Movies Seen: *First Time Viewed
Way of the Gun*
Hunt for the Red October*
Interview with the Vampire
The Big Lebowski
Coco avant Chanel*
Il Postino*
Some kind of magical week took place, it is apparent to me upon reflection, in this, my boring unemployed life. I saw 1 new movie I will love from now on, 1 movie I have seen many times, but for the first time ON THE BIG SCREEEEEEEN(!) and one movie, that somehow unexplainably had me thinking about it days after seeing it, wondering WHY I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would. To proceed is an estimation of my tiny brain’s thoughts on said movies, plus free peanuts! What’s that? Oh, I ate all the peanuts. Sucks to be you.
Way of the Gun:
This wicked vehicle of destruction. My brain was wrapped around this flick in a desperate attempt to find its flaws and see why they made me so sore. Translation: What a weird movie. I mean, it was trying really hard to be a cool gangster/confidence/dialogue heavy feature, where men are men, and the rich get what they deserve, or something like that. This movie merits at least one more watch through, so I can just… TEAR IT APART. My initial reaction was I did not like it, and I stand by this feeling. I don’t like that through the course of the movie we hardly got to know the characters at all. I don’t like how it tried to make all these despicable people interesting. There was nothing to invest in. EXCEPT: James Caan. This is the first flick I have seen where I was wowed by the man. He plays a smart and scary old school bag man. And not bag man hobo, bag man gangster. Way of the Gun (heh heh, I typed Gum instead of Gun) was a story about an EFFED up situation. The violence was shallow, the plot confusing, and the characters just under developed. I can’t recommend it, unless someone wants to sit down with me and explain it better then my pal Will did. No offense Will.
Hunt for the Red October:
After a few days consideration, I have decided I can’t give this movie a fair assessment. I was watching a TV version of the movie with commercial interruptions, and was on my phone most of the time. I like Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, and Sam Neill, so I’m pretty sure this movie deserves an actual close look.
Interview with the Vampire:
Another TV version of a movie, but one I have seen a few times before. I love Tom Cruise in this movie. I really think it’s like no other role I have ever seen him in. Compared to Tom, Brad Pitt was blah in this movie. I’ve read the book, and I really liked it, probably more than the movie. The flick has its charms though. Its shot really well, has good acting all around. I wish that they had continued to adapt the books this well, but as we all know, Queen of the Damned. I haven’t ever seen it myself and I don’t want to. Sarah one time gave me a hilarious description of the movie after I had just finished the book, and based on that it sounds like I would simultaneously be throwing up and laughing if I watched it. Kudos to anyone who stomached it, you are braver than I.
The Big Lebowski:
What can I possibly say about a movie so perfect? So finely crafted it brought tears to my eyes seeing it on the big screen? What an experience. This movie is amazing any time you watch it, but having seeing it in the theatre now I don’t want it any other way. Not to say I won’t watch it on tv again. I will sit there, enjoy every moment of it, but inside of me will be an almost silent voice saying over and over “Its not the same.” Let me see, if you haven’t seen the Big Lebowski, and you are friend of mine, strike one. We need to alleviate this ASAP. Call in sick to work, pull the fire alarm at school, shoot you children with the tranqs! Its time to take a break, whip up a couple white Russians, and lay down on your favorite rug. You know, the one that really ties the room together. Then we will talk.
Coco Avant Chanel:
Ah, le French. I like more and more French movies. I wonder what other countries I should be inspecting when it comes to film? I always hear German this and German that in film class. Somehow, I don’t think I’m ready for that yet. Anyway, Coco. This movie was ruined for me I think, because I had already seen the Lifetime version of Coco Chanel’s life story. I thought that the tv version wasn’t too bad, considering it was a Lifetime movie. I like Audrey Tatou, so I thought I would really like Coco Avant Chanel, but it didn’t work out. I think it was just too slow for my liking. It was 2 hours long, but it felt longer. The acting was superb though. And Coco Chanel had a pretty interesting life, making an interesting story to tell. I can understand why people are inspired by her. So, I just want to put this to rest by saying I liked the movie and am glad I saw it, but I don’t think I’d watch it again. Sarah is going to break up with me for that one. She loves Coco Chanel.
As a side note, I need to learn French. I am tired of subtitles.
Il Postino:
And I suppose I should learn Italian while I am at it. This movie, THIS MOVIE, is so freaking charming. Yeah, freaking and charming in the same sentence, get over it. Based on the movie poster alone, I thought this movie would be about some suave postal worker who seduces the pants off the ladies. Actually, it’s about a buffoon. A buffoon and a world famous poet. It’s a really lovely story and it is really well acted. I can understand why it got so many awards. I think if I had seen this dubbed, instead of with subtitles, I would have wanted to kill the main character because he is just really pathetic most of the time. But for some reason, in Italian, he becomes endearing. You cannot help but love him, and feel for him in his circumstance. He lives in this tiny village and if you don’t become a fisherman, there is really nothing else to do. Kind of like Fillmore… except no fishermen here. It was a really good movie, I recommend it highly. I want a copy of it so I can watch it again now!
