By this time, you probably know the drill, but if you don't, refer to last year's (Zonie Award Winning) thread for how to participate.
http://zone.aintitcool.com/viewtopic.php?t=53520
I chronicle each film I see and give it a score. (new films in bold):
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Anyway, it's a great way to keep track of the films you see throughout the year and it makes it simple when you're picking your favorite/worst of the year.
We also choose favorites/worst for each month, so get watching and have fun. I challenge those that didn't make it last year t otry and stick it out this year, and I hope those that made it return for another round.
As before, try to only post once on the first page so people can "save" a place.
Most of all, have fun, and let the debate begin.
NACHOKOOLAID'S 2008 MOVIE JOURNAL
January
1:
1. Sometimes in April - (6/10) Genocide in Africa. Sad, but my girlfriend is obsessed with this stuff, so I watched this. Not something I "enjoyed" but powerful.
2:
2. No Country For Old Men - (10/10) The best film I've seen in theatres in a long time. I hope Brolin and Bardem and Jones get some recognition. As well as the Coens, of course. MY FULL REVIEW
4:
3. Big Momma's House - (6/10) Why do regular TV stations show this so much? I've seen it more than I care to, but my girlfriend and I always seem to stop on it.
4. Master of Disguise - (4/10) "Turtle Turtle." Pretty stupid, but so stupid that it's funny at a couple of part. Only a couple. I admit I laughed when Bo Derek was revealed to be James Brolin.
13:
5. Superbad - (7/10) Not as superbad as I expected it to be (or what I heard it to be) but I laughed out loud a few times because it reminded me of my friends and I in high school.
16:
6. Big Momma's House - (7/10) Why does TBS show this so much? Lawrence was pretty funny in this.
20:
7. Spy Hard - (3/10) One of Nielson's weaker efforts, although kudos go to whoever named the character Dick Steele.
24:
8. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry - (6/10) A couple of chuckles, but Sandler's done much better. The amazing thing was to see how swoll Ving Rhames was at his age, although I guess some could have been body doubles.
27:
9. The Bourne Ultimatum - (8/10) Better than the sequel, and at least on par, if not better than the original. I really think Damon has turned into quite the leading man.
30:
10. Ghostbusters - (9/10) One of the coolest concepts for a film. Simple, yet effective. Makes me laugh to this day.
February
10:
11. The Gameplan - (4/10) The Rock is charming, but this this was so sweet and predictable. Too "kiddy" for me. I want to see the Rock kicking ass. My girlfriend loves crap like this.
13:
12. Remember the Titans - (7/10) A much better football movie. A fun time, with a message for kids. Good job all around.
14:
13. Something's Gotta Give- (8/10) Jack is awesome. The the ultimate ladies man, and even when he plays it for laughs, he's still a pimp. Keanu wasn't terrible either. Was this an Oscar worth nod for Keaton. I don't think so. Decent Valentine's Day flick.
28:
14. Meet the Parents - (8/10) Ben Stiller at his best. I think the writing is what makes this one work. Didn't like the sequel nearly as much.
March
1:
15. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane - (6/10) Freaky trip of a movie. If you're at all interested in child stars and mental illness, check this out.
16. Death Proof - (7/10) Entertaining, and the car stunts were really cool. That head on collision was insane.
17. Planet Terror - (8/10) Who would have thought that Jeff Fahey would steal the show. Just awesome on so many levels. Although that Tarantino melting penis scene almost made me gag.
5:
18. For Keeps - (4/10) Molly Ringwald teaches us about teen pregnancy in the 80s. My girlfriend made me watch it. Nuff said.
7:
19. Wedding Crashers - (8/10) This has grown on me the more I see it. I guess I'm a motor boatin' sonofabitch.
9:
20. Ask the Dust -(8/10) Some badass Hayek nudity. And Salma and Colin Farrell actually have pretty good on screen chemistry.
