Movie #194 - The Family Man

The Family Man
2000 - Rated PG-13 - 2 hr 5 min
Director: Brett Ratner
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Tea Leoni, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Piven, Saul Rubinek

At least in this movie, Nicolas Cage is the good guy. Well, most of the time. He's a real jerk in the beginning, but he comes around.  And the transition is well managed, not forced or unbelievable.

The premise is like a backwards It's a Wonderful Life or a version of that parallel universe movie Sliding Doors (I kinda wish we had that one, actually).  Nic Cage left behind his college sweetheart to pursue his big time career as a broker.  A chance encounter with Don Cheadle earns him a "glimpse" at the alternate reality, where he stayed with the college sweetheart and started a family.  Gone are his power and success, gone are his life's luxuries, and gone is his freedom (and whorish lifestyle).  SPOLER ALERT...

But he soon starts to see that life with a wife and kids, living in a suburb, and working a retail job aren't so bad.  He's still in love with Tea Leoni, he learns. And his kids are pretty adorable, too.  The sad thing is that it's just a "glimpse" and he has to leave, has to return to the real reality where he left this option for his career.

The ending is a bit disappointing.  Yes, it would be super Hollywood of them to let him stay in the new reality.  And yes, the ending they did go with leaves a nice fill-in-the-blank for you. Do they get married and have those kids?  Probably not, since the odds are against them.  I do feel bad for him that he has to leave those kids behind after growing to truly love them.  I got really hung up on that and so the movie left me with a bad taste in my mouth.  Those poor unborn kids... Maybe I'm too worried about this movie.

Movie #193 - Fallen

Fallen
1998 - Rated R - 2 hr 4 min
Director: Gregory Hoblit
Starring: Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Donald Sutherland

I like this one, although it's pretty creepy and doesn't exactly have a happy ending... The whole thing is one big deception, so that's cool. And Denzel Washington does a good job, playing the man who sacrifices everything to capture one "criminal." Or whatever you want to call it.

Yeah, it's creepy.  There are some questions I have, namely, why can this "being" pass to everyone BUT Denzel? It's a bit strange how long it plays with him and then, all of a sudden, it can possess him no problem.  Maybe I missed something.

Either way, the whole movie hinges on one twist at the end, so you might get there and be disappointed.  Unless you enjoy the ride, the payoff's not enough to watch the whole thing.  Fortunately, I did enjoy it, even knowing what the big finish was.

Movie #192 - Face/Off

Face/Off
1997 - Rated R - 2 hr 18 min
Director: John Woo
Starring: John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen, Tommy Flanagan

John Woo can't help himself.  There must be doves. There must be artsy, self-indulgent cinematography. There must be gratuitous explosions. 

Obviously, this movie has all three. It also has one of the weirdest premises ever. Two men, the criminal and the man he wronged, switch identities...faces, bodies, voices. All of it. And then, OH NO! The good guy's trapped in the bad guy's body, cuz the bad guy killed the doctors that did the procedure and burned all the evidence that it even took place. No one will ever find out! And the bad guy, dressed as the good guy, is sleeping with the good guy's wife!

Still with me?

Nicolas Cage plays the bad guy, but when the bad guy's in John Travolta's body, he actually does a better job.  Nic Cage is better when he's got the good duy trapped in his body.

I'm getting confused now, so I'm gonna stop.  But you get the idea.  It's confusing, and we're nowhere near this kind of science. Besides, who would EVER do this? EVER?!  It seems like someone had a crazy idea and built a plot around it, just to shoot some of the action scenes and the who's-who stuff.

Ugh.

Movie #191 - eXistenZ

eXistenZ
1999 - Rated R - 1 hr 37 min
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ian Holm, Willem Dafoe, Christopher Eccleston, Sarah Polley

Last of the E's and it's a good one too! It's been a good six or so years since I've sat down to watch this classic mind-twist movie. Then game-within-a-game-within-a-game that goes on to an Inception-level of intricacy.  Jennifer Jason Leigh is fantastic as Allegra Gellar, the "game designer" (or is she?) And Jude Law is so young, it's adorable.

I can't say too much without giving this plot away. But gaming has gone to an all-new level in this futuristic movie.  You "port in" through a "bio-port" directly into your spine. The concept makes me shiver just thinking about it.  But that's how you play the game, so everyone has a bio-port and people don't do any real activities anymore, since you can now simulate just about everything in your mind.  Cool concept. Possibly a real prediction of our future. I guess we'll have to see.

In the mean time, watch this one if you like twists, mind games, and intrigue.  Enjoy!

