The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 17

Day 17 – A movie that disappointed you the most

Where The Wild Things Are

I pride myself on being a pretty good judge on whether a movie is going to be good or not.  And since I am quite the movie snob, I rarely dance around in the sub-par movie levels where it may be harder to judge whether a film will be good or not.  Undoubtedly Transformers should either be here or a close second, but since I have already referenced it above I decided to pick something different.  Arcade Fire is, at least of the modern age, one of my favorite bands, therefore when their song Wake Up was used for the trailer, I was quite excited.  Needless to say the fact that is was Where the Wild Things Are also made me excited.  Unfortunately, the movie was pretty sad, annoying, and dragged on, even though it was under 2 hrs long.  I admit that there was a lot of whimsical beauty in the music, costumes, buildings, and scenery, but unfortunately that only counts for a small portion of what's consider a great movie.  By the end, I was ready for the credits to roll, 2 of my friends actually walked out before it was over.    

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 16

Day 16 – A movie that you used to love but now hate

E.T.

I wouldn't say I hate E.T.  To be honest, I actually still kinda like it, but I do feel it is overrated.   I don't really have any movie that I used to love and now hate, except for maybe a Land Before Time or something, but I don't feel purely kids movies should be considered here.

As for E.T. there was a time, when I was in kindergarten, when I would get off school at noon, and come home, eat lunch, and watch E.T.  Pretty much every weekday for like 10 weeks straight I watched E.T.  I loved E.T.  Our dog was named Gerti after Drew Barrymore's character.  Both that and Wizard of Oz were my goto's at that age.  And I'd also like to say that I am not burnt out on it, I just grew to realize how overrated Spielberg is, and now that I am an adult have a plethora of movies to watch rather than the various VHS my parents own.  

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Not really sure why I decided to watch Pulp Fiction again today.  I think I was thirsting for some Samuel L. and this is one of the only movies I have readily available, up to the standards with him in it.  I've seen it quite a few times and do own it, but even though I am Tarantino fan don't rave about it like most of his fans do.

The lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.

41/50 Eggs

Tarantino has probably seen the entire list of 1001 movies you should see before you die, plus any other list one would create of movies to watch.  Because of this he has a bevy of scenes that references or nods in his films.  In a way I look at it as being quite unoriginal, but I also admire the amount of films that he has scene and the way he makes them his own.  While there are quite a few unoriginal bits in Pulp Fiction, which to the non-avid movie watcher seem like a nuance, there are also a lot of newly created memorable quotes and scenes courtesy of Tarantino himself.  The scene where Tarantino himself talks to Jackson and Travolta is probably my favorite scene.  One thing I really admire is the casting Tarantino does.  The only poorly cast person was the Mallory character, I mean Yolanda, sorry couldn't help myself.  I understand the crazy, but I think more comical crazy not criminal crazy.  The acting I realize is supposed to seem rash, after all they are robbing a restaurant, stupid idiots, but it doesn't seem realistic.  Even considering this is a Tarantino film, I thought it felt forced.

As for the plot in general, I noted back in the Traffic review that making a fragmented plot automatically makes it better, or at least gives it a better chance.  The only thing is avoiding a drawn out feeling and making sure everything wraps up tidy, either good or bad.  The wrapping up is great, all the loose ends tied, extremely well executed.  As for the pace, I note my rule of never giving subtitles or chapters, whether narrated or typed, unless the plots are completely and it is necessary.  I can't describe the precise psychology behind why this makes a movie seem longer than it is, but it always does.  That, plus the fact that the dialogue heavy scenes Tarantino always does, make the pace for Pulp Fiction feel considerably long.  Oh yeah, and its 2 and a half hours.  The plot itself is pretty entertaining, though I can't say the whole pawn shop part was pleasant or 100% necessary.  That is, however, Tarantino's choice, and while I do make my complaint, in the end it was successful in its intentions.  I also don't see the whole Vincent and Maurice's wife go on a date scene as being relevant to the story line.  Tarantino does things for weird reasons, maybe I don't see it, but being that the EpiPen scene is pretty much the most famous one in the movie it is now not without merit, eh.

I realize I'm being overly hard on Pulp Fiction, but as you can see by the score, I did give it a 41.  I am just trying to be a little more detailed in my reviews from now on.        

