Week 26: June 25, 2010 to July 1, 2010
Total number of movies watched: 10
I will catch up on this blog. I will catch up on this blog. I will catch up on this blog.
Okay--that said, let's get to it.
251. Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning -- After watching the first one, I had no idea what to expect with this 'sequel', but sequel isn't right. Prequel isn't right either. Different characters, different time period -- the only thing that remains the same is the god, Ong-Bak, and the spectacular stunts performed by Tony Jaa. Incredible fight sequences. Decent story. Better over-dubs on the English. Overall, I enjoyed this movie more than the first one.
252. Ninja (2009) -- After a week plus of some rather good, and in some cases great, martial arts movies, this one just didn't stack up. It had a made-for-TV feel about it, the plot was nothing special and while some of the fight scenes were nice, it overall just seemed like a rather bland movie. Might be more enjoyable if you haven't watched better martial movies recently.
253. The Informant! -- While this movie was funny, at times I found myself wondering, 'what the hell is going on here?' When the narrator of the movie is a liar, well, you have to work a bit to pick out the fact from fiction -- and in some cases, I'm not sure if I did. Still, an enjoyable and funny movie.
254. Batman -- Great super-hero movie. I remember when it first came out, I didn't think Michael Keaton was a good choice for Batman -- but it worked. Jack Nicholson was impressive as the Joker. Yes, some of the effects were a bit cheesy, but the movie had a nice balance between cheese and menace. Plus, I really liked the Batmobile in this one. A fun movie to watch again.
255. Batman Returns -- Almost as good as the first. While I like Danny DeVito, I didn't like the Penguin version he played in this movie--making him 'penguin-like'. Aside from that silliness, I did like the Batman/Catwoman relationship both in and out of their costumes. Nicely dark and beautiful with haunting music. Another fun movie to watch.
256. Batman Forever -- I thought Val Kilmer was an okay replacement, but the movie was just too over-the-top campy. I didn't like the way Robin was written or the relationship between Batman and Robin, I wasn't particularly fond of the way Gotham was changed into a neon, glow-in-the-dark, black-lit, mess, and the villains seemed for the most part, one-dimensional (Jim Carrey seemed like he was playing a silly version of Jim Carrey rather than the villain, The Riddler). I like the movie in part, but as a whole, it was just a bunch of cliches thrown together. It's a shame, because I think it could have been a really good movie.
257. Batman and Robin -- The weakest of these first four. I like George Clooney as an actor, but the script was just....well....let's put it nicely....the script could have been better. Much better. Again, certain elements would have been cool (ha ha, this movie had Mr. Freeze in it), could have been cool but ultimately, it seemed like a big mess. Oh, and the Batmobile in this one and the last one looked horrible. If I were a drinker, this could be a good drinking game movie--every time Batman and Robin bicker, take a drink. Every time Schwarzennegger's Mr. Freeze says a lame one-liner, take a drink. Every time...well, you'd be drunk long before the movie ended--and you'd probably enjoy it more too.
258. Batman Begins -- A great reinvention of the Batman franchise. This is one of my favorite movies. Christian Bale is a perfect choice for both the Bruce Wayne and the Batman character. The rest of the cast is well-chosen -- loved Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox. Loved Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon. Loved Cillian Murphy as Scarecrow/Dr. Crane, Liam Neeson as Henri Ducard....even Katie Holmes was fine as Rachel Dawes. I loved that parts of the movie were filmed in Chicago -- gave Gotham a realness to it that was missing from the other four movies. I also loved the new Batmobile. Okay, I'll stop gushing now....
So ends June. 33 movies this month. Also, we've reached the mid-way point of the year at 258 movies. For a while I thought 500 movies in one year would be a cinch -- now, it's not looking so easy. Still, it is my goal -- 500 movies -- one year.
259. The Dark Knight -- Oh wait, the gushing will have to start up again....no, I'll try to control myself. See above for all the actors/characters who returned in this one--now add Heath Ledger as the Joker (wow, just wow!) and Aaron Eckhart as Harvey "Two-Face" Dent and Maggie Gyllenhal as Rachel Dawes. This is a powerful movie with an impressive, impressive cast and an excellent and detailed script/story. (Also, one of my friends--and the guy who is filming our Indie Movie--had a small role in this. He's only on screen for a few seconds during the scene where Mr. Reese is being attacked at the TV studio building--but he had a chance to talk with Christopher Nolan during the shoot and that is just very cool). I cannot wait for the next Christopher Nolan Batman movie.
