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Movies Seen in 2015

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-
9. Jack & Jill: D+
10. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: B+
11. Rango: B-

HP&OotP: seemed to be severly lacking the Order for most of the movie. They get an introduction near the end of the first act then don't appear as a group, and scant few of them appear anywhere else in the film, until the closing moments of the film for the final confrontation. That's my only real negative on the film as a whole. Also, Potter's dad was the Malfoy(sp) of his generation to Snape(sp).

Rango: the Johnny Depp animated film about a pet lizard that ends up in the desert. It had some ups/downs but it didn't feel like a strictly made of kids film. Some of the more subtle adult humor felt forced. I'm glad I saw it but it's not one I'd buy. Worth a viewing I'd say.
 
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+)
32. Focus (B)
33. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (A)
34. The Quiet Man (C+)
35. My Left Foot (B+)
36. Shame (B+)
37. Heavenly Creatures (A)
38. When Harry Met Sally (A+)
39. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (B-)
40. The Invisible Woman (B)
41. All That Jazz (A-)
42. Smashed (B)
43. Serena (D+)

As both a cinephile and someone who follows awards season, this film first came to my attention because, as a period piece that reteamed Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper after their first collaboration on Silver Linings Playbook, it seemed like one to watch. Then, as it continued to fail to materialize, rumours swirled about it being a total trainwreck that all involved were hoping would stay buried. A few video reviews I watched convinced me to take a look (I don't normally seek out bad movies). I suspect this will probably not be a ton of interest to bad movie fans. I gather that several different cuts of this film were made to try to get people interested, and possibly there's a crazier version of it out there, but while I suspect the editing is largely responsible for many of the movie's problems (a passel of supporting characters with minimal motivations, and the central character's totally-unspecified corrupt practices, being among them), there's no "no wire hangers!" moment here, and Lawrence and Cooper are basically unscathed. For the first 90 minutes of its 110 minute run time, it's largely just dull.

Some sparks finally emerge in the final 20 minutes, in the form of some fairly implausible plotting (including multiple instances of pretty spectacular police incompetence), but the sombre tone and pretty good (or indifferent, I guess) acting mute what might otherwise be campy material. The best example of this being Rhys Ifans as a man who claims to have some sort of "sight" who fixates on Jennifer Lawrence and, after she saves his life, says that his mother foretold that a woman would save his life and that he therefore has to do whatever she says (the fact that he was staring at her was also the reason his life was in danger in the first place, mind you) -- I mean, just look at that written down. His character is the oddest part of the movie, but none of his scenes have any energy to them. The film also ends with Bradley Cooper being mauled to death by a panther.

Cinema: 16
DVD/Blu-ray: 10
Streaming Service: 17 (+1)
 
The Cobbler. C.

Adam plays a quite (intellectually) simple man, who finds a magic sewing machine and stops land swindling deal form Scooby Doo.

Funny moments, barely a story, ridiculous payoff and then some left field garbage that seems like a dream sequence after the hero has a stroke.
 
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+)
32. Focus (B)
33. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (A)
34. The Quiet Man (C+)
35. My Left Foot (B+)
36. Shame (B+)
37. Heavenly Creatures (A)
38. When Harry Met Sally (A+)
39. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (B-)
40. The Invisible Woman (B)
41. All That Jazz (A-)
42. Smashed (B)
43. Serena (D+)
44. Malcolm X (A-)

Spike Lee's lengthy 1992 biopic of the black nationalist leader certainly allows itself plenty of room to tell his varied life, though I think some segments are more interesting than others. The early scenes of Malcolm becoming a petty criminal are entertaining enough (including some amazingly garish costuming). The middle, beginning with his being sent to jail, is where the film really soars. The early scenes between Denzel Washington and Albert Hall's Baines are excellent -- the latter is so convincing as a passionate, intellectual guide that you can fully believe him even as he's selling the less, er, sensible aspects of the Nation of Islam (even if one can understand where those belief would come come from). This momentum continues when he leaves jail and quickly becomes the Nation's chief spokesman. I feel like the momentum begins to wane along with Malcolm's loss of faith in the movement; perhaps contrary to the movie's goals, I found the black supremacist Malcolm X a far more interesting figure to watch than when he grows as a person and embraces a wider range of people (the people around Malcolm all just seem to become corrupted instantaneously, which perhaps mirrors Malcolm's obliviousness to it's happening, but I still found it a bit jarring). The very ending, eh, I'm really not sure about. This is perhaps one place where not being part of the group to whom Malcolm was such an important figure works against me, as the children all standing up feels a bit too on-the-nose -- though I guess when you can get Nelson Mandela to be in your movie, you go for it.