Green Lantern (2011)

I wasn't nearly as excited for this movie, as I think most people were.  However, it did come available, practically on the day it came out, online and, being that it was free, I figured I'd watch it.  Green Lantern is probably one of the cooler superheroes, at least in my opinion, I mean he basically can create anything as long as he has a ring on, although I do admit pictures of him carrying the lantern are kinda lame looking.

A test pilot is granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers, as well as membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe.  After being doubted by the other green lanterns, he returns to Earth where he is wrapped up in a plot to overthrow the intergalactic squadron.

29/50 Eggs

Even though I went in with low expectations, this movie still undershot.  Let me first say that originally the lead role was cast for Bradley Cooper, at least as far as I heard, and when I heard that I was pretty excited about the film.  As I stated above Green Lantern is one of my favorite superheroes so I'm somewhat familiar with and Bradley Cooper would've been a perfect match.  Unfortunately, Ryan Reynolds is not.  Green Lantern is like all superhero movies in that it must hit all genres of comedy, romance, action, kid's drama, and adult drama.  You could say a superhero movie is generally a jack of all trades.  Unfortunately in the movie world a jack of all trades "ain't much o'nuttin'".  I realize that maybe not everyone liked Watchmen, but I feel 10 years from now people may still mention that.  Perhaps everyone just hopes to be the next Ironman success.  So as for the movie, like I said, Ryan Reynolds was a poor cast for the part.  I did like Blake Lively as the love interest though, she acted well, the chemistry was good, definitely better than Thor, not to mention the eye candy factor.  It was a pretty film, although I lost a little of that in the quality, but I'll assume it was nice.  As for the plot well..... the green lantern is cool, and the first half of the movie they describe the origination of green lantern, easy enough, therefore first half of movie pretty good.  The second half practically tanked like the Titanic.  The plot was weak, writing was REALLY cheesy, and the action wasn't great.  I realize action sequences take money, but its green lantern.  He can create any structure or system or anything in defense or attack.  Imagine the possibilities for a fight sequence.  If they would've gone above and beyond in this respect I could have looked off some of the other flaws, but they took the easy way out.  I will say Sarsgaard who contributed a lot to the second half of the film was great.  Both in the casting and the acting.  I think if you really want to watch it wait till you can redbox it, watch it with a friend, and make them pay for it.

The Wizard (1989)

I've been wanting to watch this for quite awhile since I heard about it on theangryideogamevnerd.  I was going into it with high hopes or anything.  Its not exactly critically acclaimed, but I definitely expected to enjoy it since I am a video game junkie and its basically about Nintendo.  This I also watched a few days ago and am now getting around to writing about it.

A boy and his two friends run away from home and hitch cross country to compete in the ultimate video game championship.

24/50 Eggs

So, I heard courtesy of TheAngryVideoGameNerd how this movie was basically a promotional movie paid for by Nintendo.  I was, however, surprised at how much this was true.  First point worth noting is the film is your typical cheesy written movie made in the 80s.  With Fred Savage and Christian Slater, I expected at least a small amount of decent acting, but.... no.  The plot was pretty lame, but the basic fact that video games were involved made it mildly interesting.  Yes, another partial statement made by me.  On top of everything mentioned the continuity issues in the film and the authenticity of the Nintendo information provided just made me hate it more.  A simple thing as showing level 3 and calling it level 2 irks me a little, I mean its not like the game was still in production.  It was slated to come out within a few months of the movie release, they had to have level 2 finished.  I don't know maybe it's little things that I shouldn't worry about, but I do.  Chances are you shouldn't watch it.

Also, for anyone who knows what the Power Glove is, comparing how well it actually performs to the pure epic awesomeness the movie tries to portray is pretty hilarious.

The Company Men (2011)

Picked this up in the Redbox down the street to watch during the day.  I can't say I was super excited to watch it when rented it or back when I saw the trailer for it but something about it made me get it.  Really it was just that I wanted to watch a movie and for a a lot of different reasons it needed to be out of the Redbox.  So, yea watched this a few days ago and am now getting around to writing the review.

The story centers on a year in the life of three men trying to survive a round of corporate downsizing at a major company - and how that affects them, their families, and their communities.