260. Memento -- I end this week with a continuation of Christopher Nolan directed movies with this unique film with the backwards narrative. I've watched this movie a handful of times over the years and I'm still stunned by its intricate nature and unusual lead character. If you have not seen this movie yet, watch it--but make sure you leave yourself time to watch it twice back-to-back. Now, I've heard there is a way to watch this movie in reverse in chronological order on DVD--but I've yet to confirm this. Please, drop me a comment if you know how to do this. Thanks!
Favorite movie? Ha. The two Christopher Nolan Batman movies....and yet, I also really liked Memento, so I'll go with all three C.N. movies.
....I will catch up on this blog.....
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
A Year of Movies
Week 25: June 18, 2010 to June 24, 2010
Total number of movies watched: 7
A thunderstorm is moving in and I'd rather not be online when it fully hits so this blog post might be a little on the short side...
The movies this week continue along the theme of martial art movies I started near the end of last week. Two of the movies this week I'd seen before--and loved--and the rest were all new to me. Most of them really impressed me.
244. Legend of the Black Scorpion (DVD title) aka: The Banquet (2006) -- This movie draws inspiration from Shakespeare's Hamlet and while it does contain martial arts fighting, I think it tends to be more of a dramatic film rather than pure action. I have no problem with that. While I like action, I was drawn in by the dramatic performances--especially of Ziyi Zhang (of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). And like so many of the movies I watched this week, it was visually stunning with impressive costumes and attention to detail. I really love this movie.
245. House of Flying Daggers (2004) -- I've seen this movie a number of times, and I just love it. Starring Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau and Ziyi Zhang -- this romantic, action-packed, visually stunning, achingly beautiful movie also has a intricate story with crosses, double-crosses and true heroism. If you haven't seen this movie, you've really missed out on an incredibly beautiful film.
246. Battle of the Warriors (DVD title) aka: Battle of Wits (2006) -- Stars Andy Lau as a clever warrior, Ge Li, who uses his wits to win but despite his superior tactics would rather talk about peace and prefers that over war. A bleak look at war. Occasionally the 'special effects' didn't quite work in this movie, but still a good, solid movie with an anti-war message (without being too preachy).
247. An Empress and the Warriors (2008) -- When her father dies, a young woman becomes the Empress of a kingdom constantly at war, but even her ascension is not without peril. Others want control and will do nearly anything to gain it. Amidst all of this trouble, the Empress is injured and tended to by a former warrior with whom she falls in love with. An enjoyable movie overall.
248. Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon (2008) -- Stars Andy Lau, Maggie Q, and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo. Parts of this movie I did like, but overall, it just felt disjointed--as if this was the edited down version of a truly epic movie. Just as I was starting to get into the movie, the movie's timeline jumps ahead thirty years and it took me a while to reconnect with the characters/storyline again. After watching other movies earlier this week which I truly love, this one ended up being a little of a disappointment.
249. Hero (2002) -- Stars Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Ziyi Zhang. I love this movie. I love the use of color to aid in the storytelling. Some scenes look as if they are gorgeous paintings come to life. The action is impressive, but it is the story that I found intriguing. I didn't quite 'get' all of the story the first time I watched this movie, but upon further viewings, I now believe I've pieced it all together. Still, from first viewing to last, I've loved this movie.
250. Ong-bak (2003) -- Stars Tony Jaa. The story and acting are not all that impressive, but the stunts, performed by Tony Jaa (and others) are. No wirework. No stunt doubles. Perhaps because one takes these things for granted (that the stunts aren't 'real' in most of the other movies) it took me a bit before I fully appreciated what Tony Jaa was doing on the screen. He really IS doing all the stunts himself--and the multiple camera angles capture it all for you. (And while that editing style is cool at first, after a while it got a little annoying to see so many of the stunts shown over and over and over again from slightly varied angles). Still, an impressive movie if you like martial arts.
So. 250 movies done as of June 24th. I'm on pace to watch over 500 movies this year. Whew. A couple more martial arts movies will finish up my theme next week.
