365 Movie Challenge - Week 48

Week forty-eight was the busiest movie watching week of the year. Of course that is due to having a four day weekend and also not caring to go out shopping on Black Friday. Oh yeah, and the seven movies as part of the first annual Thanksgiving Day Tom Hanks Movie Marathon.

Below are my movies of the week:

November 24

               The Breakfast Club (John Hughes) Yet another John Hughes classic. It is funny how 25+ years later the characters in this movie can still be found in students today. I will have to say that I wish I had as much fun in detention as they did.

November 26

               Con Air (Simon West) I have wanted to watch this movie for the last couple months but was unable to find my old DVD copy, thankfully it was showing on Encore during a free preview weekend. This is a very cheesy movie, like Nic Cage's accent. The reason I like it though is for all the stars in it. A friend said it was the 'Expendables of Prison Escapes' and I'd have to agree.

               The Hunger Games (Gary Ross) I really liked the book series and I remember being excited to see this when it first came out, only to be disappointed. I know it is difficult to do a direct adaptation but they changed a lot of stuff that in my opinion is vital to the entire series of movies.

November 27

               The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Francis Lawrence) This was so much better than the first Hunger Games movie. They stuck to the book more & didn't do anything to change the continuity of the series. Visually it was great to look at too.

               Robocop (Paul Verhoeven) Thank you Encore for your Free Preview week so I could watch this movie again for the first time in 15 years. The special effects are not special at all but it is an enjoyable movie

November 28

               Cast Away (Robert Zemeckis) This was the first movie as part of my Tom Hanks Thanksgiving Day Marathon. I am almost certain I would not last 4 months, let alone 4 years, on an island all by myself. Hell, I am not sure I would survive the plane crash the led to me being stranded on the island. There were two things that really bugged me about this movie. First, who in their right mind plans a welcome home party for someone stranded on an island and goes with a seafood theme? Second, what kind of accent was Helen Hunt going for, because it was awful.

               The Burbs (Joe Dante) The second movie in my Tom Hanks marathon is a fun look and living in the suburbs and the crazy neighbors will have come across at least once. The movie did have predictable twists sprinkled throughout but it was still enjoyable to watch.

               The Green Mile (Frank Darabont) I had forgotten how long this movie was. Coming in at just over 3 hours I have to admit it didn't feel that long. The movie flows pretty well throughout and there were any noticeable lulls that I was bored during. Michael Clarke Duncan was just amazing as John Coffey. It is still hard to believe that he is no longer with us.

               Bachelor Party (Neal Israel) When I watched Clerks II last week they referenced this movie so when I decided to do my marathon I had to include it. I didn't recognize any of Tom Hanks' buddies in the movie. Maybe they were popular back in the early 80's but they haven't had long careers like Mr. Hanks.

               Catch Me If You Can (Steven Spielberg) This is one of my all-time favorite Tom Hanks movies. From beginning to end it is fun. There are a number of cameos throughout the movie that add to the fun. Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio play well off one another and I would not be against seeing another movie with them together in the future.

               Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich) It might have taken 11 years to get Toy Story 3 released but it didn't lose any of its heart over the years. This is right up there with the first Toy Story for me. The story, characters and animation are all on point. I do hope that they decide not to go forward with a Toy Story 4 because this was a great way to close out the series.

               Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis) This was movie seven in my Tom Hanks Marathon and when I started it at 8:15 at night I wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish it before falling asleep. I stayed awake though and got though another very good Tom Hanks film. I had forgotten all the historical topics covered in the movie beginning with Elvis.

November 29

               Rush Hour (Brett Ratner) Boy Chris Tucker really fell off the map. After his run of Rush Hour movies he pretty much disappeared until I saw him in Silver Linings Playbook last year. I like the comedy and action in this film. Chris & Jackie play well off one another, hence the two sequels that followed this movie.

               Free Willy (Simon Wincer) Childhood favorite that after re-watching talks about a lot of the same stuff that the documentary Blackfish talked about earlier this year. I mainly wanted to watch it because I hadn't seen it in probably 15 years and the leap by Willy at the end still leaves me in awe.   

