Meg's Movies

I'm Not There

2008-09-17T09:01:00.000-07:00

It's a little difficult for me to explain myself or my standpoint on this movie. For starters I guess I should say that I absolutely loved it...but I can't put my finger on quite why. I have always had an interest in what some people might today call "classic rock" it's musicians. This bioptic of Bob Dylan's life is centered around Dylan as a folk singer and someone I have always considered one of the primary protest voices of the 1960's. His style of song and his poetic lyrics have always struck me as very unique (as I'm sure it did with everyone else) and quite touching. I know some people who think Dylan's voice is like cats claws on a chalkboard and others who worship it, but one thing is for certain: his voice is one of the most distinguishable voices of this century.

As far as the film itself, this was pretty amazing and a very creative presentation of Mr. Bob Dylan. I have to admit I was a little confused, mainly due to the fact that they cast 6 different people to play Dylan during different parts of his life. The young version was played by an African American kid named Marcus Carl Franklin. I was absolutely blown away by this boys performance. I mean, wow. He had some kind of charisma that was pretty awesome to watch on the screen. Other "versions" of Dylan were played by some pretty heavy hitters like Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Richard Gere, Cate Blanchett, and Ben Whishaw. Blanchett got an Oscar nomination for this role, which I completely agree with. She was absolutely phenomenal, particularly in a final scene in which she had a monologue explaining Dylan's music and standpoints on several issues.

Accompanied by gorgeous scenery, scenes of the turbulent 1960's, and of course Bob Dylan's incredibly poetic music- this movie is a must see for anyone interested in the voices that lead change and the stories behind them.

There Will Be Blood

2008-08-29T08:48:00.001-07:00

This movie is intense. And I've got to say, I have pretty mixed emotions about it. One the one hand, Daniel Day Lewis was absolutely phenomenal (obviously, he DID win an Academy Award). Oh! And Paul Dano was absolutely amazing. This guy has been in several movies, including Little Miss Sunshine and The Girl Next Door. The Girl Next Door was kind of a teeny bopper movie, but he was breathtaking in Little Miss Sunshine and I didn't even like that movie all that much. Dano shows some serious acting chops in this movie and I expect that we will be seeing a lot more of his name on the big screen.
While the cast was great, I couldn't help feeling like some things about this movie were just kind of... off. Mainly the score. It would have some crazy dramatic music when someone was swimming in the ocean or something. Kind of weird. Usually a score indicates something happening in the movie, like the peaks in the notes will hit right as someone is getting sneaked up on. But the music on this would peak, with nothing happening on screen. I don't know it was just weird.
And maybe it's just me but there were a lot of weird, pointless transitions in this. For example: they show a scene where Daniel Day Lewis' son lights a bed on fire. It's sort of showing the boy's frustration with his situation, but overall I just don't see why it was necessary. There were a lot of scenes like that. It was almost as if the director slowed down during inappropriate parts like that and sped up through monumental ones, like the son growing up. One scene he is about 12, and the next scene he is marrying his childhood sweetheart. What about the past 6 or 7 years? Then the movie has an incredibly climactic final scene, and ends rather abruptly. I don't like movies that end like that. It's like I get the whole "thought-provoking" idea of it, but there is a difference between thought-provoking and confusion.
Overall this was a great movie and I think it deserved the Academy's recognition, but I don't think I would buy it or watch it again. It was very long (about 2.5 hours) and moved at a very slow pace. Definitely a movie to watch alone when you are feeling introspective. Oh and a glass of wine helps too.
**Fun fact: Paul Dano is in a movie adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are coming out 2009. I can hardly wait.

Tropic Thunder

2008-08-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

Well, I tend to have a hard time knowing where to start on movies I like a lot. I have a hard time figuring out where to start on this one for a totally different reason. It takes a lot for me to get up and walk out of a movie theater in the middle of a movie, and I was thisclose to doing just that for this one. I was really bummed out, too, because I adore Ben Stiller, I love Jack Black, and I think Robert Downey Jr. is brilliant. But this movie was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. You know what's going to happen next, and you wish it didn't, but you just sit there and watch as disaster strikes.
It was a classic Ben Stiller movie, with lots of cameos (Tom Cruise, Stiller's wife Christine Taylor, Mathew McConaughey, Jennifer Love Hewitt...) and lots of over-the-top humor. And Im not totally sure what it was that made this movie worse than, say, Zoolander. I guess it was the long sequences where they tried to be funny and failed miserably. The one funny part was the scene when Jack Black was tied to a tree. Not even Robert Downey Jr. dressed as an African American could save this one.
I will say this for innovation's sake: The first 5 minutes of the movie is filled with previews that are actually part of the movie, it's the actor's movies from before they started filming Tropic Thunder. I thought that was brilliant. Hell, the previews were even funny (why that didn't pass on into the main part of the movie remains a mystery). So I applaud Ben Stiller for that. Otherwise, though, this was a total flop as far as Im concerned.

Step Brothers

2008-08-13T12:53:00.001-07:00

I can not get enough of this movie! I have already seen it twice, which is rare for comedies but I seriously laughed so hard I practically peed my pants.
Will Ferrell is one of my favorite actors. I don't know what it is about him but he has the ability to be SO funny in almost any role he is in, even if the movie kind of sucks. John C. Reily isn't one of my favorite actors, but he was pretty awesome in this movie as well. There isn't a whole lot one can say about this kind of movie, just that it was hilarious and creative and I HIGHLY recommend it. Here are some clips from the movie for your viewing pleasure:

This one is a terrible copy but it's one of the funniest parts of the movie:

Who missed me??

2008-08-08T09:03:00.000-07:00

Alright kids- so rather than get overwhelmed by the number of movies I have seen and neglected to blog about I have decided to start small (and, well, big at the same time!) by working on one at a time. So here is the big one: The Dark Knight.Seriously- this is one of the best action/comic book/eye candy movies I have seen in a long time. And you can just let the reviews around the world, as well as the astronomical ticket sales speak for themselves. This movie is breaking records and taking names all over the place, out-selling pretty much every other movie known to man. They are talking Oscar nominations for Heath Ledger, as well as, I'm sure, all kinds of awards for the behind the scenes as well. Oh and didn't you hear? Christian Bale got so stoked on this film he cussed out his mom and went to jail for it! Wait- that's not why he did that. Sorry, my bad.