Movie #190 - The Ex

The Ex
2006 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 17 min
Director: Jesse Peretz
Starring: Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Charles Grodin, Jason Bateman, Mia Farrow, Donal Logue, Amy Poehler, Amy Adams

Here's a first-time watch. And I'm still kinda scratching my head about this one. I have many questions. For example, why was it made? And what happens to Jason Bateman at the end? That's it?! Problem solved? Is he OKAY?!

So Zach Braff and Amanda Peet are young, married, and have fallen upon hard times that lead him to work with her father.  Despite their honest effort, they can't seem to be happy in their new roles: Braff as marketing ad guy, Peet as full-time mom.  And Jason Bateman, an old boyfriend of Peet's and new coworker of Braff's, is not making life any easier for both of them.

My big problem with this was it's general mean-spiritedness. It's not that funny and, at times, it's just awkward.  There's also a lot of wasted talent here. These people are funny and they're not allowed to act like it. Amy Poehler, Amy Adams, and Donal Logue are mostly wasted here. It could've been so much better. 

Now, I love a good awkward comedy scene as much as the next guy, but scenes in this movie made me cringe.  Not to mention that Zach Braff is incapable of playing any character other than J.D. on Scrubs. Amanda Peet and Charles Grodin were good though.

That's all I've got on this one, folks.

Movie #189 - Evolution

Evolution
2001 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 41 min
Director: Ivan Reitman
Starring: David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Julianne Moore, Seann William Scott, Dan Aykroyd, Ethan Supplee, Michael Bower, Ted Levine

Another movie I love! The letter E has been very good to me thus far, possibly my favorite letter yet!  Although the G's look promising :)

So aliens come to Earth via a meteorite which crashes and creates a little habitat underground.  Has-been scientist David Duchovny and hack scientist Orlando Jones are first on the scene, then get tangled up in some government red tape (via Julianne Moore and Ted Levine.) But when aliens escape and attack the mall, all hell breaks loose.  Sides will be switched, shampoo will be purchased, and aliens will (eventually) be vanquished.

How can you not love this movie?

Movie #188 - Evan Almighty

Evan Almighty
2007 - Rated PG - 1 hr 36 min
Director: Tom Shadyac
Starring: Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham, John Goodman, Wanda Sykes, John Michael Higgins, Jonah Hill, Molly Shannon

Technically, this is the sequel to Bruce Almighty but it has very little to do with Bruce.  And Jim Carrey's not even in it.  But Evan Baxter, a side character from the first movie, gets his own God encounter in this movie. But instead of being God himself, he gets to play the underrated role of Noah.  Set in modern day, poor "Noah" gets a bad rap, but I'm sure it must have been tough for him to get people to believe him, even back then.  Now, talking to God is a symptom of insanity, so Evan's lucky he doesn't get locked up.

I'm glad Morgan Freeman is in this again, since he's an excellent God. (hahaha) And it provides some consistency as well.  The flood scene is fun, but a bit disappointing after all the buildup.  I mean, do we really need gazelles and giraffes for this? But the good guys win in the end, and Evan's family becomes stronger for the experience. Also, they adopt a homeless dog. Everyone wins.

And so they get to do the dance.

Movie #187 - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2004 - Rated R - 1 hr 48 min
Director: Michel Gondry
Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst

Oh.... this movie.

I fell in love with this movie the first time I saw it, and my love has not waivered.  By now, I've watched it a dozen times and I still have to go by Kate Winslet's hair color to make sure I know what point in time we're in. 

The concept of this movie - the ability to wipe away the memories of a lost love from your life - is a highly polarizing one, but a fascinating one all the same.  Would you do it? Should you do it? And what happens if during the procedure you change your mind, like Jim Carrey does? The sequence of them hiding in his early memories is so imaginative and so much fun to watch.  By the end, you're really hoping they'll win.

The best part about this movie is that it doesn't just involve the procedure.  It covers the before, during, and after. And even throws in a case of extreme after with Kirsten Dunst, who reacts to it in a way surprising for her character but not surprising in general.  To go from worshipping the process and its creator, to suddenly being its victim.  She does a brilliant job with this, and sets into motion the resolution for Carrey and Winslet as well.  I'm glad it doens't just end with them forgetting each other.  It's too far-fetched to think people who loved each other once wouldn't gravitate back to each other.  Here, it's handled very well and very realistically.

One of my faves, by far.

Movie #186 - Equilibrium

Equilibrium
2002 - Rated R - 1 hr 47 min
Director: Kurt Wimmer
Starring: Christian Bale, Sean Bean, Emily Watson, Taye Diggs

Weird futuristic movie.
Evil Taye Diggs.
Sense Crimes.
Dead puppies.

This is what I took away from this movie.  It's impressive to watch, pretty to see, and is one of Christian Bale's more interesting roles.  Although, of all these people, believing that he's the one to fall for a puppy is a bit of a stretch.  And Taye Diggs evil? Never!

