Movies Seen in 2011

[zakkrusz]

Updates in Bold:

Adieu Galaxy Express 999 (8)
The Adjustment Bureau (8)
Afro Samurai: Resurrection (7)
Arashi no Yoru ni (One Stormy Night) (7)
Armored Trooper Votoms: Alone Again (7)
Armored Trooper Votoms: Finder (8)
Babylon 5: A Call to Arms (8)
Babylon 5: River of Souls (7)
Babylon 5: Thirdspace (7)
Black Swan (9)
Bleach Movie 4: Hell Chapter (9)
Broken Blade 3: The Mark of the Assassin's Dagger (9)
Broken Blade 4: The Land of Disaster (9)
Broken Blade 5: Death's Horizon (9)
Broken Blade 6: Bastions of Sorrow (9)Cowboys and Aliens (8)
Captain America: The First Avenger (8)
Cutthroat Island (9)
The Debt (8)
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (9)
Drive Angry (7)
Evangelion 2.22: You Can (Not) Advance (9)
Godkiller (6)
Green Lantern (8)
Hanna (8)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (8)
Honey and Clover (6)
I Am Number Four (8)
Infernal Affairs (7)
Kamui (4)
Galaxy Express 999 (9)
The Garden of Sinners Movie 8: Epilogue (9)
Loups=Garous (8)
The Mechanic (2011) (9)
Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Awakeening of the Trailblazer (8)
Munto: The Movie (6)
Musashi Miyamoto (6)
Outlander (8)
Pirates of the Caribean: On Stranger Tides (9)
Priest (5)
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (9)
Source Code (9)
Super 8 (8)
Thor (9)
Time of Eve (10)
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (9)
Unknown (7)
Versus (6)
X-Men: First Class (8)
Your Highness (3)

 

[Captain Craig]

Spoiler: Rest of my list

1. The Fighter: B-
2. Batman(90's saga): A-,B-,C-,D
3. Star Wars OT-Special Edition: B+, A, B
4. The Green Hornet: B
5. True Grit(1969): C+
6. Lord of the Rings saga: (A,A,A)
7. The Machinist: A-
8. Season of the Witch: B
9. Frozen: A-
10. Due Date: B+
11. Planet of the Apes(2001): B-
12. Faster: C
13. Romance: D (French film, subtitled)
14. YPF: C- (YPF=Young People F*&^ing)
15. The Beautiful Truth: B-
16. Strictly Sexual: C+
17. DOOM: C
18. Brothers: B+
19. Men In Black II: B-
20. The Crow: Wicked Prayer: C-
21. The Soloist: C
22. Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love: C+
23. I Now Pronounce you Chuck & Larry: B-
24. Battle in Heaven: C+ (Mexican film, subtitled)
25. Legion: B-
26. Battle: LA: B+
27. Righteous Kill: B
28. Dracula II: Ascension: B-
29. Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li: D
30. You Don't Mess With the Zohan: C+
31. Finding Bliss: C
32. Dracula III: Legacy: B-
33. Tangled: B+
34. Paul Blart Mall Cop: C-
35. Chloe: B
36. Kung Fu Panda: B-
37. Centurion: B
38. The People I've Slept With: C
39. Grown Ups: B-
40. The Conspirator: A-
41. XXX: State of the Union: C+
42. Fast Five: B+
43. THOR: A-
44. Priest: D+
45. The Fourth Kind: B+
46. POTC: On Stranger Tides: B-
47. Turtles Forever: A-
48. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story: B+
49. Easy A: A
50. Inception: B
51. #1 Cheerleader Camp: D
52. Freakanomics: C+
53. Green Lantern: C
54. The American: C-
55. Super 8: A
56. Green Lantern: First Flight: B
57. Transformers: Dark of the Moon: B-
58. 9 Songs: F
59. Kings Speech: A-
60. Whiteout: C+
61. Passion Play: D+
62. Captain America: The First Avenger: A-
63. Marley & Me: A
64. Date Night: C+
65. Frantic: B+
66. Presumed Innocent: A
67. Invictus: A
68. Rocky: A
69. Hurt Locker: A+
70. Rocky II: C+
71. Rocky III: B+
72. Rocky IV: A
73. Cowboys & Aliens: B
74. Wonder Woman (DC Animated): B+
75. Rocky V: B-
76. Conan The Barbarian('11): B-
77. Dinner for Schmucks: D
78. Nothing But the Truth: B
79. Snow Angels: B+
80. Everybody's Fine: C-
81. Rise of the Planet of the Apes: A+
82. Fragments: C+

83. Fright Night: A-
84. Cold Comfort Farm: D
85. Machete: C-
86. The Queen: A
87. Public Enemies: B+


The Queen - good movie. Didn't really know the particulars of the movie, just that Helen Mirren played Elizabeth II in a modern story of Her Majesty. When my friend asked me if I cared to watch it I had no objection. I admit once it got going and was about how she and the other Royal's handled Di's death it became more interesting.

