Week 5: Jan 29, 2010 to Feb 4, 2010
Total number of movies watched: 11
48. A Scanner Darkly -- A friend recommended this to me. I didn't know what to expect with this movie-though since it was based on a Philip K. Dick story, I assumed it was going to be strange. I was not disappointed. What a bizarre, bizarre movie--dark, twisted (I tend to like these kinds of movies!). An interesting story with some nice twists.
49. Strangers on a Train -- After hearing about this movie for years, I finally watched it. This was my fourth Hitchcock movie in the past week and a half. I like his style quite a bit (shocking, huh?). A good story, quirky characters, and honestly, I wasn't sure how it was going to end.
50. The American President -- An idealistic portrayal of a noble president. Does such a politician exist? Did such a politician ever exist? I don't want to get into politics here--too much discussion about politics exist elsewhere. In general, I like this movie.
51. Father of the Bride -- Funny movie with heart. I really like Steve Martin in this movie and I can't imagine anyone else playing this part. He makes making movies look so easy.
So ended the month of January. 51 movies in one month. At this rate, I'll end up watching 600 movies in 2010. Crazy! I don't think I can keep this pace up all year...
52. On the Waterfront -- Brilliant movie. I watched this for the first time about twenty years ago, but I didn't really appreciate how good it was back then. The scene with Brando in the back of the cab with his brother -- the 'I could've been a contender' scene was spectacular. What an incredible scene--what an incredible actor. This movie also introduced us to Eva Marie Saint--I'd forgotten about that. I love her in North by Northwest (another movie I'll have to watch again this year).
53. 30 Days of Night -- I really enjoyed this movie. Vampires in Alaska. What a cool idea. Or would that be 'cold'? I haven't read the graphic novel that this movie was based on, but a friend suggested this movie to me a while back. Watched it last year, had to watch it again. A good scary movie.
54. Groundhog Day -- I had to watch this movie on Groundhog Day. I love this movie. I've watched this movie dozens of times. I love the city where this movie was filmed. Woodstock, IL is a beautiful city with a beautiful Town Square. I'll stop myself now before I start to gush.
55. Twister -- This is the last movie I saw at a Drive-In and if memory serves, the weather wasn't all that great that night which made the whole drive-in getting destroyed by the tornado scene within the movie just a tiny bit scarier. I've always liked this movie--nothing like having a mile-wide tornado as your villain...
56. Hancock -- When I first saw this movie I thought it was two halves of two different movies mashed together somewhere in the middle, but now that I've seen if a few times, I think it works. I like the attempt the filmmakers made to make up their own superhero mythology. Will Smith looked like he was having a lot of fun making this movie.
57. The Omen (the original) -- This movie scared the hell out of me when I was young and it still creeps me out now. A great, scary movie.
58. The Omen (the remake) -- I hadn't seen the remake before, but since I was able to get both DVD copies from the local library at the same time I thought I'd watch the two movies back-to-back. The remake had a few changes in it--but what I liked is that the filmmakers didn't add a lot of CGI work to the remake--they just relied on the creepy story and for me at least, it worked.
Another week down. Only 47 more weeks to go!
I can't decide on a single favorite film this week either (I should really try to watch some bad movies with just one good movie some week--though, on second thought, that doesn't sound like a fun week of movie watching to me....!) There's just too much variety--some really good horror movies in there, a couple of excellent classics, and of course my sentimental favorite, Groundhog Day.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
A Year of Movies
Week 4: Jan 22, 2010 to Jan 28, 2010
Number of movies watched: 12
36. Shakespeare in Love -- Every time I watch this movie, I feel the need to write better. A pity it doesn't happen. Ha ha. Ah, that's just me being hard on myself. Seriously, I've always liked this movie a lot. There's quite a few named actors in this, and I think this was the first movie I saw with Ben Affleck playing a secondary character--and I think I like him just a bit more as a secondary character rather than as the lead. He plays quirky oddballs better, I think. As for the movie on a whole, it's a great rom-com.
37. Vertigo -- I'd never seen this Hitchcock movie before, and now that I've seen it, I really like it a lot. I like the twist midway through and like other good movies with good twists, I want to watch it again. It was interesting to watch the female character go through the changes she had to go through for Stewart's character. I liked the original ending (on the DVD bonus section they had an alternate ending required for overseas viewers--it was not as good as the original ending).
38. Desperado -- Excellent action movie. Salma Hayek looks amazing in this. Lots of poetic gun play. Just a fun flick to watch.
39. He's Just Not That Into You -- Cute movie. The wife liked it. Decent enough rom-com.
40. Marley & Me -- Another Jennifer Aniston movie that my wife wanted to see. I did too. We both love dogs and as the movie neared the end, we both knew what to expect, but it still was hard to watch. We have an aging dog (she's 11 1/2), and young children, and it will be difficult on all of us when she goes. For so many years, she acted like puppy--always so full of energy, but the last couple of years she's started to slow down and just this past winter she's really started to show her age. Selfishly, I hope she holds out for a few more years. She's been a great dog for all of us (not the terror that Marley was in this movie!)