I couldn't remember this movie by it's title, which was soon remedied once I put it on. Then I panicked, because I remembered it as "the movie where they shoot the puppies." And it was all downhill from there.

So this one's okay. Not one of my faves. And definitely paints one of the bleaker pictures of human kind's future, so you won't walk away feeling good from this one.

Movie #185 - Entrapment

Entrapment
1999 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 53 min
Director: Joan Amiel
Starring: Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ving Rhames

Once again, I'm falling behind on posts, so I'm going as quick as I can here, folks.  Believe it or not, I'm quicker at watching them than I am at reviewing them.

Sometimes I just don't have much to say... like with this movie.  It is what it is. Complicated series of heists, an odd partnership between two mismatched thieves, and the story of how this relationship develops.  Connery and Zeta-Jones are both good, but it's neither of their best works.  It does, however, explain her attraction to old men (and subsequent marriage to Michael Douglas), but whatever.  And Ving Rhames looks really young in this. I almost didn't recognize him at first.

Basically, this movie exists for two things: the fun heist sequences where Zeta-Jones winds around invisible laser beams and the twist with a twist ending.  Wait... who's on who's side? That part's the most fun of the entire movie.  But then it's over. Tada!

Movie #184 - Enemy at the Gates

Enemy at the Gates
2001 - Rated R - 2 hr 11 min
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Starring: Jude Law, Ed Harris, Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins, Ron Perlman

Here's a twisted transition for you.... Enchanted to Enemy at the Gates. But here we are.  World War II. Snipers. Russian war camp.  Yippee!

Once I wrapped my brain around this non-musical, non-animated, non-happy-whatsoever movie, I remembered how much I enjoy it.  Joseph Fiennes has redeemed himself since Elizabeth (for me, anyway) with his character here, who really means well but gets a little too jealous for his own good.  In the end, he's a true friend though and makes the ultimate sacrifice.

This is one of my favorite roles for Jude Law as well, who doesn't get to be pretty in this movie and is not surrounded by flocks of women.  He really gets to act.  And watching his various stand-offs with one Ed Harris (scary, Nazi mo-fo in this, btw) is just delightful, in a very morbid way.  Thrilling? Compelling? We'll go with compelling.

Then there's poor Rachel Weisz, who just wants to help. Then just wants to love Jude Law like any other girl, okay? Leading us to the most awkward love scene in cinematic history. I'm serious. Most. Awkward. Scene. Ever.  But definitely well done.

And that's that. This movie makes me sad, but it's so powerful to watch.  I love it.

Movie #183 - Enchanted

Enchanted
2007 - Rated PG - 1 hr 47 min
Director: Kevin Lima
Starring: Amy Adams, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey, Idina Menzel, Julie Andrews

When I first heard about this movie, I thought it was going to be dumb. I know, I know. Proved me wrong, didn't they?  In retrospective, the concept is kinda genius.  What happens when a Disney cartoon implodes on itself? How will a Disney princess survive in New York City?  Belle might've done better than Giselle does, but she somehow manages to get through it.

So she's not street smart. And she runs around with her hands all dainty-like in front of her face. She talks to animals and makes friends with the roaches.  She makes dresses from curtains.  And she sings everywhere.  Actually, I might like to hang out with Giselle myself, which is all thanks to Amy Adams, who buys into this with the unbridled enthusiasm that Will Ferrell became Buddy the Elf.  This is why this works people, it's all up to her to sell it to us. Of course, the little girl helps too. And let's not even get started on the awesomeness that is James Marsden. Hillarious.

And so, I was wrong. And I love this movie now.  The songs get stuck in my head. It's a pity that the only Broadway songstress to appear in the movie (Idina Menzel, who you might know from the OBC of Rent and Wicked) does not sing.  Huh.  But everyone else does just fine.

Yay for a fun movie!

Movie #182 - Employee of the Month (2006)

Employee of the Month
2006 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 43 min
Director: Greg Coolidge
Starring: Jessica Simpson, Dane Cook, Dax Shepard, Andy Dick, Harland Williams, Efren Ramirez

Hey, it's Pedro (from Napoleon Dynamite)! And he plays almost the same character!  And Jessica Simpson makes a worthy attempt at acting, but falls flat. Shocking.

So Dane Cook is the lazy guy who's had a tough life. Dax Shepard is the douche-bag who is happy to be a 17-month employee of the month at a wholesale superstore (like BJ's).  Both of them are kinda losers, but only Dane Cook is aware of it.  And he wants to date Jessica Simpson, who is strangely oblivious to Dax Shepard's douchey-ness. 