Now that I am done with this, I demand a frosty chocolate milk shake. Or a nap. Or both.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Nov 11th 2009. Week relating to 11/3 – 11/9.
Movies Seen: *First time viewing
Simply Irresistible
Fargo*
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day*
Brick*
Sex and the City: The Movie
Prête-moi ta main*
My brain currently feels what I imagine a fried egg must feel like, and I cannot tell you why. Perhaps I need caffeine, but I’d rather not be jittery AND have a fried brain. I read somewhere that fatty foods make you dumber. In that case I should be a Neanderthal by next year! I want some damn vegatables…
Simply Irresistible:
Don’t give me that look. We all have our guilty pleasures, and this one happens to be MINE (Strokes his orange lantern ring sinisterly). Whenever I watch this movie, I am guaranteed to get that tingly feeling up my spine into the back of my neck, at least 3 times. I mean the good tingly. The kind you get when you are making out with someone you are passionate about. I don’t know why the movie does that to me. It’s a really bad movie. Lame plot, bad music, token black guy. And by token, I mean at one point in the movie the guy says, and I quote: “Somethin’ wiggies goin’ on.” A lot of misspells in that statement according to Word. I like this movie for no good reason except it gives me that feeling. And I’m secretly a romantic. Yeah… that’s it.
Fargo:
You haven’t seen Fargo? Are you tired of this statement and ready to punch the next person who says it right in the nipple? Then allow me to recommend that you stop procrastinating and just go rent the movie. It’s a little bit violent, but really funny. And beautiful. They did such a good job casting everyone who was in this. I really respect Frances McDormand’s work. Having seen Burn After Reading before this one, I didn’t think too much of her. But that whole movie had problems really. She plays someone so unlikeable In Burn, and in Fargo, you love her to pieces. It’s pretty amazing. I could go on about this movie, but something tells me you all know it right? I’m the one who has been in the dark till now. In the dark, counting my gold. GOOOOLLLLLDDDDD!
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day:
Let’s see… if I recall, I really enjoyed The Boondock Saints. Or was a raving like a lunatic about how good the first movie is? Yeah, that’s what it was. When I saw the first ad for this movie (a banner ad of all things), I immediately felt dread cloud my soul. Why would they make a sequel to a movie so perfect? We’re people screaming for more? I don’t blame them if they were, I just know that sequels have a habit of sullying the name of a good movie. I could not resist seeing this, despite my fears. The movie was done by the same writer and director. It has most of the same people in it. These two things seem crucial, CRUCIAL, in the making of a successful sequel. All and all, the movie was not that bad. I don’t feel like it was a true part 2, as so much more of a tribute to the first movie. It’s not as funny as I hoped it would be, and compared to the first movie, the action left me wanting. But really, they didn’t screw it up, and that’s about all I really hoped for. Julie Benz plays the FBI agent in this movie, and they try really hard to make her sexy. She just does not do it for me. This is no reflection on her acting, which was fine and dandy, but she isn’t a knockout like they tried to make her. I don’t want to tell you too much of what goes on. The boys get into some antics, the mobsters are running scared, the bartender curses because he has Tourette’s. Listen, if you liked the first movie, rent this one when it comes out. It deserves a fair chance.
Brick:
As I type this, I am watching this movie for the second time. I have it paused, so I really am watching it, alright? Get off my back. I will give you the summary of this movie straight out. It’s a film noir detective story, but taking place at a high school/suburbia setting. The main character is played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, who does an amazing job of somehow combining nerd and hard as nails detective. I hate that every time I see that guy I think “Third Rock from the Sun”… He’s a really good actor. So Brick was quite a mind bender for me. They speak really fast, in a very stylized form. Perhaps if I was more familiar with older detective movie I would have understood more the first time around. I really like that stylized speaking though. It adds such a unique flavor to movies and books. The movie is sometimes hard to follow, but it is cinematically beautiful. I mean, really amazing. There is one scene I really love, where some dude attacks Levitt’s character with a knife, which then turns into a really strange and fascinating chase scene. The Foley artists earned their pay checks in that scene for sure. If you haven’t seen the movie, please rent it and tell me how I don’t know crap about movies if you are so motivated. I loved it. I want to say so much about this movie but I am having a really hard time. Words… not… work!
Sex and the City: The Movie:
Please get that theme song out of my head. That delightful piano jingle just does not suit me. So, you’ll notice I did not indicate that this was my first time watching this movie. I saw it in the theatre with Sarah. I was in a sea of women, one of the only guys. It was really strange, and given the motivation I could make it into an epic tale. That’s all I remember about that though. My therapist can tell you more. I like Sex and the City. I have watched the entire HBO series with Sarah, and it is usually very funny. All except the puns. Puns are the devil. Watching this movie was a way for me to unwind my head from all the heavier material I had been watching recently. It’s actually a good movie, if you like the show. It’s like a much longer episode. And it drags sometimes, sure, but what can you really expect I guess. For people making a movie to keep it entertaining the whole time? HA! By the way, if you are wondering, I am probably a Miranda.
