yet not lose his best friend. Not quite the performance he put into Hurt Locker, but not too far behind it, either. My main concern with the performances, was that I really only got attached to was Doug MacRay (Affleck). If this was by design, it did a great disservice to the other characters who should have gotten the same writing treatment. There were no real "good guys" in this, and I feel the movie suffered for it.
In conclusion, a really good movie that could have used just one more rewrite to fill out those flawed characters. Worth a rental, at least. Enjoy it with someone and have a lively debate afterward about the influence of environment in upbringing. 8/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Producer Peter Jackson's District 9. See you tomorrow and, GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Day 8: "Please, if you could just point me to the castle!"
Disney has gotten such a reputation for sickly sweet, coma inducing happily ever-afters, that it is a real treat to see them knock their own productions and storytelling devices down a peg (or five). Enchanted succeeds so well at this, I would really like to see a sequel that goes after more Disney mythology. This movie was a lot smarter than I originally gave it credit for. The animated characters thrown into real-life New York City are naive and innocent as romantic, saccharine cartoon characters probably would be; even breaking into Rice / Menken-esque, choreographed song and dance numbers....IN THE REAL WORLD....like I said, funny.
Amy Adams (Julie & Julia, The Fighter) is a blast as Giselle, Patrick Dempsey (Valentines Day, Sweet Home Alabama) is her real world Prince Charming: Robert, and James Marsden (X-Men, 27 Dresses) is her animated prince: Edward. Marsden, especially, steals most of the scenes he is in through sheer force of overacting (damn it's funny though). Susan Sarandon portrays Queen Narissa: evil bitch queen of the fairy tale world. How her character managed to find or concoct the portal to reality beats the shit out of me, but who cares? This is a light, funny diversion that's worth at least a spot on your Netflix queue.
Maybe I'm getting old, or my tastes are changing (from bad to....i have no idea), but I had fun. If you have kids, they'll love it for the usual Disney crack that it is. Adults will enjoy the friendly wink-and-a-nod jokes that Disney takes at its own expense. I'll put it like this, you should laugh out loud at least once during this movie. 7/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Daredevil and a military bomb disposal expert run amok in the Bruins' home turf in: The Town. I've actually got high hopes, and a fresh batch of popcorn ready, for this one. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Amy Adams (Julie & Julia, The Fighter) is a blast as Giselle, Patrick Dempsey (Valentines Day, Sweet Home Alabama) is her real world Prince Charming: Robert, and James Marsden (X-Men, 27 Dresses) is her animated prince: Edward. Marsden, especially, steals most of the scenes he is in through sheer force of overacting (damn it's funny though). Susan Sarandon portrays Queen Narissa: evil bitch queen of the fairy tale world. How her character managed to find or concoct the portal to reality beats the shit out of me, but who cares? This is a light, funny diversion that's worth at least a spot on your Netflix queue.
Maybe I'm getting old, or my tastes are changing (from bad to....i have no idea), but I had fun. If you have kids, they'll love it for the usual Disney crack that it is. Adults will enjoy the friendly wink-and-a-nod jokes that Disney takes at its own expense. I'll put it like this, you should laugh out loud at least once during this movie. 7/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Daredevil and a military bomb disposal expert run amok in the Bruins' home turf in: The Town. I've actually got high hopes, and a fresh batch of popcorn ready, for this one. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Day 7: "Please is what I said to you."
Oh. My. God. The original 1978 I Spit on Your Grave was probably one of the two most uncomfortable movies I have ever had to sit though (A Serbian Film being the other). It is a rare thing when a remake of the same movie increases the list by one and is right behind the original. The new I Spit on Your Grave trumps its predecessor in every conceivable way (not a compliment). I do not consider myself squeamish, and love a good horror/splatter movie as much as the next guy, but director Steven R. Monroe gives the term "torture porn" a whole new definition (again, not a compliment). Popcorn was not an option. In fact, it's 2 hours later and I'm still not hungry. Hostel is a trip though Wonderland compared to this nightmare.