What bothers me the most about this movie is the way Dane Cook's friends turn on him so suddenly. "Friends."  He's trying to become a better man - breaking his butt, actually - and they're like, "Oh, you're too cool for us now! What about us?!" How about a little support, guys?  In the end, they come through for him. But their sudden anger towards him seems forced, since I don't think his actions warrant it.

In the end, though, this is just a fun, albeit predictable, movie with a pretty, straight-forward premise.  Dane vs Dax is enjoyable to watch, since both seem to buy into their characters completely. It works.

Movie #181 - Employee of the Month (2004)

Employee of the Month
2004 - Rated TV-MA - 1 hr 37 min
Director: Mitch Rouse
Starring: Matt Dillon, Steve Zahn, Christina Applegate, Dave Foley

Another movie filled with crosses, double-crosses, triple-crosses....  This is a weird one, but lots of fun.  Who's in on this? Who's out? What's even going on?

The bulk of this movie doesn't even let on that there's something you should be paying attention for.  I'm not ruining anything, I promise (nothing more than the cover of the DVD ruins).  Matt Dillon has a horrible day, makes a poor choice, and BAM! all hell breaks loose.

I hadn't seen this in a while and then, watching it again, I forgot all about the ending. So that was a fun surprise!  It's definitely unique - a little weird, but unique.  And Christina Applegate is great in this.

Movie #180 - The Emperor's Club

The Emperor's Club
2002 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 48 min
Director: Michael Hoffman
Starring: Kevin Kline, Emile Hirsch, Joel Gretsch, Jesse Eisenberg

Watching this movie with a Latin teacher is an experience. Watching this movie with a Latin teacher who brings it into class to watch with he kids once a year is an even funnier experience.  In my house, this movie's kind of a big deal.

Kevin Kline plays a popular ancient history/Latin teacher in the early 70s at an all-boys boarding school.  The story talks about one class in particular, where the rebel son of a Senator shakes the foundation of what he believes as a teacher.  He goes out on a limb for this kid, only to be stabbed in the back.  Twenty-five years later, a reunion with the class shakes him up even more, but he somehow finds the peace he needs.  Vague, I know, but I don't want to ruin it for you if you haven't seen it.

Kline is awesome, per usual, and his Latin pronounciation is spot-on (says Mike), so that's good.  It's fun to see little Jesse Eisenberg, who's now nominated for an Oscar (for The Social Network), so go him.

Love this movie - which gets me all irritated with this punk-ass kid every time I watch it.  I can understand why Mike shows it to his students year in and year out.

Movie #179 - Elizabeth

Elizabeth
1998 - Rated R - 2 hr 4 min
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Fiennes, Vicent Cassel, Emily Mortimer

Time for me to geek on you for a second.

This movie is fantastic. Sorry, but the portrayal of Elizabeth I here is unparalleled.  Cate Blanchett is Elizabeth.  Like, for real. Her transition from young, persecuted Lady Elizabeth to the Virgin Queen throughout this film is brilliant. 

Joseph Fiennes's Robert Dudley, on the other hand, isn't exactly what I expected.  Dudley's more brash, less suave, less Shakespeare-In-Love-y.  It works for the movie, but it could have been better.  Geoffrey Rush is excellent (no surprise) and look! Thomas Frain! He went from this movie to The Tudors. Huh.

My one regret is that I owned the sequel The Golden Years so I could finish up her story.  Guess I'll put that on my wish list (not that I need another movie to watch right now).  And so we move onward...

Movie #178 - Elf

Elf
2003 - Rated PG - 1 hr 37 min
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Will Ferrell, Edward Asner, Bob Newhart, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Zooey Deschanel, Peter Dinklage

Smiling may be my favorite, but this movie comes close.  It could so easily have been too much, but it's a perfect balance of real and fiction, belief and skepticism, with a side of maple syrup.

What makes this movie work, though, is Will Ferrell's utter committment to the role.  He buys into it completely, which makes it easier for us to get lost in the story of Buddy the Elf and his journey to New York City.  A half-assed performance wouldn't do the trick, and would have made the whole movie fall flat.  Thankfully, he's so excellent at this kind of thing, you half expect to be able to talk to narwals.

So even though Christmas is over, I still took much joy in being able to watch this one again.  Of all the elves in all the movies out there, Buddy is my favorite, hands down.

Movie #177 - Edward Scissorhands

Edward Scissorhands
1990 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 45 min
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall, Vincent Price, Alan Arkin

Oh, poor Edward! This dark "fairy tale" is so sweet and so sad and so utterly Tim Burton that I just can't help but love it.  The first time I watched this, the ending really frustrated me (and not just because Winona Ryder is the worst "old lady" ever) but now I can see that it ends the only way it can. And in a way, it's a happy ending. Kinda.

