Day 45: City Lights (1931)

City Lights
Director: Charlie Chaplin
Starring: Charlie Chaplin

I think this is the first Chaplin movie I have seen in its entirety. I must say, I really prefer his silent comedy to that of Keaton. It's much more expressive and screwball.

This was a very sweet movie about a lovable tramp who falls in love with a blind girl. He also befriends a suicidal millionaire who only recognizes him when he's drunk. Charlie tries to keep up the appearance of a rich man for the girl and finds various ways to make money to help her.

The physical comedy is like something right out of a cartoon. From the opening scene at the statue unveiling to the final chase from the police, Chaplin is goofy the whole time. The boxing scene especially had me laughing. His trademark waddle and girly smile made him a really likable character. Also, the movie's unique love story hit harder than many of today's romance movies.

Lesson learned: Looks aren't everything.

Day 44: The Hangover (2009)

The Hangover
Director: Todd Phillips
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis

Let me start by saying this: I did not like Old School. I do enjoy movies with those same actors (i.e. Anchor Man) but really didn't enjoy Old School. It seemed a little too...I don't know..."bro". This movie, though definitely falling squarely in the "bro" movie genre, really made me laugh.

The movie centers around a group of guys who go to Vegas for a bachelor party and wake up the next morning without any memory of the previous night. They then have to solve the mystery of last night, which includes: one guy gone missing, a stolen cop car, one guy getting married to a hooker, a tiger in the bathroom, and a baby.

Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis were hysterical. I've been a Helms fan since the Daily Show and he delivers a similar clueless nice guy performance in this movie to what I've seen in the Office. He sings a song on the piano at one point in the movie, summarizing their emotions and predicament. This was probably my favorite part of the movie. I've only seen a few clips of Zach's stand up, but now an determined to see more. The guy was easily the highlight of the movie for me.

The movie was unpredictable. It set up a premise where you really had no idea what was coming next. It was more plot driven than Old School...maybe that's why I enjoyed the ride so much more.

I'm getting married in a year and I hope my bachelor party is entirely different from this movie.

Lesson learned: It takes more than a few ruffies to knock out a tiger.

Day 43: Sneakers (1992)

Sneakers
Director: Phil Alden Robinson
Starring: Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, Dan Aykroyd

This was a good popcorn flick. My older brother recommended this movie to me when the NSA randomly came up in a conversation. He said that this was a really fun movie that anyone can enjoy. I agree.

The movie is about a group of hackers in the early 90's. They are hired by companies or banks to break into their systems to expose their weaknesses so they can tighten security. They end up tangled in a post Cold War espionage game involving encrypted codes and conspiracy. The movie really captures the period in recent history well. Even after the cold war, nobody trusted the Russians (hell, we still don't trust the Russians).

The movie has a great ensemble cast. Robert Redford stars and pays a great straight man/team leader. My favorite performances come from Dan Aykroyd (who is a wacko conspiracy theorist) and David Strathairn (who plays a smart ass blind hacker).

The movie entertains. It takes the best elements from crime/caper flicks like the Oceans movies and throws a little spy/computer fun in. It manages to weave conspiracy and twists without getting overly complex. It really does appeal to a wide audience.

Watching people hack into ancient 1992 computer systems is pretty great. A movie like this made today would be completely different. It would probably be too complicated... depends on if you're a Mac or a PC.

Fun with just enough brains without being alienating.

Lesson learned: Pay attention in math class.

Day 42: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Director: Terry Gilliam
Starring: Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro

This movie is pure madness. There were times that I was not sure what I was watching. I have never done drugs, but if this movie has any truth to it then I'm glad I never did.

The film is based on the popular Hunter S. Thompson book. I'm not really sure how to summarize the plot, mostly because I'm not really sure just what was happening. It's about a journalist and his lawyer who go to Vegas to report on a story. Also, they do a lot of drugs. That's the best I can do.

Gilliam really built a surreal circus with this movie. It was funny and psychedelic. The whole movie was a crazy trip full of hallucinations that blurred with reality. Gilliam has always had a vision for dreamlike weirdness. This movie was him in full force.