Sarah Butler (in, I think, her big screen debut) plays Jennifer Hills, a writer who thinks she is "getting away from it all" to continue her writing. She happens to be staying in a cabin, alone, in the woods, miles from civilization. Tell me if you've heard this one before. Apparently, at this time of year, the town she has chosen for her seclusion, celebrates the Hollywood Redneck Association's only official holiday: Rape-a-palooza.......and she has arrived at rape o'clock (you see where I'm going with this). This movie does everything in its feeble powers to give penises and their owners a bad name. The should have called this thing "Rednecks Gone Wild". By the time this movie was.....winding down, i found that I no longer cared about anyone. ANYONE. Yes, even the VICTIM.
Avoid this piece of shit. There are no redeeming qualities to it, period. The "exploitation film" is a genre that has lived its life, please Hollywood, don't resurrect it. The less said about this, the better. End of rant. 3/10.
Join me tomorrow for, hopefully, a better movie: Julia Child's protege in Enchanted. It's gotta be better....it's just gotta.... See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Sarah Butler (in, I think, her big screen debut) plays Jennifer Hills, a writer who thinks she is "getting away from it all" to continue her writing. She happens to be staying in a cabin, alone, in the woods, miles from civilization. Tell me if you've heard this one before. Apparently, at this time of year, the town she has chosen for her seclusion, celebrates the Hollywood Redneck Association's only official holiday: Rape-a-palooza.......and she has arrived at rape o'clock (you see where I'm going with this). This movie does everything in its feeble powers to give penises and their owners a bad name. The should have called this thing "Rednecks Gone Wild". By the time this movie was.....winding down, i found that I no longer cared about anyone. ANYONE. Yes, even the VICTIM.
Avoid this piece of shit. There are no redeeming qualities to it, period. The "exploitation film" is a genre that has lived its life, please Hollywood, don't resurrect it. The less said about this, the better. End of rant. 3/10.
Join me tomorrow for, hopefully, a better movie: Julia Child's protege in Enchanted. It's gotta be better....it's just gotta.... See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Day 6: "What's the worst that can happen?"
Damn, I missed the old school mad scientist movies! Vincenzo Natali's Splice is a return to the classic monster movies that Universal made so famous in the early days of cinema. It is absolutely no coincidence that this movie mirrors the Universal classics, Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. Even the main characters names: Clive and Elsa are torn straight from those immortal films (Colin Clive and Elsa Lanchester). The only things missing from Splice that would truly make it a direct rip-off would be a helpless, screaming woman (none of those anywhere to be found here) and a bloodthirsty, pitchfork and torch bearing mob.
This surprising movie pays homage to its lineage with amoral science gone awry, a sympathetic monster, and a dark, noir feel about the whole thing. Adrien Brody (The Pianist, King Kong) plays Clive, and Sarah Polley (Dawn of the Dead, Go) portrays Elsa. Both are scientists, both a bit mad in their own ways. Delphine Chaneac (The Pink Panther), however, is magnificent as Dren. She gives this creature a sympathetic air and a believability that has not been seen in a movie monster for decades.
Splice is one of those movies that, unfortunately, had Madison Avenue's fingers all over it when it was released. It suffered from the indignity of being marketed as a rip-off of a much lesser film: Species. Make no mistake: THIS IS NO SPECIES. This is an intelligent and well made movie that pays tribute and respect to its elders. If you are into the classic Universal Monsters, intelligent horror, or are just looking for a good time in front of the TV tonight; grab a bag of popcorn, turn off the lights and enjoy Splice. 7.75/10.
Tomorrow's movie: the (unnecessary?) remake of 1978's Day of the Woman. I was so totally put off when I saw the original of this I vowed to never watch it again.......I can only imagine what the filmmakers are doing to "update" this one. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
This surprising movie pays homage to its lineage with amoral science gone awry, a sympathetic monster, and a dark, noir feel about the whole thing. Adrien Brody (The Pianist, King Kong) plays Clive, and Sarah Polley (Dawn of the Dead, Go) portrays Elsa. Both are scientists, both a bit mad in their own ways. Delphine Chaneac (The Pink Panther), however, is magnificent as Dren. She gives this creature a sympathetic air and a believability that has not been seen in a movie monster for decades.
