20 Favorite Movies

I find that the reason we all love movies so much and participate in discussions like these is because everyone literally has their own emotions/fears/baggage we bring so that no two people can have the same top 20 list. I watch a lot and find my favorite movies are ones I remember watching with my family, friends or a film that broke my understanding of physics and imagination. here they are:




1. King Kong (1933/2005) - the ultimate epic fantasy that shows how far we'll go for women



2. Jaws - Spielberg's masterpiece of editing/tension



3. The Wizard of Oz - the only movie my family watches every time it's on



4. Pan's Labyrinth - a child's innermost dreams come true was like a view straight in ours & GDT's mind



5. Raiders of the Lost Ark - the best action movie ever made



6. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - i consider this one film, one story, and the biggest production ever accomplished



7. Speed Racer - this polarizes people but to me the visuals enhance the family values and incredible score might be Giacchino's masterpiece



8. Monty Python and the Holy Grail - the funniest film of all time



9. Jurassic Park - the first time i realized the possiblities of movies



10. Pulp Fiction - every time you notice something different that connects each story



11. Se7en - understanding how serial killers work made me understand the horrors to which people are capable of



12. Saving Private Ryan - Spielberg's ultimate war film that was an appreciation for all our troops do



13. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - i've been that messed up before and it gets it sooo right



14. Terminator 2 - apocalyptic stakes with a heart



15. Up - I love dogs and sometimes talk to them



16.Forrest Gump - My name is Bubba, literally. nuff said.



17. Hot Fuzz - the greatest you have to be in on the joke movie that is hilarious every time



18. The Matrix Reloaded -something about not having to explain the rules & just going crazy makes me smile



19. The Sound of Music - my family prob sings this more than anything



20. There Will Be Blood - A meditation of a film that almost represenats the language of film in a bottle



other honorable mentions: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Blade Runner, Fight Club, Wall-E, Shawshank Redemption, Dances with Wolves, The Brothers Bloom, Seven Samurai, Zodiac, Goodfellas, The Lion King. Man i could prob list 100 movies that are all my favorites, this is tough - good luck everyone

6/28 - Jeunet's always impresses

Movies I watched:
She's Out Of My League Blu-Ray - 6/10 - Same old nice guy gets hot girl formula
Ride With The Devil Blu-Ray - 8/10- Audio Commentary with Ang Lee was good, his first action film
Micmacs - 10/10 - Jeunet has done it again with a hilarious attack on weapons companies

TV I watched:
Brazil/Portugal match, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Conan's Writer's Live

Music Listening To:
STS9 at Wakarusa, Cloverfield Score by Michael Giacchino

Book I'm reading:
Dean Koontz's Frankenstein: Lost Souls

Videogames Played
Fifa 08

Other cool stuff: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows trailer!
http://movies.yahoo.com/premieres/20590295/standardformat

6/23 - Toy Story IMAX3D The Sequel

Movies I watched:
Dreamscape Blu-Ray - 6/10 - Old school 80's about entering dreams, very Inception-like
Twin Peaks S1 DVD - 8/10 - weird David Lynch series
Toy Story 3 IMAX3D - 10/10 - second time was even better

TV I watched:
USA soccer match - epic, unforgettable game

Music Listening To:
Toy Story Soundtracks, new Cypress Hill album, Reflection Eternal

Book I'm reading
The Art of Toy Story 3

Videogames Played
Fifa 08

Other cool stuff
Scott Pilgrim Avatar Creator - http://www.scottpilgrimthemovie.com/avatarCreator/

6/22 - A Knight of a Day

Movies I Watched
- Private Lives of Pippa Lee Blu-Ray - 7/10 - Robin Wright, Keanu Reeves, Blake Lively
- Mystery Team DVD - 7/10 - it's alway funny seeing dorky people swearing in strip clubs
- Knight and Day - 9/10 - Tom Cruise/Camerion Diaz had great chemistry, best action film this year

TV Shows Watched
- The Good Guys
- Memphis Beat - (premiere)
- Jimmy Kimmel laptop show w/ Seth Rogen

Music Listening To
- The Roots "How I Got Over", Toy Story 3 OST, STS9 Wakarusa

Coolest thing on the internet?
new Inception featurette http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKeNqEws47o&feature=player_embedded

6/21 - Just another Monday

Movies I watched
- Management Blu-Ray - 6/10 - with Steven Zahn and Jennifer Aniston.
- Unthinkable Blu-Ray - 6/10 - with Samuel L Jackson, Michael Sheen, Carrie Anne Moss
- Invictus Blu-Ray - 8/10- with Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon

TV I watched
- Treme finale - fantastic ending to "The Wire" creator's new series.
- Dr. Steve Bruhle Check It Out - John C. Reily is so weird you just can't help but laugh

Music Listening To:
Eminem Recovery, Umphrey's McGee UMPHBOWL, Glitch Mob - Drink The Sea

Book I'm reading
- War Horse (Upcoming Speilberg movie)

Videogames Played
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Other cool stuff
- Green Hornet trailer premieres online after blackout at Jimmy Kimmel
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808411967/video

What LOST meant to me.....

So after taking a significant time off I found it only fitting to start the blog back up again to speak about something that meant a lot to me….LOST.

Here is why I think it succeeded in what it set out to do so screw all you haters.

Each of my friends know that when I get obsessed about something that I push myself to the extreme where I’m not satisfied filling up on everything the show/movie has to offer until after it’s over. With the Lost mythology, there was almost too much to handle but spread over 6 years made it doable. Leading up to the finale of LOST, I read every message board, every article and interview with “Darlton”, saw the NY Times Interview in the movie theatre, rewatched all the past seasons with commentary and every bonus material on the Blu-Rays. So I thought I was prepared. But now that’s over, I realize that for all effort I took into guessing how it would end and completely immersing myself in the story aspect, I forgot to prepare myself for the emotional punch of the ending and the reality of losing a show that really was one of the most important staples of my entertainment filled life.