Johnny Depp was spectacular (as always). The guy can do anything. He used a little of this character in Jack Sparrow. The wide eyed, stumbling, mumbling genius.

I don't know if I need drugs to appreciate this movie more or not. This really captured that insanity of the 60's in a unique way. I liked this more than I thought I would. I thought it got a little too much by the end (the beginning was my favorite part). This is the sort of mess of a movie you have to see to believe.

Lesson learned: Drugs are bad, mkay?

Day 41: Master of the Flying Guillotine (1975)

Master of the Flying Guillotine
Director: Jimmy Wang Yu
Starring: Jimmy Wang Yu, Kam Kang, Lau Ka Wing

This movie was INSANE. I say that even after watching a lot of kung fu movies lately. This was exactly what I wanted- fun, over the top absurdity.

The film (originally titled One-Armed Boxer vs the Flying Guillotine) is writter by, directed by, and starring Jimmy Wang Yu (the star of the One Armed Swordsman). Jimmy takes the role of the legendary One-Armed Boxer who is being tracked down by an old blind man who uses a unique weapon. The flying guillotine is basically a hat on a chain that he can land on peoples heads and then use the blades to chop them off. It is just as crazy as it sounds.

One thing I often find myself wishing for when watching kung fu movies is for more fights. This movie did not leave me unsatisfied. The film cleverly includes a martial arts tournament with fighters from all over the world. This is where we see some crazy stuff.

Wild things in this movie:

Someone strangling a fighter with his hair
Jumping through roofs and walking on ceilings
Monkey, eagle, and mantis fighting styles
Indian guy who can extend his arms (obvious inspiration for Dhalsim)
Fighter inflating like a blowfish
Fighting on poles and on a scalding hot metal floor
Someone's head spinning 360 degrees

This movie was obviously an influence on fighting video games like Street Fighter. The tournament scenes could have come right out of an arcade. The sound effects were dead on and certain characters and fighting styles look just like those in the games. The music for the film was all psychedelic electronic tunes, very different from the average composed scores.

Overall, this was an incredibly fun movie. Most people will laugh through it, others will think it is awesome. I fall somewhere in between.

Lesson learned: Being blind is worse than losing an arm.

Day 40: The One Armed Swordsman (1967)

The One Armed Swordsman
Director: Chang Cheh
Starring: Jimmy Wang Yu, Chiao Chiao, Tin Tze Pan

Back to back Chang Cheh movies. This one shows its age a little more than the Five Venoms and was not nearly as fun to watch.

The story centers around a swordsman whose arm is chopped off in an accident. He runs away and falls in love with a farmer girl. He returns to his former teacher to protect him from the evil Long-Armed Devil (best name for a villain ever?).

This movie lacked the campy coolness of many of the other Shaw Bros movies I've seen. The sword fighting scenes were fun to watch, especially the gobs of ridiculously fake blood. These did not, however, have a whole lot of energy to them.

This movie had a melodramatic love story tacked onto it, which took away from the action. This was much more similar in theme and style to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon than a real kung fu movie.

Overall, a decent swordplay movie that feels a little dated. Great premise with less than exciting execution.

Lesson learned: Don't anger a bratty girl with a sword.

Day 39: The Five Deadly Venoms (1978)

The Five Deadly Venoms
Director: Chang Cheh
Starring: Chiang Sheng, Kuo Chui, Lu Feng

This movie was just plain cool. This was my first (of many to come) Chang Cheh movie, who is a god of Hong Kong cinema. This is a classic kung fu movie and it did not disappoint.

The tagline for this movie was "Pick Your Poison". The plot centered around a mysterious clan called the Poison Clan. A dying teacher asks his last pupil to kill the rest of the clan because they have gone on to do terrible things. Each member of the clan has a different style of fighting based on a different animal (Centipede, Snake, Scorpion, Lizard, and Toad). Their identeties are secret, so this pupil must go on a quest to find them.

The kung fu in this movie was not quite as impressive as what you'll see in 36th Chamber or Drunken Master II, but it is decent. Watching the different animal styles fight against each other was great, especially in the final battle royal. My personal favorite was the Toad. That guy was just awesome.

