The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)

December 12

This is the kind of movie where special effects actually saves the movie. It was fun to watch the destruction of Earth through alien technology. Keanu Reeves' range is not very wide, but he is superb at what he does. Jennifer Connelly was a drool fest even with the weight loss, and, well, she has always been an excellent actress. The character arcs were pretty much the ruination of the movie, being that they were unbelievable. You can't be anti-technology and pro-human.

6.5/10.0

Four Christmases (2008)

December 10

Not a completely typical Hollywood comedy. It actually has a fresh approach at making the audience laugh. At least compared to the recent barrage of crude sexual humor. It avoids most of that, and when done it is sometimes subtle, the way it should be. The messages for the most part are bearable.

8.2/10.0

Fail-Safe (1964)

November 20

Unbelievably boring and ridiculous. In fact, so boring that anything potentially good about the movie was not noticeable. A few decent philosophical discussions, that's about it.

3.0/10.0

Quantum of Solace (2008)

November 14

Take away the seizure mode (thanks second unit director of the Bourne series!), and add in a few more classic bad ass Bond moments, and this movie would have been every bit as good as Casino Royale. What were they thinking with those action scenes that cut between the main fight and a horse race or an opera? Do they think headaches are fun? Although most of the action scenes had too much camera shaking, they had a gritty realness that almost made up for that. The fight in the hotel room in Haiti was probably the best "realistic" fight scene on screen. Strawberry Fields was beautiful, amazing, stunning, and the best Bond girl in ages. Too bad she was not the main Bond girl. The trip down the stairs scene was probably the funniest of the movie. Do you think she has handcuffs? You hope she has handcuffs. Bond's best scene was when he said she tried to shoot me and then flipped the motorcycle. Though a close second would be when he escaped imprisonment in a hotel and talked to M before jumping on outside of some balustrades over the main entrance of the hotel and walked along the sidings while the people after him were on the inside part of the hallway. The final fight scenes were the most rewarding. The movie is pretty much non-stop action. This would not be so bad if the camera would stop shaking for a few seconds.

8.3/10.0

Big Nothing (2006)

November 6

Great comedic timing from all, though special mention should be given to David Schwimmer, Jon Polito, Simon Pegg, and Alice Eve. OK, that's most of the cast, but still, they all gave nearly equal performances. Although it is another criminal farce movie, with plenty of convuluted plot points, it is fairly clever and touching. Just when you think the story could not possibly work out in a way that makes sense, things start to get back on track. Good for a few laughs.

8.1/10.0

Jackie Brown (1997)

October 10

Sam Jackson, Robert De Niro, and Bridget Fonda are hilarious because they are evil. They show how impotent and moronic evil is. At least Chris Tucker is killed early. The big setup is not very interesting, but at least the character development makes sense and is not there just for pop culture fun. The fifty minute finale was the highlight of the movie, where all things start to go wrong. Multiple POV's of the same scene.

7.9/10.0

An American Carol (2008)

October 8

Not that great. The ACLU zombies were hilarious. Farley's brother was pretty good at being Michael Moore. Overall, a fun movie because of the company that was kept during the watching.

6.5/10.0

The Anderson Tapes (1971)

October 4

Sean Connery and Christopher Walken team up. Walken is young. The first half is quite comedic. The second half is a great masterpiece of a heist. Very inventive and fun. The ending was great.

8.5/10.0

High Plains Drifter (1973)

September 20

Pretty crazy movie. Some great scenes, some boring scenes of preparing for what's to come. The movie is at its peak when Eastwood's the Stranger is kicking butt. There is too much going on to really tell if the Stranger is the man of justice he supposedly is portrayed as.

8.2/10.0

Burn After Reading (2008)

September 12

Coen Brothers are back in form. The first thirty minutes disappointed. Then it got funny. Especially the character Chad mixed with Linda. The dark twist kinda threw me off. After that though, it really escalated to extreme funny. J.K. Simmons sealed the deal at the end by knocking this movie up a few points. Clooney's paranoia versus McDormand's annoying capitulating mission is a hard choice to make for best performance. What did we learn here?

