• Welcome! The TrekBBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans.
    If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Movies Seen in 2015

1. Searching for Sugar Man (B+)
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (A)
3. The Imitation Game (B+)
4. Selma (A)
5. Inherent Vice (B+)
6. Foxcatcher (A-)
7. Back to the Future (B)
8. American Sniper (B-)
9. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (B)
10. Beloved Sisters (A)
11. Force Majeure (B+)
12. A Most Violent Year (A-)
13. Wild (B+)
14. The Conformist (A-)
15. Blue is the Warmest Colour (A+)
16. Jean de Florette (A)
17. Two Days, One Night (A+)
18. Manon of the Spring (A)
19. Atonement (A+)
20. Honeymoon (B-)
21. The Brothers Bloom (B)
22. Mr. Turner (B+)
23. Still Alice (B+)

With this, I've seen 19 of the 20 nominated performances at this year's Academy Awards (the 20th is Robert Duvall in The Judge, a filler nomination if ever there was one; I'm in no hurry to see that), in this case the presumptive winner in Best Actress (which will, incidentally, make her the first Best Actress winner in her 50s since 1952). I think Best Actress is a very strong field this year, but if and when Moore wins, it will be a deserving one. She's terrific. I've seen some debate about the quality of the movie around Moore's performance, but I think it's pretty good, and appropriately bleak given the subject-matter (driving home from this I thought the greatest troll ever would be to make a real-issues drama like this and then have it be resolved by the characters finding a cure at the last minute to enable a happy ending). There are some of what feel like missed dramatic opportunities -- in particular, Alice has two daughters, one of whom discovers she is a carrier for the same strain of Alzheimer's that she has, and yet the focus is on her relationship with the other daughter, and this is never really addressed between them.

Cinema: 12 (+1)
DVD/Blu-ray: 6
Streaming Service: 5
 
American Sniper (8/10)
Bayonetta: Bloody Fate (7/10)
Expelled from Paradise (9/10)
Heaven's Lost Property: Final (2/10)
Jupiter Ascending (6/10)
Taken 3 (7/10)

Recently Seen:
A Certain Magical Index: The Miracle of Endymion (8)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (8)

Running Total: 8
 
A Long Way Down - Netflix Instant
Nick Offerman: American Ham- Netflix Instant
The Interview - xbox
The Book Thief - DVD
As Above, So Below - DVD
30 for 30: Pony Excess - Netflix Instant
All Is Lost - Netflix Instant
Get On Up - DVD
Dallas Buyers Club - DVD
American Sniper - matinee
The Conspirator - Netflix Instant
The Bag Man - Netflix Instant
Patton Oswalt: Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time (2014) - Netflix Instant
Brick Mansions - Netflix Instant
Justice League: Throne of Atlantis - DVD
Lego Justice League vs Bizarro League - DVD

Picked up the two-disc release for the latest JL movie based off the New 52. The nephews & I agreed it was a pretty good movie, and even my sister liked it.

Not bad for an Aquaman origin story, and I enjoyed the underwater animation style, too.

Picked up the Lego movie on DVD, too, since my oldest nephew saw the trailer on the Aquaman DVD and said he wanted to see it.

It was short, stupid, and not worth the purchase. The DVD included a "Making Of", bloopers and a second short feature with Batman being tested by Bat Mite.
 
1) The Invasion - C
2) Goodfellas - B
3) Flowers In The Attic - D-
4) The King's Speech - B
5) Kingsman: The Secret Service - A-

Samuel L. Jackson is the best megalomaniac villain we have seen in years. I won't spoil this movie as it is just out in theatre this weekend, but with him, Colin Firth and Mark Strong, they make this movie a must-see, especially if you are trying to avoid 50 Shades of Grey with a passion.
 
1. Searching for Sugar Man (B+)
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (A)
3. The Imitation Game (B+)
4. Selma (A)
5. Inherent Vice (B+)
6. Foxcatcher (A-)
7. Back to the Future (B)
8. American Sniper (B-)
9. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (B)
10. Beloved Sisters (A)
11. Force Majeure (B+)
12. A Most Violent Year (A-)
13. Wild (B+)
14. The Conformist (A-)
15. Blue is the Warmest Colour (A+)
16. Jean de Florette (A)
17. Two Days, One Night (A+)
18. Manon of the Spring (A)
19. Atonement (A+)
20. Honeymoon (B-)
21. The Brothers Bloom (B)
22. Mr. Turner (B+)
23. Still Alice (B+)
24. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (B+)

The beginnings of the more low-budget era in Disney animation that prevailed from the underperformance of Sleeping Beauty through the beginning of the Renaissance. All the same, this remains a very fun movie, with a lot of low-key charm. And there's a reason Cruella De Vil is such an iconic character.

