Daily Cinema

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

2009-08-23T19:47:00.001-07:00

Inglourious Basterds
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Melanie Laurent

I would call myself a Tarantino fan. Pulp Fiction is one of my favorite movies and I really enjoyed Kill Bill. This movie is definitely more on the Kill Bill side of things. It was a stylized revenge flick. The violence was ridiculous and he blatantly ripped various genres, including spaghetti westerns. This was unlike any war movie I have ever seen. This was more like a comic book than a film.

This is not the movie that the previews made it out to be. This was not all about Brad Pitt and his men running around, slaughtering Nazis. This was maybe 1/4 of the movie, and I was glad of this. I actually found Pitt's "Basterds" to be the least interesting story arc of the film. In true Tarantino style, the movie was broken into chapters that told 3 different stories that all slowly blended together. One story was about a young French movie theater owner whose parents were killed by Nazis. She is involuntarily befriended by a Nazi war hero who wants to throw a big movie premier at her theater. The second story is about the Basterds, a crew of American Jews who are out to terrorize and scalp the Nazis. The third story focuses on a British mission to rendezvous with a German movie star double agent and take out Hitler. This all culminates into one vengeful bloodbath (with a historically inaccurate ending).

The acting was superb. Everyone was great (except for the awful Eli Roth) but were outshined by Christoph Waltz's performance as the Nazi "Jew Hunter". This guy was oozing with charisma and delivered his lines flawlessly. He was menacing, powerful, playful, and tricky all at once. He was the perfect villain. Amazing. Expect to see his name a lot at awards shows this year.

I loved that language played a big role in this movie. Nazis spoke German. French people spoke French. This may seem obvious, but almost no other war movie has taken language into account as much as this film did. Also, Tarantino has proven again that he is a great dialogue writer. The three best scenes of the movie all involve long conversations that built tension. The audience knew that someone was about to die and, in true Leone fashion, Tarantino keeps us on the edge of our seats until we are surprised when the inevitable killing takes place.

This was s fun movie, but was ver episodic. I think the parts here are greater than the whole. Is it accurate? No. Are the Nazis treated as human beings? No. Was it fun? Yes. Hitler was a supervillain. Nazis were his evil henchmen. This was a WWII exploitation film unlike any other war film.

Lesson learned: Germans count with their thumb.

Gosford Park (2001)

2009-08-21T22:23:00.000-07:00

Gosford Park
Director: Robert Altman
Starring: a ton of people

I have seen two other Robert Altman movies, Nashville and MASH. Though this is limited exposure, I feel the movies gave me a pretty good idea about Altman's general style. Though this movie was made almost 30 years later, it shared many key characteristics. Huge ensemble cast, loose plot, strong characters, and a very slow pace. Altman likes to throw a ton of characters into a flick, each with their own story, and just watch what happens. Who needs a narrative story when you have 20 people with their own agendas.

What happens when you get a dozen or so British aristocrats and their wives and servants in a country house for a shooting party? Somebody gets killed and everybody gossips.

This murder mystery was not what I was expecting. This was not a "who dunnit?". I'm actually not sure who it was who did the actual killing. The real fun of this movie was the divide between the hired help and their employers. The story played out almost like a bedroom farce, but without all the slapstick gags. Doors are opened and closed. People try to avoid each other in a house. People hook up, emotional outbursts occur. Watching the characters slowly unfold on the screen was great (and something Altman does best).

The best part of the movie was watching the enormous, ridiculously talented cast work together. Some favorites included: Maggie Smith's scene stealing countess, Emily Watson's conflicted servant, and Clive Owen's mysterious valet. I also really enjoyed the subtle, charming performances from Claudie Blakely and Tom Hollander (who is fantastic in everything I've seen him in). The real joy, though, was Jeremy Northam. He played British actor and singer Ivor Novello, who has made it big in Hollywood. The scenes in which he plays piano were my favorites in the movie. I was as enchanted as the maids in the background. He really pulled off the charm and gusto of old Hollywood.

I liked this movie a lot. Sure, it dragged a lot. I was expecting that. This was just a rediculously talented cast to watch. I didn't even get to mention Stephen Fry, Michael Gambon, or Helen Mirren. Check it out.

Lesson learned: Americans seems silly in a house full of British people.

2009-08-20T20:04:00.000-07:00

I have a new blog. I'll still post here whenever I watch movies, but THIS is where I will be focusing my energy.

Sunset Blvd. (1950)

2009-08-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

Sunset Blvd.
Director: Billy Wilder
Starring: William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim

A classic that I had never seen before. I should have known as soon as I saw Wilder's name that it would be great. The guy has made a ton of movies that are entertaining and artistic. They are just as interesting and satisfying as anything made today (actually, way better than most).

This is an iconic movie that I think I saw a parody of on Tiny Toons once (this happens with a lot of films though: Citizen Kane, Rear Window, etc). A struggling young writer randomly finds himself on the doorstep of a washed up silent movie era starlett. She is planning her big comeback (I'm sorry, "return") to the movies and wants him to fix up her script. Of course, he takes the job. There's a ton of money to be taken from this old broad. Things go sour when she falls in love with him and wont let him leave the house. Also, she kills him (this is not big spoiler, they tell us at the beginning).

From the opening shots, I was already impressed with the camera angles and atmosphere. This movie has style. It's got all the characteristics that make film noir great. We have deadpan voiceover narration, black and white cinematography, and a moody soundtrack. The strongest piece of the puzzle, though, was the screenplay. The dialogue is so witty and perfect. Holden read the narration like a man who was helplessly away of his tragic fate.

The real joy of the movie, though, was the twisted performance of Swanson as Norma Desmond. She played her part just like a silent movie queen would, with raging facial expressions and piercing eyes. I was on edge every time she was on the screen. So creepy, pathetic, and dangerous. She was a shell of her former self. It sort of reminded me of Grey Gardens. A lot actually. She had lost all sense of reality and lived in the past.

Sometimes, I think classic movies are overrated. This is not one of those times. The final scene on the staircase gave me chills. Everything was so well done. See this movie!

Lesson learned: A car is not worth losing your life.

Top 10

2009-08-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

Well, now that the project is over, it's time to pick the cream of the crop. Which movies did I like the most? Which will stick with me for a while? Which DVDs will I put on my Christmas list this year? Here they are: the top 10 of the summer (in order):

10. Lady Snowblood (1973)

Have you ever watched a movie and thought "that movie would have been way cooler if..."? I couldn't say that after Lady Snowblood. It was the sort of movie I've always wanted to see. A Kurosawa film, but with more action. A sword fighting movie, but with more story. An action movie, but with originality and style. This was just a fun revenge flick with great characters, costumes, and fight scenes. I'm surprised Tarantino was the first to rip it off. This is as close as it gets to live action manga.

What will always stick with me: The opening bloodbath in the snow.

9. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

I watched some classic silent films this summer, including comedies by Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. The best of these, though, was a serious drama about Joan of Arc. This movie really blew me away with its intense emotion and revolutionary camera work. Probably 90% of the film in this movie was made up of quick cuts of facial closeups. What made this work, though, was the performance of Maria Falconetti.

What will always stick with me: Falconetti's crazy eyes.

8. Paper Moon (1973)

I really didn't know what to expect from this movie. Every synopsis and trailer I saw made it look sort of bland. This con man movie turned out to be anything but! It was funny and had some beautiful black and white cinematography. The was outstanding, father/daughter combo in the lead roles. This was an old fashioned good time that showed what it may really be like to be a con man.

What will always stick with me: A little girl smoking a cigarette while listening to the radio.

7. Gangs of New York (2002)

I watched 3 Scorsese pictures this summer and this was my favorite. Sure, the two classics were probably more artsy and real, but this movie was more up my alley. It was easier to watch, had a superb ensemble cast, and had some of the best sets and costumes I've ever seen (which really appealed to the history teacher in me). I could just watch Billy the Butcher all day!

What will always stick with me: Daniel Day Lewis's big climactic scene at the theater.

6. Run Lola Run (1998)

This little German movie didn't have much in the way of plot or acting. The reason it made my list is because it was so different. The 81 minute run time feels like 15. The same 20 minute story is told three times, with slight variations making all the difference. This is the film equivalent to listening to techno. My heart is pumping just thinking about it!

What will always stick with me: Lola running through the street over and over again.

5. 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1984)

You all probably got tired of reading boring kung fu reviews. I decided to pick the best one to put on my list. This was hard, but I ended up going with this beauty because it simply has the best fight scenes ever (and isn't that how this genre should really be judged anyway?). The story was barely coherent and the acting was over the top, but that's all part of the charm. From the first few minutes of the film to the very end, the action doesn't stop. Gordon Liu's pole fighting is really something that I can't describe. He's just the best and that's what set this movie apart from the others this chop socky summer.

What will always stick with me: The jaw dropping final fight scene involving coffins and defanging.

4. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)

I guess this was the summer of martial arts and Woody Allen (an unlikely combination). Again, I wanted to pick my favorite for this list and ended up going for one that Allen didn't even act in. This movie was magic. It explored the wonder of film in a whimsical fairy tale that ended with a smack if bittersweet reality. Movies like this are why Woody is probably my favorite filmmaker of all time.

What will always stick with me: Jeff Daniels talking to Mia Farrow from a movie screen.

3. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)

I wasn't expecting to like this movie as much as I did. Kay had been bugging me about seeing this for a while, so I threw it on the Netflix queue. What I got was the best musical I have ever seen (and it wasn't even in my language). What do you get when you mix wonderful music, eye candy visuals, and real world emotions? A classic movie.

What will always stick with me: The painfully real closing scene.

2. Harold and Maude (1971)

If I hadn't heard that this was a major influence on Wes Anderson, I probably would have never watched this movie. I'm glad I got past the disturbing plot synopsis and checked this out. This had everything I love about indie comedies today: quirky characters, hilarious gags, tear jerking moments, interesting camera work, and a killer soundtrack.

What will always stick with me: Cat Stevens music being put to good use.

1. Before Sunrise (1995)

I recommend this movie to everyone who hasn't seen it. This is a classic romance in every way. Linklater has created something so real with this movie. Even though it is made up entirely of long cuts of straight dialogue, I couldn't look away. Simply a beautiful piece of cinema that has become a personal favorite.

What will always stick with me: The hard goodbye.

The End of Summer

2009-08-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

Well, faithful readers, I start work again tomorrow. I guess that makes this the official end to the "Daily Cinema" blogging. I can't really commit myself to regular posting at this point (not that I did a great job of it the second half of the summer).

I started this on May 12 and, as of today, I have watched 76 movies in 92 days. I missed 16 days of movies, which is pretty disappointing. However, I'd like to think that on those days I was busy saving the world or doing something else useful with that spare 2 hours.

I have learned a lot of lessons watching these movies. I'll probably do a compilation of those if I get bored in the next few days. This really has been a fun project. I've found a few new favorites and really immersed myself in the world of kung fu cinema. Though my selection ended up a little more on the bizarre than classic side of things, I saw a lot of worthwhile stuff.

More than anything else, though, this has been a creative exercise for me. Most of my reviews on here are horrible pieces of criticism. I have realized my own limitations as a writer and have tried to take the time to create some reviews that are worthwhile (which maybe a dozen or so actually are).

Fret not, comrades. Shed no more tears. I do plan on continuing this blog. Though I will not be posting on any regular schedule, I will continue to blog a review for every movie I see (which should still be a few posts a week).

Thanks for reading and watching along with me!

Day 76: I Am Trying To Break Your Heart (2002)

2009-08-10T13:25:00.001-07:00

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Director: Sam Jones
Starring: Wilco

Rock Doc. #2 for the summer project. Wilco is an amazing Midwestern band that I have still not had the pleasure of seeing live (mostly because their shows sell out in minutes in St. Louis, Tweedy's original stomping grounds). I got into Wilco my freshman year of college. A guy on my floor was from Chicago and was obsessed with the band. He gave me Yankee Hotel Foxtrot to listen to and I liked most of it (mostly the accessable pop songs like Heavy Metal Drummer and I'm the Man Who Loves You). I went on a retreat at the end of that year and snuck a forbidden cd player with me. For some reason, this was the album I kept listening to. The more attention I gave the record, the more it's open spaces hit me. It's really an incredible collection of songs delicately string together with some great production.

