My Month in Movies

Here's what I've been watching this month:

The Tourist (2010) - Really, this wasn't a bad movie if you didn't expect it to be anything AT ALL like the promos they showed, and just let it be Johnny and Angelina looking pretty in Venice.

Hereafter (2010) - Now this movie, on the other hand, kinda felt like it was missing something. Like an ending. This really should have been better than it was.

127 Hours (2010) - Unlike The Social Network, I completely understand why this was nominated for Best Actor and Best Picture - James Franco was riveting, and even though I know how the story ended, I couldn't stop watching.

Blue Valentine (2010) - This was so hard to watch. Both of these actors were incredible, but the movie itself was painful. I felt like I was intruding on something I shouldn't be witnessing.

Despicable Me (2010) - Oh, I loved this movie. The humor was right up my alley, and being a mom myself made the "parenting" moments even more touching. And I want Minions!!

The Town (2010) - I have to admit I haven't been a big fan of Ben Affleck's acting until now, but in this movie he was perfect. He and Jeremy Renner just WERE their characters - I believed every second. And Blake Lively as Krista gave me flashbacks to Adriana from The Sopranos - when she would up hurt in the hospital, and started talking to the agent, I suddenly knew exactly how her story was going to end. This movie was paced just a t e e n y bit to slowly for me, but otherwise I thought it was excellent.



Next up in my Netflix queue:

The Fighter
True Grit
Rabbit Hole

My Month in Movies

Here's what I've been watching this month:

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) - This is one of my favorite books from the series, and I found the movie to be just as delightful. Reepicheep always makes me cry!

Love and Other Drugs (2010) - The love story part of this movie really didn't intrigue me that much, probably because it was fairly predictable, and also because I am physically unable to think of Jake Gyllenhaal as a romantic lead. The storyline about him as a drug rep, however, I found very entertaining.

The Social Network (2010) - So the story of a guy who was basically a complete jerk to everyone around him, most especially his one and only friend, and managed to take this jerkiness and stumble upon a billion-dollar idea is the best story of the year according to the Oscar voters? Mostly I just felt irritated.

Never Let Me Go (2010) - This is an excellent adaptation of an excellent novel. Not 100% true to the original material, but the spirit is definitely the same, and I found it to be just as heartbreaking. Be a little bit patient- it's worth it in the end.



I've also been watching:

Game of Thrones - okay, fine, I'll read the books.

Glee - I realize this might make me a pariah, but I am SOO over the Rachel/Finn thing.

Camelot - Oh, Morgan, you just can't help yourself, can you?

The Voice - This is the talent American Idol wishes it would have been getting for it's past few seasons. Also, I want Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert to be my neighbors.


Next up in my Netflix queue:

Hereafter
127 Hours
The Town

My Month in Movies

Here's what I was watching this month:

The Road (2009) - Wow. Is the book as heartbreaking as this movie? I literally couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Viggo Mortensen was excellent. Watch with caution as a parent, though - it's probably your worst nightmare.

Tangled (2010) - Oh, I'm just a sucker for a good Disney princess. I think Rapunzel will join the ranks of Ariel and Belle as one of the classics. I can't wait to watch this with my kids when they are a little older!

Salt (2010) - Okay, so here is my problem with this movie. I don't care how incredible Angelina Jolie is - flying down the highway at 60+ miles per hour, jumping from cartop to cartop, there is no way her wrist would not have shattered. It was just a little bit too unbelievable for me.

Inception (2010) - Wow. There was a LOT going on in this movie. It's definitely one that could stand up to repeated viewing. The visuals were amazing. I know I didn't "get" everything that was going on, so I'd like to watch this again.

The King's Speech (2010) - Ohhh, Colin Firth. You are just so GOOD in everything. This was a truly enjoyable movie from start to finish - I definitely agree that it deserves all the awards it garnered.

Black Swan (2010) - I don't even know what to say about this one. It was mesmerizing, in a really strange way. Was is just me, or did it seem like there was very little dialogue? And the casting of Winona Ryder as the aging diva seemed perfect.

I am also watching:

Camelot - This series is still impressing me, and Eva Green as Morgan is mesmerizing.

The Pillars of the Earth - well, trying to anyway. Did it get cancelled? I haven't seen a new episode for a while...

Game of Thrones - Boy, there are a lot of nasty people in this world, huh? It's so complex and rich - I feel like we are barely scratching the surface, and it's halfway through the first season.

