365 Movie Challenge - Week 39

Week thirty-nine was the week of very few movies. After long days at work, most nights I didn't feel like watching a movie. Add that to the continuing trend of going out with my girlfriend and watching football this movie watching challenge is getting to be a bit tough. I will continue to stay strong in my journey to five hundred movies.

Below are my movies of the week:

September 25 

               The Book of Manning (Directed by Rory Karpf) When Peyton Manning first came to Denver last year I wasn't as excited as the majority of Colorado because I wasn't a big fan of him and I thought he was a bit of a showoff. Fast forward 18 months and through his actions on and off the field I have grown to like him. After watching this documentary by Rory Karpf, who is a great director and comedian, I wish I knew the Manning family personally because they are amazing. I had heard of Archie Manning before but I didn't know much about him otherwise. I can't even dislike Eli Manning anymore after watching this. If you have a chance to check this out do so.

September 27 

               Knucklehead (Directed by Michael W. Watkins) I will admit I was only paying half attention to this movie when I watched it. I was doing stuff around the house and just wanted something on in the background. What I did see of it I enjoyed, mainly because I have been a fan of Paul Wight since his days back in WCW and now WWE.

September 28 

               The Five-Year Engagement (Directed by Nicholas Stoller) I don't usually like romantic comedies but this movie is a lot of fun. Segel and Blunt play well off one another and Pratt is hilarious every time he is on the screen. The final proposal scene is my favorite part of the movie but it doesn't take away from all the enjoyable scenes throughout the film.

               The Heat (Directed by Paul Feig) This movie made me laugh, it did take until 90 minutes in to laugh but I laughed nonetheless. I like Sandra Bullock but I don't get the love everyone has for Melissa McCarthy. Her characters always seem to be the same kind and it isn't very funny. The movie itself wasn't bad but like I said, it only made me laugh once.

Movies Watched: 434

Movies To Go for 2.0: 66

365 Movie Challenge - Week 38

Week thirty-eight was even quieter than the week before but for good reasons. It is a good thing that I already hit my initial goal because if I went at this pace all year I wouldn't have made it.

Below are my movies of the week:

September 16 

               Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (Directed by Eric Darnell & Tom McGrath) This is my favorite movie in the Madagascar series. The characters and voice actors help carry the movie along at a good pace. It also makes me laugh the most.

September 18 

               24: Redemption (Directed by Jon Cassar) To this day 24 is still one of my favorite shows of all time. This TV movie helped fill the gap between seasons when the writers strike shut down production. I cannot wait for the new mini season to start next spring.

September 19 

               Yellowbrickroad (Directed by Jesse Holland & Andy Mitton) This movie was recommended to me by my girlfriend and while it wasn't the best movie visually it was still a good movie because of how each of the characters broke down in their own way while lost. SPOILER ALERT:  Neither The Wizard or Elton John make an appearance.

September 20 

               Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Directed by Carlos Saldanha & Mike Thurmeier) My least favorite of the Ice Age series. This movie felt like they just made a sequel to make keep the series alive. It didn't feel as fun or creative as the first two movies in the series.

  

September 21 

               The Bling Ring (Directed by Sofia Coppola) This movie annoys me to a new level. The movie itself isn't the problem but the characters and the plot does. This movie is based on the real life Bling Ring from a few years ago when a much of stupid high school students decided to rob from celebrities. Though most the parents of the kids aren't in the movie that much I put a lot of blame on them for what their kids did. Leslie Mann’s role as one of the parents was especially disturbing.

               The Croods (Directed by Kirk De Micco & Chris Sanders) One of the best animated movies I have seen in a long time. The story was fun and the animation itself was really well done. The best part of the movie though has to be the actors voicing all the characters. Nic Cage was the perfect choice for the father role and the rest of the cast down to Clark Duke, who I am not a huge fan of, helped bring their characters to life.

Movies Watched: 430

Movies To Go for 2.0: 70

365 Movie Challenge - Week 37

Week thirty-seven was a bit quieter than usual when it comes to movies but that is because it is Football season and I was spending time with my girl. Both of those are great reasons to skip a couple movies, especially the latter. I did make sure to watch a Michael Keaton movie this week though.