This documentary is the story of how this album got made (or, rather, almost did not get made). In 2001, Wilco had released three solid albums and was on the verge of becoming more than just another mid level rock band. They had just signed to a major label (Reprise) and were working on an album that was way more complex than anything else they had ever done, taking them to a new artistic level. Unfortunately (and predictably) their label didn't get it and dropped them.

A lot of the movie focused on the balance of power in the band between singer-songwriter Jeff Tweedy and multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett. These guys make up the creative core of the band, but (to quote the film) a circle only has one center. Bennett had a vision for the record and meticulous attitude seemed to wear on all the other members of the band. He wanted them to take a step forward, and had a clear vision for that. He had some trouble communicating this to the rest of the band. Tweedy obviously is uncomfortable bickering on film and even throws up in the bathroom in the middle of a scuffle over the transition into Heavy Metal Drummer. It's an intense scene that really gives an insight into the creative strains of the group. When Tweedy goes on a solo tour and tries to explain the new album to a small group of people, he is at a loss for words. His discomfort (and the black and white cinematography) made me instantly think of my favorite film portrait of a musician on the verge of new heights, Don't Look Back.

The thing I found very interesting about this film is the inside look into record label business. Reprise dropped them because they wanted the record to be altered into something they could sell easier. The band refused (which I guess is the definition of not selling out). They then had a completed, paid for record that they could take to the highest bidder (which is sort of a band's dream). They end up putting it out on Nonesuch, another Warner owned label. It's just funny that Warner paid for the album twice over. It's sort of funny that this was a problem, considering that the band's latest album sees them with their most outright commercial potential.

I see Wilco as a quintessential band, like America's Radiohead. I'm looking forward to more fine music from these guys. Great movie about a great band.

Lesson learned: Music business is not an oxymoron, it's just plain moronic.

Day 75: Julie and Julia (2009)

2009-08-09T20:33:00.001-07:00

Julie and Julia
Director: Nora Ephron
Starring: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, Stanley Tucci

This movie may have been a chick flick. I'm not sure. The fact that the director also did Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail make me wonder. What I am sure of, though, is that I enjoyed this film. Also, it made me hungry.

The film is seem is based on two books. One is the autobiography of Julia Child, the woman who brought French cuisine into American homes. The other is a book by Julie Powell, a blogger who tries to bring change or meaning to her life by cooking all of Child's recipes in a year. The parallels between their lives are pretty thin, but are held together enough to make for a cohesive film.

I'm not very familiar with Julia Child, but Meryl Streep was very likable in this movie. She was charming, funny, fearless, and honest. Tucci was the perfect compliment for her, playing the super supportive husband.

I have always been an Amy Adams fan. She is very cute and charismatic. While Streep played a character to admire and laugh with, Adams played a character that we can identify with. She is lost in her life and wants some silly little project to fill her time and give her a sense of purpose. She starts a daunting blog project. I did the same thing with this blog. I really had no plans for the summer and wanted to goal to attain so my time didn't get wasted. The only bad part is that I'm getting no book deal and I don't get to eat delicious food every time I blog.

This movie was a delightful fun time. I love to eat and cook, so watching this was a great way to spend an afternoon.

If anyone would like to turn my blog into a book, just let me know. I promise to get better at posting every day!

Lesson learned: Butter makes everything taste good.

Day 74: G.I. Joe- The Rise of Cobra (2009)

2009-08-07T22:29:00.000-07:00

G.I. Joe- The Rise of Cobra
Director: Stephen Sommers
Starring: Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, Christopher Eccleston, Marlon Wayans

Growing up, my twin brother and I were obsessed with action figures. We mostly played with Ninja Turtles and Star Wars toys. Mixed in with these, though, were a good amount of GI Joes. We inherited some original toys, vehicles, and bases from our older brother and added our own into the mix. Playing with GI Joes was all about cool poses, crashing vehicles, blowing up bases, and superhuman acrobatics. The GI Joe movie was about all the same things (and sacrificing plot, characterization, and intelligence).

GI Joe is a Team America-type squad of super soldiers that battle international terrorists. The threat here was a Scottish weapons dealer who is planning to use deadly nano-machines to take over the world. Think saturday morning cartoons. There was a fair amount of fan service for those who loved the old cartoon (including the lines "knowing is half the battle" and "yo Joe".

It's really silly to complain about this movie having no brains. You pretty much know that coming into it. Instead of having a compelling story or deep, non-two-dimensional characters, we get lots of explosions and fighting. The action was pretty much non stop. The scene in which the Joes are chasing down the Baroness's car is really fun to watch. The movie, though, was all about Snake Eyes. This movie was full of awesome ninja battles, and I still wanted more!

This was your typical summer blockbuster. It was all flash with very little style or substance. It was a fun ride, but really makes me appreciate those few summer flicks that keep the fun, but take it in a little more fulfilling route (Dark Knight, Star Trek, Iron Man). At least it was better than the juvenile Transformers movies.

Lesson learned: Secret military squads don't worry much about discression.

Day 73: Grey Gardens (1975)

2009-08-06T20:23:00.000-07:00

Grey Gardens
Director: Albert and David Maysles
Starring: Edith and Edie Beale

This is one of the strangest documentaries I have ever seen. It is so frantic and disjointed and real. It was fascinating to watch, but gave me a headache at the same time.

Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edie live in an old mansion called Grey Gardens that is falling apart. Edith was a wealthy young singer who married a millionaire who left her. Edie was an intelligent young debutant girl who was courted by many rich young men for marriage. Both women have now ended up living a codependent live in a huge estate overrun with cats and even a raccoon.

This was a very eerie movie. You get the feeling that these two are full of regret and denial. They have painted their own pictures of their past lives. Edie is constantly talking about how she hates living in the country and wants to write. Edith is left laying in bed singing her old songs over and over again. They almost never see any other living souls besides each other.

Throwing a camera crew in this mess of a home seems to bring out some very interesting feelings for these women. Edith is constantly trying to impress everyone with her singing. Edie dances around and gabs non stop. Both of them want to make sire that their own side of every story is heard. They are talking on top of each other, fighting over how things real happened throughout the entire movie.

This was really a sort of sad movie. It was recently made into an HBO movie that Kaylen enjoyed (which is why we watched this). I would be interested to see how this could be turned into a cohesive film. This one was pretty rough to watch.

Lesson learned: Raccoons make ok pets.

Day 72: Funny People (2009)

2009-08-01T20:34:00.000-07:00

Funny People
Director: Judd Apatow
Starring: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann

I am a fan of the Apatow house of comedy. His crew churns out hilarious movies at a wild rate full of loveable characters and quotable dialogue. Though his name gets attached to almost every other comedy that comes out these days, this is only the third movie he has directed (along with 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up). I'm not sure I like this movie as much as his others, but it is definitely up to par.

Sandler plays George Simmons, a world famous comedy star who has just found out he is dying. He highers a young struggling stand up comedian (Rogen) to write jokes and become his personal assitant. He is also pining over (and later actively persuing) the "girl that got away". He also tries to grow up a little bit along the way.

This may seem like plenty of story to fill a film (and it is). However, this would be a sad movie, so Judd threw in a B story (a first for his films) that deals with Rogen's roommates and a crush he has. This really seems unnecessarily jammed into the movie, but it made me laugh, so it's hard to complain too much.

I'm not the biggest Adam Sandler fan. I like Happy Gilmore and think Billy Madison is kind of funny. That's about it. Here, though, he really impressed me. It's like watching Bill Murray in Rushmore. To se a funny man channel some really inner striggle can be very powerful. Sandler did very well at portraying the struggles of his character (which changed him throughout the movie). The supporting cast was also great, especially Eric Banna and Jason Schwartzman. Hell, I even thought Jonah Hill was funny (and I usually can't stand him!).

The real hilight here, though, was Seth Rogen. I just love the guy. I think that I would like almost any movie he stars in. He's just so loveable and genuine. Here, we see a much sweeter, honest character than he usually plays. This guy is the comedy superstar of today and I don't mind it at all.

My only complaint here is that Judd seemed to have trouble with his female characters (played by Mann and Aubrey Plaza). Both characters seemed to be flaky and nowhere near as genuine as their male counterparts.

Overall, a funny movie that handled the dramatic side very well. I thought the ending was very satisfying and would probably laugh harder if I saw the movie again.

Lesson learned: Wilco is a good date band.

Day 71: The Man Who Fell To Earth (1976)

2009-07-31T20:30:00.001-07:00

The Man Who Fell To Earth
Director: Nicolas Roeg
Starring: David Bowie, Rip Torn

Ready for the shortest review ever? Here goes:

David Bowie (who was really not bad here) played an alien who is trying to save his dying planet. It was weird.

Also, Tilda Swinton looks a lot like a young Bowie.

Lesson learned: The 70's were crazy.

no excuse

2009-07-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

I didn't watch a movie today. ...

Sorry! Geez, why don't YOU go watch a movie, huh?

Day 70: All The Real Girls (2003)

2009-07-29T18:47:00.000-07:00

All The Real Girls
Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Patricia Clarkson, Danny McBride

This little indie film was starred a promising young actress who hadn't made her big break yet, Zooey Deschanel (her big break really being Elf, I'd say). Directed by the same guy who made Pineapple Express, this was a totally different movie. This was a 100% slice of life movie about how complicated love can be between two regular, simple people.

The movie is about Paul, a guy who has been with every girl in his small town. That is, until his best friend's sister, Noel, comes back into town. Paul falls in love with her and wants to become a better person. However, love gets complicated for these two lost souls.

This movie, though, isn't really about the story. It's a slice of life. It's about living in a small town, relationships between friends, and finding meaning in life. The movie says just as much with beautiful scenery shots as it does with dramating conversations.

This is probably the best acting I've ever seen Zooey do. Usually, she plays an intelligent dream girl who seems out of this world. She tends to be quirky, trendy, and full of life changing insights. Here, she plays a simple, plain, small town girl. She brings subtlety to her performance that she rarely displays in movies today. She's not nearly as loveable, but 100% more believable.

Overall, this was an interesting little movie. It had some really honest portrayals of human emotions. Worth a watch for sure.

Lesson learned: Don't date your friend's sister.

Day 69: Saturday Night Fever (1977)

2009-07-28T17:31:00.000-07:00

Saturday Night Fever
Director: John Badham
Starring: John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorely

This movie was NOT what I was expecting. I was thinking this would be a fluffy disco version of Pretty Woman or Grease. What I got instead was a filthy, otherworldly piece of bizarro cinema.

The movie is about a schmuck named Tony who has a dead end job and a crummy home life. The only place he gets any feelings of accomplishment or self worth is on the dance floor. He and his jerk gang of friends spend their time dancing, using women, doing drugs, and being racist. Ladies and gentlemen, the 70s.

This movie turned John Travolta into a superstar. I can kind of see why. He was charismatic and likable when he wasn't abusing girls or whining all the time. At least the boy could dance.

And could he ever dance. This movie's strongest suit was it's choreographed disco dancing club scenes (which seem to be the only scenes anyone remembers from this trashy movie). The music was groovin and the people all looked rediculous. It was really a strange experience watching these scenes. Each bar he walked into seemed as bizarre and foreign as the Mos Eisley Cantina. The lighting was soft, the fog was rolling, and the disco ball was dazzling. The shots and atmosphere were so weird and unlike anything you could find in the world today. It was almost like watching some alien culture.

This movie was really pretty disgusting. I found myself hating all the characters and wondering what the point of it all was. I think they should have just stuck to the weird clubs and tried not to make any important life statements.

Lesson learned: Don't dance on bridges.