Glee - The babies love watching this one with me - we dance around the living room during all the songs.


Next up in my Netflix queue:

Never Let Me Go
The Tourist
The Social Network

My Month in Movies

I almost can't believe it, but I'm watching movies again! My poor Netflix queue has been languishing, but I think I'm getting back in the swing again. I did watch a whole bunch of seasons of Buffy during my maternity leave, but kinda lost interest around the time her incredibly boring, Ken-doll like boyfriend (from Iowa!) turned out to be a super secret vampire hunter in league with her professor. (Not making that one up, folks.)

So, here we go - here's what I watching this month:

Shutter Island - 2010 - Well, that took a turn I didn't expect. 2/3 of the way through I was thinking, "Wow, this might be the longest movie ever." And then the end happened. I continue to be impressed with Leo DiCaprio - he is pretty great in every movie I've seen him in for a while. This was a good one.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel - 2009 - What can I say? The babies love the Chipettes.

When In Rome - 2010 - Cute, cute. Josh Duhamel from All My Children and Kristen Bell from Veronica Mars falling in love in NYC? Yep, works for me. And I'm not sure how Kristen Bell got to be in a movie with this many comic heavyweights, but it was pretty darn funny. And the ending credits are a riot...

Alice in Wonderland - 2010 - The girl cast as Alice did not work for me, so this whole movie was a bit of a bust. Pretty, though.

Toy Story 3 - 2010 - Sigh. When all the toys clasp hands and form a circle as they are moving down toward the fire....what it is about cartoons that can elicit such emotion? Love this movie.


I am also watching:

Camelot - I've loved this myth ever since reading The Mists of Avalon as a teenager, and am a sucker for anything related to it. Luckily, this series is a very good re-imagining of the legend, and I have enjoyed the changes they have made to the story. Also, Morgan has always been one of my favorite characters, and she is AMAZING in this series. Can't wait to see where they go next.

The Pillars of the Earth - wasn't this a (somewhat mediocre) made-for-tv-movie a while back? This series is very good so far - I think it is actually doing the book justice, which is rare. Ian McShane is SO GOOD as the evil Waleran - really, the whole cast is excellent, and I'm enjoying this a lot.

Game of Thrones - I haven't read the books yet! (I know, I know...) I wasn't going to get sucked in, but then I watched the first two episodes, and now I can't stop. There are not a lot of nice people in this story, huh??


Next up in my Netflix queue:

Inception
The King's Speech
Tangled

My Month in Movies

“When I was your age, television was called books.” ~ The Princess Bride

Here's what made it off my Netflix queue into my DVD player this month:


District 9 (2009) - I don't know why I watch movies like this. They just give me nightmares. For a movie like this, District 9 was pretty good - especially for a low-budget, indie. It has lots of interesting things to say about race and violence, and clearly sets up for a sequel, which will probably be hugely successful. I just need to stop watching movies that will give me nightmares.

Terminator: Salvation (2009) - Wow, what a disappointment. This movie had so many things that should have made it good, but it really wasn't. The biggest disappointment, to me, was Christian Bale - he basically just did Batman again, which was not appropriate at all for John Connor. There were parts that could have been very good, but it was just executed poorly. Definitely a disappointment.

The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (2009) - Huh. I'm usually entertained by Jeremy Piven as the affably sleezy character he plays so well, but in this particular movie it just didn't work for me.

Funny People (2009) - This movie mostly told me that funny people are really sad people - very, very sad. It's about 30 minutes too long, and the highlight of the movie is a very funny Eric Bana. Don't think this movie is a side-splitter - it's very much a serious, dark look at the life of a comedian.

Jennifer's Body (2009) - I actually DIDN'T hate this as much as apparently everyone else in the world. I thought it was quite funny in places, and enjoyed watching the boys get slashed for a change. I mean, come on - it's a vampire movie. It's supposed to be over-the-top and campy, and I didn't take it seriously, so it was kinda fun.