41. Miss Congeniality -- Some weekends just end up being rom-com weekends--and if they must be rom-com weekends, one should at least try to find good rom-coms. I've been a fan of Sandra Bullocks since Speed so I enjoyed this movie. So did my wife.
42. Ghost Rider -- I know this movie didn't do so well with the critics, but I liked it. I like most super-hero movies though, so perhaps I'm a bit biased when it comes to these. Sure, some superhero movies are better than others, but after a weekend of rom-coms I was ready for something with a little more action. And of course, Eva Mendes is in this...
43. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels -- Michael Caine. Steve Martin. Being scoundrels. What's not to like? I love this movie and can watch it over and over.
44. The Stranger -- A dark Orson Welles movie. Welles plays a cold, calculating Nazi trying to escape notice in a small New England town. I didn't know what to expect with this movie--in general I liked the sinister mood and feel of it.
45. Kingpin -- Woody is so funny in this movie. Bill Murray. Randy Quaid. Both equally funny. After a dark movie, it was nice to follow it up with something light and humorous.
46. The Maltese Falcon -- Bogart was Sam Spade. Another classic. Excellent movie. What more can I say. It's one of those movies you just have to watch.
47. Slumdog Millionaire -- I'd never seen this movie before. I really didn't know much about it either. I didn't even read the outside cover when I got it from the library. I came to this movie without knowing what to expect. Visually shocking. Great story. Interesting love story. At times, a very dark movie--at other times, very uplifting.
Overall, some very extremely different movies this week, and because of these wild differences, I can't pick one winner overall. I really enjoyed Slumdog Millionaire, but I also enjoyed Dirty Rotten Scoundrels for completely different reasons. However, of all the rom-coms, while the weekend rom-com fest was fun and I enjoy watching movies with my wife, I still liked Shakespeare in Love just a bit more.
I'm slowly catching up with myself here. By the end of March, I'm hoping I'll have all the weeks entered. January and February were some busy months. I've slowed down the pace just a bit this month. I've stubbornly finished at least one movie every day so far, despite some days thinking -- why the hell am I doing this? Am I learning anything at all? Is that the goal? I don't know. Maybe. I'd like to think there is something more to all this movie-watching than simply escapism. Isn't that why so many people watch movies though? To escape real life? For two hours, give or take, the viewer can slip the bonds of the real world and enter a new world with different troubles and different outcomes and take a break from life knowing that in two hours, give or take, at least some answers will be found. Some resolutions will be discovered. Some new knowledge will be revealed. Maybe that's what I'm looking for...some answers. Some resolutions. Some knowledge...
Or, maybe it's just that I love movies.
Something to consider...
Number of movies watched: 12
36. Shakespeare in Love -- Every time I watch this movie, I feel the need to write better. A pity it doesn't happen. Ha ha. Ah, that's just me being hard on myself. Seriously, I've always liked this movie a lot. There's quite a few named actors in this, and I think this was the first movie I saw with Ben Affleck playing a secondary character--and I think I like him just a bit more as a secondary character rather than as the lead. He plays quirky oddballs better, I think. As for the movie on a whole, it's a great rom-com.
37. Vertigo -- I'd never seen this Hitchcock movie before, and now that I've seen it, I really like it a lot. I like the twist midway through and like other good movies with good twists, I want to watch it again. It was interesting to watch the female character go through the changes she had to go through for Stewart's character. I liked the original ending (on the DVD bonus section they had an alternate ending required for overseas viewers--it was not as good as the original ending).
38. Desperado -- Excellent action movie. Salma Hayek looks amazing in this. Lots of poetic gun play. Just a fun flick to watch.
39. He's Just Not That Into You -- Cute movie. The wife liked it. Decent enough rom-com.
40. Marley & Me -- Another Jennifer Aniston movie that my wife wanted to see. I did too. We both love dogs and as the movie neared the end, we both knew what to expect, but it still was hard to watch. We have an aging dog (she's 11 1/2), and young children, and it will be difficult on all of us when she goes. For so many years, she acted like puppy--always so full of energy, but the last couple of years she's started to slow down and just this past winter she's really started to show her age. Selfishly, I hope she holds out for a few more years. She's been a great dog for all of us (not the terror that Marley was in this movie!)
41. Miss Congeniality -- Some weekends just end up being rom-com weekends--and if they must be rom-com weekends, one should at least try to find good rom-coms. I've been a fan of Sandra Bullocks since Speed so I enjoyed this movie. So did my wife.
42. Ghost Rider -- I know this movie didn't do so well with the critics, but I liked it. I like most super-hero movies though, so perhaps I'm a bit biased when it comes to these. Sure, some superhero movies are better than others, but after a weekend of rom-coms I was ready for something with a little more action. And of course, Eva Mendes is in this...
43. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels -- Michael Caine. Steve Martin. Being scoundrels. What's not to like? I love this movie and can watch it over and over.