Cinema: 12
DVD/Blu-ray: 7 (+1)
Streaming Service: 5
 
1. Searching for Sugar Man (B+)
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (A)
3. The Imitation Game (B+)
4. Selma (A)
5. Inherent Vice (B+)
6. Foxcatcher (A-)
7. Back to the Future (B)
8. American Sniper (B-)
9. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (B)
10. Beloved Sisters (A)
11. Force Majeure (B+)
12. A Most Violent Year (A-)
13. Wild (B+)
14. The Conformist (A-)
15. Blue is the Warmest Colour (A+)
16. Jean de Florette (A)
17. Two Days, One Night (A+)
18. Manon of the Spring (A)
19. Atonement (A+)
20. Honeymoon (B-)
21. The Brothers Bloom (B)
22. Mr. Turner (B+)
23. Still Alice (B+)
24. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (B+)
25. Kingsman: The Secret Service (A)

The first proper 2015 cinema release is one of the most fun action movies in recent years, and part of what appears to be a growing trend of filmmakers standing up for the more outlandish elements of the James Bond franchise while also having fun with them (no surprise that the trailer for The Man from U.N.C.L.E. played before this). I particularly like Gazelle, the most memorable villain sidekick I've seen in a very long time -- certainly more memorable than any such Bond character since at least Xenia, and that was 20 years ago. All the actors are well-chosen and clearly having a blast, especially Colin Firth (who makes a persuasive case for why he could have played James Bond).

Cinema: 13 (+1)
DVD/Blu-ray: 7
Streaming Service: 5
 
American Sniper (8/10)
Bayonetta: Bloody Fate (7/10)
A Certain Magical Index: The Miracle of Endymion (8)
Expelled from Paradise (9/10)
Heaven's Lost Property: Final (2/10)
Jupiter Ascending (6/10)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (8)
Taken 3 (7/10)


Recently Seen:
Lupin the 3rd: Napoleon's Dictionary (8)

Running Total: 9
 
1. Searching for Sugar Man (B+)
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (A)
3. The Imitation Game (B+)
4. Selma (A)
5. Inherent Vice (B+)
6. Foxcatcher (A-)
7. Back to the Future (B)
8. American Sniper (B-)
9. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (B)
10. Beloved Sisters (A)
11. Force Majeure (B+)
12. A Most Violent Year (A-)
13. Wild (B+)
14. The Conformist (A-)
15. Blue is the Warmest Colour (A+)
16. Jean de Florette (A)
17. Two Days, One Night (A+)
18. Manon of the Spring (A)
19. Atonement (A+)
20. Honeymoon (B-)
21. The Brothers Bloom (B)
22. Mr. Turner (B+)
23. Still Alice (B+)
24. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (B+)
25. Kingsman: The Secret Service (A)
26. Birdman (A-)

I saw this in the cinema last year, a little more than three months ago. It's playing again in the indie cinema, and mere days away from its probably victory at the 2014 Academy Awards, I decided to revisit the film and firm up my thoughts on it. It still wouldn't be my choice to win (probably sixth among the eight nominees), but I think I found it more coherent the second time around, and some of the opinions voiced by the director didn't bother my reading of it so much. That said, some oddities remain. Basically all the heretofore-significant supporting cast apart from Emma Stone vanishes at the halfway point; and I really want a director's commentary, if only to explain what the point of Naomi Watts and Andrea Riseborough making out is (one hopes there is one apart from aesthetics).

27. Black Book (A-)

I rented this on DVD many years ago, and decided to revisit it, partly because it was my introduction to Carice van Houten, now a castmember on Game of Thrones. It remains a very engaging portrayal of occupied Holland, and the little complexities of wartime that are often elided from simple Resistance vs. Nazi narratives. The aforementioned van Houten is terrific in the lead role. I also have a soft spot for the movie, since it's one of the few times the Canadian 1st Army is a notable presence in a World War II film (albeit, with its members all played by people who are fairly obviously English actors doing not-great accents). My only real critique would be that I think, on rewatching, the movie cheats a bit with the way the eventual traitor is depicted prior to the revelation.

