List of Movies:
1.The King's Speech
2a.Cherrybomb
2b.Misfits
3.Juno4.127 Hours
5.Howl
6.The Thing (from another world) (1951)
7.The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest
8.The Thing (1982 version)
9.The Thin Blue Line
10.Children of Men
11a-e. Various Experimental Films
12.Out of Sight
13.Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
14.Tank Girl
15.Just Go With It
16.Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
17.Ocean's 12
18.Mississippi Burning
19.How To Train Your Dragon
20.Do The Right Thing
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1. The King's Speech (view the trailer here.)
So I just saw this movie tonight, and I'm not going to lie... I kind of fell asleep a little bit in the middle-y parts. It's not that this movie was that bad, I was just really tired. All in all, it was actually a seriously decent film, and I'm guessing if I hadn't been so tired, it'd even be great, which is impressive, seeing as the actual material is a bit dry to make an entire movie out of. Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush were absolutely outstanding, and I can see both of them getting at least a nomination, if not a win, at the next Oscars. Also, it was very weird seeing Helena Bohham Carter in a very 'normal,' proper English women role, compared to her usual craziness.
Verdict: overall, a very well done film, with an excellent ending. However, the topic/lack of action might be a turn off for some people. And make sure you are not too tired while watching it.
(PS. A quote by my sister: "I have a theory that Britain has about 10 actors. And they're all in Harry Potter. And this movie." Because, yes, Dumbledore, Peter Pettigrew, and Bellatrix all make an appearance.)
2a. Cherrybomb (view trailer here)So, the circumstances that brought me to watch this movie will be discussed in a moment, but for now I'll just say that this is a pretty good, slightly quirky, movie that I quite enjoyed. Basically it's best known for being one of the very few non-Harry Potter movies Rupert Grint a.k.a. Ron Weasley is in. Although it was a little sad to see my childhood shatter while Rupert (aka Ron) smokes weed, snorts drugs, has sex, and basically try to be a total badass, the two main characters are work quite well together on screen and overall the movie is a pretty enjoyable watch. However, if British humor/indie films aren't your thing, be wary, as it's a bit of both.
Verdict: Enjoyable film, worth the watch, but not over-the-top impressive. Bonus: Rupert Grint's wacky hairdo and feminine cardigans.
2b. Misfits (TV Show)
Okay, yes, this isn't technically a movie but I thought I'd mention it. Why? Because the last two nights several friends and I have stayed up until 3am watching this, burning through almost two whole seasons (granted, there are only 6-7 episodes per season, but still!). The premise is that, after a freaky storm of some kind, a group of kids (young adults?) realize they have super powers. This show has sex, drugs, violence, action, and a whole lot of witty banter. It's also twisted as hell (especially the first episode of season 2), so it definitely isn't for everyone. If you do get into it though, it's intensity and episode cliffhangers will certainly keep you hooked, and if you're watching it with friends, you'll be throwing theories around every few minutes. Yeah. I'd say more, but I'll just let you watch it and figure it out why it's great yourself.
Why did I mention this anyways? Well, one of the main characters, played by Robert Sheehan, is not only hilarious, but looks like a mix between a young Bob Dylan and an awkward and young James Franco. Awesome, I know. So after some light research, turns out he's in Cherrybomb with Rupert Grint. So, I felt the need to see it, and watched it earlier today.
3. Juno (watch the trailer here)
I really need to stop watching movies while I'm sleepy. Seriously, I almost fell asleep again, and I love this movie. I'm pretty sure most people have seen this one, and I've definitely seen in more than once. Juno is one of my favorites, for many reasons, and one of the few movies I can watch over and over without getting bored.
Verdict: If you haven't seen it, crawl out from under your rock and rent it. Now.
4. 127 Hours (view preview here)
Okay. Holy shit. I just came back from this movie, and didn't stop shaking until about half an hour after the credits. For those of you who haven't heard of it, it's about the (true) story of Aron Ralston (played by the wonderful James Franco), who was stuck in a canyon, pinned by a rock, for 127 hours. Basically he has to pull all these crazy survival tricks in order to survive.
Now that, I've briefed you on the plot, I'll get to the juicy details. I thought this movie was absolutely amazing, and, although I rarely say this about movies, quite moving.
BUT. This movie is NOT for the those with weak stomachs/overly sensitive. It is quite graphic/intense at parts, and although I'm not especially squeamish, I had to definitely look away/almost cover my ears at parts. Oh, did I mention that in an audience of maybe 20 people (if that), at least three people had to leave the theater during a certain scene? The guy behind us, I kid you not, went into shock, was escorted out, and an ambulance had to be called to the theater. So, just make sure you can stomach a little gore/intensity, or be prepared to leave the theater for certain parts.