               Blade (Stephen Norrington) Another awesome movie from the Encore free preview. I've never read the comics but Wesley Snipes is great as Blade and the story while not totally original was very good mixed with great action. I need to find my copy of Blade 2 to watch, but I will be skipping Blade Trinity as it is a horrible addition to the series.

November 30

               Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (Rob Cohen) I remember the day I saw this movie with my dad and my brother. My dad took us to the $1 movie theater in Thornton and we were the only ones to see it. My brother and I were excited to see this movie because we were really in to martial arts films. To this day I think this is a very good movie that looks back on the life of a great man.

               RoboCop 2 (Irvin Kershner) While not as good as the first one the cheesiness of this sequel makes it enjoyable. The stop motion animation used shows how far special effects have come in the last 20+ years.

               Gleaming the Cube (Graeme Clifford) This was another favorite of mine from childhood. I never could go more than five feet on a skateboard but it was still fun to watch people skate. I really like the fact that a young Tony Hawk is in the movie and I laugh every time I see a Tony Hawk sticker get placed inside the airplane early in the movie.

54 Different Movies Watched in November. 521 Movies in 334 Days    

Movies Watched: 521

Movies To Go for 2.0: 0

Bonus Movies Watched: 21

365 Movie Challenge - Week 47

Week forty-seven included movie number 500 for the year. When I first started this challenge I was unsure if I would even hit my original goal of 365.

Below are my movies of the week:

November 17

               Nitro Circus: The Movie (Directed by Gregg Godfrey & Jeremy Rawle) This was a fun movie to watch. It reminded me of X-Games meets Jackass. The stunts pulled in this movie are crazy and the crew is pretty enjoyable to listen to as well. Some of them were funnier than others but it was still a lot of fun to watch. The interview clips from X Games athletes and Hollywood stars were a nice addition to the movie.

               Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (Directed by Jay Roach) When my brother and I were growing up this was one of his favorite movies. He watched it so many times I am pretty sure he could recite the movie verbatim without any trouble. It has been at least 7 years since I last watched it and I still found myself laughing throughout. Some of the jokes feel dated and aren't as funny but overall it is still an enjoyable movie.

  

November 18

               What Women Want (Directed by Nancy Meyers) I remember liking this movie when it first came out but now I just find it boring and very cliché. Even the one-liners I previously laughed at didn't do anything for me.

 November 20

               The Beaver (Directed by Jodie Foster) Just last week I referenced this movie in a joke to a friend and they told me that they really liked this movie. Having never watched it I decided to give it a shot and I now realize I was completely wrong in my previous comments about this movie. This is a very good movie that shows the effects that mental illness have on people and also how it is handled differently by people. The casting was very strong and I especially enjoyed Anton Yelchin's performance. He and fellow co-star Jennifer Lawrence are two of my favorite young actors in Hollywood.

November 21

               Clerks II (Directed by Kevin Smith) I love this movie. Like other Kevin Smith creations it has little moments that make you laugh but at the same time make you yell at yourself for laughing at something so inappropriate. My introduction to Kevin Smith was Clerks and it was nice to see the old characters back on screen.

               Bernie and Ernie (Directed by Jason Hehir) This was an interesting ESPN 30 for 30 special about former Tennessee Volunteer teammates and later NBA stars Bernard King & Ernie Grunfeld. I knew nothing about these two guys before watching this documentary but it was very interesting to see how two people from the completely opposite side of the tracks became great teammates on the court and lifelong friends off the court.

November 22

               The Green Lantern (Directed by Martin Campbell) I picked this as movie 500 for the year because it reminds me of my grandmother. She passed away two and a half years ago and on that day I was at a loss of what to do. My mom told me to go see a movie because she said my grandma knew seeing movies made me happy and she would want me happy. So that day I decided to see The Green Lantern that just opened that day. The movie is not very good but that doesn't matter because it will always remind me of her and that puts a smile on my face.