Prête-moi ta main:
Translation of the title on the film: The Faux Wedding. The American title: How to Get Married and Stay Single. Let’s just stick with the French shall we? Sarah’s Netflix seems to be an endless source of wonder, and occasional crap (don’t get mad at me!). This was a really good romantic comedy. Or was it…??? See, my thinking is, that mayhap I would not have liked this as much if it had been an exact copy of said movie but done in English by Americans. Am I a snob? Well, yes, but I don’t think I’m a foreign film snob. Prête-moi ta main is about a 40 year old man who is nagged by his sisters and mother into finding a woman (or man) to finally settle down with. He meets some woman, some how, and together they try to pull a fast one. Simple right? It doesn’t pull any fancy tricks or twists and turns, you pretty much know where it’s going the whole time, but it’s still really good. Really funny. Mush funnier than a lot of the horse crap Hollywood puts out. You haven’t ever heard about it, I know, but I tell you, the movie is worth a try. Someone get me a God damn coffee please.
I feel like this entry leaves a lot wanting, and I apologize in advance if anyone agrees with me. I am feeling very burnt out, I may need to take it easy for a week. Next week’s entry, not that week.
Simply Irresistible
Fargo*
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day*
Brick*
Sex and the City: The Movie
Prête-moi ta main*
My brain currently feels what I imagine a fried egg must feel like, and I cannot tell you why. Perhaps I need caffeine, but I’d rather not be jittery AND have a fried brain. I read somewhere that fatty foods make you dumber. In that case I should be a Neanderthal by next year! I want some damn vegatables…
Simply Irresistible:
Don’t give me that look. We all have our guilty pleasures, and this one happens to be MINE (Strokes his orange lantern ring sinisterly). Whenever I watch this movie, I am guaranteed to get that tingly feeling up my spine into the back of my neck, at least 3 times. I mean the good tingly. The kind you get when you are making out with someone you are passionate about. I don’t know why the movie does that to me. It’s a really bad movie. Lame plot, bad music, token black guy. And by token, I mean at one point in the movie the guy says, and I quote: “Somethin’ wiggies goin’ on.” A lot of misspells in that statement according to Word. I like this movie for no good reason except it gives me that feeling. And I’m secretly a romantic. Yeah… that’s it.
Fargo:
You haven’t seen Fargo? Are you tired of this statement and ready to punch the next person who says it right in the nipple? Then allow me to recommend that you stop procrastinating and just go rent the movie. It’s a little bit violent, but really funny. And beautiful. They did such a good job casting everyone who was in this. I really respect Frances McDormand’s work. Having seen Burn After Reading before this one, I didn’t think too much of her. But that whole movie had problems really. She plays someone so unlikeable In Burn, and in Fargo, you love her to pieces. It’s pretty amazing. I could go on about this movie, but something tells me you all know it right? I’m the one who has been in the dark till now. In the dark, counting my gold. GOOOOLLLLLDDDDD!
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day:
Let’s see… if I recall, I really enjoyed The Boondock Saints. Or was a raving like a lunatic about how good the first movie is? Yeah, that’s what it was. When I saw the first ad for this movie (a banner ad of all things), I immediately felt dread cloud my soul. Why would they make a sequel to a movie so perfect? We’re people screaming for more? I don’t blame them if they were, I just know that sequels have a habit of sullying the name of a good movie. I could not resist seeing this, despite my fears. The movie was done by the same writer and director. It has most of the same people in it. These two things seem crucial, CRUCIAL, in the making of a successful sequel. All and all, the movie was not that bad. I don’t feel like it was a true part 2, as so much more of a tribute to the first movie. It’s not as funny as I hoped it would be, and compared to the first movie, the action left me wanting. But really, they didn’t screw it up, and that’s about all I really hoped for. Julie Benz plays the FBI agent in this movie, and they try really hard to make her sexy. She just does not do it for me. This is no reflection on her acting, which was fine and dandy, but she isn’t a knockout like they tried to make her. I don’t want to tell you too much of what goes on. The boys get into some antics, the mobsters are running scared, the bartender curses because he has Tourette’s. Listen, if you liked the first movie, rent this one when it comes out. It deserves a fair chance.