Johnny Depp, even though he has about ten lines, is awesome.  The way he moves his scissored-hands around seems almost natural.  His innocence is in every look, word, and movement.  And its easy to see how pure of heart he is, even if those around him can't see it.

This movie is also an interesting social study of the American suburb and human nature in general.  People are captivated by the new, but reject what they don't understand.  Edward is both of these at once and must suffer the changing moods of the surrounding neighbors.  He really is safer on his own and that simple fact is just too sad.

He could come and live with me anytime.

Movie #176 - Easy Rider

Easy Rider
1969 - Rated R - 1 hr 35 min
Director: Dennis Hopper
Starring: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson

I used to tell myself that there were no "guy" movies and "girl" movies, but then I began this adventure across the movie wall and watched movies I'd never seen before.  Among them, I've found many "guy" movies and am now ready to admit that sexism in the film industry exists.

I don't get the point of this movie at all.

I did enjoy the youth of the actors. It's like stepping into a time machine to watch Jack Nicholson. So weird.  The coming-of-age tale of these bikers is otherwise not that interesting.  In fact, the drugged-out scenes and general malaise of most of the film is a bit boring.  It's a film largely marked by its time, I guess, but I don't think it's stood up. And I have to admit that the end scene is so bad that I laughed. Sorry, but it looks like someone tosses the bike across the camera. Oh, we've come so far.

I don't know. Maybe I just don't get it...

Movie #175 - Duplicity

Duplicity
2009 - Rated PG-13 - 2 hr 5 min
Director: Tony Gilroy
Starring: Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Tom Wilkinson, Paul Giamatti

We saw this one in the theatre and, if I remember correctly, the critics weren't big fans of the caper.  Seeing it now, I have to admit that it was a bit weird, but not because of the movie itself.  It was weird to see Roberts/Owen in another movie together after I just saw Closer last month.  I wonder if it was weird for them too, gettin' it on again on screen.  Huh.

Anyway, I like the movie and it was nice to see it again after all some time, since I'd forgotten all the twists and turns of the plot.  Rediscovering the con within a con within a loooooooong con was fun, like seeing it for the first time again. 

It's hard to talk about this one without giving it away, so I'll stop here.  The movie's full of intrigue, vagueries, and definitely makes you pay attention.  It's a great thinking movie, but it will probably still surprise you in the end.  I don't know why the critics didn't like it. I think it's original and fun, and this pair is great once again.

Movie #174 - Dude, Where's My Car?

Dude, Where's My Car?
2000 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 23 min
Director: Danny Leiner
Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Seann William Scott, Jennifer Garner, Kristy Swanson, Hal Sparks

This movie is screaming to be a drinking game. Every time someone says 'dude' you drink. Of course, 45 minutes in you'd be suffering from liver failure. But it would be fun for a little while, right?

These two lovable idiots wrote the book on crazy nights you forget in the morning (hey, writers of The Hangover.... I'm looking at you.)  Of course, it's stoner-riffic and extremely dated. Does anyone say "shibby" anymore? I don't even think I know what that means.  But you can't help but laugh at the ridiculous characters, plot twists, and one-note dialogue. 

And come on. Every time you can't remember where you parked, you know you ask "Dude, where's my car?" just because it seems like the thing to say.  It's nice to have this movie to remember the year 2000, isn't it?

The Fifth Shelf

Hooray! We're really moving now and it's a good thing, too.  I was starting to fall behind.  As we keep adding more and more titles, driving our total collection up toward 700 titles (yikes!) this task seems even more daunting than when I set out.  I have three more shelves to go until I've finished the first shelving unit, which roughly marks the halfway point.  When we get to the end of March, I should at least be halfway or I have no hope whatsoever of accomplishing this task.

I'll keep going even if I don't finish on time, but I don't want to think about that yet.  I've got eight months to go. I can DO this!

So here's what's next on the adventure:

1. Dude, Where's My Car/
2. Duplicity
3. Easy Rider
4. Edward Scissorhands
5. Elf
6. Elizabeth
7. Enchanted
8. Employee of the Month (2004)
9. Employee of the Month (2006)
10. Enchanted
11. Enemy at the Gates
12. Entrapment
13. Equilibrium
14. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
15. Evan Almighty
16. Evolution
17. The Ex
18. Existenz
19. Face/Off
20. Fallen
21. The Family Man
22. Fantasia
23. Fantasia 2000
24. Fantastic 4
25. Fanboys
26. Fever Pitch
27. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
28. Field of Dreams
29. The Fifth Element
30. Fight Club
31. Finding Nemo
32. A Fish Calles Wanda
33. Flight of the Navigator
34. Flight of the Phoenix
35. Follow That Bird
36. For Your Consideration
37. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
38. The Forgotten
39. Forrest Gump
40. Formula 51
41. The Fountain
42. The Four Feathers
43. The Fugitive
44. The Full Monty
45. Fuzzbucket
46. G.I. Joe
47. Galaxy Quest
48. Garden State
49. Get Him to the Greek
50. Get Smart

No big sets or trilogies here. Lots of comedies. Lots of great ones that I love.