34/50 Eggs

It ran about exactly how I expected.  I don't mean it was necessarily unoriginal or I new what was coming, only that it neither wowed or unimpressed me.  Being familiar with the out of work searching for a job feeling, I may have appreciated it a bit more than most.  Even though the movie would seem very emotional and dramatic, since were following people out of work, the scenes are never written with powerful displays of emotion.  Chris Cooper has a few scenes that required and elevated level of dramatic performance which I thought he did a good job with, but really it felt like the same old Chris Cooper role (Not a bad thing).  Ben Affleck was enjoyable to watch, which can be a rarity, so I commend him on that.  I really wouldn't recommend this as a first choice even though I gave it a 34, but if you're interested in the storyline, it won't disappoint.  

Moneyball - Trailer

Sports movies generally prove to be good, especially when there inspired by a true story.  Maybe I don't know enough baseball history, or the time period that they're placing the film was not when it actually happened, but I don't remember this.  Either way whether it's true or not Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill look to have some good chemistry in the trailer so I am a little excited.  Phillip Seymour Hoffman was shown, without any lines, but shown so hopefully he'll provide a bit extra.

 

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 15

Day 15 – Favorite scary movie

The Shining

I'm not sure if the shining is the scariest movie out there, to be honest most people over 18 probably wouldn't even describe it as scary, but when I think of scary I think horror, and at least at Blockbuster Shining is in the horror section.  The Shining although isn't "scary" per-say is just creepy.  Every part of the film from the casting, the setting, the music all intertwine to make for a great suspenseful horror flick.  It doesn't rely on jumps or gore to make it good, it just "IS" good.  It, being adapted from a King novel, also carries a great storyline with the Kubrick addition we all expect.  It's one of Nicholson's greatest performances, which is truly saying something. 

Flicker Show Media - Spun

So this is the first production by Flicker Show Media, and my first attempt at editing any sort of film.  My main goal is to practice editing by creating trailers for old movies.  I would of course create new trailers if I had the whole movie, but baring some crazy haxx that's not possible.  So this trailer is for Spun, the music is by Bassnectar.  Please leave comments if you watch this.

Where have I Been....

So you're probably wondering where the hell I've been, well to tell you the truth I've been right here.  Currently I am on a television binge, watching all the shows I wanted to go back and see, unfortunately I think I have run out of material for the moment, so now back to watching movies.  As for the 30 Day Challenge, it will resume today rather than me catching up by writing like 6 today.

Sorry Guys.

Super 8 (2011)

Was planning on seeing this Saturday night, but as I mentioned before I wasn't feeling to well.  Woke up today, went for a run, got some yard work done, and then me and the moms went to Bowtie for a matinee of Super 8.  The 7.50 price is still pretty steep, but its better than 11.

After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon.

41/50 Eggs


I admit I may have read a few too many reviews before seeing the film.  It is an unfortunate problem that I sometimes find myself committing.  Going in I had a lot of doubts due to the low performance of Spielberg over the last few years, but J.J. Abrahms was enough for me to want to see it in theaters.  I'm very glad I did. The movie was mad as an homage to Spielberg's early days.  Of the monster movies of ye old times, and that is exactly what it is.  The almost overdone comedic relief brought by the kids seals the preferred emotion of joy that Abrahms hopes to create, rather than the fear that most would expect in a monster movie.  I really enjoyed it, and am glad I saw it in theaters.  I can't say was surprised, since I did read the reviews, but the performances by the kid actors were very solid.  Solid enough to carry a big budget movie like this.  The only draw back was the ending.  In my opinion, it was quite as bad as some critics are making it out to be.  Did it take away from the movie? Yes.  Did it ruin the movie? No.  It felt like a cop out, which left some holes in the plot.  Needless to say, as a wannabe filmmaker, I would offer a few suggestions, but I won't mention them here.  Even with the comment about the ending, I still think you should spend your money in the theater and go see it.        

Finding Forrester (2000)

Watched this Saturday night with the moms.  We were planning on going to see Super 8, but I wasn't feeling too well and I also wasn't sure it was quite worth playing $11 dollars to go see it.  Yes I am finally paying to go see a movie in theaters.  Well Super 8 had to wait and instead I picked this out of movies I own to watch.  I think my mom had seen it before, but it had been a little while.  I enjoyed it and I think she did too.

A black American teenager is invited into a prestigious private high school. By chance, Jamal befriends a reclusive writer, William Forrester, through whom he refines his natural talent for writing and comes to terms with his identity.


