The Classics Series

Its been a very long time since I've written anything, either for this blog or my other one, and late tonight I'm just struck with the bug to get back to it. I'm sure tomorrow morning when I'm tired and grumpy I will regret this choice, but to hell with that for now.

Every few months, Cinemark puts on a series of movies which they call the "Classics Series" and it features 6 films, for 6 weeks in a row. Sometimes they have a theme, and sometimes they are just thrown together. About this time last year my mom and I decided to attend the series, and I've fallen in love with them. We get so excited each time a new one is announced, and it becomes a weekly ritual for us to drive the 40 minutes to League City to see and old movie. Sometimes I've seen the film before, and sometimes they are things I would have never made it through on my own - that's when I'm especially glad we went.

Tonight marked the end of another series, so I'd like to take a brief moment and recap what we saw and what I thought.
First up:

1) On the Waterfront - I would have never watched this film if it wasn't for the series. Black and white, old school Marlon Brando but it really was a good film! I now understand the "I coulda been a contenda, I coulda been somebody" line, and never would have guessed that's the movie it was from.

2) Rear Window - Luckily my mom briefed me on this storyline, otherwise I would have been thoroughly confused in the beginning. I really enjoyed this one; partly probably because I have voyeuristic tendencies and it was a fantastic mystery. That, and Grace Kelly's wardrobe was to die for. It was fantastic to actually sit and watch her on the big screen.

3) Chicago - We skipped this one...we were running late, have seen it before, and didn't really care. So, there's that.

4) Grapes of Wrath - Alright, Steinbeck, we get it. Shit was tough back in the day. Man, talk about a depressing movie! This is another one that I probably wouldn't have ever watched in my own free time, and it was great to see it on the big screen due to the black and white and everyone talking like a hillbilly. The sound being way up and digital really helped. I don't really know if I got the huge literary and symbolic messages I know I was supposed to...but I know that it was really sad and depressing, so I got that much out of it.

5) Shawshank Redemption - I'd seen this before, but this was a great refresher. Again, seeing it on a big screen was fantastic, and really made the story come alive. Sometimes you forget how good Morgan Freeman has been and for how long, and that movie really reminded me.

6) The Silence of the Lambs - I have to be honest, I'd never seen this film. I knew all the quotes, and I can make the Hannibal noise like nobody's business, but I'd never seen the movie. I was thoroughly creeped out, and it made me love Anthony Hopkins even more than I already did. The two characters who stole the show however were Precious, the psychopath's dog, and the cross-eyed PhD Jodie Foster consults with about bugs. The big take away I got from the movie was, despite what you may think, even if you are cross-eyed, you can still earn a PhD.

I highly recommend going to part, or all, of a Cinemark Classic Series if you can. The next one starts April 13th with an awesome TMC Documentary about the Oscars, then the other movies are Ben Hur, the 10 Commandments, Titanic, Gladiator, and Spartacus. Also, if you are a popcorn eater, get the souvenir bucket with $3 refills. Its a helluva deal if you go every week.

See you in the theatre.
A

The Avengers, (and a whole mess of other Marvel movies) The Hobbit, and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

I get stressed out about blogging, considering how behind on my movie list I am. Then, I remember that I'm the only one that reads this and its just for me, and I should probably just chill. I saw all these movies like a million years ago, but whatever. If you somehow live under a rock and somehow stumble upon this review, maybe I can persuade you to stop watching 'Family Ties' and actually watch a good movie.

'The Avengers' was absolutely incredible. It was by far my favorite movie to date done by Marvel, and I loved the way they worked all of the characters in together. I was totally skeptical going into it, but they had me sold immediately and I loved it. It had the perfect blend of action, romance, comedy and vengeance. There were some incredible one liners in there, that had me absolutely howling, and then they had me on the edge of my seat as well. I can't wait for more stuff from Marvel (IRON MAN 3 COMES OUT TOMORROW Y'ALL) because they consistently put out incredible stuff. (Looks like I started writing, and then what a surprise, put it off some more....considering Iron Man 3 has already gone to DVD I believe, so let me add that)


'Iron Man 3' I thought this was going to be a tired plot, because I wasn't really a fan of the second one, but taking time off seemed to really help their story line. Allowing Stark to develop his character a bit more within the Avengers series paid off, and the Iron Man 3 incarnation was a fun story to watch. The plot line was a little bit predictable and ridiculous, but the action and effects were incredible and it was just a good old fashion fun action movie. It had me on the edge of my seat till the very end. I would say, don't give up on this franchise just yet if you weren't blown away by the second installment. Also, let's be real, Pepper Potts steals the show in this one, so good for her.


