My Top Ten Summer Movies So Far...July 20, 2011

As we near the end of July I thought I'd take some time to rank my favorite summer movies so far. I've seen quite a few so without further ado...

#1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2

Was there any doubt? I've loved the series since the beginning and the finale is as exciting and grand as I'd hoped. There were moments of laughter and tears. The moments I had been looking forward to from the final book lived up to my anticipation. As with any of the adaptations there were some additions and some things missing but nothing that affected the overall quality of the film. I've seen it twice and can't wait to see it again.

#2 Super 8-This movie was mysterious, scary and fun. The period details were spot on and brought back many memories for me. The characters were endearing, well-developed, and likable. The film held my interest from beginning to end. The end credits were definitely the best of the year so far. Make sure to watch them!

#3 Bridesmaids-Had to go way back to the beginning of the summer season for this one. Absolutely loved this movie. It was hilarious. Unfortunately labeled a chick flick by some but it is not. It deals with friendships, growing older, responsibilities, relationships and all in an extremely humorous vein.

#4 Horrible Bosses-Another great summer comedy. This one moved along very quickly and presented a situation most people can identify with at one point or another. Kevin Spacey is perfect for his part as are the other players. Solid entertainment.

#5 Bad Teacher-This is a summer drive-in movie. Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake are favorites of mine and they don't disappoint here. Justin Timberlake's song is a standout in a film filled with funny moments. As an added bonus, Gibby is here!

#6 The Green Lantern-Ryan Reynolds is one of those actors that is a matter of choice I guess. I really like him and find his so likable in his roles that he didn't present a problem for me here. The movie had an interesting plot, great special effects, and a efficient cast. What's not to like? Thor would be here but not sure if that is going too far back.

#7 Transformers: Dark of the Moon-Big, noisy and entertaining. Lots of end of the world type special effects which are guilty pleasures for me. Would love to see Josh Duhamel finally get a film worthy of his talent though.

#8 Zookeeper-I went into this movie prepared to hate it. Surprisingly I really liked it. It was fun, cute, heartwarming (puke but it was!), parts were clever and you can't help but cheer for Kevin James. It was a good family film and a pleasant way to spend a summer afternoon.

#9 X-Men: First Class-Interesting origin movie. Probably not enough action for real action hounds but there was a suitable amount for me. Kevin Bacon is a great villain here. Was nice to see how the whole back story of the beginning of the X-Men was told.

#10 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Strange Tides-I'm not a big Pirates fan but I've seen them all. I enjoyed this one although it was, again, too long. Johnny Depp is so much fun in these films that it is hard not to have a good time. Penelope Cruz was a good addition.

So that is my top 10 list. I haven't really seen anything this summer that has disappointed me or was a total waste of time so that has definitely been a plus.Where are the horror movies though? Please feel free to share some of your favorites!

Have a good one.

Roger's Oscar Favorites

Okay I am about 2 months late but I finally have seen all 10 of the movies nominated for the 2011 Best Picture Oscar. I guess it was really the 2010 Best Picture Oscar but since the movie was awarded the prize in 2011, I'll say the 2011 Best Picture award. Anyways, just going to give you my ranking of the ten just based on how I liked them. That's it. And the way I judged that was on how likely I was to purchase the film on DVD/Blu-Ray. So my rankings in order:

1. True Grit- Absolutely loved it. I will proudly have it sit on my shelf next to the original. The casting was perfect, the story more detailed, the cinematography beautiful. I was sure I wasn't going to like it since I love the original so much, but I was greatly surprised. Didn't want this one to end. Doesn't come out on video until June but I will be sure to get a blu-ray copy.

2. Toy Story 3-A fitting ending to the trilogy. Was such a moving story that Brenna and Sharon were teary eyed. I wish more live action films had characters as well developed as Buzz and Woody. Already own my copy.

3. The Fighter-This film was quite a crowd pleaser. I didn't know much about it going in and I'm glad I didn't. The beginning was filmed in such a gritty manner that I was sure I was in for a dark, dangerous '70's style film. Well, it did turn out to be a '70's type film but that film was Rocky! The supporting performances were brilliant but I felt that the performance of Mark Wahlberg was terribly underrated. He was the emotional center of the film and was a calm presence in the midst of all the chaos happening around him. I already own my copy of this film as well.

