Spoiler: Rest of List 1. Holy Rollers (B-) 2. The Kids Are All Right (B) 3. History of the World, Part 1 (C-) 4. Blazing Saddles (A+) 5. Scarface [1932] (B-) 6. The Purple Rose of Cairo (A) 7. Rampart (B+) 8. We Need To Talk About Kevin (A+) 9. Tucker and Dale vs Evil (B+) 10. They Live (B-) 11. Darling Companion (D) 12. A Dangerous Method (B-) 13. Haywire (C+) 14. Mission: Impossible (B+) 15. Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (B+) 16. Twixt (C+) 17. Burn After Reading (B+) 18. Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy (B-) 19. Drive (A) 20. Crazy Stupid Love (A) 21. The Omega Man (D) 22. The Adjustment Bureau (B+) 23. The Artist (A-) 24. Lady and the Tramp (B) 25. Hugo (A-) 26. The Secret World of Arrietty (B) 27. Twelve Angry Men (A) 28. Act of Valor (F) 29. Walker (A) 30. Lonely Are The Brave (A-) 31. Executive Action (C) 32. Three Colors: Blue (A) 33. Bright Leaves (A) 34. Photographic Memory (A) 35. The People Vs. George Lucas (C-) 36. Avatar (B-) 37. The Life of Reilly (A-) 38. Limitless (B-) 39. Star Wars (A) 40. The Empire Strikes Back (A) 41. Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story (A) 42. Machete (C+) 43. Unmasking The Idol (D-) 44. Alien (A+) Alien: With a new trailer for Prometheus seemingly coming out every day, it seemed time to finally re-watch this series (this time, on Blu-Ray). I'm happy to report that the first film really holds up. Sure, there are a few things that date the movie (like the predominance of CRT displays instead of flat screens, but given the movie's dirty, tactile future aesthetic, they're not too out of place) but for the most part it still looks wonderful. The creature design is as great as ever, too (even in the face of being endlessly ripped off since). Of course, it helps when you've managed to assemble one of the best casts ever for a science fiction/horror hybrid like this. Hopefully, Ridley Scott's long-awaited return to science fiction will be as good as this (and, of course, Blade Runner). Theatres: 15 Home Video: 27 +1 Computer: 2
Spoiler: Movies Seen in January & February Cowboys & Aliens- DVD Rise of the Planet of the Apes - DVD Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close - free screenin' Limitless - Netflix Instant The Next Three Days - Netflix Instant Man on a Ledge - free screenin' Red State - Netflix Instant Mars Needs Moms - Netflix Instant S.W.A.T.: Firefight - Netflix Instant Red Tails - free screenin' Resident Evil: Degeneration - Netflix Instant The Last Exorcism - Netflix Instant Frozen - Netflix Instant The Perfect Host - Netflix Instant Tucker & Dale vs Evil - Netflix Instant Brooklyn's Finest - Netflix Instant Stone - Netflix Instant The Woman in Black - free screenin' Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - free screenin' Haywire - free admission The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - free admission The Artist - free admission Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - free admission Ted & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie - tech screenin' Hugo - free admission Safe House - free screenin' The Captains - Netflix Instant Troll Hunter - Netflix Instant The Evil Dead (1981) - Netflix Instant Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 3D - tech screenin' Underworld Awakening 3D - free admission We Need to Talk About Kevin - free admission The Innkeepers - free admission Big Miracle - free admission Chronicle - free admission Underworld: Unrated Extended Cut - DVD The Grey - free admission Contraband - free admission Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 3D - free admission One for the Money - free admission The Ouija Experiment - free admission Ghost Rider - Extended Cut - DVD The Secret World of Arrietty - free admission Bullhead - free admission Underworld Evolution - DVD Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance - free admission Castle in the Sky - free admission Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Live Action: Pentacost, Raju, The Shore, Time Freak & Tuba Atlantic - free admission This Means War - free admission Alien Trespass - Netflix Instant My Neighbor Totoro - free admission Rampart - free admission Dr Suess' The Lorax 3D - free screenin' Comin' At Ya! 3D - free admission Wanderlust - free admission Act of Valor - free admission Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Animated: A Morning Stroll, Dimanche/Sunday, La Luna, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore & Wild Life - free admission Dune (1984) - free admission Doctor Strange - DVD Project X (2012) - free admission Martha Marcy May Marlene - free admission Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - free admission Friends with Kids - free admission The Lincoln Lawyer - Netflix Instant Gabriel Iglesias: Hot and Fluffy - Netflix Instant John Carter 2D/3D - free admission/free admission Silent House - free admission 21 Jump Street - free screenin' Casa de Mi Padre - free admission Support Your Local Gunfighter - Netflix Instant The Grudge: Unrated Extended Director's Cut - DVD Jeff, Who Lives at Home - free admission My Bloody Valentine (2009) - DVD Battle Royale (2000) - Alamo Drafthouse Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocal - discount theater The Butterfuly Effect - DVD Went up to the discount theater yesterday to see the fourth Mission Impossible, since I missed it durin' the original run. I liked it - not as good as the third, which is still my favorite, but still well worth watchin'. Great action, good humor, and nice continuity with the rest of the film series. There was also a joke that I was the only one in the theater who laughed at it. My friend Barbara gave me the look that she always gives me right before sayin' I'm a twelve year old...but couldn't say it, since we were in a theater. Couldn't sleep when I got in last night, so I popped in The Butterfly Effect to watch. I really don't get how the guy was able to travel back in time...he reads his journals, and that's it? Seriously?!? Ah, well...at least the double feature DVD (which has the first sequel) only cost a dollar at Half Price Books. I saw the version they showed in the theater the other night...I imagine its the version that came out on disc the other day. I'm not upset, since I wouldn't be able to spot any changes if it wasn't the original, its still a good movie.