'The Wolverine' was also the third installment (I believe) of Hugh Jackman's character Wolverine in the Marvel franchise, and it was not nearly as satisfying. I guess, if we are being technical, this is only the second exclusively Wolverine movie (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and now this) and he also had a huge part in the original X-Men series, although not in 'X-Men: First Class' (he did have a killer cameo though). This plot line revolves around Jackman being summoned to Japan by a man he once saved, and very soon really weird shit ensues. There is always a tinge of crazy in the X-Men movies, but this was just too much. I was too busy wondering what was wrong with the people to focus on the action. Jackman was a badass in the action scenes, but it really didn't leave me wanting more like the X-Men movies normally do; and Wolverine is one of my favorite characters. Let's be real here, I loved the Origins movie, so this one had big shoes to fill...and it didn't.

'The Hobbit' - okay, now, I know people are really mixed on this one. As someone who was incredibly mixed on the whole LOTR experience I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this, but I really do think Peter Jackson did a good job. He took the creative liberties needed to make it more relevant for the screen, but stayed true to the story for the die hard enthusiasts (me). I think people who've never read the book will be able to follow the story and enjoy it, which wasn't the case for the LOTR trilogy. I'm unsure, however, that we actually need a Hobbit trilogy. I think two probably would have done it, but no one is paying me to make these decisions. Regardless, I'm super excited to see the next installment, and I think they've lived up to the hype thus far. The first movie covers from the beginning of the tale (duh) to the group being rescued by the giant eagles, and that's all I will say as to not give anything away if you haven't seen it! But, definitely invest in this trilogy because I think it is going to be much better and a better use of your time than the LOTR saga.

'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' - Yeah, I'm aware this doesn't go with any of these other movies, but it was on the list. I didn't really have a lot of hope for this movie, but it was a cute premise and at the cheap theatre, so I thought what the hell. AND they SO proved me wrong - it was a star studded cast and they delivered an excellent film! It was a great lovable tale about people getting a second wind in life, taking chances, love and travel...what's not to love! The cinematography/visual representations are incredible as the whole thing takes place in India; it definitely made me want to pack up and visit. Dev Patel (of Slumdog Millionaire fame) plays the idealistic and hopeful hotel host, and he definitely makes the film for me.

Additionally, after 'Slumdog Millionaire' I worried that Dev Patel would be pigeonholed and type casted in ethnic specific roles, and this movie definitely didn't help his case. However, he's done an incredible job on the HBO show 'The Newsroom', which if you aren't watching, you are missing out. It just finished its second season, and dear Lord is it a fantastic show! It is definitely worth spending some time on. Do it.

Movies by Mackenzie: History Boys, Philadephia, Witness

I haven't blogged a ton since being in London, which means I'm a wee bit backlogged on movie titles. Good news is, I still remember the movies I watched, and keep good notes. So, I can share them here now! Mackenzie and I had some different tastes in movies at times, so here are some that she either chose or that came from her personal collection:

1) HISTORY BOYS

This movie may have been chosen by both of us actually, who knows. Regardless, it was sort of strange, but became historically and geographically relevant because we watched it right before a trip to Cambridge and some of the scenes were actually shot there. This film was a very realistic portrayal of the British schooling system, and some of the stranger things that happen within it. It wasn't one of my favorites; it moved slowly and was hard to follow at some points. It is rife with Brit culture, slang and references, so if you are into that it is totally for you.

