Week 21: May 21, 2010 to May 27, 2010
Total number of movies watched this week: 8
Free time has been in short supply as of late so this blog entry will be short and sweet.
211. The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc -- The Milla Jovovich marathon continues. I don't know how fact-based this movie is, however, I did like the story, the characters, and how the internal debate was portrayed using Dustin Hoffman.
212. Ultraviolet -- Milla kicks a lot of ass in this, but the story seemed thin. Is this based on a comic book? If so, does knowing the back story of this character make this movie more....enjoyable? An okay movie with some over-the-top fight scenes.
213. Love Happens -- The wife wanted to watch a rom-com so I took a mini-break from the Milla (and Bruce Willis) marathon. In general, I liked this rom-com...but despite really liking Jennifer Aniston, I felt like I'd seen this character from her before. Or perhaps I felt like I was watching Jennifer being Jennifer....I don't know. I'd love to see her in a role that makes me forget that she's Jennifer Aniston.
214. Madagascar -- Somehow, despite having kids, I'd never seen this relatively funny animated movie. I think the penguins were my favorite characters. Is that wrong? Now I have to track down the sequel for the kids...
215. The Fifth Element -- Ah...the Milla / Bruce marathon finally reaches its pinnacle with one of my favorite movies. I absolutely love this movie. I can watch it over and over... A great cast. A great story. A perfect, fun, entertaining sci-fi movie mixed with just a bit of rom-com. Each actor was absolutely perfect for his/her role. Have I mentioned that I love this movie?
216. The Hitcher (the original) -- While I've seen and enjoyed the remake of this thriller, I think the original is still the best by far. Rutger Hauer is so absolutely frightening in this movie. I remember the very first time I watched this movie and actually feeling terrified by him.
217. Sherlock Holmes -- I liked this re-imagining quite a bit. I thought Robert Downey Jr. truly brought the Holmes character to life and I liked Jude Law as a capable Dr. Watson. Admittedly, I haven't seen many of the other, older Sherlock Holmes movies, so perhaps I have less of a bias coming into this movie--but I was entertained by it from start-to-finish and I'm looking forward to what I presume will soon be a sequel.
218. Ivanhoe -- This was the 1982 made-for-TV movie starring Anthony Andrews as Wilfred of Ivanhoe. I loved this movie when I was a kid, remembering basically the jousting and the sword-fighting. Sadly, it didn't quite hold up as well as I remembered, now that I'm an adult, but still, it was a decent movie and I enjoyed seeing it again after so many years. I'd love to see this story (as well as another Anthony Andrews movie, The Scarlet Pimpernel) made into a new movie someday. I wonder, what are the chances of that ever happening....?
So ends another week of movies. Obviously, I love The Fifth Element and it is one of my favorite movies but I'd also add Sherlock Holmes as another movie on my list of...'I'd like to watch that movie again someday' list...
Monday, June 14, 2010
Friday, June 4, 2010
A Year of Movies
Week 20: May 14, 2010 to May 20, 2010
Total number of movies watched: 8
The Bruce Willis marathon continues...
203. 12 Monkeys -- Another interesting Terry Gilliam movie. While I enjoyed Bruce Willis's performance in this, Brad Pitt's insane character, Jeffrey, steals the show. An intelligent script which requires you to really pay attention to the movie. I love how the story comes full circle at the airport. Great movie.
204. Last Man Standing -- A dark movie. Bruce Willis' John Smith drives into town and plays the two rival gangs against each other while trying to make money off both in the process. The shoot-out scenes are impressive--if not entirely realistic--but then, are you watching these kinds of action movies for their realism? No. Entertaining, yet at times....hauntingly sad.
205. Hostage -- Bruce Willis as another hang-dog, weight of the world is on his shoulders police officer--and yet he still is able to pull it off and make it seem almost original despite the similarities to his Die Hard character (his marriage is on the rocks, and his daughter doesn't get along with him in this one too). The story is entertaining and I found myself wondering how Willis was going to be able to work his way free of his troubles and make everything right by the time the movie ended. Good movie.
206. Lucky # Slevin -- One of my favorite movies. It has a great twisting story line that spans twenty years--a number of great villainous characters each unique in their own way--and Lucy Liu in perhaps her best role ever. Lots of witty banter between her character and Josh Hartnett's Slevin. Also, take note of all the wild wallpaper in this movie. Wow. (And no, I didn't notice the wallpaper because the movie was bad!) Just a great, great entertaining movie.
