The Zone's 2009 Movie Journal

[thefilmwall]

had an awesome movie month. Hands down, no question, best of the month was the Pusher trilogy. But I kind of feel like I'd be cheating by naming all 3 movies as one favorite so I'll go ahead and say Pusher 3: I'm the Angel of Death was the creme de la creme just for sheer ingenuity.

[DaleTremont]

1st order of business:

had an awesome movie month. Hands down, no question, best of the month was the Pusher trilogy. But I kind of feel like I'd be cheating by naming all 3 movies as one favorite so I'll go ahead and say Pusher 3: I'm the Angel of Death was the creme de la creme just for sheer ingenuity.

I had an awesome movie month. Hands down, no question, best of the month was the Pusher trilogy. But I kind of feel like I'd be cheating by naming all 3 movies as one favorite so I'll go ahead and say Pusher 3: I'm the Angel of Death was the creme de la creme just for sheer ingenuity.

BANNED you spamming, plagiarizing motherfucker!

2nd order of business:

Updated with Lost in Austen and Men of War, the unlikeliest double bill ever!

And can I just say briefly Men of War is the most puzzling movie I've seen because truly the first 30 minutes and the last 30 minutes especially are just sheer brilliance, but it's so soggy around the middle! I guess I didn't care much for the character "development," except maybe the part where they set up that skeevy Mexican dude having a run in with Catherine Bell so it's all the more satisfying when she drops a grenade down his shirt later. Still it's all worth it for that last 30 minutes, so thanks for the rec, caruso! (or travis or whichever Oleg person recommended it.)

[Bloo]

And can I just say briefly Men of War is the most puzzling movie I've seen because truly the first 30 minutes and the last 30 minutes especially are just sheer brilliance, but it's so soggy around the middle! I guess I didn't care much for the character "development," except maybe the part where they set up that skeevy Mexican dude having a run in with Catherine Bell so it's all the more satisfying when she drops a grenade down his shirt later. Still it's all worth it for that last 30 minutes, so thanks for the rec, caruso! (or travis or whichever Oleg person recommended it.)

it's an OLEG classic, I didn't recommend it but I would

[caruso_stalker217]

Hmm, I did recommend it didn't I?

And what do you mean "soggy around the middle"? The middle part is where Charlotte Lewis' boobs are!

[DaleTremont]

Hmm, I did recommend it didn't I?

And what do you mean "soggy around the middle"? The middle part is where Charlotte Lewis' boobs are!

I guess I just wasn't really into the part where they commune with the island's inhabitants. Maybe it's because I'm a heartless basterd, but it felt like South Pacific crossed with the end of Apocalypse Now...which actually sounds kind of awesome except there was neither singing nor Dennis Hopper so it just didn't keep my interest.

But like I said, the beginning and end of it was 100% awesome.

[Random side note: I remember on the Pirates of the Caribbean commentary Johnny Depp and Gore Verbinski talking about this "Trevor" who played one of the pirates and what a cool guy he was because I guess he passed away after the filming of that first movie. At that point I hadn't seen Mortal Kombat or Men of War so I didn't really know who they were talking about, but now it makes me sad that it was indeed this Trevor Goddard...his performance in Men of War was a masterwork of glorious hammy-ness.]

[caruso_stalker217]

My favorite part is when he takes off his shirt to fight Dolph and then never wears it again for the rest of the film.

[Al Shut]

I seem to remember Men of War as one of the worst cut for German TV movies ever. Just imagine the ending without anybody shwing getting killed but magically disappearing instead.

[TheButcher]

The Fifth Element ripped off the whole aesthetic and even much of the plot from the Jodorowsky and Moebius Incal comics in Heavy Metal. Jodo waged a lawsuit against Luc Besson at one point, but I think it got thrown out of court.

Then again, rip off or not, it doesn't make The Fifth Element any less fun. If it were a legitimate adaptation, people would be saying how well it captured the tone of the comics, so I'll just pretend that's exactly what it is.

I agree.


From Newsarama:
HUMANOIDS SUES BESSON OVER FIFTH ELEMENT

While a minor flurry of attention and quasi-allegations erupted when the movie was released in 1997, it seems as if the suggestions of strong similarities between Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element and The Incal by Jodorowsky, Janjetov, and Moebius were more than just fanboy hallucinations.

In an interview with Newsarama about upcoming Humanoids releases, Managing Editor Paul Benjamin said:

“Many people who have already read The Incal in French ask if it inspired The Fifth Element. It hasn’t been reported yet, but Humanoids is involved in a lawsuit right now with Luc Besson over The Fifth Element and The Incal. There are panels in Volumes 3 and 4 that are the exact same shots as in the movie. In fact, one of the original French books was titled ‘The Fifth Essence.’ If you want to have fun one day, pick up The Incal Volumes 3 and 4 when they come out and sit down and watch The Fifth Element. It’s like having a storyboard for the movie in comic book form.”

[Kutulhu]

THIS IS PART 2 OF MY SUPER AMAZING MOVIE JOURNAL FUN TIMES.

PART ONE IS HERE


March

64. 3/1 Futurama: Bender's Game (DVD 2008)

65. 3/2 Wieners (DVD 2008) Today was officially Hot Dog Monday. A bunch of us hung out and ate hot dogs and watched hot dog related stuff. For the record, we had all seen Hot Dog: The Movie. We watched a documentary about various hot dog stands around the country. We watched some competitive hot dog eating. We even watched an episode of Boo Bah that was devoted to the hot dog. And, we also watched a piece o shit movie called Wieners. Sometimes you watch a comedy and its not too good, but it doesn't taunt you with its shitiness. You give it ,'eh, it was alright' and your done. This is not one of those films. This one likes to get real drunk by itself and show up half naked to the party it wasn't invited to only to get on top of a parked car whose alarm is blaring and make a spectacle of itself by declaring the world can eat its dick. It practical laughs at you while you view it. Okay, maybe I am being hyperbolic, but this one sucks. Kenan Thompson plays some guy who wants to go across country to give away hot dogs so the company that makes the hot dogs will hire him. And they want to beat up a talk show host. But really, who cares. Its just isn't entertainment. Grade: F

66. 3/2 Sita Sings The Blues (HERE 2009) The best thing to come out of Hot Dog Monday (see above) was a recommendation to watch this movie. I didn't know anything about it except that the director was having problems getting the rights to the songs. Right from the first frame I was stunned. Sita is a beautiful work of art that juxtaposes the story of Rama and Sita (as told in the Ramayama), the story of the film's creator and 1920's jazz singer Annette Hanshaw. A few different styles of animation are used to tell this universal story of 'the break up'. Its based on the experiences of the director/writer/etc, who also animated it by herself, on one computer. It has played in festivals to positive reviews, but she probably wont ever get to release it properly. So she has put it online for free. Watch it for the three hilarious shadow puppets alone. Grade: A