Brick:
As I type this, I am watching this movie for the second time. I have it paused, so I really am watching it, alright? Get off my back. I will give you the summary of this movie straight out. It’s a film noir detective story, but taking place at a high school/suburbia setting. The main character is played by Joseph Gordon Levitt, who does an amazing job of somehow combining nerd and hard as nails detective. I hate that every time I see that guy I think “Third Rock from the Sun”… He’s a really good actor. So Brick was quite a mind bender for me. They speak really fast, in a very stylized form. Perhaps if I was more familiar with older detective movie I would have understood more the first time around. I really like that stylized speaking though. It adds such a unique flavor to movies and books. The movie is sometimes hard to follow, but it is cinematically beautiful. I mean, really amazing. There is one scene I really love, where some dude attacks Levitt’s character with a knife, which then turns into a really strange and fascinating chase scene. The Foley artists earned their pay checks in that scene for sure. If you haven’t seen the movie, please rent it and tell me how I don’t know crap about movies if you are so motivated. I loved it. I want to say so much about this movie but I am having a really hard time. Words… not… work!
Sex and the City: The Movie:
Please get that theme song out of my head. That delightful piano jingle just does not suit me. So, you’ll notice I did not indicate that this was my first time watching this movie. I saw it in the theatre with Sarah. I was in a sea of women, one of the only guys. It was really strange, and given the motivation I could make it into an epic tale. That’s all I remember about that though. My therapist can tell you more. I like Sex and the City. I have watched the entire HBO series with Sarah, and it is usually very funny. All except the puns. Puns are the devil. Watching this movie was a way for me to unwind my head from all the heavier material I had been watching recently. It’s actually a good movie, if you like the show. It’s like a much longer episode. And it drags sometimes, sure, but what can you really expect I guess. For people making a movie to keep it entertaining the whole time? HA! By the way, if you are wondering, I am probably a Miranda.
Prête-moi ta main:
Translation of the title on the film: The Faux Wedding. The American title: How to Get Married and Stay Single. Let’s just stick with the French shall we? Sarah’s Netflix seems to be an endless source of wonder, and occasional crap (don’t get mad at me!). This was a really good romantic comedy. Or was it…??? See, my thinking is, that mayhap I would not have liked this as much if it had been an exact copy of said movie but done in English by Americans. Am I a snob? Well, yes, but I don’t think I’m a foreign film snob. Prête-moi ta main is about a 40 year old man who is nagged by his sisters and mother into finding a woman (or man) to finally settle down with. He meets some woman, some how, and together they try to pull a fast one. Simple right? It doesn’t pull any fancy tricks or twists and turns, you pretty much know where it’s going the whole time, but it’s still really good. Really funny. Mush funnier than a lot of the horse crap Hollywood puts out. You haven’t ever heard about it, I know, but I tell you, the movie is worth a try. Someone get me a God damn coffee please.
I feel like this entry leaves a lot wanting, and I apologize in advance if anyone agrees with me. I am feeling very burnt out, I may need to take it easy for a week. Next week’s entry, not that week.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Nov 2nd 2009. Week relating to 10/27 – 11/2
Movies Seen: *First Time Viewing
The Brothers Bloom*
Predator*
The Mexican
The Boondock Saints
Creepshow*
Shadow of a Doubt*
What a week. Finished the play I was in. Both depressing and a relief. I really enjoy acting and working with others in the stage. Then when I tried to go to class to go see Memento the following Monday, I sort of lost my mind. I felt all this pressure suddenly build up about the things I want to be, what I want to do, everything that is expected of me. So, no class for me that day. No outside world if I could help it. Everything’s better now. I have realized that the world will not come crashing down if I don’t meet every goal I set for myself. Nice and easy, one step at a time. So what if I’m almost 30 and haven’t any children…. Oh God it’s coming back!
See where my priorities are?
The Brothers Bloom:
Wow. Wow wow wow. This movie was an awesome combination between a quirky Wes Anderson comedy and a Con movie (I like to call them confidence films.). It’s not Wes Anderson by the way, it’s Rian Johnson. The movie has a lot of things going on visually, stylistically visual, BLAH! I cannot describe what I mean. It looked great, there, I said it. It was FUNNY. Really funny. Had me laughing out loud and smiling wickedly and embarrassing Sarah in her own house, which admittedly is not that hard for me to do. Will Christmas, you and I love our Heist/Con/Confidence movies. You’ll love this one man, check it out. Or maybe you’ll hate it. Crap! Am I over selling this? It is a really good movie. It stars Mark Ruffalo and Adrian Brody and Rachel Weisz. If you like any of those actors you should see it. Fer reals.