Splice is one of those movies that, unfortunately, had Madison Avenue's fingers all over it when it was released. It suffered from the indignity of being marketed as a rip-off of a much lesser film: Species. Make no mistake: THIS IS NO SPECIES. This is an intelligent and well made movie that pays tribute and respect to its elders. If you are into the classic Universal Monsters, intelligent horror, or are just looking for a good time in front of the TV tonight; grab a bag of popcorn, turn off the lights and enjoy Splice. 7.75/10.
Tomorrow's movie: the (unnecessary?) remake of 1978's Day of the Woman. I was so totally put off when I saw the original of this I vowed to never watch it again.......I can only imagine what the filmmakers are doing to "update" this one. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Day 5: "Some other teacher have dibs on Papillon?"
So did anyone ever see Red Dawn? Remember sitting there, watching, and thinking to yourself, "Get the f**k out of here! No way the Russians just fell for that!!!" I had the same thing happen watching today's prison breakout movie: The Next Three Days. The whole time, I'm sitting here going "Seriously?!?!?! Are they really that dumb?";by "they," I mean EVERYBODY. Paul Haggis has put together a movie that has us cheering for the protagonists in spite of almost every decision and action they take. I couldn't believe that I was rooting for these idiots. Early in the picture, a set of concrete rules is set down, and as it progresses, each one is broken or flat out ignored. Wow. I could not imagine getting so sucked into a movie that was so plodding and predictable.
Russell Crowe (Gladiator, Robin Hood) and Elizabeth Banks (Zack and Miri, W.) do a great job with the roles they have, I just had trouble buying into this guy's plan.....a lot of trouble. The constant emotional edge that this character walked was so precarious and full of tension, I'm amazed he remained stable enough to try this "rescue." Every actor in this movie walked around like they were on Lithium and were so hard to become attached to in any way. I wanted to, trust me on that. In the end, I came away from this movie going, "what the hell just happened? Should I be happy? What....did....ummm...oh never mind."
All in all, I have to say I was a bit underwhelmed by this movie. It was far from the worst thing I have ever seen, but I was expecting it to be a bit smarter and quicker paced. Watch it if your queue is otherwise.....devoid of anything else you want to see. 6/10.
Tomorrow's movie: A pianist and a zombie survivor in Splice. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Russell Crowe (Gladiator, Robin Hood) and Elizabeth Banks (Zack and Miri, W.) do a great job with the roles they have, I just had trouble buying into this guy's plan.....a lot of trouble. The constant emotional edge that this character walked was so precarious and full of tension, I'm amazed he remained stable enough to try this "rescue." Every actor in this movie walked around like they were on Lithium and were so hard to become attached to in any way. I wanted to, trust me on that. In the end, I came away from this movie going, "what the hell just happened? Should I be happy? What....did....ummm...oh never mind."
All in all, I have to say I was a bit underwhelmed by this movie. It was far from the worst thing I have ever seen, but I was expecting it to be a bit smarter and quicker paced. Watch it if your queue is otherwise.....devoid of anything else you want to see. 6/10.
Tomorrow's movie: A pianist and a zombie survivor in Splice. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Day 4: "That was 10 million pounds of train, Mr. Galvin!"
If ever there was a list for appropriately titled movies, Unstoppable should be in the top five. Having now viewed this film in all its rays of blu and sounds of surround, I came away learning something about myself: my fear of the inevitable zombie apocalypse is NOTHING compared to my new-found fear of runaway freight trains. Those things now, officially, scare the living shit out of me. Tony Scott (The Taking of Pelham 123, Enemy of the State) has done what, lately, so few directors of action films have been able to; make a tense, smart, edge-of-your-seat thriller that relies more on the story and characters than on the number of perfectly framed sub-atomic explosions and clever quips from the lead actor. This is a great thrill ride.
Denzel Washington returns to work with Scott for a fifth time, playing the role of a jaded, 28 year railroad veteran. Chris Pine (Star Trek, Bottle Shock) portrays the new guy to the railroad, also carrying some personal baggage. The two play off each other well, and the addition of Rosario Dawson (Clerks 2, Sin City) creates an on-screen team that you believe is in the middle of this disaster. The real scene-stealer in this movie, though, is the runaway train itself. Scott uses every trick he knows to make this train a living, breathing, freaking nightmare. The sounds that were used in bringing this train to "life" were, in themselves, terrifying in conveying the sheer power, speed, and destruction that this behemoth was bringing down the tracks.