67. 3/3 The Big Crimewave (VHS 1986) I don't know what they put in the water up there in Winnipeg, but whatever it is more filmmakers should drink it. I could say that this movie seems like a student film of Guy Maddin (both directors are from Winnipeg), but that would cast a disparaging light. It has a feel of a Guy Maddin film, but its different. It also has the feel of David Lynch movie in that you are presented with situations that, although are not impossible, seem absurd. The film begins with an opening narration explaining who the best musical cover artists are in the country, and then goes on to say that a new force from the north will arrive and become king of all. This cuts to a little girl who explains that a while ago, a writer moved into an apartment above her garage and what we just saw was an opening for a film he was penning. She then shows us the end. It seems the writer is good at beginnings and endings, but he was trouble with middles. And so the films goes on, to show the writer try to figure out middles, while we are treated to some other openings and endings. Its a film that is both funny and odd, and maybe genius. It sticks with you, and when you try to describe to someone, you up with a bunch a shit like I just typed. Find the VHS and watch it. Grade: A

68. 3/4 Not One Less (DVD 1999 Zhang) I was having a discussion with a friend the other day. He mentioned how he never wants to rent any Werner Herzog films, that there is always something else to see, but every time he finally 'forces' himself to, the film is amazing. I am the same way for Zhang Yimou (and probably others). I like everything I have seen, but for some reason, when I look at all his films, I just don't want to rent them, but when I do, I love them. This film is no exception. Wei Minzhi is the new substitute for a rural elementary school. She doesn't know how to run a classroom. She isn't particularly good at math. She seems more concerned with getting paid. And she is only thirteen. But when the teacher she is replacing for a month tells her that she should do her best to keep anymore children from leaving to go to work in the city (the village is dirt poor), she takes it to heart. This is a story of determination, and, I think, Zhang Yimou's best. Grade: A

67. 3/5 Watchmen (Theater 2009) I am not going to write an essay here. There is plenty out there for you to read. I liked it. In fact, parts of it border on genius (that credit sequence is grand) . Its an ambitious film and I think it is probably the best 2.5 hour adaptation you are going to get. There are some problems, sure. I think the ending is rushed, and I think Ozy's character needed to be flushed out more so those that haven't read the comic understand his motives and reservations in the end. It takes itself too seriously, but I think that is a symptom of Snyder's determination to do justice to the comic, which I think hurts the film in the long run. But, like I said, I liked it. And I didn't even like 300. Grade: B

68. 3/6 Role Models (DVD 2008) This is a pretty fucking funny movie. Its not your basic Will-Ferrel-okay-but-nothing-special comedy. This is up there with Superbad. How can you hate Paul Rudd? Oh, have him play a hateful dickhead, well..a funny hateful dickhead. And give him that funny guy from American Pie (the first one, which is pretty good) as a sidekick. And throw in McLovin. And all those crazy cats from The State. The Ten was hit or miss, but this one is all hit. Totally quotable, and totally hilarious. Grade: A

69. 3/6 The Black Gestapo (Theater 1975) I saw this on VHS years ago, but how could I pass up seeing it on film. Not the best exploitation film, but full marks for the use of Nazi footage (sparingly and somewhat tasteful, sorry sickos). Charles Robinson, or Mac the stenographer from Night Court, is second dog in a black version of the Salvation Army. They help the black poor and see to the black sick, but he has greater designs. Secretly he starts his own little paramilitary outfit and offs the white mafia. Mac himself cuts the balls off a rapist. But just when the community thinks its on easy street, the old Animal Farm syndrome kicks in and its up to the shamed leader of the Salvation Army to put a stop to Mac's evil ways. Kinda slow, but not too bad. Bonus: Uschi Digart boobs. Grade: C+

70. 3/7 Resident Evil: Degeneration (DVD 2008) I wish this was a little better. Being CG, it plays like an extended cut scene from the game, but at least it is the most faithful to the game series. The plot could be an installment itself, the G-virus is loose again and you have to stop it. I like the live action version, in fact, I think it is one the best video game adaptations, second to Silent Hill. This one is alright, but it suffers from some bad 'acting'. I did like that Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield got to work together again. I don't think that has happened since Resident Evil 2 (the game). The fact I know that, and care, makes me want to stop writing this right about now. Grade: C-

71. 3/9 Rachel Getting Married (DVD 2008) I have not seen this film until now, but it should have won for best picture. It is absolutely brilliant. It may well be Demme's best (what, Silence of the Lambs, oh no I just didn't). Hathaway plays Kym, a recovering addict released from rehab for a couple days so she can attend her sister's wedding at their Connecticut home. Her family has The Celebration level of epic dysfunction. Its not long before words are had and skeletons are revealed. The film is shot with a documentary style and, coupled with the natural performances of actors, attains a rare level of believeability. The beautiful and ominous live score adds to the overall raw feel. It is a masterpiece. I like movies. And its a rare thing for me to be truly moved by a film. I don't mean walking out of the theater and high-fiveing about how amazing the film is. I mean the kind where the world is different for a short time. A film that disorientates you. Gummo was a film that did that to me. And this is one, too. Grade: A

72. 3/10 Watchmen (Theater 2009) Again. In Cinerama.

73. 3/10 Carts Of Darkness-Extreme Lifestyle (HERE 2008) I came across a link for this on a message board I frequent and ended up watching the whole thing. It is surprisingly captivating. The documentary follows several homeless men as they collect recyclable plastic and glass in shopping carts to make money. Also, a couple of them like to race the carts down insane streets/highways. And although the footage of these races is exciting and fun, the film does not shy away from the darker elements of homeless life. Somewhere in the middle of the film there is an innocent reveal about the filmmaker that takes the film to another level. The way it is subtly done works wonderfully and leads to a final shot that is sure to put a smile on your face. Grade: B+

