30 posts tagged “movies”
I'm sorry for the lack of interesting updates. Let's see, what has happened since I last blogged? There was the annual Halloween dance that I attended last Thursday. That was fun...but not as fun as last year, because only the people who paid for a $45 4-week Thriller choreography course could perform the Thriller dance this year. I think that is pretty crappy, because besides the expense, the whole fun of the performance last year was learning it, half-forgetting the moves, and then having everything turn into a clusterfuck at the end. Oh well. I still had a good time though. I went as a mainstream punk princess. I wore a Green Day shirt, tights, black boots, gloves with the fingertips cut off, and BLUE HAIR. Looky:
Here's part 2.
- The Informant! - Matt Damon deftly plays an employee rising in his agri-business company (based on a true story). Along the way (with some nonsensical voiceovers and observations from the main character), his character becomes a whistleblower to the FBI, alleging that his company is engaging in price-fixing. But along the way, it becomes hard to tell who's really telling the truth. This movie would have been better if it didn't drag on toward the end. B
- Star Trek - Believe the hype - this movie was awesome, and I'm not even a Trekkie (though I did love The Next Generation when I was a kid). This prequel follows the early years of Captain Kirk and Spock in an alternate universe. Good performances by Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, along with a special guest appearance by Leonard Nimoy and excellent special effects, buoy this flick. A
- The Proposal - This is another one of those romantic comedies where you have to suspend your disbelief (isn't that how they all work)? But hilarious performances by Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, and Betty White make you overlook the plot holes. Sandra Bullock plays a bitchy boss who's about to be deported to Canada on Visa issues, so she plans on marrying her assistant, Ryan Reynolds, to stay in the States. They just have to convince Reynold's family (and the immigration agent) that their love is for real. But will they fall in love along the way? SO HARD TO GUESS. B+
- Toy Story 3D - I just had to see this in 3D, and it was a lot of fun. Pat and I watched the first one so many times that I can still pretty much quote the entire movie. But I'd only seen the second movie when it first came out in '99, so it was pretty much a brand new movie to me. A
- Meet Me In St. Louis - True story: so this movie accidentally made its way up my Netflix queue, and I was not excited about watching it. At all. So it sat in my basket on my desk for an embarrassing amount of time, until I finally realized how much money I was wasting a month on Netflix by NOT watching it. Turns out that this is a great movie and I should have watched it a long time ago. This film follows the adventures of a family in the turn-of-the-century St. Louis. Judy Garland is, of course, a standout, and this is the film where she famously sings "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." A
- Away We Go - I was all excited about this movie because I'm a fan of John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, and it's directed by Sam Mendes, who only directed one of my favorite movies of all time, American Beauty. Away We Go is no American Beauty, that is for sure. The concept is sweet, though - a young couple, expecting their first child, try to find the perfect place to raise their daughter. I've read reviews calling this movie too "twee" and they are so right. It's bolstered by an annoying indie soundtrack and Mr. Mendes tries to hard to make the film seem "indie." The only part I really enjoyed was Maggie Gyllenhaal's New Age character. John Krasinski was so adorable in this movie, though. His character in this film is not as vanilla as Jim is, but he still manages to come off as the perfect guy. C-
- Zombieland - I've heard mixed reviews from people on this flick; my dad couldn't finish watching it, but others said it was hilarious. I will say that it's definitely entertaining. There are a couple of parts that are a little self-indulgent or drag on too long (I don't want to spoil anyone, but the cameo performance, I think, went on a little too long). But overall, this was a funny, mindless movie about what happens when the world is taken over by zombies and there are a couple of human survivors left. B
- The Exorcist - After last night, as the haunted house I went to didn't scare me, and Zombieland was more funny than scary, I decided to do something I said I'd never do, and watch The Exorcist. I figured it would do the trick - after all, pretty much anyone I talk to says it's a really scary movie. Respectable institutions rank this as one of the scariest flicks ever. Even my tough ex-military dad refuses to watch it again. So I turned off all the lights in my apartment, cuddled with a blanket and a pillow, and excitedly turned it on.