2) PHILADELPHIA

This movie was so freaking good. It came from Mack's personal collection, and I believe is one of Tom Hank's lesser know films. Hanks plays a gay lawyer who is wrongfully terminated from his law firm, and he hires Denzel Washington to represent him in a lawsuit against the firm. I would definitely recommend this to anyone, but especially to anyone dealing with AIDS or an anti-gay community or fight. It was eye-opening and gut-wrenching and just an excellent film. Two lonely thumbs way up for that one, for sure.

3) WITNESS

Okay, I have to be honest. This one didn't really do it for me. It feature Harrison Ford, who is basically Mackenzie's Jesus, so obviously it is one of her faves. That being said, it is Harrison Ford protecting an Amish kid because he accidentally witnessed a murder, then Ford gets wrapped up in the Amish community. There is a little bit of awkward forbidden loving in there, and Ford gets set on the outs by the city folk and then they come after him and totally upset the nice Amish people's way of life and.....I just didn't get it. It wasn't for me.

If you need a Harrison Ford fix, just watch some Star Wars and call it a day, okay?

5 Broken Cameras

I will never be a successful writer, due to my inability to write consistently.

"5 Broken Cameras" was one of the documentary films nominated for an Oscar this year, and I must say, I think it was a slow year for documentaries. It wasn't that it was bad. it just wasn't insanely interesting. The film documented the peaceful movement of farmers in Palestine against the Israeli forces taking land belonging to them along the border in the last ten years. The film maker went through 5 cameras while telling the story, lost friends, suffered personal injury and endangered he and his family's way of life for a long time in order to try and gain back land that was rightfully theirs. It was an interesting way of learning about the conflict, but it was rather slow going, and just didn't do a ton for me.

Unless you are a documentary fanatic, I wouldn't take up vital queue space with this one.

Machine Gun Preacher

I have no idea who recommended this movie to me. Like in all honesty, I don't know any of my friends that would have liked it, and it isn't nominated for awards, so the joke is on me. This movie is a biopic featuring Gerard Butler (rawrrr) and a ton of Sudanese orphans. Butler plays a mess of a guy (drugs, drinks, motorcycles, etc) who finds Jesus and decides to visit Africa per the recommendation of a visiting Pastor. He has a vision from God and takes on two massive building projects, one of which is an orphanage for Sudanese children.
His humanitarian efforts put him in the middle of a war zone, and lots of other things go down. It was an incredibly moving story, because you don't exactly know how to feel all of the time. It tackles religion without really giving a stance on it, and is apparently a true story. It was very interesting, but also somewhat gruesome and heart wrenching due to the subject matter. It tells a current issue in a different light, and I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the conflicts in Africa.

Buried

I promise this will be short; much like this film.

Well, like this film should have been.

I get it; Ryan Reynolds is trapped underground and its terrifying. I was incredibly uncomfortable during the movie; it was that intense style of film making that really makes you feel like you are in the space with him. However, I felt as though the plot lacked a serious amount of action, and it didn't follow the rise and fall of action normally associated with a story. It was more a series of events strung together while hot-boy Reynolds is suffocating to death. Don't watch this, sorry Ryan.

The Beaver

Okay. I think Mel Gibson is a hot mess who would seriously benefit from some therapy and maybe a good shopping session. It would seem as though his crazy has infiltrated his acting, leading him to choose bananas roles.

Thus, "The Beaver" was born. Gibson is the main character, a once successful business man who's life spirals out of control leaving him empty. He finds a busted old beaver puppet in the garbage and decides to use it as an alternative form of therapy. Now, as strange as it sounds, for like the first 50 minutes I thought this was cute. The beaver allowed him to rejuvenate himself, approach people with a different attitude, and get his family back together.

But then, all hell breaks lose. The beaver quickly turns to a horror film style plot line, and by the end my only response was "uhhhh, what?". I would say rent this if you want to watch the weirdness that is Mel Gibson currently, but other than that it is just going to make you have weird thoughts and worry about the sanity of people.
Really a very strange story.

Whoops.

So sorry about that whole "disappear for several months" thing. My bad.