74. 3/13 Blood Of The Vampires (Theater 1966) Cinematic Titanic was in town. And holy shit was I excited. MST3k is my favorite show. I was lucky enough to have Comedy Central (formerly Comedy Channel) early enough to watch the show from the beginning (sans KTMA years). And not only were Joel, Mary Jo, TV's Frank, Josh and Dr. F going to be in town, but they were also coming to my store for a signing. This is the fruit of that visit. They played two shows and I went to both. The first was this Filipino disaster set in turn-of-the-century Mexico. That right there is enough fodder for a terrible movie, but throw in incest and blackface and you have yourself a bona fide wreck. A wealthy 'Mexican' land owner is on his deathbed and wishs, upon his death, to burn down the estate. His son rejects until Pop spills the beans about his thought-dead mother who is actually a vampire chained in the basement. It takes about seven seconds for the son to get bit by mom and for the shit to be thrown at the fan. Grade: D Show: A

75. 3/14 Dynamite Brothers (Theater 1974) This was the film used for the second show of Cinematic Titanic. A pretty shitty Defiant Ones rip-off starring Alan 'Wong Kar Wai producer' Tang and Timothy 'will work for food' Brown. Asian brother and soul brotha are handcuffed together by events too tedious to mention. They escape and battle James Hong for some reason. Not good. Grade: F Show: A

76. 3/15 Splinter (DVD Screener 2008) This is better than Feast. But I do not like Feast. Its not great, but its serviceable. Well, it is probably a little better than how that sounds. What you have is polar opposite couple meeting a sociopathic couple in a clash against a formidable protozoa, maybe, I guess, could be? Its not so bad. There is some decent acting. The minor effects are pushed just to the brink of absurdity. Every penny is well spent. There are some solid scares and some generally interesting character growth. But something just didn't click for me. Your experience may vary. This is also way better than Evil Aliens. Grade: C+

77. 3/18 Petey Wheatstraw: The Devil's Son-in-Law (DVD 1977) This is my favorite blaxploitation movie. I have seen it dozens of times. I love it. I have an autographed DVD from Rudy Ray Moore (although he signed it Dolomite). Did I mention I love this movie. Rudy Ray stars as the titular Petey, a boy from a mythic birth who becomes the best stand-up comedian, ultimately to be gunned down by rival jokesters. You heard me right, he is killed by other comedians...because he is so good. And this is just the beginning. Nothing beats this film. It is just pure badass. Rudy is badass. The story is badass. The soundtrack is badass. The commentary track (that is not even listed on the DVD) is badass. In that track, you will only hear Rudy talk once or twice every 20 or so minutes...but every single word is a golden nugget of truth. Not to be missed. Yeah, I just said that. Grade: A

78. 3/19 Le Silence de la Mer (DVD 1949) You guys like Melville, right. You like your La Samourai and your Le Cercle Rouge and even some like Un Flic. But you know what? One of his best films was his first feature. Its a poignant portrait of German occupied France. A German officer on vacation is staying with a French family. The family is not exactly enthusiastic about their guest, which leads to long intervals of silence, which leads to awesome soliloquies. And its in these speeches, and his actions, that the Nazi officer is humanized. He is no thug, but an almost naive optimist. He continues while the family quietly resists. It is not until his trip to Paris does he realize the severity of his nation's actions. This movie is a marvel. The production of the film is as interesting as the film itself (google it, I am not going to recite an account here). I do not know of another film in the forties that painted such a human figure of monster. Grade: A

79. 3/20 The Cremator (DVD 1969) Whenever anyone asks me what my favorite movie is, I usually tell them The Manchurian Candidate (the original)...but actually, it might be this film. The Cremator is a record of one man's hallucinatory journey wrought from his maniacal enthusiasm for cremation colliding with his deep desire for power. The great actor, Rudolf Hrunsinsky, delivers a tour-de-force performance as Karl, our titular cremator. His slide into insanity dooms his family and, by the end of the film, millions more. Beautiful, atmospheric, morbid, horrific...words just cannot do any justice to this amazing piece of cinema. This is one of the best films I have ever experienced. If there were a list of great forgotten or unseen films, this Czech masterwork would reside at the top. Grade: A

80. 3/24 Symbiopsychotaxiplasm Take One (DVD 1968) God bless Criterion. Sure they turn out a good product week after week, but its when they put out titles like this one that they really deserve praise. Interestingly, I was having a conversation with a fellow employee recently where I was trying to define meta-films. It was one of those things where you can't find the right words, but you know what you mean. If I had seen this film at that time, I would have just told her to watch it. The premise of the film is: There is a central 'story', which is really just some terrible lines about a break-up (which are probably terrible on purpose). It is being filmed by someone. Someone else is filming the first person filming the scenes. And then there is a third person who is filming the whole thing. And sometimes different actors are used. It probably sounds goofy, but it is fascinating. The crew doesn't even seem to get what exactly the director is going after. They go as far as to film themselves having a secret meeting where they discuss the film. And its around this time you begin to wonder, what is real and what is staged. Its a very interesting and intelligent experimental film/documentary. Grade: A

81. 3/27 Cthulhu (DVD 2008) I have been a fan of H. P. Lovecraft ever since I discovered him in tenth grade from playing the ground-breaking survival horror game, Alone In The Dark (1992). So when I first heard that they were making a feature length Lovecraft adaptation right here in the Northwest, I got excited. Then the problems in production began, and I got less excited. Then I saw the trailer, and my excited ebbed even further. It is a good thing my hopes were so low, because instead of thinking it was total garbage, I only thought it was general garbage. It is convoluted. They are trying to tell a story akin to The Shadow Over Innsmouth, but transposed to the Pacific Northwest. Its a mess. I don't know if anyone not familiar with the story will be able to put it together. The acting, which sometimes reached 'pretty good', is for the majority of the film stuck at 'laughable'. Etc. etc. There is some really nice outdoor photography, though. Watch Stuart Gordon's Dagon if you want to see this specific source material done well. The commentary track starts with the director saying something to the effect of, "This was our first feature. It did not turn out the way we wanted. I hope this will help other low budget filmmakers avoid the mistakes we made". That's pretty honest, I will give them that. Grade: D

82. 3/28 The Ruins (DVD 2008) This is not a terribly great horror film, but its okay. A bunch of twenty somethings you don't care about happen upon a mysterious temple in Mexico. Not to give anything away, but the plant did it. It has your typical jumping scares that make you jump. There is a little bit of gore and lots of bad acting/decision making. Its fair. The premise intrigues me because it resembles a short story I like quite a bit called The Seed From The Sepulcher by Clarke Ashton Smith. I always thought that would make a good short film. It also reminds me of that X-Files episode, Firewalker. Grade: C+

APRIL


Meatball Saturday

4/4 Meatballs (DVD 1979)

4/4 Meatballs 2 (DVD 1984)

4/4 Meatballs 3 (DVD 1986)

4/4 Meatballs 4 (DVD 1992)