Cinema: 14 (+1)
DVD/Blu-ray: 8 (+1)
Streaming Service: 5
 
I didn't start in the thread till August that year, partial list
  1. Piranha 3D: C+
  2. Book of Eli: B
  3. Lethal Weapon: A
  4. Lethal Weapon 2: A-
  5. Lethal Weapon 3: B
  6. Lethal Weapon 4: C+
  7. The Crow: A
  8. Clash of the Titans: B+
  9. Prince of Persia: B
  10. The Fountain: D
  11. Resident Evil: A-
  12. Resident Evil: Apocalypse: B
  13. Resident Evil: Extinction: B-
  14. Resident Evil: Afterlife: B
  15. Resident Evil: Degeneration(animated): B
  16. Bad Boys: B+
  17. Zombieland: B
  18. The Evil Dead: B-
  19. R.E.D.: B
  20. 30 Days of Night: Dark Days: B+
  21. Conviction: A-
  22. Crazies(2010): A-
  23. Paranormal Activity: A+
  24. Paranormal Activity 2: A
  25. Shutter Island: B-
  26. Gamer: F
  27. Last House on the Left(orig): D+
  28. Thirst(asian film): C-
  29. The Hills Have Eyes: B
  30. When In Rome: B-
  31. Dr.Horrible Sing-A-Long: A
  32. Expelled No Intelligence Allowed(doc): B
  33. Zombie Strippers: D
  34. Mammoth: D+
  35. Everyone Else: D
  36. Dark Ages(doc): A
  37. Batman vs Dracula(anim): A-
  38. Independence Day: A
  39. Robin Hood(2010-Crowe): B
  40. Taken: A
  41. Only You: B-
  42. Momma Mia: C
  43. High Plains Drifter: C
  44. Joe Kid: A-
  45. Tron Legacy: B
  46. Voyage of the DawnTreader: B+
  47. Tourist: B
  48. Duchess: B
  49. Blade Runner: B+
  50. Men In Black: A
  51. Jumper: B-
  52. Interview with the Vampire: A-
  53. Brideshead Revisted: B
  54. Wizard of Oz: A
  55. Gone With the Wind: A
  56. True Grit: A
1. The Fighter: B-
2. Batman(90's saga): A-,B-,C-,D
3. Star Wars OT-Special Edition: B+, A, B
4. The Green Hornet: B
5. True Grit(1969): C+
6. Lord of the Rings saga: (A,A,A)
7. The Machinist: A-
8. Season of the Witch: B
9. Frozen: A-
10. Due Date: B+
11. Planet of the Apes(2001): B-
12. Faster: C
13. Romance: D (French film, subtitled)
14. YPF: C- (YPF=Young People F*&^ing)
15. The Beautiful Truth: B-
16. Strictly Sexual: C+
17. DOOM: C
18. Brothers: B+
19. Men In Black II: B-
20. The Crow: Wicked Prayer: C-
21. The Soloist: C
22. Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love: C+
23. I Now Pronounce you Chuck & Larry: B-
24. Battle in Heaven: C+ (Mexican film, subtitled)
25. Legion: B-
26. Battle: LA: B+
27. Righteous Kill: B
28. Dracula II: Ascension: B-
29. Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li: D
30. You Don't Mess With the Zohan: C+
31. Finding Bliss: C
32. Dracula III: Legacy: B-
33. Tangled: B+
34. Paul Blart Mall Cop: C-
35. Chloe: B
36. Kung Fu Panda: B-
37. Centurion: B
38. The People I've Slept With: C
39. Grown Ups: B-
40. The Conspirator: A-
41. XXX: State of the Union: C+
42. Fast Five: B+
43. THOR: A-
44. Priest: D+
45. The Fourth Kind: B+
46. POTC: On Stranger Tides: B-
47. Turtles Forever: A-
48. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story: B+
49. Easy A: A
50. Inception: B
51. #1 Cheerleader Camp: D
52. Freakanomics: C+
53. Green Lantern: C
54. The American: C-
55. Super 8: A
56. Green Lantern: First Flight: B
57. Transformers: Dark of the Moon: B-
58. 9 Songs: F
59. Kings Speech: A-
60. Whiteout: C+
61. Passion Play: D+
62. Captain America: The First Avenger: A-
63. Marley & Me: A
64. Date Night: C+
65. Frantic: B+
66. Presumed Innocent: A
67. Invictus: A
68. Rocky: A
69. Hurt Locker: A+
70. Rocky II: C+
71. Rocky III: B+
72. Rocky IV: A
73. Cowboys & Aliens: B
74. Wonder Woman (DC Animated): B+
75. Rocky V: B-
76. Conan The Barbarian('11): B-
77. Dinner for Schmucks: D
78. Nothing But the Truth: B
79. Snow Angels: B+
80. Everybody's Fine: C-
81. Rise of the Planet of the Apes: A+
82. Fragments: C+
83. Fright Night ('11): A-
84. Cold Comfort Farm: D
85. Machete: C-
86. The Queen: A
87. Public Enemies: B+
88. Drive Angry: D
89. Red Riding Hood: C+
90. Fright Night ('85): B
91. Love & Other Drugs: B
92. X-Files: I Want to Believe - B+
93. Source Code: A-
94. Paranormal Activity 3: A
95. Rachel Getting Married: C
96. Love Guru: F
97. Funny People: C-
98. Win Win: B+
99. Everything Must Go: B
100. Scott Pilgrim vs The World: D+
101. American Ninja: D
102. Revenge of the Ninja: D
103. Lonesome Dove: A
104. Black Swan: B
105. Westworld: B
106. Fireproof: A-
107. Mission Impossible(4):Ghost Protocol: A
108. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: A
109. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: A-
110. Belly: D-
111. Despicable Me: B+
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+
15. Wrath of the Titans: C
16. Cabin In the Woods: B+
17. The Rum Diary: C
18. The Eagle: C+
19. The Avengers: A+
20. The Adjustment Bureau: A
21. Sucker Punch: B-
22. Knight & Day: C+
23. Mechanic: B
24. Devil: A
25. Dark Shadows: C+
26. Men In Black 3: B-
27. Columbiana: B
28. Haywire: C
29. Snow White and the Huntsman: B-
30. Meet the Parents: A-
31. Meet the Fockers: B
32. Prometheus: B
33. Chernobyl Dairies: B-
34. Little Fockers: B-
35. Halloween III: Season of the Witch: B+
36. Winters Bone: B+
37. Battleship: A-
38. Much Ado About Nothing: B+
39. Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs: B
40. Beauty & the Beast: A+
41. Bambi: A-
42. Sex & the City 2: D+
43. Top Gun: B
44. Abraham Lincoln-Vampire Hunter: B-
45. Brave: B+
46. Kill Bill vol.1: A-
47. Kill Bill vol.2: B
48. The Amazing Spider-man: B-
49. Virgin Territory: C-
50. 21 Jump Street: B+
51. The Dark Knight Rises: A-
52. Sicko: C
53. Capitalism A Love Story: C
54. Seven Pounds: B
55. Hot Fuzz: B
56. Total Recall (2012): A-
57. Total Recall (1990): B+
58. Hardware: D+
59. The Bourne Legacy: A-
60. Once Upon A Time in the West: B-
61. Expendables 2: B+
62. Hangover 2: C
