an ok movie, a great dvd

i was trying to figure out what to get my brother-in-law for christmas. my sister said 'oh, just get him a movie.' 'ok, which one?' i asked. 'i dont know, whatever.' gee, that helps alot, thanks. yesterday i went to the movie shop to find one he might like. he has a normal guy taste in movies- he likes dumb comedy and cool action. (and really, who doesnt?) so i was trying to think of a movie he might like that he doesnt already have. as i was walking around i remembered one that i actually kinda liked: cellular. its not the best movie ever, but it sure is fun! the plot is basic and regularly leaves the realm of logic, but over all, its a fun movie to watch. and it does have a pretty great cast: kim basinger, william h macey, and my favorite- jason statham. in fact, one of the best parts of this dvd are the extras, actually. there are a few documentaries on the disk. but, the thing is, the documentaries are just about the movie. they are a whole lot more interesting than that. the documentaries are about deeper social and cultural issues like 'how has cellular technology changed us as a society?' or 'is this new form of communication through phones and text messaging changing our culture for better or worse?' you know, real thought provoking documentaries.
anyway, i guess i was reminded of how good of a dvd it really is. even if you dont like the movie, i would recommend renting the dvd (i bet thats a first for ya, huh?)
ps. if you know my brother-in-law, dont tell him what im giving him for christmas please...

going to the theater

i really have got to start going to more movies. i have such a strong interest and passion for movies, yet i really dont actually see that many. i havent been to the theater in a long time. the last movie i saw in the theater was 'saw 2' (ill have to devote a whole post to what a rancid pile of feces that one was...) there are a ton of movies out now that i would really like to see, i just for one reason or another dont end up going to see them. and to be honest, i dont very often catch them on dvd either. well, ive got some vacation time coming up, so i hope to go and see all of these soon. the following is a list of movies still in the theater that are on my list of movies i really want to see: (in no particular order)
1. chronicles of narnia
2. king kong
3. walk the line
4. syriana
5. good night, and good luck
6. harry potter 4
7. munich
8. polar express imax

extreme days

there are a whole lot of christian movies out there. in fact there is a growing sub-sub-subculture of them around these days. most of them suck. hard. have you ever seen 'left behind'? if not, you are lucky. what about 'the omega code'? even worse. in fact, just about any movie made from this subculture is crap. they always have bad actors (or ok actors who are many years past their prime), really bad production quality, bad music, and if it has any sort of special effect- forget about it.
this stereotype is always true. almost. 'extreme days' is the only exception i have ever seen. sure, its not great, its not something that would win any major awards or any amazing accolades. but it is good. the story is about a group of friends who head out on a road trip around the country. they have some strange adventures and participate in a whole lot of extreme sports. there is some great music and some decent acting. and actually- its quite funny. the plot is thin, but the humor and fun spirit of the movie more than makes up for it. if you have the time, pick it up (actually, it would probably be really hard to find, so, nevermind...)

guarenteed box office sucess

i was rooting around some old stuff and i found some stuff i have not looked at in far too long. among my old stuff was this list. its a humorous list of the 'rules of the box office'. it was created by a guy named preston sturges. he was a pioneer of the the filmed comedy- one of the first. he was certainly ahead of his time and is considered by many to be a legend in the field. this is his funny list of how to make a successful film:

Preston Sturges' Rules Of The Box Office
1. A pretty girl is better than an ugly one.
2. A leg is better than an arm.
3. A bedroom is better than a living room.
4. An arrival is better than a departure.
5. A birth is better than a death.
6. A chase is better than a chat.
7. A dog is better than a landscape.
8. A kitten is better than a dog.
9. A baby is better than a kitten.
10. A kiss is better than a baby.
11. A pratfall is better than anything.

i think i should start creating my own list...

lunch time movies

lately in class we have been watching movies during lunch. partly because the kids really want to watch movies, and partly because it gets them to sit still and be quite... well, at least a little. it has allowed me to rewatch some of the kids movies i havent seen in a while.

robots- i know a lot of people thought this one was total crap when it came out, but i actually enjoyed it alot. the story is simple, but i felt it was creative enough that i could see past the thin plot. the mechanical inventiveness of the city is worth watching it for at least once. my only problem with the movie is the crazy domino scene with the head inventor guy. it has no relevance to the story and totally takes you out of the experience.