Verdict: This movie, in my opinion, was awesome. I didn't get bored once, which is impressive because the majority of the movie is just James Franco, in the exact same position in the canyon. It's intensity might be too much for some people, but try to see this movie if you get the chance.
5. Howl (see trailer here)
(Okay. So I see a lot of movies. A week into 2011 and this is my 4th movie. Ah well...)
So this movie is based on the true story of Allen Ginsberg, played by James Franco, and the controversy over his poem Howl in the 1950's (hello, what about free speech?). Anyways, it's kinda got three stories going on: an interview with Ginsberg, talking about his life as a poet and Howl; a reading of the poem, done half in dark animation and half in what appeared to be a poetry reading in some sort of artsy cafe or something; and the trail itself. The movie tries a little hard to be artsy/poetic, and Franco's poetry reading voice is a little annoying, but the animation is pretty cool (think Deathly Hallows, a la the seventh Harry Potter movie. Yes, I liked that last movie a lot), and I came out of the theater feeling pretty satisfied over all.
Verdict: If you are into artsy films/poetry, I'd definitely recommend this movie. If you're into car chases and bank robberies, I'd give it a pass. Overall though, a very well-done film.
6. The Thing From Another World (1951 versions) (trailer here)
Yeah, so we watched this in my film studies class today, and I gotta say... old black and white movies are great, in a kind of awesomely lame way. Between the acting, the special effects, and the very simple plot (compared to many movies today), it was a surprisingly good movie. I'd recommend watching it on a rainy day, curled up on your couch, with lots of blankets and popcorn. It's just one of those movies. At just under an hour and a half, it's a decent length too.
Verdict: Old movies are enjoyable too! While different in many ways from horror/action movies today, this movie is a cool one to add to your "seen-it" list.
7. The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest (see trailer here)
I saw this movie today because I had a free movie pass for the campus theater and so when a friend wanted to see it, I thought 'Why not?' Despite the fact that I had not seen/read either of the previous movies/books (this is the final chapter of a trilogy), and only had a very brief synopsis of what was going on, I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. It was quite long, and almost two and a half hours, and completely in Swedish (with English subtitles), but I enjoyed it. It took me a bit to catch onto what was going on, but once I got to know who the characters and their relationships were, it was quite an enjoyable thriller/crime/drama movie. I think that if it had been done in Hollywood, there would have been much more explosions/intense chases/etc that would have taken away from the plot. The way it was done was not over the top in terms of unnecessary intense action, which was good.
Verdict: I would recommend this movie, although seeing (or reading) the first two movies (or books) would probably make it considerably better (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played With Fire). Also, make sure you don't mind reading subtitles for two and a half hours.
8. The Thing (1982 version) (view trailer here)
Okay... I'm just gunna put it out there, this movie tried really, really hard. At what? I'm guessing to measure up the the hype of the first one, but it could've also been an attempted cash grab, or something along those lines. Basically, it's much more Hollywood-esque than the original, and also has that annoying thing that a lot of suspense movies have where for about 80% of the film it's just a touch too dark to see quite enough. Having said that though, it was a pretty good (if you're into cheesy "gore-y" movies). It was definitely cool seeing how the two versions of this movie differed/stayed the same.
Verdict: I liked the original better, but this one did have it's merits (a more detailed plot, for one, which could be seen as good or bad). And, you get to see Kurt Russel be the bad-ass leader. With a big beard. Who doesn't want to see that?
9. The Thin Blue Line (view trailer here)
This is an old (1988) documentary about a man who was falsely accused of killing a cop in Texas in the 70's. After it released, the truth came out and he was released from jail, so I guess it paid off in the end. Although the story behind the documentary was fairly interesting, the style/content of the documentary was much less so. No only was it crappy VHS quality, but there was an excessive amount of re-enactments and old film clips added in. I wouldn't recommend watching this in your free time (I watched it in my film studies class), unless you are really interested in the story.
Verdict: Interesting story, less-than-mediocre movie.
10. Children of Men (see trailer here)
Watch the trailer and you'll get the basic premise of the movie. On one hand, it's your typical, dystopian society, edging on an imploding apocalypse. You know, same old same old over done Hollywood film. On the other hand though, this movie surprised me in that I actually really liked it. Seriously, it was a really good movie. Clive Owen was an enjoyable protagonist, not too overtly hero-y/gun happy, which is a nice break fromsome most movies on this genre. I can't think off the top of my head any movies similar to this one, but if you like action-y, apocalyptic-y, future-with-a-twist type movies, I'd definitely recommend this movie.