44. The Stranger -- A dark Orson Welles movie. Welles plays a cold, calculating Nazi trying to escape notice in a small New England town. I didn't know what to expect with this movie--in general I liked the sinister mood and feel of it.
45. Kingpin -- Woody is so funny in this movie. Bill Murray. Randy Quaid. Both equally funny. After a dark movie, it was nice to follow it up with something light and humorous.
46. The Maltese Falcon -- Bogart was Sam Spade. Another classic. Excellent movie. What more can I say. It's one of those movies you just have to watch.
47. Slumdog Millionaire -- I'd never seen this movie before. I really didn't know much about it either. I didn't even read the outside cover when I got it from the library. I came to this movie without knowing what to expect. Visually shocking. Great story. Interesting love story. At times, a very dark movie--at other times, very uplifting.
Overall, some very extremely different movies this week, and because of these wild differences, I can't pick one winner overall. I really enjoyed Slumdog Millionaire, but I also enjoyed Dirty Rotten Scoundrels for completely different reasons. However, of all the rom-coms, while the weekend rom-com fest was fun and I enjoy watching movies with my wife, I still liked Shakespeare in Love just a bit more.
I'm slowly catching up with myself here. By the end of March, I'm hoping I'll have all the weeks entered. January and February were some busy months. I've slowed down the pace just a bit this month. I've stubbornly finished at least one movie every day so far, despite some days thinking -- why the hell am I doing this? Am I learning anything at all? Is that the goal? I don't know. Maybe. I'd like to think there is something more to all this movie-watching than simply escapism. Isn't that why so many people watch movies though? To escape real life? For two hours, give or take, the viewer can slip the bonds of the real world and enter a new world with different troubles and different outcomes and take a break from life knowing that in two hours, give or take, at least some answers will be found. Some resolutions will be discovered. Some new knowledge will be revealed. Maybe that's what I'm looking for...some answers. Some resolutions. Some knowledge...
Or, maybe it's just that I love movies.
Something to consider...
Thursday, March 4, 2010
A Year of Movies
Week 3: Jan 15, 2010 to Jan 21, 2010
Total number of movies watched: 10
26. 3:10 to Yuma -- An excellent western starring Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. Probably one of the top western movies--I'd rank it up there with Unforgiven as one of my favorites in that genre. I'll have to read the Elmore Leonard short story someday. Wonderfully rich, three-dimensional, not all good-not all bad characters in this movie. Intense action and ending.
27. Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion -- Hey, sometimes you just have to watch a light, funny movie from time to time, and you might as well watch one with some eye candy. Like, you know?
28. Blue Velvet -- And then you follow that up with a dark, twisted, odd, odd movie with a scary Dennis Hopper and some scenes that frankly were rather disturbing. I had never seen this before, a friend recommended it, and while I did like it overall, parts were just....as I said, disturbing.
29. My Best Friend's Wedding -- Hey, sometimes you got to watch movies the wife likes. I like this rom-com too. Julia Roberts as the 'bad' guy in this. And what a 'villain' she turned out to be. Cameron Diaz looked SO young in this movie.
30. Runaway Bride -- Another Julia Roberts movie. Another wedding....or rather multiple weddings. Another pairing of Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. While I don't think this one tops Pretty Woman, it still is an enjoyable rom-com (and Julia does this thing with her mouth--makes it look like she's a duck).
31. HeartBreakers -- It was a weekend of rom-coms. Funny movie. More eye-candy.
32. Mulholland Dr. -- Another truly bizarre and twisted David Lynch movie. I liked this one slightly better than Blue Velvet, but that might be because I've seen this one a few times before and I wasn't as shocked by it this time around.
33. Rear Window -- As you'll see in future posts, I'm working my way through Alfred Hitchcock's movies. A little dated perhaps (primarily with the ending effects), but still a very, very good movie. Impressive use of one set. I liked the chemistry between James Stewart and Grace Kelly. She just glows on the screen and you can't take your eyes off her.
34. Dave -- This 'political' movie makes one wish it were possible for something good to truly come out of Washington. Sweet movie.
35. Psycho -- What more can be said about this movie that hasn't already been said so many times before. A classic noir film.
I guess this was the week of primarily twisted movies and eye candy. Hmmm...perhaps I should try to find some movies that combines both those qualities. Probably something by Quentin Tarantino. I'm working toward getting to some of his films in the very near future. And while I am a fan of Alfred Hitchcock's works and I enjoy Lynch's twisted movies and all the various eye-candy films, I think my favorite for this past week was 3:10 to Yuma.
Total number of movies watched: 10
26. 3:10 to Yuma -- An excellent western starring Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. Probably one of the top western movies--I'd rank it up there with Unforgiven as one of my favorites in that genre. I'll have to read the Elmore Leonard short story someday. Wonderfully rich, three-dimensional, not all good-not all bad characters in this movie. Intense action and ending.
27. Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion -- Hey, sometimes you just have to watch a light, funny movie from time to time, and you might as well watch one with some eye candy. Like, you know?
28. Blue Velvet -- And then you follow that up with a dark, twisted, odd, odd movie with a scary Dennis Hopper and some scenes that frankly were rather disturbing. I had never seen this before, a friend recommended it, and while I did like it overall, parts were just....as I said, disturbing.
29. My Best Friend's Wedding -- Hey, sometimes you got to watch movies the wife likes. I like this rom-com too. Julia Roberts as the 'bad' guy in this. And what a 'villain' she turned out to be. Cameron Diaz looked SO young in this movie.
30. Runaway Bride -- Another Julia Roberts movie. Another wedding....or rather multiple weddings. Another pairing of Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. While I don't think this one tops Pretty Woman, it still is an enjoyable rom-com (and Julia does this thing with her mouth--makes it look like she's a duck).
31. HeartBreakers -- It was a weekend of rom-coms. Funny movie. More eye-candy.
32. Mulholland Dr. -- Another truly bizarre and twisted David Lynch movie. I liked this one slightly better than Blue Velvet, but that might be because I've seen this one a few times before and I wasn't as shocked by it this time around.
33. Rear Window -- As you'll see in future posts, I'm working my way through Alfred Hitchcock's movies. A little dated perhaps (primarily with the ending effects), but still a very, very good movie. Impressive use of one set. I liked the chemistry between James Stewart and Grace Kelly. She just glows on the screen and you can't take your eyes off her.
34. Dave -- This 'political' movie makes one wish it were possible for something good to truly come out of Washington. Sweet movie.
35. Psycho -- What more can be said about this movie that hasn't already been said so many times before. A classic noir film.
I guess this was the week of primarily twisted movies and eye candy. Hmmm...perhaps I should try to find some movies that combines both those qualities. Probably something by Quentin Tarantino. I'm working toward getting to some of his films in the very near future. And while I am a fan of Alfred Hitchcock's works and I enjoy Lynch's twisted movies and all the various eye-candy films, I think my favorite for this past week was 3:10 to Yuma.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
A Year of Movies
Week 2: Jan. 8, 2010 to Jan. 14, 2010
Total number of movies watched: 13
13. District 9 -- I absolutely LOVED this movie! I'll have to find a time this year to watch it again, and soon. I loved the characters, the story, the setting -- I loved how the special effects didn't take over the movie. They were only a part of the movie. Too many movies nowadays rely too heavily on effects and don't worry as much about story, or character. This one was a perfect mix. If you haven't seen this movie, watch it.
14. Cashback -- I really enjoyed this small budget indie film. It was charming and funny and I had no idea what to expect when I started watching it and when it was done, I was truly impressed. A really good movie.
15. Edward Scissorhands -- An old favorite. After what, 20 years, this movie still gets to me. And the music...
16. The Fog -- This remake was 'okay'. The idea of the movie was kinda cool, but I'm not sure if the ending worked for me. I haven't seen the original so I don't know if that was the original ending or not. For a horror movie, I wasn't really 'scared'...
17. Sleepless in Seattle -- A great romantic comedy. What more is there to say? Though, I have to add, there is quite a difference watching this when you have no kids vs having kids. Now that I have kids, the scene where Tom Hanks' son flies off to NY on his own (at age 8) now really bothers me. I can only imagine (and hopefully that's all it will ever be) the horror of a parent in losing a child like that, even if only for a few hours. In real life, that flight from Seattle to NY in hopes of finding your missing son would have seemed like an eternity. A horrible eternity... That aside though, I love this rom-com. Great movie.
18. Breaking and Entering -- An interesting and thoughtful movie staring Jude Law. Each character in this small movie was flawed, and the 'victim' of the actual crime was perhaps the most flawed of all. Another movie I started with no idea what to expect. In general, I liked it.
19. The Blair Witch Project -- Oddly enough, I had never seen this movie before. I know, I couldn't believe it either. My friend suggested it to me so I gave it a try. Perhaps after all these years of hearing how scary this movie was, I went into it with high expectations, and they weren't entirely met. For a low budget film, it was good, but for much of the movie, I just wasn't that scared. And as the movie went on, I began to like the main characters less and less, until finally, I got to the point (and this has happened in many horror movies for me), where I couldn't wait for the characters to get bumped off. And the ending. I 'get' the ending. But...again, I guess I was expecting more. If, as this movie was trying to pretend, these tapes were 'real' the cameras would have continued filming even after they were dropped (at least until the batteries died, the cameras ran out of film, or they were switched off), and yet, as edited, the movie just stops. So...again, going on the premise that the footage was supposed to be real (I realize they were not), there should have been more footage of the carnage after what 'we' saw--and yet the people who edited the "real" film footage together didn't include it? Why not? It's supposed to be a 'horror'. If there was 'real' horror footage afterwards, it should have been included. Long story short, I felt the ending short-changed the viewers.