lilo and stitch- i had only seen this one once. its not the traditional disney animated film at all. it takes all the standards- talking sidekicks, crazy musical numbers, the cheesy romance, etc- and throws them out. instead it is actually quite subversive. the little creature and the main character are always doing bad things and getting into trouble. the movie doesnt apologize for their behavior at all. not exactly the cookie-cutter disney movie, and it is rather good because of it.

the lion king- all those standards that were missing from lilo and stitch are in full force on this one. but the thing is, i dont mind. cliches become cliches because there is some truth to them. lion king takes these cliches and actually reivigorates them with new life. they may be cliche, but they are done so perfectly here that you dont even notice it because you actually care about the characters. and what an awesome soundtrack!

the longest yard

ive never seen the original film, but this one kind of sucked. it just felt like a lot of missed opportunity. the story is good, they just went the wrong direction with it. well, you have to figure, chris rock is in it so the only joke that will be played will be race related. ugh. and of course they use the tired cliches: the team sucks until they get black guys to join, 'basketballa wont be respecin til da white boy acts gangsta', the fat guy is constantly hungry, anything to do with the gay chearleaders, etc.
a much better version of the movie, i am surprised to admit, is the british remake that came out a few years ago called 'mean machine'. its got vinnie jones, and my favorite: jason statham. its a ton better and its got that crazy british humor. check it out!

movie catch-up

i was sick this weekend, so i got to do alot of movie watchin'. so, here is a quick rundown of what i wasted my time doing:

a series of unfortunate events- i started watching it, and then i actually stopped it after about 20 minutes in. i have read the first book in the series and i knew the movie was based on the first three books. i didnt turn it off because i didnt like it, rather, i turned it off because i was reminded that i actually did like the book. so i decided to stop the movie and rerent it after i read the other books. (all my rentals were from the library, so if i dont watch them, it doesnt matter bacouse its free anyway!) so, i guess ill have to postpone judgement on this one...

lords of dogtown- the beginning was interesting and held my attention, but i got bored quickly and actually fell asleep about an hour in. i didnt really feel compelled to go back and finish it. but i must say, the cameo by mitch hedberg was pure genius!!!

For love of the game- i really dont like baseball that much, but i totally love a kevin costner baseball movie! i must admit, actually, i love almost all costner movies- even waterworld and postman. the structure of this movie is actually quite well done. its the pitcher's last game of his career and also the night his wife walked out on him. the relationship unfolds in flashbacks as the game gets more and more intense. the pacing was really good, at the movie progresses the story pulls you in and you find yourself caring more and more about the game and his relationship with his wife. it is quite excellent.

Passion of the christ- i havent actually seen this one since it was in theaters a couple years ago. i was very impressed with it when i saw it the first time. the catholic symbolism almost takes you out of the experience. almost. for a new experience, i decided to watch it without the subtitles. i actually really enjoyed it without having any idea what they are saying. it amps up the emotions of the film, all you can rely on is the acting and expressions to understand what is going on.

steping into liquid- directv had a free preview of shotime this weekend. they really didnt have anything good on, but i gave this documentary a try after a recommendation from a friend. its about the world of surfing. it was fascinating. i didnt know that much about surfing so it was quite interesting. the best part was when a few of the guys decide to go in the middle of the ocean and try to catch the biggest wave they can. one of the guys actually caught a wave over 65 feet tall! the thing about this type of movie is that i always wonder how they can possibly get some of those amazing camera shots they get?!?

ocean's 11

i had my cable out of commission for a while last week, so my only option for vegging out was to watch a movie. i looked through the archives of my dvds and ocean's 11 caught my eye. i decided to watch it again.
dang, i really like that movie. its just a lot of fun. its one of those rare movies where it lives up to its cast. ive often found that movies with alot of famous people in it usually ends up being just ok. often the sum becomes less than its parts. for an example, just look to 'meet the fockers'- an amazing cast and a really stupid movie. but this one actually is every bit as good as you hope it will be. all the actors have their own defined characters that each get their moment to shine and get a laugh. also, the gimmick stays surprisingly fresh. i know exactly how the hiest is going to work, but its still a bunch of fun just to watch them pull it off.
and then theres the music. i just love the music! its certainly nothing i would go out and buy a cd of, but it fits so perfectly as cheesy sixties vegas music. it pumps up the silly fun of the movie to the next level. great stuff.
will all that going for it, how did they miss the mark so royally on the sequel ocean's 12? maybe they will get it right with ocean's 13...