43/50 Eggs


This is one of my favorite Sean Connery movies.  I never really thought he was that great.  I think most people think of him as they do Sylvester Stalone, or Jean-Claude Van Damm, maybe with a little more respect.  I apologize if I offend any avid Connery fans, but I've never been wowed by his amazing acting ability.  However, having said that, this role is pretty powerful.  Aside from the Untouchables, anyone who is reading this who would like to suggest a role that exemplifies his greatness please do, and don't say bond.  Okay so my mild-manor rant aside, back to Finding Forrester.  A point worth making, that I didn't realize, is that the movie is actually directed by Gus Van Sant.  Normally Van Sant takes it just a hair to independent, making it difficult to be that perfect level of "entertaining" that a 50/50 should have.  However, in this one he holds back just enough while still giving us the cinematographic effects and music that make his films great.  The plot itself makes for eloquent lines of inspiration and beauty, which give the film admirable character.  I definitely suggest it.        

1900 (1974)

As I've noted in a few recent posts, I've had 1900 for a while but the 5 and half hour run-time has turned me off on trying to watch it.  I did finally get around to it but I stretched it over two days, which I don't see as a problem.  The movie really is like three movies put together.  Watching LotR or either one of the Star Wars series would be the same thing.  Well maybe not the "SAME" thing, but close.  I finished it up yesterday and now am getting around to writing a review on it.

1900 follows the lives of two boys, born on the same day, from 1900 to 1945, one a landowner, one a day-laborer working on the land owned by the landowner.  It is a strong graphic depiction of fascism, communism, and class systems in Italy during the 1900 to 1945 time period.

41/50 Eggs

Due to the length of the film, I feel I need to be a little lenient when it comes to small errors.  I also think the first question you should ask is "How bad was the editing for the film to be that long".  I'd like to say that this film was way too long and that parts should be taken out, but I can't.  Perhaps the plot was a bad choice or atleast an endeavor that couldn't be perfectly executed but in my opinion the whole movie was necessary.  To take anything out would have taken away from the film.  Both Robert De Niro and Donald Sutherland's performances are exquisite.  They're powerful. believable, and shocking, all necessary for such a painfully graphic historical depiction.  Hands down though, the inspirational acting of Gerard Depardieu as Olmo, the voice of the revolution, was the shining sun.  Every seen he was in was incredible.   Without him the film would have faltered.

The setting of the film was also quite beautiful.  I like the tactic of making the villa more gloomy as it became more and more fascist.  It helped show the personality and spirits of the laborers.  I have to make a note that there's no way without CGI you could do the "Communists are like pussy cats" scene nowadays and it be legal.  If your reading this and want to the see the scene, but not the movie, then youtube the above quotes and 1900, beware to the cat lover though.                   

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 14

Day 14 – Favorite foreign movie

Pan's Labyrinth

I would probably consider both M and Amelie above Pan's in this category but since I already used them, I will choose something else.  Foreign movies don't really bother me that much, so this category was pretty big to pick from.  Foreign films don't have the filter that American films tend to have, a filter I tend to hate.  They can be a pain to read, but sometimes that adds to the flavor.  This movie is incredibly creative and first introduced me to Guillermo Del Toro.  After watching this, I now feel the need to watch anything he does.  Can't wait for The Hobbit.  If you can handle subtitles watch this, watch this, watch this! 

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 13

Day 13 – A movie that is a guilty pleasure


Devil Wears Prada

I've always had a little Hollywood crush on Anne Hathaway.  Her dark hair/fair complexion is almost spot on my type and even though her roles tend to be directed more toward the woman's taste, I find myself enjoying them.  My stint at GAP has also given me a joy for fashion which is satisfied throughout the film.  It's definitely not what I'd consider one of my top favorites but I do own it and guiltily watch it from time to time.

P.S. - I don't feel like this is against the norm for most guys to enjoy it.  It's just like "Since you've been gone" by Kelly Clarkson, totally okay.  

The 30 Day Movie Challene: Day 12

Day 12 – A movie that you hate


Transformers 1/2


Well the amount of movies I hate goes on and on, pretty much the whole horror genre could go here, but instead I'll pick a movie at least a lot of people really like.  The Transformers movies to me are some of the most overrated films to date.  They're poorly written, poorly acted, and rely almost completely on CGI.  Some of the choreographed action sequences are pretty cool and it is Transformers after all but in my opinion its a pretty lame series.  I figured after the second one they would have stopped since it cost so much money to make movies like this, but apparently stupid Michael Bay thinks he can make some more money.  Shia, who I feel could strongly carry a more independent script to the fore-front, will have to wait a little longer for the call.