/Meatball Saturday

4/7 Blastfighter (DVD 1984)

4/8 Eldorado (DVD 2008)

4/10 Ghostbusters (DVD 1984) Gozer the Traveler. He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving Torg! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Slor! Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you! (Grade: A)

4/11 The Spirit (DVD 2008) WTF (Grade: F+)

4/24 American Nightmare (VHS 1983) Before we went to DAY ONE of the epic CINEMAPOCALYPE, my friends and I watched this Canadian pseudo-giallo. A guy is looking for his sister in seedy Toront....I mean Los Angeles. She just might be the woman killed in the beginning. And there is VHS tape involved somehow. For all its faults (and they are legion), the film does achieve a respectable level of sleaze. If the scene isn't taking place in a strip club, then it is probably taking place in a shitty apartment. Unfortunately, the atmosphere the film attains isn't enough to overcome all the other flaws. All in all, not too bad. If you have the chance, and are into giallo or slasher films, you could do worse with an hour and half. (Grade: C+)

CINEMAPOCALYPE

4/24 Vice Squad (Theater 1982)

4/24 Night Warning (aka The Butcher, The Baker, The Nightmare Maker) (Theater 1983)

4/24 Tourist Trap (Theater 1979)

4/25 The Six Thousand Dollar N_gger (Theater 1979)

4/25 The Deadly Spawn (Theater 1983)

/CINEMAPOCALYPE

4/27 Tales From The Quadead Zone (VHS 1987) There is something truly special about shot-on-video horror. Sure, it looks bad. The sound is usually terrible. The acting is ALF. Etc. But when the first commercially available camcorders were made available it spawned the first generation of DIY on-the-cheap filmmakers. Those few would not let anything get in the way of their dream. With the help of a video toaster, Tim Boggs would define 'WTF' with his ending to Blood Lake. John Windgate would combine boobs and gore in the actually theatrically released Boarding House. And the Polonia brothers would shatter our minds with Splatter Farm. Another gentleman would produce not one, but two masterpieces. His name was Chester Turner. This one is the superior to the two. Its an anthology film. Interestingly, the 'wrap-around' story is one of the stories, so you do not actually start the second tale for about thirty minute. The films follows a mother who is creepily devoted to her dead son. (A nice video effect is used to give him a form) Mom reads stories out of a titularly titled book until her husband comes home. Lets just say Pop doesn't cotton to his wife's creepy devotion. The second story is a quick tale of family unity, betrayal and sandwiches. The third is segment is longer and is about brotherly rivalry...from beyond the grave! This is an ultra-rare VHS, so if you see one at the thrift store, snatch it up. And before you put it on eBay, actually watch it. The open credits rap it worth it alone. (Grade: A)

MAY

5/1 Master Of The World (DVD 1961)

5/4 Pieces Of Darkness (VHS 1989)

5/5 Screams Of A Winter Night (VHS 1979)

5/7 Star Trek (Theater 2009)

5/9 The Silent World (Backyard 1956) If A Life Aquatic was based on anything Jacque Cousteau, it was this unreleased documentary. It was Cousteau's first, it was shot by Louis Malle and it won the Academy Award and the Palme d'Or. It was ground-breaking for its underwater photography. And it was batshit insane. There is a scene were the Calypso hits a whale and kills it. Some sharks come in for a free meal, but the "father of the environmental movement" declares, "The shark is the enemy to every diver." He goes on to explain that the site of the sharks eating the whale (that they killed mind you) is too much for them to bare, so they all grab whatever they can find and beat the ever loving shit out of the sharks. Really. I am not kidding. They also use dynamite to wipe out hundreds of fish near of coral reef (because it is an easy way to collect a huge sample). And the poor turtles. This is a great documentary despite those less than eco-friendly moments. The underwater photography is amazing. And its an interesting look at a young biologist who would go on to do so much more. Adding to the fun of this was the fact that we were watching it on 16mm, projected onto the fence in my friend's backyard. Awesome. (Grade: A)

5/13 The Burrowers (DVD 2008)

5/14 Martyrs (DVD 2008)

5/15 Apocalypto (TV 2007)

5/19 The Town That Was (DVD 2007)

5/19 Slaughter High (DVD 1985)

5/19 Night of A Thousand Cats (DVD 1972)

5/27 Run Man, Run (DVD 1968)

5/27 Moon (Theater 2009) Sam Rockwell plays Sam Bell, a man contracted to work alone in a mining facility on the moon for three years. His only companion is a function-over-form robot named GERTY. (I don't remember if that is supposed to be capitalized. Most robot names are.) When we first meet Sam, he is two weeks out from the end of his contract and the isolation is starting to get to him. To make matters worse, the satellite link to Earth is down, so he has not been able to establish live communication with his wife for a while. Soon Sam is seeing inexplicable Asian women sitting in chairs and its not long before it starts to effect his work. This all leads ultimately to a startling denouement. Well, not exactly. The set-up is good, but the payoff is not. The director definitely saw Solaris and Silent Running. You can see that in the retro style design and the human-story-over-special-effects treatment. It feels overlong, I think, because there is no real revelation. You see where its going and you are waiting for the film to catch up to that spot so it can get on with the plot. I liked Sam Rockwell in the movie. I liked the idea of the robot communicating emotions through emoticons (even though that sounds cheesy, it really works). I liked the interaction between the characters. (It wont be out for a while yet, so I am trying not to give anything away). I like the basic set-up, but it seemed the director didn't know where to go. The films over-explained somethings while not even touching others. There is a lot to like in the movie, but there is more to almost like. Its an average movie, but it shows enough talent to make me think the director can make a great movie someday. Grade: B-

5/29 Up! (Theater 2009)

5/30 Brute Corps (Theater 1972)

5/31 The Friends Of Eddie Coyle (DVD 1973)


[u]June

6/1 [b]Dreams With Sharp Teeth (DVD 2008)

6/21 The Hangover (Theater 2009)

6/22 Missile To The Moon (DVD 1958)

6/22 Spartan (DVD 2004)

6/23 Transformers 2: Rise Of The Fallen (Theater 2009)

[Chris a.k.a StuntMike]

4/24 Vice Squad (Theater 1982)

Ramrod!

Great movie.

[Chris a.k.a StuntMike]

Best of May 2009
Terminator Salvation

Worst of May 2009
The International

[DaleTremont]

5/27 Run Man, Run (DVD 1968)

I dug that movie. Fun little spaghetti western. You should check out the Sergio Sollima flick Violent City. It is seriously fucking awesome.