10:
21. Duplex - (6/10) Movies about how to kill old bitches (Throw Mama from the Train) always make me laugh. This wasn't bad, even though I'm not the biggest Stiller fan.
15:
22. Saving Silverman - (7/10) R. Lee Ermy makes me laugh really hard in this film. It's so zany, and it looks like the cast is having a blast.
23. Major League - (8/10) One of the best sports comedies of all time. Great cast, and lots of fun.
16:
24. Wild Hogs - (4/10) Predictable, and I usually don't like films that rely on a Deus ex Machina to resolve things, and it holds true here.
25. No Country For Old Men - (10/10) Not quite as shocking as the viewing in theatres, but just as powerful. A DAMN GOOD film.
18:
26. Enchanted - (7/10) A delightful comedy, and it was fun seeing all the Disney references/in jokes. Marsden stole the show for me.
19:
27. Beowulf - (9/10) I orginally rated this a 10, but it was helped slightly by the IMAX 3D experience. The best way to see this, by far. Still an awesome flick.
22:
28. Pan's Labyrinth - (9/10) We need more adult fantasy like this one. Great film.
23:
29. No Country For Old Men - (10/10) I love how all my friends are discovering this now. I love exposing them to it for the first time. Amazing flick.
30. Sahara - (6/10) Decent adventure flick, but you must turn off your brain at the door. A few poorly choreographed fights too.
28:
31. The Good Shepherd - (8/10) One of the better spy movies in a while. Damon is great, and it was good to see Joe Pesci in something, although I think his scene was sort of fluff that honestly could have been cut from the film.
April
2:
32. The Hudsucker Proxy - (8/10) I like this more and more every time I see it. Along with Shawshank, my favorite Robbins film.
19:
33. There Will Be Blood - (7/10) After all the hype, terribly disappointing. Daniel Day Lewis is good, but some parts were so over acted and laughable (especially Eli)...or some was boring. Very good movie, but not great like some others made me believe.
34. The Man Without a Face - (7/10) Mel Gibson in his first directorial effort I think. Funny, because this is the first time I've seen it since Terminator 3, and that kid is John Connor. Solid film.
35. Catch-22 - (7/10) Arkin makes the perfect Yossarian. The book seemed like a jumbled mess to me, but it seemed to actually work better as a film. Pretty funny and relevant again today.
27:
36. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story - (7/10) A damn funny comedy that confirms that this Apatow comedy team knows their shit. The graphic penis shot was a bit unexpected, but I remember Knocked Up had the shot of the baby crowning, so I guess that's par for the course here. I expected the much lauded Beatles scene to be better though.
May
2:
37. The Stepford Wives - (5/10) I really don't know how Matthew Broderick still gets work. The only thing I really liked him in was War Games.
38. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle - (5/10) Ridiculously stupid. Doogie Howser is pretty funny.
3:
39. Revolver - (4/10) WTF. I don't know else how to put it. I had heard some folks say Ritchie was back to form on this, and I was expecting something at least resembling Lock Stock or Snatch. Holy shit. Other than a couple of cool assassinations, this was like "Snatch" allright... snatch that has the clap and you just caught it.
5:
40. Batman Begins - (9/10) That new Dark Knight trailer had me jonesing for some Batman action. I can't wait for the new flick.
6:
41. Starter for 10 - (7/10) Sweet romantic dramedy and McAvoy's performance really makes the whole film worth watching. He's really likeable to me. Can relate, you know, even though I've never been anywhere close to England.
8:
42. Pathfinder - (6/10) Not as bad as I expected, based on the box office. Not a bad little viking flick, but 13th Warrior was better.
9:
43. Little Miss Sunshine - (6/10) I still don't see how this was nominated by an Oscar, and after seeing There Will Be Blood, I lke Paul Dano less here because of his bitchy character in TWBB.