Below are my movies of the week:

September 8

                The Great Outdoors (Directed by Howard Deutch) This use to be one of my favorites growing up. Dan Aykroyd and John Candy did a great job playing off one another. 25 years later the movie holds up pretty good in my opinion.

September 10

                Shrek (Directed by Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson) I love this animated film. It does a great job of mixing child and adult humor throughout while not going overboard. There are so many great one liners in the movie and the story is enjoyable too.

September 11

                Project X (Directed by Nima Nourizadeh) This movie is bad and shows what is wrong with the youth of America today. I was not popular enough to get invited to a lot of high school parties growing up but I am pretty sure none of them turned out like this. The only thing I like about this movie is the soundtrack. One thing that really sucks is I actually own this movie.

September 12

                Invincible (Directed by Ericson Core) Hmmm a sports movie based on a true story? You know I am already sold on it. Who doesn't like a story about a normal guy who defies the odds and makes something of himself? The lead and supporting cast of this movie help bring the characters to life.

September 13

                Armageddon (Extended Edition) (Directed by Michael Bay) Over the top Michael Bay with cheesy romantic storyline and a memorable song makes for a fun action flick. I think the supporting cast is better than Bruce and Ben. It also makes me miss Michael Clarke Duncan even more. He was always so much fun to watch.

                Chicken Little (Directed by Mark Dindal) Fun but forgotten animated film. The story is nothing too special but I enjoyed the animation and voice actors. It did have some funny one liners tossed in as well.

                Night Shift (Directed by Ron Howard) If I haven't said it before I will now, I withdraw my Michael Keaton popularity question that I posed a couple months ago. Though he wasn't the main star of this comedy about morgue attendants that become pimps, his character was hilarious pretty much every moment he is on screen.

September 14

                Leathal Weapon 2 (Directed by Richard Donner) Diplomatic Immunity doesn't mean shit when you cross Riggs and Murtaugh. This Richard Donner sequel was full of action right from the start. The addition of Joe Pesci was a nice touch to add a little more comedy.

                Blackfish (Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite) After watching this documentary I don't know if I ever want to go or could go to Sea World. This film contains a lot of interviews with former trainers and archive footage from park visitors. I originally thought this was going to be about how the killer whales are treated at Seas World but I was wrong. The film mainly focuses on a specific mall killer whale Tilikum that over the years has killed three people but still performs on a daily basis down in Florida.

Movies Watched: 424

Movies To Go for 2.0: 76

365 Movie Challenge - Week 36

Week thirty-six included another #KendrickCrush movie but for the first time in over a month no Michael Keaton movie. I promise to make up for the no Keaton week.

Below are my movies of the week:

September 1

                Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (Directed by Chris Columbus) When I originally saw this movie I didn't know it was based on a book series. I really liked the movie so I thought I would give the books a shot. I have now read all of the books in the series including the spinoff series. If you're a fan of the Harry Potter movies then you will enjoy this movie. There are some pretty good cameos in it too.

                The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew (Directed by Rick Moranis & Dave Thomas) I remember watching this as a kid with my dad and finding it hilarious. Now all these years later it is still funny but not as hilarious as I remember it as a kid.. This was my first and only experience with Bob & Doug McKenzie. One big thing I can't believe about this movie is it is rated PG even when it is all about beer and takes place for a majority at a beer factory.

                Robin Hood: Men in Tights (Directed by Mel Brooks) Blazing Saddles was long before my time but I like to think that this and Spaceballs are the Blazing Saddles of my generation if that makes sense. Mel Brooks is a genius and I really wish he was still directing movies even at age 87.

September 2

                The Mummy (Directed by Stephen Sommers) Fun action movie with a good cast and visuals. The sequels were not as good as the first in the series and the last one was horrible after recasting the main character. This movie has held up pretty well over the years.

                Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Directed by Edgar Wright) I know this movie didn't do great in theaters but it is still a favorite of mine. The special effects and visuals throughout the movie helped to tell a fun yet awkward story. The one problem I have with this movie is there wasn't enough Anna Kendrick. #KendrickCrush

                The Perfect Game (Directed by William Dear) I have mentioned before that I am a fan of sport movies especially ones that are based on a true story. Until I came across it on Netflix I had never heard of this movie about a little league team from Mexico in the late 1950's that came to the United States to compete in the Little League World Series. I do not know why I had never heard of this movie. This could have easily been a Disney movie. Even though it wasn't from Disney, it was still a very good movie that I have already suggested to a friend.

September 3

                Contagion (Directed by Steven Soderbergh) It took all of five minutes for this movie to freak me out beyond belief. I contemplated turning it off but stuck with it. Overall it was a pretty good movie. The story while scary was intriguing and all of the characters played their roles well. What scared me most was how easy this could happen in real life.

September 4

                Madagascar (Directed by Eric Darnell & Tom McGrath) Another fun animated movie from Dreamworks. Like with Ice Age they found a simple story that was fun to follow and a good cast of characters to voice the different animals. It is easy to see how they got so many sequels out of this series.

September 6

                The Blind Side (Directed by John Lee Hancock) After watching the Broncos dismantle Michael Oher and the Ravens I decided to watch this movie again because it is one of my favorite sports related movies in recent years. It is still a lot of fun to watch the Michael Oher and the Tuohy's grow in to one united family. I was very happy when Sandra Bullock won her Oscar for this movie.

                Ice Age: The Meltdown (Directed by Carlos Saldanha) Fun sequel to the Ice Age franchise. The introduction of new characters was nice but it felt like some parts ran on just so they could fill time.

                300 (Directed by Zach Snyder) From start to finish this movie is amazing in all aspects. The storyline sucks you in as you begin to feel like one of the warriors defending your land. The scenery is also beautiful to look at. Snyder knew what he was doing when he brought this movie together.

September 7

                Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Directed by Amy Heckerling) This was the first time I ever saw this movie from beginning to end, I had only seen it in pieces previously. The story as a whole was good but what really stuck out to me was how different some things are now compared to back then. I mean hell, concert tickets were really cheap back then even when being scalped.

                Bait (Directed by Antoine Fuqua) This movie is stupid but still enjoyable to watch because of Jamie Foxx and his comedy. It is funny how this movie doesn't feel that old but GPS tracking technology is completely different and easier now compared to when this movie came out.

Movies Watched: 415

Movies To Go for 2.0: 85

365 Movie Challenge - Week 35

Week thirty-five put me over the four hundred movie mark and introduced me to another Michael Keaton classic.

Below are my movies of the week:

August 25

               The Island (Directed by Michael Bay) One of Michael Bay's better films. The storyline alone had me interested from the start The action scenes were big budget but not over the top like his Transformers fight scenes. It also didn't hurt that he cast the lovely and always stunning Scarlett Johansson.

               The Other Guys (Directed by Adam McKay) I have a problem with stupid humor movies at times because the characters stupidity leads to the humor and I don't enjoy that; having said that this movie is hilarious. The pairing of Mark and Will is a great one. Michael Keaton as the police captain / Bed Bath and Beyond manager was funny too.

               A Bug's Life (Directed by John Lasseter & Andrew Stanton) Early Pixar film that showed you don't have to have all A-list actors to make a good animated film. I hadn't watched this is probably seven years but it was still as enjoyable now as it was back then.

August 26

               Chronicle (Directed by Josh Trank) As the old comic book saying goes, "With great power comes great responsibility." Too bad the main character in this comic book style movie didn't live by that oath. This was a surprise favorite of mine last year. I look forward to seeing more from Mr. Trank in the future.

August 27

               Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (Directed by Tom Shadyac) Who doesn't enjoy early Jim Carrey? I never watched much In Living Color so this was my main introduction to Carrey and I have been a fan most of the time since then. His voices and mannerisms are what make this movie great.

August 28

               Mean Girls (Directed by Mark Waters) This movie has been on my DVR for a few months and today was probably not the best day to watch it. I was bored during most the movie and though I have liked it on previous viewings I didn't really care for it this time.