Biggest. disappointment. ever. The movie was so slow, for one. I was getting ready to fall asleep. It took about 45 minutes for Regan to finally get "possessed" and even then, the only "scary" scenes in the movie were the ones I'd already heard about or seen parodied. This version didn't even have the spiderwalk. There was no element of surprise. Now, I'm not looking down on anyone who finds this scary. My dad was a teenager when it came out in the 70s, and this was before everyone was desensitized with scary and gory flicks. I imagine that watching this film, in a dark theater, without expecting the iconic scenes, would be very scary. Or if you find the idea of demon possession scary, then this movie would terrify you. But all these years later, after hearing about it all my life? Nope. It's just like when Patrick watched The Ring. I'd seen the movie right when it first came out, and find it to be a genuinely creepy movie. One of my friends, who shall remain nameless, couldn't sleep with the TV on after seeing it. Pat saw it four years later, after all the hype and endless parodies. "This movie sucks," he said when we finished it. I feel the same about The Exorcist. D
Here's a whole list of movies I have been watching since probably July and hadn't blogged about. Since I've been lax on blogging these, I've split them into parts 1 and 2 for your reading enjoyment.
- Falling Down - We watched this after seeing previews for it on TV back during the summer. Michael Douglas plays a guy who's basically gone crazy, and makes this trek across LA to see his estranged daughter for her birthday. This movie was great. See my favorite scene below - it really sums up the tone of the movie perfectly. A.
- Taken - I saw this movie back in the beginning of the year but forgot to blog about it. I don't know how because this movie is so KICK ASS. Seriously! Liam Neeson plays a former government agent who has to rescue his kidnapped daughter from sex slaves. It's all action from start to finish. A
- I Love You Man - You can't go wrong with Paul Rudd. This enjoyable flick follows the plight of a dude who just wants a good bromance. B+
- The Accidental Husband - This is a very flawed, but watchable film, about a firefighter (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) whose girlfriend calls off their wedding because a self-help guru (Uma Thurman) advised her to. The firefighter wants to ruin the guru's life by forging a marriage license between the two, thus throwing a wrench into the guru's own wedding plans. Uma Thurman's and Jeffrey Dean Morgan's characters get closer as they both try to undo the fake marriage license, but OH NO! Will they fall in love along the way? SO HARD TO GUESS, RIGHT? If you want to enjoy this movie, you just really have to suspend your disbelief. C+
- Knowing - Oh lord, this movie nearly put me to sleep and granted, I was fighting off a small cold, but it's very rare when a movie will make me want to go to sleep. This is one of those weird movies Nicolas Cage has insisted on doing for no reason at all. He finds some code or some bullshit that predicts all these catastrophes, and there are supernatural beings in it, and blah blah. C-
- Moon - To be honest, I was not expecting much from this movie at ALL but it turned out to be a really good flick. Sam Rockwell plays an astronaut fulfilling a three-year mission on the moon harvesting energy. About two weeks before he's due to return to earth and his family, weird stuff starts to happen. I don't want to say any more about it because I don't want to give any of it away. But it's a great movie. David Bowie's son, Duncan Jones, directs and did a really good job. A+
- Observe and Report - I had heard a lot about this movie, only because of the supposedly controversial sex scene (which, to me, was much ado about nothing). Seth Rogen plays a delusional mall cop determined to keep his mall a safe place. Along the way, he decides to try out for the police academy. There are some pretty funny scenes, especially with guest appearances by Aziz Ansari. B
This weekend was an enormously satisfying one, as I was able to be completely lazy but still have a good time with friends. Also, I'm not sick anymore, so that is double plus good.
Yesterday I lounged around in my apartment until the evening, when I went to go meet the Conrad and one of his friends for a movie. I wanted to see Inglourious Basterds. Now, I'm not a big Tarantino fan. I mean, I love Pulp Fiction but I haven't seen many of his other well-known movies (Reservoir Dogs, Jackie Brown, the Grindhouse flicks). I did not like the Kill Bill movies at all, but since I was making out with talking to my then-boyfriend throughout the duration of the films, I guess I really didn't give them a fair chance. But I have to say, Inglourious Basterds was really good. It has all the elements of a Tarantino flick - random Samuel L. Jackson narration, title cards, twisted gory humor. I went into the movie without knowing too much about the plot, so I sat through most of it wondering if the film were based on a true events (silly me!) If you're looking for a conventional Nazi war drama, this is not it. There are more dialogue-driven scenes than anything, but many of them were suspenseful (like the opening scene). I have to admit I was pissed off at the ending for about 10 seconds before resigning myself to the novelty of it. Oh, and the acting is incredible - even Brad Pitt, who I am usually very critical of, did a good job.
Today I went to the funky street that I explored on Friday to eat lunch with a friend. It was fun. We also went to get coffee and watched a live band perform. They were jazzy and bluesy, and very good. I even did a little dancing on the last song, but I was terrrrrible because I was so out of practice (plus it was hard to dance on the pavement wearing sandals.) Some people started taking pictures of us, good lord. But anyway, I definitely like the feel of that street and want to return to it more often, especially since I work so close to it whenever I'm downtown. I even found a school parking lot to park at, so parking was a breeze.
