Movie #50 - Bad Boys II

Bad Boys II
Columbia Pictures
2003 - Rated R - 2 hr 27 min
Director: Michael Bay
Starring: Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Gabrielle Union, Joe Pantoliano

Eight years later, Michael Bay is still blowing sh*t up. And getting better at it, too. Mike and Marcus are still at each others' throats in a way that makes you forget their profession of love to one another at the end of the first movie. Especially since Mike is involved with Marcus's sister. Uh oh...

So we open on a shoot out with the KKK, which features Martin Lawrence "singing" the verse to the song Bad Boys. I remember this scene from the preview. And somehow, even though it's shot using Michael Bay's classic 360-degree circle approach, it's still funny.

Gabrielle Union is really just the eye candy here (sorry, Gabs) and sets up the plot by getting kidnapped. Save the girl, get the bad guy, uncover the money laundering. Standard stuff here, fellas. Still, it's done with such explosive panache from the director and such charming wit from its stars that you can't help but enjoy this one.

And, oh by the way, that's 50 MOVIES DOWN, ONLY 500+ TO GO!

Movie #49 - Bad Boys

Bad Boys
Columbia Pictures
1995 - Rated R - 1 hr 58 min
Director: Michael Bay
Starring: Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Joe Pantoliano, Tea Leoni

In this movie, Michael Bay blows some sh*t up. Shocking, I know. Also, Tea Leoni tries her hand at action films. That actually is shocking, but not as disastrous as you might think.

Martin Lawrence and Will Smith are lots of fun to watch in this movie. The whole "who's Mike Lowrey" subplot probably goes on a bit too long, but the mix up makes the interactions between them all the more priceless. Many shoot outs ensue, Tea Leoni is apparently a "bullet magnet," and the Bad Boys win. But they probably overuse the slo-mo action sequence thing. Guess I can't blame them... that technique was pretty revolutionary in 1995, wasn't it?

Overall, this is a fun buddy cop movie that's a little more intense than your average Starsky & Hutch episode. Lots of fire and guns, lots of diving through the air, and a little bit of a body count, too. Good times.

Movie #48 - Back to the Future Part III

Back to the Future Part III
Universal Pictures
1990 - Rated PG - 1 hr 48 min
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary Steenburgen, Thomas F. Wilson, Lea Thompson, Elisabeth Shue

Alright, I'm going to come right out and say it. They weren't ready to kill the series, so they decided to screw with time some more. Now it's Doc's turn to start causing trouble... I mean, he does deserve it. And apparently, a little something-something from Mary Steenburgen.

That's not to say that I don't like this movie... actually, as a kid, I thought this one was the most fun. It's good to see that Marty isn't selfish with his time traveling pursuits and will step up and help Doc save his life and his love. He really is a good guy. And Doc is still a crackpot.

Anyway, enjoy the little Irish accents on Lea Thompson and Michael J Fox in this one. I was pretty impressed, actually. Mad Dog Tannen is clearly Biff in disguise. I wouldn't put it past that old bastard to follow them to 1855. He was a really big jerk, you guys. It could happen.

So Part III might not be necessary to the overall story arc of this series, but it does make a nice, neat package. Three movies always seems to be the magic number and this is a worthy addition to the movie wall. It's not necessary but it really is fun. Just enjoy this whole series. And if you can, I really recommend watching them in order, back to back. The consistencies are even more meaningful this way.

Movie #47 - Back to the Future Part II

Back to the Future Part II
Universal Pictures
1989 - Rated PG - 1 hr 48 min
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas F. Wilson, Elisabeth Shue

Oh, Biff! How much trouble can one cranky old man really cause? His character is a real jerk, but he's the kind of jerk we all love to hate. Cuz didn't we all know a Biff of our very own back in high school? His name wasn't likely Biff, but you catch my drift.