Public Enemies - really enjoyed this. My only marks from keeping it out of 'A' range were it did feel every bit as long as it's 2hr 20min. Surely some trimming could've occured. Johnny Depp playing a character straight up is something I enjoy, aka Tourist. Too bad he and Burton don't think so for Barnabus Collins for Dark Shadows. I fear they are frelling that up and it has lots of potential.

 

[CaptainCanada]

Spoiler: #1-129.

1. In the Heat of the Night (A)
2. The Passion of Joan of Arc (B)
3. The Passion of the Christ (A)
4. Mamma Mia! (B)
5. All About Eve (A)
6. Looking for Anne (B-)
7. 2001: A Space Odyssey (B+)
8. The King's Speech (A)
9. How Green Was My Valley (B-)
10. Black Swan (B+)
11. Made in Dagenham (B)
12. Gentleman's Agreement (A-)
13. Barney's Version (A-)
14. Out of Africa (B)
15. The Social Network (A-)
16. The Sound of Music (B+)
17. Pulp Fiction (A)
18. Forrest Gump (A)
19. The Shawshank Redemption (A+)
20. The Illusionist (B)
21. The French Connection (B+)
22. Network (A+)
23. Incendies (A+)
24. Mrs. Miniver (A)
25. A Fistful of Dollars (B+)
26. For A Few Dollars More (B)
27. WALL-E (A+)
28. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (A)
29. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (B)
30. Gigi (B-)
31. I Love You Phillip Morris (B+)
32. How To Train Your Dragon (A)
33. Tarzan (B+)
34. Oliver! (B+)
35. Gosford Park (A-)
36. The Princess Bride (B+)
37. All the President's Men (A-)
38. Oliver Twist (B+)
39. My Fair Lady (A+)
40. Hanna (A-)
41. The Godfather (A+)
42. The Godfather: Part II (A+)
43. The Godfather: Part III (A-)
44. Dog Day Afternoon (A)
45. Taxi Driver (A-)
46. Great Expectations (B+)
47. The Last Airbender (D-)
48. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 (A+)
49. Raging Bull (B+)
50. GoodFellas (A-)
51. Spartacus (A+)
52. The Deer Hunter (B+)
53. Reservoir Dogs (A)
54. A Clockwork Orange (A)
55. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (A+)
56. Gone With The Wind (A+)
57. On the Waterfront (A)
58. Thor (B+)
59. The Seventh Seal (A-)
60. Hamlet (A)
61. All the King's Men (A-)
62. Roman Holiday (A+)
63. Rebecca (A-)
64. Notorious (A)
65. American Madness (B+)
66. It Happened One Night (A-)
67. Mr. Deeds Goes To Town (C-)
68. You Can't Take It With You (B+)
69. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (A-)
70. The Heiress (A+)
71. X-Men: First Class (A-)
72. Super 8 (B+)
73. Dr. No (B-)
74. From Russia With Love (A)
75. Captain Blood (A+)
76. The Best Years of Our Lives (A+)
77. The Adventures of Robin Hood (A+)
78. The Treasure of Sierra Madre (A+)
79. From Here To Eternity (A)
80. To Have and Have Not (B)
81. The Big Sleep (A-)
82. Barry Lyndon (B+)
83. The Snake Pit (B+)
84. Hoosiers (C-)
85. Rocky (A-)
86. Midnight in Paris (B+)
87. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (B+)
88. Key Largo (B-)
89. Bridge on the River Kwai (A)
90. The Apartment (A-)
91. Captain America: The First Avenger (A-)
92. Ordinary People (A-)
93. Days of Heaven (B+)
94. Yojimbo (A-)
95. Tangled (A)
96. Cowboys and Aliens (B)
97. Crazy, Stupid, Love (A-)
98. Beginners (A-)
99. They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (A+)
100. Bonnie and Clyde (A-)
101. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (A-)
102. Elmer Gantry (B+)
103. Sanjuro (A-)
104. The Help (B+)
105. Dark Passage (B+)
106. Easy A (B)
107. Rob Roy (B+)
108. The Great McGinty (C+)
109. Christmas in July (B-)
110. The Tree of Life (B+)
111. The Lady Eve (A-)
112. Sullivan's Travels (B+)
113. The Palm Beach Story (A+)
114. A Passage to India (A-)
115. Glengarry Glen Ross (A-)
116. Hail the Conquering Hero (B-)
117. The Great Moment (C+)
118. Platoon (A)
119. Atonement (A+)
120. Patton (A)
121. Pan's Labyrinth (A+)
122. The Debt (B+)
123. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (A-)
124. The Pawnbroker (A-)
125. Double Indemnity (A)
126. Mildred Pierce (B+)
127. The Postman Always Rings Twice (C-)
128. The Great Dictator (A+)
129. La Belle et la Bete (B+)