There are tons of things to talk about in this one. Lets start with the cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman. Wow. To steal the exact phrase from someone else- every single one of the actors in this brought their A game to the screen. I have heard stories that Heath Ledger even secluded himself in a hotel room for a week or two so that he could nail The Joker's character and the insanity that he possessed. Without giving too much focus on Ledger because I don't want him to steal the show, er, blog- he was PHENOMENAL. To be able to get inside the mind of a character like that is a pretty big feat and he literally owned that role. I don't think there has nor will there ever be anyone who can play the sh!t out of that role the way he did. Christian Bale has been and is my favorite Batman. He has that somber and lonely, yet playboy rich-man thing nailed. Oh, and um... yea he's gorgeous. I've heard that when he does interviews regarding Batman he talks in his impression of an American accent because he doesn't want to confuse viewers. Pure class. Aaron Eckhart was great as Gotham's White Knight Harvey Dent, my only complaint was that he didn't get to play Two-Face for a long period of time in the film. But truth be told I liked him much more as Dent anyways. Eckhart is just such a clean, charismatic guy that you can't help but like him. He was perfect to play Harvey Dent- with his surfer blond hair and trustworthy eyes. I enjoyed him on screen a lot- and not just because he is good looking but because he was believable.

One of the best things about all of these superhero movies coming out now is the ability to have such awesome stunts and gadgets. I mean, the things Batman can do now are a far cry from a bogus punch to the chest and a big *POW* exclamation that fills the screen. What an exciting time to go to the movies, don't you think? The Batpod was introduced in this movie, which lets just say is effing awesome. This movie sort of came out as a mix of James Bond, Silence of the Lambs, and The Italian Job (whatwith the heists and all). I'm sure there are a ton of other things I am forgetting to add to that list, but oh well I can't win 'em all.

To satisfy your sweet tooth in some and your sheer, morbid curiosity in the others: Here are some stills from the movie for you! Enjoy.

To the former Harvey girls

2008-08-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it is but lately movies are the last things I feel in the mood to blog about. CREEPY. I seriously do not like that AT ALL. But here I am, still blogging, so I suppose that's still something, right?

Today I want to talk about two people that I love more than anything in this world. And while I love quite a few people, these two stand out for obvious reasons.

When I look around at all the people in this world, I see smart ones, stupid ones, funny ones, and mean ones... I see all walks of life. So how is it that I, who really haven't done very much to deserve something out-of-control-special, ended up with two of the coolest and most admirable women I know as my sisters? It really blows my mind.

Starting with Charity (because she is the oldest, not out of preference)... she is just plain COOL. Like here is this sister who has never had any problems speaking her mind, she's incredibly business savvy, has 3 sons and a husband who are naturally good at everything and some of the funnest people I know, owns a skate shop in Parker, Colorado and is cool enough to hang out with the teenagers who come in there (which, trust me because I remember being a teenager and it's like an unsaid rule that you have to HATE adults)... she is just plain awesome. Whenever I get the chance to hang out with her I have so much fun and laugh so hard I am almost in tears. I LOVE my sister.

And for Jill- she is one of my best friends. Compassionate, loving, funny, smart, and talented... there are very few people in this world who do not think Jill is amazing. If I ever have a problem, I call Jill for advice (poor Jill) because she is a voice of reason and always has good input that I probably didn't think of. She is patient with me and with all the people in her life- a quality I, myself, have little of. She always seems to have good things come her way, some might say it's luck, but you can never begrudge her for it because when someone so good gets things handed to them, it almost seems like a balance of things.

As luck would have it, both of these awesome women live in another state now, which makes me sad, but it doesn't change my admiration for them. How did I get SO LUCKY? I have no clue. But I am grateful every day that I get to have two of the people in this world that I consider to be my biggest role models as family.

I love you guys.

Missing blogs...

2008-07-07T09:24:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a pretty crazy month for me, personally. I haven't been very good about blogging but I've been busy so don't get too mad (As if there were a bunch of people getting angry about the fact that I haven't updated my movie blog!) The following blogs are coming soon (and anyone who can think of anything else I may have seen with them and forgot to blog about, feel free to remind me!)

*Wall-E

*Rambo (2008)