August 29

               Ice Age (Directed by Carlos Saldanha & Chris Wedge) Dreamworks has gotten a lot better of the years with their animated films and this was one of the movies that helped set them on the right path. They figured out that along with good animation and a strong plot you need to find the right mix of voices, and they did just that.

August 30

               Lethal Weapon (Directed by Richard Donner) What is with action movies in the 80's taking place right around Christmas? Both Die Hard and Die Hard 2 followed the Christmas timeline as did Lethal Weapon. Not your typical buddy cop action movie but a good introduction to the characters that we would see onscreen three more times.

               Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Directed by Chris Columbus) Before seeing this movie after it first came out on DVD I had never read any of the Harry Potter books. Since then I have read all of them two and for a couple of the books three times through. This was a pretty good adaptation from book to screen.

               Bulletproof Monk (Directed by Paul Hunter) The plot to this movie is beyond stupid but it turned out to be fun to watch in the end. I am not sure how the studio was sold on the casting of Chow Yun-Fat & Seann William Scott in the same movie but they were.

August 31

               Toy Story 2 (Directed by John Lasseter & Ash Brannon & Lee Unkrich) Not as good as the original but it is still better than any other Pixar sequel to this point. I never saw this movie in theaters. I didn't actually watch it for the first time until it was released on Blu-Ray a few years back.

               Thor (Directed by Kenneth Branagh) Before seeing this movie I didn't really know much about the character but Marvel did a really good job of taking a comic book character and introducing him to the masses in this film. I am really looking forward to the sequel this fall.

               The Dream Team (Directed by Howard Zieff) This was my first time watching this Michael Keaton film and I really enjoyed it. Four mental patients are on their own in New York, what can go wrong? Well they might get suspected of murder. If you haven't seen this movie check it out, it is really funny.


56 Different Movies Watched in August. 402 Movies in 243 Days

Movies Watched: 402

Movies To Go for 2.0: 98

365 Movie Challenge - Week 34

Week thirty-four included some old, some new, some classics and a really big boo.

Below are my movies of the week:
August 18

               Dawn of the Dead (2004) (Directed by Zach Snyder) Not really the best thing to watch during breakfast after you don't get much sleep. I am not a big fan of horror movies but this one isn't bad. I like the actors in it.

               The Princess Bride (Directed by Rob Reiner) I don't know anyone that doesn't like this movie. It is a fun story and full of quotable moments. I like that the movie is told as if it was a book being read. Now if Hollywood could figure out a way to make a movie that follows its original source more closely.

August 20

               Caddyshack II (Directed by Allan Arkush) Stupid me for watching this. I got home late and decided to watch this while I was making dinner. I had forgotten how bad it was. I will make a mental note to never watch this movie again.

August 21

               The Expendables 2 (Directed by Simon West) There is never a wrong time to enjoy a movie with lots of explosions and cheesy one liners. Can The Expendables 3 get released immediately please?

August 22

               Bronson (Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn) I don't get the love people have for this movie. I thought Tom Hardy did great, especially on stage playing multiple parts. The story however lost me in multiple parts. I was really looking forward to finally watching this movie too. Maybe I should revisit it at a later date to see if my opinion of it changes.

August 23

               Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (Directed by Gore Verbinski) Lately I have been playing the Pirates of the Caribbean Lego game on my PS3 and while playing through the first movie on the game I realized I didn't remember much about the movie itself. Ten years later and this movie still holds up. The story and characters are very strong all the way through. Though the sequels went downhill more and more with each release this movie can still stand on its own without much trouble at all.

August 24

               Coyote Ugly (Directed by David McNally) I forgot that there is an actual storyline for this movie. I thought it was jsut about cute girls dancing on bars to the jukebox. Thankfully it isn't much of a storyline otherwise it would ruin the movie.

               Back to the Future Part II (Directed by Robert Zemeckis) Still fun to watch all these years later. I made sure to take note that the movie takes place in 2015 and not 2012, 2013 or whenever someone tries to create a fake meme about the date. I've always wondered if the Sports Almanac held all the sports scores for the previous century why was it so small? The print had to be really really tiny to fit it all in.