130. Contagion (B+)
131. The Age of Innocence (B+)
132. The Remains of the Day (A+)
133. His Girl Friday (A)
134. Howards End (B+)
135. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (A)
136. The Lion King 3D (A+)
137. Paths of Glory (B+)

Between increased work and the return of the regular TV season, my rate of film viewing has gone way down lately.

Kubrick's first big successful film, a 1957 Kirk Douglas vehicle; Spartacus remains my favourite Kubrick film, so I was hoping this would be more along those lines, but while it's good, it's not on that level. Tonally we're still mixing hyper-serious drama and bits of absurdist black comedy, which mostly works. The depiction of the trenches holds up quite well more than 50 years later.

The execution scene still has a punch, though it didn't really surprise me given not just the several decades of bleaker film endings and the fact that this is a Kubrick movie so a depressing ending is the expected ending; it would have been more surprising if they actually had been saved. Good performance by Kirk Douglas, and most of the rest of the cast.

 

[od0_ital]

Spoiler: New Movies Seen in 2011

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightening Thief - HBO
Tron Legacy 3D - theater
Clash of the Titans (2010) - HBO on Demand
Take Me Home Tonight - free screenin'
Sanctum - free screenin'
The Green Hornet - free screenin'
Green Zone - HBO
Fantastic Mr. Fox - HBO
True Grit (1969) - AMC
Ringu - DVD
Black Swan - Alamo Drafthouse (its not just a movie theater)
Unknown - free screenin'
The Losers - HBO
The Sunset Limited - HBO on Demand
Starsky & Hutch (2004) - Cinemax
Kick-Ass - DVD
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - DVD
The Adjustment Bureau - free screenin'
Rango - theater
Red (2010) - DVD rental
Hot Tub Time Machine - DVD rental
Harry Brown - DVD
Faster - DVD rental
Jonah Hex - DVD rental
Battle: L.A. - theater
The Girl who Played with Fire - DVD
The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - DVD rental
Leaves of Grass - DVD
Whiteout - Cinemax on Demand
Sucker Punch - free screenin'
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - DVD
Paul - theater
Source Code - theater
Rio - free screenin'
The Fighter - DVD rental
Invictus - Cinemax
Scream 4 - theater
Fast Five - midnight screenin'
THOR - free screenin'
Priest - theater
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - midnight screenin'
X-Men: First Class - theater
Ramona and Beezus - HBO
Shrek Forever After - HBO
Super 8 - theater
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron - HBO
Devil - Cinemax on Demand
Green Lantern - theater

Killers - Netflix Instant
Push - DVD rental
Ron White: Behavioral Problems - DVD rental
All*Star Superman - DVD rental
Captain America: The First Avenger - midnight screenin'
Dylan Dog: Dead of Night - DVD rental
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One - DVD
The King's Speech - DVD rental
Get Low - DVD rental
Dan in Real Life - DVD
Thor: Tales of Asgard - DVD rental
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights - DVD rental
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths - DVD
Planet Hulk - DVD rental
Alien vs Predator: Requium - Unrated - DVD rental
Fright Night (1985) - DVD
John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) - DVD
50/50 - free screenin'
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules - DVD
Repo Men- Unrated - DVD
Earth Girls Are Easy - DVD
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey - DVD
Tangled - DVD
Kung Fu Panda 2 3D - dollar theater
Dolphin Tale - free screenin'
Mad Money - DVD
The Ron Clark Story - DVD

Kendra bought a five dollar DVD set with ten kids movies on two discs. Among the gawd awful films was The Ron Clark Story with Matthew Perry & Ernie Hudson. Definately the best of the bunch of films...

