365 Movie Challenge - Week 21

Thanks to a couple days off during the week I was able to get in a good amount of movies for week twenty one.

Below are my movies of the week:

May 19

             Eight Below (Directed by Frank Marshall) Disney movies based on true stories always sucker me in and Eight Below continues that trend. The movie is based on an Antarctic research guide who has to flee Antarctica due to a bad storm and leaves behind his sled dogs. Once back home his only goal is to return to Antarctica to rescue his dogs.

             Mission: Impossible III (Directed by J.J. Abrams) I skipped watching MI2 because I watched it so many times when I worked at a movie theater the summer it came out that I am bored by it now. J.J. did a great job bringing life back in the series. It would have been nice if they kept Keri's character longer, she would have made a great teammate.

             Fast Five (Directed by Justin Lin) The best in the series so far. The addition of the Rock was great and the storyline was enjoyable. Looking forward to seeing part 6 in a few days.

May 20

             Jurassic Park III (Directed by Joe Johnston) The dinosaurs looked a lot better compared to Lost World but the story was still lacking.

             Team America: World Police (Directed by Trey Parker) Trey Parker hit one out of the park with Team America. Who would have thought that a movie made up entirely of marionette puppets would be so fun and funny.

             The Sandlot (Directed by David M. Evans) Baseball + Childhood Memories = GREAT RAINY DAY MOVIE! I lost count of how many times I have seen this movie but I never get tired of it. It is one of the movies that I can easily quote.

May 24

             Fast & Furious 6 (Directed by Justin Lin) Fast Cars? Check! Tons of Action? Check! Over the top story and characters? Double Check! I don't care that people shit on these movies because I really enjoy them. They have gotten better as the series goes on. To put it simply, it is a fun action flick.

             The Hangover Part II (Directed by Todd Phillips) I really think Todd Phillips came up with the sequel while drunk and watching the first Hangover movie. It was almost the same exact movie but with a different location and a different missing friend. This felt more like a direct to video sequel made 5 years later by some no name director.

May 25

             Ladybugs (Directed by Sidney J. Furie) A friend mentioned that his wife never saw this movie and it made me think I hadn't watched it in a decade or so. The movie is beyond cheesy about a guy trying to climb the corporate ladder that volunteers to coach a youth soccer team, but needs the help of a star soccer player that he dresses up as a girl. The movie was shot entirely here in Colorado which was fun to know growing up.

             The Hangover Part III (Directed by Todd Phillips) A bit more darker then the first two in the series but still funny nonetheless It was still stupid in parts and Galifianakis was a bit much to handle at times but overall it was a fun movie. Not as good as the original but leaps and bounds ahead of Part II. It was a good wrap-up to the series and it didn't feel rushed.

             Superman: Unbound (Directed by James Tucker) The latest addition to the DC Animated universe was good but not great. The storyline of Brainiac stealing cities and then destroying planets was good but I was less interested because of the animation itself. It looked like they brought in a new group of people to do the animation because it didn't resemble the earlier films.

             That Guy... Who Was in That Thing (Directed by Ian Roumain & Michael Schwartz) This was one of the better documentaries I have seen in quite a while. It featured 16 different actors that have appeared over the years as guest stars in TV shows and movies. It was interesting hearing from their point of view what it is like to be an actor in Hollywood and how tough it is to get a steady role. I recognized almost all of the actors that they talked to, especially the three that all had major parts in my favorite show 24 at one time.

Movies Watched: 239

Movies To Go: 126

365 Movie Challenge - Week 20

Another busy week at work slowed my week twenty movie watching.

Below are my movies of the week:

May 12

             Flash Gordon (Directed by Mike Hodges) Even now I think Flash Gordon would be picked to be the Jets QB over Tim Tebow. This movie is not good. It is stupid and in my opinion boring. It just about put me to sleep.

             The Substitute (Directed by Robert Mandel) Thank goodness I never had a substitute teacher like Mr. Smith in this movie. Marc Anthony's character sure loved himself track suits in this movie.

May 13

             Click (Directed by Frank Coraci) Not the best Adam Sandler movie but it did have some enjoyable moments. Christopher Walken was hilarious in it.