12:
44. Top Gun - (7/10) You've lost that loving feeling. Doesn't quite hold up, but not bad.
18:
45. Die Hard 2 -(7/10) A lot more cheesy one liners than I remembered.
46. Iron Man - (8/10) Downey Jr. and Favreau knocked it out of the park. And that's the coolest Stan Lee cameo ever. Now I can finally go read the Iron Man thread without worrying about spoilers.
19:
47. Kinderarten Cop - (8/10) I love Arnold, and I think this is a cute family comedy/cop movie. And I learned about the birds and the bees. Not really.
21:
48. Fight Club - (10/10) You are not your fucking khakis. I still love this movie, especially the little twist.
49. Darkman - (7/10) Cheesier than I remember, but that's part of the appeal.
24:
50. Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer - (6/10) Fun sometimes, but you get the impression that it has so much more potential. Jessica Alba, once again miscast (Sin City is even worse miscasting). Stay away from geek properties Jess.
51. My Super Ex-Girlfriend - (6/10) I don't really like either of the leads that much, but I was still entertained enough by this.
26:
52. Batman Returns - (8/10) I love Burton's Gotham City, and DAMN, Pfeiffer was sexy. And Walken had a great excuse to ham it up a bit.
27:
53. To Be or Not To Be - (7/10) Okay, so I love Mel Brooks. I watched To Be or Not to Be for the first time tonight, and he consistently brings the funny. Also, the few dramati parts were nice as well. One of the few Brooks films that actually has a plot and isn't all satire/parody.
28:
54. Underdog - (4/10) Really, this is pretty terrible. I liked the Superman and Lady and the Tramp homages back to back, but really I just sort of enjoyed watching Patrick Warburton. Great for the kiddies.
29:
55. Twins -(7/10) One of Arny's more dated films, but the chemisty between Arny and Devito and the absurdity that they're brothers still works.
30:
56. Blades of Glory - (5/10) Funny, but Ferrell is sports comedies is starting to blend together. Nothing really stands out.
57. I Think I Love My Wife - (6/10) Ok movie. Chris Rock usually entertains, but what was with that damn singing?
31:
58. The Iron Giant - (8/10) Brad Bird really knows how to make solid animated films. I love where the IG flies into the bomb saying "I'm Superman. Poignant.
June
1:
59. Rambo - (9/10) Finally, a movie with BALLS! Great job by Stallone... all around. He should be proud of this.
60. 300 - (9/10) Another film with balls. Great double feature with Rambo.
61. Knocked Up - (8/10) Rogen and Heigel are a great team. Funny.
4:
62. High Anxiety - (6/10) Mel's homage to Hitchcock, and I lol'ed at a few parts, but I thought it was a bit inconsistent.
63. The Twelve Chairs - (7/10) This movie made me like Frank Langella a bit more. Not bad. I've been on a Brooks kick, and this was a nice surprise.
64. Young Frankenstein- (8/10) Gene Wilder is on top of his game, and so is Brooks.
7:
65. You Don't Mess With the Zohan - (6/10) A good 30 minute sketch dragged out over the length of a feature film. I loved some of the gags, but it all got tired pretty fast. Also, Michael Fucking Buffer played the villian, and I thought that was pretty damn cool.
66. Little Rascals - (6/10) Great update of a kids flick. A few dated jokes (Milli Vanilli?!?!) but some great stuff (Sell you my pickle for a nickle. --What about 2 cents?).
67. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - (8/10) Great to see Indy and Marion again. I was smiling nearly the entire time.
8:
68. Stripes - (8/10) Murray at the top of his game. Great supporting cast. That's the facts, Jack.
9:
69. The Devil Wears Prada - (7/10) Not as terrible as I imagined. I actually enjoyed it, but maybe I was just imagining Anne Hathaway naked. Who knows.
11:
70. Recount - (8/10) I'm not really a political person, but I enjoyed the hell out of this. I knew the ending, and it still did a good job of keeping me interested.