63. Moneyball: A-
64. Adventures of Tin Tin: B-
65. 2016 Obama's America: A-
66. Unknown: B
67. No Strings Attached: B+
68. Megamind: A-
69. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies: A-
70. Halloween 4:Return of Michael Myers: A-
71. Halloween 5:Revenge of Michael Myers: B+
72. Halloween The Curse of Michael Myers: B
73. Halloween H2O: A
74. Halloween Resurrection: C+
75. The Day the Earth Stood Still(2008): B
76. Looper: A-
77. Smart People: C-
78. Atlas Shrugged-Part One: B
79. Dredd: A-
80. Bridesmaids: C-
81. Taken 2: B
82. Atlas Shrugged-Part Two: C+
83. Alex Cross: A-
84. RockNRolla: B-
85. Paranormal Activity 4: B
86. Argo: A+
87. Skyline: F
88. Cop Out: D
89. Skyfall: A
90. Red Dawn (2012): B-
91. Dracula (1979): B
92. Dracula (2009): C+
93. Slither: B-
94. Your Highness: F
95. Goldeneye: A
96. Whistleblower: B+
97. The Town: A+
98. Ted: A
99. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: B+
100. Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: A
101. Jack Reacher: A-
102. Django Unchained: B+
1. A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas: C-
2. Les Miserables(2012): B
3. Lincoln: A+
4. Parental Guidance: C+
5. Warm Bodies: B
6. Waiting for Superman: B
7. Grindhouse: Planet Terror: B-
8. Grindhouse: Death Proof: C+
9. Zero Dark Thirty: A
10. Last Stand: B
11. Red Tails: A-
12. Hansel & Gretel-Witch Hunters: C-
13. Parker: B-
14. Bullet to the Head: B+
15. Judge Dredd(1995): C
16. The Mist: B+
17. A Good Day to Die Hard: B-
18. Fired Up: C+
19. Fling: C
20. Ask the Dust: D+
21. Mulan: A-
22. The Lovely Bones: B
23. The Initiation of Sarah: D
24. Jack the Giant Slayer: C+
25. Oz the Great and Powerful: B+
26. Olympus Has Fallen: A-
27. The Lives of Others: B+ (German film)
28. The Croods: B+
29. Jennifers Body: D+
30. Evil Dead (2013 remake): B+
31. G.I. Joe: Retaliation: B
32. The Dark Knight Returns pt.1: A+
33. The Dark Knight Returns pt.2: A+
34. Batman: Gotham Knight: B
35. Superman/Shazam: Return of Black Adam: A-
36. Batman: Year One: B
37. Batman/Superman: Apocalypse: A+
38. Superman vs The Elite: B+
39. Justice League: Doom: A
40. Green Lantern First Flight: A
41. Oblivion: B+
42. Iron Man 3: B-
43. Planet Hulk: A-
44. Welcome to the Jungle: F
45. The Time Travelers Wife: B+
46. Star Trek into Darkness: A-
47. The Lost Tomb of Jesus: B
48. The Heat: C+
49. Fast and Furious 6: A-
50. Hangover III: C-
51. Now You See Me: A
52. Boot Camp: B-
53. Green Zone: C
54. Ninja Assassin: B
55. Mr&Mrs. Smith: A-
56. Silver Linings Playbook: A-
57. Man of Steel: B+
58. Doubt: A
59. Godfather: A
60. World War Z: B
61. Much Ado About Nothing: A-
62. The Lone Ranger: C+
63. Godfather pt.II: A+
64. Godfather pt.III: B
65. Beyond Sherwood Forest: D
66. R.E.D. 2: B-
67. The Wolverine: B+
68. R.I.P.D.: C+
69. Proof of Life: B-
70. The Conjuring: B
71. Pacific Rim: B-
72. Alone in the Dark: D
73. Apocalypto: A
74. Stargate: Ark of Truth: A-
75. Stargate: Continuum: A
76. Mortal Instruments: City of Bones: B-
77. Pi: C-
78. Riddick: B+
79. Percy Jackson: Lightning Thief: B
80. The World's End: C+
81. The Other Woman: B
82. The Other Guys: B-
83. The Sorcerer's Apprentice: C+
84. Catfish: A-
85. Wild Hogs: C
86. Zach & Miri Make a Porno: B
87. Gravity: A+
88. Supergirl: D
89. Escape Plan: B+
90. Prisoners: A
91. Disappearance of Alice Creed: A
92. Deathrace 2000: C+
93. Thor Dark World: A-
94. Superman Unbound: B+
95. JCVD: B-
96. Drive: B-
97. Hunger Games: Catching Fire: B+
98. War Horse: B
99. How to Train Your Dragon: A
100. Scrooged: A-
101. W: D+
102. 127 Hours: A-
103. Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug: B+
104. Moonrise Kingdom: A
105. Piranha DD: D
1. Saving Mr.Banks: A
2. American Hustle: A-
3. Larry Crowne: B+
4. The Grey: C
5. Real Steel: B-
6. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit: B
7. Just Go With It: A-
8. The Road: B
9. Blue Valentine: B
10. Fifth Element: C
11. Boy in the Stripped Pajamas: A
12. Hachi: A Dog's Tale: A
13. She's Out of My League: C
14. The Lego Movie: A
15. Whip It: B
16. Up in the Air: B
17. 300: Rise of an Empire: B+
18. Splice: C-
19. Mirrors: B-
20. Pitch Perfect: A-
21. Noah: C-
22. 2 Guns: B
23. The Seventh Seal: B+
24. Mongol: A-
25. Captain America The Winter Soldier: A+
26. Munich: B
27. Amazing Spider-man 2: C-
28. The Killer Inside Me: A-
29. Rio 2: B
30. Welcome to the Rileys: B+
31. X-Men: Days of Future Past: A-
32. Atonement: B
33. Charlie Wilson's War: A
34. Frozen: A-
35. Rio: B
36. Godzilla: B
37. Bowfinger: B-
38. Transformers Age of Extinction: C+
39. We Bought A Zoo: A-
40. Chronicle: D+
41. Knights Tale: C+
42. 9: D+
43. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: A-
44. The Help: A
45. From Paris w/Love: B
46. Guardians of the Galaxy: A-
47. Wreck It Ralph: A
48. Land of the Lost: C-
49. Expendables 3: B-
50. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: B
51. Never Let Me Go: D
52. Ghostbusters 30th Anniversary viewing: A
53. Yes Man: B+
54. The Joneses: B
55. The Informant: A-
56. Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore: B
57. Twelve: B+
58. Cyrus: A-
59. We're the Millers: A-
60. Big Hero 6: A
61. Fun Size: B-
62. Friday: A
63. White House Down: B+
64. Metropolis: B/B-
65. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial: A
66. ELF: A
67. THX 1138: C+
68. Dirty Harry: A-
69. Magnum Force: A
70. The Enforcer: B+
71. Sudden Impact: B
72. The Dead Pool: B-
73. In the Land of Blood & Honey: A+
74. Harry Potter & the Philosophers Stone: A
75. Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets: B+
76. Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban: A