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 11

Day 11 – Favorite sports movie

Hoosiers

Basketball is probably my favorite sport and therefore a basketball movie will probably be my favorite movie.  That may be flawed logic but for me that's the case.  I can't say any sports movie is at the top of my favorite movies list or even top 10, but this one is close.  Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper's performances are among there best and it's a great inspirational story.  Anyone who hasn't seen it should definitely watch it.    

Taken (2008)

Normal Tuesday night with nothing to do and not much on TV, well except this.  My mom got kinda wrapped up in it.  I was planning on watching 1900.  I've had it for awhile now but the daunting 4+ hr run-time is scaring me.  I'm sure I'll get around to it here in a few, probably not tomorrow though.  So yea, just watched this with the moms because there wasn't much else.

After reluctantly agreeing to let his 17-year-old daughter, Kim, go to France with her best friend, Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is horrified to hear that she is kidnapped by an Albanian gang whose specialty is prostitution rings. With only 96 hours to go before he'll never find her again, Bryan rushes to France to save her. As a former CIA agent, he has all the skills necessary to rescue her - if he can only find her.

36/50 Eggs

I went into this film with low expectations after reading the review from Empire. It received a 1 star for all the wrong reasons. In a nutshell it basically said that this film was nothing more than a bloodfest, which believe me is quite far from the point of this movie. The acting is fairly well done (spy turned caring father is quite a hard role to fill), and casting Neeson was a good idea. The camera, sound and lighting are also well done.  Admittedly the film is heavy on the action end and doesn't contain enough storyline to be great, but I don't agree with Empire that it is without drama.  I was surprised by the movie and thoroughly enjoyed it.    

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 10

Day 10 – Favorite classic movie

M

Not quite sure at what year a movie becomes a classic, but I will assume that anything that came out prior to 1960 probably is.  M is among my favorite movies and was going to be my answer to "a movie I wish more people would see" but this "IS" my favorite classic.  I will have to brew a bit more for the answer to that one.  I assume that most haven't seen M, even though its like 30 something on imdb's 250, so I'll give a little synopsis.  M is a Fritz Lang creation, about a child murderer causing chaos in a bootlegger run town.  When cops increase the amount of raids in order to find the killer the organized crime business is put on stand still.  In order to get the money rolling again the bosses unite to take care of the criminal themselves.  It is an incredibly entertaining film with a surprising amount of action and suspense.  It is however in German, which isn't a problem for me but may be for you.

Two other films worth noting are 12 Angry Men, probably my second favorite classic film and the General starring Buster Keaton which is my favorite silent film.     

Hidalgo (2004)

This thirty day challenge is making me want to go watch certain movies that I've mentioned so chances are I'll be reviewing quite a few of them over the next few weeks.  Not sure really why I picked this one as opposed to any of the others, but I just wanted to watch it.

Held yearly for centuries, the Ocean of Fire--a 3,000 mile survival race across the Arabian desert--was a challenge restricted to the finest Arabian horses ever bred, the purest and noblest lines, owned by the greatest royal families. In 1890, a wealthy sheik invited an American, Frank T. Hopkins, and his horse to enter the race for the first time. During the course of his career, Hopkins was a cowboy and dispatch rider for the U.S. cavalry--and had once been billed as the greatest rider the West had ever known. The Sheik puts his claim to the test, pitting the American cowboy and his mustang, Hidalgo, against the world's greatest Arabian horses and Bedouin riders--some of whom are determined to prevent a foreigner from finishing the race. For Frank, the Ocean of Fire becomes not only a matter of pride and honor, but a race for his very survival as he and his horse attempt the impossible.

43/50 Eggs

A wonderful adventure movie about courage in the face of extreme difficulty, loyalty, honor, dedication, and seeing beyond ones needs to the needs of others. May be be rated poorly because of anti-Arab sentiment. Get over it and experience a noble movie. This movie has beautiful cinematography and the acting is solid.  Viggo Mortensen did a fabulous job.  My only minor grievance on acting ability is with the Sheik's daughter, but not everything can be perfect.  The casting on the characters including the beautiful Hidalgo, played by TJ, is excellent.  However, the movie is somewhat predictable and doesn't have the adult grittiness that I generally value in film, so its weird that I enjoy it so much.  But there is enough tense action sequences to heighten the experience.  The fact that the story is based on a true-life character, Frank Hopkins, is just icing on the cake.   If you like horses at all you will be drawn in from the beginning and held spellbound throughout.  If you don't like horse movies this ones probably not for you, because, you're an idiot, everyone likes horse movies. 