8.9/10.0

Bangkok Dangerous (2008)

September 6

The movie tried to be too serious for what it was. Even though I found myself smiling a lot during the film, I can't really say I enjoyed it much. A few unique action scenes with unique camera angles. The ending made sense at least.

7.1/10.0

Serenity (2005)

September 5

One of the greatest SF adventures of all time, and it should be. It had fourteen hour long TV episodes to develop the nine highly distinguished cast of characters and interesting landscapes for the worlds that develop from a war between the Alliance and the Independents. Based on the many thematic elements of individualism, you can tell whom the good guys are. This two hour conclusion is the perfect way to wrap up the tragically ephemeral TV showing. A few of the best characters will die, conclusions will be had, and the same wonderful wit of Jayne and the crew will incite laughter. Sorry for the grandiloquence; the creation of this 'verse from the mind of Whedon is a freaking masterminded masterpiece.

9.8/10.0

Marnie (1964)

August 30

Despite the Freudian slip, this film is another Hitchcock winner. The intriguing premise mixed with dazzling characters kept the suspense and mystery factor high. The horse chase is quite a scene. The twist is definitely unexpected.

8.4/10.0

¡Three Amigos! (1986)

August 24

Has some classic moments. Not enough. Chevy Chase usually plays a great dumb guy, but it doesn't work too well in this one.

7.4/10.0

The Color of Money (1986)

August 14-15

Martin Scorsese can't seem to direct a bad movie. I wouldn't have known it was him directing this film without inside information, but it was still a good film. Paul Newman shows off some nice talent. Forest Whitaker has one small scene, and it really showcases what would be. The best scenes are the ones where they knock the nine ball in off another early in the game. The show off scenes in other words.

9.1/10.0

Duel (1971)

August 14

Spielberg's first full length movie. Made for TV. Interesting sums the movie up. Reminiscent of an Orson Scott Card short story called, "Highway Games." This time from the good guys perspective though. A guy going home is all of a sudden marked by a mad trucker. The trucker does all he can to scare the man out of his wits. The main character was annoying in a few parts. The kids on the bus made me want to punch the screen. Anyone watching this film and placing themselves in the main characters position will definitely empathize and just want the damn trucker dead. The movies ending is definitely a great touch to a good movie.

8.2/10.0

Following (1998)

August 10

Christopher Nolan's directorial debut. He has matured a lot since he was more style than substance in this film. The insane juxtaposing of scenes in this one works out only by the end of the movie. It can get very confusing until that point though. The plot is very interesting; a guy stalks people for research for writing, than it becomes an obsession. Meets a robber who finds him out, they become "friends" while the main character researches the others robbing methods. The last thirty minutes really makes the film. There are about five plot twists that make the whole film make so much more sense. Nolan has never had problems directing actors though. The Batman nod was a nice surprise. Seventy minutes for this movie is just fine.

8.7/10.0

Paths of Glory (1957)

August 5

Another solid Kubrick film. Includes Kubrick's best actor, Kirk Douglas, also in Spartacus. The movie doesn't really start up until the trial. Great acting scenes commence. Brilliant mood scene during the execution. There are a few bad sound quality scenes. If you think the bombs going off during the beginning war scenes are bad, wait until the whistling Frenchmen at the end.

8.9/10.0

In the Line of Fire (1993)

July 30

Not a fan of Wolfgang Peterson, but I love Clint Eastwood. He is great as always. He pulls of one of the funniest lines in film, during one of the phone calls. John Malkovich continues to surprise me. He plays the villain in this film, and is completely insane. His voice fits perfectly. Take away the Freudian slip and he could be a Koontz villain. Rene Russo completely surprised me, I thought she would be a terrible actress. She was perfect for this role. The first thirty minutes had some very good refreshing dialogue. After that though, besides the villain scenes, the movie was kind of dull.

8.0/10.0

The Bank Job (2008)

July 28

Jason Statham and Saffron Burrows are a wonderful duo. Mixed with the reality and based on real events that the movie plot follows, those two make the movie worth it.