Based on the true story of a teacher who moves to New York and goes to work in one of the worst classes in Harlem, and raises their standardized test scores to the highest in the area through, apparently, sheer determination.

At least it didn't suck like Nico the Unicorn & Jungle Boy, which were also available on the DVD the kids would watch...

Back in Austin for a bit now, and I already have passes to see the Footloose remake for free on Tuesday.

 

[Captain Craig]

Spoiler: Rest of my list

1. The Fighter: B-
2. Batman(90's saga): A-,B-,C-,D
3. Star Wars OT-Special Edition: B+, A, B
4. The Green Hornet: B
5. True Grit(1969): C+
6. Lord of the Rings saga: (A,A,A)
7. The Machinist: A-
8. Season of the Witch: B
9. Frozen: A-
10. Due Date: B+
11. Planet of the Apes(2001): B-
12. Faster: C
13. Romance: D (French film, subtitled)
14. YPF: C- (YPF=Young People F*&^ing)
15. The Beautiful Truth: B-
16. Strictly Sexual: C+
17. DOOM: C
18. Brothers: B+
19. Men In Black II: B-
20. The Crow: Wicked Prayer: C-
21. The Soloist: C
22. Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love: C+
23. I Now Pronounce you Chuck & Larry: B-
24. Battle in Heaven: C+ (Mexican film, subtitled)
25. Legion: B-
26. Battle: LA: B+
27. Righteous Kill: B
28. Dracula II: Ascension: B-
29. Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li: D
30. You Don't Mess With the Zohan: C+
31. Finding Bliss: C
32. Dracula III: Legacy: B-
33. Tangled: B+
34. Paul Blart Mall Cop: C-
35. Chloe: B
36. Kung Fu Panda: B-
37. Centurion: B
38. The People I've Slept With: C
39. Grown Ups: B-
40. The Conspirator: A-
41. XXX: State of the Union: C+
42. Fast Five: B+
43. THOR: A-
44. Priest: D+
45. The Fourth Kind: B+
46. POTC: On Stranger Tides: B-
47. Turtles Forever: A-
48. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story: B+
49. Easy A: A
50. Inception: B
51. #1 Cheerleader Camp: D
52. Freakanomics: C+
53. Green Lantern: C
54. The American: C-
55. Super 8: A
56. Green Lantern: First Flight: B
57. Transformers: Dark of the Moon: B-
58. 9 Songs: F
59. Kings Speech: A-
60. Whiteout: C+
61. Passion Play: D+
62. Captain America: The First Avenger: A-
63. Marley & Me: A
64. Date Night: C+
65. Frantic: B+
66. Presumed Innocent: A
67. Invictus: A
68. Rocky: A
69. Hurt Locker: A+
70. Rocky II: C+
71. Rocky III: B+
72. Rocky IV: A
73. Cowboys & Aliens: B
74. Wonder Woman (DC Animated): B+
75. Rocky V: B-
76. Conan The Barbarian('11): B-
77. Dinner for Schmucks: D
78. Nothing But the Truth: B
79. Snow Angels: B+
80. Everybody's Fine: C-
81. Rise of the Planet of the Apes: A+
82. Fragments: C+
83. Fright Night: A-

84. Cold Comfort Farm: D
85. Machete: C-
86. The Queen: A
87. Public Enemies: B+
88. Drive Angry: D


The mostly Ghost Rider-esque ripoff also with Nicholas Cage and Amber Heard as the waitress who has no reason to follow Milton(Cage) on his quest after quitting her job and finding her redneck boyfriend cheating on her, who then beats her up. Great so Milton kicked his ass, Piper(Heard) should've done 50 other things. Her character has no rationale reason to follow him...wait, except at the end we are told Milton chose her. Guess it was a destiny thing.

