Movie #370 - Courage Under Fire

Courage Under Fire
1996 - Rated R - 1 hr 57 min
Director: Edward Zwick
Starring: Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Lou Diamond Phillips, Matt Damon, Bronson Pinchot, Seth Gilliam, Michael Moriarty, Sean Astin

Another new one for me.  I'm not usually a big war-movie fan, but this one's got an interesting enough premise that it caught my attention.  Washington is investigating the Medal of Honor nomination of Ryan's Medevac Captain Walden.  In the process, he uncovers a story that no one suspected. And confronts his own warped war-time story along the way.

There's a lot of great stuff here, including a confused moral gray area. While Ryan spends most of her screentime screaming, it's nice to see her play a character that's not in love with Tom Cruise :)  And Washington's troubled, drinking Serling is well done from start to finish.

If that's not enough, there's a really skinny Matt Damon in here too.

Movie #239 - Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting
1997 - Rated R - 2 hr 6 min
Director: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver, Stellan Skarsgard, Casey Affleck, Cole Hauser

The movie that made Matt and Ben household names.  And also help Robin Williams to be taken more seriously as an actor.  Who doesn't love this movie, honestly?

Matt is Will Hunting, a kid from Southie with a troubled past, a broken home, and a serious addiction to knowledge.  He's solving math problems while mopping the hallways at MIT and catches the attention of one professor who wants to help him out and set him straight.  Will he renounce his fist-fighting, f-bomb-dropping ways and go work somewhere as a genius? Or will he keep mopping floors until the day he dies?

There are lots of great things about this movie, including it's realistic account of what like would probably be like for someone like Will Hunting.  There isn't always a happy ending, the guy doesn't always get the girl, the main character isn't always changed by the plot... knowing these traditional constraints don't apply, this movie is enjoyable from beginning to end.

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 #157 - The Departed

The Departed
2006 - Rated R - 2 hr 31 min
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin

As expected, this movie's kind of a big deal around Boston.  And with all that swearing and gunfire and all those accents, I can see why.  It's about Boston, crime, double-crosses.  It's all the stuff we love and it's in our hometown.

Watching this movie's like playing a game of "guess who practiced their Boston accent today."  Some of these actors are really good, like Alec Baldwin.  Some of them were born here, so they'd better be good, like Mark Walhberg and Matt Damon.  And some of them get by okay, like Jack Nicholson.  It's jarring at first, how strong all of them lay it on, but after the first half hour you forget about it.

Then, of course, in the last half hour, it's now a race against death.  This movie has all the blood and murders of a Shakespearean tragedy.  But the way half the cast gets mowed down gives new meaning to "sudden death."  Yikes!  Someone's talking and everything fine one minute and then BAM! Bullet to the forehead. 

From beginning to end, a whole 2 1/2 hours later, it holds your attention and keeps you scratching your head.  Who's working for who? Who's gonna die next?

It makes Boston look pretty bad ass, I must say.

Movie #98 - The Brothers Grimm

The Brothers Grimm
Miramax
2005 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 53 min
Director: Terry Gilliam
Starring: Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Monica Bellucci

I just learned that Terry Gilliam directed this, but I can't say that I'm surprised.  This is just the kind of warped, dark fairytale that he would love.  Luckily, I love it too.

I also love Matt Damon and Heath Ledger.  This movie actually makes me miss Heath Ledger, a lot.  Sigh.  Anyway, they are perfect together, although I'm always surprised that Damon is the bully brother and Ledger is the nerdy one.  It's like Gilliam swapped their usual roles, just for kicks.  But they do so well, you forget after about five minutes that it wasn't what you expected.

The Monica Bellucci character is a bit over the top, but the whole movie is 'fantastical' in nature so you go along with it.  And it is fun to see where this movie claims their stories have originated.  This one's just fun to watch.

Movie #91 - The Bourne Ultimatum

The Bourne Ultimatum
Universal Pictures
2007 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 55 min
Director: Paul Greengrass
Starring: Matt Damon, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Albert Finney, Edgar Ramirez

The thrilling conclusion to the action-packed trilogy... and it's pretty good, too!  Matt Damon - still awesome.  Now that Bourne's got a plan, and he's the one keeping everyone else on their toes, this last installment takes on a different tone.  Damon is fierce and relentless... two words I did not think I would use in a sentence with his name.  Yet, there it is.

I really like this whole trilogy from beginning to end and it was nice to have a reason to watch them all.  Seeing Bourne go from amnesia patient to bad-ass ex-operative with a vendetta is pretty sweet.  This whole trilogy is just fun to watch.

Movie #90: The Bourne Supremacy

The Bourne Supremacy
Universal Pictures
2004 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 48 min
Director: Paul Greengrass
Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, Brian Cox, Karl Urban

When you know what Jason Bourne knows, or at least what the CIA thinks he still knows, you're not going to be safe until you kill everyone... So when another attempt on Bourne's life goes badly (and he loses the one person he cares about), heads start rolling.

The first movie is lots of fun, but it relies heavily on the whole CIA amnesiac thing.  By Supremacy, we know he can't remember anything and he's coping, but he's finally embracing that this is who he is and, in order to change, he's going to have to finish what he's started.  Figure out who he is and kill anyone in the way.  This aggressive Bourne that emerges, more actionary and less reactionary, is so much fun to watch!

I love this trilogy in general, but I think this might be my favorite... just because of the way the character is played by Damon.  And because of how much it really makes you want to watch the third movie.

Movie #89: The Bourne Identity

The Bourne Identity
Universal Pictures
2002 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 59 min
Director: Doug Liman
Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox, Julia Stiles

Ah, the movie that made Matt Damon into an action hero.  Nice.

Nothing is as sexy as an amnesia patient who can kick ass and isn't quite sure why he knows how.  Damon is on the run, looking for his identity, and finding a budding romance along the way (cuz you know, love happens, ok?)

This movie is just lots of fun to watch.  There's running and car chases and shooting and intrigue.  Matt Damon is actually pretty awesome too, and when you get to the end of this movie, you definitely want to see more.  Fortunately, there are two more Bourne movies on the way...