May 15

             Star Trek Generations (Directed by David Carson) Before J.J. Abrams had Spock (new and old) cross paths, the Captains Kirk and Picard met up to take down a time traveling villain in Generations. I really enjoyed this movie because we got to see the crew members from the original series and Next Generation in a movie together.

May 16

             The Muppets (Directed by James Bobin) I grew up a fan of the Muppets and this movie took me back to my childhood for almost 2 hours. The entire cast of the film helped bring back to life the old Muppets film franchise.

May 17

             Taking Care of Business (Directed by Arthur Hiller) A twist on the Trading Places type movie with a workaholic and an escaped criminal trading places for a few days. This movie is enjoyable to watch but early on it is easy to tell it is a fantasy, mainly because the Chicago Cubs never have a chance at playing in the World Series.

May 18

             Star Trek Into Darkness (Directed by J.J. Abrams) The sequel to Mr. Abrams reboot of the Star Trek series didn't disappoint me. I know some purists will find things wrong with the movie but as a fan of films I thoroughly enjoyed the movie from beginning to end and look forward to more Trek in the future.

             Warm Bodies (Directed by Jonathan Levine) I never thought we would see a Zombie Rom-Com but Warm Bodies delivers. An interesting twist on the star-crossed lovers storyline this time featuring a living breathing girl and a Zombie.

365 Movie Challenge - Week 19

Week nineteen was a hodgepodge of movies and sequels.

Below are my movies of the week:

May 5

             The Rundown (Directed by Peter Berg) Still one of my favorite movies starring The Rock. Good action and comedy backed by a strong supporting cast.

May 7

             Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (Directed by Tommy Wirkola) Yep this movie was just as bad as I thought it would be. No need to waste your time. Just keep moving, nothing decent to see here.

May 8

             Toy Story (Directed by John Lasseter) One thing really stuck out to me when watching this. Towards the end when Andy and his family are moving to their new house Andy is sitting in the back seat while his baby sister is sitting in the front seat in her car seat. I know that is frowned upon now but did they think this was a good idea back in the 90's?

May 9

             Fast & Furious (Directed by Justin Lin) After hitting rock bottom with Tokyo Drift the F&F franchise started turning it around with this one, all it took was getting the original cast back together.

May 10

             The Lost World: Jurassic Park (Directed by Steven Spielberg) The dinosaurs just didn't look the same in this movie. It felt like the budget for them was cut in half from the original Jurassic Park movie. The story was also lacking a bit in my opinion.

             Noobz (Directed by Blake Freeman) Found this on Netflix and gave it a shot. Not a great movie but it was enjoyable. It focused on a group of friends that enter a video game competition.

May 11

             The Wraith (Directed by Mike Marvin) I started talking to a guy about movies at a party a couple friends were having and he said I needed to watch this movie, which is one of his favorites. It was a bit ridiculous but I liked the concept. I first thought I was watching Knight Rider during the opening sequence.

             Death Race 2000 (Directed by Paul Bartel) This movie is BAD but in a cheesy way. For how much the characters were supposed to hate one another they sure got along during meals and what I deemed "Greek Spa Day".

             Star Trek: Insurrection (Directed by Jonathan Frakes) Was browsing through Netflix and came across this movie and since I hadn't watched it in a decade I thought I'd give it a shot. It is enjoyable but it was also when the Star Trek moves were in a rapid downhill movement.

365 Movie Challenge - Week 18

Week eighteen included more time off from work and more movies. 

Below are my movies of the week:

April 28

              Jurassic Park (Directed by Steven Spielberg) I didn't make it out to see this in 3D but I wanted to make sure to watch it again. I still remember the first time I saw this movie and how much it scared the crap out of me. 20 years later I am not scared watching it anymore but I still enjoy seeing one of Spielberg's best movies.

              Iron Man 2 (Directed by Jon Favreau) Not nearly as good as the first Iron Man. It suffered from too many new characters and too many villains. It also felt a bit rushed in parts,

              Justice League: Doom (Directed by Lauren Montgomery) Another strong showing from the minds at DC Comics and their animated division. I know Warner Bros wants to do a live action Justice League movie but I fear that it will never be as good as this animated movie was.

