Mid-Year Update

What I watched from 1/1/09-/6/30/09

66 movies so far this year. Average 11 per month (~3/week).

I might change my rating to be more like Netflix. It's a simpler system:
1/5 - hated id
2/5 - didn't like it
3/5 - liked it
4/5 - really liked it
5/5 - loved it

Top Rated:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) - 5/5
Synecdoche, New York (2008) - 5/5
"Battlestar Galactica" (2004) - 5/5
Adaptation. (2002) - 5/5 (seen bef0re)
The Graduate (1967) - 5/5 (seen before)

Bottom Rated:
Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009) - 1/5
Cobra (1986) - 1/5


All movies (66):
Revolutionary Road (2008) - 4/5
Doubt (2008/I) - 4.5/5
Land of the Lost (2009) - 3.5/5
Taking Chance (2009) - 3.5/5
Away We Go (2009) - 4.5/5
Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009) - 1/5
The Love Guru (2008) - 3.5/5
The Tale of Despereaux (2008) - 3/5
Terminator Salvation (2009) - 3/5
The Dam Busters (1955) - 3.5/5
Lost in La Mancha (2002) - 3/5 documentary
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) - 5/5
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (20...
My Name Is Bruce (2007) - 3/5
The Incredible Hulk (2008) - 2.5/5
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) - 2.5/5
Speed Racer (2008) - 2.5/5
Star Trek (2009) - 4/5
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Definitely, Maybe (2008) - 4/5
"Caprica" (2009) - 3.5/5
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009) - 3.5/5
The Wrestler (2008) - 4.5/5
"Spaced" (1999) - 2.5/5 tv series
Adventureland (2009) - 4/5
Adaptation. (2002) - 5/5
Henry Poole Is Here (2008) - 3/5
High Fidelity (2000) - 3.5/5
The Foot Fist Way (2006) - 3/5
Slumdog Millionaire (2008) - 4.5/5
Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001) - 4/5 documentary
Son of Rambow (2007) - 3/5
Deconstructing Harry (1997) - 2.5/5
The Fountain (2006) - 3.5/5
The Graduate (1967) - 5/5
Smultronstället (1957) - 4/5 subtitles
Bigger Stronger Faster* (2008) - 4/5 documentary
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed (2008) - 4/5 documentary
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) - 4.5...
Duplicity (2009) - 3/5
Hud (1963) - 3/5
Haine, La (1995) - 2.5/5
Synecdoche, New York (2008) - 5/5
Apocalypto (2006) - 3.5/5
Bolt (2008) - 3.5/5
Helvetica (2007) - 3/5 documentary
Young at Heart (2007) - 4/5 documentary
Man on Wire (2008) - 4.5/5 documentary
frontline: is wal-mart good for america? - 4/5 documentary
Sunshine (2007) - 3.5/5
Cop Land (1997) - 3/5
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) - 4.5/5
Death Proof (2007) - 4/5
Taken (2008/I) - 3.5/5
He's Just Not That Into You (2009) - 4/5
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008) - 4/5
Planet Terror (2007) - 3/5
28 Weeks Later (2007) - 3/5
28 Days Later... (2002) - 3.5/5
What Happens in Vegas (2008) - 1.5/5
Hitman (2007) - 3/5
Yes Man (2008) - 3.5/5
"Battlestar Galactica" (2004) - 5/5
Cobra (1986) - 1/5
The Queen (2006) - 3.5/5
Marley & Me (2008) - 4/5


From Netflix (43 - avg ~7/month):
Revolutionary Road
The Return of Captain Invincible
Doubt
Taking Chance
The Dam Busters
Lost in La Mancha
My Name Is Bruce
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Incredible Hulk
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Speed Racer
Definitely, Maybe
Battlestar Galactica: Caprica
The Wrestler
Spaced: The Complete Series: Disc 2
Spaced: The Complete Series: Disc 1
The Foot Fist Way
Dogtown and Z-Boys
Son of Rambow
Slumdog Millionaire
The Fountain
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
Hud
La Haine
Apocalypto
Helvetica
Young @ Heart
Breach
Man on Wire
Is Wal-Mart Good for America?: Frontline
Sunshine
Cop Land
The Last Sin Eater
The Bourne Ultimatum
Grindhouse: Death Proof
Grindhouse: Planet Terror
28 Weeks Later
28 Days Later
Ali
Hitman
Battlestar Galactica: Season 4: Disc 4
Battlestar Galactica: Season 4: Disc 3
Battlestar Galactica: Season 4: Disc 2