A lone favorite? In this list? Not happening! Hero and House of Flying Daggers still are among my favorites, but I'd add Legend of the Black Scorpion to those two. All three of these films were just beautiful to watch. If you get a chance, watch them too.
Total number of movies watched: 7
A thunderstorm is moving in and I'd rather not be online when it fully hits so this blog post might be a little on the short side...
The movies this week continue along the theme of martial art movies I started near the end of last week. Two of the movies this week I'd seen before--and loved--and the rest were all new to me. Most of them really impressed me.
244. Legend of the Black Scorpion (DVD title) aka: The Banquet (2006) -- This movie draws inspiration from Shakespeare's Hamlet and while it does contain martial arts fighting, I think it tends to be more of a dramatic film rather than pure action. I have no problem with that. While I like action, I was drawn in by the dramatic performances--especially of Ziyi Zhang (of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). And like so many of the movies I watched this week, it was visually stunning with impressive costumes and attention to detail. I really love this movie.
245. House of Flying Daggers (2004) -- I've seen this movie a number of times, and I just love it. Starring Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau and Ziyi Zhang -- this romantic, action-packed, visually stunning, achingly beautiful movie also has a intricate story with crosses, double-crosses and true heroism. If you haven't seen this movie, you've really missed out on an incredibly beautiful film.
246. Battle of the Warriors (DVD title) aka: Battle of Wits (2006) -- Stars Andy Lau as a clever warrior, Ge Li, who uses his wits to win but despite his superior tactics would rather talk about peace and prefers that over war. A bleak look at war. Occasionally the 'special effects' didn't quite work in this movie, but still a good, solid movie with an anti-war message (without being too preachy).
247. An Empress and the Warriors (2008) -- When her father dies, a young woman becomes the Empress of a kingdom constantly at war, but even her ascension is not without peril. Others want control and will do nearly anything to gain it. Amidst all of this trouble, the Empress is injured and tended to by a former warrior with whom she falls in love with. An enjoyable movie overall.
248. Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon (2008) -- Stars Andy Lau, Maggie Q, and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo. Parts of this movie I did like, but overall, it just felt disjointed--as if this was the edited down version of a truly epic movie. Just as I was starting to get into the movie, the movie's timeline jumps ahead thirty years and it took me a while to reconnect with the characters/storyline again. After watching other movies earlier this week which I truly love, this one ended up being a little of a disappointment.
249. Hero (2002) -- Stars Jet Li, Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, Ziyi Zhang. I love this movie. I love the use of color to aid in the storytelling. Some scenes look as if they are gorgeous paintings come to life. The action is impressive, but it is the story that I found intriguing. I didn't quite 'get' all of the story the first time I watched this movie, but upon further viewings, I now believe I've pieced it all together. Still, from first viewing to last, I've loved this movie.
250. Ong-bak (2003) -- Stars Tony Jaa. The story and acting are not all that impressive, but the stunts, performed by Tony Jaa (and others) are. No wirework. No stunt doubles. Perhaps because one takes these things for granted (that the stunts aren't 'real' in most of the other movies) it took me a bit before I fully appreciated what Tony Jaa was doing on the screen. He really IS doing all the stunts himself--and the multiple camera angles capture it all for you. (And while that editing style is cool at first, after a while it got a little annoying to see so many of the stunts shown over and over and over again from slightly varied angles). Still, an impressive movie if you like martial arts.
So. 250 movies done as of June 24th. I'm on pace to watch over 500 movies this year. Whew. A couple more martial arts movies will finish up my theme next week.
A lone favorite? In this list? Not happening! Hero and House of Flying Daggers still are among my favorites, but I'd add Legend of the Black Scorpion to those two. All three of these films were just beautiful to watch. If you get a chance, watch them too.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Writing...
Ahhh, the query letter. The writer's bane. I don't know (yet) if I've conquered the letter writing process, but I did manage to write another one over the past few weeks and now--with just a bit of trepidation--I am on the verge of submitting it. I've read hundreds of sample query letters online and in the writing books resting on the shelf above my desk. I've seen all sorts of variances and suggestions. Some say the pitch paragraph(s) should come first, others say put the nuts and bolts of the letter first (title, genre, word count etc), while still others like to be told why you're submitting to them (a little bit of schmooze perhaps?)....but the bottom line is, and while this may seem like a -DUH- moment, what all the agents are really looking for is 'great' writing. Some might even be willing to settle for 'good' writing. And all of them are looking for something they can fall in love with AND SELL. Shocking news, I know. And yes, I know -DUH!