              Die Hard 2: Die Harder (Directed by Renny Harlin) I started watching this with my parents when I went over to their place for dinner and had to finish it once I got home. Some of the airport scenes were filmed at the old Stapleton airport here in CO. They sure seemed to play up the smoking in airports and on planes in this movie which I thought was illegal in1990 when this movie was released.

April 29

              Little Big League (Directed by Andrew Scheinman) Growing up I wanted to be a Major League Baseball player like a lot of kids. If I couldn't be one I wanted to be a manager of a team similar to Billy Heywood in this movie.

April 30

              The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (Directed by Justin Lin) This didn't feel like the second sequel to the Fast and the Furious series. It felt like a cheap Direct to Video sequel made just to capitalize off the original. It even had the C & D list celebrities starring in it to attract the younger demographic. I won't even go in to the biggest continuity error with Han dying yet still being alive over the next 3 movies.

May 2

              The Avengers (Directed by Joss Whedon) In Joss We Trust! This movie set a new level of awesome when it comes to comic book movies. Not one character/star was given more screen time. They all shared the screen equally which amounted to an amazing movie that brought together many of the top Marvel heroes. This was a great way to end Phase One of Marvel movies.

May 3

              Iron Man 3 (Directed by Shane Black) This is what Iron Man 2 should have been. Shane Black did a great job with the character and the story. I have no problem saying that this movie is right up there with Avengers in terms of quality.

             Major Payne (Directed by Nick Castle) I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!! Fun Damon Wayans comedy about a career military man put in charge of a bunch of Junior ROTC members.

May 4

             21 & Over (Directed by Jon Lucas & Scott Moore) I didn't want to like this movie but it made me laugh more than a few times. Not the greatest thing out there but a fun buddy comedy.

             Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (Directed by George Lucas) I bought both trilogies on Blu-Ray last week and my dad and I started from the original beginning of the series. I know people hate of George Lucas for what he changed in the films but it is still fun to watch and the transfer to Blu-Ray looks amazing.

             Green Lantern: First Flight (Directed by Lauren Montgomery) I am really loving the DC animated films. This was the Green Lantern origin story and told so much better than in the Ryan Reynolds version.

365 Movie Challenge - Week 17

Week seventeen was a busy movie week while I enjoyed a day off. 

Below are my movies of the week:

April 21

              Oblivion (Directed by Joseph Kosinski) Very interesting futuristic Sci-Fi film. As soon as I thought I figured out the movie I was thrown for a loop.

              2 Fast 2 Furious (Directed by John Singleton) The second in the series but with only one of the stars from the original. Still better than the third in the series Tokyo Drift, that one is coming up soon.

              Billy Madison (Directed by Tamra Davis) More classic Adam Sandler

April 22

              The Last Stand (Directed by Kim Ji-woon) A fun action film that reminded me of a cross between SWAT and Walking Tall. Not pure gold but a movie I wouldn't mind watching again over the years when it is on cable.

April 24

              S.W.A.T. (Directed by Clark Johnson) I have never seen the TV show but this movie is always fun to watch. Nice action sequences along with a good cast.

April 25

              Iron Man (Directed by Jon Favreau) Marvel's Phase One started off on the right foot with Iron Man. RDJ is Tony Stark!

              30 for 30: Elway to Marino (Directed by KenRodgers) Growing up as a Bronco fan in Colorado I am a fan of John Elway. Watching this 30 for 30 was interesting because I can't believe some of the trade possibilities that were out there during the 1983 draft. Elway for Montana? Elway to the Raiders?

April 26          

              Pain & Gain (Directed by Michael Bay) This movie is based on a true story and it proves that some criminals are COMPLETE IDIOTS. Movie was a bit stupid early on but by the end it was an enjoyable movie.

              Back to the Future (Directed by Robert Zemeckis) Childhood classic that still doesn't get old. Looks amazing on Blu-Ray!

              Star Trek (Directed by J.J. Abrams) I was unsure about how they were going to remake this the first time I saw it but I have to say I really enjoyed it. The alternate time line based on previous events was a nice touch to re-introduce the characters and their different personalities, especially Captain Kirk's.

April 27

              Beverly Hills Cop 2 (Directed by Tony Scott) The last good Beverly Hills Cop movie. Seeing Judge Reinhold's character go Rambo was hilarious.