Another three hours until TRUE BLOOD. I cannot wait. A great ending to a very nice weekend.
Um...I haven't done one of these since March, so let me try and remember all the movies I've seen since then:
Double Indemnity - I was in the mood to watch an old flick and this one did not disappoint. This was a noir film about the man plotting the perfect murder, and how it all backfired. A.
Rachel Getting Married - Oh, boy. This is definitely one of those critically acclaimed movies that do not deserve the accolades. The film, about a drug addict coming out of rehab to attend her sister's wedding, does feature some really good performances. Anne Hathaway's performance in particular deserved the hype, and she even had me in tears at one point with one of her monologues. But the movie was SO. SLOW. It could have been better if there was an actual editor on the project. There was this one interminable wedding toast scene (I swear that went on for 20 minutes), and then another scene where the family had a dishwasher-loading fight. Not really worth your time. C-
The House Bunny - This movie was cute and actually funny. It's about a sweet but ditzy young woman who is kicked out of the Playboy Mansion and starts over as a house mother to a sorority full of misfits. There were great performances from the strong female cast, like Anna Faris, Emma Stone, and, surprisingly, Katharine McPhee (she's actually a good actress! I was surprised). B
Junebug - Another one of those indie films that got a load of attention but actually sucks. The only redeeming part of the film was Amy Adams...she's becoming one of my favorite actresses, just because she's so versatile. If you see this movie at all, see it for her performance alone. C-
Clueless - Yeah, so, I never saw this movie when it first came out. I know, right? It's a travesty. I remember everyone quoting it to death ("AS IF!") but I just never got around to seeing it. I was surprised how...good it was. I got all nostaligc over the 90's while watching it. Plus it had Paul Rudd <3 A
Garden State - Another one of those flicks that I hadn't seen when it was so hyped. I actually liked this one though. I wasn't so sure how I felt about it when it was done- it was one of those movies that made me think for the next couple of days. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I liked it. I could really relate to the themes in the film. Plus Natalie Portman was actually good in this movie...this is the first movie I've seen her in where she put on a believable performance. A
17 Again - I don't care what anyone says, I loved this movie. Just needed more Matthew Perry. A.
Sunshine Cleaning - I really liked this movie. It's about these two sisters who open up a crime-scene cleaning service, and the bond between the two of them as they navigate through their complicated lives. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt were the main characters, so you know there were strong performances. A
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - This was a cute girly movie about a womanizer who is visited by ghosts of his past and present to help him realize that his one true love is someone he left behind. B
To Die For - Nicole Kidman plays a murderous weather girl who will do anything to become famous. Good flick. A
Lollilove - I was a fan of The Office back in the day when it was actually good, and I wanted to check out the faux-documentary that the show's star, Jenna Fischer (Pam) made before getting hired on The Office. The film is about a married couple who have the good, but misplaced, intentions to start a charity by handing out lollipops with artwork drawn on them to homeless people. The movie is definitely low-budget, but it wasn't bad. It wasn't great, either. C.
The Hangover - This was a really funny movie. It's about a buddy trip to Vegas that goes hilariously wrong. Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper were my favorites. Bradley Cooper is so good at playing douches in movies that I wonder if he is one in real life...but he's hot, so I don't really care. A
When I was seventeen, I would judge how good a day would be by the music I heard in the morning on the radio. If I heard some Pink Floyd or something like "Enter Sandman," then it was going to be a good day (and funny enough, something cool would inevitably happen to MAKE it a good day). I kind of gave up that idea up as I got older, but as I was driving in to work this morning, I heard "Flying High Again," which reminded me of high school (and no, not because I would get high), and "This is a Call." "Man," I thought, "I bet it's going to be a good day."
And so it was. Work is keeping me pretty busy with two projects, but I was able to enjoy myself with it today. I had a meeting downtown today. I ended up making a joke in the meeting...not on purpose, just kind of came out, and everyone started laughing. It really throws me off when people laugh at me because at work, I tend to be rather quiet and keep to myself...I think I'm a lot funnier with people I know really well, or on paper. So anyway, that incident made me laugh. After the meeting I got a chicken sandwich and a milk shake...yum yum.