Day 68: Baby Mama (2008)

2009-07-26T17:06:00.000-07:00

Baby Mama
Director: Michael McCullers
Starring: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler. Greg Kinnear

I love 30 Rock. Tina Fey makes me laugh like few other comedians can. Amy Poehler is hit or miss for me. Though this movie featured two ladies who I think are funny, it failed to impress me.

Tina Fey plays a wealthy businesswoman who cannot bear children. She highers a white trash woman (Amy Poehler) to be her surrogate mother. Comedy occurs.

This movie did make me laugh, but mostly at random things. Steve Martin was ridiculous as the new age organic food loving billionaire boss of Fey. Poehler's strength here was her ability to blurt out random dialogue with great timing and absurdity. Fey here was mostly playing straight woman to Poehler.

This movie's plot was predictable and the laughs didn't come frequently enough to keep me interested. It forced some sort heartfelt relationship message about having kids. Or something. It seemed like something they felt like they needed to throw in there. Didn't really work for me.

Overall, a humorous little movie that I'm glad I didn't pay to see in theaters. Everything about it was average. It seems sort of below the standard Fey has set up for herself. Not bad, but that's about all I can say for it.

Lesson learned: Pregnancy is INSANE!!!

Day 67: All the President's Men (1976)

2009-07-26T09:56:00.001-07:00

All the President's Men
Director: Alan J. Pakula
Starring: Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Robards

Historical dramas can be really boring. Often times, they focus so much on facts and events that they fail to entertain or capture the attention of your average audience. Every once in a while, though, they really manage to show just how exciting and important events of the past really were. This film was one of the latter. Much like Good Night and Good Luck (a favorite of mine), this movie showed how the hard work of a determined journalist can change the course of history.

Based on their own real best selling book, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein are two no name journalists at the Washington Post who start investigating the Watergate break in with no information or connections. By slowly climbing a ladder of shaky contacts and anonymous sources, they trace the corruption all the way up to the White House itself.

Redford and Hoffman as charismatic as actors come. Watching these two guys in their prime bounce intense, technical dialogue off of each other at a lightning pace was great to watch. It was also cool to see two actors from 12 Angry Men working together again (Martin Balsam and Jack Warden). They real highlight, though, was Jason Robards (who got a much deserved Oscar for his performance). His challenging, but ultimately supportive relationship with his young journalists was fun to watch (as was his dirty mouthed dialogue).

This movie has a very meticulous script full of name dropping and complicated political connections. It doesn't worry much about catching up the audience and gives only as much information as we need to basically understand what is happening. We see this flurry of information as overwhelming (which it would have been for Woodward and Bernstein). It started out as very overwhelming and unengaging. However, once Woodward has his intense conversation with Dahlberg (which was filmed as six minutes of a single take of phone conversation with a slow zoom), the film takes off and it was impossible to not be drawn down the rabbit hole. The darkened conversations with number one anonymous source Deep Throat were especially adrenalyn pumping.

I would recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in political conspiracy or in journalism. I wonder if this kind of hard working investigative journalism is still going on. I'm sure it is, but things like this get turned into books nowadays, not newspaper articles. I think we need people like Woodward and Bernstein to look into every administration that goes through the White House.

Lesson learned: Secrets, secrets, they're no fun. Secrets, secrets, hurt someone.

Another weekend away

2009-07-23T19:58:00.001-07:00

Hello, everyone. I'll be gone until Sunday afternoon for a family reunion. Hope you are all having lovely summers yourselves.

Day 66: 500 Days of Summer (2009)

2009-07-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

500 Days of Summer
Director: Marc Webb
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel

I knew after the first time I saw the trailer that this would be my kind of movie. It looked like it had that quirky indie-comedy feel with some real emotion and romance. All that with two of the most charismatic young actors working today and some awesomely surreal imagery. Well, turns out I was right! This is a "Pete and Kaylen" movie.

The narrator warned us that this was not a love story. I'm not sure I agree, but whatever. Tom is a young man with a job he hates (greeting cards), but aspirations to greater things (architect). He is a hopeless romantic when he meets Summer. The movie tracks the 500 days during which he is infatuated with this girl. Through good times and bad, she leaves him a cynical, sad man. Ok, maybe this isn't a love story.

The two lead actors here are perfect. I've had a little fanboy crush on Zooey Deschanel for a long time, which made her (pretty standard) dream girl character work for me. She was cute, difficult, and real. I don't know why Joseph Gordon-Levitt is not a super star. After seeing his amazing performance in Brick, I knew this guy was a great actor. He is an increcibly loveable everyman here, and I can't help but to identify with him and root for things to go his way.

The cool thing here is that we get to see an entire relationship they way someone remembers it, not how it really is. Marc takes us through their time together in a non-chronological zig-zag way. This makes certain scenes his harder and leaves gaps where things are forgotten (sometimes willingly). A lot of this is sad, but some is very funny. There is a particular scene in which Tom is very depressed and goes into a convenience store to buy essentials (OJ, Jack Daniels, and Twinkies). I was giggling uncontrollably the whole time.

The best thing about the movie is that the emotions are real. Tom experiences feelings of love and depression in extremes. He goes from dancing in the streets to cursing strangers for holding hands. Everything about his emotions are so steryotypical, but this only makes it that much more relateable to everyone watching. Summer is the kind of girl we all know, someone who is fun, but completely infuriating at the same time. I'm not sure how I feel about her as a person...this will take more viewings.

This movie will get knocked for being too "quirky", "hipster", and "cute". Backlash will come along with overhype. The same thing happened with Juno, a movie I loved because I ignored all that. This is better than all that. It is a real, hilarious, romantic movie that I'll revisit over and over again in the future.

PS- The soundtrack is rad.

Lesson learned: Girls aren't always impressed when you try to defend their honor by punching a guy.

Day 65: Lone Wolf and Cub- Sword of Vengance (1972)

2009-07-21T19:22:00.000-07:00

Lone Wolf and Cub- Sword of Vengance
Director: Misumi Kenji
Starring: Tomisaburô Wakayama

Falling into the same chambara genre as Lady Snowblood, this is the first in the Lone Wolf and Cub samurai swordplay series. These are based on the highly acclaimed manga series by the same name (which I have been meaning to get into for a long time).

Ogami Itto is an executioner for the shogun, meaning that he assists samurai who must committ seppuku (ritual suicide). When a new regime takes over, his clan and family are killed. He then makes a run for it, taking his son with him. He becomes an assassin for hire who seeks revenge for his family.

This movie was rough. There was violence, blood, and rape. The director really built a gritty world that resembles the lawlessness of the American wild west (not surprising, since westerns and samurai movies have many similarities).

This movie, though, was all about story and action. It was like watching a live action manga. The blood sprays, the facial expressions are over the top, and the bod count is astronomical. Itto takes on dozens of ronin and dominates them all. The fight scene in the river and the final showdown are especially impressive. This movie was energetic and fun. I'm interested in checking out more of this series when I'm in the mood for a samurai movie that's a little more exciting than a Kurosawa flick.

Lesson learned: Kaylen does not like these kinds of movies.

Day 64: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

2009-07-20T20:31:00.001-07:00

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery

The original Star Wars trilogy has had more of an influence on my life than any other films. The Indiana Jones trilogy is a close second. Like Star Wars, I can neither remember the first time I saw the films, nor remember how many times I've seen them. These classic adventure movies are some of the most entertaining works of pulp art ever made (and are my favorite works of Spielberg). I bought a poster of this film at the Flatstock fair at the Pitchfork Music Festival. I discovered that Kaylen had not seen this Jones film, so we had to remedy that ASAP.

This movie may as well be called Raiders of the Lost Ark 2. While the Temple of Doom gave Jones a different set of villains and a different style of quest, Last Crusade is a rehash of everything that made the first movie great. We have Nazis, Christian lore, and John Rhys-Davies. This film is especially great for me because it talks a lot about the Crusades. This is a modern quest for the Holy Grail.

This movie is probably the campiest film in the trilogy (like Star Wars, I pretend any new perversions are non-existent). This is mostly due to the iconic performance from Sean Connery as Dr. Henry Jones Sr. His chemistry with Ford is what makes this movie better than Temple of Doom.

Movies like this are not made anymore. Today, this sort of popcorn adventure tends to come off as stupid and overly cheesy. The only thing that has come close is the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I love the way these films mix shaky history with fantasy and action. Indiana Jones may be the best hero in film history. I hope George Lucas doesn't try to screw these movies up with any more CG infested sequels.

Lesson learned: Jehovah is spelled with an "I" in Latin.

Day 63: Taxi Driver (1976)

2009-07-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

Taxi Driver
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd

My education in Scorsese continues with what is widely heralded as a classic. This movie was definitely well made, but didn't quite wow me.

Here we have the story of Travis, a man who feels alone and alienated in a dirty city full of prostitution and dirty movies. He tries to reach out to a woman who works as a political activist, but his sheltered lifestyle ends up scaring her away. This leads to a rapid downward spiral to find purpose in his life through violence and helping a young prostitute get away from her sad world.

Scorsese is, as always, a master of visuals. The cityscapes, rainy cap rides, and facial expressions are all captured perfectly. He really builds an authentic atmosphere of a corrupt city filled in which Travis sees the evil and feels isolated.

DeNiro is just as strong here as in Raging Bull. His transformation from a well meaning taxi driver to a sociopathic anti-hero. He plays it all with subtle intensity. Foster is also great here as the child prostitute.

I found most of the movie very interesting, but really sort of dull. This is a slow burner. When the film explodes with violence, I got very interested. There was some really great buildup for his character to reach this moment. The violence is gritty and real (which is fitting for this movie). The ultimate outcome of this vigilante justice ended up being surprising and satisfying.

This was a very interesting character study. This could be the origin story for a Punisher type of hero. I probably wouldn't watch this again, but found it worth a viewing.

Lesson learned: Don't take girls to see dirty movies on a first date.

Out of Office Notice

2009-07-17T20:28:00.000-07:00

I'm going to the Pitchfork Music Festival. Normal posting will resume Monday.

Day 62: Adaptation (2002)

2009-07-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

Adaptation
Director: Spike Jonze
Starring: Nicholas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper

Wikipedia defines "meta" as a prefix used in English to indicate a concept which is an abstraction from another concept, used to complete or add to the latter. This is a confusing definition, but this is also a sort of confusing (and very meta) movie. Charlie Kaufman wrote a screenplay about Charlie Kaufman writing a screenplay. Bam.

The film is about screenwriter Charlie Kaufman writing his follow-up to the cult film Being John Malkovich. Wanting to challenge himself to do something new and different, he decides to write an adaptation of an unadaptatble (and real) book about a man who steals rare orchids. His (fictional) twin brother is also trying to write a much more cliche script.

The movie is really wild. Kaufman is the master of surreal plots that blue the lines between reality and fantasy. This was no exception. I said in my review for Synecdoche NY that he seems to need a talented director to help with pacing and coherence to reign things in. Here Kaufman works with Jonze for the second time and we see a very abstract script turned into a comprehendable film. Bravo.

The cast is very good (probably the best Cage performance I've seen besides Raising Arizona). Chris Cooper was my favorite here as the eccentric orchid theif. He was frighteningly similar, though, to my old landlord. Bit parts are great to watch because they are played by a rediculously talented ensemble (Judy Greer, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Brian Cox, Ron Livingston, Tilda Swinton).

The fun part of this film is the way the film style is dictated by the screenplay. Charlie and his brother talk endlessly about how films should be made, what cliches to avoid, and what audiences want. The film references so many of the mentioned stylistic choices in actual form. It was really fun to watch (and hard to explain).

In the film, Charlie was trying to write a screenplay that taught lessons about life, love, and flowers. I think the real Charlie ended up doing a decent job at this.

Lesson learned: Look both ways when backing out of your driveway.

Day 61: Lady Snowblood (1973)

2009-07-16T20:44:00.000-07:00

Lady Snowblood
Director: Fujita Toshiya
Starring: Meiko Kaji, Toshio Kurosawa

This may seem like another kung fu movie, but that technically isn't accurate. First, it's from Japan, not hong kong. This is a part of the chambara genre. These films are characterized as violent samurai swordplay movies. I love samurai films, but am used to the slow burning sophistication of Akira Kurosawa. This was so so different.