Bad SFX, cliches out the ass, bad acting but if I had to spout those lines I guess it'd be bad also. Hard to polish a turd. Outside of some decent car chase sequences and kill shots that save the film from total 'F' grade what it really did was make me think Machete was better than I thought.

 

[stj]

The Trojan Horse, starring actors from the TV series Slings & Arrows plus Greta Scacchi, Saul Rubinek, Clark Johnson and Tom Skerrit. The movie begins with a losing referendum on the union of Canada and the US. An ex-Prime Minister of Canada, ultimately if unintentionally responsible for the union, decides to run for US President. The plot downplays political realism for drama, but as a foreign production is much, much smarter than all but a handful of US films. The writing is sophisticated enough to allow the reading of the end in more than one way. The fantasy in the movie is probably as close to an open expression of resentment and fear of the US empire as could be expressed in mass commercial media.

 

[Admiral_Young]

The Guard (A +) (2011) Starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle. An Irish Black comedy film about an unorthodox Irish police officer (Gleeson) who ends up teaming up with an FBI Agent (Don Cheadle) to investigate an international drug smuggling gang that has been operating off the Irish coast. It's a hilariously funny but dark movie and easily one of the finest films of the year for me and worth watching just for Gleeson's performance which is Oscar worth in my opinion. It has a kind of "The Dark Knight Returns" type of feel to it. Harry Potter fans will know Gleeson as Mad Eye Moody from the films. It also stars Mark Strong as one of the gang members who has perhaps one of my favorite dialogue exchanges in a very long time.

Drive (A) (2011) A Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Ron Perlman, and Albert Brooks. A tremendously stylish almost retro 80's film about an unnamed driver (Gosling) who takes jobs as a driver and works as a Hollywood stunt man. He gets involved in a heist scheme which turns deadly. I can't really get into it without spoiling the film but it was a tremendous film which is kind of difficult for me to explain. It will most likely remain in my top ten favorite films of this year. The score was incredible as was the cinematography.

 

[Agent Richard07]

The Darjeeling Limited: I love Wes Anderson's quaint lighthearted style, but I found this one pretty boring.

Snow Angels: Saw it after reading Captain Craig's review. It did drag, but I liked the ending.

Love & Other Drugs: Best casual sex-turned-relationship movie I've seen to date. Light years ahead of No Strings Attached or Friends With Benefits. Better sex and a more poignant story.

 

[Harvey]

144. Michael Clayton (A)
145. Wall Street (B)
146. The Change-Up (D-)
147. Crazy Stupid Love (B+)

Michael Clayton: I haven't seen this since it was in theatres, but I'm happy to say it still holds up. Tom Wilkinson's monologue that opens the film is excellent, and the rest of the cast is just as good. I was surprised upon second viewing just how little screen time Tilda Swinton has. She leaves such an impression in a short period of time.

Wall Street: Very 80s in style, moreso than most of Oliver Stone's other films from this decade, but I think the movie holds up overall -- just not as well as some of Stone's other work from this period. Michael Douglas is still great as Gekko. Sean Young is still underused as his wife.

The Change-Up: Probably the worst comedy I've seen in a while, the reviews were too kind to this film (and they weren't that kind). At almost two hours, it was at least 30 minutes too long, and made me laugh perhaps a dozen times during the whole film. Ryan Reynolds continues to not impress me (see: Green Lantern) and Jason Bateman can do better.

Crazy Stupid Love: A very funny movie with a very good cast. Really, the only thing holding it back is that I was never able to buy the inciting incident of Ryan Gosling's character helping out Steve Carrel. It's a moment of plot trumping character, although it sets in motion a lot of very funny (and, at times, dark) moments. Perhaps my favorite comedy from this year.

155 movies this year. Still behind, but not as much as I once was.

 

[doubleohfive]

Just got back from a special screening of 1941, held to promote the new LalaLand Records album re-release of the soundtrack. Met Bob Gale, Eddie Deezen, and even Dan Roebuck and had a wonderful time.