*Wanted

*Kung Fu Panda

*Lars and The Real Girl

*P.S., I Love You

*Hellboy

The Incredible Hulk

2008-06-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

Alright... now where do I start on this one? For starters lets go back to 2003 when Eric Bana and Jennifer Connelly starred in the aptly titled "Hulk". Not Incredible, just Hulk. Oh, and the title of the movie was just Hulk and not The Incredible Hulk too!(Not a funny joke? Damn.) Anyway, it was good, but it wasn't anything that knocked anyone's socks off.
Fast forward 5 years to the release of The Incredible Hulk, starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, and Tim Roth. Wow. And I mean WOW. Now, I can sit here all day long and talk about how Edward Norton blew Eric Bana out of the water (and this is coming from a big Eric Bana fan, mind you), but rather than comparing two different representations I will try to stick just to the facts about this newer movie.
Edward Norton is a phenomenal actor. I don't think I have ever seen him do a bad job in a role. Handsome, yes... but not necessarily someone who, if you saw him on the street, would strike you as anything more than your average joe. Which was all the more reason he was a great fit for this role. It's much harder to sympathize with and relate to a character who looks like, well, Brad Pitt. You will notice that Mr. Jolie doesn't really play roles where you think "Aww, poor Brad", and as a matter of fact he plays Edward Norton's alter ego of who he wants to be in Fight Club. Anyways, I am getting off track here... Norton is great in this role, combining brains, heart, and a desperate sense of urgency for a normal life again. Repeat after me: Edward Norton=Good. That's all you need to know.
Liv Tyler was amazing as well. She had a title role in the movie but lets face it, she isn't what this movie is about. Sorry Liv, moving on...
Tim Roth. Wow. Roth is seriously just an awesome actor. The one movie I saw him in and didn't like was one called Four Rooms, and that is because I thought that was a totally stupid movie. Other than that he is always a pleasure to watch on the big screen. He didn't disappoint here, playing Emil Blonsky/ The Abomination. Roth has this way of using his eyes and voice to exude anger and hatred. I'm sure he is a totally nice guy in real life, but if anyone can play a total asshole on screen it's Tim Roth. I mean you look into this guy's eyes during a role like this and cant help but think "wow, here is someone who didn't get hugged enough as a kid." Just amazing portrayal of the perfect "bad guy".
Cinematically this movie is exactly why we go to the theater. The special effects were awesome, and I loved the camera angles constantly shifting throughout the movie. There are times when movies will get one or two points right, but this one hit them all. It was like they took the top of the class from every film school in the nation and put them together to brainstorm all of the latest techniques to make a movie. Going from broad camera shot to a first person party perspective, it was a great combination of being the viewer and being in the movie itself.
The action choreography was also just mind-blowing. There were a few moves that looked almost like the Japanese fighting style fight scenes that are becoming more and more popular in action movies, as well as some straight up bar fight moves. It was flawless. It even reminded me a little bit of Shoot Em Up in that some of the moves they used were just plain creative. I don't want to give anything away but during the last scene I'm pretty sure I broke my friend's hand from getting a little too excited about what was going on.
I love that they are doing so many comic book movies, and I love even more that they are doing them well. Finally, someone is paying attention in their film school classes and taking a bit from everything they have learned to put ALL of it into a movie that we have the pleasure of enjoying. I can't wait to see what happens next in the wonderful world of Marvel.

Rob Zombie's: Halloween

2008-05-21T12:05:00.000-07:00

Much to the dismay of my mother (and probably rest of my family for that matter)... I am a HUGE Rob Zombie fan (mostly cinematically, but his music rocks too). This is also an ironic fact because I am the girl who, upon taking me to any scary movie, pulls my sweater hood over my eyes until the creepy music ends. But there is something about Rob Zombie's movies that remind me of a car accident- I just can't look away.
House of a Thousand Corpses, The Devil's Rejects, and now Halloween... these were all creatively gruesome and fascinating movies. I think that people feel only a drama or a romance movie can be done artistically. I don't agree, and perhaps this is why I like movies like these and the Saw collection. These directors are brilliant and creative and even though the material is horrific, the stories are unfolded in incredible form. When I think of many of the horror or slasher movies from the past there are basic story lines, but there was never really any need to develop anything else character-wise because it was the blood and guts that drew people to the movie. The ability of those kinds of movies to get you on the edge of your seat was initiative enough to increase ticket sales. It's like that old belief that if a girl is pretty she doesn't need to be smart or funny. Only here it's if a movie is gross and terrifying it doesn't need to have character development.

I really enjoy these newer movies coming out that have intricate character analysis, looking into their psychology and trying to find, like a clock, what makes these people tick.

I don't necessarily see these because I want to see what someones innards look like, I think I enjoy them because of the deep look into the psychology of people in them. In the Saw movies- you don't see much in the mind of Jigsaw- but you DO see into the lives and minds of all the other people in it and that fascinates me. People like these, who are in a mindset that I will likely never encounter or have laid out for me- are very intriguing.

I don't think I will get into much about the movie specifically other than that I saw the original probably once ever and it was a million years ago. This was fortunate because I had little to compare this one to and was thus able to watch it for itself and not next to something older and less cinematically advanced. I'm sure the original has it's positive aspects too but this new one blew me away. And much like Tim Burton's Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory- I think this movie went for itself rather than to do over the original. Tim Burton explained in an interview I read that he "did not want to remake the 1971 movie" but create HIS movie based on his interpretation. I think that is what Rob Zombie did here. And I applaud his final result.

**Fun fact: Zombie's next movie coming out is an animated movie titled The Haunted World of El Superbeasto. Based on a comic book by Rob Zombie himself and including the voices of Paul Giamatti, Danny Trejo, (of course) Sheri Moon Zombie, and Sid Haig. Below are a few pictures from the comic book and also the website since there are none from the movie as of yet...

Speed Racer Part Deux

2008-05-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

Well a few months back I did a blog regarding the then-upcoming Speed Racer movie, so I figured I would be fair and give my review of it after I'd seen it as well!

Visually- this movie was like walking into Wonka-Ville. I mean the Wachowskis DID NOT disappoint in delivering a visual orgy of color and special effects. Now I'm not a big supporter of narcotics but whatever these two are doing to think up movies like this and the Matrix I fully support their continuance on. Okay that was a joke, but still...

Emile Hirsch was great, as always. He just has this ability to take on a role and make it his own that is very rare. I mean who goes from a drug-addicted skateboarder to a cartoon-race car driver with complete ease? I am not even blinded by how hot he is when I say I expect big things from this guy. Now I didn't really watch much of the show growing up, but the word on the street is that every character in this movie was spot-on for the one they were trying to be from the cartoon. Racer X (played by Matthew Fox) is everything I wanted him to be. By the way- can I just say that I never really thought Matthew Fox was all that good looking until I saw him in this movie? I mean Damn.

I think this movie might have done a lot better if it hadn't released at almost the exact same time as Iron Man, though. Apparently it didn't make nearly as much as they had hoped which is sad because it really was a great movie. I think when you put out something aimed more at kids with something that caters to a more adult crowd, that adult crowd that makes the money and has more of a theatrical interest will take their kids to see the one they themselves will enjoy more.

Anyways- it is definitely a good movie and I would recommend seeing it in IMAX or better yet if they come out with it in IMAX 3-D (which would be awesome).

**Here's a fun fact: They are no longer the 'Wachowski brothers' as Larry has semi-recently become Lana Wachowski. Just a little FYI for you. Below is a picture of the transformation.