Good news is, I've kept up with the stats and, as I expected, no one missed my movie updates. It happens. Main thing to keep in mind is that this is my personal log of movies I've seen, so no biggie if no one reads. I've been at the movie blog for 2 years now, and I have a ton of backlogged reviews to share! Since I've been blessed with a quiet Thursday morning, let's get cracking!

Just kidding. In retrospect, I really like the blog with the movie title in the top so....here goes!

Crazy Stupid Love

Apparently I'm the only crazy stupid person who had yet to see this movie! And, after watching it, I understand why!

I loved it! It was funny, quirky, sweet, and entertaining! AND OMG RYAN GOSLING. Such an attractive human being. I thought the acting and the writing in the movie was great, and there is a twist towards the end that made it even better! I loved the idea of Ryan Gosling helping Steve Carell get his groove back! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a cute lighthearted movie, with some laughs and a sweet story line as well! Also, to anyone who likes to look at the beauty that is Ryan Gosling.

Steve Carell's character has a wife (Julianne Moore) who asks for a divorce, and goes on to separate from her while realizing that his life sort of sucks. Ryan Gosling takes him under his wing, and teaches him how to get his spark back. In this process, it turns out everyone else around him is in some sort of love. Everyone has their own plight and issues, all surrounding the "heart" of the matter. It was clever and fun, and I enjoyed it!

The Devil's Double

I should preface this post with some information about movie-going in the United Kingdom versus the United States. I will never ever complain about the cost of seeing a movie in the US ever again. Today I wanted to go see Titanic in 3D until I realised that the US dollar equivalent of my ticket would be $35 dollars. No thanks. However, I have gotten a netflix type subscription service, so I can keep up on watching movies!

Today's pick was a lesser known flick called "The Devil's Double" a based-on-a-true-story drama about Uday Hussein, Sadam Hussein's lunatic son. The man is a complete nymphomaniac lunatic, and the story tells about his hiring of a double (like his father) and how that man, Latif, worked as Uday's double. It was a very hard story to comprehend, and there is no way to know how much if it was dramatised and played up for the sake of drama, but it was no doubt insane. Uday rapes and murders people all over Baghdad, and seems to have little concept of morality or consequences. I was definitely intrigued by the story and incredibly impressed by Dominic Cooper, the actor who played both Latif and Uday.

I would recommend this if you have interest in the story, but be warned it is an intense and graphic film. The good news is that there seems to be some amount of closure and consequence in the end, but it no doubt left you feeling as though maybe the fall of the Hussein empire wasn't a bad thing.

21 Jump Street

Oh dear. This movie was hilarious. It was everything I was hoping for, and made me smile from ear to ear. I'm obsessed with Jonah Hill and it totally solidified my obsession. I think it was also funnier because I was in a theatre full of British people watching a movie about American High School, and I could only hope that they were convinced that's how all of high school is in America.

The story really was funny, Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are brand new cops that have to go undercover as high school students and attempt to infiltrate a drug ring. It was a good mix of laugh out loud slapstick stuff, some emotion, some making fun of the fact Jonah Hill is small, and some dramatic sequences. I really did like it, and I think there will be great quotables. If you liked the hangover, and superbad, and wedding crashers then you will like this movie. Definitely recommend it, one lonely set of thumbs way up!
Oh! And Rob Riggle is an important character, which makes it even better!!

Carnage

There isn't much to say about this film, except that I still don't quite understand it. It was the first movie I've seen in London, and I'm quickly learning that British critics don't share the same sense of humor I do.

Carnage is based off a play of the same name, and apparently the play is hilarious. I think this movie would have been funnier to me if I was married and had kids. It has an all star cast; Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Christoph Waltz, and Kate Winslet. The acting was incredible, and I really did enjoy the story but I just didn't get the uproarious laughter I thought I would. Its quite short, only a little over an hour, but it was good. Just not hilarious. Rent it, if you feel like it. Meh.

New Releases! Ides, Paris, and Rum.

3 new releases are up today for review thanks to the power of redbox and comcast for some lovely "free ondemand" coupons! I missed all three of these while they were in theaters, and it made me quite sad! Turns out I missed two good ones, and one terrible one. I'm glad it cost me $1.30 instead of $7.75 to learn this though.