Predator:
So, now I finally know which Schwarzenegger movie people are quoting when they yell at me to “GET TO THE CHOPPA!” I simply assumed this came from all his movies. I’m joking, I’ve seen lots of Arnie’s movies. The man has quotable lines from everything. I’ll bet someone is quoting Jingle All the Way right now. Oh Sinbad, you rascal. Anyway. Predator. The movie seemed really, REALLY lame for the first half. I’m not a fan of armys of supreme bad asses going into a village to slaughter the natives, terrorists or what not. At least it had a lot of funny lines. He stabbed that guy to a box, and said “Stick around”! PRICELESS. And guess what, I ain’t got time to bleed either Jessie. No sir I don’t. Even if it does look like you have mumps the whole time. Off track, right. I think it finally started to get interesting when the predator alien actually got into the thick of things, taking them out one by one. Although that cheap shot at Mr. Ventura was pretty lame. I, too, would have unloaded several clips of ammo in the jungle in hope that I might hit something. Yeah, that’s the ticket. So the movie got really good when all the dead weight was gone, eg everyone but Arnie. Then he montages himself into SUPER badass mode (Over 9000!) and goes hunting. And gets his ass kicked, like he should. But then he wins, you know, because he is The Predaterminator… yeah, that’s it. And really, if I saw an alien with dreadlocks, I’d kick him in the nuts too. Tee hee, I made myself laugh. Sigh. I’m glad I watched Predator, a seminal film in every boy’s life. Too bad I waited till I was 28. Show it to your kids for a lark. They can hack it.
The Mexican:
The viewing of this movie was a little experiment I had wanted to try for a while. My taste in movies over the years has evolved, and I know there are things I used to like that I wouldn’t like now. I remembered really liking the Mexican, and I also remember people really hating it. It has a 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, ew, that does not bode well. By the way, I just looked up the definition of bode and now the word makes sense (off topic Joel, get back on track…). I thought that perhaps I would view this movie with a more critical eye this time around, seeing the flaws that every other critic already had. And the conclusion to this long winded tale? The movie may have been a bit too long winded. It is a dialog heavy movie. But I like that. I can understand why people would get bored though. Even so, I thought it was funny and really creative. With the twists and turns it was sort of a confidence flick. You don’t know what’s really going on until the end. Brad Pitt was good, Julia Roberts was good, James Gandolfini was AWESOME. So was J.K. Simmons, this may be the first movie I had seen him in, although I can’t say for sure. The Mexican was funny, violent, and visually pleasing (no, I am not describing myself). Perhaps you avoided this flick, knowing that the critics had suggested it better to receive an enema and then listen to Bach. I have one thing to say to you: The director for this is Gore Verbinski, the man who brought you Pirates of the Caribbean. Give it a try.
The Boondock Saints:
Listen here: If you like Tarintino movies (ie violence, snappy dialog, great music, awesomeness) then stop reading this and go rent this movie. I’ll wait……………. IT WAS GREAT RIGHT?! I KNOW!!!! I can’t remember the circumstances in which I was first coerced to watch this movie, but I can say it was before I was seeing it everywhere (I know, people always say that). I didn’t see it in the theatre, it must have been at good ol’ Shane’s house. And we (Shane, me, our assorted friends) have loved it ever since. It’s nice to see a little vigilante-ism every once in a while. Makes you feel like things aren’t so bad in the world. Or maybe it is bad, but you could do something about it with enough ammunition. Who played the fat Russian boss? He was great, hee hee. And I don’t know if you know this, but I love Sean Patrick Flannery as it is. So, yeah. I really don’t want to talk about this movie too much, because if you haven’t seen it like I told you too, you really should. It is so SO good. Wonder how the sequel is…
Creepshow:
Ah, Halloween. The one night a year I let my hair down and do exactly what I do every day. Yes, I don’t really find Halloween to be a very enjoyable holiday, despite the access to delicious candy everywhere I go. I don’t like dressing up, I don’t like being startled, and I don’t like horror movies. I avoid them when I can for the most part. But seeing as it was the season for such things, I decided I could be convinced to watch this movie, Creepshow. Scripted by Stephen King, directed by George Romero, how bad could it be? Answer: So bad it’s hilarious. This movie had me laughing pretty damn hard. From watching Ed Harris dance around, to seeing Ted Danson buried up to his neck, this thing was a laugh a minute. And Stephen King is probably one of the funniest actors I have seen in a long while. Pure GOLD. Next time I declare I WANT MY CAKE…. You can thank Creepshow, and not my general obesity. Thanks to Kempo for forcing this flick on me!
Shadow of a Doubt:
Alfred Hitchcock. I think I can count the movies I have seen of his on one hand. I wish I had more in my queue, but I have a hard time watching black and whites. I’m a dumbass that way I guess. I rented this movie based on it being heavily used in the first chapter of my text book on film. Figured I couldn’t go wrong there. Unfortunately, while I did notice the camera angles used, and the menacing feeling given throughout, I really didn’t enjoy it. See, there are these two kids in the movie, that are supposed to be funny, and they are, sometimes. Most of the time though, I wanted to strangle them. They reminded me of the bad kids in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. SHUT UP CHILDREN! And the lead actress got on my nerves too. She just seemed to deliver all her lines very… I don’t know… like she was trying to do an Audrey Hepburn imitation. It didn’t work. The best part of the movie for me on the other hand, was the dad and the next door neighbor. They were constantly talking about ways to kill people, it was funny. Not that I think killing people is funny. The way it’s done in the film is supposed to be funny. Right? … Anyway, I can’t really recommend Shadow of a Doubt. I’m surprised that I read that a lot of people think this was Hitchcock’s best film. I’m worried about seeing the rest of them now.