7.9/10.0

Equilibrium (2002)

July 27

A surprisingly smart film. I could not find a single complaint in the philosophical department with this film. Interesting idea for a film. Suppressing emotions because it is man's weakness. The movie obviously is not a movie about great acting, but Christian Bale manages to pull off some amazing moments in this film. The guy is just a genius. Some of the action scenes were executed stylishly enough to not rip-off The Matrix and still awe. In fact, a lot of the movie is reminiscent of The Matrix. A pretty nice dystopia Science Fiction flick.

8.6/10.0

The Dark Knight (2008)

July 18

The Dark Knight. Christopher Nolan, one of the greatest directors. Christian Bale, one of the greatest actors, the best Batman. Heath Ledger, the greatest villain in film history, deserves Oscar, and not because he died. Pencil disappears, one of the greatest film moments. Gary Oldman, Gordon, my favorite character. Aaron Eckhart, great transformation. Interrogation scene, one of the greatest scenes in film. I just want my phone call. Great themes. The Dark Knight, one of the 20 greatest films of all time.

10.0/10.0

Lolita (1962)

July 15

From the legendary minds of Vladimir Nabokov and Stanley Kubrick comes another sick and disgusting film. The first hour and a half is entertaining. Surprisingly when the annoying character is out of the way the movie slows to a boring halt. Peter Sellers is absolutely brilliant in this film, and should have had more screen time. Really, the movie is perverted. Funny at times because of that, and sad at times because of the insanity of one of the characters.

7.8/10.0

The Dead Pool (1988)

July 15

The final Dirty Harry movie. Such an excellent series. Just imagine Jim Carrey and Liam Neeson in the same film. This movie does that, plus puts them in a scene together. Great action all throughout. Interesting and funny concept for killings. Some very inspiring vulgar dialogue. Clint Eastwood is a bad mother as always.

9.1/10.0

Hancock (2008)

July 10

Action packed flick with surprising plot points. Some of the messages were dumb, some were pretty good. Overall, just an interesting and fun time at the theater. Especially the McDonald's part.

8.8/10.0

Sudden Impact (1983)

July 10

"Dirty" Harry, the man of justice, dominates another film full of action and fun. Clint Eastwood is shooting to the top. Him and John Wayne should really do a movie together. The female villain is a nice touch. The ending scene should have been left out. Go ahead, make my day.

9.1/10.0

Duck, You Sucker (1971)

July 8

Sergio Leone is unstoppable! James Coburn and Rod Steiger put on a dynamite performance in this movie about Irish/Mexican revolution. Surprisingly brutal for its time and rated PG. Funny at times. Great action scenes. I prefer the title I used, rather than A Fistful of Dynamite. Duck, you sucker!

9.0/10.0

Bullitt (1968)

July 1

Steve McQueen is quite cocky about his skills, but he pretty much earns what he brags about on the screen. His intensity brings any scene to perfection. This is a pretty good story about justice. Being drugged during it probably made it less enjoyable. The car chase scene was crazy. Jacqueline Bisset is one of the most stunning women I've seen on the screen. Not a great actress though.

8.4/10.0

Top 10 of 2008: Midpoint

1. A Man for All Seasons (1966) 9.8
2. Spartacus (1960) 9.7
3. Being John Malkovich (1999) 9.6
4. For a Few Dollars More (1965) 9.6
5. Get Smart (2008) 9.2
6. The Great Escape (1963) 9.1
7. Dirty Harry (1971) 9.0
8. Anatomy of a Murder (1959) 9.0
9. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) 9.0
10. Magnum Force (1973) 8.9

The Enforcer (1976)

June 27

Clint Eastwood is back as Dirty Harry for the third time. The movies get slightly worse as they go along, but they still retain an awesome quality. It is because the character is refreshing. Harry, even in the 70's, is not politically correct. His newest partner happens to be a woman, and that really freshens up the story. After three movies, Harry has retained his heroic stance on justice, let's hope he can do so for two more movies.