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 09

Day 09 – The best movie soundtrack

Rushmore

So, I'm taking this to mean songs in general and not a score, or a soundtrack created solely for the movie.  Because I can, I'd like to say that I vote 2001 for Best Score and Into the Wild for soundtrack solely for the film, but overall Rushmore is my favorite.  Wes Anderson makes amazing movies, in my opinion.  In one of his commentaries, Royal Tennenbaums I think, he says that a lot of times he often creates the scene around a song rather than creating a scene and picking a song later.  I wrestled with whether I thought Darjeeling or Rushmore were better since Darjeeling is Kinks dominant and they are my favorite band, but overall  the Rushmore soundtrack is the best and is so incredibly seamless with the film.  Oh la la by the Faces is my favorite song on the soundtrack and probably my second or third favorite song of all time.  This time Tomorrow by the Kinks, which happens to be in Darjeeling is my favorite if you were wondering.  Honorable mention also goes out to Garden State which has an incredible soundtrack.

The Art of Getting By - Trailer

At first I thought Emma Roberts was the lead in the film when I watched the teaser and thought ehh wasted plot.  But now that I realize August Rush is the main actor, also know as Freddie Highmore, I am quite excited.  Pretty much everything he's done has been a success so I can't imagine this being terrible.

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 08

Day 08 – A movie that you’ve seen countless times

A Bronx Tale

So, I think the best example of this for almost anyone would be Shawshank Redemption, but since that is true I decided I'd pick my number two that may not be as expected.  I rarely go more than 3 months without watching this one and I assume it will be reviewed on the website here soon.  It's one of my dad's favorite movies and carries with it a lot of great messages, namely "The saddest thing in life is wasted talent", so early on in my life we watched it together.  Not sure if I exactly applied the message but either way I've seen the movie a lot and still greatly enjoy it.  It's pretty harsh on the F word, not Departed harsh, but maybe not meant for a 9 year old (which is what age I was when I first saw it), so be warned.  Taking that into consideration its definitely worth a watch.  Enjoy.   

Poirot: Appointment With Death (2008)

Typical Sunday night means  at 9 PM the TV turns to PBS for Masterpiece Theater.  Thankfully, the theme for Masterpiece has shifted back to mystery.  The general dramas known as Masterpiece Classic can be hit or miss and don't captivate me in the way mystery do.  This was released back in 2008 so it isn't exactly knew material, but a lot of the things that came out while I was in college I didn't see so its all new to me.

Poirot and a colorful group of individuals are on vacation on a Syrian archeological dig.  When a wealthy bitch of a mother turns up stabbed to death Poirot is put on the case to find the murderer.  Unraveling a lost family past is the key in this desert whodunit. 

40/50 Eggs

Poirot is a character created by Agatha Christie, for those who don't know, and Agatha Christie writes one damn good mystery.  When watching a Poirot story one can expect a great mystery full of intrigue and suspense, with a lot of little details.  This one is spot on.  David Suchet is amazing as Hercule Poirot.  His portrayal is a bit different then my favorite rendition done by Albert Finney, but I still enjoy it.  The Syrian Desert is a beautiful setting for the emotionally driven storyline.  The film technique wise is almost without flaw.  However, when making the movie, there is a goal runtime of 90 minutes, since it's made for Masterpiece Theater, and because of this its very well edited but can feel rushed.  Chances are the film will be unavailable to you, unless its on netflix or something, but my suggestion is if you see a Poirot film available to watch you should give it a shot. 

X-Men: First Class (2011)

Not a lot to do on a Sunday afternoon with no one around so I caught this in a matinee.  There was a lot of hype surrounding the film, as are with most Marvel films, so I was going in with somewhat high expectations.  I am quite a fan of the comic book movies, but they are what they are... action movies, and the depth can be shallow.

Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-MEN.