20. Leon, The Professional -- This was the director's cut of The Professional. I love this movie. Sharp action. Deeply emotional. Dark at times. Excellent performances by all the lead actors. Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman. Wow.
21. Splinter -- An intense 'monster' movie. Thrilling. Fun and at times, actually scary. I liked this 'monster' movie.
22. Hang 'Em High -- Clint Eastwood's first American western, according to the outside cover. Good movie. I like most of Clint's movies. Will have to watch 'Unforgiven' again soon.
23. Con Air -- An enjoyable movie with lots of great actors having fun. Cage, Cusack, Malkovich...the list goes on and on with this movie. Wild action. I really like this movie.
24. City of Ember -- A fun adventure story set in a unique world. The kids will probably like this movie in a few years (they're just a little too young to truly enjoy it now). I went out and found the book that this movie was based on and read it afterwards. A good read, too.
25. Fallen -- A great paranormal/cop film starring Denzel Washington. Excellent story. Nice twists. Dark, eerie movie. Watch this movie if you get the chance....'time is on your side, yes it is...' (the song sticks after watching this!)
A week of excellent movies! Again, too many to pick out one favorite, though District 9 would be near the top of my list for not only this week, but of all movies I've seen. And I'm glad I took a chance on a few of the smaller budget films--Cashback, Breaking and Entering and Splinter. Sometimes those little-known movies really do work out well.
Total number of movies watched: 13
13. District 9 -- I absolutely LOVED this movie! I'll have to find a time this year to watch it again, and soon. I loved the characters, the story, the setting -- I loved how the special effects didn't take over the movie. They were only a part of the movie. Too many movies nowadays rely too heavily on effects and don't worry as much about story, or character. This one was a perfect mix. If you haven't seen this movie, watch it.
14. Cashback -- I really enjoyed this small budget indie film. It was charming and funny and I had no idea what to expect when I started watching it and when it was done, I was truly impressed. A really good movie.
15. Edward Scissorhands -- An old favorite. After what, 20 years, this movie still gets to me. And the music...
16. The Fog -- This remake was 'okay'. The idea of the movie was kinda cool, but I'm not sure if the ending worked for me. I haven't seen the original so I don't know if that was the original ending or not. For a horror movie, I wasn't really 'scared'...
17. Sleepless in Seattle -- A great romantic comedy. What more is there to say? Though, I have to add, there is quite a difference watching this when you have no kids vs having kids. Now that I have kids, the scene where Tom Hanks' son flies off to NY on his own (at age 8) now really bothers me. I can only imagine (and hopefully that's all it will ever be) the horror of a parent in losing a child like that, even if only for a few hours. In real life, that flight from Seattle to NY in hopes of finding your missing son would have seemed like an eternity. A horrible eternity... That aside though, I love this rom-com. Great movie.
18. Breaking and Entering -- An interesting and thoughtful movie staring Jude Law. Each character in this small movie was flawed, and the 'victim' of the actual crime was perhaps the most flawed of all. Another movie I started with no idea what to expect. In general, I liked it.
19. The Blair Witch Project -- Oddly enough, I had never seen this movie before. I know, I couldn't believe it either. My friend suggested it to me so I gave it a try. Perhaps after all these years of hearing how scary this movie was, I went into it with high expectations, and they weren't entirely met. For a low budget film, it was good, but for much of the movie, I just wasn't that scared. And as the movie went on, I began to like the main characters less and less, until finally, I got to the point (and this has happened in many horror movies for me), where I couldn't wait for the characters to get bumped off. And the ending. I 'get' the ending. But...again, I guess I was expecting more. If, as this movie was trying to pretend, these tapes were 'real' the cameras would have continued filming even after they were dropped (at least until the batteries died, the cameras ran out of film, or they were switched off), and yet, as edited, the movie just stops. So...again, going on the premise that the footage was supposed to be real (I realize they were not), there should have been more footage of the carnage after what 'we' saw--and yet the people who edited the "real" film footage together didn't include it? Why not? It's supposed to be a 'horror'. If there was 'real' horror footage afterwards, it should have been included. Long story short, I felt the ending short-changed the viewers.
20. Leon, The Professional -- This was the director's cut of The Professional. I love this movie. Sharp action. Deeply emotional. Dark at times. Excellent performances by all the lead actors. Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman. Wow.
21. Splinter -- An intense 'monster' movie. Thrilling. Fun and at times, actually scary. I liked this 'monster' movie.
22. Hang 'Em High -- Clint Eastwood's first American western, according to the outside cover. Good movie. I like most of Clint's movies. Will have to watch 'Unforgiven' again soon.
23. Con Air -- An enjoyable movie with lots of great actors having fun. Cage, Cusack, Malkovich...the list goes on and on with this movie. Wild action. I really like this movie.
24. City of Ember -- A fun adventure story set in a unique world. The kids will probably like this movie in a few years (they're just a little too young to truly enjoy it now). I went out and found the book that this movie was based on and read it afterwards. A good read, too.