The 2015 list:

1. Mockingjay part 1: A-
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: A
3. Dairy of a Mad Black Woman: A-
4. Dolphin Tale: A-
5. The Equalizer: A
6. Veronica Mars-The Movie: B+
7. Monsters University: A
8. Demolition Man: B-

In the discussion thread for Rambo 5, I think, mention of Demolition Man came up and it's similarities to Sly's Judge Dredd. I saw this once, maybe not even completely, on cable and decided I must Netflix it as it was a gap in my Sly viewing.

I see what the poster meant, it does have striking similarities to Judge Dredd and obvious contrast points as well. While it was made in '93 it still feels like a late 80's screen play. Snipes is chewing up scenery and hamming it up. Stallone is in full on action mode when not making quippy one liners, however a few seemed forced. Like the screenplay was a check the boxes endeavor.

I will say that at the conclusion of the film I'd be curious to see where things are at now. How did Spartan and Simon's re-emergence and Edgar Friendly's rise alter the Utopian Society that residents felt like had been established for nearly 20 some years.
I'd be game for Sly to revisit Spartan if he's game after Rambo 5.
 
Today I've watched The Glenn Miller Story and The Ghost Writer. The first is an oldie, starring Jimmy Stewart. Great music, solid acting, nice ending. Sad, but unavoidable if it's to be true to life. The second is based on a Robert Harris novel -- a political conspiracy/thriller about a man tasked with writing Tony Blair's memoirs. The movie stars Ewan McGregor as the ghost, and Pierce Brosnan as Lang. Well done, but the ending was a downer -- and a surprise, despite my having read the book.
 
1. Searching for Sugar Man (B+)
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (A)
3. The Imitation Game (B+)
4. Selma (A)
5. Inherent Vice (B+)
6. Foxcatcher (A-)
7. Back to the Future (B)
8. American Sniper (B-)
9. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (B)
10. Beloved Sisters (A)
11. Force Majeure (B+)
12. A Most Violent Year (A-)
13. Wild (B+)
14. The Conformist (A-)
15. Blue is the Warmest Colour (A+)
16. Jean de Florette (A)
17. Two Days, One Night (A+)
18. Manon of the Spring (A)
19. Atonement (A+)
20. Honeymoon (B-)
21. The Brothers Bloom (B)
22. Mr. Turner (B+)
23. Still Alice (B+)
24. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (B+)
25. Kingsman: The Secret Service (A)
26. Birdman (A-)
27. Black Book (A-)
28. Leviathan (B+)

The Golden Globe-winner for Foreign Film (and up for the same category tomorrow at the Academy Awards), a pessimistic look at contemporary life in Russia, where corruption eats away at the state just as surely as cirrhosis eats at the livers of the citizenry (seldom has so much clear alcohol been consumed onscreen). The title is explicitly cited in the film as a Bible reference, but the content of the movie, about the tyrannical force of the state, just as readily invokes Hobbes. In truth, just based on the reviews, etc. that I had read, I was expecting the film to focus on this more than it actually did -- the middle third, especially, is largely given over to domestic strife, though this ends up having dire consequences in the finale.

29. Terms of Endearment (B)

James L. Brooks' debut film -- few filmmakers can be said to have started out more successfully, what with the three Oscars he personally collected for this, including Best Picture; and directing Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson to Oscars (the second, in Nicholson's case, and the first of two Oscars that Brooks would help him to). Despite such an auspicious start, Brooks hasn't made that many films since. I've seen Broadcast News, which I thought was brilliant, and Spanglish, the ending of which drove me bonkers.