 

[Captain Craig]

Spoiler: Rest of my list

1. The Fighter: B-
2. Batman(90's saga): A-,B-,C-,D
3. Star Wars OT-Special Edition: B+, A, B
4. The Green Hornet: B
5. True Grit(1969): C+
6. Lord of the Rings saga: (A,A,A)
7. The Machinist: A-
8. Season of the Witch: B
9. Frozen: A-
10. Due Date: B+
11. Planet of the Apes(2001): B-
12. Faster: C
13. Romance: D (French film, subtitled)
14. YPF: C- (YPF=Young People F*&^ing)
15. The Beautiful Truth: B-
16. Strictly Sexual: C+
17. DOOM: C
18. Brothers: B+
19. Men In Black II: B-
20. The Crow: Wicked Prayer: C-
21. The Soloist: C
22. Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love: C+
23. I Now Pronounce you Chuck & Larry: B-
24. Battle in Heaven: C+ (Mexican film, subtitled)
25. Legion: B-
26. Battle: LA: B+
27. Righteous Kill: B
28. Dracula II: Ascension: B-
29. Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li: D
30. You Don't Mess With the Zohan: C+
31. Finding Bliss: C
32. Dracula III: Legacy: B-
33. Tangled: B+
34. Paul Blart Mall Cop: C-
35. Chloe: B
36. Kung Fu Panda: B-
37. Centurion: B
38. The People I've Slept With: C
39. Grown Ups: B-
40. The Conspirator: A-
41. XXX: State of the Union: C+
42. Fast Five: B+
43. THOR: A-
44. Priest: D+
45. The Fourth Kind: B+
46. POTC: On Stranger Tides: B-
47. Turtles Forever: A-
48. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story: B+
49. Easy A: A
50. Inception: B
51. #1 Cheerleader Camp: D
52. Freakanomics: C+
53. Green Lantern: C
54. The American: C-
55. Super 8: A
56. Green Lantern: First Flight: B
57. Transformers: Dark of the Moon: B-
58. 9 Songs: F
59. Kings Speech: A-
60. Whiteout: C+
61. Passion Play: D+
62. Captain America: The First Avenger: A-
63. Marley & Me: A
64. Date Night: C+
65. Frantic: B+
66. Presumed Innocent: A
67. Invictus: A
68. Rocky: A
69. Hurt Locker: A+
70. Rocky II: C+
71. Rocky III: B+
72. Rocky IV: A
73. Cowboys & Aliens: B
74. Wonder Woman (DC Animated): B+
75. Rocky V: B-
76. Conan The Barbarian('11): B-
77. Dinner for Schmucks: D
78. Nothing But the Truth: B
79. Snow Angels: B+
80. Everybody's Fine: C-
81. Rise of the Planet of the Apes: A+
82. Fragments: C+
83. Fright Night: A-
84. Cold Comfort Farm: D

85. Machete: C-
86. The Queen: A
87. Public Enemies: B+
88. Drive Angry: D
89. Red Riding Hood: C+

Went and had dinner at a friends house, hey she was cooking, and she wanted to watch her latest Netflix movie. I have it way down in my queue so, sure. Now to remove it from the queue.

The movie never rose above standard fare although I think it was trying a time or two. I guess casting was an issue for me and I know that's always a personal preference issue. Amanda Seyfried, while capable just never rises to greatness. First time I saw her on Veronica Mars she was a niche character. I saw Mamma Mia and Chloe and in the later she actually stands out but she's still not a headline marque draw and it shows here in Red Riding Hood imo.

Yes, it has Gary Oldman but he wasn't promoted for a reason. I will not spoil it but if you must know

Spoiler: Gary Oldman's character

he dies at the end of the second act.

The two main male leads who are after Valerie's(Seyfriend) affection would've been better served as names of recognition. I've already forgotten the character names let alone the actors.

The story is straight forward enough and in fairness it did have me guessing at who the werewolf was. I give it a C range grade cause they kept me from figuring it out. It's just entertaining enough as a rental to sit and watch while not having to be too focused. Sit and enjoy a meal and minor chit-chat.

 

[CaptainCanada]

Really, the only thing holding it back is that I was never able to buy the inciting incident of Ryan Gosling's character helping out Steve Carrel. It's a moment of plot trumping character, although it sets in motion a lot of very funny (and, at times, dark) moments.

I thought the implication that Carell reminded him of his dad was good enough.

 

[Harvey]

Really, the only thing holding it back is that I was never able to buy the inciting incident of Ryan Gosling's character helping out Steve Carrel. It's a moment of plot trumping character, although it sets in motion a lot of very funny (and, at times, dark) moments.

I thought the implication that Carell reminded him of his dad was good enough.

It was good enough for me to buy him talking to the guy, but the Hollywood makeover montage never felt (to me) like something that would happen in real life. Still a good, funny comedy.