Spoiler: rest of list 1. Chasing Amy - C+ 2. Where The Wild Things Are - C 3. The Tree of Life - C+ 4. Source Code - B 5. Kung Fu Panda - B. 6. Ponyo - B+ 7. Shaun of the Dead - A- 8. Thor - B 9. Win Win - B+ 10. Rise of the Planet of the Apes - B 11. Porco Rosso - B 12. Eden of the East: Movie 1 - C- 13. Cool World - F 14. 50/50 - B+ 15. Iron Man 2 - B- 16. Contagion - C-. Was pretty disappointed in this movie. I never felt invested in any of the characters, and therefore didn't care if the epidemic was solved or not. If not for the memorable last scene of the movie, I'd call it completely forgettable. 17. Casablanca - A. Saw it on the big screen during one of the 70th anniversary showings. It's a little hard to really "see" this movie for the first time, since so many of it's lines have been parodied or referenced in other films. Still a very good movie. The pacing is one of it's stronger points. I never really felt like I was watching a movie that was 70 years old.
Spoiler: Movies Seen in January & February Cowboys & Aliens- DVD Rise of the Planet of the Apes - DVD Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close - free screenin' Limitless - Netflix Instant The Next Three Days - Netflix Instant Man on a Ledge - free screenin' Red State - Netflix Instant Mars Needs Moms - Netflix Instant S.W.A.T.: Firefight - Netflix Instant Red Tails - free screenin' Resident Evil: Degeneration - Netflix Instant The Last Exorcism - Netflix Instant Frozen - Netflix Instant The Perfect Host - Netflix Instant Tucker & Dale vs Evil - Netflix Instant Brooklyn's Finest - Netflix Instant Stone - Netflix Instant The Woman in Black - free screenin' Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - free screenin' Haywire - free admission The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - free admission The Artist - free admission Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - free admission Ted & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie - tech screenin' Hugo - free admission Safe House - free screenin' The Captains - Netflix Instant Troll Hunter - Netflix Instant The Evil Dead (1981) - Netflix Instant Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 3D - tech screenin' Underworld Awakening 3D - free admission We Need to Talk About Kevin - free admission The Innkeepers - free admission Big Miracle - free admission Chronicle - free admission Underworld: Unrated Extended Cut - DVD The Grey - free admission Contraband - free admission Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 3D - free admission One for the Money - free admission The Ouija Experiment - free admission Ghost Rider - Extended Cut - DVD The Secret World of Arrietty - free admission Bullhead - free admission Underworld Evolution - DVD Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance - free admission Castle in the Sky - free admission Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Live Action: Pentacost, Raju, The Shore, Time Freak & Tuba Atlantic - free admission This Means War - free admission Alien Trespass - Netflix Instant My Neighbor Totoro - free admission Rampart - free admission Dr Suess' The Lorax 3D - free screenin' Comin' At Ya! 3D - free admission Wanderlust - free admission Act of Valor - free admission Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Animated: A Morning Stroll, Dimanche/Sunday, La Luna, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore & Wild Life - free admission Dune (1984) - free admission Doctor Strange - DVD Project X (2012) - free admission Martha Marcy May Marlene - free admission Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - free admission Friends with Kids - free admission The Lincoln Lawyer - Netflix Instant Gabriel Iglesias: Hot and Fluffy - Netflix Instant John Carter 2D/3D - free admission/free admission Silent House - free admission 21 Jump Street - free screenin' Casa de Mi Padre - free admission Support Your Local Gunfighter - Netflix Instant The Grudge: Unrated Extended Director's Cut - DVD Jeff, Who Lives at Home - free admission My Bloody Valentine (2009) - DVD Battle Royale (2000) - Alamo Drafthouse Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocal - discount theater The Butterfly Effect - DVD The Butterfly Effect 2 - DVD After gettin' back in from dinner last night, I watched The Butterfly Effect 2 since the DVD was still in my laptop and I didn't feel like changin' it out. Also, Erica Durance was in it...love her from Smallville. But in this, the time travel is even dumber, and not even consistent with the first movie. At least when Ashton Kutcher changed history, he got the new memories of the altered reality, too. In this, the guy has to kind of wing it, and is consistently surprised by his new life changes. Also, its done by photographs...how can he not have learned about this ability sooner? Ah, well...two movies on DVD for a dollar, I shouldn't complain too much about 'em, I guess.