Anyway, from what little I knew about this going in it was talked about as a prototypical "chick flick", which left me unprepared for how weird I thought a lot of this is, particularly in the first hour -- Shirley MacLaine's character, especially, and the whole nature of her courtship with Jack Nicholson. Nicholson is fine in his part, but I really don't understand how he won an Oscar for this role; MacLaine has some great scenes, but there are other times when her acting choices just seem over-the-top (like a sudden screaming fit during her daughter's hospital stay). Debra Winger gives easily the film's best performance as the aforementioned daughter, and if anyone was going to win an Oscar for this movie, it should have been her. For most of the running time the movie really didn't connect with me, but the final half-hour where, where Winger's character gets cancer out-of-nowhere, is a reasonably effective weepy.

It occurred to me while watching this that the film serves, on a couple of points, as an interesting microcosm of the different ways men and women are treated in Hollywood as they age. Firstly, this is the rare time Jack Nicholson is paired with someone older than he is (only by 3 years, granted), and his character's dating/attempts at dating much younger women is actually examined critically. More significantly, just consider where the cast of this movie is 32 years later. Jack Nicholson appears to be pretty much in retirement, but does anyone doubt that he'd get a ton of offers if he was looking to work more? The film also features, comparatively early in their film careers, Jeff Daniels and John Lithgow (the latter, both working quite steadily and winning awards well into the current decade. Winger is the same age as Daniels, but where's she been the last twenty years or so?

Cinema: 14 (+1)
DVD/Blu-ray: 8 (+1)
Streaming Service: 5
 
A Long Way Down - Netflix Instant
Nick Offerman: American Ham- Netflix Instant
The Interview - xbox
The Book Thief - DVD
As Above, So Below - DVD
30 for 30: Pony Excess - Netflix Instant
All Is Lost - Netflix Instant
Get On Up - DVD
Dallas Buyers Club - DVD
American Sniper - matinee
The Conspirator - Netflix Instant
The Bag Man - Netflix Instant
Patton Oswalt: Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time (2014) - Netflix Instant
Brick Mansions - Netflix Instant
Justice League: Throne of Atlantis - DVD
Lego Justice League vs Bizarro League - DVD
Kingsman: The Secret Service - theater

My third trip to a movie theater this year, second new movie seen in a theater this year.

Took my younger nephew with me to see the latest from the director of Kick-Ass and First Class.

I thought it was a very fun movie, a great send up to James Bond while also bein' a bit of a tribute, too. Sam Jackson was a great villain, and Colin Firth was freakin' awesome.

I'm hopin' for a sequel and debatin' on if I'll go see it again.
 
I just watched: Predestination (2015), a time travel paradox story with Ethan Hawke.

The time travel story gets a 65% score from me

The movie itself is very nice to watch and I give it a 85% score
 
A Long Way Down - Netflix Instant
Nick Offerman: American Ham- Netflix Instant
The Interview - xbox
The Book Thief - DVD
As Above, So Below - DVD
30 for 30: Pony Excess - Netflix Instant
All Is Lost - Netflix Instant
Get On Up - DVD
Dallas Buyers Club - DVD
American Sniper - matinee
The Conspirator - Netflix Instant
The Bag Man - Netflix Instant
Patton Oswalt: Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time (2014) - Netflix Instant
Brick Mansions - Netflix Instant
Justice League: Throne of Atlantis - DVD
Lego Justice League vs Bizarro League - DVD
Kingsman: The Secret Service - theater
Earth to Echo - Netflix Instant

Swappin' texts with a friend the other night, said she watched EtE with her kids, and that it was a crap movie. I watched it yesterday, and she was right.

First person, shot usin' cellphones, webcams, camcorder & a mounted camera on a bike, it tells the story of three best friends who find a alien and have to help him make his way home while they're stalked by the guy tryin' to find the alien's ship.

Its E.T. for a new era, without the heart or emotional connection to any of the characters, includin' the CGI puppet they name Echo.
 
Been watching a lot of TV lately and playing video games lately. Back to movies!

17. The Ice Storm ★★★ - This has been on my watchlist for quite a while. A lot of great performances. Elijah Wood is especially creepy for some reason going on and on about molecules.

18. The Imitation Game ★★★ - It's a good movie and I'm seriously interested in reading the source material now because I'm on a huge WWII kick at the moment. I think the film could have supported another hour of footage, though.
 
Dumb & Dumber To - Online - While I enjoyed the first one, I didn't really like this one. Any magic that happen to be in the original is all gone for this one. I may have laughed a couple times but barely.

Jupiter Ascending - Online - Honestly I just don't get this movie. I love big space operas but this one is so dumb, with terrible acting pretty much from everyone, including Sean Bean. Who didn't die in the movie, well you think he does but he shows up at the end but honestly you just don't care at this point. The best thing you can say about the movie is that the effects are fantastic, seeing Jupiter rendered so lovely was awesome. If it wasn't that I love Bound so much, I would consider The Matrix to be a fluke at this point.
 