Iron Man

2008-05-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

With the slue of comic book movies that have come out in the past few years, it's easy to convince yourself that this is yet another cheesy movie that tend to be hit or miss (did anyone see Spiderman 3?) ... and especially as someone who grew up playing with My Little Ponies rather than collecting comics I didn't know if I ought to expect something spectacular or something that would gain little if any interest from me.
Lucky for me, I was right the first time.
Iron man is by far the best comic book movie I have seen. I got the chance to see it the day before it's actual release date and have been listening to the reviews on it for a few days as well- and I haven't heard a single review saying that it was anything less than spectacular.
If you are unfamiliar with Tony Stark/Iron Man I am not going to give any background story, but you can get a summary of it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Man
From the explosive beginning to the comical end- Iron man does not disappoint. Luckily for me I got to see it with some bonafide comic book 'nerds' (no offense, guys!) who were there to fill me in on anything I might not have understood, so if you can go pick some up that will really help your movie-watching experience. You can borrow mine if you want I'm sure they would love to talk some more Iron Man with you!
I am sure they could not have picked a better cast if they tried. Robert Downey Jr. was perfect for this role of a rich, brilliant, playboy- governing a defense weapons empire. His ability to play somewhat of an anti-hero gone good was awesome. Quick-witted, cocky, and yet endearing fits Mr. Downey like a glove. Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Terrence Howard (love him) as Jim Rhodes, Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane, and a somewhat small role for Leslie Bibb as Christine Everheart complete my list of big names in this flick.
I have to say the best part of this movie was the special effects (obviously) and the suit. I sat in the theatre shaking with excitement every time he put that thing on- it was just SO cool. It reminded me of Transformers with all the bells and whistles of that kind of visual display of machinery. I want one. Bad.

Here are a few cool pictures of the suit I found:

From the game:

...And from different comic book interpretations, etc.:
I have also been hearing a lot about how similar the movie was to the actual comic books. This may be in part because of Marvel's complete control of the film (this is apparently the first time Marvel or any other comic book company has had total control over making one of their characters into a live action film). While I can't show you this in pictures I will make an attempt to illustrate it by a couple of comparisons of the characters themselves in pictures:
Don't take my word for it. Go see the movie!! Oh- but do take my word for it on this: sit through the credits until the very end. I almost made a HUGE mistake by trying to leave early. You can spare 10 minutes, TRUST ME.

Making a mad dash

2008-04-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

I know my normal blogs are about movies but every once in a while I think I may just throw something else a little extra in there for you lucky bastards who want to read what I am doing BESIDES sitting in front of the big screen.

Uhh... oh wait is this where I am supposed to talk about something interesting or relevant? Sorry wrong blog. Today I am talking about money. Ahh... that thing which so eludes us and also fascinates us. That root of all evil that we sometimes donate to the church (did anyone catch that?). That thing that they say will never make you happy and yet can really really make you sad and hungry if you don't have any. As is the case with my day today.

Why don't I understand this whole 'money' thing? I would really love to buy a replacement pair of jeans since mine all apparently have holes in the pockets but oh, wait- I would need money for that. Grr... okay I am not really complaining because I just got a raise and am making plenty of money to get by. It's 100% my own fault for not being better with it. And quite frankly I am not whithering away by all means, but sometimes I just get so frustrated with the fact that I have periods of time that I am not allowed to even go inside Target because I know myself and I know that I will not be able to NOT buy some piece de la resistance from that black hole of crap I never knew I always needed. So today, as I sit eating a can of tuna with mustard and relish (no mayo, mind you) because someone had to have that lemon-scented organic bathroom cleaner (no joke) instead... here are a few things to tie in with the normal movie-quote-esque theme for your reading pleasure:

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"That really hurt! I'm gonna have a lump there, you idiot! Who throws money? Honestly! You fight like a woman!"

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"Every man dies. Not every man really gets to spend his life savings first"

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"Here's looking at you, money"

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"Say man, you got money? "No man, not on me." "You'd be a whole lot cooler if you did!"

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"Nobody puts money in a corner"

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"Dude, where's my money?" "Where's your money, dude?"

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"Who glued these quarter's down?" "I did" "What the hell for man!?" "I don't feel I need to explain my art to you Warren" <---OG quote

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"The things you own end up owning you" <---didn't even have to alter that one either

There you go; have a little movie trivia game there.

Horton Hears a Who

2008-04-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

Well everyone who knows me knows that I am a really big dork. They also know that I love love love children's books. I think deductively, one doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how excited I was to see that this movie was coming out with not only Jim Carrey, but Steve Carrell (from The Office- my favorite TV show), Will Arnett, Seth Rogan, Isla Fischer, Amy Poehler, Jonah Hill, and Jamie Pressly. From about 2 minutes into it I could tell this movie was amazing. It goes with that newer sort of children's movies that entertain not only the kiddos but the person who actually had to get them all loaded up into a car, buy their tickets, get them popcorn and drinks only to ration them into smaller boxes so everyone has some, sit through the movie, and then take one to the bathroom every ten minutes. Namely- the adult.

I have a handful of favorite kids movies like this- Monster House, Ice Age 1 &2 (bytheway they are coming out with Ice Age 3 in 2009), and Monsters, Inc. are examples. They have endearing characters, incredible animation, and entire scenes with jokes that go over the kid's heads but apply to the adult mind. Horton Hears a Who had me laughing so hard the entire time that my cheeks were sore by the end of the movie. They could not have picked a better cast to voice the characters if they tried.

And so, with cheeks and stomach muscles sore from laughing and my twizzler straw drinking my soda in the theatre- it's a good time to be a kid again.

<---Jim Carrey as Horton

Steve Carrell as the Mayor ----->

Batman: Dead End

2008-03-27T09:32:00.000-07:00

Well I would love to say that I am a huge Batman freak but I'm more of a Superman kind of girl- either way this movie was fantastic. It's a short film but nonetheless good, and the second it was over I could not list on only my two hands the number of other movie buff friends that I would have loved to have watched it. With rave reviews from big names like Kevin Smith, you can't NOT respect this movie and the effort and skill that went into it. Short but sweet I would ultimately love to see more stuff put out by the people who concocted this bad boy (one of which, coincidentally, being a friend of mine).