And while I never did do any of the following, I've noted that agents also state all the things they DON'T want in query letters -- photos, candy, gimmicks, chocolates....Really? Are you seriously saying that a query letter attached to a box of chocolates wouldn't get at least a second glance? Okay....right. (And no, I did not try that approach though personally, if someone sent me a box of chocolates I wouldn't mind so much! Neither would my wife. She LOVES chocolate.)
Anyways....instead of turning the query letter writing process into a dreaded task (I know, it really is) I tried to look at it as a new kind of challenge. While it is a business letter at heart, it also needs to woo. It needs to entice. It needs to sell your writing. It needs to lift those drooping eyelids, brighten those blurry red-rimmed eyes--it needs to grab that agent's attention and make him or her eager to read more, more, more....
Did I achieve that? I don't know. Yet. I hope so. We'll see.
The writing adventure continues...I'll keep you posted on the results.
Have a great weekend, All.
And while I never did do any of the following, I've noted that agents also state all the things they DON'T want in query letters -- photos, candy, gimmicks, chocolates....Really? Are you seriously saying that a query letter attached to a box of chocolates wouldn't get at least a second glance? Okay....right. (And no, I did not try that approach though personally, if someone sent me a box of chocolates I wouldn't mind so much! Neither would my wife. She LOVES chocolate.)
Anyways....instead of turning the query letter writing process into a dreaded task (I know, it really is) I tried to look at it as a new kind of challenge. While it is a business letter at heart, it also needs to woo. It needs to entice. It needs to sell your writing. It needs to lift those drooping eyelids, brighten those blurry red-rimmed eyes--it needs to grab that agent's attention and make him or her eager to read more, more, more....
Did I achieve that? I don't know. Yet. I hope so. We'll see.
The writing adventure continues...I'll keep you posted on the results.
Have a great weekend, All.
A Year of Movies
Week 24: June 11, 2010 to June 17, 2010
Total number of movies watched: 7
Yep, one movie for each day. Summer viewing has been a little slower compared to winter--more to do outside, kids keeping me busy, yard work etc. Last week I had a Kevin Costner baseball trilogy, this week I decided to have a classic Tom Cruise trilogy and later in the week I started a string of martial art movies that will extend into next week (and if I recall, the week after that t00). Let's begin...
237. Top Gun -- Just pure fun action in the sky! Great 80s music. I remember when this first came out all the guys my age wanted to learn how to fly jets! Hell, I still wouldn't mind learning how to fly--though perhaps not jets...I'd be fine with single engines to start. Hmmm....maybe someday... As for the movie, what more do I need to say? You've all seen this movie, haven't you? And if you haven't, rent it (or buy it--movies this old are usually in the cheap bin), pop it in the DVD or Blu-ray player, turn your TV up and enjoy!
238. Days of Thunder -- Just pure fun action on the ground! I remember when this first came out all the guys my age wanted to learn how to drive race cars....wait, this is sounding a bit like my last comments. Well, perhaps because this movie is a lot like the last movie, only set on the race track. Who cares? Nicole looked great in this. The banter between Robert Duvall and Tom Cruise was funny and this was another loud movie. Turn your TV up and enjoy!
239. Risky Business -- Just pure fun action in the suburbs! I remember when this first came out all the guys my age wanted to say 'WTF' and learn how to become pimps.....no wait, that's not right at all! We all wanted to drive around in Porsches...yeah, that's it. And maybe have someone who looked a lot like Rebecca show up at our door and....no wait....where am I going with this? Ha ha.... Am I a little slap happy from lack of sleep or what? C'mon, you've all seen this movie too - and if you haven't, you should. This is another movie you can find in the cheap bin.
240. Crazy Heart -- Just pure fun action with a guitar! Okay, okay....not exactly, though Jeff Bridges does an amazing job as the aging country singer/songwriter. While I truly enjoyed this movie, and was a little surprised by the ending, after the movie was done and I had a chance to reflect on it, I realized that the actual story (plot) was--relative to other movies about singers (Walk the Line, Ray)--a little on the thin side. Sure he's an alcoholic and his life is relatively shitty, but really, besides getting into an accident and temporarily losing his girlfriend's kid, what real trouble happened to him? Not much. Still, I enjoyed this movie a lot and loved the music and like I said, Jeff Bridges did an amazing job bringing this character to life.