The tension in this movie builds like the momentum of the train you are watching; never letting you out of its grip until the final moments. I cannot believe I am saying this, but I caught myself holding my breath at times and WAS on the edge of my seat for most of this film (only at the end did I notice this). If you take anything away from this review, take this: you will have a blast watching this one, put it on your queue now or just go buy it! 9/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks in: The Next Three Days. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!! ,
Denzel Washington returns to work with Scott for a fifth time, playing the role of a jaded, 28 year railroad veteran. Chris Pine (Star Trek, Bottle Shock) portrays the new guy to the railroad, also carrying some personal baggage. The two play off each other well, and the addition of Rosario Dawson (Clerks 2, Sin City) creates an on-screen team that you believe is in the middle of this disaster. The real scene-stealer in this movie, though, is the runaway train itself. Scott uses every trick he knows to make this train a living, breathing, freaking nightmare. The sounds that were used in bringing this train to "life" were, in themselves, terrifying in conveying the sheer power, speed, and destruction that this behemoth was bringing down the tracks.
The tension in this movie builds like the momentum of the train you are watching; never letting you out of its grip until the final moments. I cannot believe I am saying this, but I caught myself holding my breath at times and WAS on the edge of my seat for most of this film (only at the end did I notice this). If you take anything away from this review, take this: you will have a blast watching this one, put it on your queue now or just go buy it! 9/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks in: The Next Three Days. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!! ,
Monday, March 7, 2011
Day 3: "Why am I not suprised?"
Have you ever willingly seen a movie, knowing that it was going to be bad, being correct in that it was bad, and enjoying yourself anyway? Yeah, me too. Resident Evil: Afterlife does not fall into that category. I am a sucker for all things zombie, but was foolishly optimistic about this film. Being a fan of the first Resident Evil movie (which itself was bad but fun), Alice's (Milla Jovovich) continuing adventures though the Zombie-glass just get worse and worse. I liked the idea of presenting a character that was nowhere to be found in the game series as the main protagonist, and putting established game personalities around her as support. Poor execution (pardon the pun) killed this movie quicker than any zombie horde could have, and the director might have gotten better performances from a collection of action figures.
Paul W.S.Anderson is quickly becoming the new Uwe Boll. His earlier films (including Soldier and Event Horizon) were a popcorn-munching blast. Lately, he has gone after established film and video game franchises; bringing disappointment and shame to both. RE:Afterlife attempts to be both a zombie movie and a blow-em-up action flick. Unfortunately, it excels at neither. The action sequences are so predictable that any semblance of tension is quickly dissipated with a "saw that one coming..." The zombies seem to be more of a nuisance than an actual threat to anyone who seems to have seen a weapon, and for those who haven't, well you can guess what happens there.
It's release as a 3D movie shows up in obvious ways, even in regular 2D, with every possible item and explosion attempting to pop off the screen at me. There's only so much shit I can take coming at my face before I duck and run.
All in all, if you want a good zombie romp, this ain't it. Do yourself a favor and watch Romero's Dawn of the Dead, or if you can find it: Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things (a perfect example of a bad movie gone good. Thanks for that one Doug). 4/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Malcolm X and the new Captain Kirk in Unstoppable. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Paul W.S.Anderson is quickly becoming the new Uwe Boll. His earlier films (including Soldier and Event Horizon) were a popcorn-munching blast. Lately, he has gone after established film and video game franchises; bringing disappointment and shame to both. RE:Afterlife attempts to be both a zombie movie and a blow-em-up action flick. Unfortunately, it excels at neither. The action sequences are so predictable that any semblance of tension is quickly dissipated with a "saw that one coming..." The zombies seem to be more of a nuisance than an actual threat to anyone who seems to have seen a weapon, and for those who haven't, well you can guess what happens there.
It's release as a 3D movie shows up in obvious ways, even in regular 2D, with every possible item and explosion attempting to pop off the screen at me. There's only so much shit I can take coming at my face before I duck and run.