The plot for this film was excellent. The main character is Yuki, a girl consumed with the need for revenge. Her father was killed and her mother was abused by a group of four bad people. She has spent her entire life training and is now going one by one to kill each of them. Does this sound familiar? It should!

This film was the most dominant inspiration for Tarantino's Kill Bill: from characters to style to violence to camera techniques to music. The blood spills are abundand (with extreme spray effects and sounds). There are also plenty of intense shots of rage filled eyes. The plot is a little simpler than Kill Bill, but is expertly executed. This was exciting and dripping with cool.

This film's biggest strength is its style. The music was amazing, the fights were wild, and the acting was really good. The costumes were a neat blend of modern and period. I just loved it. This would be the sort of thing my high school friends and I would eat up. I want to watch it again to absorb all the details again. This was way more exciting and action oriented than the Kurosawa films. Not as sophisticated, but a really fun, different form of art. Instead of being a sweeping epic, this was a swell piece of revenge pulp. I'm ready to continue this genre with the Lone Wolf and Cub series.

Lesson learned: The human body is like a garden hose when sliced with a katana.

Day 60: Harry Botter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

2009-07-15T18:43:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Director: David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson

First things first, you should know that I have never read a Harry Potter book. I enjoy the films a lot and I like not know what will happen next. I know a lot of fans of the book spend a lot of time complaining about changes made for the movies. Without having anything for comparison, I just get to sit back and watch some fun fantasy flicks.

This film felt like the 2nd movie of a trilogy (which I guess serves the same purpose as the 6th film of a 7 movie set). It was all build up to a big finale. Here we see Harry looking into the past of Tom Riddle to look for clues on how to defeat Voldemort. Meanwhile, Ron gets ladies, Hermione gets sad, Draco gets deathly, Dumbledore gets mysterious, and Snape gets treacherous.

The cast of these movies is ridiculous. There are so many great British character actors here. The three young stars have really grown into wonderful actors. Ron especially gets some great screen time here. I'm excited to see what the future careers hold for these three. This is first movie where Michael Gambon really impressed me. Here we see a Dumbledore who is much more what I would expect from a powerful old wise man: mystique, patience, and power. The real show stealer here, though, was new professor Jim Broadbent (who really never disappoints). He was a ton of fun as a befuddled psycho. Oh yeah, Alan Rickman was also up to his high standards of amazingness.

These movies are just great. I love the world building and production design. It's wild how much better this movie is than the first two, wich were pretty mediocre kids movies (except for the presence of Kenneth Branaugh in #2). This was not like a PG movie. It was dark, violent, and full of inappropriate innuendo. These kids definitely had hormones raging in this movie. It was like watching a WB teen drama with a lot of cool fantasy stuff going on.

My favorite scene was the fight against the death eaters at the Weasley farm. Wizard fights rock.

I wasn't sure all the time why certain things were supposed to be important, but I really don't care. I'm just glad to be along for the ride with these fun characters. I'm glad they're stretching out the ending. Hopefully it will be a satisying conclusion (something missing from most of the movies). The third movie is still my favorite, but these last two have definitely been a lot of fun. The best part about Harry Potter is that it's good for fantasy movies, something that there is not nearly enough of. Though I'll always be more of a Tolkien guy, I applaud the Potter world.

Lesson learned: Boys know nothing about how girls work.

Day 59: Animal House (1978)

2009-07-14T19:41:00.000-07:00

Animal House
Director: John Landis
Starring: John Belushi, Tom Hulce, Tim Matheson

People have been telling me that I need to see this movie for a long time. I'm pretty sure one of my uncles said that I needed to see this before college. My college career in no way resembled anything in this movie. I think this movie is actually partially responsible for why a lot of college kids annoy me. People want to have college memories like Animal House.

I said in my review for the Hangover, I expressed my distaste for Old School. Well, this movie is the father of that film. The Deltas are a crazy fraternity that is on probation for its bad behavior. Wild antics are abundant.

I don't want to sound like a boring fuddy-dud who hated the movie, because I actually kind of liked it. This may not be my sort of comedy because never in my life has an evening consisted of wild partying and property destruction. I also have an awful prejudice against Greek life on campuses (which is probably unfair). I still managed to find a lot of the film very very funny.

The cast was pretty good, with Belishi being the obvious highlight. I can't help but wonder how many great movies he would have made (Blues Brothers is a favorite of mine). His insane dimeanor and sheer goofiness is amazing to watch. This film also was the film debut of miss Karen Allen, who is cute as a button here (she will always have a special place in my heart). Also, Donald Sutherland as a hippy stoner English professor? You can't go wrong there.

Many of the gags were funny. I enjoyed my time with the Deltas because this flick was original for its time. Now that we also have Porky's, Revenge of the Nerds, and Wedding Crashers, this movie seems like old news. I can respect this for what it is: a crazy wild romp through the college days of other people. Too bad it influences idiots to this very day.

Lesson learned: It doesn't take a loaded gun to kill a horse.

Day 58: Bride Wars (2009)

2009-07-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

Bride Wars
Director: Gary Winick
Starring: Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway

This is the scariest movie I've seen in a while. Ok, maybe not really, but it's hard to review a movie like this without being snooty. Kaylen was tired of all the kung fu movies so she hijacked my Netflix account and put this movie at the top (are you surprised that it wasn't my choice). I watch movies like this so rarely that this was actually an interesting experience for me. This movie was not trying to be smart, sophisticated, or innovative. It just wanted to entertain its target audience on a base level. Screw critics! Too bad I'm not a member of that target audience.

The film is a bout two formerly best friend bridezillas with competing weddings on the same day. Hilarity and insanity ensue.

This movie had two main characters we were supposed to identify with. The trouble is that I only liked Hathaway's character. Hathaway is a teacher, Hudson is a lawyer. Hathaway is nice and accomodating, Hudson is aggressive and controlling. Hathaway is a brunette, Hudson is a blonde. Also, I just find Hudson unlikeable in every movie except for Almost Famous (and let's be honest, that movie was all about Fugit and Crudup).

I am engaged and am in the beginning process of planning a wedding. I am so so so glad that it will be nothing like this movie. Kaylen is understanding and willing to compromise. This will be our wedding, not her wedding.

I would love to go on and on about how cliche the plot was, how lame the jokes were, and how insulting the characters were. The problem is, you would not be surprised. This movie was not made for people like me and it is not supposed to be a great piece of art.

Instead, I'll just say "meh".

Lesson learned: Weddings can bring out the worst in people.

Day 57: Whatever Works (2009)

2009-07-12T16:53:00.001-07:00

Whatever Works
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood, Patricia Clarkson

Two days of Woody. These are movies separated by decades that seem like they could have been released in the same year. This movie was not well received by critics, and I am not surprised. This shows no growth and really shows nothing new for Woody as a writer or director (probably because it was a screenplay he wrote in the 70's). However, it should come as no surprise that I did like it quite a bit even through it did show some of Woody's big weaknesses.

The movie centers around Boris, an elderly self-proclaimed genius and cynic who stumbles across Melodie, a young runaway from the South. The two develop a relationship that starts fairly simply, but gets complicated when Melodie's mother and father both arrive at Boris' doorstep.

Larry David was made for this movie (he and Woody seem two sides of the same coin). Though this part definitely has flashes of Woody's usual morbid neuroses, Allen could have never pulled this role off. It is way too mean and aggressive to be played by a wuss like Allen. David has just the right amount of pompous rage to portray a self important man like Boris (who refers to all other humans as insects). Wood is also very sweet and likable as Melodie. The way she tries to understand Boris and admire him is endearing. Her character's transformation and growth are done very well.

There were some big weaknesses in this movie, though, that Allen has always had. He has no idea how young people talk. All of his dialogue for younger people comes off so unnaturally that I wondered if he has any understanding of modern culture. He really seems to live in a past world where things like rock music and the internet are just not important. Also, Allen's philosophical ramblings start to get repetitive by the end of the film.

However, I loved seeing a movie like this in theaters. The pseudo-philosophical bull that spouts from David's mouth is the sort of dialogue that I LOVE seeing in a movie. Allen's movies put on a front of having a pessimistic view of humanity, but rarely end that way. He usually lets us know that even though life is temporary and painful and unfair, that it is really all worth it in the end. I like that.

Even though many of the laughs were cheap, I found this to be a really refreshing trip to the movies of yesterday.

Lesson learned: It takes two rounds of "Happy Birthday" to get all the germs off your hands.

Day 56: Broadway Danny Rose (1984)

2009-07-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

Broadway Danny Rose
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte

I could sit around and watch Woody Allen movies all day. The way he writes dialogue and characters is hilarious and intelligent. Though it sometimes bothers me when actors play the same role over and over again, Woody somehow remains entertaining to me. Sure, he's always the same neurotic guy, but I like that. I can never get enough of the guy. It's just comforting to see a familiar face over and over again in his movies.

This movie has a little more adventure to it than some of his other movies. Woody plays an off beat talent agent (Danny Rose) who manages bizarre acts (blind xylophone player, piano playing birds, etc). His one profitable act is a has-been Italian lounge singer named Lou Canova. Lou is having a gig that could be his big breakthrough and he needs his mistress there to ease his nerves. Danny has to go get this girl and pretend that she is his date. She is a feisty Italian lady (played by Farrow) who gets Danny into many messes (including almost getting killed) on their way to the gig. There is a particularly hilarious scene in which they are being chased by a man with a gun in a warehouse with a helium leak. It had the over the top comedic aspects of his early films, which was a great change of pace. They whole story is being told by a group of old comedians having dinner together, which added some great atmosphere.

Farrow really surprised me here. She usually ends up playing a female version of the standard Woody Allen character. Here, she has beehive hair, big shades, and a loud mouth. So so different from what I was expecting from her. Allen also turns a great performance as the desperate Danny Rose.

This was yet another great comedy from Allen. I wonder if I'd even love his critical flops as well (I did enjoy Scoop quite a bit). Maybe I should have seen Whatever Works instead of Public Enemies last night...

Lesson learned: Don't take business personally.

Day 55: Public Enemies (2009)

2009-07-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

Public Enemies
Director: Michael Mann
Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard

This movie did not do it for me. It may be that I was too tired for a 2.5 hour movie that moved so slowly... or maybe it just wasn't very good.

This was the story of notorious mobster John Dillinger and the FBI agents to chased him around. It was a typical cat and mouse mobster flick. There were really no new contributions to the bloated genre.

My main problem with the movie was that it refused to have any fun. It took itself WAY to seriously. Depp comes off as flat as Dillinger (one of the only times I have ever been unimpressed with Johnny). There is no joy in his performance and he keeps a stone cold face almost the entire time. The script was pretty terrible as well. It included a lot of campy dialogue, but the delivery was all straight faced. No fun to be had. Also, things seemed jumbled and underdeveloped (a rare thing for a movie this long, you'd think they'd have time to make things clear).

The only thing I really loved about the film was Marion Cotillard. Too bad she didn't have much else to work with. Every character was one dimensional and it ended unceremoniously. The quality of the film used was also off...sort of grainy, but in a home movie sort of way.

I was expecting a fresh spin on the genre for the summer. What I got was a boring movie that need more fun and action. At least the soundtrack was cool.

Lesson learned: Don't team up with a guy named Baby Face.

Day 54: Bruno (2009)

2009-07-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

Bruno
Director: Larry Charles
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen

There's not much I can say here. It was vulgar, outrageous, explicit, and funny. It was all a bit too much for me, though I did laugh a lot. I really applaud Cohen for his ability to generate this sort of comedy in his unique way. I went into this movie expecting it to be wild and was still shocked.

Instead of playing a Kazakhstan journalist looking for the American dream, here we follow a gay Austrian fashion guru who wants to become a celebrity.