241. Edge of Darkness -- Obviously, I watched this movie in June prior to all the latest about Mel Gibson. Setting aside his personal life (as best as one can), and trying to focus on just the movie, I thought the movie was intense. Gibson obviously has the anger side down cold in this and he's always seemed to be able to convey that simmering anger/sadness in his characters (when needed). I recently purchased the DVDs of the British TV series that this movie was based on--and whenever I get a chance (though it will probably be in 2011 when I think I'll turn from watching movies to catching up on TV series) I look forward to seeing the source material.
242. Curse of the Golden Flower -- This is the first of many martial art films I decided to watch all in a row. I'd never seen this one before and I was stunned by the film's beauty and cinematography. While the story is a family intrigue set in the Tang Dynasty, it's not all just political maneuverings--there's plenty of action too with the courtyard fight scene near the end of the movie as impressive as any I've seen before. A stunning movie starring Chow Yun Fat.
243. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon -- Chow Yun Fat did a wonderful job in this one too. What I find amazing about so many of these movies is the attention to detail--the costumes, the settings, the weapons, everything looks SOOOOO good and the action is SOOOOO impressive. It's like watching living, dancing, fighting artwork that is simply a feast for the eyes. And the music.....so haunting and beautiful. I loved these last two movies, and I think they were a good start for my string of martial arts viewing pleasure.
Well, that's it for this week. It was for me a great week of movies. My favorite(s).....probably the last two. While I really enjoyed the classic Tom Cruise movies, and was impressed by Crazy Heart and Edge of Darkness, the last two were simply gorgeous movies that were a delight to my eyes, ears and mind. Watch them, if you get a chance...
Total number of movies watched: 7
Yep, one movie for each day. Summer viewing has been a little slower compared to winter--more to do outside, kids keeping me busy, yard work etc. Last week I had a Kevin Costner baseball trilogy, this week I decided to have a classic Tom Cruise trilogy and later in the week I started a string of martial art movies that will extend into next week (and if I recall, the week after that t00). Let's begin...
237. Top Gun -- Just pure fun action in the sky! Great 80s music. I remember when this first came out all the guys my age wanted to learn how to fly jets! Hell, I still wouldn't mind learning how to fly--though perhaps not jets...I'd be fine with single engines to start. Hmmm....maybe someday... As for the movie, what more do I need to say? You've all seen this movie, haven't you? And if you haven't, rent it (or buy it--movies this old are usually in the cheap bin), pop it in the DVD or Blu-ray player, turn your TV up and enjoy!
238. Days of Thunder -- Just pure fun action on the ground! I remember when this first came out all the guys my age wanted to learn how to drive race cars....wait, this is sounding a bit like my last comments. Well, perhaps because this movie is a lot like the last movie, only set on the race track. Who cares? Nicole looked great in this. The banter between Robert Duvall and Tom Cruise was funny and this was another loud movie. Turn your TV up and enjoy!
239. Risky Business -- Just pure fun action in the suburbs! I remember when this first came out all the guys my age wanted to say 'WTF' and learn how to become pimps.....no wait, that's not right at all! We all wanted to drive around in Porsches...yeah, that's it. And maybe have someone who looked a lot like Rebecca show up at our door and....no wait....where am I going with this? Ha ha.... Am I a little slap happy from lack of sleep or what? C'mon, you've all seen this movie too - and if you haven't, you should. This is another movie you can find in the cheap bin.
240. Crazy Heart -- Just pure fun action with a guitar! Okay, okay....not exactly, though Jeff Bridges does an amazing job as the aging country singer/songwriter. While I truly enjoyed this movie, and was a little surprised by the ending, after the movie was done and I had a chance to reflect on it, I realized that the actual story (plot) was--relative to other movies about singers (Walk the Line, Ray)--a little on the thin side. Sure he's an alcoholic and his life is relatively shitty, but really, besides getting into an accident and temporarily losing his girlfriend's kid, what real trouble happened to him? Not much. Still, I enjoyed this movie a lot and loved the music and like I said, Jeff Bridges did an amazing job bringing this character to life.