While the flick's fights could have been better, it makes up or it in awesomeness. The characters, music, and plot were kooky, but totally engaging. This may have been the most fun story I've seen in a kung fu movie. Usually a loose plot is just an excuse to watch cool fights. In this movie, everything had a purpose and the mystery of the Poison Clan unfolded with suspense.

An excellent movie. I'm having more fun watching these old martial arts films than I have had with movies in a long time.

Lesson learned: Watch out for scorpions, they're tricksy.

Day 38: The Baxter (2005)

The Baxter
Director: Michael Showalter
Starring: Michael Showalter, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Williams

I enjoyed this movie more than I was expecting to. I really love Showalter's work on Stella, but this movie looked like a toned down version of their comedy adapted into a romantic comedy. That's exactly what it was, but not in a bad way. This was a predictable rom com with tons of charm that I really liked.

A "Baxter" is a nice guy who is often dumped for a girl's true love. You know how, at the end of romantic comedies, the main girl decides at the altar that her fiance is the wrong guy and that she needs to go find her real leading man? Well, Showalter tells they typical story from the perspective of that wrong guy that gets left at the altar.

The Stella style comedy was definitely present, with many scenes of absurd dialogue. Wain and Black also had side roles, both of whom were hilarious. The best part of the movie, though, was Michelle Williams. She was incredibly charming and easy to fall for.

I guess I liked this movie because, before meeting Kaylen, I felt like a Baxter myself. I'm glad my story ended happily like this one.

Lesson learned: Don't order wine at a burger joint.

Day 37: Drunken Master (1978)

Drunken Master [Jui kuen]
Director: Yuen Woo Ping
Starring: Jackie Chan

Warning: I have bought a ton of kung fu movies recently. You may get tired of reading about crazy fight sequences (or maybe not).

I was a little disappointed with this movie. Drunken Master II is one of the best kung fu movies I have ever seen. The original Drunken Master (made 15 years earlier!) is less impressive. This is not to say that it was bad, I just think my expectations were too high after seeing the sequel.

This movie stars a young Jackie Chan as a delinquent whose father sends him to train with a crazy old drunk. Your typical run of training sequences takes place (pretty dull, unlike 36th Chamber) and there are a few fights.

The tricky thing about kung fu movies is what to do in between fights. Some movies fill with over the top acting or an engaging dramatic storyline. This movie had a weak plot and a lot of cheap gags that didn't really do it for me.

This movie's fight scenes, though, were great fun. Woo Ping is a martial arts legend who still choreographs fights for big Hollywood pictures (Matrix, Kill Bill). Chan's acrobatics are a joy to watch and the way he mixes humor into fighting is great. The characters and styles of martial arts (drunken gods and animals) were put to good use. The drunken boxing that shows up near the end of the movie is easily the highlight, though it is portrayed better in the sequel.

Also, I love how kung fu movies end right after the bad guy is defeated.

My recommendation, skip this flick and jump right into the second one.

Lesson learned: Drinking makes you stronger.

PS- I had to watch this with English dubbing, which I hate. Gimme subtitles any day.

Day 36: Moon (2009)

Moon
Director: Duncan Jones
Starring: Sam Rockwell

Classic science fiction is not dead!

This little movie was great. Sam Rockwell stars as Sam, a guy who works to harvest energy on the moon. Alone. He's been there for three years with nobody to keep him company except a talking computer. He is, as you might imagine, very bored and lonely. A bad accident makes things much more interesting for Sam. I really can't tell any more about the plot without spoiling the whole thing.

I could see why people would find this movie boring, but I was enthralled. The sense of the unknown held me in suspense! The production design was modest (especially compared to most modern science fiction). The movie was a real mind trip that was a fun, rewarding ride.

The real highlight of the film, though, was Sam Rockwell (one of my favorite actors). He was really the only actor in this movie. He is one of the most charming actors working today. He never disappoints! This movie took his acting to the next level, really challenging him to portray different facets of a single character. If there was justice in this world, he would get an Oscar nom.

Lesson learned: Computers make decent friends.