And I was at that screening of 1941 last night, too, doubleohfive. I had a great time. Like all comedies, the movie plays much better with a crowd, especially one that anticipates so many of the jokes (though there were clearly some, like my girlfriend, who hadn't seen the movie before). I can't wait to listen to the soundtrack, which I picked up but have yet to listen to, due to school. A great panel, too (it helped that the moderator asked most of the questions, though the few that came from the audience were all good questions, too).

 

[od0_ital]

Spoiler: New Movies Seen in 2011

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightening Thief - HBO
Tron Legacy 3D - theater
Clash of the Titans (2010) - HBO on Demand
Take Me Home Tonight - free screenin'
Sanctum - free screenin'
The Green Hornet - free screenin'
Green Zone - HBO
Fantastic Mr. Fox - HBO
True Grit (1969) - AMC
Ringu - DVD
Black Swan - Alamo Drafthouse (its not just a movie theater)
Unknown - free screenin'
The Losers - HBO
The Sunset Limited - HBO on Demand
Starsky & Hutch (2004) - Cinemax
Kick-Ass - DVD
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - DVD
The Adjustment Bureau - free screenin'
Rango - theater
Red (2010) - DVD rental
Hot Tub Time Machine - DVD rental
Harry Brown - DVD
Faster - DVD rental
Jonah Hex - DVD rental
Battle: L.A. - theater
The Girl who Played with Fire - DVD
The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - DVD rental
Leaves of Grass - DVD
Whiteout - Cinemax on Demand
Sucker Punch - free screenin'
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - DVD
Paul - theater
Source Code - theater
Rio - free screenin'
The Fighter - DVD rental
Invictus - Cinemax
Scream 4 - theater
Fast Five - midnight screenin'
THOR - free screenin'
Priest - theater
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - midnight screenin'
X-Men: First Class - theater
Ramona and Beezus - HBO
Shrek Forever After - HBO
Super 8 - theater
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron - HBO
Devil - Cinemax on Demand
Green Lantern - theater

Killers - Netflix Instant
Push - DVD rental
Ron White: Behavioral Problems - DVD rental
All*Star Superman - DVD rental
Captain America: The First Avenger - midnight screenin'
Dylan Dog: Dead of Night - DVD rental
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One - DVD
The King's Speech - DVD rental
Get Low - DVD rental
Dan in Real Life - DVD
Thor: Tales of Asgard - DVD rental
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights - DVD rental
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths - DVD
Planet Hulk - DVD rental
Alien vs Predator: Requium - Unrated - DVD rental
Fright Night (1985) - DVD
John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) - DVD
50/50 - free screenin'
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules - DVD
Repo Men- Unrated - DVD
Earth Girls Are Easy - DVD
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey - DVD
Tangled - DVD
Kung Fu Panda 2 3D - dollar theater
Dolphin Tale - free screenin'
Mad Money - DVD
The Ron Clark Story - DVD
Nico the Unicorn - DVD
Jungle Boy - DVD
Killer Wave - DVD

My friend Angie K has a stack of bad scifi movies to watch. Last night, we watched Killer Wave, which is an almost three hour film about a conspiracy to weaponize the ocean by firin' missiles into it & creatin' targeted waves.

Tom Skerritt was the only actor I recognized in it, and his guy killed himself...I made the comment that he committed suicide just so he wouldn't have to be in the movie anymore.

Angie and I agreed, though, that there was too much bad melodrama & not enough waves killin' things.

 

[doubleohfive]

And I was at that screening of 1941 last night, too, doubleohfive. I had a great time. Like all comedies, the movie plays much better with a crowd, especially one that anticipates so many of the jokes (though there were clearly some, like my girlfriend, who hadn't seen the movie before). I can't wait to listen to the soundtrack, which I picked up but have yet to listen to, due to school. A great panel, too (it helped that the moderator asked most of the questions, though the few that came from the audience were all good questions, too).

How funny! I wish I'd known you were going, I would have loved to meet you too! I think the biggest surprise for me was also running in to a guy I went to high school with in Virginia who was also in attendance. Crazy, how small this town is.