4. 127 Hours-Nice testament to the human spirit and the will to survive. At times funny, sad, and suspenseful, the film hits the ground running at continues at a rapid pace. The audience knows what is coming but it was not nearly as grotesque or hard to watch as I expected. James Franco is engaging and charismatic. He is able to convey hope and despair, commanding the audience's attention while spending a great deal of time on the screen alone. Have already purchased this one as well.

5. The King's Speech-I liked The King's Speech. It was very easy to watch and follow. The performances were uniformly excellent and it had the whole triumphing against adversity angle. It's pretty straight forward in it's storytelling but it's a good story and done very well. This is a maybe I'll purchase if the price is right.

6. Winter's Bone-Enjoyed this film immensely. It is quiet, dark, haunting, intense, sad, unsatisfying yet satisfying. I didn't know anything about this movie and I think I was better for that. I just sat and let the movie slowly weave its spell around me. I'll leave it here and hopefully you'll watch it and let it do the same for you. I'll purchase when the price is right.

7. Inception-Intriguing film. It was fascinating to watch and try to figure out exactly what was happening and what wasn't. The film didn't have a real emotional pull for me but visually the film was stunning. I'll probably buy it at some point.

8. The Social Network-It took me a bit to ground myself during this nonlinear film but the was part of the enjoyment of it. Justin Timberlake was great in this as was the rest of the cast.
The characters are alternately funny, frustrating, sympathetic, and annoying. The movie really left me wanting to discover more about the story as it continues to play out. Probably won't buy this one.

9. The Kids Are All Right-Very enjoyable film with two powerhouse performances by Annette Bening and Julianne Moore. The premise is interesting and handled with comic tenderness. While I did like the movie, don't see this as a purchase.

10. Black Swan-I wrote an earlier review of this on on my blog. I admired this film. It was very well done but ultimately not my kind of movie. While I could appreciate the artistry of the film it was just not the kind of journey I would take more than once. I know I will never purchase this one. Oh yeah. I really didn't care whether or not Natalie Portman danced or how much she danced in the film. It made no difference in my appreciation for the film.

So there you have it. My order of the Oscar nominated films. Feel free to share your opinions of these films, even if a few months late!

Have a good one.

Oscar Contenders-January 2, 2011

Recently saw two movies being touted as Oscar contenders. Are they really Oscar contenders? How the heck do I know? I don't get a vote. And the academy and I never really seem to agree on nominations and winners but here is my take on these two recent releases.

Last week I went to see Black Swan with my sister. It really was an intriguing film. However, I could tell it was not the kind of movie I would bother to see again. It's basically the story of a ballerina as she succumbs to the pressure that accompanies her chosen career. That, of course, is a very simplistic description of the film. It is quite an amazing ride. It is at times beautiful and other times I had to cover my eyes. It can be quite confusing as one tries to figure out what is really happening and what is all in Nina the ballerina's (what a rhyme) mind. If I had to categorize the film I would call it psychological thriller. The performances are excellent and Natalie Portman is probably a shoe-in for an Oscar nomination. A couple of actresses in supporting roles may make the cut as well. I would recommend this movie as it certainly is a thought provoking film which lends itself well to conversations. It just isn't the kind of film that bears repeat viewing for me.

The second film I saw was True Grit. Let me preface this by saying that I love the John Wayne version of this film. It was the first western I showed to Elijah and he is a big fan as well. The scene of Ned Pepper telling Rooster "I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man" with Rooster responding "Fill your hands you son-of-a-bitch" is a classic and just gets the blood pumping for whatever reason. The 1969 version of True Grit is one of my favoriste 2 westerns, along with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Now, as for the new version. I am happy to say that I will be thrilled to have the Coen Brothers' version of True Grit sit on my video shelf right next to the John Wayne version. From my understanding the newer version is much more faithful to the book. Mattie Ross is the central character in the movie and the story is told from her point of view. The casting of Hailee Steinfeld was nothing short of remarkable. She commands the screen, at one moment portraying a sure, wise beyond her years 14 year old and the next letting the audience in on her vulnerability, her belief in an ideal world and honor, and her youthfulness. Jeff Bridges is also a marvel as Rooster Cogburn but that isn't a surprise. Matt Damon also lends able support.

While I knew the storyline I never truly felt I was watching a remake but a film that stood on its own. The only scene that was a mild disappointment to me was the one I mentioned before. The scene of Rooster and Ned Pepper just didn't have the same kind of thrill to it. However, Elijah was so excited as he knew it was approaching and he enjoyed it just as he did before. As for the Oscars, I don't really know. Probably a cinematography nod. I would definitely love to see a supporting actress nomination and a Best Picture nod since the field is open to 10 nominations. Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon seem to be Academy faves so they might sneak in. Whatever happens though the film was a winner to me. I absolutely loved it!