All in all, if you want a good zombie romp, this ain't it. Do yourself a favor and watch Romero's Dawn of the Dead, or if you can find it: Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things (a perfect example of a bad movie gone good. Thanks for that one Doug). 4/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Malcolm X and the new Captain Kirk in Unstoppable. See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Day 2: "You're my little blue pill..."
Ok, I was actually kind of looking forward to this movie. Anne Hathaway is one of those actresses, who, when she was much younger, I said was going to be extremely hot when she grew up. I was, of course, right. Having now said that, Love and Other Drugs was a big disappointment. Yes, yes, yes....she was naked....awesomely so, even my wife agreed (thumbs up to her), BUT, this movie was.....not good. Gyllenhaal plays an over-enthusiastic pharmaceutical rep who falls for a physically, and emotionally broken Hathaway; playing of the heart-strings ensues.
This movie seemed to be a battle between Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway to see who could have the biggest doe-eyes on screen. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a good romance (see When Harry Met Sally and About A Boy). A completely unoriginal, paint-by-numbers, Hollywood romance. Every romantic movie cliche from the last 30 years is present: Comedic Sidekick/Family Member: check; Incapacitating Illness for one of the Leads: check; Climactic Chase-down of the Rejected Lover: check. I could go on, but this is a spoiler-free zone *stated with more than a touch of sarcasm*.
For their parts, Hathaway and Gyllenhaal did a good job in giving their characters life, but the story was just too overwhelmingly........bleah. The one performance that stood out was that of Oliver Platt. As always, he gives his part that extra little bit of "over-the-top" that only he can provide.
In conclusion, a sub-par, forgettable romance, whose best parts play on the crudest of my emotional involvement. 4.5/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Resident Evil: Afterlife. My hopes are not high... See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
This movie seemed to be a battle between Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway to see who could have the biggest doe-eyes on screen. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a good romance (see When Harry Met Sally and About A Boy). A completely unoriginal, paint-by-numbers, Hollywood romance. Every romantic movie cliche from the last 30 years is present: Comedic Sidekick/Family Member: check; Incapacitating Illness for one of the Leads: check; Climactic Chase-down of the Rejected Lover: check. I could go on, but this is a spoiler-free zone *stated with more than a touch of sarcasm*.
For their parts, Hathaway and Gyllenhaal did a good job in giving their characters life, but the story was just too overwhelmingly........bleah. The one performance that stood out was that of Oliver Platt. As always, he gives his part that extra little bit of "over-the-top" that only he can provide.
In conclusion, a sub-par, forgettable romance, whose best parts play on the crudest of my emotional involvement. 4.5/10.
Tomorrow's movie: Resident Evil: Afterlife. My hopes are not high... See you tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Day 1: "You mind telling your subconscious to take it easy? "
So today was (coincidentally) Inception. Not bad. Out of 10, it's a solid 8. From what I had heard from people, I went into it thinking it was going to be confusing and a bit weird. Having seen his earlier film Memento, I was prepared for both. Confusing? No. Weird? Definitely, but in a good way. I had fun with this, actually having to think about the scenarios as the story progressed. My only issue was that the story got a bit bogged down in the middle act, I let that slide, however, as the last hour flew along. Having seen "flash forwards" and "flash sideways" Nolan's twist on this narrative tool was really cool (no spoilers here, folks!)
It was nice to see (although in a very limited capacity) Tom Berringer and, Nolan regular, Michael Caine on screen again. DiCaprio continues to impress me the more roles he plays. I enjoyed Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance, especially, as Leo's partner-in-crime. Who knew that the annoying kid from 3rd Rock From the Sun had that kind of talent?
The special effects were impressive as well, but to me seemed to channel a little too much of The Matrix (minus the bullshit "bullet-time") to be considered groundbreaking. They fit the story nicely, I just found myself predicting (correctly) what effect was going to come up next. What can I say? I'm a bit jaded...but I still had fun, which to me is the most important thing.
All in all, my pick for day 1 was a winner, and a movie I want in my collection. On Blu-ray.