Another week, another set of films. I love watching this many movies. And I love watching them socially better, because talking about the film is almost as good as watching them. If anyone wants to catch a flick, please hit me up. I’m up for most anything. Unless it starts with the words “Tyler Perry’s”.
The Brothers Bloom*
Predator*
The Mexican
The Boondock Saints
Creepshow*
Shadow of a Doubt*
What a week. Finished the play I was in. Both depressing and a relief. I really enjoy acting and working with others in the stage. Then when I tried to go to class to go see Memento the following Monday, I sort of lost my mind. I felt all this pressure suddenly build up about the things I want to be, what I want to do, everything that is expected of me. So, no class for me that day. No outside world if I could help it. Everything’s better now. I have realized that the world will not come crashing down if I don’t meet every goal I set for myself. Nice and easy, one step at a time. So what if I’m almost 30 and haven’t any children…. Oh God it’s coming back!
See where my priorities are?
The Brothers Bloom:
Wow. Wow wow wow. This movie was an awesome combination between a quirky Wes Anderson comedy and a Con movie (I like to call them confidence films.). It’s not Wes Anderson by the way, it’s Rian Johnson. The movie has a lot of things going on visually, stylistically visual, BLAH! I cannot describe what I mean. It looked great, there, I said it. It was FUNNY. Really funny. Had me laughing out loud and smiling wickedly and embarrassing Sarah in her own house, which admittedly is not that hard for me to do. Will Christmas, you and I love our Heist/Con/Confidence movies. You’ll love this one man, check it out. Or maybe you’ll hate it. Crap! Am I over selling this? It is a really good movie. It stars Mark Ruffalo and Adrian Brody and Rachel Weisz. If you like any of those actors you should see it. Fer reals.
Predator:
So, now I finally know which Schwarzenegger movie people are quoting when they yell at me to “GET TO THE CHOPPA!” I simply assumed this came from all his movies. I’m joking, I’ve seen lots of Arnie’s movies. The man has quotable lines from everything. I’ll bet someone is quoting Jingle All the Way right now. Oh Sinbad, you rascal. Anyway. Predator. The movie seemed really, REALLY lame for the first half. I’m not a fan of armys of supreme bad asses going into a village to slaughter the natives, terrorists or what not. At least it had a lot of funny lines. He stabbed that guy to a box, and said “Stick around”! PRICELESS. And guess what, I ain’t got time to bleed either Jessie. No sir I don’t. Even if it does look like you have mumps the whole time. Off track, right. I think it finally started to get interesting when the predator alien actually got into the thick of things, taking them out one by one. Although that cheap shot at Mr. Ventura was pretty lame. I, too, would have unloaded several clips of ammo in the jungle in hope that I might hit something. Yeah, that’s the ticket. So the movie got really good when all the dead weight was gone, eg everyone but Arnie. Then he montages himself into SUPER badass mode (Over 9000!) and goes hunting. And gets his ass kicked, like he should. But then he wins, you know, because he is The Predaterminator… yeah, that’s it. And really, if I saw an alien with dreadlocks, I’d kick him in the nuts too. Tee hee, I made myself laugh. Sigh. I’m glad I watched Predator, a seminal film in every boy’s life. Too bad I waited till I was 28. Show it to your kids for a lark. They can hack it.
The Mexican:
The viewing of this movie was a little experiment I had wanted to try for a while. My taste in movies over the years has evolved, and I know there are things I used to like that I wouldn’t like now. I remembered really liking the Mexican, and I also remember people really hating it. It has a 56% on Rotten Tomatoes, ew, that does not bode well. By the way, I just looked up the definition of bode and now the word makes sense (off topic Joel, get back on track…). I thought that perhaps I would view this movie with a more critical eye this time around, seeing the flaws that every other critic already had. And the conclusion to this long winded tale? The movie may have been a bit too long winded. It is a dialog heavy movie. But I like that. I can understand why people would get bored though. Even so, I thought it was funny and really creative. With the twists and turns it was sort of a confidence flick. You don’t know what’s really going on until the end. Brad Pitt was good, Julia Roberts was good, James Gandolfini was AWESOME. So was J.K. Simmons, this may be the first movie I had seen him in, although I can’t say for sure. The Mexican was funny, violent, and visually pleasing (no, I am not describing myself). Perhaps you avoided this flick, knowing that the critics had suggested it better to receive an enema and then listen to Bach. I have one thing to say to you: The director for this is Gore Verbinski, the man who brought you Pirates of the Caribbean. Give it a try.