45. The Iron Giant (A-)

Skimming Netflix Instant's selection this popped up, the perfect opportunity to finally see the only Brad Bird film I'd never seen before. I'd been meaning to for years, given its excellent reputation and my love for his other work, but never gotten around to it. A simple story, told very well (it's funny to realize the Giant is voiced by Vin Diesel). Regarding the ending, I'm generally fairly accepting of the use of fake deaths in children's films, because I recognize that ultimately it's generally better to give the kids a taste of the dark stuff, and then walk it back a bit (when you're dealing with the climax, anyway) -- in this case, though, it really feels like they could have gotten away with ending it simply with the robot destroyed and it would have been a better ending.

Cinema: 16
DVD/Blu-ray: 11 (+1)
Streaming Service: 18 (+1)
 
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+)
32. Focus (B)
33. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (A)
34. The Quiet Man (C+)
35. My Left Foot (B+)
36. Shame (B+)
37. Heavenly Creatures (A)
38. When Harry Met Sally (A+)
39. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (B-)
40. The Invisible Woman (B)
41. All That Jazz (A-)
42. Smashed (B)
43. Serena (D+)
44. Malcolm X (A-)
45. The Iron Giant (A-)
46. Cinderella (A-)

The audience for this film was, per Box Office Mojo, 66% female and 66% families -- as a male unaccompanied by either, I wonder what percentage I would fall into. I'm a big fan of Kenneth Branagh and I very much enjoy fairy tales, so I made my first trip to Kingston's major cinema in a number of weeks.

This is loosely a live-action version of the 1950 animated film, and there are little indicators scattered throughout -- the name "Tremaine" for the step-family, the cat Lucifer, the mice's names (though they don't talk here) -- but overall they're quite downplayed (the cat, especially). I've seen some people say about this that if you've seen the former film you've seen this, and while that's true to an extent, that's mainly because they're both very faithful adaptations of the original; this never feels to me like a scene-for-scene retread. Which is good, because the 1950 animated film is probably the weakest "classic" Disney film, and I think this is much, much better.

In an age where so many tellings are deconstructions, "updates", or tongue-in-cheek, I greatly appreciated the movie's wholehearted embrace of the classic take. It's the best version of this story I can recall seeing, and one of the things that works best is a very simple thing (one I can't recall seeing elsewhere to this extent): it greatly expands on Cinderella's initial happy life, the deaths of her parents, and the way her step-family gradually reduce her to servitude. This whole phase of her life is usually treated as a quick prologue, but I think it's essential to really investing the audience in the character and the arc of her life.

On a production level, the costume design here is exemplary. I initially didn't think much of Cinderella's ballgown in the promotional materials, but in the movie itself it looks great; and Branagh, Sandy Powell, and the cinematographer do amazing work with colour here. The ball is a riot of different colours that work together masterfully, and all of it draws the eye to Cinderella. Set design, etc., is also excellent. There's a few bits of dodgy CGI here in the transformation sequences, though the one that really stands out is unrelated to that. One of the little tweaks they make is that the Fairy Godmother initially appears in a manner that draws on another classic myth/fairy tale trope, as a poor old woman begging for food -- Cinderella, of course, gives her some, thus showing her good character -- and they've used what looks like not-that-convincing CGI for this, when this could easily have been done with makeup.