2008 Review

Netflix Review

All 121 movies I watched in 2008 (this may be a bit off b/c I'm just counting posts which also counts posts NOT about a movie I watched... like this post though this one isn't counted in the total)

Movies I watch that were released in 2008

Great titles worth mentioning:

Once (2006) - Irish love story - My favorite movie I watched this year.
Dark Knight (2008) - Great action and story. Utilizes the darkness appropriately.
Seven Up (1964) - British documentary revisiting the same kids every 7 years.
WALL-E (2008) - Great animation and storytelling.
Battlestar Galactica (2004) - Definitely the best sci-fi TV series ever... maybe best series ever.
King of Kong (2007) - Great documentary w/ villian, underdog and everything else.
In Bruges (2008) - Great characters and underlining "Christ" story. Funny and clever.
Iron Man (2008) - Great action.

Kung Fu Panda (2008) - 4.5/5

Kung Fu Panda (2008)

Next: "Wall-E" (2008)

This was great. The action was well done and the camera work made it natural to see exactly what was happening (unlike so many live action movies where it's just a blur). All around, I think the camera work was great.

The story is well done and the characters are well developed. The humor is good and not insulting or too adult and the animation is amazing.

It's all around great.

Haiku Summary
Panda is dragon
warrior? Others don't like.
Scroll is blank. Ska-doosh!

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) - 4/5

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)

NEXT: "Cloverfield" (2008)

I liked this one more than the first movie. This one had a darker feel to it and more "mature" scenes as far as motive, implications and direct consequences. Not that it made it better, but it had a different tone.

Fortunately, it had the first one to build on: established reality and characters. Also, better special effects. I think this might be the first movie where I didn't question the CGI. It wasn't until late in the movie that I gave it a thought.

Haiku Summary
Kids pulled back into
Narnia to help Prince and
Narnians save all.

Be Kind Rewind (2008) - 3/5

Be Kind Rewind (2008)

NEXT: "Kung Fu Panda" (2008)

Cute and funny, but nothing great. It mostly suffers from a lack of direction. It seems the base of the plot changes every 30 minutes. It's all really just a platform to make these short re-makes of films and that's really all I wanted to see anyway. They were pretty funny and very inventive and creative.

Haiku Summary
Magnatized guy, blank
tapes. Remake movies. Make cash?
Save store? What's the plot?

Iron Man (2008) - 4.5/5

Iron Man (2008)

NEXT: "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" (2008)

I really liked this movie. It might not stand up to a lot of tough criticism, but I'm not going to throw any its way. It's a fun, action, super-hero movie so some reality has to be thrown out.

They don't over do any one thing too much: political, romantic, etc. So it doesn't offend the senses too much.

I think I left the theater w/ some criticism of it on some parts, but w/ time those have washed away and what's left is the memory of a fun action movie w/ little residue to bother me.

SPOILERS
Great final scene/line!

Haiku Summary
Arms vendor gets caught.
Partner is bad guy. Builds suit,
can fly, is Iron Man.

Revolutionary Road (2008) - 4/5

Revolutionary Road (2008) - 4/5

Great drama w/ great acting and dialog. I really like the power this movie puts behind a drama - it feels so intense like it's a thriller.

SPOILERS

I think this movie is a great picture of the trappings of the "American career." American's tend to forfeit so much of life for their careers/jobs/$ and later regret/resent the decisions.

I loved the scene where she "admitted" they got the house b/c she got pregnant and then had "another kid to prove the first one wasn't a mistake."

It was great when they had the hope of going to Paris and how much that lifted them. I agree w/ his thought that they cd be happy anywhere, but they needed a jump start to live the lives they wanted. I think it was another great picture of people thinking they know what they want, but being too scared (or whatever) to do it.

She kept saying he'd have the time he needed to figure out what he wanted to do. I'm afraid the answer was either a) he'd never know b) it was basically what he was doing though he didn't want that to be the answer or c) nothing.