71. Man of the Year - (6/10) A bit preachy towards the end, but I love Robin Williams and Christopher Walken, so this was fun enough. I just noticed I watched political movies back to back. Totally unplanned.
72. Shrek the Third - (8/10) Orginally, I gave this like a 6 or something, but the more I see it, the more I appreciate certain parts of it. It still pales next to the original, but it's not bad.
12:
73. The Shawshank Redemption - (10/10) Tim Robbins best work. Morgan Freeman's best work. Hell, this is pretty much everyone's best work that's involved in this film. Everything just came together. 1994 was the damn year for cinema, huh?
15:
74. We Are Marshall - (8/10) This was much better than I expected, and if it wasn't for so much crying, I might have scored it higher. MM was even tolerable, and I haven't liked him much since Dazed and Confused. Ian McShane should get more work.
75. Remember the Titans - (8/10) Solid football movie about race and coming together to overcome that racism. Two of the better football movies in two days.
18:
76. Braveheart - (10/10) They may take our lives, but they'll never take our FREEDOM!!! Still one of my favorite epics.
20:
77. Ready to Rumble - (4/10) This was made right at the height of late 90s wrestling renaissance that was happening, and I have to admit I was a fan. It's like a piece of nostalgia now, since WCW is kaput, but it's still awesome to see Martin Landau go "Sal Bandini...wanna wrestle?" and then proceed to kick ass.
78. Rambo - (9/10) Hooray for Rambo killing everything in sight to solve the world's problems. Go Stallone!
21:
79. Soldier - (6/10) A decent action flick. Busey. Yep, he was not quite insane in this. It was right before he completely lost it. And Russell got swoll in this flim. Seriously, he was in awesome shape.
80. Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - (7/10) I didn't enjoy this as much as the original, or as much as I thought I would. The Christian themes were heavy, but I thought Reepicheep was wasted. He could have been so much better. Nice job by the lead little person that didn't believe in Aslan until he saw him at the end.
22:
81. The Incredible Hulk - (8/10) They found a way to get cameos from Bixby, Ferrigno, Downey Jr., and Stan Lee. And it was entertaining as hell. Marvel is on a roll.
82. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - (7/10) Ok, but this was my least favorite book. I actually enjoyed the film more, because it trimmed a lot of the studly from the book.
23:
83. The Truth About Cats and Dogs - (7/10) A likeable love story about animals and mistaken identity. I actually like Uma and Garafalo in this, and that usually doesn't happen.
84. Gladiator - (9/10) Father to a murdered son. Husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next. /badass.
24:
85. Blade Runner: The Final Cut - (8/10) Yes, this was the first time I saw this. I can see how this was groundbreaking. Honestly, I thought it was beautiful, but there were some bits that seemed a bit clunky to me. It could have had a stronger narrative, I guess. Not bad.
29:
86. Billy Madison - (8/10) "I'm glad I called THAT guy!" Sandler's goofiest, but there was a lot to like here.
July
2:
87. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - (7/10) Entertaining, and I really only watched it because it was the only thing on. Still, awesome ending battle, and I have to say I enjoyed it more at home than on the 3D IMAX that I first saw it on. There, it seemed blurry and like the technology hadn't quite been perfected yet.
3:
88. Fire In The Sky - (5/10) Some questionable acting, but this is the first film that I can remember that really relied heavily on the "based on a true story" in all its marketing. And I thought the alien stuff was pretty cool.
89. Edward Scissorhands - (8/10) Quirky. Maybe it's just me, but I have a hard time believing that a film like this would even get financed today. Bravo to Stan Winston effects.
90. Galaxy Quest - (8/10) One of the more underrated comedies ever, and probably the best sci-fi comedy in existence. That Alan Rickman scene at the side of that dying alien still honestly chokes me up. Good stuff. And again, Stan Winston studios delivers.