Best non-classic for May (I watched both The Deer Hunter and Wild Strawberries for the first time and it seems unfair to the other movies to compare them)....Brothers. Danish film from Susanne Bier that I loved.

Worst...Goal 2. I don't even know why I watched it in the first place. I think I missed Bend it Like Beckham.

[caruso_stalker217]

Watched a lot of new stuff this month, so maybe this shit'll be easier this time.

BEST OF MAY:

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON. Yeah, I liked it.
THE WAY OF THE GUN. Cool flick.
THE IRON GIANT. Fucking awesome.
FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE. This'll put hair on your balls.

WORST OF MAY:

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (2008). Not horrible, but completely fucking pointless.

[Bloo]

I fell so behind this month I don't know if I should even be allowed to pick a best and the worst

BIGGEST LETDOWN though was WOLVERINE

watched all of KILL BILL 1 and a little bit of KILL BILL 2 and enjoyed them a lot more then I thought I would, aside from some minor nitpicking, so call that one THE BIGGEST SURPRISE

oh and it seems that I watched a lot of musicals this month so call the BEST MUSICAL GREAT BALLS OF FIRE

[Maui]

Worst of May: Terminator Salvation

Best of May: UP, Drag me to Hell, Bronson

[Lord Voldemoo]

Best of May: Star Trek, Drag Me to Hell
Worst of May: Wolverine

[Nachokoolaid]

May:

Best - STAR TREK. Very pleasantly surprised. Amazing, really.

Worst - My Name is Bruce. Not a complete waste of time, but it was pretty poor.

[Al Shut]

I seem to have watched only three "new" movies last month (but at least two of them were actually really new)

Best by far was Monster House

Worst was Star Trek still good but slightly less enjoyable than Wolverine

[Peven]

only got out to see two movies in May, "Star Trek" and "UP". i really liked "Star Trek" and loved "UP"

[Nachokoolaid]

Updated with Brad Pitt getting capped. Here's what I had to say:

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - How come there wasn't more buzz about this come awards time. This might be one of the more beautifilly shot films I can remember. And for a film with so little action, it was intense as hell. You could seriously feel the tension. Great film. 9/10.

Roger Deakins was the cinematographer, I think. Gorgeous shots. There were seriously like 500 shots in this film that you could freeze and make a kick-ass poster.

Anyone else a fan of this film? It's not something I see myself revisiting much, but I really enjoyed it.

[Bloo]

Updated with Brad Pitt getting capped. Here's what I had to say:

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - How come there wasn't more buzz about this come awards time. This might be one of the more beautifilly shot films I can remember. And for a film with so little action, it was intense as hell. You could seriously feel the tension. Great film. 9/10.

Roger Deakins was the cinematographer, I think. Gorgeous shots. There were seriously like 500 shots in this film that you could freeze and make a kick-ass poster.

Anyone else a fan of this film? It's not something I see myself revisiting much, but I really enjoyed it.

a great movie, I just convinced my brother the other day to buy it and he loved it and he thinks GI JOE looks "awesome"

[TheButcher]

ink
I was able to attend a screening of the film ink.
It's a very cool movie. Check it out if you can.
Jamin Winans, Kiowa Winans, Jeff Pointer and Jeremy Make were at the screening.
They were all very cool people.


http://doubleedgefilms.com/
http://jeffpointer.com/

[Bloo]

updated with movies from del Toro and Wise

[Chris a.k.a StuntMike]

June '09

Best:
The Hurt Locker.
Excellent film. Just a few guys doing there jobs. Not womanizing Struggling Background Artists or kill-crazy soldiers, just three guys trying to survive the next thirty days without going kablooey.

Worst:
Rachel Getting Married.
I'm a huge Demme fan but this one didn't do anything for me. Look, if it's a Jonathan Demme film, I expect the actors to speak directly into the camera at least once dammit. Plus, Anne's character reminded me of my Sister. Who fucking needs to see an hour and a half of that?

[Bloo]

I feel like I slacked off this month, but I've been working on getting a theatre production off the ground so that's my excuse

anyways, BEST OF JUNE: SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME
How the hell do you top Robert Wise and Paul Newman doing a boxing flick, I said it in my mini review, I'll say it here, this may be my favorite boxing movie ever, better then Rocky better then Raging Bull, this to me is just the pinnacle

[Al Shut]

Best of the month: Banlieu 13 , truly amazing action.

Worst: Return to Cabin by the Lake. It felt like everything about htis movie was comepletely pointless.

[caruso_stalker217]

I also slacked off a bit this month, yet somehow managed to watch 19 movies anyway.

BEST OF JUNE:

THE SWORD OF DOOM. This movie was all kinds of awesome. Tatsuya Nakadai is a bad motherfucker. I also enjoyed him in RAN which would've been on my list this month if I could actually finish watching the fuckin DVD.

JACKIE BROWN. Makes the list every time I watch it.

THE SPIRIT. I won't apologize.

WORST OF JUNE:

Guess I'd have to go with NAVAJO JOE. I watched this mostly because of Morricone's music which was used by Tarantino in KILL BILL VOL. 2. I couldn't believe how horribly out of place the score sounds in this film. Tarantino uses the music perfectly in his film. Here it just plain sucks. Overall it isn't bad, but it's pretty disappointing for a movie starring Burt Reynolds as a Native American.

THE MATRIX RELOADED. Not a bad movie either, but still as fuckin' pointless and uninteresting as I remembered.

[Bloo]

worst of the month (which I somehow missed posting intially) was HITMAN, what a mess

and I swear I'm going to track better in July, I swear I am

[DaleTremont]

Best of teh month:

Drag Me to Hell and The Celebration

Worst:

The Hangover. I definitely like dumb comedies but I didn't laugh once at this. Ok maybe I chuckled at the end when they show a picture of the shaggy one getting blown in the elevator. I will say that Bradley Cooper did a good job. Maybe it's his bloodshot eyes but he really can sell asshole like no one else.

I feel about that Zack something everyone was talking about the way some people feel about Dane Cook. I just. don't. get it. At all.

[so sorry]

Worst:

The Hangover. I definitely like dumb comedies but I didn't laugh once at this. Ok maybe I chuckled at the end when they show a picture of the shaggy one getting blown in the elevator. I will say that Bradley Cooper did a good job. Maybe it's his bloodshot eyes but he really can sell asshole like no one else.

I feel about that Zack something everyone was talking about the way some people feel about Dane Cook. I just. don't. get it. At all.