This is going to be a quick and easy shelf. Hooray!

Movie #173 - Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
2008 - TV
Director: Joss Whedon
Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, Felicia Day

The best thing to emerge from that unpleasant writer's strike, Dr. Horrible technically aired online...so I guess I don't have to include it.  But I love it so much that I have to.  Come on, it's NPH. And he sings. What's not to love?

This is short and sweet, a tale of rivalry as only Whedon can tell it, and filled with enough songs to tide you over until you can watch the Buffy musical again.  Dr. Horrible vs. Captain Hammer is now one of the great battles between good and evil, or evil and less evil. More evil? Wait... is there a good guy? 

But really, it's all about a girl.  And a Freeze Ray.  But mostly, the girl.

So watch this one when you're snowed in this winter.  It's light and fun (mostly) and has some really catchy tunes.  NPH is brilliant, as usual, and you'll be quoting this long after you switch off the DVD player.

Movie #172 - Dragnet

Dragnet
1987 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 46 min
Director: Tom Mankiewicz
Starring: Dan Aykroyd, Tom Hanks, Christopher Plummer, Dabney Coleman

Yup, here's a cheesy, dated movie.  I vaguely remember this one as a kid, but haven't seen it in ages.  Actually, this is probably the first time I've seen it all the way through.  Aykroyd and Hanks make a good pair, straight cop and funny cop, good cop and bad cop, by-the-book and by-the-seat-of-his-pants.  They do justice to these characters, which makes the movie palatable.  Otherwise, I'd have been bored to tears.

There's not much else to report from this one.  It's a standard buddy cop movie, your regular uncover the internal corruption kind of plot. Dabney Coleman is funny, mostly for his weird accent.  And Christopher Plummer is in this too, because he's in everything.  I think this is his seventh or eighth appearance on the Wall.  Wow!

All right, one more on this shelf!!

Movie #171 - Dracula 2000

Dracula 2000
2000 - Rated R - 1 hr 39 min
Director: Patrick Lussier
Starring: Gerard Butler, Christopher Plummer, Omar Epps

This movie, evidently, was filmed before Gerard Butler was hot.  Seriously. He's skinny, skeevy, and has crazy hair.  Wes Craven's Dracula is definitely scary, and not as seductive as you might think.... for the ladies anyway.

On the upside, Jeri Ryan makes a hot reporter-gone-vamp, so there's that for the male viewership.  In fact, with this bit part and her teensy appearance in Down With Love, I think I might have just watched her entire movie career in one letter.  Oh, Seven of Nine, where are you now?

So this one's another boy movie (duh) and I wasn't thrilled.  It seems to be made purely for it's vampire violence and sexual content - honestly, how many slutty vampires does this guy need?  It also has a huge cast of TV show stars.  The curly-fro guy from That 70's Show, Foreman from House, the new squintern guy on Bones, and of course, Nathan Fillion.  He makes a pretty cute priest, I might add.  Cuter than Gerard Butler, too.

In a long list of things that came out in the year 2000 with the number 2000 in their title, just because, this one falls somewhere in the middle. Not great, not horrible.  Just more white noise with all that vampire stuff that's out there now.

Movie #170 - Down With Love

Down With Love
2003 -Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 51 min
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Renee Zellweger, David Hyde Pierce

Wow, is this campy! But it's great because everyone in the cast totally buys into it.  Renee Zellweger prances around like the perfect 60's woman and it's adorably funny.  The costumes are great, the music is spot-on, and the "battle of the sexes" is fought in the perfect social atmosphere.  Housewives unite over a book and the men are running scared!

And once we get to see what these two are really all about, and the crazy mind games they're playing, it seems like the only possible conclusion for this satirical romp through 1960s culture.  Female empowerment or love and marriage? Do you have to choose one or the other?

Movie #169 - Donnie Darko

Donnie Darko
2001 - Rated R - 1 hr 53 min
Director: Richard Kelly
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Maggie Gyllenhaal, James Duval, Patrick Swayze

This movie is messed up.  But also awesome.

After all, "Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?" Right?

So here's itty bitty Jake Gyllenhaal (and Maggie too!) in the 80's and all sorts of crazy, seeing man-sized rabbits and whacking bronze statues with an axe.  This is probably the best cinematic teenage angst ever made, but it's also so much more than that.  Is Donnie Darko schizophrenic, is he just in-tune to what we don't know? How does he predict the things he does? And how the help did he get up high enough to put the axe in the dog's head?  What kind of name is Donnie Darko, anyway? These are the questions this movie makes me ask. 