241. Edge of Darkness -- Obviously, I watched this movie in June prior to all the latest about Mel Gibson. Setting aside his personal life (as best as one can), and trying to focus on just the movie, I thought the movie was intense. Gibson obviously has the anger side down cold in this and he's always seemed to be able to convey that simmering anger/sadness in his characters (when needed). I recently purchased the DVDs of the British TV series that this movie was based on--and whenever I get a chance (though it will probably be in 2011 when I think I'll turn from watching movies to catching up on TV series) I look forward to seeing the source material.
242. Curse of the Golden Flower -- This is the first of many martial art films I decided to watch all in a row. I'd never seen this one before and I was stunned by the film's beauty and cinematography. While the story is a family intrigue set in the Tang Dynasty, it's not all just political maneuverings--there's plenty of action too with the courtyard fight scene near the end of the movie as impressive as any I've seen before. A stunning movie starring Chow Yun Fat.
243. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon -- Chow Yun Fat did a wonderful job in this one too. What I find amazing about so many of these movies is the attention to detail--the costumes, the settings, the weapons, everything looks SOOOOO good and the action is SOOOOO impressive. It's like watching living, dancing, fighting artwork that is simply a feast for the eyes. And the music.....so haunting and beautiful. I loved these last two movies, and I think they were a good start for my string of martial arts viewing pleasure.
Well, that's it for this week. It was for me a great week of movies. My favorite(s).....probably the last two. While I really enjoyed the classic Tom Cruise movies, and was impressed by Crazy Heart and Edge of Darkness, the last two were simply gorgeous movies that were a delight to my eyes, ears and mind. Watch them, if you get a chance...
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
A Year of Movies
Week 23: June 4, 2010 to June 10, 2010
Total number of movies watched: 8
229. From Hell -- I've always been fascinated by the Jack the Ripper tales, and this was an interesting take on that story. Johnny Depp again creates a very rich character with his tortured investigator. A dark movie, but exceptionally well done.
230. Stargate -- I watched the extended cut version of this movie, and the extra material naturally made the movie seem fuller with more detail and the plot seemed to make more sense. While I've always loved this movie, I never had the opportunity to get into the TV series spin-offs. I don't know why. Perhaps next year, I'll try to catch up on the TV series I've neglected this year during my quest to watch a movie every day.
231. Scoop -- I'm not usually a huge fan of Woody Allen movies, but I did like this one. It was a funny murder mystery and I wasn't sure exactly how it was going to turn out in the end. An enjoyable cast with Hugh Jackman and Scarlett Johannson.
232. Up In The Air -- A unique romantic comedy / character study about a man who is most at home while on the road. George Clooney does another amazing job with this role and I was completely drawn into this movie. It has become one of my new favorite movies.
233. Bull Durham -- I decided to watch the three Kevin Costner baseball movies back-t0-back-to-back starting with his first. It is obvious that Kevin Costner loves baseball and of all the various movies I've seen him in, he sees most natural in baseball movies. A great romantic comedy combining sex and baseball --two great past-times.
234. Field of Dreams -- While a good baseball movie, it is more about the relationships between fathers and sons. I love baseball. I love having a catch with my sons. This movie really hit home with me.
235. For Love of the Game -- Another good baseball movie which focuses more on relationships than on the game. While pitching a perfect game, a man reflects on his imperfect life--and I found it interesting that the only time he could be 'perfect', was at the end of his professional career and perhaps despite that perfection, he realizes there is something more perfect waiting for him after baseball. A trilogy of good movies.
236. Smart People -- A funny movie involving smart people who act stupidly. What a dysfunctional family! While I did like this movie, I found the ending to be a little out of line with the rest of the movie. I didn't entirely buy the idea that the addition of twins to the dysfunctional family would somehow make the family LESS dysfunctional. Still, some really funny moments in this movie.
My favorite for the week? While I do like the baseball trilogy quite a bit, and Stargate would seem that natural pick, since I'm such a huge sci-fi/fantasy genre fan, I'm going to go with George Clooney's Up In The Air.
Total number of movies watched: 8
229. From Hell -- I've always been fascinated by the Jack the Ripper tales, and this was an interesting take on that story. Johnny Depp again creates a very rich character with his tortured investigator. A dark movie, but exceptionally well done.