"The Ides of March" (2011) features my favorites Ryan Gosling and Paul Giamatti....and that sucker Clooney, but he is so irrelevant these days. Essentially a political thrill-drama, Gosling is an up and coming media mind working for Clooney's campaign. After a few twists and turns Gosling sort of loses it and plays dirty to eventually get what he wants. Giamatti is the campaign manager for the opposing candidate and sadly doesn't play that large of a role, in regards to screen time. I thought the acting was phenomenal, on my two G's (no pun) part. Clooney doesn't act as far as I'm concerned, he just smiles and recites lines. But whatever, he did a fine job as well. This movie left me sad and in awe, and kinda of critical of the political game especially during primary season. I liked it. I would definitely recommend it.

"Midnight in Paris" (2011) Let me say this first: after Owen Wilson's suicide scare I was really concerned he would never work again, and that saddened me because I really like him. Never fear! He is back! And with an incredibly successful effort I must add! So there isn't much explaining to do on the plot, without giving away the whole story but be clear: it is a wonderful story! Who wouldn't be just enthralled with the idea of Paris in the 1920s? It sounds incredible! The music, the fashion, the art, the parties all tres magnific! I loved the presence of incredibly famous icons woven into the story line and the way in which Gil (Wilson) reacts to them. The idea that the grass is always greener is so so prevalent, and it really does make you think. The images of Paris are absolutely stunning and make you love the city so very much (even for someone like me, who doesn't really like the city at all) and the music is lovely! Absolutely lovely! It was so quintessentially French that you had to love it; it brought to light all the things people love about Paris and nothing that people hate. It was a lovely film.

"The Rum Diary" (2011)

Dear Johhny Depp,

The record now shows that I have sat through two incredibly slow films in which you starred only to be incredibly disappointed. For future reference, the audience doesn't believe that you are poor, bumbling, unable to snatch away a woman, awkward, or otherwise incapable of being a sex god. Please stop picking those roles. Its just plain annoying.

Sincerely,

Anna

This movie had so much promise. The trailer looked so good. Instead it was a 1960 political statement on injustice between rich and poor in Puerto Rico and Depp's sadsack effort to try and do something. I was utterly unimpressed and bored. The characters were incredibly strange and undeveloped and I really didn't enjoy any of the acting. The only redeeming quality was the beautiful images of Puerto Rico and the music. Other than that, I wasted 2 hours of my life. Don't rent this one. Seriously. Just rewatch The Hangover or Iron Man on tv. It will be better. I promise.

the machinist; and rocknrolla

Up today are two out of my Netflix Queue; which reminds me I need to find out how Netflix would work in the UK. Its always something, eh?

The Machinist (2004) stars Christian Bale as an insomniac factory worker who starts to lose it. I really mean lose it; sees imaginary people, distorts his own self image, and there's that pesky freezer that might actually be filled with blood. As usual Bale takes it to the extreme in the way he portrays a role. I find his dedication incredibly gripping and it always adds to the experience of his films. Its reported that he was very close to seriously hurting/possibly killing himself by how much weight he lost. I would definitely recommend this one; it was incredibly engrossing and kept you guessing. I loved it in a sick and twisted kind of way.

RocknRolla (2008) was insanely good. Gerard Butler is the big name in this one, but there are lots of other noted actors in it as well. Written and directed by Guy Ritchie it has his very classic retrospective storytelling feature and his same cinematic experience as the more well known Sherlock Holmes movies. The story focuses around numerous different groups of crooks and one lunatic son. It is set in London and just a fabulous twisted story. It literally had me on the edge of my seat till the end, and I never saw the plot twist coming. It was great. I love finding those films you didn't really hear about that end up being awesome.

Definitely add these two to your list and save them for a time kids aren't around.

Young Adult. (no, not me silly)

So I saw this movie a long time ago, and it made such a profound impact that I couldn't exactly put it into words. I sat down to write and couldn't get a thought out due to my obsession and willingness to gush the entire plot line.