Verdict: For about 92.4% of you out there, worth your time.
11a-e. various experimental films
While these were short (10-20 minutes), I felt obligated to include them, for honesty's sake. Check out my (very dull) post about them here.
12. Out of Sight (view trailer here)
There's a movie featuring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez? Whaaat? I had no idea until recently, and now I'm writing a paper on it for my film class. And by "writing" I mean "should be writing because it's due in less than two days." But, ya know, same idea. I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. Clooney plays pretty much the exact same character as he does in the Ocean's trilogy and O Brother Where Art Thou, but he works it. J.Lo is the women FBI agent who proves that she's tough enough to wield a gun (original, right?), yet attractive enough to a) have people doubt her ability to be a fed and b) star opposite George Clooney and still manage to be referred to as the good looking one in the movie.
This movie was part romantic comedy, part bank robber movie, and about half Clooney/Lopez sexual tension... just the kind of Hollywood, mildly cheesy, big budget movie I secretly love. So yeah, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. If you like Clooney in Ocean's 11-13, or just looking at J.Lo, there's a good chance you'll like this one too. It's not Ocean's 11 (few movies are), but it was enjoyable.
Verdict: Am I the only person who still calls Jennifer Lopez J.Lo? Ah well... this movie is an enjoyable one, so pick it up next time you're stuck at the video store. I'm off to watch it about two or three more times now, and if you have any ideas about what I can write a 5 page paper about this movie on, I'd appreciate ideas. :)
13. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (view trailer here)
This is the first Marilyn Monroe movie I've ever seen, and I gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised. It's more than 50 years old, but I found I wasn't bored at all, and I actually laughed out loud a couple times (one time, embarrassingly loud). While Jane Russell is really the more enjoyable/awesome character, Monroe's character was pretty funny, and draws attention to herself every time she's onscreen. The songs didn't come along too often, which was good, and I've seen worse songs in movies. Overall, I'm glad I got the chance to see this movie, it exceeded my expectations for what I thought it was going to be.
Verdict: Girl's night? Good movie. After the football game? Not so much.
14. Tank Girl (view trailer here)
Ah, good ol' '90's. This movie was based off a British comic, and takes place in the apocalyptic-ish world of 2033. Again, I watched this in my film class, because (from a feminist perspective) it contrasts with Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Everyone I talked to in my class hated it, and it's got a shitty 4.8/10 on imdb and a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Personally, I kinda liked it, and thought it was hilarious. Sure, they pushed the strong/bad-ass women character a little hard (and for some reason she talked in a little kid voice?), there were these mutant kangaroos that I'm pretty sure worked a lot better in the comic, and there was one really uncomfortable incestuous joke, but overall, I didn't mind this wacky (yes, that is exactly how I would describe it) film. It's also got that guy who plays a villain in most of his movies, and is just kind of... villain-y looking in real life.
Verdict: I really don't know. Although I liked this movie, it seems I'm in the minority. It's outrageous and comic-y, and it has kangaroo people. If that interests you, I'd defs give it a look.
15. Just Go With It (view trailer here)
This is about the most stereotypical rom-com movie that I've seen in a loooong time. However, Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston (less so than Sandler) made it pretty funny/not an unbearable watch. It's predictable, far-fetched, and has a cheesy ending. Therefore, it is a perfect "fluff" movie to watch when you don't want anything to serious. I wouldn't say it's worth the $11 to see it in theatres, but it was pretty funny, so maybe go see it on a Tuesday (cheap movie day, score!) or wait to rent it on DVD.
Verdict: If you like romantic comedies, you'll probably enjoy it. If you like Adam Sandler, you'll probably enjoy it. If neither of these things appeal to you, I'd give it a pass.
16. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (view trailer here)
I started this movie at 1 in the morning and fell asleep less than halfway through, but hey- I've seen it enough times, I might as well talk about it. Everyone else seems to really love this movie, but it was probably my least favorite of the Harry Potter movies (except maybe the 4th). Actually, I didn't really like movies 3-6, but that's another story. I think what I don't like about this movie is that the director took it in a very different direction than the first two and made it really dark, which kinda works but was kind of just weird in comparison to the first two. Also, I don't like the casting of Lupin. And they added/changed/left out a lot of things. And I just really, really like the Harry Potter books.
Verdict: Who hasn't seen these movies? It's not bad a guess, but if you're a big huge Harry Potter nerd (like me), you'll probably see all that it's not instead of the quite impressive job it does in depicting the book.