47. Elmer Gantry (B+)

I rewatched this for the first time in a while. Sinclair Lewis was the first American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, but his reputation today hasn't really held up nearly that well -- which isn't to say he's a bad writer by any means, but his various satires of middle America can seem rather tepid today, where they once scorched. This adaptation of his critique of evangelical revivalism, made in 1960, actually comes with a text disclaimer trying to ward off criticism, and urging that "impressionable young minds" be kept away from it. It's not exactly revelatory material today, but it's adapted pretty well; albeit the movie feels too long. Burt Lancaster's Elmer Gantry is as dynamic a talker as Malcolm X, though in service of very different causes. The main thing I remember about this, though, is Shirley Jones' performance as Lulu -- this would have to go on the shortlist of sexiest performances given in films made under the Hays Code.

Cinema: 17 (+1)
DVD/Blu-ray: 12 (+1)
Streaming Service: 18
 
25. Force Majeure (Turist) ★★★1/2

A great Swedish film about some family turmoil during a ski vacation. It's wonderfully acted and beautifully shot. It was on the shortlist for the academy award for best foreign film and is streaming on the US Netflix.
 
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
Ralphie May: Unruly - Netflix Instant
In a World... - Netflix Instant
Focus - theater
Bad Grandpa: Unrated Version - Netflix Instant
The Quick and the Dead - Netflix Instant

Watched the Sam Raimi directed Western from a couple of decades ago, starrin' Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman & Russell Crowe in his first U.S. film.

It wasn't that good.

The Lady rides into town on the eve of a gunslinger tournament. She's on a mission of revenge, and gets forced to compete against other gunslingers, makin' friends & enemies along the way.

It really wasn't that good.

Interestin' cast, though, that included Gary Sinise, Tobin Bell, Lance Henriksen, Leonardo DiCaprio, Keith David & Pat Hingle.
 
American Sniper (8/10)
Avenger's Confidential: Black Widow and The Punisher (9/10)
Bayonetta: Bloody Fate (7/10)
A Certain Magical Index: The Miracle of Endymion (8/10)
Chappie (8/10)
Expelled from Paradise (9/10)
Heaven's Lost Property: Final (2/10)
Jupiter Ascending (6/10)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (8/10)
Lupin the 3rd: Napoleon's Dictionary (8/10)
Planet Hulk (7/10)
Taken 3 (7/10)

Recently Seen:
Odin: Starlight Mutiny (5/10)
Bad Ass (7)

Running Total: 14
 
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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
Ralphie May: Unruly - Netflix Instant
In a World... - Netflix Instant
Focus - theater
Bad Grandpa: Unrated Version - Netflix Instant
The Quick and the Dead - Netflix Instant
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn - Netflix Instant

Watched one of Robin Williams' final films tonight, in which he co-stars with Mila Kunis, Peter Dinklage & Melissa Leo.

An angry lawyer is told he has ninety minutes to live, and spends the next hour & a half tryin' to make up for years of rage & neglect to his wife & son while the doctor who diagnosed him chases him across Brooklyn to get him back to the hospital.

Not a great film, but not bad for a dark comedy. And nice cameos from Richard Kind & James Earl Jones.
 
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+)
32. Focus (B)
33. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (A)
34. The Quiet Man (C+)
35. My Left Foot (B+)
36. Shame (B+)
37. Heavenly Creatures (A)
38. When Harry Met Sally (A+)
39. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (B-)
40. The Invisible Woman (B)
41. All That Jazz (A-)
42. Smashed (B)
43. Serena (D+)
44. Malcolm X (A-)
45. The Iron Giant (A-)
46. Cinderella (A-)
47. Elmer Gantry (B+)
48. Kiss Me Kate (B-)

A musical where the musical elements feel generally superfluous. The premise is a behind-the-scenes look at a Broadway production of an adapted version of The Taming of the Shrew, where, amongst other things, the stars are recently-divorced actors. A lot of this works pretty well, and the onscreen renditions of scenes from Shakespeare's play are also fun (Howard Keel, the male lead, especially, come alive when playing Petruchio); except it's a version of the play with some anachronistic and not-terribly-relevant songs put in it (the movie also can't seem to decide whether it's primarily a diegetic or non-diegetic musical). It was funny seeing the young James Whitmore as a gangster.