1. Searching for Sugar Man (B+)
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (A)
3. The Imitation Game (B+)
4. Selma (A)
5. Inherent Vice (B+)
6. Foxcatcher (A-)
7. Back to the Future (B)
8. American Sniper (B-)
9. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (B)
10. Beloved Sisters (A)
11. Force Majeure (B+)
12. A Most Violent Year (A-)
13. Wild (B+)
14. The Conformist (A-)
15. Blue is the Warmest Colour (A+)
16. Jean de Florette (A)
17. Two Days, One Night (A+)
18. Manon of the Spring (A)
19. Atonement (A+)
20. Honeymoon (B-)
21. The Brothers Bloom (B)
22. Mr. Turner (B+)
23. Still Alice (B+)
24. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (B+)
25. Kingsman: The Secret Service (A)
26. Birdman (A-)
27. Black Book (A-)
28. Leviathan (B+)
29. Terms of Endearment (B)
30. Marty (B+)

The shortest Best Picture winner ever made, and very likely the most unassuming, is 1955's Marty (which, even more remarkably given its modest ambitions, is the only film to win both the Best Picture Oscar and the Palme d'Or), a cinematic version of Paddy Chayefsky's earlier telefilm about a butcher who is unmarried and approaching age 34, which in the 1950s is taken to mean he's rotting on the vine (even though, now that I think about it, he seems to have tons of other friends in the same situation). After going out to a dance hall at his mother's insistence, he ends up meeting a similarly-situated 29-year-old teacher, and they hit it off. That's...more or less it, really.

With plot at a minimum, this is largely a character study, as well as a commentary on the stages of life of its various characters (including Marty's mother, who he still lives with, and her sister, who is moving in with them because her own children can't stand her). My main earlier point of reference for Chayefsky is, of course, Network, and his ear for dialogue is still evident here (albeit, the characters are obviously nowhere near as erudite). The cast, likewise, is well-chosen. My main problem would be that this really feels like somewhere between half and two thirds of a movie. Something like 75% of the running time is dedicated merely to the night Marty and Clara first meet, and the few scenes set the next day really don't pay off any of the conflicts raised in a very compelling way. There's a whole sideplot which serves mainly to introduce Marty's mother's fear that if Marty gets into a real relationship he'll eventually have no use for her, but this really doesn't go anywhere or resolve. Life goes on, of course, but this is a movie, and it really needed more of a climax.

Cinema: 14
DVD/Blu-ray: 8
Streaming Service: 6 (+1)
 
Last edited:
1. Searching for Sugar Man (B+)
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (A)
3. The Imitation Game (B+)
4. Selma (A)
5. Inherent Vice (B+)
6. Foxcatcher (A-)
7. Back to the Future (B)
8. American Sniper (B-)
9. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (B)
10. Beloved Sisters (A)
11. Force Majeure (B+)
12. A Most Violent Year (A-)
13. Wild (B+)
14. The Conformist (A-)
15. Blue is the Warmest Colour (A+)
16. Jean de Florette (A)
17. Two Days, One Night (A+)
18. Manon of the Spring (A)
19. Atonement (A+)
20. Honeymoon (B-)
21. The Brothers Bloom (B)
22. Mr. Turner (B+)
23. Still Alice (B+)
24. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (B+)
25. Kingsman: The Secret Service (A)
26. Birdman (A-)
27. Black Book (A-)
28. Leviathan (B+)
29. Terms of Endearment (B)
30. Marty (B+)
31. The Greatest Show on Earth (C+)

Soon-to-expire on Netflix, thus prompting my watching it, this is another 1950s Best Picture winner -- often identified as the worst ever, and fairly blatantly selected mainly to give a competitive award to legendary Hollywood producer/director Cecil B. DeMille (in retrospect, they could have waited four years for the one film of his that is genuinely remembered). The film was a huge hit at the time (something like $500 million, adjusted for inflation, at the North American box office), and I expect the big attraction here was the lengthy circus scenes, all rendered effectively in Technicolour. To the modern viewer (me, anyway), these plotless bits drag the film down, but they were probably effective spectacle at the time (some of the trapeze stuff, less the now-amateurship back-projection used in close-ups, is still quite thrilling to watch today, I will say).

Threading all this together are a few very rote love stories, which never become heightened enough to become enjoyably corny, despite a few initial scenes that seem to promise this. Charlton Heston is stuck in a very dull straight-man part. Betty Hutton, as the female lead, is fine. The most engaging person onscreen in Cornel Wilde (which is also what his character is meant to be in-universe, fittingly enough), but the film unwisely minimizes his screentime in the last hour. There's also a spectacle of a different sort, namely, Jimmy Stewart playing a character called "Buttons the Clown". He manage to retain far more dignity than the name would suggest, which is particularly impressive given that he does all his scenes in full clown makeup to conceal his identity (Buttons, it turns out, is on the run from the law for Kevorkian-ing his wife a decade earlier).

All this, plus a couple of random villains whose petty motivations make the extremes to which they go more than a little hard to swallow (as well as the resolution to this plot.

But Steven Spielberg apparently considered it a childhood favourite and influence on his decision to become a director, so we can be thankful for that, at least.

Cinema: 14
DVD/Blu-ray: 8
Streaming Service: 7 (+1)
 
DVD - 2
Cinema - 3
Streaming Service - 4
Television Broadcast - 1

1 Guardians of the Galaxy
Rewatch.
A Marvel movie. I found it as good as the first time. The story of the Guardians of the Galaxy and how they come to save Xandar from Ronin was well written. Each of the characters (except Ronin, Nebula and Thanos) were well realized. 8/10.