I don't know how much of this movie was staged, but the majority of it seemed legit. This was so different from any other movie in theaters today (or at all since Borat). The quasi documentary style relies on Cohen's incredible ability be be a chameleon. I don't know how much longer he can keep this up, but I'm sure he won't be stopping anytime soon.

Lesson learned: The military does not appreciate fashion.

Day 53: La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc (1928)

2009-07-09T15:01:00.000-07:00

La Passion De Jeanne D'Arc
Director: Carl Theodore Dreyer
Starring: Maria Falconetti

Talk about a powerful film. This is far and away the best silent film I have ever seen. I don't know how to put it into words. It was so powerful and so beautiful.

This movie is not about Joan of Arc the warrior saint. This is about Joan faithful teenage girl. The film has no battle scenes and really doesn't even mention the Hundred Years War. The film is all about her heresy trial. There is not context given to previous events. The script is based on the actual notes form Joan's trial.

The camera techniques were very innovative. This threw out all the rules about shot transitions or composition. Almost every shot of the movie is a facial close-up. These shots are from various angles, often from a slightly tilted or skewed perspective. The gritty black and white shows off every wrinkle on the judges faces and the purity of Joan's. The blackness and contrast of the lighting is just so awe inspiring. These closeups really drive home the emotions of Joan's character.

Joan here is a teenage girl who has found herself way in over her head. She is faithful and strong in her visions, but has no idea how to communicate them to her judges. We see her internal conflict about answers to various questions as she struggles to stay true to herself. To say that Falconetti's performance is good is an understatement. She gave one of the best performances I have ever seen. She has the ability to say more with her eyes than any string of dialogue could ever say. She has a celestial, haunting quality to her face, her eyes almost constantly blazing forward, brimming with tears. She was beyond perfect. I want to watch it again just to see her performance and attempt to feel her internal struggle.

The film did not need sound to tell its story. Words on the screen were used sparingly, always to great effect. The inquisition of this poor girl was powerfully captured by a great cast and great direction. Watching this movie was an otherworldly experience. The whole film has a dreamlike quality to it that I cannot describe. I was never sure just how to feel about Joan. The film seems to keep her at a distance, alienating her from the audience like she was alienated from the world.

An excellent bit of film history. I'll probably show clips from this when teaching the Hundred Years War next year.

Lesson learned: There is a fine line between coming off as holy and as insane.

Day 52: Sixteen Candles (1984)

2009-07-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

Sixteen Candles
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Schoeffling

Second movie of the project that I had previously seen before. I have seen brat pack movies because my fiance, Kaylen Hoffman, loves them (are these considered chick flicks? do they transcend that label?). Pretty in Pink is one of her favorite movies of all time. As a teen, Kay really identified with Molly Ringwald's character in that movie and in this one. I can see why. I'm sure that the younger Kaylen taht I never got to meet was just as unique, artsy, and angsty as this redheaded stepchild of the 80's (except it was Rooney instead of New Order).

This is a much goofier, fluffier movie than Breakfast Club or Pretty in Pink. This is sort of the steryotypical teen movie (including a wild party while the parents are away! On no!). Ringwald plays a teen whose parents forget her 16th birthday. Duing her unspecial day, she is pestered by a geek and pines for a hunky jock. This is very similar to Pretty in Pink and, like that movie, she ends up with the pretty boy.

This sort of bothers me. Why would this rebellious, individualistic girl go for the hadsome, dense rich boy? Does Joh Hughes think that that's what all girls want? Maybe he thinks that all quarterbacks with nice cars are secretly sick of vapid cheerleaders and really just want to hang out with a weird girl. Who knows?

This movie is good for a laugh, but is mostly empty of deeper meaning. There are a lot of cheap laughs at a Chinese exchange student named Long Duk Dong (sometimes referred to as "the donger"). This movie is the godfather to the American Pie series and modern movies like Superbad (though a less raunchy version of both). Though this movie fails to get to any deeper truths about being a teen, it acts as a great antiquated relic of the olden days of the 80's.

PS- this is worth watching for a bit part from a very young John Cusak as a total dweeb.

Lesson learned: Don't let Kaylen near any popular rich pretty boys.

What's up with all the kung fu?

2009-07-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

I feel like I owe you readers an explanation for the inexcusable amount of boring kung fu movie reviews you've read in the last month. Watching these films has been the most enjoyable and exciting film experience I have had in a long time.

My twin brother and I started to get into kung fu movies when we were younger (not sure when...8th grade? 9th?). This was the antural extension of our childhood obsession with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It all started with Bruce Lee movies. We bought his entire collection and watched them repeatedly, especially Enter the Dragon and the Chinese Connection. These movies were perfect for teenage boys. Lee has an amazing amount of energy in his acting and his movies were exciting and totally cheesy (which we loved). From there it went to Drunken Master II, which blew my mind with its unique style and epic choreography.

The real interest in classic 70's/80's kung fu came from Kill Bill. I was a devoted Tarantino fan and really loved the style of the fight sequences. My favorite scene in the movies was the training sequence with Pai Mei. I loved how over the top everything was (costumes, sound effects, music, choreography). This led me to look up information on the Shaw Bros. Studios. The sad thing was that Cape Girardeau didn't have a single one of these movies to rent or buy. I had to settle with newer wire fu films like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Hero (both of which I love).

I have now (thanks to Netflix and eBay) seen many of the classic Shaw Bros. films. I love them for their pure escapism. They are so different from every other type of movie I watch. I am enthralled with the meticulous fight choreography. Everything is dripping with cheesiness and I wouldn't have it any other way. These films take me back to my childhood. I would have LOVED these movies as a kid. They are black and white stories about beating up the bad guys and being cool.

You'll probably read more martial arts reviews from me soon. These films just take me back to simpler days. Who needs good acting, dialogue, or plot? I just want to see someone show off with a cool sword.

Day 51: Five Element Ninjas (1982)

2009-07-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

Five Element Ninjas
Director: Chang Cheh
Starring: Chentin Yee, Lo Meng, Chu Ker

There used to be this big question which sparked intense debate all over the internet: what is cooler, pirates or ninjas? I always thought this was a silly question with a ridiculously obvious answer: ninjas, of course. I won't get into the plethora of reasons for this right now, I have a rad movie to talk about.

This is considered one of the many "Venoms" movies, meaning that it was directed by Cheh and has much of the same cast from The Five Venoms. This was one of the most mind blowing and deranged movies I've watched recently.

The film centers around a man looking for revenge on the ninjas who killed his master and his friends. The ninjas use the powers/techniques of the five elements (gold, wood, fire, earth, and water) to defeat the rival school. The abilities are:
Gold- gold chields that reflect light and shoot darts
Wood- tree disguises and claws
Fire- pink smoke that blinds enemies
Earth- burrowing under ground and poking up with spears
Water- swim and use hooks to drag people under
The protagonist also learns ninjitsu to defeat the ninjas.

This movie was almost nonstop action, with only a period in the middle of the film dragging a little bit. It start off with a martial arts tournament which includes something different from other kung fu movies: a samurai. It was fun to watch Japanese fighting styles go against Chinese martial arts. The final fight was one of the most fun and rediculously gory things I have ever seen. Tons of cheese, but not in a bad way. Were the special effects and wire work horrible? Absolutely. The whole thing had an absurd audacity to it that most films today would never attempt. This is just the sort of spray-fest Tarantino was paying tribute to with Kill Bill.

The ninjas in this movie soooooo cool (as all should be). They used real historical ninja weapons and equipment, but had a supernatural element to them. They were truly silent and invisible. The flick even included a deadly ninja chick. Doesn't get much better than that.

With the big resurgence of pirate movies lately, someone needs to come along and bring about the rebirht of the ninja movie. If it has half the fun of this film, I'll gladly go along for the ride.

Lesson learned: Ninjas are cool.

Rededication

2009-07-07T18:59:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I just did some extreme math and have discovered that I am seven movies behind a movie a day. SEVEN.

This is unacceptable. I plan to rededicate myself to this blog. Sure, 50 movies in 57 days is not bad, but I'm falling behind my goal. Starting tomorrow, I plan to go hardcore on the daily cinema again. I'll even try to fit in a few double features.

(If you'll notice, I missed today...I'll make up for it, I swear!)

Day 50: The Elephant Man (1980)

2009-07-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

The Elephant Man
Director: David Lynch
Starring: John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins

Let me start by saying that I am not a fan of the films of David Lynch. I could not appreciate Eraserhead at all and really didn't care for Blue Velvet. His films seem to be plotless and without a single bit of great dialogue. I see movies as an artistic way to tell a story. I can see why people may appreciate his films as a form of modern art. I, though, have trouble with most modern art (and the concept of art for art's sake). Lynch fans, feel free to tell me why I am wrong.

This movie was different. This was full of real, relatable emotion and a strong story. The acting was great, especially from the two leads. This was also one of the saddest movies I have ever seen in my life. It tells the real story of John Merrick, a horribly deformed man who is taken in by Dr. Treves. Treves treats John like a human being, with the highest dignity.

John Hurt is outstanding in this movie. Even under all that makeup, the raw emotion of his performance shines through. Hopkins delivers a subtle performance of a man who is torn about his own actions in caring for this man. The supporting cast also does well, especially a memorable role from Anne Bancroft.

The movie was truly heartfelt, but probably the most difficult movie I have seen in a long time. It is a good thing Lynch decided to shoot in gritty black and white. This would have been impossible to swallow in full, clear color. The brutality of some people is so real here. The movie demands you to look at ugliness (both inside and out) in an extreme, in your face way.

This was a beautiful movie about humanity's good and bad sides. I probably won't stop thinking about this movie for a few days. The images are lodged into my mind now. Maybe this was like the other Lynch movies I've seen...

Lesson learned: Freaky deakies need love, too.

Day 49: Hot Rod (2007)

2009-07-05T14:57:00.000-07:00

Hot Rod
Director: Akiva Schaffer
Starring: Andy Sandberg, Jorma Taccone, Bill Hader, Danny McBride

I'm sure you're all sick of reading about kung fu movies. Here's your variety!

I don't regularly watch SNL. It has become very inconsistent, with a few bright spots here and there. Most recent highlights come from Andy Samberg. I first heard of Andy and his Lonely Island crew when I watched the Awesometown unaired pilot they did. I really loved their random, nonsensical style. This movie had tons of that.

This is the story of Rod, a stuntman who is trying to raise money to save his dying stepdad. The reason he wants to save him, though, is because he wants to beat him up.

The cast is great. It includes my personal favorite SNLer (Bill Hader) and my favorite Arrested Development alum (Will Arnett). Also, Danny McBride continues to be hilarious in every movie he appears in.

The thing I loved about this movie is just how wild the humor was. You really did not know what to expect from one minute to the next. All of a sudden, ariot could break our or people could bust into a rap. A lot of the jokes were so juvenile and dorky.

I love when movies take a cheap,lame physical comedy joke and allow it to go on so long that it starts to be funny, then long enough that is becomes hysterical. My prime example is the puking scene from Team America. There's a part at the beginning of this movie where Rod is falling down a hill that took me from giggling, to chuckling, to guffawing.

Quotable dialogue, great plot, and funny cast=success

Lesson learned: Taco defeats grilled cheese.

Day 48: Legendary Weapons of China (1982)

2009-07-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

Legendary Weapons of China
Director: Lau Kar Leung
Starring: Lau Kar Leung, Gordon Liu, Kar Wing Lau

This was not a very good movie, which is a big let down when we're talking about the director of 36th Chamber and 8 Diagram. The plot was almost incomprehensible and there were almost no fights in the first half of the movie. However, I was left smiling at the end of the movie.

The story is about an old martial arts master during the Boxer Rebellion who disbands his school because too many of his pupils were dying. Because of this, assassins have been hired to find and kill him. The film has a lot of magic mixed in (fire, invincible skin, etc) with its kung fu, which was sort of interesting.

