Your B+ inspires me to place it into my Netflix queue at any rate. Not going to bump it just yet but add it nonetheless.
Cowboys & Aliens - DVD Rise of the Planet of the Apes - DVD Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close - free screenin' Back in Austin this week, and since I'm back, I can get free movie passes pretty easily. Tonight was the first free movie I've been to since The Way back in October-ish! Anyway, the latest Tom Hanks movie...and he is the reason why I went at all...is definately one of those "see it once" movies. Now that I have, I never want or will need to see it again. So, glad to get it out of the way. Its depressin' as hell, has odd bits of humor sprinkled throughout, but it is a tragic film, as anything that even tries to look at the events of 9/11 should be. And though easily predictable, I think that Max von Sydow's character was the best out of all of 'em. Tomorrow night, I'll be at a free screenin' for Man on a Ledge & Thursday night I'll be seein' Red Tails.
DVD Spoiler: Rest of List Theatre/Cinema 1. Meet the Robinsons 2. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows 3. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
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-) They Live: I saw this for a class (compared to last time, which was in a theatre with a knowing audience) and the difference was dramatic. For one thing, most people didn't realize that it was okay to laugh until half way though the movie, and the atmosphere is pretty different when that's the case. Of course, it's still not a perfect movie. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper can't act worth a damn (though, I think he's improved in the years since), and the movie more or less goes through the motions between the notable set pieces (Nada puts on the glasses, Nada and Frank fight, Nada and Frank get the grand tour, Nada takes down the signal) -- but the set pieces are rather good. I hear the film is being remade, and if it's so, I think there's definite grounds for improvement upon the original. Then again, it's a remake of a Carpenter film, so I'm not holding my breath... Theatres: 2 Home Video: 7 +1 Computer: 1
7. Quigley Down Under A fun adventure story/western with the usual ingredients (and some surprisingly dark moments) and Alan Rickman is of course a great villain (but I feel sorry for him, does he ever get to play the hero?). Films like this really make me wish they would do westerns more often nowadays.
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 YAY! for stayin' with friends who have Netflix! Watched Limitless this mornin'...it was okay, not great. About what I expected from the trailers, though I wish Robert De Niro had been a better "villian" for the story. Followed that up with The Next Three Days, a Russell Crowe drama about a guy gettin' his wife out of prison after she's convicted of murder. It was long, slow & borin', and not even the scene with Liam Neeson could save it. Will be headin' out in a bit for the Man on a Ledge screenin' tonight.
I saw Quigly two decades ago. I remember the character being a really great shot. Gotta see it again. Limitless... Spoiler: the ending. I like that Eddie won out in the end and didn't lose his smarts. Something like that probably would have happened if the story followed a formula.
3. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) C + (William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelly) After a lengthy hiatus the "Star Trek" franchise returned with this special effects extravaganza! We're reunited with our heroes from the Starship Enterprise as they face the mysterious menace approaching Earth. I know this film gets a bad time from fans and rightfully so. It has a lot of flaws. It isn't awful though, and the special effects were cutting edge for their time. The score is beautiful. The Enterprise is awesome to see. I do get a small sense of wonder and awe that fans probably felt after no "Star Trek" for so long. We're going through something like that now. The performances are decent. The idea is ambitious but kind of falls flat. I do get an appreciation for this film upon continued viewings. I remember being disappointed the first time I saw this as a kid on VHS or TV after reading and hearing so much about it. I still really hope one day that will get a novelization of "The God Thing". Unlikely but there are always possibilities. 4. Star Trek III: The Search For Spock (1984) C (William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForrest Kelly, Christopher Lloyd) . This is one of my least liked Star Trek films. It had a lot to live up to though following the mammoth hit that was "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" and despite some fine performances from Christopher Lloyd and Robin Curtis (yea I'm one of the few who likes her as Saavik) this film doesn't do anything for me. One of it's shinning moments though is of course the famous, stealing the Enterprise scene, just the drama of that scene combined with James Horner's swelling score is just fantastic. There is the typical Trek humour in this film but it isn't enough to save the film. It feels like a transitional film. The ending though is incredibly emotional. 5. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) (B+) (William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelly). For a long time when I was first discovering Star Trek as a young teen, this was my favourite of the original series films. It had everything. Action, adventure, comedy, emotional moments, a genuine romance. The score is light hearted and beautiful and there is also a genuine message in this movie. Leonard Nimoy does a wonderful job directing this movie. I have always liked Catherine Hicks, Gillian Taylor. I always thought she would have made an interesting romantic partner for Kirk. They chose though not to follow up on that.
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 Went to the free screenin' of Man on a Ledge tonight. Good cast, but overall, a disappointin' movie for various reasons. Glad I could see it for free. Just finished watchin' Red State via Netflix...that was a creepy ass movie.
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) Darling Companion: Not content to simply be sappy, middlebrow entertainment about a woman who loses her dog and the journey she undergoes to find him again, this film goes the extra mile. Cringe-worthy subplot about a gypsy psychic? Check. Total lack of conflict between the characters? Check. Waste of an excellent cast (i.e. Kevin Kline on his hands and knees acting like a dog to scare off a pair of wild rams)? Check? Insane, unmotivated dream sequence that takes the form of a cartoon? Check. I know its hard for actors over a certain age to find work (and this film has a slew of great, older performers), but, damn. I know Larry Kasdan's career hasn't been gangbusters since the mid-1990s, but even a flop like Dreamcatcher had its charms. This has none of that. It's time Kasdan went into retirement, and let us remember his earlier, better films. This won't be in release for a few weeks (if it ever hits theatres), but definitely wait for the DVD so that you can savor the film's awfulness at home. Theatres: 3 +1 Home Video: 7 +1 Computer: 1
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 After watchin' MNM, I can see why it bombed. It wasn't that good of a movie, and when the three main characters are usin' three decades worth of slang, it just won't interest anyone. Also, a complaint about Netflix - when the credits start, the screen shrinks to give recommendations for what ya should watch next. And the credits for MNM has behind the scenes motion capture footage, but it was too small to watch! And I really don't want to rent the DVD to see it! Watchin' a psuedo direct to dvd sequel to S.W.A.T. now. Robert Patrick is the bad guy. Free screenin' of Red Tails tonight!
I've seen that already. It somehow had all these great parts (Ford and Craig as cowboys, aliens in the old west,...) that added up to a just an ok film - at least for me. Oh, by Grabthar's hammer, how could I forget that? I guess you also have to count his Harry Potter character as one of the good guys.
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' Not impressed by this movie at all...the whole thing just felt flat to me, and I couldn't help thinkin' that HBO told the same story better back in '95 with The Tuskegee Airmen. Ah, well, at least it was free...
I watched the Darkest Hour and Mother and Child in 2012, both the movies were great and I was impressed a lot.