230. Stargate -- I watched the extended cut version of this movie, and the extra material naturally made the movie seem fuller with more detail and the plot seemed to make more sense. While I've always loved this movie, I never had the opportunity to get into the TV series spin-offs. I don't know why. Perhaps next year, I'll try to catch up on the TV series I've neglected this year during my quest to watch a movie every day.
231. Scoop -- I'm not usually a huge fan of Woody Allen movies, but I did like this one. It was a funny murder mystery and I wasn't sure exactly how it was going to turn out in the end. An enjoyable cast with Hugh Jackman and Scarlett Johannson.
232. Up In The Air -- A unique romantic comedy / character study about a man who is most at home while on the road. George Clooney does another amazing job with this role and I was completely drawn into this movie. It has become one of my new favorite movies.
233. Bull Durham -- I decided to watch the three Kevin Costner baseball movies back-t0-back-to-back starting with his first. It is obvious that Kevin Costner loves baseball and of all the various movies I've seen him in, he sees most natural in baseball movies. A great romantic comedy combining sex and baseball --two great past-times.
234. Field of Dreams -- While a good baseball movie, it is more about the relationships between fathers and sons. I love baseball. I love having a catch with my sons. This movie really hit home with me.
235. For Love of the Game -- Another good baseball movie which focuses more on relationships than on the game. While pitching a perfect game, a man reflects on his imperfect life--and I found it interesting that the only time he could be 'perfect', was at the end of his professional career and perhaps despite that perfection, he realizes there is something more perfect waiting for him after baseball. A trilogy of good movies.
236. Smart People -- A funny movie involving smart people who act stupidly. What a dysfunctional family! While I did like this movie, I found the ending to be a little out of line with the rest of the movie. I didn't entirely buy the idea that the addition of twins to the dysfunctional family would somehow make the family LESS dysfunctional. Still, some really funny moments in this movie.
My favorite for the week? While I do like the baseball trilogy quite a bit, and Stargate would seem that natural pick, since I'm such a huge sci-fi/fantasy genre fan, I'm going to go with George Clooney's Up In The Air.
Monday, August 2, 2010
A Year of Movies
Week 22: May 28, 2010 to June 3, 2010
First, I apologize for the delay in updating my year long movie quest. Summer with the family has been keeping me busy. Second, as I've blogged about briefly, in addition to pursuing this odd quest, and keeping up with the kids, I've worked on my own low-budget, short Indie Movie. Primary filming is done and we only need to capture a couple of extra shots at a train station in order to get the flashback scene finished. Hopefully, we'll be able to schedule that by the end of this month and start editing the movie next month. It also sounds like we will be getting our website up and running soon--when it is, I'll include a link here.
And now, back to our regular program...
Total number of movies watched: 10
219. Criminal Ways (aka The Wannabes (2003)) -- a small caper movie with a young Isla Fisher and starring Nick Giannopoulos. This was an odd movie, funny at times, with some songs which stuck in my head. It reminded me a little of Death to Smoochie -- but perhaps that's just because of the silly animal character and an oddball cast of 'criminals'. Since I have heard my share of kid's show songs, I'd actually welcome some of these silly (and crude) songs from time to time...
220. Night at the Museum -- I'd seen this at the theater when it first came out with my oldest son, and now that my little guy was old enough to watch it, I thought I'd share this movie with him too. He's a fan of real museums and he has a vivid imagination, so he really enjoyed watching all the various exhibits come to life in this movie. Overall, the whole family enjoyed it and the kids of course thought the monkey was hilarious.
221. As Good As It Gets -- I watched this one with my wife. I remember the first time I watched this movie not really enjoying it--the same goes for my wife, but as we watched it this time around, we both found ourselves drawn into the story, and laughing, and truly enjoying the viewing experience. This is really a great and unusual romantic comedy.
222. I Love You, Man -- What a bromance! A silly and enjoyable movie.
223. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time -- I took the boys to the theater to see this. While it's not a 'great' movie--it was definitely a fun summer movie and frankly if that's all you're going to a theater to see, a 'fun' movie, then you'd probably be satisfied by this. Lots of action. Lots of fighting. Lots of fun.
224. The Blind Side -- Another movie I watched with my wife. I thought it was a good movie. I liked the real life story behind the movie. Sandra Bullock was quite good in this--but then, I like her in most of her movies. An inspirational movie.
225. A Night at the Roxbury -- Every so often, you just need to watch a silly movie, you know? And this one has some really fun music too.