Day 35: Rear Window (1954)

Rear Window
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly

Alfred Hitchcock was a brilliant director (maybe the least original thing I've ever written). He really knows how to build suspense. The secret: let the audience see things that the protagonist does not. This is used well in the last scene of Rear Window, a classic film(and rightfully so).

This is one of those movies that I knew a lot about from pop culture (parodies like the one on Tiny Toons from my childhood). Stewart plays an amateur sleuth who thinks he witnesses a murder from his window view from his wheelchair. He doesn't have quite enough evidence to really convince anyone (including the audience). The puzzle comes together slowly, building tension over the course of the film.

Grace Kelly is a knockout. I don't think I'd ever seen a whole movie with her in it. She is beautiful, charming, dangerous, and sweet. No wonder she ended up becoming a princess.

Hitchcock uses great noir film making techniques to build this mystery. It was fun to watch and really had me freaked out in the last 15 minutes.

Lesson learned: Mind your own business.

Day 34: Futurama- Into the Wild Green Yonder (2009)

Futurama- Into the Wild Green Yonder
Director: Peter Avanzino
Starring: Billy West, Katey Sagal, John Di Maggio

Futurama was one of the greatest animated shows ever. Over its five seasons, it remained original and funny. Some of the best sci fi comedy in my book. It also managed to strike a great balance between hilarity and heartfelt emotion. Years after the show was cancelled, four straight to dvd feature length movies. These have been a sort of disappointment.

This movie suffers from many of the same problems as the previous three. They seem to be treading well worn territory (something the show never did). Plots get unnecessarily long and complex and punch lines don't come frequently enough.

This movie makes jokes about environmentalism, feminism, and Las Vegas. Amy's dad wants to wipe out the Mily Way to create the universe's largest miniature golf course. Leela joins up with a group of angy feminists and Fry gains the ability to read minds. There's a lot bouncing around here.

Like most of the movies (except Bender's Game, which I enjoyed throughout) this had too much crammed in. They try to fit in as many cameos, characters, and references as they can. The show never bothered with this nonsense. These would have all made great, focused episodes in the series.

These movies are not terrible. I always find myself laughing and love seeing these old friends back together. Let's hope Comedy Central's new season brings things back to the high standards the series set.

Lesson learned: Maybe there can be too much of a good thing.

my new toy

delayed cinema

Hello, fair readers. Kay and I are currently in the Chicago 'burbs on a mini vacation. I will post daily movies as often as possible, but I don't know that I'll keep my regular schedule. I shall do my best, though. I also plan on buying a banjo while I'm up here, so that may cut into my movie time.

Day 33: The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)

The Wind That Shakes the Barley
Director: Ken Loach
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Liam Cunningham, Padraic Delaney

Two Irish movies in a row! You know, my cultural heritage is a Mixed bag that includes Italian, German, and Irish. For some reason, it's always been the Irish that I identify with the most. My mom's dad, Harry Stout, was a true Irishman. Something about Ireland and Irish tradition has always spoken to me. Catholicism, corned beef & cabbage dinners, St. Patrick's parish, Celtic music, folklore...I am so intrigued with this culture and am proud to have Irish heritage.

This was a historical drama set in 1920's Ireland. It focused on the IRA's struggle for independence from England. I've seen quite a few movies about rebelling from an oppressive government (Braveheart, Star Wars, etc.), but this movie really took a deeper look and the complexities that go into a revolution. It's not always as simple as "keep fighting until we are free". These wars can pit brother against brother, something that is always a moral struggle. How long can one hold onto their convictions in the face of such a tragedy?

The acting in this movie was top notch. The Irish cast was superb. The visuals were very effective, whether it be a beautiful shot of the Irish countryside or a brutally harsh scene of bloodshed.

Overall, a very moving film about a harsh subject.

Lesson learned: Never sell out.

Day 32: In Bruges (2008)

In Bruges
Director: Martin McDonagh
Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes

This movie is not what the trailers made it out to be. I was expecting a Guy Ritchie sort of British crime/comedy. I got something that had crime and comedy, but also moral questions and bleakness. This is about as black as comedies come.

Farrell plays a hit man who is laying low in quaint Bruges, Belgium after a job gone bad. He accidentally killed an innocent child and is having trouble escaping his guilt in a town he considers terribly boring.