Cinema: 17
DVD/Blu-ray: 13(+1)
Streaming Service: 18
 
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
Ralphie May: Unruly - Netflix Instant
In a World... - Netflix Instant
Focus - theater
Bad Grandpa: Unrated Version - Netflix Instant
The Quick and the Dead - Netflix Instant
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn - Netflix Instant
Chappie - theater

Took my younger nephew to the cheap matinee of the day this afternoon for the latest from the director of District 9 and Elysium.

When I saw the poster, I was sold just 'cause of the director. The cast & story were secondary. Too bad Hugh Jackman is just a bad guy and Sigourney Weaver is a glorified cameo. The effects work is top notch, though, even if the "Moose" looks too much like a Robocop rip off.

It was an okay movie, not great...D9 is still my favorite of his movies.
 
Took my younger nephew to the cheap matinee of the day this afternoon for the latest from the director of District 9 and Elysium.

When I saw the poster, I was sold just 'cause of the director. The cast & story were secondary. Too bad Hugh Jackman is just a bad guy and Sigourney Weaver is a glorified cameo. The effects work is top notch, though, even if the "Moose" looks too much like a Robocop rip off.

It was an okay movie, not great...D9 is still my favorite of his movies.
Click to expand...
The robot design for Chappie and the other robot police is a blatant ripoff of Briarios from Appleseed as well.
 
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+)
32. Focus (B)
33. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (A)
34. The Quiet Man (C+)
35. My Left Foot (B+)
36. Shame (B+)
37. Heavenly Creatures (A)
38. When Harry Met Sally (A+)
39. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (B-)
40. The Invisible Woman (B)
41. All That Jazz (A-)
42. Smashed (B)
43. Serena (D+)
44. Malcolm X (A-)
45. The Iron Giant (A-)
46. Cinderella (A-)
47. Elmer Gantry (B+)
48. Kiss Me Kate (B-)
49. Singin' in the Rain (A-)

The one movie of the three here that I had seen before, though this was the first viewing on Blu-ray (I was watching with a friend who hadn't seen it before). It holds up very well a second time around, with the exception of -- and this is hardly an original thought -- the "Broadway Melody" sequence. Jesus, that goes on forever, and it stops the movie dead in its tracks. It's technically impressive, no doubt, but it's ultimately an empty display of technique (there are a few other numbers that really serve no real purpose either, such as the one with Kelly, O'Connor and the diction teacher). That said, the core of the story, when it doesn't stray off on tangents, is a lot of fun (Jean Hagen's airhead villain is especially a highlight). The "Broadway Melody" bit also features Cyd Charisse, who also starred in...

50. The Band Wagon (A-)

I'd heard a lot of good things about this one, which has a bit of a reputation as the dark horse contender for the best "golden age" musical. I approached it with some trepidation, since my only prior experience with director Vincente Minnelli was Gigi (a family-friendly aesthetic applied to a thoroughly creepy story), while Fred Astaire's later 50s musical Funny Face was unconvincing primarily because of him. However, this definitely lives up to its reputation; it's definitely my favourite of the musicals from this era that I've seen. For most of the running time there's much more purpose to the numbers than in many films, and even the dance numbers generally feel like they serve a story/character purpose. All three of these movies are behind-the-scenes tales of show business, but this feels like the most interesting one; Astaire is very obviously playing a version of himself here, somewhat self-deprecatingly depicted as a man whose career has seen better days. He still looks a bit old to be playing the romantic lead opposite Charisse, but the contrast isn't nearly as bad as it was opposite Audrey Hepburn later, and the writing of the two is a lot better (and they can certainly dance).

I did wonder what exactly the movie was trying to say about the making of a good Broadway musical, though -- the final product the guys come up with seems like a virtually plotless series of sketches, while the earlier version of the musical they try to make is a dark, dramatic version of Faust that in many ways feels more like something you'd actually see people trying to make on Broadway today.

Cinema: 17
DVD/Blu-ray: 15 (+2)
Streaming Service: 18
 
od0_ital said:
^

I've never seen Appleseed, so I wouldn't have spotted that.
Click to expand...

Appleseed is a graphic novel by renowned Japanese Author Masamune Shirow (known better for Ghost in the Shell). It has been adapted several times into animated movies and a TV series. The most recent one was a prequel, Appleseed: Alpha.
 
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