17. Ocean's 12 (view trailer here)
While I didn't like this movie as much as the first one (there are few movies that I do), it's still a damn good movie. First, there's the cast, which includes Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Second, it's a heist movie... I love heist movies. Third, it's a well made movie, with a pretty decent plot, good dialogue, and enjoyable cinematography. Basically, I'd watch an Ocean's movie (preferably the first or second) any day.
Verdict: Obviously, a sweet movie.
18. Mississippi Burning (view trailer here)
This movie was pretty intense. I'd been meaning to see it ever since my history teacher mentioned it last year in class, and I finally got around to it in my film class today. I thought Willem Dafoe's acting was pretty weak, but other than that, it was a good movie. The content was pretty heavy, and at parts it was straight-up disturbing, but overall, I think they handled the issue of racism in the 60's pretty well. Of course, my prof's lecture before the film pointed exactly why it was pretty much too obvious in the way it was handled, but hey- it got its point across. Gene Hackman was great, and the story was engaging.
Verdict: This movie is definitely worth the watch. It's a bit long, at 2h07m, and the material is intense, but Hackman's portrayal of Mississippian FBI agent trying to combat racism in an overtly racist Mississippi county is great, and overall it's a very well-done film.
19. How To Train Your Dragon (view trailer here)
I'm a sucker for animated films, but this one was especially good. Seriously, it was awesome. It was funny, had a decent (albeit a little predictable) plot, memorable characters, and even had a few touching moments. Not to mention, the animation was really impressive. Really impressive. It payed homage to a few movies in it (intentionally or not, I'm not sure, but I feel like the creators had to have these other movies in mine): Aladdin, Avatar, Harry Potter 4... just to name a few. Also, the main dragon (pictured on the right) acts like a giant cat and is totally goofy/fun to watch.
Verdict: Go see this movie, for real. It is highly enjoyable, and easy to watch.
20. Do The Right Thing (view trailer here)
This movie was decent, but the main thing is that, in it's whole 2 hours, not a whole lot happens. However, the climatic scene is suuuper intense, and that almost makes up for the lack of action throughout. Almost. Overall though, this is a pretty good movie. It's got an awesome opening credits scene, some good bits of dialogue, and most of the characters wear wonderfully 80's clothes. The things it's missing most are more action throughout the body of the film and a satisfying ending (the ending just kind of hangs there). Also, one of the main character's name is Mookie.
Verdict: Definitely has it's moments, and some interesting characters. Worth watching if you have some extra time, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it.
Watch the trailer and you'll get the basic premise of the movie. On one hand, it's your typical, dystopian society, edging on an imploding apocalypse. You know, same old same old over done Hollywood film. On the other hand though, this movie surprised me in that I actually really liked it. Seriously, it was a really good movie. Clive Owen was an enjoyable protagonist, not too overtly hero-y/gun happy, which is a nice break from
Verdict: For about 92.4% of you out there, worth your time.
11a-e. various experimental films
While these were short (10-20 minutes), I felt obligated to include them, for honesty's sake. Check out my (very dull) post about them here.
12. Out of Sight (view trailer here) There's a movie featuring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez? Whaaat? I had no idea until recently, and now I'm writing a paper on it for my film class. And by "writing" I mean "should be writing because it's due in less than two days." But, ya know, same idea. I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. Clooney plays pretty much the exact same character as he does in the Ocean's trilogy and O Brother Where Art Thou, but he works it. J.Lo is the women FBI agent who proves that she's tough enough to wield a gun (original, right?), yet attractive enough to a) have people doubt her ability to be a fed and b) star opposite George Clooney and still manage to be referred to as the good looking one in the movie.
This movie was part romantic comedy, part bank robber movie, and about half Clooney/Lopez sexual tension... just the kind of Hollywood, mildly cheesy, big budget movie I secretly love. So yeah, I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. If you like Clooney in Ocean's 11-13, or just looking at J.Lo, there's a good chance you'll like this one too. It's not Ocean's 11 (few movies are), but it was enjoyable.
Verdict: Am I the only person who still calls Jennifer Lopez J.Lo? Ah well... this movie is an enjoyable one, so pick it up next time you're stuck at the video store. I'm off to watch it about two or three more times now, and if you have any ideas about what I can write a 5 page paper about this movie on, I'd appreciate ideas. :)
13. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (view trailer here)
Verdict: Girl's night? Good movie. After the football game? Not so much.