41/50 Eggs


I was surprised by the level of character development early in the film.  Compared to the last "Origin" X-men movie about Wolverine, First Class greatly elevates the level of acting.  McAvoy is mostly responsible for the heavy lifting throughout the film.  There's been a lot of praise about Michael Fassbender as Magneto, but I can't say I was overly impressed.  Unlike in Wolverine the side characters actually earn enough discussion that makes me actually care about them.  Like all Superhero movies some of the action was quite gimmicky but not much I can fault there.  Kevin Bacon was a surprise to me.  I hadn't seen him in any of the trailers I saw so going in I didn't even expect him in the film.  I thought he did a good job, and was cast well, but nothing spectacular as is the case with most Kevin Bacon roles.  The action sequences and effects were up to par with a high budget Disney movie, so even though I enjoyed them they weren't unexpected.  Overall i was impressed and i am hoping to see a sequel in the pipeline as soon as possible. I would highly recommend people to go and see this.

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 07

Day 07 – The most surprising plot twist or ending

The Usual Suspects

This one was pretty easy.  It's one of my favorite movies in general, and is definitely among the best surprise endings of all time.  I won't go into to much detail for obvious reasons.  The acting in the movie never misses a beat, which, other than the plot itself, was really what makes it great.  Benicio Del Toro is my favorite, he's hilarious.  This is a must see for anyone who has yet to see it.  Please Enjoy.     

Win Win (2011)

Had a pretty long day, and the moms has gone back east to pick up some things so I have the house alone for the night.  Figured I'd get relaxed and watch me a movie.  I really wanted to watch this when it came out, but it was outside the spectrum of my relatives tastes.  Now that it's available online I jumped at the chance to watch it.

Disheartened attorney Mike Flaherty, who moonlights as a high school wrestling coach, stumbles across a star athlete through some questionable business dealings while trying to support his family. Just as it looks like he will get a double payday, the boy's mother shows up fresh from rehab and flat broke, threatening to derail everything.

40/50 Eggs

Win Win is in one word balanced.  The film is an ironic comedy in that what you don't expect to be funny, is. And you've got lots of tender heart-warming moments accompanying the complications.  It is rather predictable and follows the typical Good - Bad - Good roller coaster near the end of the film, but don't let that take to much a way.  The bond formed between Kyle and Mike is strong and believable, as we begin to identify with Mike's character really taking Kyle on as his son.  I'm on the fence on how well the role of Kyle was acted though.  Part of me wants to praise it, but the lack of emotion needed to perform the role makes me unsure whether its worthy.  Giamatti is cast well for the lead as the down on his luck lawyer, with a hope for a better life and gives the film a great hear-warming feel.  I don't think it's a movie for everyone, but if the plot interests you and your not in desperate need of high-octane action it won't disappoint.

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 06

Day 06 – Favorite made for TV movie

Door to Door

I'm sure there are certain TV movies that I've seen and like more than this, unfortunately I just don't know that they were made for TV.  This one I watched when it was released for TNT, I think, and I really enjoyed it.  It's one of my favorite William H. Macy roles.  It's based on a true story of a man with cerebral palsy who becomes a door to door salesman.  It goes beyond the realm of TV movies and I encourage you to give it a try.  I warn you though, it can be quite the tearjerker, so have the Kleenex ready.

The Woman in Black - Teaser Trailer

I saw Radcliffe in a war movie on Masterpiece Theater a while back, and while it's hard for me to not see Harry Potter and he still looks like he's 15, I think he has the talent.  I'm really looking forward to this, as  I think it has the right balance of suspense and horror, and it'll be nice seeing Daniel on the "Big Screen" in something other than a J.K. Rowling creation.

Girl With the Dragon Tattoo - Trailer

I really want to love this, I mean David Fincher is.... pretty much the best of our generation.  I think his choice in movies has been a bit Hollywood with Social Network and now this, but he puts enough of his own spin to make it great.  The gritty dark plot of Dragon Tattoo will lend well to what Fincher does best.  I am curious as to how much will be changed or "Hollywoodized" though.  There are a few incredibly graphic parts of the original that really made it what it was, and I doubt they will be completely imitated here in the States.  Either way I'm sure I'll enjoy it.

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 05

Day 05 – Favorite love story in a movie

You've Got Mail

Pretty sure quite a few people will agree their favorite romantic comedy is You've Got Mail.  The chemistry between Hanks and Ryan is impeccable.  If you're thinking well what about Gone With the Wind or Casablanca or one of those great romantic dramas, my retort for you is that I'm not a huge fan of those type of things.  Well, I guess I am but I'd pick this and When Harry Met Sally first.  If I had to pick one that's a bit more dramatic, I'd say Roman Holiday, but that's still has some laughs.      