The reason that I didn't hate this movie is that the final 25 minute fight scene was awesome. The movie's title is a reference to the 18 schools of weapons fighting in China. To defeat the final assassin, his brother, the teacher uses all 18 weapons to win. This is a great fight in which we get to see tons of different weapons pitted against each other. It was like watching a Soul Calibur movie. The styles included double hammer, spear, double axe, three section pole, and many others. It was energetic, fluid, and a blast to watch.

The ending saved the movie. However, on future viewings, I'll probably skip the movie to see the beautifully choreagraphed climax.

Lesson learned: Magic isn't everything.

Day 47: 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1984)

2009-07-03T09:10:00.000-07:00

Eight Diagram Pole Fighter
Director: Lau Kar Leung
Starring: Gordon Liu

AMAZING! This movie reunited the director and star of the 36th Chamber of Shaolin for a triumphant success of a film.

The movie centers around the Yang, a family of spear fighters who are trying to prevent the Mongols from taking over china. All but two of the Yang brothers are killed in an ambush. One brother goes nuts and the other joins a monastery. When one of his sisters is kidnapped by mongols, the monk must return to save her. The goofy thing about this movie is that none of the brothers or sisters have names. Instead they all go by numbers (1st Yang, 3rd Yang, etc). That took some getting used to, but wasn't terribly distracting. The story is nothing compared to something like Five Deadly Venoms, but it works.

This movie had the most impressive fight choreography I have ever seen. The pole fighting in this movie is so fluid and energetic. There are intense one on one battles and giant melees with dozens of combatants. The way Gordon Liu whips that pole all around his body is incredible. You can feel the energy. The final fight scene is jaw dropping, the best I've yet seen in a Shaw Brothers movie (also one of the bloodiest).

I can't recommend this movie highly enough for people looking to get into these films. I can't even begin to describe how awesome these fights were. Today's action movies are all about special effects and whatnot. This movie has real martial arts masters doing their thing, and that's really as good as it gets.

Lesson learned: Monks make sloppy dentists.

Day 46: Zach Galifianakis- Live at the Purple Onion (2006)

2009-07-03T08:54:00.000-07:00

Zach Galifianakis- Live at the Purple Onion
Director: Michael Blieden
Starring: Zach Galifianakis

Ok, so this may not technically count as a movie, but it was almost feature length and it wasn't just a video taping of a stand up performance.

After watching the Hangover, I wanted to check out Zach's comedy and this was the perfect introduction to his unique brand of humor. The video was split between a live performance and fake interviews with Seth, Zach's long lost twin brother (played by a partially shaven Zach). The interview scenes were hilarious, with Seth being played as a dim witted southern sissy boy. He told stories about their childhood and how they bonded over the Fugees and Funyuns (I didn't realize that this is how you spell that).

Zach's standup is a mix between Demitri Martin and Mitch Hedberg. He delivers a series of off beat one line jokes like Mitch. Also, you get the feeling that Zach may be a little crazy. Like Demitri, his humor is very cerebral and set to music (piano). My favorite bits were his "characters" that he was working on, which were one line each. These included a pretentious illiterate, a forgetful vegan, and a five year old who complains about having a beard.

Only time will tell if I like this guy's stuff as much as I do Jimm Gaffigan or Demitri Martin. A funny comedian, though, who I would love to see live someday.

Lesson learned: The smell of Funyuns can bring back powerful memories.

things fall apart

2009-07-03T06:40:00.000-07:00

Hello, readers. As you've probably noticed, it's been two days since I've blogged. This is because I am in a new place now and my internet isn't hooked up yet. However, I am still watching movies and will be posting make up posts ASAP. I promise.

Day 45: City Lights (1931)

2009-06-30T09:46:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-29T11:53:00.001-07:00

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)

2009-06-28T19:59:00.001-07:00

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)

2009-06-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-26T21:59:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-26T10:25:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-24T21:20:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-22T21:52:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-21T15:17:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-18T22:08:00.001-07:00

delayed cinema

2009-06-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-16T11:28:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-15T22:20:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-11T21:21:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-11T04:45:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-07T15:35:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-07T09:58:00.001-07:00

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)

2009-06-06T13:04:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-04T19:19:00.001-07:00

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)

2009-06-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-06-02T18:19:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

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!

Day 20: MASH (1970)

2009-05-31T15:44:00.000-07:00

Director: Robert Altman
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Tom Skerritt

I've never watched much of the MASH TV show, but I like what I have seen. This movie was very different and very hit or miss, though probably more on the hit side.

I have only seen one Robert Altman movie (Nashville) and I liked it. This movie was a "comedy", but wasn't consistently funny. The anti-war message was not a strong as I was expecting, though there was a lot of gore for a comedy. The scenes where they were performing surgery were brutal, yet often contained very funny moments.

This movie was episodic. It was made up of 5 or so arcs of story that were self contained. This made for an uneven watch. Some were hilarious throughout, while others really fell flat (especially the random football movie thrown in at the end).

The thing that made me like this movie was the performances of Gould and Sutherland. These guys pulled of their roles perfectly.

Overall, an ok comedy that I wouldn't call a classic.

Lesson learned: Suicide is painless.

Day 19: Lola Rennt (1998)

2009-05-30T09:15:00.001-07:00

Lola Rennt (Run Lola Run)
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu

My heart is still pumping from this movie. Wow. I'd heard about this movie a few years ago and had been meaning to check it out. Glad I did.

Lola has 20 minutes to attain 100,000 marks and make it to her boyfriend Manni before he is killed by a mobster. The film is broken into 3 segments of 20 minutes of real time. This is a sort of Rashomon/Groundhog Day deal, where we get the same general story over and over again. Each take alters only the smallest details, changing the action by mere seconds, but with huge consequences.

The movie is made up of almost entirely short, 2-3 second cuts. This, coupled with the non stop techno music, makes for a very exciting ride. The whole visual style of this movie is an adrenalene rush and a whole lot of fun. I think the Wachowskis stole some of this film's style when they made the Matrix a year later.

Overall, this movie was unique, fun, and well made.

Lesson learned: Every second counts.

Day 18: Up (2009)

2009-05-29T21:37:00.000-07:00

Up
Director: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Starring: Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai

Pixar amazes me. They have consistently made the most imaginative movies of the past 10 years. Ever movie is a masterpiece (though I've never seen Cars).

My favorite Pixar movie is the Incredibles, mostly because it brought me back to my childhood Saturday morning cartoons. Pixar manages to do things like that for me. It reminds me of all the great adventures I loved as a kid. This movie was all about that sense of adventure.

The movie tells the story of an elderly man named Carl (can anyone tell me another kids movie with an elderly protagonist?). Carl is on his childhood quest to go to South America to see Paradise Falls. I won't bother with a big plot summary, but it all includes fighting his boyhood hero, meeting a talking dog, dealing with an annoying kid, and lifting his house into the air with helium balloons.

This was probably the most emotionally heavy movie Pixar has made. The first twenty minutes of the film were my favorite. They told the story of Carl's young life with his wife Ellie. These scenes of their relationship are so beautifully crafted. The end of this sequence is heartwrenching, really giving us a great insight into our hero Carl.

The movie's visual style was amazing (another Pixar triumph). Everytime we got a shot of the magnificent hosue soaring through the air with multicolored balloons, I was in awe.

I love animation, but am usually annoyed with computer animated movies. Though I still miss hand drawn and stop motion animation, I will continue to love Pixar. Thanks for giving me back my childlike wonder. Keep up the good work.

Lesson learned: Life is a great adventure.

PS- the short film before the movie was FANTASTIC

Day 17: Raging Bull (1980)

2009-05-28T19:46:00.000-07:00

Raging Bull
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Cathy Moriarty

This is a classic film and I am very glad that I finally saw it. I never want to see it again.

It was too harsh, too depressing to be a favorite of mine. This was a hard movie to stomach, but at least the brutality was absolutely beautiful to watch.

This was the story of the rise and fall of Jake LaMotta, a middle-weight boxing champion. Something about boxing fascinates me. It seems like this should not be a sport anymore, but there is something so human about it. Guys have been beating the crap out of each other for sport since the beginning of time. There is something deeply rooted in our history and psyche that makes watching the sport captivating, yet disgusting at the same time. Fighting is such a horrible reality in our world that the idea of people doing it for sport is so intriguing. Also, it looks really cool on film.

There is nothing happy about this movie. Jake destroys his own life and it is really difficult to feel sorry for him. Maybe that was why this movie made me feel so uneasy. The way he treats everyone around him (especially his wife) makes me think that this guy deserves everything he gets. It's hard to watch a movie where you don't like the protagonist at all (something I've talked about before).

The thing that made me really enjoy watching this movie was the cinematography. The acting was remarkable (especially De Niro's transformation into a fat slob), but the way this flick was shot is eye candy. This is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. The black and white makes everything so real and gritty, yet with a classic feel. Scorsese's direction of the boxing matches was a piece of art. From the breathtaking opening credits to the touching final monologue, this movie was masterfully crafted.

But I never want to watch it again (at least in its entirety).

Lesson learned: What goes around comes around.

Day 16: Double Indemnity (1944)

2009-05-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

Double Indemnity
Director: Billy Wilder
Starring: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson

I really like film noir. The Maltese Falcon is one of the best movies I've ever seen. I love hard boiled detective stories with dangerous dames, double crossing, and a large body count. This was one of the formative films for the genre and it was perfect.

The plot of this film deals with an insurance salesman's attempt at a "perfect murder" (reminded me of Crimes and Misdemeanors from last week). He goes in with a man's wife on an attempt to collect life insurance money from his murder. This sort of plot is been used again and again in films today. It was carried out in this classic with outstanding performances from the three main actors.

Some of the noir characteristics that I loved in this film:
1. Main character voice over narration that gives the whole picture a great literary feel. (in this movie, this takes the form of his recorded confession to the crime)
2. Quick, snappy dialogue that is full of fun jargon and great one liners
3. A saucy dame that is both beautiful and dangerous
4. Great use of music, shadows, and camera angles to build suspense and set the atmosphere
5. A heartbreaking end in the main character's relationship to the femme fatale
6. A "parlor room" scene in which the main character reveals his plot with a monologue

This film was so exciting and well executed. Can't wait to further my noir repertoire.

Lesson learned: Don't trust insurance salesmen.

Day 15: Before Sunset (2004)

2009-05-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

Before Sunset
Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy

If I was in charge of the film business, this movie would have never been made. Thank God I'm not in charge of the film business.

I only lasted about a week after seeing Before Sunrise (one of the best of this project so far). This film takes Jesse and Celine 9 years after their amazing night together in Vienna. The last movie was open ended, but it needed to be that way. It was so romantic and perfect that to know how things turned out would most likely be disastrous. Linklater, Hawke, and Delpy managed to make a sequel that is just as real and emotional as the first.

Our two characters are very different now, but they start conversing again and fall right into their old ways. You can tell how much that night meant to both of them. Their facial expressions, stories, and body language tell so much about the personal lives they're trying to hide. Watching them slowly reveal the importance of that one night is done with great attention to detail. It was enthralling. They way that they have dealt with their feelings over the past 9 years are SO different, yet both are very understandable.

The movie was mostly made up of six minute (or so) unedited shots of dialogue. This may sound boring, but I couldn't look away. I feel for these characters. I feel the insane regret. Also, the film takes place in real time. This is an hour of their life and they are trying to cram 9 years of lost time into this afternoon. You can feel them grasping onto their few remaining minutes together (I was doing the same).

The ending will split people's opinion on this movie. Kaylen usually doesn't like open ended movies, but she was somewhat satisfied. The ending managed to escape the two likely extremes. It was not unrealistically romantic and idealistic. It was not horribly real and depressing. It was...well, you should really just watch it.

Lesson learned: You can't escape the past, so don't try.

Day 14: Les parapluies de Cherbourg (1964)

2009-05-25T19:44:00.001-07:00

Les parapluies de Cherbourg [The Umbrellas of Cherbourg]
Director: Jacques Demy
Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo, Anne Vernon

First foreign language and musical film of the project (a double whammy!).