Side note: I fell hard for the actor who played the Joker in this. I have been anticipating the Dark Knight movie coming out for some time and reading a lot of articles on the much-missed Heath Ledger and his dedication to the role. The Joker is not a role you step into lightly considering the people who have been playing him on the big screen, and I really really liked Andrew Koenig.
Anyways don't listen to me I'm no buff on this one- check it out (above) for yourself...

Into the Wild

2008-03-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

I made this music player at MyFlashFetish.com.

Wow. This movie was incredible. I had heard rave reviews on it for a long time and seriously didn't want to exhale from the time I got it in the mail until the second I put it in my DVD player. I don't know why I waited so long to see this but oh well I can't change that now.
Emile Hirsch is one of those actors who is destined for greatness. He reminds me of Leonardo DiCaprio in that he is looked at as just this really great looking guy but once you see past that you notice 'Hey, this stone cold fox can ACT!'...there was literally nothing I can say bad about this movie. There was great acting, cameos galore, some of the most breathtaking scenery I have ever seen and one of my favorite musicians of all time (Eddie Vedder) doing the soundtrack. All I can say is bravo to an amazing story incredibly presented to us by Mr. Sean Penn (who directed it).
**Warning: When you watch this be prepared to have a sudden urge to go camping because the scenery across this great country is gorgeous in this movie and you will totally want to go buy a tent and hoof it to a state park someplace!!

10,000 B.C.

2008-03-17T12:04:00.000-07:00

I can vividly remember the first time I saw the preview for this movie. With giant Sabre tooth Tigers and panning shots of huge snowy mountains it looked like an epic movie and I was totally psyched to see it. And for the first couple of minutes of the movie I thought "yes- this is it. Its going to be awesome" Buuuttt...not so much.
I'm not saying I didn't like it, it was just totally not what I expected and what I expected was why I was bouncing around the house all day when I told my friend we would go see it. I wanted to see some kind of mix between the scenery in Lord of the Rings, some Matrix-esque action, and some crazy computer generated beasts like no one has ever seen (except some of you when you look in the mirror after a rough night). Um- do you think I set my sights a little too high? Probably.
But I did like this movie and even though it was a love story disguised as an action flick it was still enough action to make sure I didn't get sick in the theatre and the romance was very subdued as far as being cheesy. There was one line of an 8 year old boy telling a girl that she was like the North Star and would never leave his heart. Come on- NO BOY talks like that especially at 8. But, oh well.
This movie actually had a lot of funny stuff in it- although I am pretty sure it wasn't intended to be funny. Some of the costumes were hilarious and some of the characters were just ridiculous. It may be my immaturity but I found myself laughing at the whispering servants and the bouffant hairdo on a 300 pound man. I also appreciated one scene where a character yelled and you could see his silver filling on one of his back teeth. I wasn't aware they offered dental plans to hunters and gatherers.
This movie got a lot of bad reviews mainly for it's inaccuracy keeping with the time it was made as well as the geographical layout of the land they traveled across. While I agree with the disappointment spoken I also say that if you want to watch a documentary turn on the Discovery channel. I guess it wouldn't have asked for it so bad if the movie title had just been "Back in the Day" rather than such an exact time frame but that wasn't really the point of the movie so I'm not really all that concerned about it.

The Kingdom

2008-03-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

I had sat myself down to watch this somewhat begrudgingly. I will be honest: I have had a rough couple of weeks and was looking forward to relaxing at home with something to cheer myself up... so it was between this and *eeesh...* Season 2&3 of The Newlyweds. Sue me, I am a closet Jessica Simpson fan. Maybe her idiocracy makes me feel better about my own intelligence(?) ...I guess it is just one of those mysteries that will never be solved like like the chicken and the egg.
SIDE NOTE: Here is a great party joke- So this chicken and this egg are laying there after some passionate love-making. And the chicken angrily lights a cigarette and says venomously "Well I guess that answers THAT question!"

So anyways, I decided that watching something I haven't seen beat out something I have seen a few times so I popped The Kingdom in to watch instead. From the second the opening credits started rolling I was captivated. I am ashamed to say I am not the most politically-knowledgeable person and I have always wished I was more involved. The movie ties you into what is going on (to a certain extent) in the Middle-East and then drops you in the movie. The cast was amazing and even though I am not the biggest Jennifer Garner fan I liked her in this one a lot. Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, and Jason Bateman also star. Anyone who doesn't know who Bateman is just silly. I adore him in every movie he has been in, as well as Arrested Development. He is, obviously, the comic relief in this with stupid little ditties like when Cooper is getting out of searching through a puddle of mud and Bateman comments on how nice his skin looks from it. Just random- but still funny nonetheless.

There are very, and I mean very few things in movies (or elsewhere for that matter) that will make me cry. Even well up. This movie dealt with something I have the biggest issue with of anything in this messed up world- children being taught that wrong-doings are good. I don't know why it gets to me so much but seeing movies like this and Blood Diamond where a child is handed a gun and told to kill people- some at the risk of their own young lives- really does. It just horrifies me to think of a child's expanding mind being taught that life is about hurting people and pain. I know that is the way things are in a lot of places around the globe and many people can't do anything about it happening, but... anyways I am babbling now.