Well, I rarely pull this one out, but here goes: maybe its a guy thing. As I said elsewhere, The Hangover made me cry with laughter once or twice (basically in the scene when they wakeup and discover everything and the photos at the end), but for the most part this was an OK movie at best. The Hangover will go down in history as this frat boy generation's Old School.

Regarding Bradley Cooper: couldn't agree more... he grew up around where i live, so he gets alot of coverage here, and even in the interviews he smacks of assholiness.

Regarding Zack Whoesyface: that Dane Cook shot was uncalled for

[TonyWilson]

Best of teh month:

Drag Me to Hell and The Celebration

Worst:

The Hangover. I definitely like dumb comedies but I didn't laugh once at this. Ok maybe I chuckled at the end when they show a picture of the shaggy one getting blown in the elevator. I will say that Bradley Cooper did a good job. Maybe it's his bloodshot eyes but he really can sell asshole like no one else.

I feel about that Zack something everyone was talking about the way some people feel about Dane Cook. I just. don't. get it. At all.

The only thing I've seen of Galifianikis is this

You must think that's at least a little funny?

[DaleTremont]

Oh sure play the whole "not having a penis" card against me Yeah it might just be a guy thing. *shrugs*

@ TW ok that video had me laughing. So maybe it's not Zach's fault and it was just the movie he was in.

[Bloo]

Dale, Zach's movie choices haven't been the best, but I haven't seen THE HANGOVER yet so I can't comment on it

[justcheckin]

Best of teh month:

Drag Me to Hell and The Celebration

Worst:

The Hangover. I definitely like dumb comedies but I didn't laugh once at this. Ok maybe I chuckled at the end when they show a picture of the shaggy one getting blown in the elevator. I will say that Bradley Cooper did a good job. Maybe it's his bloodshot eyes but he really can sell asshole like no one else.

I feel about that Zack something everyone was talking about the way some people feel about Dane Cook. I just. don't. get it. At all.

You didn't laugh when the Asian guy jumped out of the trunk?

[Nachokoolaid]

If you're completely lost, refer to last year's thread:

http://zone.aintitcool.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=69886

And as per previous years, try to only post once on the first page or so. This will allow more people to have journals.

Also, I'd like to see more discussion this year, a la the "What are you watching now" thread. In fact, this thread could totally take the place of a thread like that since both threads are similar.

If you're not going to participate, don't post. PM me any questions.

Let the games begin.

_______________________________________

FAQS:

I should probably look at last years is this any movies (in theatres, on DVD, TCM, HBO, etc) or just in the theatres

Everyone does it differently, but I list all films I see (theatre, DVD, TV, whatever). And I usually differentiate first time viewings from the others, by making them bold (although this year, I think I'll make them a different color altogether, because the "new" Zone's bold font sucks.

*** Also, don't forget to list your best/worst of each month and give us a little reason as to why you chose what you did.

_______________________________________


Nachokoolaid's 2009 Movie Journal


First time viewings in BLUE all others in GREEN.


January

9:
1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - I can't think of a better way to start the year. Sure, there are flaws here, but I'll put this film against any created, ever, and there would at least be a good argument over which was better. And thank GOD Connery turned down the role of Gandalf. McKellan was perfect. Jackson's masterpiece, and certainly the best of the three LOTR films. 10/10.

10:
2. Jumper - Not as bad as I had heard. Any film that uses a double-decker bus in a HAND TO HAND fight is pretty damn cool. Yeah, I think Anakin struggles to carry a film, but I loved the concept, and the execution wasn't terrible. 7/10

3. Step Brothers - Ferrell and Dewey Cox are funny, but this wasn't as good as Anchorman (as I had heard). The line that had me rolling the most was a exclamatory "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" from the dad. I guess it was really the first time anyone cussed in the film, and it was great comedic timing. Funny, but not amazing. 6/10.

18:
4. Shrek - I love this movie. It clicks on a lot of levels, and I honestly think that the absence of John Lithgow's character hurt the other films. Absolutely love the scene between him and the Gingerbread man. 9/10

28:
5. Man on Wire - I don't see a lot of documentaries, but this was entertaining. It was cool to see someone so passionate and dedicated about something and it was neat how they pulled it off. And the nudity at the end didn't hurt the score. 7/10

29:
6. The Evil Dead - You can tell Raimi was just a young perverted kid trying to make a film, and it grew into a cult thing. I love the last shot of the film, but other than that, I don't get what all the fuss is about. Maybe it was the scene where the chick is raped by the trees. The sequels are enjoyable, so I'm glad this exists, but it's pretty damn cheesy. 6/10

30:
7. Southland Tales - It was interesting just to set there watching this, but it didn't feel like a movie at all. It was like some quasi news-documentary-cumstain. I don't even know where to begin. The Rock has great screen presence, but damn this thing sucked. If anyone could shed some light on the shit I'm missing that made this better than a pretty turd, I'd like to hear it. Way too much repetition and damn, whoever edited this should never work in film again. 2/10.

8. 300 - I still love this film like the first time I saw it. It's one of the most visually pleasing films I can remember. Snyder has a great eye, and I'm a fan of Miller, so this is like chocolate covered pussy juice for me. 9/10


February

7:
9. The Wedding Crashers - You motorboatin' sunofabitch! Wilson and Vaughn do their thing here. Walken and Ferrell are funny as hell here too. I think Ferrell is always better in supporting roles than as a lead. The ending (that kiss in the church) is the only thing that rings false for me. 8/10

10. The Ringer - Johnny Knoxville trying to be ALF. A bit offensive, but funny. 6/10.

8:
11. Taken - Liam Neeson kicks ass. This movie was kickass. Lots of ass kicking. The greatest thing that there were only a few times that you had to suspend your disbelief, and that's rare in movies today. It was all believable, and I miss balls to the wall, no excuse films like this. I had a great time. Better than I expected. 8/10.

15:
12. Coraline (in 3D) - Very sweet. The 3D was awesome and added a ton to the overall effect of the film. That being said, I felt it sort of lacked some dramatic punch or something. Very good, but not as great as I was hoping. One really funny part, but not enough to make it great. 7/10.

March


7:
13. Watchmen - Snyder did a damn fine job. Even though there was no squid, I thought the themes of the novel were there, and I loved it for the most part. Great job all around, especially by Haley, Crudup, Morgan and Wilson. Snyder didn't let me down. 9/10.

13:
14. Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior - Tony Jaa kicks ass. This was my first time seeing this. People have compared him to Bruce Lee. I don't know about that. He feels more like a young Jackie Chan to me, but it was entertaining. 7/10.