Tonight I went running. It was an interval workout. I ran six .53 mile laps, with a walk break in between. With the exception of one lap, I was actually getting faster with each progressive lap, so that was an improvement, because I usually run slower. I ran the last one at 3:34, so I was pretty happy with that time. I've been getting myself out of my winter laziness and getting back into my routine of running and dancing...and I'm LOVING IT. I just feel so much happier with it. This next winter, when it's cold and miserable outside, I need to remind myself that it's worth feeling like crap during the run for how great you feel afterward.
This weekend was great. Blues dancing on Friday, watched a bunch of movies on Saturday, 8 mile run on Sunday. Then yesterday, Katherine and I had a girl's night out. We ate at Panda Express with her boyfriend, then we girls headed to watch 17 Again. I really liked it! It was funny. I was remembering all the funny parts today during my meeting. I'm not a Zach Efron fan girl (to be honest, I wanted to see it for Matthew Perry), but he did a good job in it (and come on, I'm not BLIND. He is a good-looking guy). Reno 911 fans, the guy who plays Dangle is in the movie and he basically stole the show. My only complaint is that Matthew Perry deserved way more screen time.
I have a lot of fun things lined up for this weekend, so I can't wait for it. At least tomorrow is Thursday. It's flying by fast!
Movies I have seen in the past month and a half:
Gaslight - I thought this would be the Gaslight with Joseph Cotten and Angela Lansbury. So the whole time I was sitting there thinking, "I thought Joseph Cotten was in this?" I finally realized after I watched the movie that this is the 1940 version. It was still a good movie. It is about a wife whose husband makes her think she is going insane, when in reality he is a criminal. A.
Confessions of a Shopaholic - Isla Fischer was super-cute in this movie, but it was kind of dumb. And seriously, Patricia Field? Some of the outfits Isla wore were cute, and some were just hideous. C.
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - This was a good movie. It's about two teens who meet in other one night and fall in love while bonding over their favorite music. A.
Religulous - This documentary was hilarious. Bill Maher goes across the world, taking a critical view at religions. Caveat: if you are easily offended by people making fun of your religion (he mainly skewers Christianity, Islam, and Judaism), then don't watch. I even think he's a dick, and I don't agree with his major argument for the film (that religion is ultimately responsible for many of the world's problems). But it's funny and provides a good laugh, especially when he interviews the more delusional folks. B+
Jane Austen's Book Club - I have to admit, Katherine, that I had my doubts about this one, especially since I haven't even read Jane Austen. But you were right, the movie was good! The title is pretty self-explanatory - a group of women form a book club solely for Jane Austen's books, and find that the lessons in her novels apply to their own love lives. My favorite character was Emily Blunt's prim and proper French teacher. B+
Beverly Hills Chihuahau - I REALLY had my doubts about this one, but you know what? It wasn't lame like I thought it would be, it was actually...good. Don't judge me. Actually, I don't care if you judge me, the puppies in it were adorable. B+
Australia - My parents rented this and I was all, "Oh God, this is a three-hour movie and I bet I will hate my life all the way through it." But it's actually a decent movie. It doesn't approach Gone With the Wind epicness but it has a good story and it kept me engaged. It's about an English woman who travels to Australia and fights to keep her land and cattle after her husband's death. I have to say the most enjoyable part of the movie was Hugh Jackman. Mmmm. There are some shirtless scenes for us ladies, too. The scariest part of the movie was watching Nicole Kidman's face - Nicole, wtf did you do to yourself? When I was in high school, Nicole Kidman was one of my favorite actresses because she was so pretty, and now she looks SO BAD. Anyway. B+
Movies I have watched since the holidays:
Shadow of a Doubt - This was a good one. Teresa Wright plays a girl whose beloved uncle makes an unsuspected visit. Before long, she suspects him of something sinister. The performances were good in this film, and Teresa Wright didn't annoy me in this movie as much as she did in The Best Years of Our Lives. A
Nightmare Before Christmas - I used to see promos for this movie all the time when I was younger, but I never watched it. It was...it was good, I guess, and the technology was incredible for 1993. But I just couldn't get very excited over it. B-
Wanted - This movie was kind of dumb at first, but it got better. It tried way too hard to be the Matrix, though. B-
Transsiberian - Good movie! It starts off slowly, but if you stick with it, it gets really good. It revolves around an American couple traveling on the Transsiberian. They meet a mysterious couple on the train and get dragged into a mystery against their will. A
Yes Man - Ever since Dumb and Dumber (one of my favorite movies ever), I try to see Jim Carrey movies in the theaters. The last couple of his comedies have been so-so, but this one was a return to form. A
Ghost Town - It's too bad this movie didn't do too well over here, because I really enjoyed it. Ricky Gervais is a prickly, reclusive dentist who has a near-death experience during a colonoscopy. Afterward, he is haunted by ghosts who want his help for their last wishes. A.