Then you get to the end and you wonder, how much was real? Is there a time loop? Alternative universes, parallel timelines? And if the jet engine still falls, is the plane still going to crash? Yikes.

Anyway, it took me a couple of watches to really get what's happening here.  And it's possible I still don't completely get it... hence all the questions.  But it took this watch for me to notice Seth Rogen has a bit part. Watch it and see if you can find him. I love this game.

If you haven't seen this one and you don't like dark, psychological (not scary, but definitely twisted) movies, you should probably pass.  If you like that kind of stuff and you want something to think about, put this in your Netflix queue.

Movie #168 - Don Juan DeMarco

Don Juan DeMarco
1994 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 37 min
Director: Jeremy Leven
Starring: Johnny Depp, Marlon Brando, Faye Dunaway

A Johnny Depp movie I'd never seen... hooray!  And I liked this one a lot, too.  If you're not familiar with the premise, a mental patient thinks he's Don Juan, the world's greatest lover.  Is he really? Or is there a darker, sadder past he's covering up?  And does it matter?

Marlon Brando plays his psychiatrist, a man who needs to meet a patient like this and change his way of thinking, just before retiring.  Together, these two both find a happy common ground and everyone gets their happy ending.  It's sweet and romantic, and empowering. And if only they didn't play that "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" song throughout the whole movie, it would be perfect. 

I really can't believe I've had this movie all this time and never watched it before.  I guess this is what the movie wall project is all about, huh?

Movie #167 - Dogma

Dogma
1999 - Rated R - 2 hr 10 min
Director: Kevin Smith
Starring: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Chris Rock, George Carlin, Salma Hayek, Alan Rickman, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Jason Lee

Who isn't in this movie?  It's like a Who's Who of Kevin Smith films.  Even Brian O'Halloran makes an appearance. Impressive.

Believe it or not, this was the first Kevin Smith movie I ever saw.  But I knew afterwards that I was a fan and I needed to see more.  That lead to Clerks, Chasing Amy, Mallrats... and I even went to see Jersey Girl.  That's dedication.

What makes this movie even greater than his others is the seamless way he blends his usual comedy with Catholic dogma.  Alan Rickman as the angel Gabriel? Only Kevin Smith would think of this.  George Carlin as a cardinal? Ditto.  And of course, adding Jay and Silent Bob elevates this to a whole new level... and ranks them as the greatest "prophets" the world has ever known.

Only watch this movie if you can laugh at religion, or else you're going to hate it.  The humor isn't mean-spirited or disrespectful in anyway, but you have to have a sense of humor about it.  It isn't meant to be taken seriously, but it's message is: don't believe blindly, just have a good idea.

Movie #166 - Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
2004 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 32 min
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Starring: Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Christine Taylor, Rip Torn, Justin Long, Alan Tudyk

Oh man, do I love this movie.  I realize I say that about 90% of the comedies on the movie wall, but I can't help it, I love to laugh.  And Ben Stiller in this movie, and all his priceless one-liners, really make me laugh. 

As I like to say whenever appropriate, "Nobody makes me bleed my own blood."

I think that says it all.

But then there's Rip Torn and his quotable dodgeball coaching sessions ("If you can dodge traffic, you can dodge a ball.") I'm not sure how helpful they really are, but they're hillarious. 

The movie as a whole follows a predictable trajectory... evil guy tries to stomp out good guy, good guy triumphs after much strife and turmoil.  But if you need a good laugh, and some light subject matter to occupy you for a few minutes, pop this DVD in and enjoy.

After all, Chuck Norris gives it a thumbs up.

Movie #165 - District B13

District B13
2004 - Rated R - 1 hr 24 min
Director: Pierre Morel
Starring: Cyril Raffaelli, David Belle, Tony D'Amario

French action flick, anyone?

Mike looooooves this movie and I have to admit that it's fun to watch for the stunts.  It's set in the ghettos of Paris in 2010, which is sorta funny, now that we've passed that. 

It is filled with great action sequences and pretty killer stunts.  The plot is okay, a bit lacking and kinda predictable, but the twist at the end and the set-up that ensues is pretty cool.  I won't ruin it if you're interested, just say that it's nice to see some real satisfaction for government wrong-doings...

Enjoy all the building hopping if you do sit down with this one.  And yes, it's dubbed (which has it's good points and bad) so you won't have to split your focus reading subtitles, you can just watch the actors beat the crap out of each other.