This was unlike any music I have ever seen. First of all, it was the first musical I've ever seen that is not in English. Second, all of the dialogue was sung, it was non stop music. Third, it was very realistic.

I'm not saying all musicals are uppers (West Side Story?), but this one was special. It was the three act story of a boy and girl who fall in love, but the boy is drafted into the army. This sounds like your typical Rogers and Hammerstein plot, but it did not unfold in any typical way. This move was so bittersweet and real. This is what a Wes Anderson musical would be like. The characters were complex, melodramatic, and relatable. The film ends with an incredible moment that is horribly heartbreaking, yet comfortably honest at the same time.

This film was, of course, Kaylen's choice. it was right up her alley. The set design, costumes, and entire color scheme were like something made specifically for her. From a technical standpoint, the movie kept my interest. Interesting shots and camera movement gave the film a sophisticated feel (or maybe it was all the French that did that). The opening credits were beautiful and immediately grabbed my attention and didn't let go until the end of the film.

Overall, this is one of the best musicals I have ever seen. I highly recommend it.

Lesson learned: Things don't always turn out how we want them to, but that's not necessarily bad.

PS- Some of the film's sad music was used for the most heartbreaking sequence ever in a cartoon, the ending bit from Futurama's "Jurassic Bark".

Day 13: The General (1927)

2009-05-24T21:22:00.001-07:00

The General
Director: Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton
Starring: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack

I enjoy silent movies, but am mostly uneducated about them. I really enjoy Chaplin's comedy, but have only seen clips of his movies. Silent horror movies are great, too. This, however, was my first exposure to Buster Keaton.

This movie was about a Southern train conductor during the Civil War who goes on an adventure to save his two loves: his lady and his locomotive. The film is bookended by two long train chases, one with Keaton chasing and one with him as the chasee.

Keaton is a strange sort of comic. He remains straight faced the whole time, relying on whole body slapstick instead of facial gags. The movie wasn't really full of laugh out loud hilarity or anything. The strength of the film came from its amazingly choreographed physical action. The use of real trains made for exciting action for almost the entire film (which got a little tedious and exhausting a few times). Keaton was incredible, jumping all over the trains, performing some of the coolest stunts I've ever seen.

This film's production showed great timing and planning. If this movie would have been made today, it would have been full of uninteresting special effects. The fact that an adventure on this scale was made in 1927 makes it impressive. They actually crash a train through a bridge and into a river! My jaw literally dropped. Apparently this was the most expensive scene of the silent movie era and the train remained in the river until WWII, when it was salvaged for scrap metal!

Overall, I look forward to expanding my silent movie knowledge. Though Keaton's understated brand of comedy wasn't as immediately charming as something like Charlie Chaplin, I assume it is an acquired taste that I will enjoy even more the next time through.

Lesson learned: Ladies love a man in uniform.

PS- The version I watched was scored by the Alloy Orchestra, who I've seen do a live performance set to Lon Chaney's Phantom of the Opera!

Day 12: Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)

2009-05-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

Happy-Go-Lucky
Director: Mike Leigh
Starring: Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan

This movie continues my quest to see last year's big award winners (Hawkins won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar). It turns out, though, that this quaint little British movie wasn't really my bag.

The movie follows the unrealistically optimistic Poppy who is learning to drive for the first time. The film focuses on her evolving relationship with her curmudgeon of a driving instructor, Scott. These are two polar opposites.

It's hard not to be annoyed with Poppy. Her mannerisms, attitude, and language all got on my nerves. I assume this is to be expected, but that initial annoyance never faded for me (maybe because I was very tired while watching it). Nothing really happens in this movie. The plot didn't hold my interest. I've found that it's very difficult to enjoy a "slice of life" movie when you don't care much for the main character.

I probably should have tried watching this another time. I was really exhausted and trying not to nod off during this one. I thought parts of the movie were heartwarming, but I just was not in the mood. Oh well.

Well, this may be my worst review yet. Sorry. I promise to not do this when I'm falling asleep anymore. You'll have to make your own opinion about this movie.

Lesson learned: Maybe sometimes the glass really is half empty.

Day 11: The Jerk (1979)

2009-05-22T20:54:00.000-07:00

The Jerk
Director: Carl Reiner
Starring: Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters

I've been meaning to see this movie for a long time. It did not disappoint.

This story of a poor black child's journey from rags to riches to rags again was HILARIOUS. I've always been a Steve Martin fan (even though his recent output of movies is disappointing...Pink Panther 2???). He is great in this movie as to super naive idiot Navin Johnson.

The comedy in this movie worked for me. They took you along and, just when you thought you know what someone would do, they go on and do the complete opposite. The dialogue was silly, the slapstick was outrageous (HE HATES THESE CANS!).

I can see why this comedy has its classic status. Cat juggling, weight guessing, phone book fame... Bravo, Mr. Martin.

Bonus- the movie features Steve Martin playing a song on the ukulele!

Lesson learned: Lord loves a workin' man; don't trust whitey; see a doctor and get rid of it.

Day 10: Time Bandits (1981)

2009-05-21T17:20:00.001-07:00

Time Bandits
Director: Terry Gilliam
Starring: John Cleese, Sean Connery, Ian Holm

This movie was right up my alley for several reasons.

First, I am a huge Monty Python fan. I've seen all their movies and own the entire Flying Circus on DVD. This film featured performances from Palin and Cleese (my two favorite members of the crew) and was directed by Terry Gilliam. I'd call myself a mild Gilliam fan, though I still need to see more of his stuff (Brazil, Fear and Loathing, and Fischer King are on my list for the summer).

Second, this was a classic fantasy film. It was very similar in atmosphere to Labyrinth, Willow, Legend, Dark Crystal, etc. These movies have a special place in my heart and are exactly the kind of movie I loved as a kid.

Third, its dwarfish theives travel through time, meeting some great figures of history (Robin Hood, Agamemnon, Napoleon). As I've stated before, I'm a history nerd.

So, this movie was a perfect combination of Pythonesque humor and high fantasy. Cleese's outrageous performance as Robin Hood was probably my favorite bit of the movie. The boyhood wonder that fantasy listerature and film have given me in my life can be seen in our child protagonist. This movie was just plain fun (much like Princess Bride or Stardust). Gilliam's vision for the surreal is definitely present in this movie. It was just beautiful to watch, amazing production.

I'm glad Lord of the Rings came along to revive fantasy cinema. Maybe we'll get more fun flicks like this. Gilliam's next film looks to be more of the same whimsical imagination. I'm ready.

Lesson learned: God is relly kind of silly in person.

Day 9: Walk Hard- The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

2009-05-20T20:58:00.000-07:00

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Director: Jake Kasdan
Starring: John C Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Tim Meadows

I am a fan of the Apatow house of comedy. I think that films like Knocked Up, 40 Year Old Virgin, and Adventureland are well written and feature a fantastic group of actors. These guys are just consistently hilarious.

This film, though, didn't do it for me as much. I think the beginning of the movie was too much parody. I am not a parody hater (I love the films of Mel Brookes). I think, though, that it stuck a little too close to Walk the Line for the first half of the movie. The second half, though, took me by surprise by going through music history of the 60's and 70's. This is where the film really shined.

This movie as a whole is weak. There were, though, some highlights:

1. Jack White's Elvis impression was priceless.
2. The parts with the Beatles (played by Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Jason Schwartzman, and Justin Long) were great, especially the Yellow Submarine bit.
3. The Pet Sounds parody.
4. My favorite part was the Bob Dylan phase, especially the parts that ripped the incredible Dylan doc Don't Look Back. The parody was spot on.
5. Any time that they made an allusion to how silly it is to have one actor play a character from teen years to death.

I don't really have much to say about this flick. I wanted to see it because I love the Apatow films. This is a lesser effort from the group, but it did leave me with some fond scenes that I will remember fondly.

Lesson learned: Johnny Cash's life wasn't that funny.

PS- The original music was great. I'm a sucker for that kind of stuff (Spinal Tap, Mighty Wind, etc.)

Day 8: Gangs of New York (2002)

2009-05-19T18:10:00.001-07:00

Gangs of New York
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz

Well, I suppose I regain my man points lost yesterday with this beautiful piece of cinema.

I watched this movie to start remedying two of my main regrets. In their entirety, I have only seen one film by Martin Scorsese (the Departed) and one film starring Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood). I'm starting by killing two birds with one stone.

I love history. Though my preference is medieval history (especially subjects on the Crusades and on vikings). I've always been more of a European history man. The American Civil War, though, is the exception. This period in American history really started the transition from a loose quilt of immigrants into a unified nation. From the wild west to a more "civilized", law based society. Just as interesting as the war itself, though, is the American homefront around the war.

This film is a classic revenge tale, with the Civil War serving as a mere background aspect to the main story (much like the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly). This film featured great side performances by some of my favorite great character actors (Brendan Gleeson, John C Reilley, Jim Broadbent, Liam Neeson). Leo did a great job. I grew up knowing this guy as the hunky heartthrob from Titanic. It wasn't until I saw Catch Me If You Can that I started to respect him as a real actor (and he has proven himself many times to me since).

The real star of the flick, though, was Daniel. His performance in There Will Be Blood os one of the best I have ever seen. He's just as strong here as Billy the Butcher. This is the stuff of history. This actor will be remembered long after he dies for his incredible contribution to movies. This role was perfectly executed with malice, humor, saddness, and pride.

Scorsese has created a great film that shows a piece of lost history. It's the perfect combination of the old west, medieval values, and modern warfare. I loved how distinct each gang was and how strong the ethnic heritage was for each group. Very tribal. Overall, a great, brutal film that made me want to go out and buy some history books.

Lesson learned: Never piss off an Irishman.

Man, I love listening to Martin talk about movies. This guy knows his stuff.

Day 7: Before Sunrise (1995)

2009-05-18T20:39:00.001-07:00

Before Sunrise
Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy

I guess this could be called a "chick flick". I used to avoid any movie that could be categorized as such. Having Kay around has changed that...

I like Richard Linklater, but for very different kinds of films (Dazed and Confused, School of Rock). This is a romance about an American (Hawke) and a French girl (Delpy) who meet randomly on a train and decide to spend the evening together in Vienna. Their story takes place in one night. This movie did a lot of amazing things. Their experience, chemestry, awkwardness, freedom, and insecurity is perfectly captured in real time.

First, my nitpick: 2 strangers would not have this many deep things to talk about in real life. However, I accept this because it is a romantic portrayal of the possibilites that such a situation can bring.

Now begins the sappy post (this will sound like an actual blog for a bit...sorry)

So, how would you act around someone if you didn't know them and knew you'd never see them again? Would you be yourself or the person you wish you were?

For the first 20 years of my life, I never had a "girlfriend". I was a hopeless romantic whose life was full of unrequited crushes. A movie like this represents an experience I would have dreamed of. To meet a stranger and bear my soul and fall in love in an instant. This would be my dream. Just one night of a true experience with a girl.

Now I have Kaylen, the most important person in my life. It's better than I could have ever dreamed of. I think I would have looked at this movie differently 2.5 years ago. Now, I would never be satisfied with one night. I would be like these two people in this movie (I forgot the character names, but the beauty is that their names are not relevant at all). They decide at the last possible second that their story must not end. That's how I would feel too. I could have never agreed to never see Kaylen again after the first night we spent together. I think that's how people are. We're rarely satisfied with isolated experiences. We can never get enough of a good thing. That's why we take pictures of everything, call each other all the time, and reminesce about things that just happened. This movie presents a human experience in a real way.

Ok, sorry for the schmaltz, that sort of just came out of nowhere. More about the movie:

I was so enthralled with the movie that I wasn't able to pay attention to the technical aspects of the movie. Kaylen would occasionally point out to me, though, things like "wow, this is all one continuous shot!" That is a testament to the wonderful job done by these two actors. It's funny, at the end, Kay said she identified with Delpy and I said that I definitely identified with Hawke.