Ah, good ol' '90's. This movie was based off a British comic, and takes place in the apocalyptic-ish world of 2033. Again, I watched this in my film class, because (from a feminist perspective) it contrasts with Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Everyone I talked to in my class hated it, and it's got a shitty 4.8/10 on imdb and a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Personally, I kinda liked it, and thought it was hilarious. Sure, they pushed the strong/bad-ass women character a little hard (and for some reason she talked in a little kid voice?), there were these mutant kangaroos that I'm pretty sure worked a lot better in the comic, and there was one really uncomfortable incestuous joke, but overall, I didn't mind this wacky (yes, that is exactly how I would describe it) film. It's also got that guy who plays a villain in most of his movies, and is just kind of... villain-y looking in real life.
Verdict: I really don't know. Although I liked this movie, it seems I'm in the minority. It's outrageous and comic-y, and it has kangaroo people. If that interests you, I'd defs give it a look.
This is about the most stereotypical rom-com movie that I've seen in a loooong time. However, Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston (less so than Sandler) made it pretty funny/not an unbearable watch. It's predictable, far-fetched, and has a cheesy ending. Therefore, it is a perfect "fluff" movie to watch when you don't want anything to serious. I wouldn't say it's worth the $11 to see it in theatres, but it was pretty funny, so maybe go see it on a Tuesday (cheap movie day, score!) or wait to rent it on DVD.
Verdict: If you like romantic comedies, you'll probably enjoy it. If you like Adam Sandler, you'll probably enjoy it. If neither of these things appeal to you, I'd give it a pass.
I started this movie at 1 in the morning and fell asleep less than halfway through, but hey- I've seen it enough times, I might as well talk about it. Everyone else seems to really love this movie, but it was probably my least favorite of the Harry Potter movies (except maybe the 4th). Actually, I didn't really like movies 3-6, but that's another story. I think what I don't like about this movie is that the director took it in a very different direction than the first two and made it really dark, which kinda works but was kind of just weird in comparison to the first two. Also, I don't like the casting of Lupin. And they added/changed/left out a lot of things. And I just really, really like the Harry Potter books.
Verdict: Who hasn't seen these movies? It's not bad a guess, but if you're a big huge Harry Potter nerd (like me), you'll probably see all that it's not instead of the quite impressive job it does in depicting the book.
While I didn't like this movie as much as the first one (there are few movies that I do), it's still a damn good movie. First, there's the cast, which includes Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Second, it's a heist movie... I love heist movies. Third, it's a well made movie, with a pretty decent plot, good dialogue, and enjoyable cinematography. Basically, I'd watch an Ocean's movie (preferably the first or second) any day.
Verdict: Obviously, a sweet movie.
18. Mississippi Burning (view trailer here)This movie was pretty intense. I'd been meaning to see it ever since my history teacher mentioned it last year in class, and I finally got around to it in my film class today. I thought Willem Dafoe's acting was pretty weak, but other than that, it was a good movie. The content was pretty heavy, and at parts it was straight-up disturbing, but overall, I think they handled the issue of racism in the 60's pretty well. Of course, my prof's lecture before the film pointed exactly why it was pretty much too obvious in the way it was handled, but hey- it got its point across. Gene Hackman was great, and the story was engaging.
Verdict: This movie is definitely worth the watch. It's a bit long, at 2h07m, and the material is intense, but Hackman's portrayal of Mississippian FBI agent trying to combat racism in an overtly racist Mississippi county is great, and overall it's a very well-done film.
I'm a sucker for animated films, but this one was especially good. Seriously, it was awesome. It was funny, had a decent (albeit a little predictable) plot, memorable characters, and even had a few touching moments. Not to mention, the animation was really impressive. Really impressive. It payed homage to a few movies in it (intentionally or not, I'm not sure, but I feel like the creators had to have these other movies in mine): Aladdin, Avatar, Harry Potter 4... just to name a few. Also, the main dragon (pictured on the right) acts like a giant cat and is totally goofy/fun to watch.
Verdict: Go see this movie, for real. It is highly enjoyable, and easy to watch.
This movie was decent, but the main thing is that, in it's whole 2 hours, not a whole lot happens. However, the climatic scene is suuuper intense, and that almost makes up for the lack of action throughout. Almost. Overall though, this is a pretty good movie. It's got an awesome opening credits scene, some good bits of dialogue, and most of the characters wear wonderfully 80's clothes. The things it's missing most are more action throughout the body of the film and a satisfying ending (the ending just kind of hangs there). Also, one of the main character's name is Mookie.
Verdict: Definitely has it's moments, and some interesting characters. Worth watching if you have some extra time, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it.