91. Man of the House - (5/10) Tommy Lee Jones and some cheerleaders. My girlfriend Tivo'd it, and wanted me to watch. Someone answer me this, why does every actor think that if the film takes place in Texas that they have to butcher a southern accent? I'm looking at you CSI chick!
4:
92. Rush Hour 3 - (5/10) CARTER! LEE! CARTER! LEE! Ad nauseum. Not as bad as I expected, but a shell of the other two, and that's pretty bad.
6:
93. Shoot 'Em Up - (8/10) Wow. I wish I would have seen this in theatres. This was balls to the wall, and the stunts were awesome. Hooray for Owen and Giamatti for doing this. I had a blast. And who would have thought carrots could be so deadly?
7:
94. The Sandlot - (7/10) A good slice of life flick, and it always reminds me of Stand By Me or something like The Wonder Years.
9:
95. Galaxy Quest - (8/10) I had to watch this again. So entertaining. Also, I have to laugh at the bad ADR where Weaver obviously says, "Fuck that" when she sees the chompers and they tone it down to "screw."
96. Knocked Up - (8/10) Solid comedy, somewhat diminished when I found out Heigl is a cunt in real life. "Fuck you hormones. Not Alison, hormones!"
12:
97. Shoot 'Em Up - (8/10) Had to show this to a friend. Crazy stunts for 90 minutes. Not bad.
98. What Women Want - (7/10) Gibson owns this film. I watch it and realize that I would actually dislike this quite a bit with any other actor. But he's awesome in this. A solid rom-com.
13:
99. Looney Toons: Back in Action - (4/10) I used to love Looney Toons. This is like a shadow of that. But it boggles my mind how many celebsthey can get for these films like this. Why can't the same thing work on other films?
14:
100. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army - (9/10) Awesome. The characters were spot on (although jarring to hear a different, less fitting voice for Abe) and the effects and action were great. The first summer movie that exceeded my expectations, and my favorite movie of 2008 so far. Awesome.
18:
101. Stuart Little - (5/10) Cute movie with a mouse. Fox's voice fits the character though.
102. The Producers - (8/10) Mel Brooks is the man. It's that simple. Springtime for Hitler is hilarious.
19:
103. The Dark Knight - (10/10) The best comic based film ever, sitting above Spidey 2, Superman, Iron Man, X2, and Batman Begins. Nolan has done an amazing job. Ledger is great, but so is Ekhart, Bale, Oldman, and pretty much everyone involved. Great script. I'm sad Ledger is dead, but he honestly will be remembered for this role. He had me at the magic trick, and I grinned the rest of the film. Amazing.
104. Hancock - (6/10) A cool concept, and I expect Watchmen to deconstruct the superhero film much more effectively. But this was enjoyable enough to waste an hour of my life. It really falls apart in the second half though, and can't decide whether it wants to be a comedy or drama. Some flashbacks to referrenced scenes throughout history (ancient Rome, late 1800s) would have helped tremendously.
24:
105. The Dark Knight - (10/10) This holds up wonderfully on a second viewing. "Do you think you can just come in here and take our money?" "Yeah..."
Also, props to Tiny Lister. I doubt Dent is dead though, and I expect to see him in the next one.106. Kicking and Screaming - (3/10) One of the worst Ferrell films, and after The Dark Knight, this seems even worse.
August
4:
107. The Long Kiss Goodnight - (8/10) Yes, it's cheesy, but this is a really fun film. My favorite Sam L Jackson character, besides Jules. Awesome, over the top stuff.
5:
108. The Usual Suspects - (10/10) One of the best crime films ever. Simply great acting, writing and directing. Oh, and watch the editing next time. There's some great stuff there.
8:
109. Big Daddy - (6/10) Not Sandler's best, but there are a few redeeming things. Like the old man banging his girlfriend and such.
9:
110. Mr. Woodcock - (5/10) I like Billy Bob Thornton, but it seems like he walked through this role. Not as entertaining as I'd hoped for.