Spoiler: Rest of List 1. Holy Rollers (B-) 2. The Kids Are All Right (B) 3. History of the World, Part 1 (C-) 4. Blazing Saddles (A+) 5. Scarface [1932] (B-) 6. The Purple Rose of Cairo (A) 7. Rampart (B+) 8. We Need To Talk About Kevin (A+) 9. Tucker and Dale vs Evil (B+) 10. They Live (B-) 11. Darling Companion (D) 12. A Dangerous Method (B-) 13. Haywire (C+) 14. Mission: Impossible (B+) 15. Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (B+) 16. Twixt (C+) 17. Burn After Reading (B+) 18. Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy (B-) 19. Drive (A) 20. Crazy Stupid Love (A) 21. The Omega Man (D) 22. The Adjustment Bureau (B+) 23. The Artist (A-) 24. Lady and the Tramp (B) 25. Hugo (A-) 26. The Secret World of Arrietty (B) 27. Twelve Angry Men (A) 28. Act of Valor (F) 29. Walker (A) 30. Lonely Are The Brave (A-) 31. Executive Action (C) 32. Three Colors: Blue (A) 33. Bright Leaves (A) 34. Photographic Memory (A) 35. The People Vs. George Lucas (C-) 36. Avatar (B-) 37. The Life of Reilly (A-) 38. Limitless (B-) 39. Star Wars (A) 40. The Empire Strikes Back (A) 41. Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story (A) 42. Machete (C+) 43. Unmasking The Idol (D-) 44. Alien (A+) 45. The Raid: Redemption (B-) The Raid: Redemption: At least one critic hailed this martial arts extravaganza as the "best action movie in decades." Others have compared it to Die Hard. After seeing the movie, I can only report that as hyperbole. It's a satisfying martial arts action movie with occasional lulls between fight sequences for plot and characterization that are both paper thin. Actually, to call the characters paper thin would be generous; of the six that are even identifiable, none posses more than a single character trait. There aren't any fight scenes as impressive as you'll find in the work of Tony Jaa, but the fight scenes are never boring. There's also one excellently designed suspense sequence and a couple of memorable gags that I won't reveal here (one involving a refrigerator is particularly creative). Theatres: 16 +1 Home Video: 27 Computer: 2
Spoiler: The rest of my list. January 1. Daddy Day Care (✩✩✩½) - TV 2. Wild Child (✩✩) - TV 3. Fling (✩✩✩½) - DVD 4. Arthur 2: On the Rocks (✩✩✩✩) - DVD 5. Havoc (✩✩✩✩) - DVD 6. Contagion (✩✩✩✩½) - On Demand 7. The Blind Side (✩✩✩½) - TV 8. Batman: Under the Red Hood (✩✩✩✩½) - TV 9. The Andromeda Strain (✩✩✩½) - TV 10. The Last Man on Earth (✩✩✩✩) - TV 11. Network (✩✩½) - TV 12. Normal Adolescent Behavior: Havoc 2 (✩) - DVD 13. Starsky & Hutch (✩✩½) - TV 14. The Rundown (✩✩✩½) - TV 15. Mallrats (✩✩✩✩) - DVD 16. My Sister's Keeper (✩✩✩✩½) - TV 17. Valkyrie (✩✩✩½) - TV 18. The Anderson Tapes (✩✩✩) - TV 19. Jack Goes Boating (✩✩✩½) - DVD 20. Margin Call (✩✩✩½) - On Demand 21. Away We Go (✩✩✩½) - TV 22. Girl Fight (✩✩✩½) - TV 23. Superman & Batman: Apocalypse (✩✩✩✩) - TV 24. Pandorum (✩✩½) - TV 25. Paper Man (✩✩✩✩½) - DVD 26. In Like Flint (✩✩½) - TV 27. Blood Diamond (✩✩✩✩) - DVD 28. The Invisible Man (✩✩✩✩) - TV 29. Frankenstein (✩✩✩½) - TV 30. The Dilemma (✩✩✩½) - DVD February 31. That One Night (✩✩✩½) - Internet 32. Sex Drive (✩✩½) - DVD 33. Chronicle (✩✩✩½) - Theatre 34. Couples Retreat (✩✩✩) - DVD 35. RV (✩✩✩) - TV 36. Chaos Theory (✩✩✩✩) - TV 37. Black Swan (✩✩✩✩✩) - DVD 38. One Missed Call (✩) - DVD 39. Kramer vs. Kramer (✩✩✩✩½) - TV 40. When in Rome (✩✩½) - TV 41. Love to Kill (✩✩✩) - TV 42. Possession (✩✩) - TV 43. Sex and the City 2 (✩✩✩½) - DVD 44. Little Fockers (✩✩✩½) - DVD 45. Breach: (✩✩✩½) - On Demand 46. Broken Flowers (✩✩✩✩½) - DVD 47. Bronson (✩✩✩✩) - DVD 48. Edge of Darkness (✩✩✩½) - TV 49. In & Out (✩✩✩) - TV 50. Secrets of Eden (✩✩½) - TV 51. Shooter (✩✩✩½) - TV 52. Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (✩✩✩½) - TV March 53. 10 Items or Less (✩✩✩½) - DVD 54. The Old Man and the Sea (✩✩✩✩) - TV 55. The Reader (✩✩✩✩✩) - TV 56. The Stunt Man (✩✩) - TV 57. Nine (✩✩✩✩) - TV 58. Untraceable (✩✩½) - DVD 59. The Quiet (✩✩✩½) - DVD 60. My Mother's Secret (✩✩½) - TV 61. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (✩✩✩½) - DVD 62. Sex and Death 101 (✩✩✩✩) - DVD 63. The Human Contract (✩✩✩✩) - DVD 64. The Craigslist Killer (✩✩✩) - TV 65. Life As We Know It (✩✩✩½) - DVD 66. She's the Man (✩✩✩) - TV 67. Witchslayer Gretl (✩½) - TV 68. The Adjustment Bureau (✩✩✩✩) - DVD 69. Young Adult (✩✩✩½) - On Demand 70. My Silent Partner (✩✩) - TV 71. Middle Men (✩✩✩✩) - DVD 72. The Rebound (✩✩) - On Demand 73. The Descendants (✩✩✩✩) - On Demand 74. Melancholia (✩✩✩✩) - On Demand 75. Walking the Halls (✩✩✩) - TV 76. Hoodwinked! (✩✩✩½) - TV 77. 21 Jump Street (✩✩✩½) - Theatre 78. Clerks II (✩✩✩½) - TV 79. Henry's Crime (✩✩✩½) - DVD 80. Hannah Montana: The Movie (✩✩✩½) - DVD 81. Chasing Amy (✩✩✩✩) - DVD 82. The Hunger Games: (✩✩✩✩) - Theatre - An enjoyable movie. Jennifer Lawrence gave a wonderful performance. Theatre: 3 DVD/Blu-Ray: 29 TV: 42 On Demand: 7 Internet: 1