25. Fallen -- A great paranormal/cop film starring Denzel Washington. Excellent story. Nice twists. Dark, eerie movie. Watch this movie if you get the chance....'time is on your side, yes it is...' (the song sticks after watching this!)
A week of excellent movies! Again, too many to pick out one favorite, though District 9 would be near the top of my list for not only this week, but of all movies I've seen. And I'm glad I took a chance on a few of the smaller budget films--Cashback, Breaking and Entering and Splinter. Sometimes those little-known movies really do work out well.
About Movies and Exercising and Cleaning...oh my.
In regards to watching a movie every day, some days are easier than others. I know, compared to many people, watching a movie a day is a luxury. I'm not complaining. I usually attempt to watch the day's movie while exercising, or cleaning the house. (My wife is a fan of either--though I think she prefers the house cleaning more--no big surprise!) In an effort to get into better shape before I get too much older, I have been trying nearly every day to exercise to some extent--riding the exercise bike, lifting free weights, or simply a doing a variety of stretching exercises. Writing can become such a sedentary job--and often while I'm writing or editing, I have to remind myself to get up and walk around. Something just to get out of the chair!
Cleaning can be quite a physical work out too. Sometimes I'm able to get quite a bit done while the movie is playing--and other days, I use the movie as my reward. Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of house cleaning. I'm reminded of a scene in 'The Break-up' where Jennifer Aniston's character and Vince Vaughn's character are discussing cleaning and she basically says something along the lines of: I want you to want to clean...and he replies: why would I want to clean? I don't know about you, but I think that's true for many people. I clean...but it's not like it's something I 'want' to do. The movie treat after is my "spoonful of the sugar to help the medicine go down".
So, the moral of the story, if there needs to be one, is: don't complain about something you enjoy doing, even if you don't feel like doing it every so often, 'cause you could be doing something a whole lot less fun all the time instead.
Wait, is that kinda like 'the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence'?
Hmmmm...
Yeah, I suppose that's the 'deep thought' for the day. I know, it's not impressive. But on only a couple of hours of sleep and one can of Mt Dew, it's not bad.
Watch out if I ever sleep eight hours in a row!
Cleaning can be quite a physical work out too. Sometimes I'm able to get quite a bit done while the movie is playing--and other days, I use the movie as my reward. Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of house cleaning. I'm reminded of a scene in 'The Break-up' where Jennifer Aniston's character and Vince Vaughn's character are discussing cleaning and she basically says something along the lines of: I want you to want to clean...and he replies: why would I want to clean? I don't know about you, but I think that's true for many people. I clean...but it's not like it's something I 'want' to do. The movie treat after is my "spoonful of the sugar to help the medicine go down".
So, the moral of the story, if there needs to be one, is: don't complain about something you enjoy doing, even if you don't feel like doing it every so often, 'cause you could be doing something a whole lot less fun all the time instead.
Wait, is that kinda like 'the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence'?
Hmmmm...
Yeah, I suppose that's the 'deep thought' for the day. I know, it's not impressive. But on only a couple of hours of sleep and one can of Mt Dew, it's not bad.
Watch out if I ever sleep eight hours in a row!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
A Year of Movies
Week 1: Jan 1, 2010 to Jan 7, 2010.
Total number of movies watched: 12
1. The Usual Suspects -- I love this movie. I've watched it a number of times and I think Kevin Spacey is impressive as Verbal Kint. A great way to start off the new year.
2. Four Christmases -- My wife wanted this movie for Christmas (she likes movies just not as much as me). In general, I liked this movie, though I thought Vince Vaughn was basically playing another Vince Vaughn character. Has he ever played a character that wasn't a smooth-fast-talking funny guy? I'll have to check imdb... Anyway, it was a decent enough movie with some funny parts.
3. Jennifer's Body -- Okay movie. I'm a big fan of Juno, and was probably expecting a bit more from this movie, but it was what it was--a movie to show off Megan Fox. Wasn't sure if I was supposed to be scared...or laugh...or...?
4. The Wrestler -- Great movie even if mildly depressing. Mickey Rourke did an amazing job. I won't spoil the ending, but it totally fit with the rest of the movie. It's good to see Mickey again. I liked him in Sin City and Once Upon a Time in Mexico (will have to watch both of them again this year sometime), but in this movie, he was the star.
5. Ghosts of Girlfriend's Past -- Another movie my wife wanted for Christmas. Matthew being his normal charming self and Jennifer Garner being someone I can't help but watch. She lights up the screen--big or small. Loved her in Alias, and 13 Going on 30. Was surprised by the scene between Matthew's character and his brother. I wasn't expecting the emotional bond between the two of them in this film.
6. Frost/Nixon -- Excellent movie. It was like watching a verbal boxing match. Really great performances by the two main lead actors.
7. Ed Wood -- A friend suggested this movie to me. I've seen quite a few Johnny Depp movies, but I'd never seen this one. So many times, Depp disappears into his roles. He's an amazing actor. Good film.