November 23

               Back to the Future Part III (Directed by Robert Zemeckis) Growing up I really enjoyed Back to the Future Part I & II. Also, while growing up I tried to forget about Back to the Future III. This movie felt like it was put together following a night of drinking while watching a really cheesy western on TV.

               The Terminal (Directed by Steven Spielberg) I forgot this was a Steven Spielberg movie, for some reason I always thought it was from Robert Zemeckis. It isn't the best Spielberg has delivered but I still really enjoy this movie. I think that is because Tom Hanks is a great actor and even he can make a guy trapped in an airport for months exciting.

               Batman Returns (Directed by Tim Burton) I had forgotten how dark and weird this movie was, it is Tim Burton at his best. If you took out Batman as the hero of this movie it would still be very enjoyable because all the other characters have their own personalities that could help carry the movie.

Movies Watched: 503

Movies To Go for 2.0: 0

Bonus Movies Watched: 3

365 Movie Challenge - Week 46

Week forty-six included more than a couple bad movies but I made sure to include some extra good ones to balance it out. Challenge Goal 2.0 looks to be finishing up this week.

Below are my movies of the week:

November 10

               Outbreak (Directed by Wolfgang Petersen) Not sure why I decided to watch this movie but I woke up and as soon as I saw it in my DVR I knew it was the one to watch. This movie is filled with a great cast of characters. What makes it different from other movies filled with big name actors is, it doesn't suck. It has a good plot along the lines of Contagion in which it is very plausible and thus very scary to think it could happen.

               Straight Outta L.A. (Directed by Ice Cube) Growing up in Denver I've always been a Denver Broncos fan. In turn I have also despised the L.A/Oakland Raiders and Al Davis. This ESPN 30 for 30 was interesting because while I can't stand the Raiders I was very interested to learn about their influence on west coast rap in the late 80's. I also didn't know where the term 'Gangster Rap' came from until seeing this.

November 12

               2 Guns (Directed by Baltasar Kormákur) I enjoyed this Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington team-up movie. It had a fun plot with some good action. It was also very cool to see Edward James Olmos again. It had been a few years since I saw him in a movie.

               Last Vegas (Directed by Jon Turteltaub) Saw this with my parents and while it wasn't amazing or a new classic it was still enjoyable. I was really excited to see Kevin Kline and Morgan Freeman on screen. I wish I could find out how much it cost to coat Michael Douglas in makeup because it sure looked like a lot.

November 13

               Speed Racer (Directed by Andy Wachowski & Lana Wachowski) Why did it take me so long to watch this movie? From the opening scenes this movie had me sucked in and I was a bit bummed when it was finally over. The story was interesting but the visuals are what really had me hooked. The Wachowski's proved yet again that they know what they are doing when it comes to movies.

November 14

               Elysium (Directed by Neill Blomkamp) This was not the follow-up to District 9 I was hoping for from Blomkamp. District 9 was a cool movie with a good message. This movie on the other hand was not. Matt Damon was solid in it but the story as well as most his co-stars were lacking. I'm not really sure what has happened to Jodie Foster but I didn't feel any emotion towards her character except boredom.

               Taken 2 (Directed by Olivier Megaton) I knew this movie was going to be bad but it was on my DVR and I have a hard time deleting stuff that I haven't watched. The only thing I can say about this movie is I would never want to travel with Liam Neeson's character. He just invited danger it seems and unbelievable action too.

November 15

               Lockout (2012) (Directed by James Mather & Stephen St. Leger) Not sure how I ended up watching two movies in a row where Maggie Grace was in danger but I did. This movie was almost as hard to watch as Taken 2 was. I think I have an idea what the producers and directors were going for but it didn't happen in the end. This movie has the worst and most unbelievable re-entry from space scene I have ever seen. If that wasn't bad enough the last 5 minutes of the movie wraps up the sub-plot of the movie with maybe 5 lines of dialogue and lots of cut scenes.

               Big (Directed by Penny Marshall) This is another favorite from my childhood that I always enjoy watching. I don't know anyone that doesn't enjoy this Tom Hanks film. Whether it is the giant piano scene or jumping on a trampoline in your living room this movie shows the fun things kids want to do but their parents don't usually allow them to do.