The movie was definitely funny. Farrell's whole attitude towards the town often leads to funny comments, facial expressions, and offensive remarks. He and Gleeson had some humorous discussions that about various topics (karate, etc.) Gleeson was my favorite part of the movie. I've loved him in every movie I've seen him in (I was introduced to him at a young age by Braveheart). Soooooo great.

This movie really dealt with some intense moral issues. Every character goes through some sort of inner turmoil in this movie. It sort of tries to find good and evil, black and white in a gray world. To see hit men so caught up in this is really an interesting concept.

My friend/nemesis (at least in areas of taste many times) told me that he did not like the ending. I really liked it. It ended just like a tragedy should end and how I sort of saw it ending 20 minutes earlier.

Not what I was expecting, but I wasn't really disappointed.

Lesson learned: Don't punch Canadians.

Day 31: The Blues Brothers (1980)

The Blues Brothers
Director: John Landis
Starring: John Belushi, Dan Akroyd, Carrie Fisher

First daily movie that I had seen before (not bad for a month of movies). Kay's family is from Chicago and she had never seen this movie. I consider this film and Farris Beuller's Day Off as two must see Chicago flicks (she had seen the latter). I knew she would love it, so we watched it with her parents tonight. Just as great as I remember it being.

This is a "musical" about a pair of brothers on a mission from God to reunite their band and raise some money. Jake and Elwood are played by original SNLers Akroyd and Belushi.

This movie is insane. Car chases, musical numbers, celebrity cameos, explosions, Illinois Nazis... so absurd, yet so funny. It's great seeing a young Carrie Fisher in such a different role from the princess I grew up with. The scenes of Jake and Elwood nonchalantly walking away from her murder attempts are fantastic. Really, the way the float through chaos without batting an eye is part of what makes this movie both cool and funny. The car chase scene in the mall is classic.

It's the music, though, that makes me really love this movie. Stars like James Brown, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin (in my favorite scene of the movie) deliver killer performances. I wish more movies were made with this many great musicians!

Lesson learned: Playing "Stand By Your Man" can soothe a crowd of drunken idiots.

Day 30: Away We Go (2009)

Away We Go
Director: Sam Mendes
Starring: John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph

This was the kind of movie I like. It's a funny, bitter sweet dramedy with great character actors.

Krasinski and Rudolph play an expecting couple looking for a place to start a family. Their trip takes them to Phoenix, Madison, Montreal, and Miami.

The movie is directed by the wonderful Sam Mendes and written by Dave Eggers. The acting is great, with a stellar supporting cast. Jeff Daniels and Maggie Gyllenhaal were especially funny. The best part about our main actors was their subtlety. Both Krasinski and Rudolph have the ability so say so much with their facial expressions (should be no surprise to fans of the Office).

The movie was split up into chapters for each city their visited, learning a new lesson about life or family with each stop. Alexi Murdoch's music really gave the movie a contemplative, soulful sound that fit the situations.

This movie really spoke to me. I just got engaged a week ago and now adulthood is staring me in the face. There is a point early in the movie when the couple are sitting in their shitty house and asking themselves if they are big screw ups. They talk about how they suck at living and being adults. I fear that I will be asking myself the same question when I get to that age. I'm afraid that I won't be a good grown up and that I will have no business bringing children into the world. I really identified with these fears. Hopefully my belated coming of age is less dramatic than these two.

Also, John Krasinski's character really reminded me of myself.

Lesson learned: Strollers are fun.

Day 29: M (1931)

M
Director: Fritz Lang
Starring: Peter Lorre

Here's another bit of film noir. This was one of Germany's first "talkies" and it's a doozie.

This movie was very very dark. The plot centers around a German town that is being terrorized by a child serial killer. The cops are looking everywhere for the killer, which is putting a damper on the mob's business. This motivates the mob to also look for the killer. Most of the movie focuses around the different methods these two groups use to find the killer.

The film looks great. The use of camera angles and shadows made everything so creepy and intense. Lang (who also directed Metropolis) has a great eye for shots of scenery. His filming technique made everything very real. The trial scene at the end of the movie was amazing. The way he shot the angry mob and the murderer was just awesome to watch.