Spoiler: The rest of my list. 1. My Week With Marilyn (B-) 2. Fantasia 2000 (B+) 3. Blade Runner (B) 4. The Hidden Fortress (A-) 5. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (B+) 6. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (A+) 7. The Descendants (A-) 8. Monsieur Lazhar (A) 9. The Prestige (A+) 10. Blood Simple (A-) 11. The Big Lebowski (B+) 12. West Side Story (A-) 13. The Hours (A-) 14. Lady and the Tramp (B) 15. An Officer and a Gentleman (B) 16. All Quiet On The Western Front (A) 17. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (B-) 18. Spellbound (B+) 19. Seven Samurai (A+) 20. X-Men: First Class (A) 21. Do The Right Thing (N/A) 22. Martha Marcy May Marlene (B) 23. The Artist (A-) 24. LA Confidential (A) 25. Young Adult (B) 26. Children of Men (B+) 27. Gaslight (B+) 28. North By Northwest (A+) 29. American Beauty (A-) 30. Revolutionary Road (A-) 31. Being There (B) 32. Coriolanus (C+) 33. To Catch A Thief (B+) 34. A Separation (A+) 35. The Hunger Games (B+) Discussed more thoroughly over in the main review thread, but in brief, it's a very good adaptation that dances on the edge of being great. This is my first 2012 film in theatres. Cinema: 10 (+1) Home Video: 20 Computer: 5
Spoiler: Movies Seen in January & February Cowboys & Aliens- DVD Rise of the Planet of the Apes - DVD Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close - free screenin' Limitless - Netflix Instant The Next Three Days - Netflix Instant Man on a Ledge - free screenin' Red State - Netflix Instant Mars Needs Moms - Netflix Instant S.W.A.T.: Firefight - Netflix Instant Red Tails - free screenin' Resident Evil: Degeneration - Netflix Instant The Last Exorcism - Netflix Instant Frozen - Netflix Instant The Perfect Host - Netflix Instant Tucker & Dale vs Evil - Netflix Instant Brooklyn's Finest - Netflix Instant Stone - Netflix Instant The Woman in Black - free screenin' Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - free screenin' Haywire - free admission The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - free admission The Artist - free admission Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - free admission Ted & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie - tech screenin' Hugo - free admission Safe House - free screenin' The Captains - Netflix Instant Troll Hunter - Netflix Instant The Evil Dead (1981) - Netflix Instant Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 3D - tech screenin' Underworld Awakening 3D - free admission We Need to Talk About Kevin - free admission The Innkeepers - free admission Big Miracle - free admission Chronicle - free admission Underworld: Unrated Extended Cut - DVD The Grey - free admission Contraband - free admission Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 3D - free admission One for the Money - free admission The Ouija Experiment - free admission Ghost Rider - Extended Cut - DVD The Secret World of Arrietty - free admission Bullhead - free admission Underworld Evolution - DVD Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance - free admission Castle in the Sky - free admission Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Live Action: Pentacost, Raju, The Shore, Time Freak & Tuba Atlantic - free admission This Means War - free admission Alien Trespass - Netflix Instant My Neighbor Totoro - free admission Rampart - free admission Dr Suess' The Lorax 3D - free screenin' Comin' At Ya! 3D - free admission Wanderlust - free admission Act of Valor - free admission Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Animated: A Morning Stroll, Dimanche/Sunday, La Luna, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore & Wild Life - free admission Dune (1984) - free admission Doctor Strange - DVD Project X (2012) - free admission Martha Marcy May Marlene - free admission Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - free admission Friends with Kids - free admission The Lincoln Lawyer - Netflix Instant Gabriel Iglesias: Hot and Fluffy - Netflix Instant John Carter 2D/3D - free admission/free admission Silent House - free admission 21 Jump Street - free screenin' Casa de Mi Padre - free admission Support Your Local Gunfighter - Netflix Instant The Grudge: Unrated Extended Director's Cut - DVD Jeff, Who Lives at Home - free admission My Bloody Valentine (2009) - DVD Battle Royale (2000) - Alamo Drafthouse Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocal - discount theater The Butterfly Effect - DVD The Butterfly Effect 2 - DVD Sound of Noise - free admission The FP - free admission Harold & Maude - free admission The Double - Netflix Instant Used my employee perk to check out a couple of movies tonight. First up, Sound of Noise, a Swedish film about a group of six drummers (the woman ringleader & five men) who use common objects found in an operatin' room (includin' the patient) & a bank, construction equipment & power lines to make music. Regarded as terrorists for their actions, the police investigator who gets the case is from a family of well-regarded musicians, but he is tone deaf. Its actually kind of awesome in its way. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and all through the movie, I kept thinkin' that if there were to be an American remake, it should be set & filmed here in Austin. If ya get the chance to see it, ya should do so...not sure how many of y'all would have access to a foreign language film in theaters, though. My second movie of the night was The FP, an over the top silly movie about two rival gangs who settle their disputes with a Dance Dance Revolution style video game. Distributed by Drafthouse Films, I've been seein' the trailer for the damn thing since I started workin' for the Alamo, finally decided to see what the hell its really about. Really glad it was a free admission... I'll be housesittin' for some friends this week, and they have Netflix, so I'll be watchin' quite a bit of stuff startin' tomorrow!!! Also have a plan to get together with friends to see My Fair Lady & Harold & Maude tomorrow...never seen either of those, especially not on the big screen! Hope they don't sell out! - edit, to add - Missed out on My Fair Lady, but did get to see Harold & Maude with my friend Angie. She's seen it before, but it was new to me. I was prepared to see a few, "Dear God!" moments, but sweet jesus, that's a dark movie. Well worth watchin', but damn... For those who may not know, its the story of a death-obsessed teen who forms a relationship with a 79 year old woman after several meetings at random funerals. Watchin' The Double, a spy thriller with Richard Gere, Topher Grace & Martin Sheen, via Netflix Instant now.
43. The Iron Lady Streep is of course great as Thatcher and her performance is the best part of the film. Otherwise it suffers from grazing a lot of things but never taking the time to actually focus on anything (and there were a few strange music choices).
Spoiler: The rest of my 2012 list of movies Kicking off my 2012 list: 1. Edge of Darkness: A 2. Star Trek: The Motion Picture: B+ 3. Repo Men: B- 4. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier: B- 5. Underworld: Awakening: B 6. Lost City Raiders: C+ 7. Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist: B+ 8. Contraband: B+ 9. Kick-Ass: B+ 10. Hereafter: A- 11. Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance: B 12. Act of Valor: C+ 13. John Carter: B 14. Hunger Games: B+ Really fun movie, some nice action scenes without being too over the top. I think it's an easy story to follow and honestly better if you haven't read the book first. If only cause you will not be second guessing certain things. You'll just take them as they come. A more detailed write up is in the review thread here.
1) The Artist (2011) - A+ 2) Midnight in Paris (2011) - B 3) Tree of Life (2011) - F 4) The Descendants (2011) - B 5) Drive (2011) - B 6) Hanna (2011) - C 7) Take Shelter (2011) - A- 8) 50/50 (2011) - B 9) Baby Mama (2008) - B- 10) United 93 (2006) 11) Rango (2011) - B 12) The Hunger Games (2012) - B+ 13) 21 Jump Street (2012) - B+ The Hunger Games Before this last week, I didn't know what the Hunger Games were. When I found out it was based on books much in the same vain as Twilight and Harry Potter, I wondered why I didn't know much about it before and why was I out of the loop on this stuff. Going in, I honestly didn't know what the plot of the movie was, and didn't know what kind of expectations to have for something like this. Well, I went to this movie this morning and tonight I'm still thinking about it. I think I need to see Winter's Bone again because the highlight of this movie for me was Jennifer Lawrence. I'm really starting to like her as an actress but for some reason I didn't grab onto Winter's Bone like others seemed to. As for the movie, there were a lot of things that made me feel uncomfortable, and I think that was the movie's point. I didn't feel this uncomfortable since 127 hours when the boulder comes crashing down on the guys arm but that's a different movie. Here, the thought of this dystopian world is terrifying, and to have kids killing each other for ratings is painful, emotionally. I was surprised this movie and books were aimed towards the younger generation because watching some of this movie made me feel a bit quesey. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it because I did, and the quesiness feeling added to it. People are complaining that we didn't see a lot of the deaths in the movie and I think maybe that had a greater impact. You can kill anytime anywhere and make it look greusome. Here, what worked was the movie played on your emotions, how you feel for these characters, and just the idea of kids being forced to kill other kids. There was a line in this movie that I really liked and pretty much summarized the movie really well. "The only emotion greater than fear is hope. Give them a little hope". (Maybe that's not the line verbatim, but the idea remains. I think if there was a problem I had with the movie was that I wished some of the other tributes were a little fleshed out, and Gale apparently has a major role in the next few movies. Maybe a lot of the backstory will be brought to the table in the next movie because this one felt kind of on the straight and narrow. Other than that, very good film. 21 Jump Street A very different kind of movie, and a funny one at that. Not the funniest movie I've seen, but I was pleasantly surprised. Theatre: 4 (+2) BluRay: 4 On Demand/TV: 1 Itunes: 4