207. The Long Kiss Goodnight -- I thought I'd shift gears and watch a capable and heroic kick-ass female as the assassin-in-charge of this movie. I'd forgotten just how funny the banter between Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson was in this movie. Lots of over-the-top action in this movie. And I have to remember to add this to my list of "Non-traditional Christmas movie Christmas movies" (I like watching non-traditional Christmas movies while I wrap Christmas presents).
208. Resident Evil -- I'd seen parts of this movie on TV over the years, but I'd never seen it (or either of its sequels) from beginning to end so I broke out this Milla Jovovich trilogy and watched them back-to-back-to-back. I know it's based off a video game, but I never really played the game much so I don't know how the movie truly compares to the game--but in general, I liked the first movie (of the three) the best. Some of the CGI seemed dated already but as zombie movies go--this one wasn't too bad. Milla was fun to watch but I've seen her in better movies (and worse).
209. Resident Evil: Apocalypse -- Okay movie. Some decent action scenes. Some added background for Alice.
210. Resident Evil: Extinction -- Of the two sequels, I liked this one a little better. It was a nice change of pace moving the story out into the sunshine--I liked the juxtaposition of the noir movie in the sunshine. More background on the Alice character--more Milla kicking butt. Another okay movie.
Favorite movie this week? Lucky # Slevin....followed closely by 12 Monkeys and The Long Kiss Goodnight.
Total number of movies watched: 8
The Bruce Willis marathon continues...
203. 12 Monkeys -- Another interesting Terry Gilliam movie. While I enjoyed Bruce Willis's performance in this, Brad Pitt's insane character, Jeffrey, steals the show. An intelligent script which requires you to really pay attention to the movie. I love how the story comes full circle at the airport. Great movie.
204. Last Man Standing -- A dark movie. Bruce Willis' John Smith drives into town and plays the two rival gangs against each other while trying to make money off both in the process. The shoot-out scenes are impressive--if not entirely realistic--but then, are you watching these kinds of action movies for their realism? No. Entertaining, yet at times....hauntingly sad.
205. Hostage -- Bruce Willis as another hang-dog, weight of the world is on his shoulders police officer--and yet he still is able to pull it off and make it seem almost original despite the similarities to his Die Hard character (his marriage is on the rocks, and his daughter doesn't get along with him in this one too). The story is entertaining and I found myself wondering how Willis was going to be able to work his way free of his troubles and make everything right by the time the movie ended. Good movie.
206. Lucky # Slevin -- One of my favorite movies. It has a great twisting story line that spans twenty years--a number of great villainous characters each unique in their own way--and Lucy Liu in perhaps her best role ever. Lots of witty banter between her character and Josh Hartnett's Slevin. Also, take note of all the wild wallpaper in this movie. Wow. (And no, I didn't notice the wallpaper because the movie was bad!) Just a great, great entertaining movie.
207. The Long Kiss Goodnight -- I thought I'd shift gears and watch a capable and heroic kick-ass female as the assassin-in-charge of this movie. I'd forgotten just how funny the banter between Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson was in this movie. Lots of over-the-top action in this movie. And I have to remember to add this to my list of "Non-traditional Christmas movie Christmas movies" (I like watching non-traditional Christmas movies while I wrap Christmas presents).
208. Resident Evil -- I'd seen parts of this movie on TV over the years, but I'd never seen it (or either of its sequels) from beginning to end so I broke out this Milla Jovovich trilogy and watched them back-to-back-to-back. I know it's based off a video game, but I never really played the game much so I don't know how the movie truly compares to the game--but in general, I liked the first movie (of the three) the best. Some of the CGI seemed dated already but as zombie movies go--this one wasn't too bad. Milla was fun to watch but I've seen her in better movies (and worse).
209. Resident Evil: Apocalypse -- Okay movie. Some decent action scenes. Some added background for Alice.
210. Resident Evil: Extinction -- Of the two sequels, I liked this one a little better. It was a nice change of pace moving the story out into the sunshine--I liked the juxtaposition of the noir movie in the sunshine. More background on the Alice character--more Milla kicking butt. Another okay movie.
Favorite movie this week? Lucky # Slevin....followed closely by 12 Monkeys and The Long Kiss Goodnight.
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