Movies Seen in 2012

[Lord Garth]

2011 and 2012 (so far) have been more TV years for me than movie years. I haven't seen any new movies in 2012 yet but that'll change in May.

So far:

The Andromeda Strain (1971)
Transatlantic Tunnel (1935)
Crack in the World (1964)

Normally my choices aren't this old.

[od0_ital]

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

Two new movies today, used my employee discount to get into 'em, and took a friend with me to see The Innkeepers.

WNTAK is a very heavy film to watch. Tilda Swinton carries the movie, and its a rough story for sure...really will not watch it again, but it is worth checkin' out.

Innkeepers was not scary, at all. But it did have Kelly McGillis, and I haven't seen her in a movie since she played Charlie in Top Gun. And my friend kept gettin' scared durin' the movie...which wasn't scary...so, her bein' scared made me laugh. And I feel kinda bad about that...

[Harvey]

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-)

The Artist: It's not the best picture of the year (although I think it has a good chance of winning), but I found it to be delightful. It wisely plays off silent comedies more than silent drama (although it does go to dark places at times, it's smart enough to not stay in them for too long). Honestly, the only thing that I didn't like was the oft-complained about use of Bernard Herrmann's Vertigo score in one of the final reels. The movie makes reference to other movies with enough frequency that the use of Herrmann's music can't help but result in associations with the Hitchcock movie, even though it doesn't seem to be the intended effect. It's distracting -- especially when the movie mostly has an original score.

And although it's being sold as a "silent" movie, I found the film's use of sound to be very effective, as well as its strategic use of silence (most of the movie isn't "silent" since it features an original score -- but, then again, most "silent" movies did the same).

Theatres: 8 +1
Home Video: 14
Computer: 1

[CaptainCanada]

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)

Walt Disney expresses his love for dogs and deals the Siamese cat breed a blow from which it has never recovered. For "dog people", the simple domestic scenes seen from Lady's POV are very cute. It's an effortlessly charming little film, with typically excellent animation, but it lacks anything to really put it over into the realm of greatness. The climax also features a dog whom we've previously seen defeat three other larger dogs in combat facing off against a rat, so the stakes never really get off the ground.

Cinema: 4
Home Video: 9
Computer: 1

[zakkrusz]

Updates in Bold:
Bad Boys (8)
Daybreakers (5)
First Squad: The Moment of Truth (8)
Gantz: Perfect Answer (7)
King of Thorn (9)
Legend of the Millennium Dragon (7)
Redline (10)
Safe House (2012) (8)
Salt (7)
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (5)
Underworld: Awakening (8)

[tomalak301]

CaptainCanada wrote:

---

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)

Walt Disney expresses his love for dogs and deals the Siamese cat breed a blow from which it has never recovered. For "dog people", the simple domestic scenes seen from Lady's POV are very cute. It's an effortlessly charming little film, with typically excellent animation, but it lacks anything to really put it over into the realm of greatness. The climax also features a dog whom we've previously seen defeat three other larger dogs in combat facing off against a rat, so the stakes never really get off the ground.

Cinema: 4
Home Video: 9
Computer: 1

I should probably see Lady and the Tramp again soon. It's been ages since I've seen it and I still consider the Spaghetti and Meatball scene one of the classic, greatest love scenes in all of cinema.

[od0_ital]

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

Went up to Lake Creek to see Big Miracle yesterday before work. The whole movie is in the freakin' trailer. I don't care if its based on a true story or not, studios need to stop doin' that.

Got cut from work early last night, wound up usin' my employee discount to get into an almost sold out showin' of Chronicle. Pretty good movie, remindin' me quite a bit of Unbreakable, in that it was a real world view of superheroes, no capes, no masks, no tights, and no clue what do with newfound powers.

Watchin' the unrated extended cut of the first Underworld movie on DVD now...figured since I've seen the fourth, might as well watch the first three, too.

- edit, to add -

Went to see The Grey tonight...

Kinda disappointed...Liam Neeson wasn't nearly the bad ass I was hopin' to see taken on wolves in the frozen wasteland. And it probably didn't help that part of the pre-show includin' a clip from Sesame Street where he was takin' orders from Ernie & a rubber duck.

But, on the plus side, the preshow also included the trailer for Darkman, one of the first Neeson movies I ever watched. Can't remember if I saw it before or after Leap of Faith...

Plannin' an all day triple feature tomorrow - three free movies on the big screen in a row!

[nvek86]

21. The Descendants

I guess my biggest problem with this film was that I had read so many good things about it that my expectations were too high. It's a good film with great performances by the whole cast, but I liked Payne's About Schmidt (which shares some similiarities with this) better.