The highlight of the film for me, though, was Lorre's performance as the pedophile murderer. I had seen his iconic bit parts from the Maltese Falcon and Casablanca, but he was in the spotlight for this one. He's like a classic version of Steve Buscemi. He can be so so creepy. His chilling voice makes for some really dialogue delivery. His facial expressions are priceless. He really knows how to sue those bug eyes to make himself seem scared or crazy.

Overall, an interesting film. It brought up some questions about justice and the death penalty that I was really not expecting. At the end, the mob holds a trial for the murderer. It's almost as if Lang wants the audience to play the role of the judge as Lorre masterfully delivers his ranting defense. I am firmly against the death penalty, but found myself challenged in this case. I found myself questioning the validity of the insanity plea and just wanting sickos like this to just leave this world. It was a very scary thing in my own mind. My moral dilemma confirms that this movie works. I won't be forgetting it soon.

Lesson learned: Blind guys make good watchmen.

Day 28: Harold and Maude (1971)

Harold and Maude
Director: Hal Ashby
Starring: Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon

Reading the premise of this movie sort of weirded me out before I saw it. This happened to be just my type of movie.

Harold is a teenager who is obsessed with death. He has no joy in his life until meeting Maude. This 80 year old woman teaches him how to live and love. Coming of age story with a twist.

This movie was hilarious, sad, joyous, and quirky. It was like the Graduate in atmosphere. This was stranger and funnier, though. Wes Anderson took many cues from this movie (music, cinematography, mood, etc.). Harold's "suicide" attempts were really funny, as were his psychiatry appointments. His character's growth was gradual and real. Maude was great and feisty. Her youthfulness really contrasted with Harold's morbidness.

My favorite parts of the movie were the cinematography and music. Both were done in a way that would become Wes Anderson's trademark. The montages and interesting camera angles were a lot of fun. All of the music was done by Cat Stevens (including "Tea for Tillerman" which is the closing credits song for Extras!). It really set the mood well. I kind of want to go buy the soundtrack now. The visuals worked so well with the music. Bravo!

This movie managed to take a plot that could easily be off putting or creepy and make something fun and life affirming. One of the best of this summer so far.

Lesson learned: Banjo makes everything better.

excuses, excuses

Sorry, everybody. My power went out in a storm last night while I was watching my movie. It didn't come back on until 2:15 AM when I was sound asleep (scared the hell out of me). A regular post will come this evening.

Day 27: Blade Runner (1982)

Blade Runner
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young

Well, this film has been on my "must see soon" list for years and years. For those geeks who care, I watched the theatrical cut (I know there is a big debate on whether the director's cut is better...did I make the right decision?). So, I liked this movie a lot. I doubt it will become a favorite of mine, but I'm glad I watched it for sure.

The movie is about a special police agent (a "blade runner") looking for outlawed androids called replicants to kill.

The production values were the best part of the movie. My favorite kinds of sci-fi films are the ones that do a lot of world building. This film had gobs of world building. The futuristic city looked amazing, especially for it's time. Really, none of the effects or technology seemed dated. The costumes, sets, dialogue, and music all create a dark, moody atmosphere. My favorite thing about the movie is the way it mixed film noir aspects with classic science fiction. As I have mentioned, I really love film noir.

The acting was a mixed bag. I think Harrison Ford was decent, but his voiceover narration was pretty lame (which I know is absent from Scott's cut). It's like Ridley said "read these lines like you are reading them off of a page and you've never seen them before". They were really just sort of awkward. The side actors were great, especially Rutger Hauer. He made his character contemplative, terrifying, and intense.

Ok, now that I have typed this, I think I like this movie more than I initially thought. It was the production values and atmosphere that sold me. Yay cyber punk!

Lesson learned: Robots can be emo, too.

Day 26: Synecdoche, New York (2008)

Synecdoche, New York
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Tommy Noonan

I'll admit it, I didn't get this movie. It was generally about life, love, death, theater, loss, theater, art, health, and dreams. I have no idea how these worked together.