a quick weekend list

saw a ton of movies this weekend. rex came down to visit, so we had to do some movie watchin'! a really brief review of each:

saw 2- it was alright. nothing too amazing. i liked the first one, but this one isnt quite as good. the characters were amazingly idiotic in each situation and there wasnt really any sort of tension to any of the situations. mostly gore, not much thrill.

primer- wow. ive seen this movie a dozen times or so, and it just does not get old. the ideas behind the time travel paradoxes and possibilities still blows me away. i could easily watch it 5 times in one day... again.

the big empty- it was fun. not that great, not that bad, but it was fun. the storyline was too crazy and unreal to really be taken seriously, but it was enjoyable to watch.

hitchhikers guide to the galaxy- saw it again. rex hadnt seen it yet. i think i reviewed it earlier. check out the archives.

pootie tang- i was actually impressed with this movie. i am a big fan of undercover brother, and i had just thought that this was a poor mans version of that movie. i was wrong. undercover brother is a spoof of the blaxplotation movies and james bond, pootie tang is a straight up comedy, and a good one at that.

elizabethtown

over the weekend i ended up going to the theater and seeing elizabethtown. i wasnt totally pumped for it, but i wasnt dreading it either. i kind of like orlando bloom, i think kirsten dunst is kinda cute, and ive never been too impressed or disappointed with the director camron crow. so i didnt have too much by way of expectations, good or bad. i was rooting for it to be a good movie. and it is. kindof.
actually its two good movies. there are two really strong plots going through the film. one centers on the guy's dad dying and he has to go down and get the body from his dad's relatives. while he's down there he realizes how the extended family are so real and loving and he starts to really understand his dad. the other story is about how he is ready to give up on life and then happens to meet a girl who has extra life to give. they meet and fall in love as she tries to teach him to live and focus on living instead of working. both stories are done well, they are told in a way that makes you understand the characters and enjoy the path the movie is taking you on. the only problem is that the director cant decide which story is the most important one. just as the dad stuff gets good, he switches to the girl stuff. just when the girl stuff starts to develop, he switches back to the dad stuff. it was kind of frustrating and actually made the film feel like it was alot longer and more drawn out than it really was. it could have been a great movie if it had just picked one of the plots instead of trying to be everything.

doom

first, lets just get this out in the open: i have a man crush on the rock. he is totally rad. so, based on this fact, i decided to check out the new rock movie: doom. i looked at a lot of reviews, and to put in gently, they were not kind. so, i was fully aware of the fact that this movie almost certainly is going to blow chunks. undaunted, we went to see it. i am not a fan of the game, to be honest, i dont think ive ever played it in my life.
i knew this would probably suck, i dont like the game. why did i go and see it again? oh yes, thats right: THE ROCK!!! and as it turns out, i was pleasantly surprised. granted, its nothing that will be regarded as a classic, but its exactly what it claims to be: fun sci fi action. the characters are the generic roles used in all war movies: the greasy weird guy, the angry black guy, the "im going to die first" minority guy, the guy whos back for just one more fight, and the novice kid on his first mission. yep, there all there. generic, but likable. the action is fun, the creatures are scary enough, and the violence is gory enough. all in all a bit better than i expected, but not as good as i had hoped. oh, and the rock is great in it, natch.

star wars vs. lord of the rings.