               Tommy Boy (Directed by Peter Segal) I really think that if he didn't die Chris Farley would still be in Adam Sandler's movies in place of Kevin James. I like Kevin James a lot but there was always something about Farley that made it hard not to enjoy whenever he was on the screen.

               Multiplicity (Directed by Harold Ramis) I'd say this filled my weekly Michael Keaton quota quite well. Keaton delivers four solid performances all as a different version of himself. I had forgotten about this movie when I asked about the merits of Michael Keaton. I’m glad some friends reminded me because it is a very funny movie.

Movies Watched: 389

Movies To Go for 2.0: 111

365 Movie Challenge - Week 33

Week thirty-three included yet another Michael Keaton movie as well some questions about a John Hughes classic.

Below are my movies of the week:

August 11

               Mars Attacks (Directed by Tim Burton) So many big name stars in this alien invasion movie from Tim Burton. Too bad all the stars couldn't make it a good movie. I know it was meant to be cheesy but they could have at least made it somewhat enjoyable. I still remember seeing this in theaters with my dad and brother.

               Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Directed by John Hughes) This is probably my favorite John Hughes movie from my childhood. Looking back now though I wonder why Jeanie was arrested at home for making a false police report. Shouldn't the cops, already knowing he was sick, have tried to confirm her story before taking her to the police station? There are a couple other things I question but that one stuck out most to me. Oh and how did all the flowers get inside if the front door was locked?

August 12

               How High (Directed by Jesse Dylan) Boy I had forgotten how bad this movie was. Not really sure what I enjoyed about it 12 years ago. The highlight for me had to be the re-emergence of Lisa Turtle from Saved by the Bell.

August 13

               Big Miracle (Directed by Ken Kwapis) This true story based film was fun to watch. I remember the whale craze of the early 90's with Free Willy and a whale exhibit at our local history museum. I don't remember when the events of the film took place but it was cool to see the archive footage during the credits to show that people around the world did come together to save a small family of whales.

August 14

               The Associate (Directed by Donald Petrie) I don't know why I enjoy watching this movie because it is stupid and not overly funny. Having said that if I come across it on TV I usually stop to watch it or I record it. It is funny to see that back in the 90's they made it seem like all you needed to create a fake identity was Windows 95 and AOL.

August 15

               Starship Troopers (Directed by Paul Verhoeven) I saw this movie opening night almost 16 years ago and ever since it has been a guilty pleasure of mine. My dad and I went to the RiffTrax screening of this film and had a GREAT time. The movie itself is cheesy beyond belief and the acting by the bugs is more believable than Denise Richards.

August 16

               Avatar (Extended Edition) (Directed by James Cameron) I know people will take shots at this movie but I enjoy it. Visually it is beautiful and though the story isn't original it is told well. I am not so sure we need all the sequels they are supposedly planning but the first one is fun to watch from time to time. That does include the 3 hour extended version.

               Kick-Ass 2 (Directed by Jeff Wadlow) This movie had some good parts but it had many more bad parts. It felt very inconsistent and lost its flow from the first film. The high school 'Mean Girls' story line was very predictable and didn't belong in an action movie.

               The Whole Nine Yards (Directed by Jonathan Lynn) They should have never made a sequel to this comedy, it ruined the fun of the first one. I like the cast as a whole in this movie and I thought Matthew Perry did a good job as the neurotic dentist.

August 17

               Batman (Directed by Tim Burton) To continue my now weekly Michael Keaton viewing I went with Tim Burton's Batman. It is interesting to see the difference between this Batman and Nolan's trilogy. Burton's Batman focused more on the battle of Batman and The Joker while only developing a couple supporting characters. Nolan's Batman did a really good job of developing a lot of the supporting characters. He also found the right actors to fit the characters.

               Epic (Directed by Chris Wedge) There was nothing special about this mediocre animated film. The characters and voice actors were just ok. I liked the concept of the story but I also thought it was lacking in substance. It is a good movie for children but I like my animated movies to have a bit more depth compared to this.

Movies Watched: 379

Movies To Go for 2.0: 121