Movie #312 - Inglourious Basterds

Inglourious Basterds
2009 - Rated R - 2 hr 33 min
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Eli Roth, Melanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Gedeon Burkhard, Mike Myers

You have to appreciate Tarantino's style to like this movie, I'm not gonna lie.  It's dirty and gritty and bloody and gorey.  It's got that certain flair he's developed so well over the years.  And it's not necessarily historically accurate, either...

If you can get past those things, then you'll love it.  Brad Pitt veers so far from his usual course, it's a delight to watch.  The Basterds are a strangely lovable band of misfit soldiers that share a common love of dead Nazis.  The Jew Hunter (Waltz) is dead-on scary, playing his little mind games as he roots out hidden Jews.  And the big finale is a well-orchestrated special effects masterpiece with the highest body count I know of. 

Even more skillful, however, are the quieter scenes of the movie.  The suspense-filled conversations with their double-meanings and hidden messages.  The opening scene is one of the most disturbing I've ever seen, but so quietly riveting that I'm glued to the screen. Inglourious Basterds and it's quirky mispelled title live up to the legacy of Tarantino and won't disappoint fans. I don't want to gush, but I really love everything about this movie.

Movie #40 - Austin Powers in Goldmember

Austin Powers in Goldmember
New Line Cinema
2002 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 34 min
Director: Jay Roach
Starring: Mike Myers, Beyonce Knowles, Michael Caine, Seth Green, Michael York, Verne Troyer

Beyonce is pretty good, and this was the first time people said, "Oh look, that chick from Destiny's Child is acting!" But the best part about this movie is Seth Green becoming evil. Hillarious.

Mike Myers takes on yet another character with Dutch nutbag Goldmember. Michael Caine plays his dad -- and all I can say is at least Mike Myers didn't play the part himself. Anyway, recycling jokes is the name once again and it's starting to get old. The Dr. Evil / Mimi Me raps are still hysterical though.

I love these movies individually, but watching them back to back to back made for one long day.

Movie #39 - Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
New Line Cinema
1999 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 35 min
Director: Jay Roach
Starring: Mike Myers, Heather Graham, Michael York, Robert Wagner, Rob Lowe, Seth Green, Verne Troyer

I think this movie was written for the express purpose of introducing Mini Me. And I can't say I blame Mike Myers. Who doesn't want a mini version of themselves?

Many of the jokes from the first movie get re-hashed and Mike Myers takes on a third character with Fat Bastard. Heather Graham is fun, existing solely to speak the line: "Felicity Shagwell. Shagwell by name, shag very well by reputation." Oh my.

Still, lots of fun. I mean, this movie supplied most of the quotes used and reused with friends during my college days. What can I say? Mini Me, you complete me.

Movie #38 - Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
New Line Cinema
1997 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 34 min
Director: Jay Roach
Starring: Mike Myers, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York, Seth Green, Mimi Rogers

I don't think Austin Powers was used by Mike Myers on the show, but much of this movie feels like an SNL-skit-turned-film. Maybe it's just Mike Myers that makes me say that. But don't get me wrong, I still think it's hysterical.

In this first movie, the jokes were still new, the whole Austin's-60's-style-doesn't-hold-up-in-the-90's thing was kinda funny, and Mike Myers only played two characters. It's mostly pee, fart, and sex jokes, but since he buys into the character so well, it works. Another fun one to pick up and watch again.