A Year of Movies

Week 9: Feb 26, 2010 to March 4, 2010
Total number of movies watched: 9

97. The Fountain -- When I watched this movie for the first time last year, I wasn't sure what to make of it. It is an incredibly beautiful and moving movie and Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz are both excellent in it. I watched it again and I think I understood more of the movie--and my appreciation of it grew. At times sad, joyful, stunning, tender, loving and at all times quite emotional. This is a haunting and yet very touching love story.

98. Robin Hood Prince of Thieves -- Costner's accent was hit and miss, but I guess that didn't bother me as much as it did the real 'critics'. I loved Alan Rickman's Sheriff of Nottingham ("I'll cut your heart out with a spoon!") and most of the rest of the cast as well. It was a decent action movie but I am looking forward to seeing Russell Crowe's Robin Hood coming out....(Hmmm...let me check...)....May 14th. I just watched a TV teaser for the movie -- looks like one I'll want to watch.

99. The Reader -- A quiet and amazing movie. Kate Winslett just disappears into her roles. I came to this movie not knowing much about it so I was just riveted by the story and her ability.

100. Revolutionary Road -- Another amazing performance by Kate Winslett. Back-to-back movies starring her--and in both, she just disappears into the role. For some reason I thought this movie was supposed to be a romance -- perhaps because people were excited by the Kate and Leo reunion and I mistook their excitement to mean it was another romantic type movie. Regardless, I was still impressed by this movie about quiet desperation.

Note: I finished up movie #100 on Feb 28. Two months. 100 movies. A heavy load--and not a pace I really wanted to try to maintain for another ten months. March, as you will see, has a slower pace.

101. My Cousin Vinny -- After two rather heavy and deep movies, I had to lighten things up. I'd seen bits and pieces of this movie off and on over the years on TV, but obviously the TV version is just not the same as the DVD version! Finally, I got a chance to watch it from beginning to end. Joe Pesci was good. Marisa Tomei was awesome. I know she won the award for her role--I won't debate whether she deserved it or not--but I thought she did an incredible job on a role that could have frankly been forgettable in the wrong hands.

102. The Saint -- Though it has a meandering plot, I still like this movie and I wish there had been more movies made with this character. Will there be? (I'll have to check on that). I've found some articles online talking about a possible movie and/or new TV show, but nothing very recent (though I really didn't dig very deep).

103. Bangkok Dangerous -- I like quite a few of Nicolas Cage's movies but I had mixed feelings about this one. There were some good action scenes in it and I liked the scenery behind the story--but the movie just seemed so dark (and usually I like those kinds of movie).

104. The Princess Bride -- One of my all-time favorite movies. I absolutely love this movie. I've watched it dozens and dozens of times. I missed seeing it in the theater when it first came out, but years ago I did get a chance to see it at a special midnight showing. Just a wonderful experience. Great, great movie.

105. The Man Who Knew Too Much -- Alfred Hitchcock. Black and white. A little slow to start, but it picked up as it went along and by the end, there was quite a shoot-out. A decent Hitchcock movie, but not my favorite of his.

A single favorite? Well, how can I not say, The Princess Bride? It has been one of my favorites for....over twenty years? Has it been out that long! Wow.

Okay, aside from The Princess Bride, I really can't pick a single movie again. I loved The Fountain, but was impressed by both The Reader and Revolutionary Road. Obviously for laughs this week, My Cousin Vinny (if you don't count The Princess Bride) ranks up there...

Have a great week, all.