As for the panel, yeah, Mike is great at those kinds of things -- I was so worried we'd get stuck in another endless cycle of audience members spending ten minutes apiece complimenting the guests before getting to their questions, and thankfully Mike was able to completely avert that scenario. *whew*

 

[Captain Craig]

Killer Wave - DVD

My friend Angie K has a stack of bad scifi movies to watch. Last night, we watched Killer Wave, which is an almost three hour film about a conspiracy to weaponize the ocean by firin' missiles into it & creatin' targeted waves.

Tom Skerritt was the only actor I recognized in it, and his guy killed himself...I made the comment that he committed suicide just so he wouldn't have to be in the movie anymore.

Angie and I agreed, though, that there was too much bad melodrama & not enough waves killin' things.

If this was only 1.5hrs or therabouts I'd have put this in my queue just for the sheer lunacy of the conspiracy plot.
Twice that length though and I'll just take your word for it. I'm not opposed to the concept "so bad it's good" or "is it as bad as they all say" but at 3hrs I'm willing to trust it's bad.

 

[od0_ital]

^

I think it may have been a two-part miniseries originally, but on DVD, its insanely long.

 

[LitmusDragon]

Spoiler: Rest of list

1. Alien 3 (assembly cut) - B
2. Let the Right One In - A
3. Inception - B.
4. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - B+
5. Lilo and Stitch - A
6. Despicable Me - B
7. Forbidden Planet - B+
8. Clerks - B
9. Metropia - C+
10. Brand Upon the Brain - B
11. Beltesassar Animation Festival 17 - A
12. Buried - B+
13. How to Train Your Dragon - A
14. Monsters - C+.
15. The Tune (Bill Plympton) - C
16. House (1977) - B
17. Institute Benjamenta - B-
18. The Triplets of Belleville (rewatch) - A
19. Lunacy (Jan Svankmajer, 2005) - B
20. Paradise Lost (1999) - C-
21. Daybreakers - C
22. The Wizard of Oz (rewatch) - A
23. Winnebago Man - A
24. The Social Network - B+
25. Book of the Dead (2005) - C
26. Megamind - B
27. North By Northwest (1959) - A
28. The Plague Dogs (1982) - B+
29. Burn After Reading - B
31. The Incredibles (rewatch) - A
32. Fire and Ice (1983) - D
33. Bad Santa - B
34. Twelve Monkeys (rewatch) - A
35. Sweeney Todd - B+
36. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 1 - B
37. Alien IV (Blu-ray) - D
38. American Movie (1999) - B
39. Naked (1993) - B
40. My Neighbor Totoro - B+
41. Pulp Fiction (Rewatch) - A+
42. Fight Club (Rewatch) - B+
43. Akira Kurosawa's Dreams - B
44. Falling Down (Rewatch) - B
45. Crazy Heart - C+
46. Confessions of a Superhero - B
47. The King's Speech - B+
48. Pinnochio (Disney, rewatch) - B
49. Network - A
50. Paprika - B+
51. All The President's Men (1976) - A
52. The Illusionist (2010) - B
53. Rashomon (1950) - B
54. Wall-E (rewatch) - A
55. Tron Legacy - C+
56. American Psycho - B
57. Rango - A-
58. Rear Window - A
59. Stranger Than Paradise (1984) - B
60. Get Low - B
61. Boken Flowers - A-
62. The Amazing Screw-On Head - A
63. Inland Empire (David Lynch) - B
64. Paul (2011) - B
65. Down By Law (Jim Jarmusch) - B
66. The Bad Sleep Well (Akira Kurosawa, 1962) - B+
67. X-Men: First Class: B
68. The Fighter - B
69. Tangled - B

70. Be Kind, Rewind - C+. Mostly pretty stupid but had a couple of funny parts. Loved the 2001 parody.

71. Black Swan - B-. Fantastic visuals abound, but I thought that the story was ultimately too predictable. Natalie Portman is incredibly sexy in this movie.

72. Howl's Moving Castle - B+. The third Hayao Miyazaki movie I've seen. Not quite on the level of My Neighbor Totoro or Spirited Away which I regard as masterworks in the genre, but still quite a competent film.

 

[JacksonArcher]

I saw Drive (2011) a few days ago and now I can't stop thinking about it.

 

[Starbreaker]

Let Me In [C]

Just boring. Let the Right One In was alright, but I'm not a fan of the remake. I've really wanted to try and find the awesomeness in these adaptations that everyone else sees, but I just can't.