3:10 To Yuma

2008-03-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

Now I like Westerns just as much as the next girl... which in layman's terms means 'not really a huge fan', but this movie was awesome. Interestingly enough the two main actors in this one (Christian Bale and Russell Crowe) were or perhaps still are kind of Hollywood heartthrobs. I'm not going to say they aren't still incredibly hot men- but you don't really notice it in this movie. Those are my favorite actors- the ones you look past how they look and instead see the intensity of their acting skills. Leonardo DiCaprio is another one of these. Christian Bale has been doing some great work lately and I am really looking forward to The Dark Knight to see him reprise the Batman role as well as to see Heath Ledger's final performance as the Joker (That one comes out July 18, 2008).
I can't quite put my finger on what it is about this movie that I liked so much except that with a string of goofball movies and knock offs of teen flicks- it was really nice to see a movie that was taken so seriously and so well done. The academy recognised this as well by giving them an Oscar nod for several sound and music nominations, as well as a slew of other award recognitions including the SAG awards (where practically the entire cast was nominated for something).
Also there was an actor in this one that I haven't seen in a ton of movies but every time I see him in something I can't help but say to myself "Hey- there's that guy..." Ben Foster plays Charlie Prince- one of Ben Wade's (Russell Crowe) 'posse'. I don't know what it is about this actor but he has the ability to *pardon my French* scare the shit out of me with one glance. I absolutely love it. I first noticed him in Alpha Dog as a complete nutcase hard-ass. But he has one of those faces you don't soon forget- not because he is so dreamy (although he isn't unattractive) but because his facial expressions have a tractor beam... you can't not be intimidated by them. See pictures below. Tell me this guy wouldn't kill someone without blinking an eye:And yet- Foster is a versatile actor- as you can see here by his role in X-Men 3 and his apparent adoration for sparkly cardigans...
...Anyways enough of that: Go see this movie it is worth it.

Jumper

2008-02-21T12:53:00.000-08:00

Weelll... I have mixed reviews on this movie. A few people I know saw it and reported back that they didn't like it but I never EVER listen to the critics (...I guess that makes me wonder why you should listen to me, either...)
I liked the storyline and this movie DID have a good cast. Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christiansen (whom everyone else seems to ahte but I actually like), Samuel L. Jackson (although that isn't saying much after he starred in Snakes on a Plane), and Diane Lane. It also had AnnaSophia Robb- a 14 year old little girl who shows enormous potential and has already been in several big movies like Bridge To Terabithia (one of my favorite books as a kid), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the new one), and The Reaping...anyways I think she's got big things coming.
Jumper was good in that cheesy-action way. The special effects were pretty awesome, but unlike The Bourne Identity (which had the same director-Doug Liman), Jumper just wasn't all that memorable. It didn't try to be coy or cheesy like Mr. and Mrs. Smith (also by Liman), but it just didn't have that extra 'umph'- as if that were a word.
The thing that completely DID draw me into this one was all the places that Christensen's character went in his 'jumps'. Italy, Egypt, London, The Grand Canyon, etc. There is an exceptional scene in the Colosseum in Rome that made the whole movie that much cooler. All these places were amazing and I have to admit that filming this thing must have been awesome (for whichever scenes were filmed on location). All in all, this one was allright but I wouldn't recommend anyone spending the $10.50 it costs for a movie ticket now to check it out in theatres.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2008-02-14T14:00:00.000-08:00

Well, anyone who knows me well at all will be able to tell you that I do not enjoy romantic cry-your-eyes-out movies. Nor do I like movies that make you want to put a puppy in a basket and ride your bike around in matching his-n-hers argyle sweaters. And so- here are a couple of Valentine's Day movies for those of us who dont want to make our significant other and/or ourselves roll our eyes through yet ANOTHER Meg Ryan-esque flick.

-In no particular order-

TRUE ROMANCE: Christian Slater. Enough said. Also it was written by Quenton Tarantino which always predicts an enjoyable 2 hours. Val Kilmer, Dennis Hopper, Patricia Arquette, Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken, Samuel L. Jackson, and James Gandolfini are also in this one. Tagline for this movie on IMBD says: Stealing, Cheating, Killing. Who said romance is dead?

SIN CITY: Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez's masterpiece. Im not even going to list off who is in this one because there are a ridiculous amount of people but suffice to say it has an incredible cast. It may not look like a love story but each of the 3 storylines they reveal have a centerpiece of some kind of amorous intent. Sure, there's some guns, cannibalism, and weird yellow monsters in it, but who ever said that love is always perfect? I bet you don't look so hot first thing in the morning yourself.

PS- Word on the street is that they are making at least one more Sin City movie, likely 2 more. Sweet...
SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BABER OF FLEET STREET: One of Tim Burton's awesome love stories. Johnny Depp is perfect in this role (not exactly a huge shocker there) and although the fact that it is a musical may seem a little bit... well, West Hollywood, that does not matter nor distract from the killer visual stimulation and creepy storyline.
At the base of this whole "slashing people's throats" thing- this is a love story for four separate people: Sweeney Todd's love for his wife, Sweeney's love for his daughter, Mrs. Lovett's love for Sweeney Todd, and Anthony Hope's love with Johanna (aka Todd's daughter). Aww... this thing is just chock full of love stories!
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT: Okay this one is probably the most romantic of all the movies on this list. Ashton Kutcher takes a break from punking other celebrities who I am fairly certain have never even met him before and stars in this with Amy Smart. He does a surprisingly good job in a serious role which kind of bums me out that he doesn't do more of them and instead looses his car and teaches Bernie Mac how to dance. Anyways- this is pure dedication and altruistic love here- trying over and over again to change the life of the girl he loves and had to leave behind- even at the cost of his own happiness.
Also- it doesn't hurt that he is smokin' hot.
THE CORPSE BRIDE: Well, I quite frankly could have put any Tim Burton movie in here (besides Sweeney Todd) since they all have some love story in them and are somehow able to be watched without feeling nauseous (unless you dont like blood). Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Cater (who- fun fact- has two kids with Tim Burton) voice the characters of a man who gets more or less stuck engaged to a skeleton. Hence the name "Corpse Bride".
Insert "til' death do you part" here.

Shoot 'Em Up

2008-02-07T12:27:00.000-08:00

Welll... this one is decent. It was like they got the guy who was going to write the screenplay and the guy who was going to choreograph the action scenes and put them on different continents to work on it though. With multiple references to "shooting your load" and cheesy one-liners involving carrots, I definitely could have done without so much talking by the main characters and more action. Whoever thought up some of the stunts, though, was pure genius in my opinion. Some of Mr. Smith's escape routes were so well-timed and clever that I sat there knowing it was impossible for him to think of those things were he to be real but loved every minute of it nonetheless.