the other day i was talking with a buddy of mine about movies. shocking, i know. but we got talking about star wars (new trilogy) and lord of the rings. then the question arose 'which one is better?' i am a fan of both, and can find good and bad with each of them. im not what you might call a die-hard fanatic, but i do enjoy them. but the question is: which is better: star wars prequels, or lord of the rings?
on first glance, this is a very easy question to answer. lord of the rings, duh! they are superior in plot, dialog, characterizations, and subtlety. the story line is so much more involving, there is a very direct path of structure in the plot and arent too many random side stories, they are expertly adapted from a literary classic, and they are just plain cool! there isnt any dumb "i bet the kids will love this" characters like jar jar binks, no crappy actors like jake lloyd and hayden christenson, no ridiculously cheesy and overdone romance. instead there are things like a strong goal, a bunch of characters who bond and grow to care about one another as friends, breathtaking battles, and an epic worthy of being called epic. the choice seems like a no-brainer, right?
but then i got to thinking... i asked myself this question: 'do i care about them anymore?' the storyline for lord of the rings is amazing, but do i really care about what happens next or what happened before the story? am i eagerly awaiting some further look into the early years of froddo or sam? not really. on the other hand, star wars is a lot richer tapestry to draw from with its characters. im really curious as to what happened between each of the movies. how did skywalker do at the start of his training? how did obi won deal with the loss of his mentor qui gon? what happened during the war itself? whats the story about that general grievous guy? etc.
in conclusion, i would say that the movies of lord of the rings are much better, the world of the star wars prequels seems to me more interesting. which actually makes me even more mad at lucas for giving us mediocre films...

batman special edition

Batman. the 2 disk DVD just came out for this one, so i did as any self respecting comic book nerd would do, i ran like a raving madman to best buy and snatched that bad boy up! i havent had a chance to watch much of the extras yet, but i did get to watch the whole movie with commentary (which, by the way, sucked. tim burton is a great artist but a horrible speaker. come on tim, try a coherent thought every once in a while!) this is certainly my favorite of all the batman movies. the new one is good, but its not this good. michael keaton will always be the best batman.i havent watched this movie in at least five years, so it was great to see it again after such a long break. im still so impressed with the perfect casting of the film. wow. jack nicolson as joker? inspired! jack palance as his boss? who else could pull it off? heck, even the prince songs were cool! (remember that crazy bat dance video with prince half batman and half joker? crazy...) all together it actually holds up fairly well. the only stuff that was dated was the fashion. the crappy 80's black and white and red drawings of women with really sharp shoulders have not maintained their cool. also, the bad fashion of vicki vale sticks out like a sore thumb. obviously they were trying to show her as a woman on the cutting edge of fashion, unfortunately that edge has long since been cut...the best part though, has got to be the car! i surprised myself and actually liked the tumbler in batman begins, but nothing can even hold a candle to the burton batmobile! its the stuff dreams are made of.

hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy

last night i was able to pick up my cheap copy of hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy. i saw it once in the theater and actually enjoyed it. just before it came out in the theater i quickly read through the book (its actually a really fast read, i think it took me three days) so i had a good idea what to expect. since i had only read it the week of the movie release, it didnt give me enough time to become a bitter and hardened douglas adams fan. so when i saw the movie i didnt mind the story changes at all. actually, i though some of the changes were the best parts of the film. ( i thinks thats probably because the zaniness and funny stuff i had already read. you know, like hearing a great joke the second time- its still funny, but not as good as the first time). all in all i thought it was a fun little sci-fi film. i'm sure for those who were not familar with the story ahead of time they were probably a bit confused (thin and ridiculous plot and all) but i did not find that a problem. marvin the robot ruled.

*lightning round: comedy*

i figure i should give a good idea of what kind of stuff i like and dont like. so, here is the first of many 'lightning rounds' where i will list random movies that come to mind and rank them on a scale of one to ten. one being bad, ten being good. as with all opinions, mine are very arbitrary. sometimes i even *gasp* change my mind! if such a cataclysmic event were to occur, ill be sure to keep you updated...anyway, here is the first smattering of movies i can think of right now. let lightning round 1 begin! we will start with: COMEDY
bill and teds excellent adventure- 10
shanghi noon- 9
shanghi knights- 7
ace ventura- 9
ace ventura when nature calls- 10
wedding crashers- 8
40 year old virgin- 9
zoolander- 10
galaxy quest- 8
anchorman- 9
dodgeball- 8
napoleon dynamite- 9
team america: world police- 2
brewster's millions- 9
blazing saddles- 7
office space- 8
airplane!- 8
meet the parents- 6
meet the fockers- 4
clerks- 7
harold and kumar go to white castle- 9
american pie- 8
american pie 2- 7
american wedding- 5
bruce almighty- 6
elf- 8
austin powers- 8
austin powers spy who shagged me- 6
austin powers goldmember- 7
undercover brother- 9
tommy boy- 1