Rear Window - I haven't seen too many Hitchcock films, so I figured this would be a must-see. It was so good! James Stewart is a photographer waiting out a broken leg by watching the apartments across from his. When he suspects one of them has been murdered, he enlists in the help of his girlfriend, Grace Kelly. (She had the best outfits in this movie, by the way). A+
Definitely, Maybe - This movie wasn't bad, just long. Ryan Reynolds (why is he married to Scarlett Johannson and not me?), who is getting a divorce from his wife, tells his daughter the long and rather complicated story of how he met her mother, and she had to guess which of the three candidates is her. It was a little too cutesy at times, but not a bad movie. B
Lakeview Terrace - The first twenty minutes of this movie, I thought, oh boy, this is
going to be a long and boring movie. But it ended up getting really
good. Samuel L. Jackson plays a rascist, obsessive neighbor who makes
Patrick Wilson's life hell. The performances were really good, and once
it got over its initial slowness, the movie became engaging. A
Okay, so I rented Love Actually from Netflix, and to be honest, I was expecting to loathe it. The only reason why I rented it is it's a Christmas film and I wanted to get in the spirit. Plus, I love the version of "All I Want for Christmas" that Olivia Olson does in the film. But I remember the commercials that played non-stop back in '03 for it, and back then I thought it looked too cutesy and whimsical for its own good. But I LOVED IT. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Of course, there are a couple of cheesy moments, but it was actually quite a funny movie too. I definitely recommend it. There are many intertwining stories, but my favorites were the ones with Colin Firth, Liam Neeson and his stepson, and the aging rocker releasing that crappy Christmas song. A+.
Other movies I have seen recently:
- The Best Years of Our Lives. My family watched this last Thanksgiving and highly recommended it. When I rented it from Netflix, I was originally put off by the three-hour running time. But it is a very, very good movie. It is about three servicemen coming back from WWII and trying to readjust to their lives after the war. It came out in 1946, too, so what's shown on screen is relevant to the the times. I really felt like the characters were relatable, even after all these years; there was none of that Leave It to Beaver feel. The acting was really good too, though I found the actress playing the daughter of one of the servicemen was overly dramatic. A.
- Stepbrothers. I'm a huge Will Ferrell fan, and A Night at the Roxbury remains one of my favorite movies- I can say that without any shame. But I have to say that I was really disappointed with this one. It definitely had a lot of the strange humor that Anchorman had, except Anchorman was a lot better. This film had a couple of good moments ("Your voice sounds like Fergie and Jesus"), but otherwise, I wouldn't recommend it. D.
Movies I have seen recently:
- All About Eve - This movie was so good. It is about an aging actress named Margo Channing (Bette Davis) who takes in Eve, a young woman enamored with her and her celebrity. Though all of Margo's friends think Eve is a charming young woman, Margo starts doubting her intentions. A+.
- Borat - I know, I was the only person left in America who hadn't seen this movie. It was so hyped when it was first released that I was a little wary of seeing it. What can I say? It was hilarious. I am just amazed at the lengths Sacha Baron-Cohen went through to make this film. (And that hotel scene!) A.
- Role Models - This was such a funny movie. It's about two coworkers who, through a court-ordered mandate, have to mentor children. If anyone has already seen this, the scene where Jane Lynch demonstrates the appropriate way to hug children had Patrick and me nearly in tears. A.
- Get Smart - This film was pretty funny. It's an adaptation of the old television show. What I liked about it is that Maxwell Smart wasn't a complete idiot in the movie, just did stupid things sometimes (sounds like yours truly). B.
- Wall-E - I made a post about this movie last year, but I finally saw it yesterday. OMG. This movie made me want to squee. It is that adorable. It has a really good story too: Wall-E is the last working machine on a completely abandoned Earth, and has only a pet cockroach to keep him company (yes, Disney/Pixar can make even a cockroach cute). Then a robot named EVE is dropped off on Earth to do some classified work. When EVE is picked up, Wall-E follows her for an adventure involving space, environmentalism, some mutinous robots, and looooove. A+
- Superbad. I KNOW. I finally saw it. It was a good flick. It didn't make me laugh out loud like Role Models did, but it was enjoyable. Bill Hader and Seth Rogan, who played the cops, were my favorites. A.