8. Mars Attacks! -- A nice homage to cheesy '50s sci-fi (or is it SYFY now?) movies. I'd seen this on TV off and on over the years but I think this was the first time I saw it on DVD. Better on DVD.
9. The Ring -- Another suggestion by a friend. I'd never seen it before. Had watched Paranormal Activity at the end of December and thought it was pretty good (though I didn't think it was the scariest movie ever). This movie was scarier. (Yes, I know, it also had a budget!) Creepy movie. Eerie from start to finish.
10. 1408 -- Another good horror movie. John Cusack is really great in this movie (he's really good in so many movies...Grosse Pointe Blank, Identity, High Fidelity, American Sweethearts). Dark. Depressing. Entertaining.
11. Star Trek -- I had wanted to see the Star Trek movie when it came out in the theater last year, but I never had the chance. And though I am typically a fantasy/sci-fi (SYFY) fan, I never really got into the original Star Trek series (it came out before my time). Perhaps it is blasphemy to say this, but I actually tend to like both Star Wars and Star Trek fairly equally...(hmmm...will this be the beginning of 'the hate'?). As for this movie, I generally liked it quite a bit. It had lots of good action, a good story, and with one simple twist at the beginning, a way for J.J. Abrams to completely reboot the original characters' history.
12. Touch of Evil -- Another friend's suggestion. I hadn't watched many Orson Welles movies, and I wasn't sure what to expect. I was able to watch a director's cut or at least a version that was supposed to be closer to what Welles intended. I liked the movie. Welles and Heston were really good in this.
Overall, a pretty good week. I can't really pick a single favorite out of these twelve. The Usual Suspects, The Wrestler, and Star Trek would be near the top.
Total number of movies watched: 12
1. The Usual Suspects -- I love this movie. I've watched it a number of times and I think Kevin Spacey is impressive as Verbal Kint. A great way to start off the new year.
2. Four Christmases -- My wife wanted this movie for Christmas (she likes movies just not as much as me). In general, I liked this movie, though I thought Vince Vaughn was basically playing another Vince Vaughn character. Has he ever played a character that wasn't a smooth-fast-talking funny guy? I'll have to check imdb... Anyway, it was a decent enough movie with some funny parts.
3. Jennifer's Body -- Okay movie. I'm a big fan of Juno, and was probably expecting a bit more from this movie, but it was what it was--a movie to show off Megan Fox. Wasn't sure if I was supposed to be scared...or laugh...or...?
4. The Wrestler -- Great movie even if mildly depressing. Mickey Rourke did an amazing job. I won't spoil the ending, but it totally fit with the rest of the movie. It's good to see Mickey again. I liked him in Sin City and Once Upon a Time in Mexico (will have to watch both of them again this year sometime), but in this movie, he was the star.
5. Ghosts of Girlfriend's Past -- Another movie my wife wanted for Christmas. Matthew being his normal charming self and Jennifer Garner being someone I can't help but watch. She lights up the screen--big or small. Loved her in Alias, and 13 Going on 30. Was surprised by the scene between Matthew's character and his brother. I wasn't expecting the emotional bond between the two of them in this film.
6. Frost/Nixon -- Excellent movie. It was like watching a verbal boxing match. Really great performances by the two main lead actors.
7. Ed Wood -- A friend suggested this movie to me. I've seen quite a few Johnny Depp movies, but I'd never seen this one. So many times, Depp disappears into his roles. He's an amazing actor. Good film.
8. Mars Attacks! -- A nice homage to cheesy '50s sci-fi (or is it SYFY now?) movies. I'd seen this on TV off and on over the years but I think this was the first time I saw it on DVD. Better on DVD.
9. The Ring -- Another suggestion by a friend. I'd never seen it before. Had watched Paranormal Activity at the end of December and thought it was pretty good (though I didn't think it was the scariest movie ever). This movie was scarier. (Yes, I know, it also had a budget!) Creepy movie. Eerie from start to finish.
10. 1408 -- Another good horror movie. John Cusack is really great in this movie (he's really good in so many movies...Grosse Pointe Blank, Identity, High Fidelity, American Sweethearts). Dark. Depressing. Entertaining.
11. Star Trek -- I had wanted to see the Star Trek movie when it came out in the theater last year, but I never had the chance. And though I am typically a fantasy/sci-fi (SYFY) fan, I never really got into the original Star Trek series (it came out before my time). Perhaps it is blasphemy to say this, but I actually tend to like both Star Wars and Star Trek fairly equally...(hmmm...will this be the beginning of 'the hate'?). As for this movie, I generally liked it quite a bit. It had lots of good action, a good story, and with one simple twist at the beginning, a way for J.J. Abrams to completely reboot the original characters' history.
12. Touch of Evil -- Another friend's suggestion. I hadn't watched many Orson Welles movies, and I wasn't sure what to expect. I was able to watch a director's cut or at least a version that was supposed to be closer to what Welles intended. I liked the movie. Welles and Heston were really good in this.