Favorite scene #1: towards the beginning of their evening, the two wander into a record store (one of the first place I would take a stranger) and listen to a song in a listening booth. This scene shows awkwardness and uncertainty about their decisions and feelings with pauses, silence, and avoiding glances

Favorite scene #2: the two make fake phone calls to friends at home to tell about their night. This is their first opportunity to take a step back, examine the last few hours, and tell the other person how they really feel.

Wow, I've typed a lot... guess I liked this movie even more than I thought. Lucky for me, a sequel was made 9 years later. Kay and I wanted to watch it tomorrow, but decided we should wait, like our two protagonists. Let's let this movie's experience be what it is for a little while first.

Lesson learned: Sometimes, it's ok to talk to strangers.

(I'm not showing favorite scene #2 because it wouldn't mean anything unless you've watched the previous events)

Day 6: The Fearless Freaks (2005)

2009-05-17T19:13:00.000-07:00

The Fearless Freaks
Director: Bradley Beesley

Here's our first documentary (and a music documentary no less).

I'm a music snob. Ever since my freshman year of college, I have acquired music at a frightening pace. This has made me into a sort of annoying music fan. I'm a total hipster who loves indie rock and things lauded by Pitchfork Media.

I'd call myself a casual fan of the Flaming Lips. My first exposure to the band was when I heard Ben Folds' (a high school favorite) cover of "She Don't Use Jelly". Loving the song, I went out and bought the album Transmissions from the Satellite Heart. This was WAY to weird and loud for my high school junior self. I gave the band another shot in college and found some of their later material to be right up my alley. I love Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and the Soft Bulletin (a recent favorite). These albums perfectly combine geeky sensibilities with weird, sincere symphonic pop music.

This documentary about the band really showed who these guys are. They're just regular people from Oklahoma City who make strange music, both with and without the influence of drugs. I was surprised by how normal frontman Wayne Coyne seemed. He's just a nice guy who still lives in the slummy neighborhood he grew up in. He wants to make music that is fun and that inspires people (I'd say he's been successful).

The most interesting part of the film, though, was about the drug addiction of band member Steven Drozd. There's actually a scene in the film where you see him do heroin while he explains the drug and his addiction. it was one of the most eye opening scenes I've ever seen in a documentary. More powerful than any "drug movie". This portion of the film does has a seemingly happy ending.

Overall, this was a decent band documentary that made me like the Flaming Lips a little more than I already did. It didn't come anywhere close to the greatness of my favorite rock-doc, Gigantic: A Tale of Two Johns (about TMBG).

Lesson learned: Regular people can make some really odd music (especially when they're on drugs).

PS- I'll finally see this band live this year at Pitchfork Music Festival!

Day 5: Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)

2009-05-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

Crimes and Misdemeanors
Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Martin Landau, Woody Allen, Mia Farrow

As you may have guessed from my blog header, I am a big Woody Allen fan. Something about his movies speaks to me. The humor is right up my alley, a perfect combination of slapstick comedy and subtle wit. I also like how he deals with very human stories without sugar coating it, yet somehow makes them life affirming. I think Woody Allen's movies have shown me that, no matter how humiliating or depressing a situation is, heartbreak and pain are things you can learn something from and even laugh at.

Crimes and Misdemeanors is a far cry from the screwball comedy of films like Love and Death (one of my favorites) or Take the Money and Run. This is Allen at his most bleak. It is an ethical drama that deals with very serious issues. Like many of Allen's films, this deals with the brain vs heart situation often caused by affairs. This, however, takes it a step further into the realm of murder.

People get murdered all the time in movies, usually without much fuss made about it. This film shows how real, everyday people would react to such a crime. Could a person live with themselves if they got away with it? Can we judge people in such situations?

My main exposure to Landau in the past was his killer performance as Bela Lugosi in Tim Burton's Ed Wood. Here, he gives us a believable performance as a man torn apart by a horrible deed and his repressed religious upbringing. Allen plays his usual neurotic role, yet somehow comes off even sadder than usual as a married man who falls in love with another woman.

This movie was great. Really dark and contemplative. I'll be thinking about this one for a few days. I think everyone who watches it would see something different. It's a great discussion piece that will really tell you a lot about your world view.

Lesson learned: There's no such thing as a "perfect murder".

PS- When enjoying the films of Woody Allen, I find it best to ignore his personal life. It allows me to enjoy them more. Maybe that's just me.

things I'm enjoying lately

2009-05-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a non daily movie post. These will happen from time to time. I need the opportunity to geek out about other stuff sometimes.

So, I'm into comic books in a big way (have been since I was in kindergarten). I spent most of my grade school/high school career reading tons of superhero comics (which I still enjoy from time to time). Since college, though, I've become an indie comic junkie. Here's a few books I've recently devoured:

I've heard about Mike Allred's work for a long time, but just recently picked up my first Madman comic at the recent St. Louis Area Book Fair. I was blown away at the amazing art and quirky fun of this character. The book feels like a sci-fi/superhero B-movie with an existential kick. I mean, the main character is a reanimated corpse named Frank Einstein (named after Sinatra and Albert respectively). How cool is that?

This is a recent mini series that just came out in one collection. This comic is incredible. The art style is beautiful, the humor is subtle, and the whole book is truly heartfelt. It's about a nerdy, young, outcasted girl who...kills giants...kind of... This is a very difficult comic to describe, so I won't waste my time trying to explain it. Just go read it.

I decided (after eating there again last night) that Pi is my favorite restaurant in St. Louis. The pizza place has recently become famous because our current president had them come to DC and make a meal for his family. It is worthy of this executive praise. My favorite pizza is their deep dish (crust made with cornmeal!) "the Berkeley". It had cheese, tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, onions, and zucchini. AMAZING.

The new Wilco album was leaked by the band. I can't stop listening to "Wilco the Song". Also, best album cover ever?

30 Rock is the most consistently funny show on TV and this week's season finale was no exception! Some of the best Tracy Jordan bits of the season. Season 3 has been the show's weakest, but it has definitely had it's moments.

Blog Five - From Comic Book Panel to Screen - Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World from Scott Pilgrim The Movie on Vimeo.

I am more excited for Edgar Wright's film adaptation of Scott Pilgrim than I have been for any movie since Fellowship of the Ring. This is my favorite comic series in recent memory. Check them out (and Wright's blog)!

I'm a Strategy/RPG junkie and recently grabbed a used copy of this beauty off ebay. An awesome game and time killer. Probably not as good as the FF Tactics series, but still great!

Day 4: Frost/Nixon (2008)

2009-05-15T20:00:00.000-07:00

Frost/Nixon
Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Sam Rockwell

I am a history teacher. I really love the drama of history. This movie was right up my alley. It was like a more exciting Good Night and Good Luck.

I have Raging Bull coming up on my Netflix queue. This, though, is my first boxing movie of the summer. The tension was built up to a bout between two titans ready to come out swinging. It had all the twists and turns of a great sports movie. Such amazing acting (especially from Sam Rockwell, a personal favorite). Frank Langella deserves all the praise he got last year.

So far, each of these daily movies has surprised me. This movie did something I didn't expect it to. I felt sorry for Richard Nixon. Extremely sorry for this sad old man. The subtle power of Langella's performance really touched me. This film worked for me on every level. Bravo, Ron Howard.

This was the big Oscar contender from last year that I never got around to seeing. Probably my second favorite nominated film, next to Milk (though Dark Knight was robbed of a nomination and would have been my pick for best picture).

Someone needs to do one of these interviews with Bush Jr.

Lesson learned: Crime doesn't pay (not even for a president).

Day 3: Star Trek II- The Wrath of Khan (1982)

2009-05-14T15:17:00.001-07:00

Director: Nicholas Meyer
Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

I've always been a Star Wars guy, not a Star Trek guy. I think everyone is more one than the other. Growing up, I ate, breathed, and slept Star Wars. I've seen the original trilogy countless times. However, I can count the number of Star Trek episodes I've seen on two hands. Only recently have I begun to remedy my lack of Star Trek knowledge, watching episodes of the original series online. Seeing JJ Abrams' AMAZING new movie has only motivated me more.

This movie has a special place in the nerd culture canon. I've often been embarrassed to tell people that I hadn't seen it. I enjoyed watching it, though not nearly as much as I did watching this summer's blockbuster relaunch.

This is a classic revenge tale. The cast does a great job in this movie and the emotions really hit home. I was really devastated and touched by the last 20 minutes of this movie, even though my knowledge of the Star Trek universe is limited. The scenes on the bridge are all great, really building suspense.

The tag lines for the new movie include "this isn't your father's Star Trek". Wrath of Khan is absolutely your father's Star Trek. The pace is slow, the action is sparse, and the moral dilemmas are melodramatic. It's cornball in a very similar way to Return of the Jedi.

Also, X2 totally stole the ending.

Overall, an enjoyable movie. I can see why Trekkies love these guys so much. This movie continues the trend of good geek movie sequels that improve upon the first movie (X2, Dark Knight, Empire Strikes Back, Spiderman 2). Word of warning, though... beware 3rd movies in most geek series/trilogies. The drop in quality is inevitable (let's hope Chris Nolan breaks that curse).

Lesson learned: Revenge is really decent dish at any temperature.

P.S.- I really need to go back to see the new movie again. Lots of winks and references to this movie.

Day 2: Citizen Kane (1941)

2009-05-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

Citizen Kane
Director: Orson Welles
Starring: Orson Welles

Well, this movie has been a long time coming. This has been repeatedly hailed as one of the greatest movies ever made (if not the greatest). I've been meaning to see it for years.

This movie was not what I expected. I already knew from collective pop culture knowledge what "Rosebud" referred to. I was expecting this to take away the suspense or intrigue of the movie. This was not the case. This movie was so different. I was expecting a Casablanca type picture. Instead, I got a dark, moody piece about a broken man. This movie really reminded me of 2007's There Will Be Blood.

The cinematography of this movie...wow. Maybe the coolest opening shots I've ever seen! Way more interesting than most movies made after it (even most movies today).

Orson Welles made this movie when he was 26 years old. This makes me feel like a talentless hack. Sure, I'm only 22, but I'm not on my way to any masterpieces in the next four years.

Overall, not the best movie I've seen. However, it did surprise and impress me with its atmosphere, amazing camera techniques (really cool scene transitions!) and a stellar performance from a young actor.

Lesson learned: Money can't buy happiness (or good singing lessons, apparently).

It has begun!

2009-05-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

Day 1: Say Anything (1989)

2009-05-12T18:08:00.001-07:00

Say Anything
Directed by: Cameron Crowe
Starring: John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney

Part of the purpose of this project is to fill in gaps in my pop culture knowledge. I feel never seeing this film is a big gap.

This movie kind of surprised me. I don't think I ever realized how much I like John Cusack. Sure, two of my favorite movies are Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity, but I never really felt much of a connection to him. This movie felt like a John Huges movie (in a good way). very 80's, very gen. X angsty, and very real.

Not the most entertaining movie, but it had its moments. I liked that we saw John with Jeremy Piven in thie movie (which explains their great chemistry in GPB).

Chuck Klosterman wrote an essay for Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs about his failures with women. He claimed that women were always disappointed because they all wanted to date Lloyd Dobler. Now I understand him. I mean, if this is true, can you blame the ladies?

Lesson learned: Nursing homes are a scam.

A Non-Productive Summer Project

2009-05-11T21:49:00.000-07:00

Hello, internet

So, I am a teacher and summer is fast approaching. I'm working a no brain job this summer and am not taking any summer school. I am afraid that I will lok back in August and think, "wow, I really wasted those last three months".

I want a long-term, ambitious project to keep me satisfied and challenged. I am doing a "movie a day" project starting tomorrow. I signed up for Netflix and am ready to waste two hours everyday on movies.

My intention is to watch a movie I've never seen everyday (to get rid of that "why the heck haven't I seen this yet?" list). You may be shocked at some of the classics I've never seen. There will, though, surely be days when I watch something I've seen before.

The movies I watch will range from classic, to trash, to indie, to blockbuster, etc.

Here are scenes some of my favorite films (just so you know before I get started). Can you pick out the movies?