November 16

               The World's End (Directed by Edgar Wright) I was really looking forward to this movie because of how much I enjoyed the first two movies in the trilogy, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Sadly I was disappointed with how this movie turned out. It was a cool concept but it never seemed to fully come together and the ending made no sense at all.

               Cliffhanger (Directed by Renny Harlin) I felt like watching a cheesy action movie while cleaning house and I picked this one. The sad part is I didn't get a lot of cleaning done because I kept stopping to watch Sly climb cliffs while kicking ass and taking names.

               Jedi Junkies (Directed by Mark Edlitz) The one thing that I remember most about this documentary about Star Wars fans was Olivia Munn offering a guy the chance to feel her boobs since she thinks he's never come close to doing so. This wasn't the best documentary I have ever seen but it also wasn't the worst. I had no clue how many different fan films for Star Wars were out there.

Movies Watched: 493

Movies To Go for 2.0: 7

365 Movie Challenge - Week 45

Week forty-five felt a lot like earlier this year when I could get through a bunch of movies. I am thinking I will be able to hit Challenge Goal 2.0 on or before Thanksgiving.

Below are my movies of the week:

November 3

               The Internship (Directed by Shawn Levy) I barely made it through the first half of this movie. The second half did provide me with some laughs but overall this movie was not good. Coming from a Google fanboy they didn't have to do this. Vaughn and Wilson should have stuck with Wedding Crashers as their team-up movie. Their humor feels dated in this movie.

               Four Days in October (Directed by Gary Waksman) With the Red Sox winning their third World Series in 9 years I figured it was time to watch this ESPN 30 for 30 about the 2004 ALCS when the Red Sox came back from down 3 games to none to beat the Yankees in 7 games. As long as you aren't a diehard Yankees fan this documentary is a lot of fun to watch. It is so easy to feel the excitement during Games 4 through 7.

               Resident Evil: Retribution (Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson) What makes each Resident Evil movie stand out from one another? I am pretty sure it is the subtitle because storyline wise I can't tell a difference at all.

November 4

               The Kings of Summer (Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts) The only press I saw for this movie was as pre-show entertainment at AMC Theaters. That was enough to get me to watch this movie and I am glad I did. It was a fun little movie about friends that are tired of their home life and want to venture out on their own. It is simple movies like this without lots of special effects that make me really enjoy my movie challenge this year.

November 6

               Under Siege (Directed by Andrew Davis) I remember that this was the first Steven Seagal movie I ever saw. All these years later there is nothing especially memorable about his movies but some are fun to sit back and watch, this is one of those. Ridiculous plot and characters make for an okay movie to have on in the background.

November 7

               Anaconda (Directed by Luis Llosa) Jon Voight is the man in this movie. I would gladly sit through two hours of just him and how he got to where he did in Anaconda. Other than that, this movie isn't very good.

November 8

               Jackass 2 (Directed by Jeff Tremaine) I realized earlier this week that this was the only Jackass film I had not yet watched this year. Like the other Jackass movies there are some stunts that are a bit uncomfortable to watch but then there are others that you want to watch over and over again. The last bit where the pranker was actually pranked might be one of the best in Jackass history.

               Exit Wounds (Directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak) Steven Seagal meets Tom Arnold and DMX in this bad and cheesy action movie. Predictable from the get go but I do remember buying this soundtrack and enjoying it when it first came out.

November 9

               Thor: The Dark World (Directed by Alan Taylor) Marvel delivers another solid comic book movie. A lot more action compared to the first Thor movie but also more character development. Like Iron Man 3 it does a good job of explaining what hapopened after New York in Avengers. I know Thor will be in the next Avengers movie but I hope there is a third solo movie because the ending of this movie allows for a number of possibilities.

               Eight Legged Freaks (Directed by Ellory Elkayem) What did I just watch? I recorded this as part of AMC's Fear Fest and there was nothing to fear at all. Very very cheesy plot and acting to match make this one movie I regret watching. The only highlights of the movie were seeing Scarlett Johansson and Kari Wuhrer on-screen.