8.7/10.0

For a Few Dollars More (1965)

June 26

The middle movie of the Man With No Name trilogy. Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood are unstoppable. The movie probably had the most magnificent gun fights and tricks in the entire trilogy. What leaves The Good, the Bad and the Ugly on top though is the characters. The ending shootout is film perfection brought to life.

9.6/10.0

Get Smart (2008)

June 24

This is the best comedy I've seen in a very long time in the theaters. Steve Carell usually annoys me, but was bearable. Bill Murray's cameo is perhaps the funniest part of the movie. Get Smart is a comedy full of jokes that are actually funny, that do not rely on too many sex jokes or cliches. Besides a few select parts, the writing is pretty good. The movie is outrageous, but it is a comedy so just get over it and enjoy it, which is what I did quickly. Anne Hathaway. Mmmmmmm.

9.2/10.0

Stagecoach (1939)

June 23

My second John John collaboration. Wayne and Ford. Actor and director. The movie is quite funny, which is hard to do for movies that are old. The huge action scene near the end is amazing. This is the kind of action scene that is hard to produce even in modern cinema. It is surprising, must've taken them a year to just shoot that scene.

8.1/10.0

Magnum Force (1973)

"A man's got to know his limitations." -Harry Callahan

June 20

Dirty Harry returns in another action packed, hero infested, cop adventure. Not quite as good as the first movie, but close enough. What brings it down is the lack of tough guy role coming from Eastwood at the beginning of the movie. It kicks in full force later though.

8.9/10.0

Dirty Harry (1971)

"I know what you're thinking. 'Did he fire six shots or only five?' Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?" -Harry Callahan

June 15

An excellent cop film. Clint Eastwood is really impressing me lately. For some reason I used to hate him. His portrayal of Harry Callahan is something else. Dirty Harry is the kind of hero we need. The villain is possibly the most annoying and crazy villain ever. The death of the villain is something I was pining for the entire movie. The first 30 minutes of the movie is definitely the best part.

9.0/10.0

Spartacus (1960)

June 10

A great tale. Kubrick's best movie! Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier were quite brilliant. The gold metal goes to Douglas. Jean Simmons is very nice. This great movie is not philosophically confused. It shows the revolt of slaves to gain their freedom in ancient Rome. It shows the politicians thirst for power, and their outbursts of tradition as their reasons for slavery. The movie is quite long, but for once a Kubrick movie is full of exciting scenes. There are still some boring nothing happens scenes, but that is OK when exhausted from some tense scenes. The action scenes were well crafted for '60's cinema. Besides a few slow parts, there really are no faults in this movie. It is too good for modern cinema.

9.7/10.0

You Don't Mess With the Zohan (2008)

June 8

I expected this to be the best Sandler movie in ages. Dispense with the politically correct garbage and the overused sex jokes, it probably would have been his best. With some nice action scenes, and quite a few genuine laughs that are missing from today's comedies, the movie turns out to be OK. Oh well, only two more theater movies this summer.

6.2/10.0

Crank (2006)

June 7

A fun action flick. Nice fight scenes. Some of the sex stuff was over the top. Statham and Smart are an enjoyable pair. Love the finger gun. The idea was pretty good, almost out of a Koontz novel. The ending was ridiculous.

8.1/10.0

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

June 3

3 hours, 49 minutes. Jennifer Connelly is in this movie! A lot of rape. There are some very intricate scenes, mostly shootouts that you wouldn't expect. Robert De Niro and James Woods are the reasons to watch this film. The childhood flashbacks aren't that great, and a lot of the scenes in the last hour are borderline boring. Sergio's worst film thus far.

8.0/10.0

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

June 1

Ellen Burstyn and Jennifer Connelly are the only aspects that kept the movie going. Tremendous acting. Don't really like movies about a bunch of lowlifes. Burstyn's character was the only sympathetic one. It had some entertaining moments. Nothing special.

7.2/10.0

Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)

May 30

This film is bad. Almost terrible. There are a few shining moments. The writing in this is one is extremely annoying. Not enough of that crazy Eddie Murphy laugh that was in the original.