I am a fan of Charlie Kaufman. I like Being John Malkovich and love Eternal Sunshine. Those each had different directors. Maybe that was what grounded them. This movie could have used some grounding. This seemed like a million different ideas thrown together, hoping some sort of message will come out. I'm sure it will work for some people. It just gave me a headache.

This movie is about a man made Caden who makes a massive, ongoing theater piece of his own life. Everyone in his world is a character and it is seemingly endless. The film naver made me sure what was real and what was fantasy. The line between these two were so blurred that it was almost too surreal.

This movie could have used some work with pacing, clarity, and structure. Charlie should maybe stick to writing.

Something was going on in this movie, but I really don't care to watch it again to figure out what it was.

Lesson learned: Theater is weird.

Day 25: The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)

Shao Lin san shi liu fang [The 36th Chamber of Shaolin]
Director: Chia-Liang Liu
Starring: Chia Hui Liu

I have been trying to track this movie down at rental stores for years. Thank you, Netflix!

I am a fan of kung fu movies. My brother and I got way into Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan movies in grade school. I've watched and rewatched Enter the Dragon and Drunken Master II many times over the years. Aside from a few Jet Li movies, though, my knowledge of classic kung fu cinema never expanded past Lee and Chan. After seeing the Kill Bill movies in high school, I started to research all the Shaw Brothers classics, but could never find them at video stores! Well, I now have a ton in my Netflix queue and have started with the classic (and no, I am not a Wu Tang Clan fan...yet).

From the first 5 minutes of this movie, I knew I would love it. It is so retro and cheesy with its over the top costumes, music, and sound effects. The neon red blood in particular made me giggle when I first saw it. I had seen Gordon Liu in Kill Bill 2 as Pai Mei (my favorite scenes of the movie). He was great in the classic revenge tale about a man who trains with Shaolin monks to learn kung fu so he can teach lay people how to defend themselves.

The action was top notch. We had both hand-to-hand combat as well as weapons fighting. The fights were still impressive by today's standards and were wonderfully choreographed. This movie is really famous, though, for its training sequences. I can see why! So many movies have copied the style of these sequences (including Kill Bill and Kung Fu Panda). We see how menial tasks teach important lessons about martial arts.

This movie absolutely captured the feel of what I've always wanted from kung fu movies. I'm not worried about realism or brutality, I just want some fun. Storyline is secondary to cool fights and cornball acting. This has opened a new door for me. Old school chop socky, here I come!

Lesson learned: Practice makes perfect.

Day 24: Ninteen Eighty-Four (1984)

Ninteen Eighty-Four
Director: Michael Radford
Starring: John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton

Sorry this post is delayed (I was a little busy yesterday...)

So, how cool is it that someone released a film adaptation of Orwell's classic in the year 1984? Genius!

This is one of my favorite books. I read it my freshman year of college in a history class while discussing dictatorships and fascism. This book was clearly written as a commentary on the Soviets and the way they controlled information in the USSR. Making a film adaptation of a classic like this is a daunting task, but this movie pulled it off. It's been to long since I read the book for the to say that it was totally faithful, but it perfectly followed what I remember of it.

The acting was great. John Hurt and Suzanna Hamilton really captured the conflicted nature of a couple of rebels in a thought controlled society trying to figure out how to unlock their human nature. This was Richard Burton's last movie and he went out with a bang as the calm, vicious inquisitor for the film's last act.

The visuals in this movie were what really sold me on it. They built the world of the book magnificently and were spot on in sets, costumes, and atmosphere. The images of Big Brother all over the place really gave the audience the feeling of being watched. The scenes in which the brainwashed crowd were cheering for Oceania in whatever war they were fighting at the time were horrifying and cold. The contrast between the Party's world and that of Julia and Winston was well defined.

I call this movie a success because it brought forth the same thoughts and feelings that I took from reading the book. This was way better than I was expecting and I'm glad.

Lesson learned: Rats are scary

Day 23: Paper Moon (1973)

Paper Moon
Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Starring: Ryan O'Neil, Tatum O'Neil, Madeline Kahn

I had never heard of this movie until I read an AV Club list of movies that have influenced Wes Anderson's aesthetic (maybe my favorite director). This movie was outstanding and I am surprised more people don't talk about it.