15:
15. Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny - This makes me laugh every time I see it. You either love it or hate it, usually. If the opening with a kid that looks exactly like a young Jack Black, Meatloaf, and Ronnie James Dio don't do it for you, stop the movie. If you love that, you'll dig the rest of the film. 7/10.


April

3:
16. Madagascar - I like to move it move it. I like to movie it move it. I like to move it move it. MOVE IT! Ok, but I mainly watched it because my fiance had it on. 6/10

17. Shrek - One of the best animated films of recent years. There are so many things a love about this movie. The sequels may have diminished this one's greatness a bit, but not much. 9/10

10:
18. Shakedown - Peter Weller and Sam Elliot team up to take down corrupt cops. It was pretty badass, and I got the suggestion to watch it in the OLEG thread. Certainly worth the time, and it's actually not terribly dated. It still kicks a lot of ass. And it has one of my favorite things in action films that you will never see anymore -- an obvious shot of a stuntman performing a stunt that was too dangerous for the actor. Good stuff. 8/10.

11:
19. The Ten Commandments - Charlton Heston will always be Moses in my mind. And that parting of the Red Sea is still powerful. A classic to me. 9/10.

18:
20. Heavy Metal - Fucking weird. Although I have to admit that the makers of this should have sued the shit out of the folks that made THE FIFTH ELEMENT. There was a whole section of this that Fifth Element just seemed like the live action version of. Characters, design, plot, everything. And the animated tits were cool. 6/10.

22:
21. The Wrestler - Holy shit. Yeah, I teared up a bit. Who didn't? What can I say that hasn't been said? Rourke and Tomei were EXCELLENT in this. A great slice-of-life film. One I'll revisit quite a bit, I bet. 9/10.


May

2:
22. My Name is Bruce - Saw this on my Xbox 360 Netflix thing. Not bad. It's trying hard not to be too good, you get the feeling. It's like it wants to be bad. And there was something "Girl Nextdoorish" about the female lead, Grace Thorsen. I kind of have a crush, I think. But it was funny, although the main kid was really annoying, and a pretty poor actor. And when he stands out as that poor in a film with subpar acting, he's gotta be pretty bad. 6/10.

23. The 40 - Year Old Virgin - What a great comedy. My favorite one from recent years. The characters seemed so genuine, and it was really really funny. 9/10.

24. Vicky Christina Barcelona - Didn't quite live up to the hype for me, but it wasn't bad. The lesbian scenes weren't anything at all, but Cruz earned the Oscar. But I kept picturing Cigur and I was waiting for him togo psycho on people. 7/10.


10:

25. Star Trek - Holy Shit. Awesome experience. I don't want to be pessimistic about the rest of the summer, but I think it's going to be hard for anything to top this. One point deduction for all of the damn lense flare and glare. It was like assholes kept taking out their cell phones or something. Shit. 9/10.

16:
26. The Wrestler - I actually picked up a lot more of the humor this time around. Still an awesome flick that holds up on a second viewing. Rourke really did transform himself in this. Awesome. 9/10.

24:
27. Requiem for a Dream - Still powerful. That climax is still as gripping as the first time I saw it. What a powerful film, that's totally focused on conveying a singular emotion. Bravo. 9/10.

June

1:
28. Born to Be Wild - This is the kind of shit that my fiance makes me watch. We had the choice to watch this, Taken, Valkyrie, or the Assassination of Jesse James, and of course we watch this. It was good to see Biff again from Back to the Future, but that's about it. She loves mediocre films. It's like her calling. They're not those films that are so bad they're good. They just are lifeless, and are really boring. 3/10.

4:
29. Under the Tuscan Sun - Likeable enough, and my fiance makes me watch it whenever it's on. I've seen worse. 5/10

30. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - How come there wasn't more buzz about this come awards time. This might be one of the more beautifilly shot films I can remember. And for a film with so little action, it was intense as hell. You could seriously feel the tension. Great film. 9/10.

5:
31. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls - Not even a shadow of the original, but it's still funny. It reuses most of the jokes from the original without bringing a lot of new laughs to the table. 7/10

7:
32. Terminator Salvation - Not amazing, but not terrible either. Kind of cool to see Arnold again. I loved the character of Marcus. Yelchin as Reese didn't annoy the shit out of me like I thought he would (after his terrible performance in STAR TREK). But honestly, Bale's John Connor didn't feel like the same character that was played by Furlong and Stahl. I liked his character, but he just felt different to me. And I don't know how to explain that. Could have been worse. Great effects though. 7/10.

33. Because I Said So - Run of the mill rom com crap. Diane Keaton was so annoying in this that I yelled at my fiance to turn it off. We compromised. She turned it down and I read some more of The Waste Lands by Stephen King. 2/10.

10:
34. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas - Not a bad drama. The last 10 minutes or so are terrific. It has a slow build, but I thought it was fairly well done for a film about Germans that's entirely in English. 7/10.

11:
35. Valkyrie - Not as "suspenseful" as the marketing made it out to be. But it was well crafted, and all the performances really were strong. Much like THE USUAL SUSPECTS, this really shines at the very end. The editing, diretion, and sound are excellent at the end of this when the conspirators are revealed/caught. 7/10.

36. Never Back Down - Djimon Hounsou was actually pretty good in this in the "Mr. Miagi" role. There was actually a little drama when he was onscreen. Everything else was pretty shitty. If you're over 18, this film probably bored the shit out of you. But if you're young and full of testosterone, you might dig it. The final "Beatdown" section was pretty entertaining, because it felt like Bloodsport or something, but too much of this felt like a soap opera. 5/10.

12:
37. Gran Torino - CLINT EASTWOOD IS A MOVIE GOD. How many badass scenes are in this?! You know you're badass when you're 80 and still command every second of screentime. Every punk in this film is exactly that - a punk- compared to Clint. A lot has been made of the "get off my lawn scene," but I really liked the scene where he totally punked those three black guys and where he beat down the lone Asian kid. Excellent. 9/10.

15:
38. Spider-Man 3 - The worst of the Spidey films. Too emo. And Sandman should have been the only villian. But forcing Venom into the pic, two villians were wasted. 7/10.

39. Unbreakable - M. Night's best film. I absolutely loved this. As I watch it now, I realize how amazing the job that M. Night did. There are some awesome parallels between Dunn and Elijah, and some really clever nods to comics. 10/10.

40. Taken: Unrated - I loved this film in theatres, but I really couldn't discern a difference between the theatrical version and the unrated one. Anyone know what the differences are? Still a great film regardless. 8/10.