Submarine Trailer - In Theaters 6/3

Pretty sure its going to be hard for me to find a place to watch this.  Richmond doesn't have the indie theaters I'm used to in Raleigh.   Either way, something to look out for, if you're planning to watch a movie this weekend.  I'm pretty sure it will be a good watch for those who love the occasional independent dramedy.

The Hangover Part 2 (2011)

Stayed up a little later on Wednesday night to be able to watch this.  I just watched the first one a few days ago as any who follows this blog daily would know.  My expectations are a little high but I haven't really heard much about whether it was good or not, so in a way I'm going in blind.

A few years after Las Vegas, Stu is back in love and headed to Thailand for the wedding.  The crew, accompanied by Stu's fiancee's brother, Teddy, go down to the beach for a beer and some marshmallows.  When they awake the next morning its the same ol' thing and Teddy is missing.  Now they are in Bangkok in search of Teddy, trying to deduce what happened the night before.

31/50 Eggs

What made The Hangover fun and entertaining unfortunately leads to predictability in The Hangover II.  The format for the film down to the delivery of the jokes, and the jokes themselves was very much symmetrical with the first film, which I'm assuming was done on purpose, but was an incredibly dumb idea.  The humor wasn't up to par with the first film either.  To much relied on shock humor, rather than the crude witty humor that Galifianakis was so good at in the first film.  I did enjoy the Bangkok setting as well as the addition of Chow as a major role, and the monkey, but they didn't save the movie for me.  I think if you liked the first one it is at least worth a rental.  Unfortunately, I think the Hangover bus stops here.

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 04

Day 04 – A movie that makes you sad

Requiem for a Dream

This one was pretty easy for me.  At least if I consider sad to mean depressed, then it was easy.  I rather enjoy depressing sad movies, as I said in the last post, and therefore I've seen a lot of them.  This one takes the cake.  There really isn't a happy part in the movie.  The characters try to accomplish there dreams, there lives turn to shit, end credits.  However, even though this is true, the movie is still really great, well, if you like movies like this.

John C. Reilly Stars in Terri - Trailer

So I may have already mentioned this on Facebook once, but something about this really makes me want to watch it.  It may have the "Where the Wild Things Are" effect where the trailer makes the movie seem way better than it will be, but anyway, when it comes out I'll want to watch it.

Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

Typical Tuesday night = time to watch a movie. Decided to go with KFP 2, since I enjoyed the first one so much.  Just as a tidbit of knowledge worth mentioning, I think I've seen KFP 1 the most out of any movie thanks to Mike my manager at Blockbuster forcing us to have it on while we worked for like 2 months straight.

When an evil Peacock creates a doomsday machine and is bent on world domination, Po must band together with the furious five.  Along the adventure Po tries to achieve inner piece by obtaining truth behind his unknown past.

41/50 Eggs

Kung Fu Panda 2 goes above and beyond the role of your usual sequel.  It pumps up the volume in all aspects, such as action, comedy, beauty, and emotion.  Going in I expected the action sequences to be pleasing as is the norm for most sequels, but the depth of the emotion and story was surprising.  The story was unoriginal, i mean how many prophecy/orphan stories have we heard of but when a goose has a panda for a son one has to think "That's odd, what's the story behind that?".  Some say it's a shoe-in for the Best Animated Oscar but I can't say for sure.  Chances are you'll like it at any age.

New Guillermo Del Toro Trailer

Guillermo the Great brings us a Rated R Horror/non slasher flick. Normally I don't watch horror, but I want to see this. Unfortunately, the Holmes Factor is at play though.

 

The 30 Day Movie Challenge: Day 03

Day 03 – A movie that makes you really happy.

Amelie
 
I'm not sure how hard this would be for most people, but I had quite the time.  I have a weird liking to sad movies and songs, something my ex-girlfriend felt the need to constantly comment on.  A film like Pursuit of Happiness to me can be really happy, but also very sad at times, so I omitted those films when selecting one for today.  Amelie may have a few down points here and there, but its pretty hard not to get through it without a smile on your face.  The first time I saw it, I remember being quite giddy with the wittiness and quirkiness of Tautau, and therefore think it deserves the spot for today.