[tomalak301]

nvek86 wrote:

---

21. The Descendants

I guess my biggest problem with this film was that I had read so many good things about it that my expectations were too high. It's a good film with great performances by the whole cast, but I liked Payne's About Schmidt (which shares some similiarities with this) better.

I haven't seen About Schmidt, but the Payne movie I did like better than the Descendants was Sideways. It's a little more lighter, even though there are some dark aspects. I just don't remember Sideways being as depressing as this movie was.

[Harvey]

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)

Lady and the Tramp: This isn't one of the greatest animated Disney films, but it's an enjoyable one, with a deservedly iconic scene (the spaghetti dinner, of course). That the Tramp faces off against an easy adversary at the end didn't bother me; the real drama at the end of the movie is whether or not Lady and the rest will be able to get to the pound before the Tramp is put to sleep.

I'd almost prefer it if the animals didn't speak; Lady doesn't utter a word in the first ten minutes and those scenes work beautifully. There's also the unfortunate fact that when the animals do speak the movie indulges in a few rather unsavory racial stereotypes (the slanted-eyed Siamese cats being the most notable offender, but not the only one) that reflect the period it was made. They're not major elements of the film, but they do occur, and I'd hate to have to explain them to children.

Theatres: 8
Home Video: 15 +1
Computer: 1

[Captain Craig]

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-

The Clint Eastwood directed, Matt Damon vehicle about a man who can talk to dead people. The story weaves together 3 characters who meet at a London Publishing Expo in the end. A twin who loses his brother, a French news reporter,Marie, who dies in the Sumatra flood but comes back to life and Matt Damon's character George.
George just wants to live a normal life. His brother thinks this "gift" should be used to help people...and making a profit along the way isn't a bad thing. George however, living day in/day out with this knows it to be a curse. He isn't able to have a normal relationship with anyone when they uncover his secret. This is driven home in Act II with an attempt at a relationship with Melanie, played by Bryce Dallas Howard.
Ultimately I like the film cause our French news reporter Marie is also being shunned when she reveals how her experience has changed her. With George and Marie together the film ends in a type of romanticized way that I enjoyed.

[CaptainCanada]

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)

Since Valentine's Day is soon upon us, my recent viewing has involved a number of romance-heavy films. This was one of the first of a series of blockbuster 1980s romantic dramas (and the first of two to have a chart-topping love duet featuring Jennifer Warnes; looking back, the 1980s really were the golden age of the movie soundtrack). The strongest aspect of it is the romance between Richard Gere and Debra Winger, particularly Winger's wonderful performance. The weaker elements on the movie relate mainly to Gere's character, whose psychological drama is incredibly obvious from the first frame; and Gere, while capable, isn't nearly dynamic enough as an actor to make this sort of character all that compelling. The climactic suicide of a supporting character seems rather unmotivated. Conversely, I suspect that if this movie were made today there'd be a lot more grrrl power drama about side-character Seeger, but the more understated approach I think works a lot better. Lou Gossett Jr. won the Oscar for his role as a drill sergeant (the first black actor to win Best Supporting Actor; director Taylor Hackford is, at present, the only man to direct two black actors to Oscars, though Tate Taylor may join him within the month), and it's a good performance, though I don't think it stands out that much. But watching him made me realize how rarely this sort of role is a real character anymore; most movie drill sergeants now are somebody riffing on R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket (whereas here Ermey was only Gossett's technical advisor).

Cinema: 4
Home Video: 9
Computer: 2

[LitmusDragon]

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+. Pretty funny, and probably pretty realistic about it's subject matter.

[nvek86]

22. The Artist

Great, great film, I loved it. The fact that it is a silent film has been called a gimmick, but I think it used it perfectly (there are a few wonderful scenes that only work because of "the gimmick").
Another important part is the music, since it's basically the only thing you hear and it's got one of the best soundtracks of the last year.
The film could have gone wrong very easily, but thankfully it didn't.

[od0_ital]

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

Spent my day off at the movie theater...

Started out with Contraband, which was pretty good. I really like Ben Foster in movies, but I don't care how many tatts, how much facial hair or how often ya show him with a gun, Giovanni Rabisi will never be a bad ass.

Journey 2 would have been a lot better without Luis Guzman's character. He took bromance to an extreme level with the Rock. The 3D wasn't bad, either. I especially liked the bee stuff, but wish the ants they showed had been more threatenin'.

And One for the Money was way better than I expected, considerin' its a Katherine Heigl movie...still not very good, but not as obnoxiously bad as her rom coms.