The Boondock Saints:
Listen here: If you like Tarintino movies (ie violence, snappy dialog, great music, awesomeness) then stop reading this and go rent this movie. I’ll wait……………. IT WAS GREAT RIGHT?! I KNOW!!!! I can’t remember the circumstances in which I was first coerced to watch this movie, but I can say it was before I was seeing it everywhere (I know, people always say that). I didn’t see it in the theatre, it must have been at good ol’ Shane’s house. And we (Shane, me, our assorted friends) have loved it ever since. It’s nice to see a little vigilante-ism every once in a while. Makes you feel like things aren’t so bad in the world. Or maybe it is bad, but you could do something about it with enough ammunition. Who played the fat Russian boss? He was great, hee hee. And I don’t know if you know this, but I love Sean Patrick Flannery as it is. So, yeah. I really don’t want to talk about this movie too much, because if you haven’t seen it like I told you too, you really should. It is so SO good. Wonder how the sequel is…
Creepshow:
Ah, Halloween. The one night a year I let my hair down and do exactly what I do every day. Yes, I don’t really find Halloween to be a very enjoyable holiday, despite the access to delicious candy everywhere I go. I don’t like dressing up, I don’t like being startled, and I don’t like horror movies. I avoid them when I can for the most part. But seeing as it was the season for such things, I decided I could be convinced to watch this movie, Creepshow. Scripted by Stephen King, directed by George Romero, how bad could it be? Answer: So bad it’s hilarious. This movie had me laughing pretty damn hard. From watching Ed Harris dance around, to seeing Ted Danson buried up to his neck, this thing was a laugh a minute. And Stephen King is probably one of the funniest actors I have seen in a long while. Pure GOLD. Next time I declare I WANT MY CAKE…. You can thank Creepshow, and not my general obesity. Thanks to Kempo for forcing this flick on me!
Shadow of a Doubt:
Alfred Hitchcock. I think I can count the movies I have seen of his on one hand. I wish I had more in my queue, but I have a hard time watching black and whites. I’m a dumbass that way I guess. I rented this movie based on it being heavily used in the first chapter of my text book on film. Figured I couldn’t go wrong there. Unfortunately, while I did notice the camera angles used, and the menacing feeling given throughout, I really didn’t enjoy it. See, there are these two kids in the movie, that are supposed to be funny, and they are, sometimes. Most of the time though, I wanted to strangle them. They reminded me of the bad kids in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. SHUT UP CHILDREN! And the lead actress got on my nerves too. She just seemed to deliver all her lines very… I don’t know… like she was trying to do an Audrey Hepburn imitation. It didn’t work. The best part of the movie for me on the other hand, was the dad and the next door neighbor. They were constantly talking about ways to kill people, it was funny. Not that I think killing people is funny. The way it’s done in the film is supposed to be funny. Right? … Anyway, I can’t really recommend Shadow of a Doubt. I’m surprised that I read that a lot of people think this was Hitchcock’s best film. I’m worried about seeing the rest of them now.
Another week, another set of films. I love watching this many movies. And I love watching them socially better, because talking about the film is almost as good as watching them. If anyone wants to catch a flick, please hit me up. I’m up for most anything. Unless it starts with the words “Tyler Perry’s”.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Oct 28th 2009. Week relating to 10/20 – 10/26
Movies seen: *First time viewing
The Proposal
Hamlet 2*
Step Brothers* (For 40 minutes…)
Before Sunset*
I was at play practice 3 days out of this week, and then had actual shows the next 3. How did I get movies fit into that time? This is the advantage of being unemployed. One of the only advantages. God send me work!
The Proposal:
Saw this at the cheap theatre 3 weeks ago. Had I waited a little longer I could have just watched it on DVD. Wait, that sounds like I didn’t like it. I did. I like Ryan Reynolds a lot, he is a funny guy, good actor. Not too thrilled about a Deadpool movie, but whatever. As for Sandra Bullock, I think she is also a good actress, but I am getting tired of her transformation comedies. You know what I mean, Miss Congeniality, Two Weeks Notice, stuff like that. There’s a formula to romantic comedies, and she likes to stick to what she knows. And it works just fine, but I wouldn’t mind something different.
Hamlet 2:
I was excited to see this in the theatre. I like controversy. It can be really funny. I did not end up seeing it though, after I heard an unusual amount of sighs in relation to people who actually did see it. And having now watched it, I can understand. It was an odd bird. There was funny stuff in it, I guess. I don’t know, it just struck me as a weird mix of slapstick comedy and… you know, the other kind. Anyways, I can’t really recommend it. It’s one of those movies were I think the title doesn’t really tell you what it’s about. Of course, now that I think on it, how often does a title really sum up a movie? (The 40 Year Old Virgin) … Right. Bottom line, not as funny as I hoped.
Step Brothers (For about 40 minutes):
40 minutes. I tried watching this movie on the advice on the T, the Turpster, Mr. Mark Turpin. It’s not really important who I’m talking about, but if you are interested try wow.com or on iTunes the Movielicious. Turpster is really funny himself, so I thought it couldn’t hurt to watch a movie that I was already reluctant to see. I find Will Ferrell to be mostly not of my taste. I like it better when he’s low key. So anyway, I tried. I tried to watch this movie. I tried to laugh. I remember laughing once. It wasn’t at Will or John. Mary Steenburgen said something funny. She’s kind of hot, which is kind of disturbing since she’s old. I mean, much older then me. So, right, the movie. I just have a hard time laughing at adults acting like kids. I just cannot relate. Or perhaps I do relate and find it embarrassing. Either way I couldn’t stand watching it for much longer then I did. When they showed up at the job interviews wearing tuxes…. Yeah, I couldn’t take it anymore. Sorry guys.