41. Enemy of the State - A fun, stupid movie. Will Smith is always likable, and the supporting cast looks like they were having a blast. Once again, Gene Hackman proves he has the ability to elevate anything he's involved in. 7/10.

16:
42. The Dark Knight - Awesome. First time I've seen it in a while, and it still kicks ass. Poor Heath. I really would have liked to have spent more time with his Joker. 10/10.

43. Saving Silverman - A pretty funny comedy that I enjoy. Steve Zahn (who I don't always like) and R. Lee Ermey steal the show. Jack Black isn't terrible either. 6/10.

44. The Bucket List - Not bad. It wouldn't be a movie without Morgan Freeman narrating, right? Both actors have been stronger, but it was good enough to distract me for a couple of hours. 7/10

17:
45. Forrest Gump - Solid. This film is really enjoyable. Quotable and engaging. Hanks was strong, but I really felt like Robin Wright anchored the film. 9/10

28:
46. Paul Blart: Mall Cop - Not as irritating as I expected. Pretty hollow, but James was entertaining enough to make this enjoyable. And the female lead was cute. If I wasn't stuck on an airplane, this might have never been seen though. 6/10.

47. Jaws - Still one of the best films ever. And the perfect one to watch on your plane to the Hawaiian Islands for your honeymoon. Okay, maybe not. But still amazing. 10/10.


July

3:
48. Race to Witch Mountain - Sue me, I like The Rock. He's always fun to watch. This was pretty dumb, but it was fun. But the Rock needs some kickass Rated R action films. Soon. 6/10.




August
September
October
November
December

[Nachokoolaid]

Uh, I think that was supposed to be an edit and I hit quote by mistake. Forgive me. I've been on my honeymoon and I'm a bit rusty.

[justcheckin]

Uh, I think that was supposed to be an edit and I hit quote by mistake. Forgive me. I've been on my honeymoon and I'm a bit rusty.

Fluffin your posts eh?

[Kutulhu]

Worst:
Rachel Getting Married.

Considering I think that film is Demme's best, as well as the best film of last year, I must say: I not only disagree; I take umbrage.

[Nachokoolaid]

I was on my honeymoon when we did our best and worst of the month for June, so I'll throw in my two cents. Also, I wanted to chime in because June was the best month I've had for watching films in a LONG time. I saw a ton of stuff I enjoyed. So for my best and worst this month, I'll stick to first time viewings only, because we all know that Dark Knight and Forrest Gump are good.

BEST:

It's a close fight between Gran Torino and The Assassination of Jesse James by the coward Robert Ford, but I think I have to go with Gran Torino. It felt like to me, Eastwood was out to prove he belongs among Hollywood's elite, and he is Hollywood royalty, and I think he achieved it.

WORST:

Also a close fight between Born to be Wild and Because I Said So. But Because I Said So was putrid. Fucking vomit-inducingly bad. BAAAAARRRRRFFFFF!!! So it "wins" this month.

I doubt I'll have another month this year where I see so many films. Not a bad June.

[Bloo]

new updates for July

[Maui]

July updated with more Cherry Blossoms.

[Bloo]

updated

[Chris a.k.a StuntMike]

Picks for July '09

Best: Public Enemies

Worst: Hard Candy

[Al Shut]

What the hell was I doing in July?

Apparently I added only two movies to my journal, Blueberry wich was slightly disapointing ut not all bad and Severance which I rated higher but can remember absoluttely nothing about right now.

[Bloo]

I looked at my list for July and nothing really stood out as the best though there were some good movies HARRY POTTER wasn't bad, TOMBSTONE, LA CONFIDENTIAL, & THE UNTOUCHABLES are all classics

but man did I watch some shit this month...TRANSFORMERS 2 (not pure shit but not great either) BATTLEFIELD EARTH, STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN LI, and DRAGONBALL EVOLUTION

[caruso_stalker217]

BEST OF JULY:

PUBLIC ENEMIES. Depp, Bale, Mann. Need I say more?
BARAKA. This had shots of nature and whatnot.

WORST OF JULY:

MAX PAYNE. Wasn't, you know, super-terrible. But it did suck quite a bit. Good Chris O'Donnell performance, though.

OLD FAVORITES:

ROBOCOP. One of the greatest films ever made.
THE ABYSS. One of the greatest films ever made under water.
THE WEATHER MAN. Best movie ever made about a weather man. After GROUNDHOG DAY.

NEW FAVORITES:

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 1 & 2. It was kinda weird seeing Cruise doing some pretty good acting in the first MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. Then I watched the second and forgot that it's actually a pretty good movie until he starts doing flips and kung-fu and ridiculous shit like that.

[Nachokoolaid]

Wow, July flew by.

BEST:
Saw some really entertaining flicks this month. I'll keep my favorite lists to first time viewings only, because then I'd had to list stuff like Ghostbusters, As Good as It Gets, and Jaws. As it stands, my favorite film of the month that I hadn't seen was Wall-E. Very sweet, and it's amazing that the most human feeling characters I've seen all year in a film are robots.

WORST:
I saw my first Uwe Boll film. Postal. Shit, it was bad. There was one scene with a couple of old men that made me chuckle, but this was terrible. Timing was off all over the place. And when he at least had the good sense to throw some tits onscreen, then he has to ruin it by showing us Dave Foley's junk...twice.

Good Chris O'Donnell performance, though.

*brain melts* DOES NOT COMPUTE.

[caruso_stalker217]

Good Chris O'Donnell performance, though.

*brain melts* DOES NOT COMPUTE.

Thought somebody would point that out.

Personally, I don't know why people hate the guy so much. I thought he was actually pretty good in SCENT OF A WOMAN and gave a solid performance in BATMAN FOREVER. I don't pretend to be a Chris O'Donnell expert. I've seen VERTICAL LIMIT. I even caught the end on television a few weeks ago. He spends most of the film's climax exhaling in various ways. I think he's a decent actor, he's just in a lot of shitty movies. Though MAX PAYNE was probably the only movie I've seen him in since VERTICAL LIMIT. Man, what the fuck has he been up to lately?

According to IMDb he's been on television quite a bit. Oh right, he was in that episode of "Two and a Half Men" as Charlie's ex-girlfriend. Oh fuck. "NCIS: Los Angeles." And here I thought he'd be doing more movies. Fuck. Oh well, at least he's got his own show. Which will likely fail. I guess. Man, I'm a bit of a downer tonight. Goddamn.

[Nachokoolaid]

To his credit, he was alright in VERTICAL LIMIT. That's really the only thing I've liked him in.

[Maui]

Updated with more Ponyo and District 9.