Anyway, watching these back to back is something I've never done. We pick up seamlessly where we left off (four calendar years after, four cinema seconds later). Except we've now added Elisabeth Shue! Hello, Elisabeth! We all know how much I love her, and her babysitting dramas. Anyway, now she's a knocked-out girlfriend in a time machine who ends up meeting her older self and passing out! Now that's plot, folks.

Again, Zemeckis and company are sticking steadfastly to their own rules as they travel ahead to go back-back, to fix ahead and then ahead-ahead. You still with me? On paper, this movie makes your head sping. In practice, you can actually follow it.

That right there is an achievement.

So we get everything sorted out. Biff is again repressed, Dad is again alive, Marty still has his hot wheels and of course, he gets the girl. Until! Oh no! Doc! Doc goes back to the past, and Western Union has been waiting for Marty. Thank God for Western Union (how much add money did they give Spielberg for this anyway?)

Enter cheesy-ass Western preview. And they're making a Part III! I've heard Mike talk about this "cool preview" and how psyched he was to see it in the theater. I think you have to truly be 8 to think it's cool.

On to the promised Part III!

Movie #46 - Back to the Future

Back to the Future
Universal Pictures
1985 - Rated PG - 1 hr 56 min
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas F. Wilson

I don't think I ever gave this trilogy a fair chance, so I guess Back to the Future is one of the reasons I'm doing this project. Revisiting things I didn't like as much as I ought. (Though it goes both ways. I've revisited a few think I liked more than I should. Oops.)

Anyway, this movie's attention to time travel detail is great. When you have time travel, you have to be consistent with whatever rules you opt into. And there, these guys are on target.

Michael J Fox sheds his Alex P Keaton suit well, and Marty is the kind of kid you root for no matter what. Lea Thompson, amazing. Crispin Glover, creepy and kinda cute. Odd. And for the longest time, I thought Christopher Lloyd really was as crackpot as Doc... he may be, actually. Now that I think about it.

I really liked this much more than I remember, so it was a lot of fun to watch again. The premise is really a fun one... kid accidentally travels back in time and ruins his parents' first meeting... thereby *possibly* negating his very existence. Unless, of course, he sings Chuck Berry songs. Classic.

Love this one.

Movie #45 - Baby Mama

Baby Mama
Universal Pictures
2008 - Rated PG-13 - 1 hr 39 min
Director: Michael McCullers
Starring: Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Greg Kinnear, Dax Sheppard, Romany Malco, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Martin, Maura Tierney


Two movies in a row about women preparing for babies! Weird.


Anyway, this movie is pure insanity, mostly because of Amy Poehler and Dax Sheppard. Tina Fey plays her typical character - work-driven, wants to become a late in life mother, hopelessly awkward in a social setting, wears glasses. Poehler does the same, but with some extra spunk. She takes "crazed white trash" to a whole new level. And then sells it to you.


If you watch this movie, you're mostly watching it for the two of them and their priceless interactions. Romany Malco is pretty funny as Oscar, the doorman. And Greg Kinnear is his usual handsome, chipper self. The plot is fairly predictable and has a nice neat ending, where everyone gets something. Don't watch it to analyze, just watch it to laugh,

And don't be surprised if you find yourself quoting it later.

Hey... "I don't know your life!" Ok?

Movie #44 - Away We Go

Away We Go
Focus Features

2009 - Rated R - 1 hr 38 min

Director: Sam Mendes

Starring: John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Catherine O'Hara, Jeff Daniels

This was another first watch for me and I was pleasantly surprised. There's a very humorous but heartwarming feel to this entire movie. It's chock full of comedic actors playing fun (sometimes outrageous) characters as Krasinksi and Rudolph travel around the country trying to find the right place to settle down and raise their baby together. From the eccentric parents to the weird hippy cousin (Maggie Gyllenhaal - who is hysterical), all the classic archetypes are here.

As for the happy couple themselves, their story perfectly sums up how terrifying the prospect of becoming a parent can be. Everyone, for his or her own reason, freaks out about it. These two definitely have their reasons, and then grapple with them beautifully. I really enjoyed this one!

And also, it was my last "A" title!! Hooray!