There were also a couple of genius scenes that I can't believe no one ever thought up before. A huge shootout DURING a sex scene, for starters. Another gnarly fight scene while skydiving which may have been done before but not like this...

All in all it was a pretty cheesball movie but I would definitely watch it again and as advised by my friend and fellow movie-addict Danny- please watch with the volume turned all the way up!

Here is a copy of the sex scene clip. It doesn't show any 'parts' but if you are easily offended maybe skip this clip.

Speed Racer

2008-01-31T10:20:00.000-08:00

That's right...

Okay so this review is on a movie that isn't actually out yet- but I am totally amped on it and this is my blog so bite me! I have been waiting for some kind of pictures and trailer to come out on the new Speed Racer movie for seriously like a year and they are just finally leaking out. Starring Emile Hirsch (you might remember him from The Girl Next Door and The Lord's of Dogtown, he also stars in Into The Wild), Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, John Goodman, and Susan Sarandon- this movie has nothing but freaking promise written across it in permanant gold sharpie. Not only does it have a killer cast, but it's directed by the Wachowski brothers who also directed the ever mind-fuc%ing Matrix trilogy. I have only high hopes for this bad boy and the fact that it is based on a tv show that was freaking sweet back in the day only makes it that much cooler. It is due out in May of 2008 and I will be there opening night drooling over a few of my favorite things- great directors and Emile Hirsch.

Balls of Fury

2008-01-28T13:55:00.000-08:00

I can not emphasize to you just how awful this movie was. I was so bummed on it too because I am a huge Christopher Walken fan. I mean- the guy is so classic that he has his own best of Saturday Night Live video, despite the fact that he was never an actual cast-member! Anyways- the only saving grace (and I say this in complete heterosexuality) was that Maggie Q was so freaking hot in this movie.

Hot chick+ability to kick ass= a little bit cool and inspiring.

...And I don't mean that I was ogling her the whole time, I'm just saying that when a chick can kick some serious tail in a miniskirt then hey, she's cool in my book. I would love to be able to do that.

Anyways, in all fairness I didn't even finish this movie. That was how crappy it was. I turned it off halfway through and sent it on its merry little way back to Netflix. So there is some minuscule chance that I am totally wrong and it suddenly gets better after maybe an hour or so of completely wasting one's time. But I doubt it.

...In order for me to not have my entire world turned upside down over this one- here is one of my favorite Christopher Walken performances during, apparently, 'better times':

** Okay on a complete sidenote: I just found out that they are making a movie called "The Dirt" which is based on a killer book written by and about Motley Crue (the movie is due out in 2009), and it has been announced that Christopher Walken will be playing Ozzy Ozbourne. Hells yeah.

Tommy Boy

2008-01-24T12:35:00.000-08:00

Oh Tommy Boy- where do I even start? This has been my ultimate favorite movie since I was probably 13 or 14. I could only compare it to being outside on a snowy day and coming inside to find a bowl of hot tomato soup. Oh, and a couple pills of E. Okay, I'm kidding about the E, but Tommy Boy is comforting in a way that feels like home, allthewhile making me laugh hysterically at something that I've seen so many times that by this point can only be described as drug-enhanced (just for the record guys- I don't do drugs. Drugs are bad, mmkay?)

There are so many classic moments in this bad boy I don't even know what I would start off by saying because my brain feels like a traffic circle on the Autobahn just thinking about it. Fat guy in a little coat, who was your favorite little rascal?, Let me tell you why I suck as a salesman, and lets see what happens when you use the other guy's brake pads are just a few of the classic monologues in this flick.

This movie started it all, man. It's the first Chris Farley movie I remember seeing and I think it pretty much launched David Spade. I will say it may have typecast David Spade but I am not totally sure how much of that is just because he is the same character in everything he is in due to himself. And for those of you who missed it- they starred together in Black Sheep as well- which is more or less Tommy Boy part two. Anyways this classic comedy from 1995 is something that, in my opinion, if you don't own or haven't seen there is something seriously wrong with you and perhaps the Ecstasy thing would be a good idea; or maybe just some Prozac or something because you clearly have no joy in your life. Look into it (the movie not the drugs thing. Remember? Drugs are bad...)

<----- I love these men.

License to Wed

2008-01-22T11:48:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while, a movie comes along that just captures your imagination, even before you see it. You see the preview in some dark theatre and think to yourself, "wow- I might actually like that one! I love the cast, and the story line seems good enough...", but you just don't quite get the chance to see it in theaters. So you log onto your Netflix account, and lo and behold! That glorious day comes when you check your mailbox and there it is: that red pamphlet-envelope with your DVD inside like some golden ticket promising to take you to the Wonka Factory. So you go home, get all snuggled in your warmest pjs and socks, pop the disc in, and prepare to laugh your ass off.

...but it never happens. Wait- correction- you laugh once, no twice. In two hours. What the hell??

Okay, that was a total over dramatization. I don't even think I saw the ad in theaters. But this is like the first movie I have seen with John Krasinski in a leading role. Since I am freakishly in love with the TV show The Office (and if you don't watch it then shame on you) I figured it would be good. I suppose I should have learned better after seeing Evan Almighty.

Mandy Moore is cute in this one, and don't get me wrong- John Krasinski is always a hunny in my book, but whoever wrote the script should be shot. There were funny parts, but nowhere near the potential it should have had with it's cast- especially since it included Robin Williams. I mean the guy is Mork, people! He exudes ridiculousness. Anyways- it wasn't the worst movie ever, per say, but it is definitely a one-timer for me. I will keep my fingers crossed that we see a little more of a Jim Halpert success story in Leatherheads or the promising-sounding Brief Interviews with Hideous Men both due for release sometime this year.