This ends May -- with a total of 38 movies watched during that month.
226. Big -- A great movie. Funny, touching, this is a movie I've loved for many years.
227. 13 Going on 30 -- I know this movie was often compared to Big when it first came out -- obviously it has a similar premise -- but after watching them back-to-back I realized that while the comparison has some merit, I enjoyed this movie on its own. Jennifer Garner just lights up the screen and she was perfectly cast in this role as the teen-turned-30 year old.
228. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian -- Watched this with my little guy. He liked it, but we both agreed that we liked the first one better. Still, it was a fun movie and if they made a third one, we'd both probably want to see it.
Well, that's it for this week. My favorite -- well, Big has long been a favorite, and 13 Going on 30 was truly enjoyable, and The Blind Side was a great, inspiration movie, but my favorite has to be A Night at the Roxbury....okay, just kidding....(though, I really do enjoy that movie). As Good As It Gets earns this week's nod as my favorite.
I'll try to get caught up on these posts very soon!
First, I apologize for the delay in updating my year long movie quest. Summer with the family has been keeping me busy. Second, as I've blogged about briefly, in addition to pursuing this odd quest, and keeping up with the kids, I've worked on my own low-budget, short Indie Movie. Primary filming is done and we only need to capture a couple of extra shots at a train station in order to get the flashback scene finished. Hopefully, we'll be able to schedule that by the end of this month and start editing the movie next month. It also sounds like we will be getting our website up and running soon--when it is, I'll include a link here.
And now, back to our regular program...
Total number of movies watched: 10
219. Criminal Ways (aka The Wannabes (2003)) -- a small caper movie with a young Isla Fisher and starring Nick Giannopoulos. This was an odd movie, funny at times, with some songs which stuck in my head. It reminded me a little of Death to Smoochie -- but perhaps that's just because of the silly animal character and an oddball cast of 'criminals'. Since I have heard my share of kid's show songs, I'd actually welcome some of these silly (and crude) songs from time to time...
220. Night at the Museum -- I'd seen this at the theater when it first came out with my oldest son, and now that my little guy was old enough to watch it, I thought I'd share this movie with him too. He's a fan of real museums and he has a vivid imagination, so he really enjoyed watching all the various exhibits come to life in this movie. Overall, the whole family enjoyed it and the kids of course thought the monkey was hilarious.
221. As Good As It Gets -- I watched this one with my wife. I remember the first time I watched this movie not really enjoying it--the same goes for my wife, but as we watched it this time around, we both found ourselves drawn into the story, and laughing, and truly enjoying the viewing experience. This is really a great and unusual romantic comedy.
222. I Love You, Man -- What a bromance! A silly and enjoyable movie.
223. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time -- I took the boys to the theater to see this. While it's not a 'great' movie--it was definitely a fun summer movie and frankly if that's all you're going to a theater to see, a 'fun' movie, then you'd probably be satisfied by this. Lots of action. Lots of fighting. Lots of fun.
224. The Blind Side -- Another movie I watched with my wife. I thought it was a good movie. I liked the real life story behind the movie. Sandra Bullock was quite good in this--but then, I like her in most of her movies. An inspirational movie.
225. A Night at the Roxbury -- Every so often, you just need to watch a silly movie, you know? And this one has some really fun music too.
This ends May -- with a total of 38 movies watched during that month.
226. Big -- A great movie. Funny, touching, this is a movie I've loved for many years.
227. 13 Going on 30 -- I know this movie was often compared to Big when it first came out -- obviously it has a similar premise -- but after watching them back-to-back I realized that while the comparison has some merit, I enjoyed this movie on its own. Jennifer Garner just lights up the screen and she was perfectly cast in this role as the teen-turned-30 year old.
228. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian -- Watched this with my little guy. He liked it, but we both agreed that we liked the first one better. Still, it was a fun movie and if they made a third one, we'd both probably want to see it.
Well, that's it for this week. My favorite -- well, Big has long been a favorite, and 13 Going on 30 was truly enjoyable, and The Blind Side was a great, inspiration movie, but my favorite has to be A Night at the Roxbury....okay, just kidding....(though, I really do enjoy that movie). As Good As It Gets earns this week's nod as my favorite.
I'll try to get caught up on these posts very soon!
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