               Total Recall (2012) (Directed by Len Wiseman) Though I like the original better, I still enjoyed this remake. I like Colin Farrell as well as his two love interests in the movie. I liked that they decided to remake this movie using the content from the book and not a straight remake from the Arnold classic.

Movies Watched: 481

Movies To Go for 2.0: 19

365 Movie Challenge - Week 44

I can't believe week forty-four is now in the books. The end of the year is right around the corner. 

Below are my movies of the week:

October 28

               Turbo (Directed by David Soren) Dreamworks has been on the rise for the last few years so hopefully this turd of a movie doesn't hurt them. I know animated movies are supposed to be imaginative and out of this world but how did this make it past the idea stage. Besides the plot the voice acting wasn't up to par either.

October 29

               Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (Directed by Eric Darnell & Tom McGrath & Conrad Vernon) After Turbo I decided to watch a Dreamworks movie that I did enjoy. One thing I like about all the Madagascar films is they all follow a single sub-plot but the main plot is always different and fun.

October 30

               This is What They Want (Directed by Brian Koppelman & David Levien) Growing up I liked watching Tennis from time to time. The big names when I was growing up were Agassi and Sampras. One pro that I always heard about was Jimmy Connors. This 30 for 30 about Connors historic U.S. Open run at the age of 38 was very interesting. I think it would have been very cool to be in the stands to watch Connors come from behind to win a number of his matches.

30 Different Movies Watched in October. 467 Movies in 304 Days

November 1

               Ass Backwards (Directed by Chris Nelson) This movie was so hard to finish. I watched it after hearing about it on a few podcasts and was looking forward to it. But, right from the start I was not enjoying it. It didn't make me laugh and the plot itself was very dull.

November 2

               Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (Directed by Jeff Tremaine) I am fairly certain I have watched almost everything to do with Jackass. I go back as far as the MTV show and even watched all the CKY Videos in college. The one bit that I was never a huge fan of was Bad Grandpa. All that changed after watching this movie. Knoxville, Jonze and Tremaine found a way to take a 30 second bit and turn it in to a 90 minute movie that while funny also told a good story. Bad Grandpa would not be as enjoyable as it was without Jackson Nicoll who played the role of Billy, the Bad Grandson. The solo scenes of Jackson talking to complete strangers and staying in character were some of my favorites.

               What Happens in Vegas (Directed by Tom Vaughn) This is a stupid movie and I don't like Kutcher or Diaz much but I like this movie because of Rob Corddry and Dennis Farina. Their timing and one-liners are what make the movie one that I can tolerate. Lake Bell also has some funny moments sprinkled throughout.

Movies Watched: 470

Movies To Go for 2.0: 30

365 Movie Challenge - Week 43

Week forty-three saw me face one of my fears, scary movies. It also included a really good movie and a really really bad one.

Below are my movies of the week:

October 21

               The Pacifier (Directed by Adam Shankman) I don't care what others say but I really enjoy this movie. No it isn't a great story nor does it include amazing acting. It is just a fun movie that makes me laugh from beginning to end.  

October 22

               Friday the 13th (2009) (Directed by Marcus Nispel) This has to be one of the worst remakes I have ever seen. It was not scary at all and the plot in general was boring. Hollywood really needs to get over this PG-13 BS when it comes to scary movies.

October 23

               Big Shot (Directed by Kevin Connolly) I really enjoyed this ESPN 30 for 30 documentary about John Spano and the scam he pulled on the NHL that led to him being in control of the New York Islanders. I had wondered why major league sports take so long to approve a new owner for a team and this movie shows the reason why. To think that what truly brought Spano down in the end was him sending a fax from his banker from his own personal fax machine. I'm sorry Islander fans that you went through all this, but on the bright side you did get rid of that horrible cartoon-like fisherman logo finally.

October 25

               The Way Way Back (Directed by Nat Faxon & Jim Rash) I watched this based on a recommendation from my friend Lexi and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It was a very good story that reminded me a bit of Perks of Being a Wallflower that I watched earlier this year. If you are thinking this will be a comedy based on the cast I'm sorry to say you will be disappointed.