Overall, a pretty good week. I can't really pick a single favorite out of these twelve. The Usual Suspects, The Wrestler, and Star Trek would be near the top.
A YEAR OF MOVIES
If you follow me at all on Twitter, you might have noticed that lately I've talked about watching movies this year. I love movies. I've loved them ever since I was a kid. I started collecting VHS copies of movies years ago, and as time and technology advanced, I switched over to DVDs. I haven't gone over to Blu-ray (yet), but perhaps someday...
Anyways, back to "A Year of Movies".
My goal: to FINISH at least one movie every day for the entire year.
I say 'finish' because due to my odd work and sleep cycles, and my day-job as a Stay-at-Home Dad, it's hard to watch an entire movie start-to-finish in one day. However, I'm usually able to start a movie before I head off to bed for my first 'nap' before work, and finish the movie (the following day) after I'm home from work and awake from my second 'nap'. Occasionally, as you'll see, I am able to watch a second (or third) movie while I'm exercising or cleaning the house during the day (with DVD and VHS players in multiple rooms of the house it's quite easy to movie either the DVD or VHS movie around with me), but as I've said, I want to finish at least one movie every day from 1/1/2010 to 12/31/2010.
What's the point of watching all these movies? Besides the fact I love movies...?
Well, as I said, I own a lot of movies, and my wife suggested to me near the end of last year that if I were going to own a lot of movies, perhaps I should actually watch them. Good point!
Second, there are some movies I've meant to watch but for one reason or another I haven't and so I'm trying on a number of new directors, genres, etc in this pursuit of a Year of Movies. Also, my friends have from time to time suggested certain movies to me, and this year, I'm intent on trying to watch most of them.
Third, I don't watch a lot of general TV. I'm usually trying to sleep while prime-time TV is on and I don't watch much daytime TV--I'm not into daytime talk shows or soap operas--so having a movie on while I work around the house is my little entertainment.
Fourth, I'd love to write spec scripts and watching movies, lots of good movies, I think, is a good way to study movies. I have the rough draft of a low-budget indie script done for myself and a few of my friends who want to help me to make a movie later this year. As that develops, I'll discuss it here.
Finally, I just want to know if I can do it. There are some days when I really don't feel like watching another movie, but I stubbornly search out for a movie that changes my mind. After watching these movies, I make little notes about each--I'm not a film critic--rather, I generally look at whether the movie worked for me in the way it was intended. Was the comedy funny? Did the drama make me stop and think, then or later? Was I wowed by the action or scared by the horror? Also, I like being entertained.
In my next post, I'll start with the first week of 2010. As the year progresses, I'll attempt to catch up my posts to the current week. As of today, 3/2/2010, the 61st day of this year, I've watched 102 movies, finishing at least one per day.
Whew.
Anyways, back to "A Year of Movies".
My goal: to FINISH at least one movie every day for the entire year.
I say 'finish' because due to my odd work and sleep cycles, and my day-job as a Stay-at-Home Dad, it's hard to watch an entire movie start-to-finish in one day. However, I'm usually able to start a movie before I head off to bed for my first 'nap' before work, and finish the movie (the following day) after I'm home from work and awake from my second 'nap'. Occasionally, as you'll see, I am able to watch a second (or third) movie while I'm exercising or cleaning the house during the day (with DVD and VHS players in multiple rooms of the house it's quite easy to movie either the DVD or VHS movie around with me), but as I've said, I want to finish at least one movie every day from 1/1/2010 to 12/31/2010.
What's the point of watching all these movies? Besides the fact I love movies...?
Well, as I said, I own a lot of movies, and my wife suggested to me near the end of last year that if I were going to own a lot of movies, perhaps I should actually watch them. Good point!
Second, there are some movies I've meant to watch but for one reason or another I haven't and so I'm trying on a number of new directors, genres, etc in this pursuit of a Year of Movies. Also, my friends have from time to time suggested certain movies to me, and this year, I'm intent on trying to watch most of them.
Third, I don't watch a lot of general TV. I'm usually trying to sleep while prime-time TV is on and I don't watch much daytime TV--I'm not into daytime talk shows or soap operas--so having a movie on while I work around the house is my little entertainment.
Fourth, I'd love to write spec scripts and watching movies, lots of good movies, I think, is a good way to study movies. I have the rough draft of a low-budget indie script done for myself and a few of my friends who want to help me to make a movie later this year. As that develops, I'll discuss it here.
Finally, I just want to know if I can do it. There are some days when I really don't feel like watching another movie, but I stubbornly search out for a movie that changes my mind. After watching these movies, I make little notes about each--I'm not a film critic--rather, I generally look at whether the movie worked for me in the way it was intended. Was the comedy funny? Did the drama make me stop and think, then or later? Was I wowed by the action or scared by the horror? Also, I like being entertained.
In my next post, I'll start with the first week of 2010. As the year progresses, I'll attempt to catch up my posts to the current week. As of today, 3/2/2010, the 61st day of this year, I've watched 102 movies, finishing at least one per day.
Whew.
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