31:
111. Under the Tuscan Sun - (4/10) Not a bad little chick flick. My fiance loves it. And Lane is sufficiently hot.
September
NOTHING!
October
4:
112. The Bodyguard - (6/10) Whitney couldn't really act, but damn she could sing. One of the few films where I think Costner doesn't annoy me. Actually, I like him in a few things, but he can be annoying as shit sometimes. I can't believe this is the film that broke my dry spell here. Ha!
9:
113. Jerry Maguire - (8/10) What happened to Cuba Gooding Jr. He could act at one time, and now he's relegated to making shit. This is really the only thing I like that Renee chick in. She annoys me in everything else.
11:
114. Leatherheads - (6/10) It really feels like this movie was made 50 years ago, but not in a bad way. It had a classic movie sort of vibe. You can really see Clooney's love for the game and the hate for the business of the game.
115. The Other Sister - (7/10) Kudos to Ribisi and Lewis for taking these roles. Certainly a challenge. I saw bits of this when I was younger and thought it was a bit offensive, but seeing the whole thing at once was pretty entertaining.
116. Surf's Up - (5/10) About half-way through this, I thought, "I'm watching a movie about surfing penguns." After you get over the ridiculousness of that, this is fairly entertaining. The ending was actually able to build a bit of tension and drama.
November
20:
117. Team America: World Police - (5/10) A funny satire for a while, but in the end, I could see how this would work for a 30 minute short, but it dragged a bit for a feature length film.
118. Tropic Thunder - (6/10) Seemed to drag a bit to me. I loved the fake trailers, and the first 30 minutes or so seemed awesome, but it seemed to run out of steam by the end.
21:
119. Akira - (5/10) Someone saw Blade Runner a bit too much, and put their own freaky spin on it. The makers of this need a lesson on the word "narrative." Who knows, maybe something was lost in translation, but this nearly reached the point where I turned it off before it finished, and I rarely do that.
28:
120. Tropic Thunder - (7/10) I'm bumping this to a 7/10. It seemed to grow on me and have bit more heart the second time. And, yes, it's ridiculous, but it was fun. Still felt like it dragged a bit, but not as much as before.
December
2:
121. How The Grinch Stole Christmas - (7/10) I still don't love this as much as the animated one, but Jim Carrey is awesome, and this grows on me every time I see it.
5:
122. Four Christmases - (6/10) If you like Vince Vaughn, you'll love this. It's really mainly a showpiece for him. And I have to admit, I laughed at the Birth of Jesus reenactment. Although the ending was rushed and formulaic. Not a terrible time.
123. Tarzan - (7/10) One Disney film I never saw, and I enjoyed it very much. The Phil Collins music sucked, and an orchestral score only would have brought this another point, I think. But I loved the animation and the action in this. Plus, it's got stuff for kids and adults.
6:
124. The Thing - (9/10) Hell-fucking yeah. Sue me, I've never seen John Carpenter's THE THING before now, but it was awesome. Absolutely loved it. Spooky, with great tension and effects. So was MacReady the Thing at the end? Awesome!
125. Punisher: War Zone - (6/10) A bit melodramatic, overall, it's worth seeing to see Frank Castle the way he was intended to be seen. Balls to the wall. Some awesome kills, and it doesn't shy away from the gore.
126. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - (9/10) My favorite of the Potter films. Gambon nailed Dumbledore in his first attempt (but has oddly strayed in later films), and Cuaron just seemed to understand Rowling's world. And Oldman as Sirius was great.
21:
127. The Dark Knight - (10/10) Yes, this is still badass. Sad to hear that the Two-Face arc is over though. I thought there was a lot of potential there still.
22:
128. The Spy Who Loved Me - (5/10) I'm not a big fan of Moore's Bond. But it's cool to see Jaws tear a van apart with his bare hands, and that chick is smoking hot.
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= UTTER CRAP!
Thank god no one reads this shit...
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