Let me say this; Charlize Theron NOT being nominated is one of the biggest crimes of this award season. I thought she was incredible! I have no clue about her natural state, and how far a stretch this character was for her, but I loved it. I thought she was incredibly on point, and her portrayal of a 20 something with a dead end career was SPOT ON. Patton Oswalt also did an awesome job, and I think the writers deserve and incredible amount of credit as well.

Charlize Theron's character, Mavis, is a total whack job. She is delusional in her rationale, stuck in high school, and kind of a bitch. That being said; I strangely identified with her struggle. She made rash decisions in her youth, experienced extreme success and can't figure out that all of the things that used to be great are dead now. Her parent's still like her ex-husband more than her. She is totally crazy.

I thought this movie had a really interesting story to tell, and it reminded me that your small town shouldn't dictate what you do with the rest of your life. It takes a painfully awkward struggle for her to see this, and realize that regardless of the crap things that happen to her in the big city, its better than what would have been if she stayed in her small town. Her struggle to admit that she actually might be crazy brought tears to my eyes, and brought a subtle light on how we view ourselves. I loved this movie. Plain and simple.

Not everyone will, and those are the same people that are scared to venture out and do something.

Golden Globe Nominations

So begins award season! I have to admit that my movie savvy-ness is lacking in comparision to last year, but I also don't think there have been as many incredible movies that I believe deserve awards! I have a lot of hope for War Horse, but other than that, I'm confused.

And the nominees are:
http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations/

I don't think I'm qualified to make my decision on winners yet, simply because some movies haven't come out yet. I can say that one for sure is Charlize Theron for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. That post is yet to come.

So, just in case you didn't hear, stuff has been nominated for Golden Globes. Go see some of them, and educate yourself.

one of these things is NOT like the other.

again with the back log of time and updates, but have no fear, I'm back.

The next two movies I saw have nothing in common except that I saw them, ate popcorn during them, and paid matinee prices for them. Or as the brits say, "in-between" prices. How precious are they?

J.Edgar

Okay, I really appreciate the acting work that Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron/Tyler Winklevoss (real name unknown) did in this film. However, I thought it was horrendously slow, drawn out, and quite jumpy in its story telling. After the last scene, while the credits rolled, the other people in the audience seemed very impressed. I then noticed that I was the only non-retired viewer in the audience. Maybe my unfamiliarity with the story is what barred my enjoyment, however, I almost nodded off and definitely checked my watch once or twice during the whole shebang.

I thought the cinematography was really interesting, and the makeup was phenomenal. DiCaprio continues to impress me with his character choice and range, although the things he makes his hair do are also up there on the impress list. I would wait for DVD on this one, and dedicate an afternoon that you want to get some history/a nap for watching.


The Muppets Movie

ohmigoddd, I loved it. I had forgotten how much I loved the Muppets (oh hey, storyline) and was so pleased, excited, and happy to see them all together again! I love Amy Adams, and Jason Segel, so they just added to it. The cameos were great! ZACK GALIFIANAKIS WAS IN IT, and I didn't even know!! He did a stellar part as Hobo Joe, definitely a nomination-worthy performance. I would definitely recommend this one for the family, or if you are feeling nostalgic, or feeling sad, or feeling happy. It was wonderful!

I am a terrible blogger.

it's a fact.
I haven't blogged in two months. I had plans to celebrate my one year anniversary of this blog by counting how many movies I've watched in a year, but obviously I didn't do that either.

1)Lion King
Disney did a great job with this. I forgot how much I loved the movie, the graphics and visuals were fantastic, and I'm so excited that they have decided to re-release more of the classics in 3D. Don't worry, I still wept like a child at certain points, so not that much changed.

2) Drive
Okay, I have a mild obsession with Ryan Gosling. I won't even lie about it. We all know he is dead sexy and a damn good actor, so really this shouldn't come as a surprise. Drive was an incredible movie, I really enjoyed it, and I think if you watched it more than once you would pick up on a lot more of the symbolism and deeper story. I really didn't know what to expect going in, and I was really interested in the way they told a pretty plain story. There were lots of intense silences, almost so that it made me uncomfortable. I would definitely recommend it.