              The Losers (Directed by Sylvain White) I have never read the comic book that this movie is based on but I might have to. It reminded me of The A-Team but with B & C list actors. It also has a Pre-Captain America Chris Evans in it.

              The Evil Dead (Directed by Sam Raimi) This was my first viewing of this movie ever. I don't get all the hype people still give it to this day. Is it because at the time there was nothing like it?

              Movie 43 (Directed by Peter Farrelly) From the previews this movie looked like a big bad cluster f*** with some of the biggest stars in Hollywood. The movie itself is actually broken up in to a number of short films with different actors in each one. Some of the short films were bad but there were a few that made me laugh and enjoy the movie as a whole.

365 Movie Challenge - Week 16

Week sixteen included some movies recommended to me by friends. 

Below are my movies of the week:

April 14

              Can't Hardly Wait (Directed by Harry Elfont & Deborah Kaplan) I DVR'd this a couple weeks ago and decided to watch it Sunday at 4am when I couldn't sleep. This movie was a lot of fun when I first saw it but now looking back it feels like they were going for a present day Dazed and Confused.

              War of the Worlds (Directed by Steven Spielberg) Two things really bug me about this Spielberg Sci-Fi film. How does a video camera work when an EMP has gone off and everything else electric no longer works? How after he goes over the hill to join the fight are we to believe that Tom Cruise's son survives the complete destruction of everyone fighting without a single scratch and still makes it to Boston before the others.

April 16

              The Expendables (Directed by Sylvester Stallone) Sly and his group of Mercenaries blow lots of stuff up with over the top gunfire and explosions.

April 17

              The Fast and the Furious (Directed by Rob Cohen) The movie that started the still going series. Yes it is cheesy and ridiculous but I still enjoy it.

April 18

              Cars (Directed by John Lasseter & Joe Ranft) I like this Pixar animated film and still enjoy watching it. Similar premise to other movies but the talking car aspect adds a nice twist to it.

April 19

              Jack Reacher (Directed by Christopher McQuarrie) I have one minor problem with this movie. When Reacher walks in to a bar early in the movie he is taller than just about everyone else in there. When is Tom Cruise ever taller than more than 2 people in a crowded room? Other than that, this was an awesome movie.

April 20

              Death of a Superhero (Directed by Ian FitzGibbon) Very good movie about a kid with Terminal Cancer who has a very creative mind when it comes to drawing superheroes. Andy Serkis was great as the kids therapist.

              Monsters (Directed by Gareth Edwards) Very good low budget Sci-Fi film about what happens after an alien invasion. The director is now working on the new Godzilla remake based off the original Japanese version.

              The Raid: Redemption (Directed by Gareth Evans) This crazy ultraviolent foreign action film claim highly recommended by more than a few people and they didn't steer me wrong.

              Safety Not Guaranteed (Directed by Colin Trevorrow) I watched this mainly to see if it was as bad as a friend made it out to be. I didn't mind it and thought it was good overall.

365 Movie Challenge - Week 15

Week fifteen included a snow day filled with movie watching.

Below are my movies of the week:

April 7

              Hot Fuzz (Directed by Edgar Wright) Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright back together again for more Kickass fun. Makes me want to watch Bad Boys 2 and Point Break again.

              Pitch Black (Directed by David Twohy) This was my introduction to Vin Diesel years ago and what made me a fan of his.

              Blades of Glory (Directed by Josh Gordon & Will Speck) I caught this on cable at the very end one day and decided to dig up my old DVD copy to watch it all the way through. It is stupid and unbelievable but that is how most movies are featuring ether of the two stars.

April 8

              Transformers (Directed by Michael Bay) Another childhood nostalgia film. Yes it is stupid but to me it is still fun. It also looked and sounded great on my new TV and Sound Bar.

              Beerfest (Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar) This movie is from the guys at Broken Lizard and though not as funny as Super Troopers it is still fun to watch.

              Jay And Silent Bob Get Irish - The Swearing O' The Green (Directed by Kevin Smith) I have watched and will continue to watch anything that features Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes together. This was a video of a live Podcast the duo held while in Ireland.

April 9

              Down Periscope (Directed by David S. Ward) Another goofy comedy that I use to watch with my dad all the time. Pretty good cast of young comedians including Harland Williams and Patton Oswalt.

              Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (Directed by Danny Leiner) Stoner comedy for the 21st Century. I think the Harold and Kumar series is the closest we will get to a new version of Cheech and Chong.

              Spider-Man (Directed by Sam Raimi) Marvels first real attempt at mainstream comic book movies. I still remember standing in line for a couple hours on opening day just to see this movie before my other friends.

              Shaft (2000) (Directed by John Singleton) Sam Jackson was perfect for the remake of Shaft because he himself is a bad ass mother...

              Nature Calls (Directed by Todd Rohal) Not as bad as The Watch but this movie is up there with the worst I have seen so far this year.

April 11

              Sexy Evil Genius (Directed by Shawn Piller) Very fun Dark Comedy featuring Seth Green. Story is a bit weird to follow at first but by the end I wasn't wanting it to end.

April 12

              The Hangover (Directed by Todd Phillips) Decided to watch this after going out to dinner with my parents and having more than a couple Margaritas. I am hoping the second sequel out this summer is better than Part 2.

April 13

              42 (Directed by Brian Helgeland) I am a sucker for Sports Movies. I am a sucker for True Story Sports Movies. I am a sucker for this well told and inspiring movie about Jackie Robinson.

              Tin Cup (Directed by Ron Shelton) Not based on a true story but still a fun sports related movie that I never get tired of watching.

              The Rookie (Directed by John Lee Hancock) No matter how many times I watch this baseball movie based on a true story I still smile and get excited for certain moments. It is also cool to see one of my former classmates in it and have a line.

              The Invention of Lying (Directed by Ricky Gervais & Matthew Robinson) What if lying didn't exist? The world would be pretty boring in my opinion. I have grown to really like Ricky Gervais and this movie written by Get Up On This co-host Matt Robinson is a great vehicle for him. Lots of fun cameos throughout the movie.

365 Movie Challenge - Week 14

House sitting for my parents and working form home a couple days allowed me to watch a good amount of movies during week fourteen.

Below are my movies of the week:

March 31

              This Means War (Directed by McG) Bad romantic action/comedy with Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hardy and Chris Pine. Free preview weekend on HBO is the only reason I watched it.

              Howard the Duck (Directed by Willard Huyck) Duck Condoms, Possible Interspecies relations and plenty of drinking makes for a perfect PG rated film. This is another "so bad its good" movie.

              Flight of the Phoenix (2004) (Directed by John Moore) Not the best movie I have seen but also not the worst. Good plot and character development made it enjoyable.

April 1

              Rookie of the Year (Directed by Daniel Stern) If only my broken arm at the end of 6th grade meant I could play baseball for the Colorado Rockies.

April 2

              Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (Directed by Stephen Herek) I have seen this movies so many times but for some reason I still watch it when it is on. I don't like it very much but there is something about Christina Applegate that keeps bringing me back.

April 3

              Fletch (Directed by Michael Ritchie) This was the first time I ever remember seeing this movie. Now I am mad it took me so long because it is classic Chevy Chase.

              The Iron Giant (Directed by Brad Bird) Beautiful animation and a very emotional story make this one of the best movies I have watched this year.

              Contraband (Directed by Baltasar Kormákur) Fun action movie with Marky Mark. I guess it is a remake of a foreign film but from the same director. Makes me want to see the original to see how they compare.

              Taxi (Directed by Tim Story) Jimmy Fallon and Queen Latifah busting criminals while driving a NYC Cab. Need I say more?

April 5

              Major League II (Directed by David S. Ward) Not nearly as good as the original Major League but a million times better than the third Major League movie.

              Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Directed by Robert Wise) I know that millions of people love the Star Trek series and movies but I have to say this movie is BAD! I do know it gets better with the second movie but still this was bad.

              Jackass (Directed by Jeff Tremaine) Watching this now I can't believe how young all the guys look in comparison to how they look in Jackass 3.

April 6

              Sherlock Holmes (Directed by Guy Ritche) I am a big Robert Downey Jr. fan and this movie was a great new version of Sherlock Holmes.

              Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (Directed by Jerry Paris) Proctor!!! More fun with Mahoney and the gang.

              Back to School (Directed by Alan Metter) I have seen this movie on cable numerous times over the years but it wasn't until this viewing that I saw the beginning and realized that it starts out in Black and White. Classic Rodney!