This was a con man movie about a grifter who runs into a young girl (played by real life father and daughter). Most con man movies seem to be about pulling off "the big con". This one was about a guy making a living off small time jobs (fake bible salesmen, swindling cashiers).

The movie was made in the 70's, but convincingly pulled off the atmosphere and style of the 30's. The black and white cinematography was beautiful. The music was great. Also, the acting was top notch, especially the Oscar winning performance by young Tatum O'Neil. The film was funny, exciting, whimsical, adventurous, and sad.

I can see why people would say that this seems like a Wes Anderson movie. He writes dialogue that pops like the lines in this movie. Also, the overly mature adolescent is very reminiscent of kids in his films. The character growth and the way these two characters become attached to one another had that bittersweet adventurous feel that has become Wes's trademark. This film, though, was much more steeped in reality than Life Aquatic or Royal Tenenbaums.

This movie made me want to go see Brother's Bloom again. Something about con men is so charming in a movie. In real life, though, they would just tick me off.

Lesson learned: Don't try to con a bootlegger.

Day 22: The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)

The Purple Rose of Cairo
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels, Danny Aiello

Another Woody Allen movie crossed off my list. Though he didn't actually act in this movie, his presence was very much felt.

The film is about a hard working woman in the Depression era who seeks to escape her dead beat husband by going to the movies. She sees one movie so many times that a character in the film falls in love with her and hops off the screen to be with her. This isn't as great as it seems, though. Problems arise within the character's film as well as in real life.

As you might imagine, this fantasy movie is very surreal. I loved the dialogue of the movie within the movie characters who grow impatient as Baxter gallivants around real New Jersey. The movie makes very interesting observations about movies as escapism and the relationship between movies and real life. It's also incredibly charming and funny.

The acting was superb, especially by Farrow and Daniels. Farrow captures her character's confusion and longing for a Hollywood romance very well. Daniels has a dual role, as the movie character Tom and the actor who portrays the character, Gil. These are two very different people and his subtle performance brings both to life.

Overall, this was movie magic. It gave me something to think about in its exploration on how movies impact our lives. The ending was not what I was expecting, but really further enforced how real life is not as predictable as the ending to a movie.

Lesson learned: Movies are better than real life.

Day 21: Animal Crackers (1930)

Animal Crackers
Director:
Starring: Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx

Back on track here with a great movie. The only other Marx Bros movie I've seen is Duck Soup, which I really loved. This one was just as great. The (loose) plot centered around Groucho, an African safari captain who has returned to America and is attending a fancy party. However, these movies are not about plot, they are about entertainment and non stop gags.

Each of the 3 main brothers (excluding Zeppo) have their own style of amazing comedy. Chico has his outrageous accent, Harpo has the silent treatment, and Groucho spits out non stop one liners. I realize now that Woody Allen was just doing a Groucho schtick in his early screwball comedies. I guess that's why I like these movies so much. Everythign Groucho says is a joke and they are hysterical. The movie also included romance, music, and action (everything you could ask for!)

The beauty of a Marx Brothers movie is that nobody else in the movie seems to know they are in a comedy. Everyone else delivers straight dialogue and and sort of casually ignores most of what the brothers do. It's almost like these guys just stormed onto the set of another movie and decided to ruin it with their antics.

A few favorite Groucho lines:

"You know, you two girls have everything. You're tall and short and slim and stout and blonde and brunette. And that's just the kind of a girl I crave. "

"I was outside the cabin smoking some meat. There wasn't a cigar store in the neighborhood! "

"One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know. "

"Africa is God's country, and he can have it. "

"I'm sick of these conventional marriages. One woman and one man was good enough for your grandmother, but who wants to marry your grandmother? Nobody, not even your grandfather. "

Lesson learned: Never play cards with a Marx.

PS- Am I the only person who finds Harpo both funny and creepy?

My first missed day

This was bound to happen. After 20 straight days of new movies, I did not watch one today. I was way too busy and exhausted to take the time to be awake for a movie. I hope and plan to remedy this by watching two movies on an upcoming day. Wish me luck in this.

Sorry I let everybody down. I will redeem myself!