Julie and Julia (2009) - Oh, how I love Meryl Streep. I enjoyed the Julia Child parts more than the Julie Powell parts, but as a whole this was a fun movie. Kinda makes me want to try out some French cooking.....feel very sorry for my husband! =)

My Month in Movies

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
~ Ferris Bueller

Here's a look at what made it off my Netflix queue into my DVD player this month:

Sin Nombre (2009) - This movie has been receiving a lot of critical acclaim, most notably at Sundance and the Independent Spirit Awards, and it was certainly compelling. The story of two teens from Honduras trying to escape their individually crappy lives and travel to the US, there were moments that were excellent. I thought especially the two young actors portraying the main characters brought their parts to life beautifully. It's not exactly a cheery film, however, so renters beware - not much good happens in this story.

My Sister's Keeper (2009) - Well, this was one case where reading the book first definitely ruined the movie for me - I knew the major spoiler, and the ending was completely different. However, Cameron Diaz was a complete surprise - what an acting job she did! And I enjoyed seeing Thomas Dekker in a short but poignant role. If you haven't read the book, and want a good tear-jerker, I would recommend this one - it's a weepy!

The Memory Thief (2007) - I found this movie to be very sad. A young man who doesn't have a past of his own becomes obsessed with the stories of Holocaust survivors. The lead actors, Mark Webber and Rachel Miner, were completely believable in their roles, and while the story itself was quite intriguing, I did feel it lacked a bit of narrative drive. However, a really good indie film - recommended.

State of Play (2009) - am I the only person who has seen this movie? Because it was pretty darn good. Russell Crowe is, as usual, excellent - he kinda grosses me out in real life, but in the movies he's remarkable. Jason Bateman plays a great slimy guy, and of course the incomparable Helen Mirren as the ballsy newspaper editor. Ben Affleck is even darn good. There were some plot holes, as in any thriller, but the tension and urgency allowed me to overlook them. I've seen hardly any press about this movie, but I really enjoyed it.

Inglourious Basterds (2009) - So, Tarantino takes on the Nazis - and this is pretty much what I expected. I do enjoy Tarantino's movies (well, except for From Dusk Til Dawn - seriously? It's a vampire movie?), so I wasn't surprised by much of anything, and took it for what it was - a rollicking good time. Brad Pitt is brilliant - his skill as a comedic actor shines. If you can stomach the Tarantino style, this won't disappoint - if he's not for you, this one won't change your mind.


I feel like I'm missing something from this list, but I can't remember what....oh well. Next up in my queue is District 9, and I have a feeling that's going to produce some nightmares....

My month in movies

"The chief difference between horror fans and science fiction fans lies in why they won't walk backwards. A horror fan won't walk backwards because he knows he'll be knifed by a madman. A science fiction fan won't walk backwards because he knows he'll step on the cat." ~Aaron Allston


Watchmen (2009) - I feel like this is a good companion to the graphic novel, but it didn't reach the depths the novel was able to find. It was also VERY long, and I wasn't crazy about actress who played Laurie, or the changes made to the ending - apparently, I'm one of the few who actually thought the original ending was good as it is. There were lots of good moments, however, and I was happy to hear much of the dialogue from the novel unchanged. But still, VERY long.

Dark Matter (2007) - Tragic story about a brilliant young Chinese student at an American university whose dreams are crushed when his work is dismissed. It's an interesting look at the politics involved in the university system, and features the fabulous Meryl Streep, which is why I rented it in the first place. Very good.

Sunshine Cleaning (2008) - a single mom tries to pay for private school for her overly-imaginative son by opening a biohazard removal service with her irresponsible sister. The performances by Amy Adams and Emily Blunt were fantastic - this is a very dark comedy, but smart and well written - ultimately a hopeful movie. Movies like this are why I love watching independent cinema.

Duplicity (2009) - Oh Julia Roberts, your grin still gets me. However, I think I might the only women on the planet who doesn't swoon at the sight of Clive Owen, so the romancy parts of the movie didn't really work for me. Also, this seemed overly complex, even for a spy movie. Not going to be on my list of favorites.

Adventureland (2009) - you know, I don't think Kristen Stewart actually acts - I think she's just herself in every movie she's in. I couldn't tell any difference between Emily in this movie, and Bella in Twilight. This was a nice movie, more intelligent than I expected.

Rudo y Cursi (2008) - Spanish-language film about two brothers with dreams of becoming stars. I love the Diego Luna/Gael Garcia Bernal acting combo, and they were wonderful again in this movie. Recommended if you like foreign films, and can handle some rough language.



My movie watching definitely suffered this month, with BBAW and season 4 of Supernatural to keep me busy. Hopefully I can make a bigger dent in my Netflix queue this month!