               The Conjouring (Directed by James Wan) It is a well known fact that I do not like scary movies and though I agreed to watch this with my girlfriend I was still scared. For the first half I was psyching myself out and my girlfriend had to ask me multiple times if I was okay and if I wanted to turn it off. I resisted the offer of turning it off and stuck with it. By the end of the film I found myself enjoying the movie and was glad to finish it.

October 26

               The Dotted Line (Directed by Morgan Spurlock) I was really hoping for more from this ESPN 30 for 30 about sports agents. The biggest problem I had with it was that the main agent being followed around was not high profile in the least. I did not recognize any of the names he was representing. I like Morgan's other documentaries but I thought this one was not up to his standards.

               R.I.P.D. (Directed by Robert Schwentke) If you thought the movie looked bad based on the previews you were dead on! 20 minutes in to this movie my dad and I both agreed there is no way that there should be a sequel for this really bad Men in Black rip-off. Take my word for it and avoid this movie. I don't know who I liked less whether it was Jeff Bridges or Ryan Reynolds.

Movies Watched: 464

Movies To Go for 2.0: 36

365 Movie Challenge - Week 42

Week forty-two included clues to my Target origin story as well as my last attempt at enjoying Kevin Hart comedy.

Below are my movies of the week:

October 16

               No Mas (Directed by Eric Drath) Having been born in 1982 I missed both of the Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran fights which included Duran giving up mid-fight during their rematch. This wasn't my favorite ESPN 30 for 30 documentary but it was still very interesting to see all the trash talking that led up to the fights and all the media scrutiny that followed Duran giving up.

October 17

               Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain (Directed by Leslie Small & Tim Story) I am over Kevin Hart. It took almost 20 minutes in this comedy special for him to tell a joke and it wasn't funny. I don't get why people like him so much. My dad is a big fan of his but I just don't get it.

October 18

               Ted (Directed by Seth MacFarlane) This movie was funnier the first time I saw it after it originally came out. MacFarlane isn't very funny to me in general and during this viewing I realized what I originally thought was hilarious was very childish now.

               Grown Ups 2 (Directed by Dennis Dugan) I didn't like the first 35 minutes or so but after that I actually enjoyed the movie. Not the best thing out there but it was still something fun to watch. One thing I will say about Adam Sandler is that he never forgets about his friends. This movie was filled with appearances by friends from his past movies and Saturday Night Live days.

               Machete Kills (Directed by Robert Rodriguez) This sequel based on Rodriguez's fake trailer turned movie is full of over the top kills and celebrity cameos. The movie gets a little confusing at one point but then someone is killed in a not quite possible way to bring everything back together.

October 19

               Mannequin (Directed by Michael Gottlieb) I can't believe this was a movie back in the 80's and it actually spawned a sequel too. I am not sure what else can be said besides "Please Hollywood do not remake this piece of garbage!"

               Miracle (Directed by Gavin O'Connor) I still get chills down my spine whenever I hear the "Do you believe in miracles" line from the 1980 Winter Olympics. This Disney film looking back at what led up to the Semi-Final game against the Soviet Union is so well done that it might be my favorite true sports movie ever. The casting was perfect in bringing to life the characters that went from being a bunch of kids on different college teams to being a team themselves representing the United States of America.

               Career Opportunities (Directed by Bryan Gordon) I worked for Target for eight and a half years from High School all the way through college, this movie was the reason why. Okay my Target origin story didn't really come about because of this 1991 movie, it just sounded funny. I don't know what it is about this movie but I like it. The story and the characters besides Jennifer Connelly aren't anything special but this movie is still enjoyable to me. I think it is because I did work at Target for so long and I realize that though this movie is 20 years old not a lot has changed for the company. The signage is still the same and the general store decor is the same. One thing that was a bit over the top was how messy the store is after closing. I worked overnight many times while working for Target and even during Christmas there was not as much trash on the floors as in the movie, yes I am nitpicking now.

Movies Watched: 457

Movies To Go for 2.0: 43