2 Big Hero 6
A Disney Animated Canon movie based on a Marvel property. I found that this was well realized, especially when it came to Hiro's grieving for his brother, Tadashi. His character was well written. The moral quandaries that he and his new friends face as they track down a new villain in San Fransoyko are also well written. 8.5/10.


3 Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Rewatch
A Disney Animated Canon movie based on the novels by Lewis Carrol. I found this movie, just as strange as I remembered. Especially with the Cheshire Cat causing Alice to provoke the Queen of Hearts (not that she needed it much) into wanting to execute her. The other characters, including the Hatter and the White Rabbit are just as strange as I remembered. 7.5/10.


4 The Water Diviner
A movie loosely based on a true story about an Australian farmer who tries to find the bodies of his sons who went to fight at Gallipoli. This movie showed the grief and loss of war very well (and also the impact of trench warfare on the unfortunate participants involved). The characters of the farmer and the people he meets during his quest are well realised. As is the situation in the post-war Ottoman Empire. 9/10.


5 Cinderella (1950)
Rewatch
A Disney Animated Canon movie based on the fairy tale by Charles Perrault. I found this movie just as interesting as I remembered (although I remembered less than with Alice in Wonderland). This story of the kind orphaned girl who is abused by her stepfamily is still quite powerful in an emotional sense. The interaction between Cinderella and her fairy godmother was well done. As was the character of the stepmother. 8/10.


6 Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
The third in the Night at the Museum series, based on a children’s book. I found that this movie is just as enjoyable and well written as the first in the series. The situations and the various characters involved in this film were well realized. Larry Daley's character growth is impressive, particularly when it came to discussing with his son about the latter's choices about life after school. Additionally knowing that this was Robin Williams' last role made his scenes rather poignant, particularly towards the end. 9/10.


7. Thor: The Dark World
Rewatch
A Marvel movie. The scond in the Thor series, based on the Marvel comic series. This is still enjoyable on the third (or fourth) viewing. The situation with the convergence is well written (although the Dark Elves', and Melekith's in particular, motivations seem a little simplistic). Thor and Jane Foster's reunion is well done, both Hemsworth and Portman's performances were very good. The plot thread involving Loki is very well realized, easily continuing his story from the first Thor and Avengers.
Well worth seeing again. 8/10.


8 Fantasia (1940)
Rewatch
A Disney Animated Canon movie. A series of short stories set to classical music. I found it quite as interesting as I remembered it. All of the sequences set to the classical pieces are well done, especially in the animation. (Some are not quite to my taste, like the Chernoborg sequences, or the Bacchanalia, but Disney and his animators did them well.) As for a part did like, the Sorceror's Apprentice, liked well. Not just because of Mickey Mouse, but because of the lesson involved. To not get over your head in a power you barely involved.
The Sorceror's response is the way would expect a master to react. A great rewatch. 9/10.


9 Muppet Treasure Island
Rewatch
A Muppet movie based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. As is usual for the Muppets, the movie is filled with humour. The role of Jim Hawkins has been expanded to include Rizzo and The Great Gonzo. (Although most of his original plot line is intact). The Jim Henson Company has outdone themselves, they had built upon their experience with the A Muppet Christmas Carol. Tim Curry is great as Long John Silver. Humourous, and yet; threatening. Easily believable as the pirate leader.
All the musical numbers are great, younger children can easily sing along. Not only that, but they add to the comedic atmosphere of the film. 9/10.


10 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Rewatch
A movie based on the Roald Dahl novel of the same name. The story of a reclusive chocolatier who sends out five golden tickets for visitors to his factory. It is also the story of the recipients of those tickets, and how their character flaws influence their journey through the factory. Johnny Depp is his usual idiosyncratic self as Willy Wonka, the chocolatier who takes the flawed children and their guardians through the factory. He was rather good in the role, albeit quite weird. The other characters are well portrayed (as in the events lead to the consequences are quite believable).
Charlie Bucket, the poor (as in socio-economically; not in character, nor in fate) boy who is the final recipient of the golden ticket is better portrayed than the other child characters. 8/10/
 
A Long Way Down - Netflix Instant
Nick Offerman: American Ham- Netflix Instant
The Interview - xbox
The Book Thief - DVD
As Above, So Below - DVD
30 for 30: Pony Excess - Netflix Instant
All Is Lost - Netflix Instant
Get On Up - DVD
Dallas Buyers Club - DVD
American Sniper - matinee
The Conspirator - Netflix Instant
The Bag Man - Netflix Instant
Patton Oswalt: Tragedy Plus Comedy Equals Time (2014) - Netflix Instant
Brick Mansions - Netflix Instant
Justice League: Throne of Atlantis - DVD
Lego Justice League vs Bizarro League - DVD
Kingsman: The Secret Service - theater
Earth to Echo - Netflix Instant
Jupiter Ascending 2D - theater

Went out to the Cinemark in Lufkin after work to watch JA 2D tonight.

It wasn't as bad as I expected from the folks who brought us two thirds of The Matrix trilogy.

The different aliens are pretty cool, and the CGI isn't too terrible, though I'm glad I didn't try to watch it in 3D.

Mila Kunis fallin' got a little old after awhile, though...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
If you are not already a member then please register an account and join in the discussion!

Sign up / Register


Back
Top