The Simpsons Movie

2008-01-18T10:28:00.000-08:00

Well what can I say about this one??? The Simpsons movie was, while hilarious in its own right, a seemingly longer version of the tv show in my opinion. Not that it takes away from how awesome it is that they made a full length feature based on the show, but I was really hoping for a little more. You know how they did the South Park movie- Bigger, Longer, and Uncut? I guess I wanted The Simpsons to do something where it was stuff they weren't allowed to show on tv. I know it is kind of a family show compared to other shows on tv now but with the cult following that it has I am surprised there wasn't some kind of innuendo... maybe an f-bomb or at least the word bitch. Am I horrible for wanting it to be a little closer to an R-rating? Hmm... Perhaps.

Other than that- this movie was awesome. Classic Simpson's humor and I have to say the Spider Pig/Harry Plopper was priceless! Homer was Homer in all his glory. They really made him an asshole in this movie! Well, an "idiot" since we are being PG-13 about it. Overall it was a hilarious movie and although, as mentioned, I had hoped for a little bit more irreverence- I am glad I bought it and will definitely watch it again.

On a side note: If you ever have an opportunity to see something where they show pictures or a live interview with the cast members of The Simpsons- do not pass it up. It is freaking awesome to watch. At the end of the movie they list each cast member and the voices they do- some of whom do up to like 6 voices or something ridiculous. For those of you who don't know also, Bart is voiced by a woman. Yeah- crazy. Lisa's voice is done by Nancy Cartwright who has been in a ton of movies but the only visual I am coming up with at the moment is the girl that Daniel Stern's character gets pregnant in City Slickers. Coincidentally Daniel Stern does the voice of the grown up Kevin from Wonder Years. I guess it IS a small world, after all. Ugh- I can't believe I just made a Disneyland ride reference!!

Here is a complete list though, just for fun:

Dan Castellaneta:
Does the voices of: Homer Simpson, Abraham "Grampa" Simpson, Barney Gumble, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, Mayor Joe Quimby, Hans Moleman, Sideshow Mel, Itchy, Kodos, Arnie Pie, Scott Christian, Squeaky Voiced Teen

Julie Kavner:

Does the voices of: Marge Simpson, Patty Bouvier, Selma Bouvier, Jacqueline Ingrid "Jackie" Bouvier and Gladys Bouvier

Nancy Cartwright:

Does the voice of: Bart Simpson, Nelson Muntz, Todd Flanders and Ralph Wiggum

Yeardley Smith:

Does the voices of: Lisa Simpson, Maggie Simpson

Hank Azaria:

Does the voices of: Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Comic Book Guy, Carl Carlson, Cletus Spuckler, Professor Frink, Dr. Nick Riviera, Lou, Snake, Kirk Van Houten, the Sea Captain, Superintendent Chalmers, Duffman, the "Wise Guy" and numerous other one-time characters.

Harry Shearer:

Does the voices of: Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Ned Flanders, Reverend Timothy Lovejoy, Kent Brockman, Dr. Julius Hibbert, Dr. Marvin Monroe, Lenny Leonard, Principal Seymour Skinner, Otto Mann and Rainier Wolfcastle among others.

Pamela Hayden:

Does the voices of: Milhouse Van Houten, Jimbo Jones, Rod Flanders, Sarah Wiggum and Janey Powell

If you get a chance to watch Inside The Actor's Studio with James Lipton, there is a killer interview with the cast members. I believe you can go to utube and see it in 2 parts at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V52pi2ofJD4&feature=related

and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V39UraRaHE8

Juno

2008-01-17T12:42:00.000-08:00

First off- and I have to keep this one short because I am in a rush- I want to say that Juno is an awesome movie. Ellen Page is hilarious. She reminds me a little bit of Janeane Garofalo- just that dry humor that makes her come off as thinking everyone else around her is an idiot. Michael Cera- always a pleasure. I was actually a little bummed that he didn't have a bigger role in it since I loved him so much in Superbad but I guess I will take what I can get.

While some people might think that this movie is really awful since it deals pretty casually with tean pregnancy, I thought it actually handled it well. First off drawing a crowd of viewers that would not see it since it if it were a more serious movie and secondly because Page's character makes the decision to seek out adoptive parents rather than abort. I think that the later is an all too common solution nowadays so it was nice to see a young-audience-targeted movie be so pro-life.

Besides the political side of it, this movie was hilarious. With a great supporting cast including Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman, they really hit home with what seems to me as a new type of comedy growing more and more popular lately. That sarcastic, dry, sometimes overly-perverted, raw, and often in-your-face shocking comedy that follows in the footsteps of Superbad, The 40-Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Anchorman.

Intro.

2008-01-17T12:10:00.000-08:00

Well this is my first blog!! I had thought about doing one on my day-to-day activites like a lot of people do to keep people updated...but quite frankly no one wants to hear about what it was like to get up, go to work, go home, watch a movie, and go to sleep. My life just isn't that interesting!! Rather than bore people with details about "me" I thought it would be kind of a fun thing to write about something I am passionate about and love to do.

It has recently occured to me that I have probably seen over a thousand movies. I am, quite litterally, addicted. There is just something about being able to escape from your day-to-day life and absorb yourself into some ficticious one. Whether the life of the character is happy, sad, discouraging, romantic, evil, or just outright ridiculous- the ability that movies have to take us and almost place us in the middle of the film is, in my opinion, a rare and awesome art form. And I am not just trying to sound poetic about this. I would be lying if I said that I don't like being able to watch action movies and feel like I am in on it- kicking ass in some battle that will never in a million years take place. My personal favorite type of movie would be comedy. I love having a crap day (no, I dont love the crap day part!!)- and then coming home and putting on a feel-good classic like Tommy Boy. It makes the bad things almost seem to just disappear.

Well, enough babble. Suffice to say- Welcome to my blog! I wont promise any pearls of great movie wisdom. I might even miss a few movies that I just dont get around to seeing until they come out on Netflix. In fact, lots of them might just be movies you saw 10 years ago. But hey, its my friggin blog so read on...

Oh and feel free to leave any feedback you might have on any of these. Or even better any movies that you recommend!