Before Sunset:
Before Sunset is the sequel to a movie called Before Sunrise. There we go, those are apt titles. Both movies have situations that must take place during said time periods. Sorry, distracted. They are both dialog heavy romantic dramas. I really like movies with a lot of dialog, I think. As long as it’s smart. Both of these movies are super good. I liked the Before Sunrise better I think, it did some things I’m not used to in movies. It is all based around only two characters, the music all takes place in the movie world (Diegesis), and it’s a really simple plot. The dialog is what drove these movies. The first one takes place when the two people first meet. The second movie, Before Sunset, takes place seven years later. The adjustment of the characters relationships, the aspects of the actors real lives that were placed into the movie, the way everything is handled so real makes it amazing. The first film alone would have made a great one time cliff hanger sort of movie, but I’m glad they made a sequel. I really recommend both films.
And that covers the week. I know, it’s late, and I already have another week ready to write up. But I couldn’t just bypass this one and move on. I saw at least one good music, heh. Hope everyone else saw some good stuff.
The Proposal
Hamlet 2*
Step Brothers* (For 40 minutes…)
Before Sunset*
I was at play practice 3 days out of this week, and then had actual shows the next 3. How did I get movies fit into that time? This is the advantage of being unemployed. One of the only advantages. God send me work!
The Proposal:
Saw this at the cheap theatre 3 weeks ago. Had I waited a little longer I could have just watched it on DVD. Wait, that sounds like I didn’t like it. I did. I like Ryan Reynolds a lot, he is a funny guy, good actor. Not too thrilled about a Deadpool movie, but whatever. As for Sandra Bullock, I think she is also a good actress, but I am getting tired of her transformation comedies. You know what I mean, Miss Congeniality, Two Weeks Notice, stuff like that. There’s a formula to romantic comedies, and she likes to stick to what she knows. And it works just fine, but I wouldn’t mind something different.
Hamlet 2:
I was excited to see this in the theatre. I like controversy. It can be really funny. I did not end up seeing it though, after I heard an unusual amount of sighs in relation to people who actually did see it. And having now watched it, I can understand. It was an odd bird. There was funny stuff in it, I guess. I don’t know, it just struck me as a weird mix of slapstick comedy and… you know, the other kind. Anyways, I can’t really recommend it. It’s one of those movies were I think the title doesn’t really tell you what it’s about. Of course, now that I think on it, how often does a title really sum up a movie? (The 40 Year Old Virgin) … Right. Bottom line, not as funny as I hoped.
Step Brothers (For about 40 minutes):
40 minutes. I tried watching this movie on the advice on the T, the Turpster, Mr. Mark Turpin. It’s not really important who I’m talking about, but if you are interested try wow.com or on iTunes the Movielicious. Turpster is really funny himself, so I thought it couldn’t hurt to watch a movie that I was already reluctant to see. I find Will Ferrell to be mostly not of my taste. I like it better when he’s low key. So anyway, I tried. I tried to watch this movie. I tried to laugh. I remember laughing once. It wasn’t at Will or John. Mary Steenburgen said something funny. She’s kind of hot, which is kind of disturbing since she’s old. I mean, much older then me. So, right, the movie. I just have a hard time laughing at adults acting like kids. I just cannot relate. Or perhaps I do relate and find it embarrassing. Either way I couldn’t stand watching it for much longer then I did. When they showed up at the job interviews wearing tuxes…. Yeah, I couldn’t take it anymore. Sorry guys.
Before Sunset:
Before Sunset is the sequel to a movie called Before Sunrise. There we go, those are apt titles. Both movies have situations that must take place during said time periods. Sorry, distracted. They are both dialog heavy romantic dramas. I really like movies with a lot of dialog, I think. As long as it’s smart. Both of these movies are super good. I liked the Before Sunrise better I think, it did some things I’m not used to in movies. It is all based around only two characters, the music all takes place in the movie world (Diegesis), and it’s a really simple plot. The dialog is what drove these movies. The first one takes place when the two people first meet. The second movie, Before Sunset, takes place seven years later. The adjustment of the characters relationships, the aspects of the actors real lives that were placed into the movie, the way everything is handled so real makes it amazing. The first film alone would have made a great one time cliff hanger sort of movie, but I’m glad they made a sequel. I really recommend both films.
And that covers the week. I know, it’s late, and I already have another week ready to write up. But I couldn’t just bypass this one and move on. I saw at least one good music, heh. Hope everyone else saw some good stuff.
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