5.9/10.0

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

May 30

The Man With No Name. This is the first in that series. Not as good as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. It's still an action packed Western, full of neat gun tricks, and a main character to fall in love with. Clint Eastwood is a fine actor. Sergio Leone is magnificent, the King of Westerns.

8.9/10.0

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

May 29

Eddie Murphy is fun in this movie. This is probably the first movie I've enjoyed him in. His laugh is quite annoying though. I think this is the first action-comedy movie. Just some good laughin' fun. I hate machine guns!

8.6/10.0

The Hospital (1971)

May 28

A dark comedy that is bizarre and inept. Though diametrically opposed to my philosophy, it was still enjoyable. Excellent acting from George C. Scott and Diana Rigg. The suicide scene is probably a perfect scene in film, which is a rarity. The old man saying, "You do the job," really was a joyful scene. It is hard to take the movie seriously, which is a good idea if you want to enjoy it. Don't take it seriously.

8.5/10.0

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

May 22

Aside from the few completely insane scenes near the beginning, the movie had a promising start. The casting for the film is perfect. The humor is great. The snake scene is definitely the funniest. The action scenes are good fun. The CGI was overbearing at times. The surprise ending was somewhat of a letdown. The movie is riddled with inaccuracies, mainly for symbolic effect, but all of that does not really matter. The film gives you what it intended, some good fun action with a legendary character, Indiana Jones. The main villain is great, while the "other" one is stereotypical.

I like Ike.


8.3/10.0

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

May 17

Boring at first. After thirty minutes the movie turns into another solid Stewart movie. James Stewart vs. George C. Scott. Imagine; John Ferguson vs. General George Patton! Even though Stewart is my all time favorite actor, Scott wins in this one. The court scenes are very long. Those scenes actually had an original approach to them even after all these years of court movies. It is also quite funny and outrageous for its time.

9.0/10.0

Being John Malkovich (1999)

May 13

Absurd and bizarre. Ridiculous and fantastic. Hilarious and outrageous. Twisted and original. Cameron Diaz! I kept thinking that just can not be her. That has to be some other actress that looks like her at certain angles. Then the ending credits roll and there it is. Catherine Keener was watchable for once. Though her appeal did wear off throughout the movie. John Cusack and John Malkovich were brilliant throughout. All the "real life" celebrity appearances were hilarious. Another reason why the '90's and 1999 in particular is(are) the greatest year(s) for film. Movies like this are all too rare, and for the life of me I can't figure out why. You see the world through John Malkovich's eyes. Then after about 15 minutes, you're spit out into a ditch on the side of the New Jersey Turnpike!

9.6/10.0

The Great Escape (1963)

May 12

Great fun. Richard Attenborough. James Garner. Steve McQueen. Donald Pleasence. Charles Bronson. James Coburn. All star cast. At close to three hours, the movie is lengthy, but almost every minute of the movie was needed and used well. The diverse characters range from blindness to claustrophobia. The last thirty minutes was quite surprising. There were some quite surprisingly funny scenes as well.

9.1/10.0

In the Name of the Father (1993)

May 10

Excellent film. How could it not be when Daniel Day-Lewis is in the film? There were some very tense scenes in this film. The interrogation scenes and the ending court battle are the two best.

8.9/10.0

Young Frankenstein (1974)

May 8

Excellent acting from everybody. Some funny running gags. Other than that, a disappointment. Not that it was bad, but the expectations were a lot higher. Marty Feldman and Teri Garr made the film.

8.0/10.0

There Will Be Blood (2007)

April 26

There will be splendid acting. Daniel-Day Lewis is one of the best actors, but he always flies under the radar. Yes, he did win the award for this one, but still nobody knows who he is. The first half of the movie was great. The second half brought it down a notch. The vilification of Daniel Plainview was the sinker.