Christmas Time is Here...December 19,2010

Since I posted a film list at Halloween, thought I'd do the same for Christmas. So here is a list of my 10 must watch movies at Christmas time. These are the movies I have to watch in order for my Christmas season to be complete. I am not counting holiday specials as movies as many of these lists seem to do. The only Christmas specials I have to watch each year are A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. When I was growing up these 2 specials always seem to come on back to back. As for the others I love Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and The Little Drummer Boy. I also really like the Hey, Arnold Christmas episode but that's not shown anymore. Also, fortunately for dvd, I also have to watch the holiday episodes of The Facts of Life, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, That Girl, The Brady Bunch, Laverne and Shirley, Supernatural, and of course, Saved by the Bell. Bewitched, The Andy Griffith Show, and Happy Days also have good episodes but I don't own them.

Okay, here's my 10 must watch movies ( I do include made-for-tv movies)

10. Love Story-Sharon insists this is not a Christmas movie. It is for me. There is a nice Christmas sequence and she does die during the Christmas season. And there are many sequences in the winter and snow. I know this is a really bad movie. Ali MacGraw doesn't even look close to college age and she flares her nostrils too much. Ryan O'Neal is pretty good though and I always kind of laugh at the way he says "hot chocolate". The romance is so unlikely though and the characters are kind of unlikable but I'll be danged if you don't get involved and invested in the romance. And even though you know it's coming, Sharon was boo hooing plenty at the end.

9. The House Without A Christmas Tree-I first saw this tv movie in 1972. It's the story of a young girl, Addie, who lives with her widowed father and her grandmother. More than anything she wants a Christmas tree for her home but her father, for reasons unknown to Addie, refuses to let her have one. Addie tries to take matters into her own hands but her father is unshakable in his stance. The House Without a Christmas Tree stands the test of time and remains poignant and heartwarming. If you've never seen it before or haven't seen it in a while, it is well worth checking out.

8. The Trouble With Angels- Another movie that doesn't quite fit into the traditional Christmas movie mode. This is Sharon's favorite all time movie. This is a family film from the sixties that can still be enjoyed by all ages today. It tells the tale of two high spirited girls enrolled in an all girls Catholic High School and the havoc and maturation they go through over the course of 3 years. There are two very touching Christmas sequences but the whole movie has a Christmas feel to it. It's uplifting with the spirit of love and forgiveness and even redemption. Perfect for the season I think.

7. Love, Actually-Multi-character movie with several subplots that intertwine set at Christmas. It's funny, sad, hopeful, joyous, and definitely worth investing a couple of hours in over the holidays.

6. Home Alone-Elijah and I usually watch this at least once during the season. This can actually be a quite moving film. I can do without all the Bugs Bunny, Looney Tunes violence but the story of a mother trying to get home to her son puts me in the spirit. They did make a sequel but at that point I thought I would be contacting family services about the neglect of a family that can't seem to keep track of their somewhat obnoxious kid.

5. Gremlins/Die Hard-My action twosome. Both set at Christmas time, both (according to my wife) totally inappropriate as Christmas choices. It is my list though. I never thought of Gremlins as a horror movie. I always thought it was kind of a black comedy. It turns some Christmas traditions on their heads yet still keeps that feeling of family alive. And it has to have the most bizarre yet hilarious/sad story of someone losing their belief in Santa ever. Die Hard also has that sense of family running through it. It is also big and noisy, action packed, funny, suspenseful, with an uplifting ending. Again perfect for the season.

4. Miracle on 34th Street-I like to watch this on Thanksgiving to kick off the season. This film is nearly perfect. I can't find a false note in it. Natalie Wood was such a charmer as a child actress and Edmund Gwenn captures the essence of Santa Claus to a tee. Be sure to watch the 1947 version and not the dreadful remakes. I hated both versions I have seen. Anyway, look quick for a small role by Jack Albertson of The Poseidon Adventure fame.

3. It's a Wonderful Life-This one always tears me up at the end. But it is a joyous celebration of life and humanity. Jimmy Stewart is just so dang likable that you can't help but pull for him while identifying with his plight. Meanwhile Lionel Barrymore is so evil and creepy as Mr. Potter that you just long to see his comeuppance. I have to admit, I do kind of giggle at the end when George is singing Auld Lang Syne. Just the way he moves his mouth. Oh well.

