I'm still here, still watching movies. Blogging about them is becoming a little bit of a hassle at the moment. I'm in the process of editing and publishing my first novel, so other writing projects have taken a backseat. On top of that, I'm finishing my graduate degree this summer, so my coursework is really intense!
But the train moves forward, so I'll be back to catch up on the movies I've been watching very soon!
Please stay tuned!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Movie #419 - Live Free or Die Hard
Live Free or Die HardDirector: Len Wiseman
Starring: Bruce Willis, Timothy Olyphant, Justin Long, Maggie Q, Cliff Curtis, Kevin Smith, Andrew Friedman, Jonathan Sadowski
This one was a first-time watch. Yes, it took me FOUR years to get around to seeing this. Shameful, right?
Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised at what a worthy follow-up this movie is to the successful 90's trilogy. McLane's older, not really that much wiser, and still as ornery as they come. Toss him into a world of computers and hackers and he's lost, but he makes up for what he can't decode with brute strength and guts. Also, he can take helicopters out of the air with a broken fire hydrant, which is pretty friggin' sweet.
So I did enjoy this one. It's a fresher take on the "outdated" franchise, but it still stays true to the main character and his approach to law enforcement. There's even a nice throwback line, saved for the very end. Nice work, all around.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Movie #418 - The Little Mermaid
1989 - Rated G - 1 hr 23 min
Directors: Ron Clements, John Musker
Starring: Jodi Benson, Samuel E. Wright, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Pat Carroll, Buddy Hackett, Kenneth Mars, Edie McClurg, Rene Auberjonois
In the 80s, many feared that Disney's animation department was on its way out. I remember how huge this movie was when it came out and I even saw it twice in the theater. I was 8. I had no idea the kind of legacy this movie helped to rebuild but still, I sensed there was something special about this under-sea tale.
And I loved every minute of it. It was fresh and unique for its time, but still did so much to enchant a little girl's imagination. I wanted to be a mermaid, I wanted to be a princess. Okay, I wanted to be a princess mermaid. And meet my handsome prince.
Reggae music, seashells, and evil squid-women aside, the story is a much needed update to Hans Christian Anderson's original fairytale. One that ends in terrible tragedy (see Once On This Island for a musical that stays true to his heart-breaking ending). For Disney, suicide won't do... so let's give the mermaid what she wants.
And thank goodness they did. It was a bold move for the studio, but one that reshaped their future. Look at all the little girls who still want to be princess mermaids, more than 20 years later.
Movie #417 - The Lion King
1994 - Rated G - 1 hr 29 min
Directors: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
Starring: Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jeremy Irons, Robert Guillaume, Rowan Atkinson, Moira Kelly, Cheech Marin, Whoopi Goldberg, Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Who doesn't love this movie? And who hasn't -- at some point -- quoted those iconic lines? "Everything the light touches..." "The king has returned..." "Hakuna Matata..."
Really, this one's so ingrained in my generation's childhood, it's hard to escape. And now that it's a Broadway musical, everyone else loves it too. It's easy to see why, with such a gripping story of deceipt that even adults can love, the kind of jokes that get mom, dad, and the kids all laughing, and some of the best songs Disney ever churned out of their powerhouse years. This puts the cap on Disney's golden age for me. I'll watch it over and over and over again. Anytime Ellie asks.
Movie #416 - Lilo & Stitch
2002 - Rated PG - 1 hr 25 min
Directors: Dean deBlois, Chris Sanders
Starring: Daveigh Chase, Chris Sanders, Tia Carrere, David Ogden Stiers, Kevin McDonald, Ving Rhames, Jason Scott Lee, Kevin Michael Richardson
Oh, Stitch. From his demolition of tiny cities to his impression of Elvis Pressley, you gotta love this mangy furball. He's no stray dog, that's for sure, but something makes you want to cuddle him all the same.
Add to Stitch's irrestible charm the beauty of an animated Hawaiian island, a story of two heart-broken sisters, and a couple of wacky aliens along for the ride, and tada! Instant hit! Hell, we watched this with friends in college and loved it, which speaks to its appeal across age lines. You don't need kids to enjoy this one, folks.
Movie #415 - Life of Brian
Life of BrianDirector: Terry Jones
Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
It's always a welcome change of pace to pop a Monty Python movie into my DVD player. We don't have many of them, for now at least.
And this one has always been a fan favorite. It's no Grail, which is coming up in the M's, but the whole ordinary guy caught up in extraordinary circumstances in the time of Jesus is pretty clever. From the misinformed magi who praise Brian at birth to the Latin grammar-correcting centurion, the off-beat comedy of the Monty Python troupe is very much alive and well here. It's a great testament to their versatility as well, with most of the actors picking up several roles throughout, sprinkling quotable one-liners here and there.
Granted, this has to be your kind of humor to appreciate it. But I love a good skit by these guys, so a whole movie is fantastic.
Movie #414 - A Life Less Ordinary
A Life Less OrdinaryDirector: Danny Boyle
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Ewan McGregor, Holly Hunter, Delroy Lindo, Ian McNiece, Stanley Tucci, Tony Shalhoub, Ian Holm
Weird movie, this one. Weird, but weirdly cute too. Diaz and McGregor are an unlikely pair -- although their respective hair-dos are both awesomely 90s-tastic! -- who find themselves in very unlikely circumstances. Mainly, as kidnapper and kidnappee... although it's not always clear which of them is which.
Anyway, the whole angels-meddling-in-the-business-of-love bit turns this regular rom-com into something otherworldy, full of strange scenarios where Hunter and Lindo (the love angels assigned to the couple) are either trying too hook them up or kill them. If they don't get these two together, they're doomed to a life stuck on earth. Bummer.
There is indeed as much going on here as the above synopsis suggests, and somehow, the movie doesn't get bogged down. The plot moves along at a good clip, with lots of great scenes, and some actually believable scenes between our young lovers. It's cute. Weird, like I said, but cute.
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