Spoiler: The rest of my list. 1. My Week With Marilyn (B-) 2. Fantasia 2000 (B+) 3. Blade Runner (B) 4. The Hidden Fortress (A-) 5. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (B+) 6. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (A+) 7. The Descendants (A-) 8. Monsieur Lazhar (A) 9. The Prestige (A+) 10. Blood Simple (A-) 11. The Big Lebowski (B+) 12. West Side Story (A-) 13. The Hours (A-) 14. Lady and the Tramp (B) 15. An Officer and a Gentleman (B) 16. All Quiet On The Western Front (A) 17. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (B-) 18. Spellbound (B+) 19. Seven Samurai (A+) 20. X-Men: First Class (A) 21. Do The Right Thing (N/A) 22. Martha Marcy May Marlene (B) 23. The Artist (A-) 24. LA Confidential (A) 25. Young Adult (B) 26. Children of Men (B+) 27. Gaslight (B+) 28. North By Northwest (A+) 29. American Beauty (A-) 30. Revolutionary Road (A-) 31. Being There (B) 32. Coriolanus (C+) 33. To Catch A Thief (B+) 34. A Separation (A+) 35. The Hunger Games (B+) 36. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (A) The most Canadian movie made by a Hollywood studio in many a year. This is my first rewatch since it came out, and it's still a really fun exercise in style that also has a core substance. It's a shame that it failed, though in many respects that's not surprising, because movie audiences rarely seem that receptive to these kinds of genre-blending stories. Actually, an upcoming movie that sort of reminds me of this is, of all things, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (which also stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead), which has a very pulp/"awesome" premise that comics fans tend to revel in. We'll see how that does (both commercially and as a movie). Cinema: 10 Home Video: 21 (+1) Computer: 5
Spoiler: Movies Seen in January & February Cowboys & Aliens- DVD Rise of the Planet of the Apes - DVD Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close - free screenin' Limitless - Netflix Instant The Next Three Days - Netflix Instant Man on a Ledge - free screenin' Red State - Netflix Instant Mars Needs Moms - Netflix Instant S.W.A.T.: Firefight - Netflix Instant Red Tails - free screenin' Resident Evil: Degeneration - Netflix Instant The Last Exorcism - Netflix Instant Frozen - Netflix Instant The Perfect Host - Netflix Instant Tucker & Dale vs Evil - Netflix Instant Brooklyn's Finest - Netflix Instant Stone - Netflix Instant The Woman in Black - free screenin' Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - free screenin' Haywire - free admission The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - free admission The Artist - free admission Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - free admission Ted & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie - tech screenin' Hugo - free admission Safe House - free screenin' The Captains - Netflix Instant Troll Hunter - Netflix Instant The Evil Dead (1981) - Netflix Instant Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 3D - tech screenin' Underworld Awakening 3D - free admission We Need to Talk About Kevin - free admission The Innkeepers - free admission Big Miracle - free admission Chronicle - free admission Underworld: Unrated Extended Cut - DVD The Grey - free admission Contraband - free admission Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 3D - free admission One for the Money - free admission The Ouija Experiment - free admission Ghost Rider - Extended Cut - DVD The Secret World of Arrietty - free admission Bullhead - free admission Underworld Evolution - DVD Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance - free admission Castle in the Sky - free admission Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Live Action: Pentacost, Raju, The Shore, Time Freak & Tuba Atlantic - free admission This Means War - free admission Alien Trespass - Netflix Instant My Neighbor Totoro - free admission Rampart - free admission Dr Suess' The Lorax 3D - free screenin' Comin' At Ya! 3D - free admission Wanderlust - free admission Act of Valor - free admission Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Animated: A Morning Stroll, Dimanche/Sunday, La Luna, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore & Wild Life - free admission Dune (1984) - free admission Doctor Strange - DVD Project X (2012) - free admission Martha Marcy May Marlene - free admission Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - free admission Friends with Kids - free admission The Lincoln Lawyer - Netflix Instant Gabriel Iglesias: Hot and Fluffy - Netflix Instant John Carter 2D/3D - free admission/free admission Silent House - free admission 21 Jump Street - free screenin' Casa de Mi Padre - free admission Support Your Local Gunfighter - Netflix Instant The Grudge: Unrated Extended Director's Cut - DVD Jeff, Who Lives at Home - free admission My Bloody Valentine (2009) - DVD Battle Royale (2000) - Alamo Drafthouse Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocal - discount theater The Butterfly Effect - DVD The Butterfly Effect 2 - DVD Sound of Noise - free admission The FP - free admission Harold & Maude - free admission The Double - Netflix Instant No Strings Attached - Netflix Instant Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey - Netflix Instant Had to stay awake last night, so I watched No Strings Attached...mostly 'cause it has Natalie Portman. The movie wasn't all that great, but it was kinda cool to see Kevin Kline in a supportin' role as Ashton Kutcher's father. Basically, is a rom com with Natalie Portman as the man... Watchin' Being Elmo now, a documentary about the puppeteer who works as Elmo. Also, in case y'all didn't know, Harold & Maude is on Netflix Instant...