John really called them out a few times which was a great device ("He's crazy!"). :)

I wd have rathered she not abort the baby, but more than that, I wish she hadn't died. I think the story wd have been better served by her living and continueing the picture of sacrifice/unhappiness/etc. that is closer to the truth of that situation (IMO).

The ending is killer - him, devistated and miserable (seemingly), the new couple becoming friends w/ the neighbors (cycle starts again?), the older couple w/ him turning down his hearing aid - BAM!

I wondered what they were saying - he can't stand her, that's how they stay married, that's the key to success, everyone deals differently, etc. It's interesting b/c earlier John told Helen to shut up, later Helen tells John to shut up and now the daad turns off the mom. None of them want to hear the others.

Great movie - wd have been a 4.5 if she hadn't died. I just think that's a disservice to the women out there that live in the ongoing misery (like Frank did).

Semi-Pro (2008) - 2/5

Semi-Pro (2008)

Next: "Transformers" (2007)

A bad "Animal House" or "Old School" w/o the cast. Some funny parts, but overall not worth it.

It very much tried too hard to have more plots and such.

Haiku Summary:
B'ball team wants to
go pro. One chance. Win lots. I'd
like to forget it.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008) - 4/5

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008) - 4/5

This is kinda what I'd like to see as the new 'teenager' movie style. It's still enough about going out and sex and such that it cd pull it off, but not only about all of that.

It certainly has it's faults, but what it is, it's pretty good.

Man on Wire (2008) - 4.5/5

Man on Wire (2008) - 4.5/5

Good documentary - won an Oscar this year.

It feels like you're watching a heist movie and can feel pretty good about it coming together. Tense, but very fun.

Yes Man (2008) - 3.5/5

Yes Man (2008) - 3.5/5

Nothing great, but funny, entertaining and not insulting.

The comedy is good, the writing is pretty clever and the story isn't great, but doesn't hurt the movie.

Unlike many recent comedies, it doesn't get too into the story half-way thru. It remains a comedy w/ a bit of story that ties things together.

SPOILERS:

I died laughing at the part where Carl was dreaming he was dead and the fly landed on his eye. I just thought that was quite the humorous thing.

Henry Poole Is Here (2008) - 3/5

Henry Poole Is Here (2008) - 3/5

It started out pretty strong and emotional and really got me curious about everything... then it started to drag a bit.

SPOILERS

The part when he goes out to the wall at night and wants to touch it... man, Luke didn't pull that off.

So was he never sick or was he cured? I was confused.

I felt the strength of this movie was the characters and relationships and it seems the punch of the movie was a little overshadowed by events.

What's the message? Faith heals? Love conquers all? God heals even if you don't believe??? A little confusing.

Step Brothers (2008) - 3/5

Step Brothers (2008)

Funny first half, second half has too much 'story' which is a weak point for this movie.

May have broke the f-bomb record.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) - 5/5

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) - 5/5

I really liked this movie. It was a like a cross btwn "Forrest Gump" and "The Razor's Edge." Not to say it's as great as though or the best of both, just similar to both in ways.

It was fun to see some scenes I recognized (the cemetary early on is the Mandeville lakefront and the Summer house shots are near there too).

I can't really say I "got a lot" out of this movie, but I very much enjoyed it. It almost didn't get a 5, but...

SPOILERS

There were 2 things that bothered me about this movie:

1. Happenstance?

When he describes the series of events that lead up to Daisy being struck by the car (first off, how did he know all those things? I'm being picky, but that's kinda sloppy filmmaking.), what's his point? So if one thing had happened differently, she'd still have her career.

Is it that we can't control our fate? That everything that happens ultimately has some meaning in the grand scheme? That everything happens for a reason or there's a purpose to everything? That everything has NO meaning - that things just happen b/c 'b' follows 'a' and it just happens? I wasn't sure what the point was???

It didn't seem to fit in the movie... maybe b/c I didn't see the point.

2. He left!

Why'd he leave his family? I felt that was a big mistake and almost cost it the 5 rating... I'm still not sure. A) They didn't know if he'd really keep aging/getting younger B) As it showed, it was many years before it wd have been an issue (he met his daughter when she was 13 and he was still of sound mind). Moreover, it wasn't until the daughter was grown and her husband had passed away that Benjamin really needed anyone to look after him and she basically did it anyway! C) Wdn't it be worth that cost to be around your child and so that your child cd have her real father!?!?!