8.6/10.0

Street Kings (2008)

April 11

This is probably the most random, yet well fit together cast in any movie. Keanu Reeves plays probably his most complex character besides Neo. Forest Whitaker was no doubt the best actor, only because Hugh Laurie had such a small yet elegant part. It was interesting seeing him outside his House character, and using the "f" word was strange. If only every time he showed up on screen, I didn't think, That's House! He had some of the same mannerisms, but was a completely different, cool character. Chris Evans annoyed me so much in Fantastic Four that he ruined the entire movie. In this movie, he is my favorite character. Jay Mohr and Naomie Harris were perfect for the roles they had. Cedric the Entertainer didn't annoy me for the first time in history. As for the plot, another usual corrupt cop story, but with some unpredictable twists thrown in, and some of the best crime characters to make it fresh.

8.7/10.0

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

March 16

Crazy cinematography. Beautiful piece of film. A long movie like this would usually be boring beyond imagining, but the background music and lighting really helped. The narrator for this movie is probably the best narrator ever for a movie. Casey Affleck as Robert Ford should have won an award. His smile and demeanor was pure genius. While Brad Pitt was great, he looked too much like himself that it was hard to imagine him as that character. At first the knife to the throat scene was the best, but then the dusting of the picture scene came along. Those scenes were pure perfection, with an edge of ultimate tension. It was hard to follow some of the story because of the accents of the characters. The southern accents were actually pretty much dead on in this film compared to other films. The scenes following the assassination were fantastic beyond imagining. The great epilogue makes one forget about any of the flaws from earlier in the film. Why didn't this win many awards? Am I the only one who felt bad for Robert Ford in the end?

9.0/10.0

Jumper (2008)

February 16

Ridiculous. Stupid. Terrible acting. Grammar school special effects. The characters are stupid. The lines are more awkward than my own awkward conversation skills. Too many plot holes to count. What can I say, it was so stupid that it was funny. It was loads of stupid fun. The good guys weren't really that good though, which I hate. Even Sam Jackson was weak in this movie. I'll let that bounce off him onto the poor everything else about the movie though.

7.7/10.0

A Man for All Seasons (1966)

February 13

A man of principle. A man who knows what is right and stands by that no matter the hardships. Paul Scofield plays this man, Sir Thomas More during King Henry VIII's reign as King of England during the 1500's. Paul puts on one of the top 10 greatest performances on the screen of all time. The sanction of the victim is what Thomas More is. He is a good man willingly suffering at the hands of evil men for their sins. Though this is not a great quality, it was hardly a choice because of how power was handled in the monarchy ruling days of England. Great, superbly fantastic writing and screenplay. Excellent acting from everyone. This is one of the all time great movies, a must see for any fan of film.

9.8/10.0

Walk the Line (2005)

January 5

Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis appearances were nice. The best scene is the prison scene. Other than that, pretty bland. Great acting, but that doesn't matter when you hardly care about the characters. I guess it doesn't help that half of the movie was music, and I'm not a huge country music fan.

7.6/10.0

Top 10 of 2007

1. Twelve Monkeys (1995) 10.0
2. Life is Beautiful (1997) 10.0
3. The Princess Bride (1987) 9.9
4. Bringing Out the Dead (1999) 9.8
5. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) 9.7
6. Unbreakable (2000) 9.6
7. Amadeus (1984) 9.5
8. Donnie Brasco (1997) 9.5
9. Miller's Crossing (1990) 9.4
10. 3:10 to Yuma (2007) 9.4
---------------------------------------------------------------
11. Family Plot (1976) 9.4
12. Wag the Dog (1997) 9.4
13. Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995) 9.3
14. Live Free or Die Hard (2007) 9.3
15. Marathon Man (1976) 9.3
16. Grindhouse (2007) 9.3
17. Deliverance (1972) 9.3

Top 10 of 2007: Second Half

1. Twelve Monkeys (1995) 10.0
2. The Princess Bride (1987) 9.9
3. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) 9.7
4. Unbreakable (2000) 9.6
5. Amadeus (1984) 9.5
6. 3:10 to Yuma (2007) 9.4
7. Wag the Dog (1997) 9.4
8. American Psycho (2000) 9.2
9. Strangers on a Train (1951) 9.2
10. Hot Fuzz (2007) 9.2