3) The Debt
The conspiracy theorist inside me secretly loved this, but there were only about 10-15 minutes of real action and story telling. The rest of the time was devoted to reliving the scene, details, and a quick 6 minute action wrap-up at the end. So sad for Helen Mirren, the scripts she chooses are so hit and miss. This was a very close miss, but regardless, a miss. I liked the idea, but thought maybe it should have been a short film, or just a tv movie, or something. The good news is that I got to eat popcorn for two hours.

4) Puss N Boots
ohmygosh I loved this movie! It was so stinkin' cute! AND Zack Galifianakis is the voice of Humpty! WIN!! I loved the story, it was a mix of old and new, and basically it was geared towards adults the entire time. There were so many one-liners and innuendos, I almost died. It was a kid's movie that adults will definitely enjoy! I would sincerely recommend it, if you enjoy childish humor and clever adaptions of humans to cats.

A cat, in boots. so funny.

The Good, The Bad, and The Cheesy

Okay, next up I have three movies that are still in theaters. Hooray for being current!

1. Contagion
No surprise here, this was really good. It had a complicated story and plot and was really riveting. It moved quickly and slowly at the same time, and had a good balance of mystery and thriller. I was worried that the star studded cast would throw off the story, but each of them shared the action, which allowed you to forget their stardom. This movie made me nervous. It was incredibly scary how quickly this situation could come to fruition and how quickly germs and information spread. I really liked it, even though it made me nervous. I definitely recommend it, just don't watch it when you are sick, it will play mind games with you.

2. Apollo 18
This was terrible. I didn't know going into it that it was going to be terrible. But it was. The premise wasn't that bad: there is a mission to the moon with astronauts that no one knows about, and they never return. The flaw was that there were this killing stone crab rock things (spoiler alert) that end up being the villain. The problem was that all through the movie you said to yourself....wait, what? There were numerous times during it that I said, "oh hell no!" and decided that was the point in time I would have headed straight back to earth. Don't see this. Or if you do, make up a drinking game or something for it.

3. Seven Days in Utopia
This movie was about a Texas golfer who looses his game and goes to a hillbilly town and manages to get it back. It was a really sweet story, and made me love golf even more than I already do. The ending was really cheesy. Consider yourself warned. But this one definitely leaves you with a positive message and reflecting on the path your own life is taking. I appreciated the message, and that he ends his story at the tournament I interned with. I don't want to get sappy, but it made me miss the Valero Texas Open family and experience, and the beautiful golf courses in the Texas Hill Country. I would recommend it, definitely if you need a movie for a family get together or a conservative group.

In My Netlfix Queue:

So, now that I am wonderfully unemployed, I have a lot of time on my hands. So, I will be working through my netflix queue. These movies aren't throwbacks, but aren't new releases either. They fall in that no mans land of movies we don't know what to do with.

1) Defiance
I was really pleasantly surprised by this. Its a true story about a some Jewish brothers who take to the woods in Belarus to hid from the Nazis during WWII. It features Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber as the two older brothers, Tuvia and Zus. I thought this film moved kind of slowly, and I was never really sure what was going to happen. But it was incredible to see how the brothers worked together (and apart) in order to survive. The end of the movie was absolutely incredible, I don't want to give anything away, but I was very impressed. I really like Daniel Craig, and I thought this showed a different side of him, and I really enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend adding this one to your queue!

2) Taking Woodstock
Again, I didn't know what to expect with this movie. Dimitri Martin is the main character, and turns out to be much different than what I expected. He is a failing artist and designer who has to move back home to his parents' run-down motel in the Catskills. He hears about this group, Woodstock, Inc. and offers them a permit for their festival and lodging at his parents' motel. I thought it was an interesting take on remembering Woodstock, and they did an incredible job of visually recreating it. It made me really sad that I was born in 1988, and not 1958. The story was really interesting, and allowed for a genuine look into the making of Woodstock as well as a sort of coming of age tale for Martin's character. I liked it. Be warned; there's a lot of naked people, drugs, and strange shit in this one.