Tomorrow's Movie: Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway (naked!!! WOOHOO!!!) in Love and Other Drugs. See you all tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
It was nice to see (although in a very limited capacity) Tom Berringer and, Nolan regular, Michael Caine on screen again. DiCaprio continues to impress me the more roles he plays. I enjoyed Joseph Gordon-Levitt's performance, especially, as Leo's partner-in-crime. Who knew that the annoying kid from 3rd Rock From the Sun had that kind of talent?
The special effects were impressive as well, but to me seemed to channel a little too much of The Matrix (minus the bullshit "bullet-time") to be considered groundbreaking. They fit the story nicely, I just found myself predicting (correctly) what effect was going to come up next. What can I say? I'm a bit jaded...but I still had fun, which to me is the most important thing.
All in all, my pick for day 1 was a winner, and a movie I want in my collection. On Blu-ray.
Tomorrow's Movie: Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway (naked!!! WOOHOO!!!) in Love and Other Drugs. See you all tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!
Friday, March 4, 2011
"I've got a bad feeling about this....."
Hey everyone! Well here it is: t-minus 1 day and counting. I went through my list of movies to start this project, and decided to go Day 1 with *pause for dramatic effect, followed by drumroll*: Christopher Nolan's Inception!!! I have wanted to see this for a long while, but, as time will make fools of us all, forgot about it until Oscar night. It was up for several awards, and re-piqued (is that a word?) my interest.
I'll hopefully have tomorrow's post up about this time. If any of you have seen Inception, let me know what you thought (spoiler-free please), and I'll be throwing my 2 cents in tomorrow.
Oh, as a bit of an aside, I just got my copies of the Super-Hyper-Uber-Turbo editions of 2 Potter movies (Years 3 &4) on Blu-Ray today. So excited!!! I know that they were shit compared to the books, but I am a sucker for an extended version of a movie (although most of the time, I understand why the director cut the extended scenes out), and am hoping that they put some missing key elements back (I'm looking at you Alfonso Cuaron). The extras also look like they will kick ass.
Well, enough for tonight. Gonna pop some corn, pour myself a cold beverage of choice, and watch me some Potter. See you all tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!!!
I'll hopefully have tomorrow's post up about this time. If any of you have seen Inception, let me know what you thought (spoiler-free please), and I'll be throwing my 2 cents in tomorrow.
Oh, as a bit of an aside, I just got my copies of the Super-Hyper-Uber-Turbo editions of 2 Potter movies (Years 3 &4) on Blu-Ray today. So excited!!! I know that they were shit compared to the books, but I am a sucker for an extended version of a movie (although most of the time, I understand why the director cut the extended scenes out), and am hoping that they put some missing key elements back (I'm looking at you Alfonso Cuaron). The extras also look like they will kick ass.
Well, enough for tonight. Gonna pop some corn, pour myself a cold beverage of choice, and watch me some Potter. See you all tomorrow, and GO WATCH A MOVIE!!!!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Prep time is good....
So I started preparing for my journey by putting together a list of movies I currently have, but have not yet watched. As I was doing this it struck me as really odd that I would have movies in the collection that have not been watched. Did this make me an irresponsible movie-watcher? Yep, I concluded, it did. So, needless to say, my first several weeks viewing are now in order. Having now said this, I will not watch them in any particular order; choosing randomly each night's viewing and announcing the next day's movie in each blog.
I am also going to rely on my friends for some help as well. I have seen so many movies in my life, I need some aid in keeping myself honest. Remember, only movies I have not yet seen. My memory is, to be truthful, not always 100% accurate. So guys and gals, (and you know who you are.....) when I release what the next day's choice is, if we saw it together, or you know I already saw it, call me out!
Movie #1 will be........announced on Friday!!!! Muahahaha!!!! Keep reading, and I'll talk to you then.
I am also going to rely on my friends for some help as well. I have seen so many movies in my life, I need some aid in keeping myself honest. Remember, only movies I have not yet seen. My memory is, to be truthful, not always 100% accurate. So guys and gals, (and you know who you are.....) when I release what the next day's choice is, if we saw it together, or you know I already saw it, call me out!
Movie #1 will be........announced on Friday!!!! Muahahaha!!!! Keep reading, and I'll talk to you then.
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