I saw his point, but felt he was not only wrong, but groundless in his argument.

I think it made for a better movie so I have to chalk it up to a "mistake" on his part.

Taken (2008/I) - 3.5/5

Taken (2008/I) - 3.5/5

I dig the spy-action feel and the revenge aspects work well. I was a bit paranoid and tense after this movie which was either b/c they did a good job or b/c I'm very sensitive about these ideas as a parent (or both).

SPOILERS

I think the biggest flaw of this movie was the end. It's like they didn't know how to wrap it up and they never really figured it out. My guess is they'll have a few alternate endings on the DVD.

The Wrestler (2008) - 4.5/5

The Wrestler (2008) - 4.5/5

Great story and characters and solid acting.

SPOILERS

The main (somewhat obvious) comparison is btwn this and "The Passion of the Christ" (which is mentioned in the movie). The comment being something like "they beat the crap out of him for 2 hours and he just takes it." To which the response is "tough dude."

Of course, Randy is "the Christ" in this story and he sacrifices his body and life for those he loves. Even unto death. Unfortunately, the motivation is questionable as far as does he do it b/c he loves them, or so that they will love him, or b/c it's all he knows, etc.???

Like Christ on the cross being apart from His Father for the first time, Randy doesn't want to be alone, as he tells he daughter. Great scene.

Also, I really, really liked the scenes of him behind the deli counter... he has a different role, personality and even name (Robin). He interacts and serves the people and loves them, they love him and he really enjoys it. He just lights up and entertains while serving. So great.

But then, when it's not going so good and someone points out his real identity, he explodes into "The Ram", jamming his finger into the blade, spreading blood on his face (just like he did in the ring earlier), hitting, throwing, yelling, etc. He can't escape it. Almost as if he was saying "if it's your will, let this cup pass from me, but not my will but thine be done." Maybe.

His relationship w/ Cassidy/Pam (the Mary Magdalene of the story) is great too.

Great movie.

Slumdog Millionaire (2008) - 4.5/5

Slumdog Millionaire (2008) - 4.5/5

This movie hits it pretty much on every point: great direction, acting, tension, camera work, scenery, etc. It's really got it all: action, love, drama, relationships, hope, fear, etc.

I loved the pacing and storytelling technique used throughout the whole film

SPOILERS

The only thing that kept this movie from a 5 is that I felt it didn't really build to anything... well, nothing big enough to match the rest of the aspects of the film. The love story had a good ending and probably the best it cd have had w/o being cheesy. I'm not saying I was hoping for something bigger.

But the whole story is the amazingly intricately woven story on a path that "is written." So I felt the ending sd have matched that... somehow.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't want the "big, happy, American movie ending." But I wanted the fulfillment to match the build up, but instead I was like, "Oh, ok, so he got a call from the girl." I mean, he had his brother's phone number all along and he knew his brother was involved w/ the guy that had her... cdn't have called that way??? Why did he need the show to call his brother's phone?

Granted, they were watching which led to everything else that happened and that was important, but he didn't plan that or anything.

Anyway, I'm focusing on something that's not all that important and I haven't thought about it this much before now, just that it's what kept it from being a 5. I never like when I focus on something small to make a point and feel like that's all I thought about of the movie. No, it's a GREAT movie.

Tropic Thunder (2008) - 3.5/5

Tropic Thunder (2008)

Like "Step Brothers" - funny first half. Robert Downey Jr. is great.

Well done in most respects: 'big' action, clever/spoof, funny.

21 (2008) - 2.5/5

21 (2008)

NEXT: "Talk to Her" (2002)

Somewhat entertaining at times, but ultimately thin and weak. Lots of predictability, bad acting and thing plot. Also, some bad twists.

Haiku Summary
Smart kids rob Vegas.
Teacher is mean, takes money.
Jokes on him. Surprise!

The Love Guru (2008) - 3.5/5

The Love Guru (2008) - 3.5/5

I didn't expect too much from this movie and it was pretty funny. It's mostly based around short one-line gags/jokes and such. You can tell that from the trailer.

There's almost no story... or not one worth caring about. But the gags are pretty funny for a laugh.