Updates in Bold: 47 Ronin (7) Bad Boys (8) Battle of Los Angles (9) Blade of the Phantom Master (8) Daybreakers (5) First Squad: The Moment of Truth (8) Gantz: Perfect Answer (7) Golgo 13: The Professional (6) Green Hornet (6) Heaven's Lost Property: The Angeloid of Clockwork (5) Hellboy: Blood and Iron (8) Hellboy: Sword of Storms (6) John Carter (9) King of Thorn (9) Legend of the Millennium Dragon (7) Mardock Scramble: The First Compression (Director's Cut) (9) Negima!: Final (7) Nydenion (7) Redline (10) Safe House (2012) (8) Salt (7) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (5) Underworld: Awakening (8)
Spoiler: Movies Seen in January & February Cowboys & Aliens- DVD Rise of the Planet of the Apes - DVD Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close - free screenin' Limitless - Netflix Instant The Next Three Days - Netflix Instant Man on a Ledge - free screenin' Red State - Netflix Instant Mars Needs Moms - Netflix Instant S.W.A.T.: Firefight - Netflix Instant Red Tails - free screenin' Resident Evil: Degeneration - Netflix Instant The Last Exorcism - Netflix Instant Frozen - Netflix Instant The Perfect Host - Netflix Instant Tucker & Dale vs Evil - Netflix Instant Brooklyn's Finest - Netflix Instant Stone - Netflix Instant The Woman in Black - free screenin' Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - free screenin' Haywire - free admission The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - free admission The Artist - free admission Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - free admission Ted & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie - tech screenin' Hugo - free admission Safe House - free screenin' The Captains - Netflix Instant Troll Hunter - Netflix Instant The Evil Dead (1981) - Netflix Instant Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 3D - tech screenin' Underworld Awakening 3D - free admission We Need to Talk About Kevin - free admission The Innkeepers - free admission Big Miracle - free admission Chronicle - free admission Underworld: Unrated Extended Cut - DVD The Grey - free admission Contraband - free admission Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 3D - free admission One for the Money - free admission The Ouija Experiment - free admission Ghost Rider - Extended Cut - DVD The Secret World of Arrietty - free admission Bullhead - free admission Underworld Evolution - DVD Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance - free admission Castle in the Sky - free admission Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Live Action: Pentacost, Raju, The Shore, Time Freak & Tuba Atlantic - free admission This Means War - free admission Alien Trespass - Netflix Instant My Neighbor Totoro - free admission Rampart - free admission Dr Suess' The Lorax 3D - free screenin' Comin' At Ya! 3D - free admission Wanderlust - free admission Act of Valor - free admission Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Animated: A Morning Stroll, Dimanche/Sunday, La Luna, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore & Wild Life - free admission Dune (1984) - free admission Doctor Strange - DVD Project X (2012) - free admission Martha Marcy May Marlene - free admission Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - free admission Friends with Kids - free admission The Lincoln Lawyer - Netflix Instant Gabriel Iglesias: Hot and Fluffy - Netflix Instant John Carter 2D/3D - free admission/free admission Silent House - free admission 21 Jump Street - free screenin' Casa de Mi Padre - free admission Support Your Local Gunfighter - Netflix Instant The Grudge: Unrated Extended Director's Cut - DVD Jeff, Who Lives at Home - free admission My Bloody Valentine (2009) - DVD Battle Royale (2000) - Alamo Drafthouse Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocal - discount theater The Butterfly Effect - DVD The Butterfly Effect 2 - DVD Sound of Noise - free admission The FP - free admission Harold & Maude - free admission The Double - Netflix Instant No Strings Attached - Netflix Instant Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey - Netflix Instant Louis C.K. Hilarious - Netflix Instant Gamer - Netflix Instant Rising Sun - Netflix Instant Watched the Louis CK stand up special when I got in from work last night. I don't see what the big deal is about this guy...hour & a half of his routine, and I laughed maybe three times. Watched Gamer this morning...basically its the idea of The Sims and a Halo-esque first person shooter usin' real people as the avatars for gamers. The Sims folks are volunteers who claim to be actors & actresses while the Halo folks are death row inmates who hope to get their freedom. And the creator of both games has a plan to take over the world... Lots of familiar faces in the cast, but overall, the movie was pretty disappointin'... Watchin' Rising Sun via Netflix Instant now. I read the book years ago, first time seein' the movie.
44. Justice League: Doom Villains not simply killing the heroes is a problem in many films, but in this case it's especially bad, because villains wanting to kill the heroes was the whole point. There were a few nice character moments (which probably only work if you know some backstory from the comics) and good voice work, but in general I found this to be quite bad.