2. A Christmas Story-There are just way too many memorable lines and images from this movie to recount them all. I think my favorite is watching the mom in the background when Ralphie's father is trying to fix the lamp. Classic. This is another film that I can watch several times during the season and I guess TBS gives me that chance.

1. A Diva's Christmas Carol-Ok. I have no rhyme or reason why this is my number one Christmas movie but I just love it. Vanessa Williams is touching and hilarious as Ebony Scrooge, grade A diva. The story is familiar, of course, but I love all the updating and this has my favorite version of Sleigh Ride ever. I think the movie was originally made for VH1 but it plays on Lifetime sometimes as well. It is also available on DVD, which I proudly own. Favorite sequences involve trying to some "damn french toast" while in France, talking to the "skinny bitch" Kathy Griffin as the ghost of Christmas Past, and Ebony's visit from the ghost of Christmas yet to come. I know this is an odd choice for my number one Christmas movie but there it is. Oh, yeah, and don't forget, New Year's Eve is coming, break out your copy of "The Poseidon Adventure"!

Have a happy holiday.

Roger

December 11, 2010 The Chronicles Of Narnia-The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

We went to an early showing of the new Narnia movie today. There were actually quite a few people there for a 10:00 am showing. I like going early in the morning in Madison as tickets are only $5.00 for a non-3D movie. Sometimes a movie is not worth even the $5.00 but other times it's worth more. Luckily for us it was definitely worth the price of admission or more.

Elijah is a huge Narnia movie fan. He has watched repeated viewings of them and eagerly awaited this third. His opinion was that the movie was very good and it even made him a little sad at the end. He didn't feel like it dragged at all and kept him interested throughout.

I enjoyed it as well. I've seen both of the other movies and what I really liked about this movie is that I felt I didn't have to see them in order to enjoy this one. The plot once again calls Lucy and Edmund Pevensie back to Narnia along with their cousin Eustace. They travel through a series of adventures to reach the end of the world. Along the way there are some impressive special effects and nice action pieces.

I've never read the Narnia series of books so I can't really comment on how the movie differs from the book but I enjoyed watching the action sequences that didn't involve big long battle scenes. I also found the actors, especially the actor who played the young Eustace quite appealing.

I would recommend The Chronicles of Narnia-The Voyage of the Dawn Treader for older children and adults. It was an enjoyable way to spend my $5.00 and a morning.

Have a good one.

Roger

Late November Releases December 4, 2010

Thanksgiving weekend was a very busy one. We had many visitors and it was great fun. Fortunately we also had time to take in a movie. Love and Other Drugs is the new romantic comedy/drama starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway. It is a film that goes on a long way based on the charisma of its two leads and they both have it in spades. As usual I don't like to give away too much about the plot because I really hate when I read reviews that do that. I will say that it is a film that sometimes plays like a comedy and then suddenly becomes very serious. Not necessarily a bad thing but at times it played a little awkward. Life can be awkward though. Either way I enjoyed it.

This weekend I went to see Disney's new animated feature Tangled. I also got a chance to see how it played to me as an adult, my son as a teenager, and my great-niece as a preschooler. We all loved the movie. It was the Disneyfied version of Rapunzel and they did a great job with it. The animation was fun and lively, the songs pleasant if not memorable, and it moved along at a brisk pace. My niece didn't even ask if it was time to go yet. The story maintained the basic story of Rapunzel with enough twists that I almost forgot how the story ends. I did have the aha moment though in time to save me from getting too misty eyed.

Luckily for me I went 2 for 2 and fully got my money's worth.

Have a good one.

Roger

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows November 21, 2010

I am a big Harry Potter fan. I've read all the books and have seen all the movies multiple times. I've appreciated the change in film style as we've gone from the magical, bright beginnings to the dark tales that have unfolded in the present. So it was with great anticipation that I saw the new Harry Potter movie this past weekend. I'm glad that, for me, it did not disappoint.

If you have read any of my reviews you probably noticed I don't like to go into great detail about the stories. Too many reviews give too much away and I hate that. So, I will say the film stays true to the tone of the book. Unfortunately, even divided into 2 parts there were scenes that I missed and others I felt unnecessary. As with the book I felt that the middle section needed to be edited more as it tends to drag a bit. There were several scenes of suspense and poignancy. The young actors are excellent and Rupert Grint truly seems to stand out here. Once again, I can't wait to see the next and (oh no!) final film.

Have a good one.

Roger