Movie #164 - District 9

District 9
2009 - Rated R - 1 hr 52 min
Director: Neil Blomkamp
Starring: Sharlto Copley, David James, Jason Cope

Peter Jackson picked a good one to produce, that's for sure.  This movie, if you haven't seen it, is one of the most original I've seen in a long time.  It's a blended action/sci-fi/mockumentary and even has it's funny bits.  As my sister kept saying, "Are you sure this isn't a comedy?" 

A race of impoverished aliens inhabit a commune in Johannesburg.  Mankind is prejudiced against them, wants to move them farther away from the city.  Protestors and rights activists march outside.  The government sends in a highly unprepared team to "evict" the aliens (or Prawns, the racial slur often used) and someone gets hurt.  As he starts to turn into some weird half-man, half-Prawn creature, of course, the government wants to dissect him... alive.  Now he has to team up with a Prawn to survive, and possibly help get the alien race back home.

Sounds good, right?  Yup.  This is one of the grossest movies I've ever seen... icky for its alien violence, mostly... but it's really well done.  Even the aliens are creatively designed (different from your little green men with big heads) and expertly created onscreen. 

I loved this movie in the theater and every time I watch it again.

Movie #163 - Dinosaur

Dinosaur
2000 - Rated PG - 1 hr 22 min
Directors: Eric Leighton, Ralph Zondag
Starring: DB Sweeney, Julianna Marguiles, Samuel E. Wright, Hayden Panettiere, Della Reese

Disney went waaaaay old school for this movie, but animated it with a blend of CG and hand-drawn cels if I remember correctly.  And for those who were worried about him, D.B. Sweeney did get work after The Cutting Edge.  Right here. As Aladar, the dinosaur.  Now that's a resume...

Anyway, this one's okay.  Kinda dark for a kids' movie, with lots of weird allusions to dinosaur.... um, intimacy.  You almost miss them.  So, not my favorite Disney movie, but one that is definitely pretty to watch.  The animation is superb, the storyline is a little tired (Land Before Time anyone?), but the kiddies will like it. And they won't get the jokes, since Disney has child-proofed them. 

Hooray.

Movie #162 - Die Hard: With a Vengeance

Die Hard: With a Vengeance
1995 - Rated R - 2 hr 11 min
Director: John McTiernan
Starring: Bruce Willis, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson

With the director from the first one back in charge, this movie franchise gets back on track.  This is my favorite of the Die Hard movies and, even though they resisted the urge to call it Die Hardest, I still like the title.

Brotherly revenge is a vicious thing and Jeremy Irons carries the villain role well throughout the film... even if the movie is a bit longer than it needs to be. Seriously, McLane is the original Jack Bauer and he goes through about as much in this movie as Keifer Sutherland does in an entire season of 24. And you know, in the face of a crisis, either one of those guys would save the day.

And did I mention how much I love Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson's pairing in this movie? The racist comments are priceless from Jackson and they bicker like an old married couple half the time.  It keeps this adrenaline-heavy movie from becoming too much to handle.  You know, you need something to break up the explosions, car crashes, and shoot outs.  It might as well be something entertaining.

I've got a while until I get to Live Free or Die Hard (which I haven't seen yet), so it's nice to leave John McLane on a high note.  See you in the L's, John.

Movie #161 - Die Hard 2: Die Harder

Die Hard 2: Die Harder
1990 - Rated R - 2 hr 4 min
Director: Renny Harlin
Starring: Bruce Willis, William Atherton, Bonnie Bedalia, Reginald VelJohnson

Aside from the awesome title, this isn't my favorite of the series.  It tries to reuse the original's model for the beginning portion (except this time he's an LA cop in NY, instead of the other way around) and even pokes fun at it - "How can this happen to the same guy twice?"
Then it gets a bit extreme with plane crashes and airborne fight scenes.  It feels a bit hectic and overdone... but Bruce Willis still kicks butt.  It's fun to watch, but when you've got the first movie and the third one to watch, you'll probably skip this one nine times out of ten.  That's probably why it's the one I remembered the least. Makes sense.

Movie #160 - Die Hard

Die Hard
1988 - Rated R - 2 hr 11 min
Director: John McTiernan
Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson, Paul Gleason

"Now I have a maching gun. Ho ho ho."

Does it get anymore classic Bruce Willis than this movie?  I don't think so.  When you think Bruce Willis action flick, your mind probably goes to this one.  Bad guy Alan Rickman and his German terrorists, donut-eating cop turned helpful sidekick Al Powell (AKA the dad from Family Matters), and of course, Dean Vernon from The Breakfast Club (or Paul Gleason) - awesome cast.  And of course, the very clutch Rolex watch that proves to be Hans's demise... beautiful.

Did you know in 1988 gas was 74 cents?

That's what I learned today.  I also relearned how much I love this friggin' movie.