Spoiler: Movies Seen in January & February Cowboys & Aliens- DVD Rise of the Planet of the Apes - DVD Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close - free screenin' Limitless - Netflix Instant The Next Three Days - Netflix Instant Man on a Ledge - free screenin' Red State - Netflix Instant Mars Needs Moms - Netflix Instant S.W.A.T.: Firefight - Netflix Instant Red Tails - free screenin' Resident Evil: Degeneration - Netflix Instant The Last Exorcism - Netflix Instant Frozen - Netflix Instant The Perfect Host - Netflix Instant Tucker & Dale vs Evil - Netflix Instant Brooklyn's Finest - Netflix Instant Stone - Netflix Instant The Woman in Black - free screenin' Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - free screenin' Haywire - free admission The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) - free admission The Artist - free admission Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - free admission Ted & Eric's Billion Dollar Movie - tech screenin' Hugo - free admission Safe House - free screenin' The Captains - Netflix Instant Troll Hunter - Netflix Instant The Evil Dead (1981) - Netflix Instant Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 3D - tech screenin' Underworld Awakening 3D - free admission We Need to Talk About Kevin - free admission The Innkeepers - free admission Big Miracle - free admission Chronicle - free admission Underworld: Unrated Extended Cut - DVD The Grey - free admission Contraband - free admission Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 3D - free admission One for the Money - free admission The Ouija Experiment - free admission Ghost Rider - Extended Cut - DVD The Secret World of Arrietty - free admission Bullhead - free admission Underworld Evolution - DVD Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance - free admission Castle in the Sky - free admission Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Live Action: Pentacost, Raju, The Shore, Time Freak & Tuba Atlantic - free admission This Means War - free admission Alien Trespass - Netflix Instant My Neighbor Totoro - free admission Rampart - free admission Dr Suess' The Lorax 3D - free screenin' Comin' At Ya! 3D - free admission Wanderlust - free admission Act of Valor - free admission Oscar-Nominated Short Films, Animated: A Morning Stroll, Dimanche/Sunday, La Luna, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore & Wild Life - free admission Dune (1984) - free admission Doctor Strange - DVD Project X (2012) - free admission Martha Marcy May Marlene - free admission Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - free admission Friends with Kids - free admission The Lincoln Lawyer - Netflix Instant Gabriel Iglesias: Hot and Fluffy - Netflix Instant John Carter 2D/3D - free admission/free admission Silent House - free admission 21 Jump Street - free screenin' Casa de Mi Padre - free admission Support Your Local Gunfighter - Netflix Instant The Grudge: Unrated Extended Director's Cut - DVD Jeff, Who Lives at Home - free admission My Bloody Valentine (2009) - DVD Battle Royale (2000) - Alamo Drafthouse Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocal - discount theater The Butterfly Effect - DVD The Butterfly Effect 2 - DVD Sound of Noise - free admission The FP - free admission Harold & Maude - free admission The Double - Netflix Instant No Strings Attached - Netflix Instant Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey - Netflix Instant Louis C.K. Hilarious - Netflix Instant Gamer - Netflix Instant Rising Sun - Netflix Instant Death Race 2000 - Netflix Instant Beverly Hills Cop III - Netflix Instant Inferno: The Making of The Expendables - Netflix Instant Watched the '75 drag race movie with David Carradine & Sylvestor Stallone this mornin'. The kitbashed cars were the highlight of the movie. Watchin' the third BHC movie now...I've talked a lot of crap about the movie, but haven't seen it all the way through before. And since its on Netflix now, figured I might as well, especially if there really is a fourth on the way in 2013. - edit, to add - Watched the hour & a half documentary about Sylvestor Stallone & the makin' of his action movie, The Expendables. Pretty sure its a bonus feature on a disc somewhere, but first time I've seen it.
Spoiler: The rest of my list. 1. My Week With Marilyn (B-) 2. Fantasia 2000 (B+) 3. Blade Runner (B) 4. The Hidden Fortress (A-) 5. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (B+) 6. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (A+) 7. The Descendants (A-) 8. Monsieur Lazhar (A) 9. The Prestige (A+) 10. Blood Simple (A-) 11. The Big Lebowski (B+) 12. West Side Story (A-) 13. The Hours (A-) 14. Lady and the Tramp (B) 15. An Officer and a Gentleman (B) 16. All Quiet On The Western Front (A) 17. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (B-) 18. Spellbound (B+) 19. Seven Samurai (A+) 20. X-Men: First Class (A) 21. Do The Right Thing (N/A) 22. Martha Marcy May Marlene (B) 23. The Artist (A-) 24. LA Confidential (A) 25. Young Adult (B) 26. Children of Men (B+) 27. Gaslight (B+) 28. North By Northwest (A+) 29. American Beauty (A-) 30. Revolutionary Road (A-) 31. Being There (B) 32. Coriolanus (C+) 33. To Catch A Thief (B+) 34. A Separation (A+) 35. The Hunger Games (B+) 36. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (A) 37. Saturday Night Fever (A-) My mother admitted to having seen this multiple times on its initial release, though she didn't remember any of the coarse parts. Which is perhaps in keeping with the general popcultural memory, which is mostly about John Travolta dancing to the Bee Gees. But this is actually a pretty gritty movie, with our young main characters being casually sexist and racist at points, and multiple instances of attempted (or successful) date rape. Makes most of the films aimed at the college crowd these days look tame by comparison. Great soundtrack, great performance by Travolta (the best of his that I've seen, really). Cinema: 10 Home Video: 22(+1) Computer: 5
Isn't that memory of the movie partially the result of a far tamer, PG-version that was released at some point? Or am I imagining having seen that in video stores in the early 90s?
Yes, there was one of those, so that might be part of it (certainly, that's a version my mother is more likely to have seen; she doesn't like anything remotely upsetting).