When I think back about why I loved LOST so much, the first thing that comes to mind is that it was unpredictable. With the mass amount of multi-tasking, internet filled spoilers and procedural drama cookie-cutter shows that we see every week, I could never have imagined that I would be taken on a ride like LOST where it was so original and dense that I could never predict what might happen to these people, I just had to go along for the adventure. And what a thrill it was. From the flashbacks to the flashforwards, the unraveling mystery of why each characters on LOST was there turned out to be the most important aspect of the show and just when I thought I knew who these characters were, they did something amazingly heroic or sad that turned the show on its head. Like. Real. People.

It seems with movies and TV shows today, the writers and directors map out every little detail of the script, concept art, staging, cast and pace of the piece that it almost becomes a paint-by-numbers approach where you could swap anyone in and they could basically come up with the same finished project. Not LOST. Every once in a while a piece of entertainment and creativity comes along that takes on a life of its own. I love that Darlton planned out the outline of the show and knew where it was headed but along the way accepted that the show was not perfect and had to evolve to the fans concerns and that they actually listened to the audience so that it could be the best show possible. By giving the fans little bits of information over the course of the 6 seasons, it could have been frustrating but to me it was actually a relief to not get them all at once because it felt like it was a slow release of the details of the show so that it never diminished what had already come before but built upon what I already knew. Even though each season had its own theme of time travel or reason for uncovering the mysteries of the show, that wasn’t the most important part. It was using this big unexplainable setting of an island to show the true nature of people and that in the end we are geared more toward good than bad.

The reason that I continue to argue LOST worked was because it gave us a simple but very important formula and stuck to it. What would normal people do in extraordinary situations? The decisions they made on the show I felt like I was making with them and would have done if I was in that position. With each struggle for survival and meaning they were faced with, I was so emotionally invested in the outcome that as events unraveled I was not only worried that it adhered to the answers we had already been given but seemed like it opened up a bunch of new ones that seemed even more important. The theme of redemption and “live together, die alone” is something I hope exists in a world constantly at war where I wish to learn from my mistakes and move forward by being around people I trust and treating others like I would want to be treated. It seems a lot of people were so caught up arguing how implausible the whole scenario was or how they thought the creators were just making it up as they went along that they forgot to appreciate the contrast of human emotions and connections that surfaced in a supernatural and otherworldly setting which reinforced a positive view of humanity.

Besides the emotional payoff LOST gave me by seeing a happy ending to the connections and “constants” that were created, the show also needs to be praised for the phenomenal production aspect of it as well. As we all know, sight AND sound are crucial to a full TV show/movie experience. With the perfect setting of taking place on Hawaii, the locations were a character of their own to the show and gave it a much needed dose of realism so that I never questioned the setting each these extraordinary events took place. On top of the scenery, Michael Giacchino is currently my favorite composer and his work on LOST’s soundtrack stood out as the backbone and core of the emotional rollercoaster I went on and I couldn’t be more thankful. I still listen to the scores when they come on and believe he found a true revelation that scoring it with a live orchestra brought even more credibility and inspiration to it.

For some reason I keep going back to JJ Abrams’ interview where he talked about his childhood “Mystery Box” as a fitting idea to a show which he started and then let loose. In his speech he said that the power of not knowing what’s inside the box was even more powerful than knowing what was in it because then it wouldn’t be as special to him anymore. LOST was a special show to me in that it truly had all the aspects I would want in a series. Humor, action, sci-fi, love and social commentary. It kept it’s answers so close to its chest that it became even more powerful by allowing me to stretch my mind and accept that once everything is explained, I would stop using my greatest gift: imagination. To me, my imagination of what was happening was so much more powerful than anything I can read or see on TV and I see a lot. As much as I like to know who is directing a movie or show, who wrote the script or who is the DP so I can prepare to understand the “language” they use, I still believe that uncovering something for the first time as it is occurring is crucial to the enjoyment and respect it deserves.

LOST will always be THAT show that I will remember and tell my kids about when I think back about this time in my life not only because it made me a better person by appreciating TV as art but because it taught me that I don’t need to know everything in this world and that the most important things in life like Love can’t be explained, you just have to believe in it. LOST was profound for the way it didn’t just give us the answers but made us talk with others around the watercooler or with my twin brother who was just as obsessed as I was. This idea that there are bigger forces at work in the universe bringing us all together is something I firmly believe in. So with LOST, it was like a show was speaking to me directly, taking the core themes we all want to accept as true in the world and made me ponder what everything means and if we truly are content not knowing all the answers but just living for the moment.

There are people who are pissed at the ending because it seemed too “metaphysical” and “afterlifey”. I respectfully disagree. After all the polar bear cages, food drops, hydrogen bombs, button pushing, submarines and everything else that was so crucial to understanding the history of the island and why these characters were brought there, in the end none of it truly mattered if they didn’t all end up together to be able to remember their character arcs and internal change they accomplished together. I absolutely loved the flash-sideways revelation because these characters who had been through so much together seemed to be meeting again for the first time, their emotions and memories flooding with all the heartbreak and sacrifice that was needed to get them to where they were so they could move on. By reintroducing each person’s “constant” in the finale, it made everything else that had happened on the island that much more important because I knew who these people were even though they didn’t. I for one cried like a baby at the ending but it was only because the characters on LOST were so good at sticking to who they were through it all and confirming the hopes that we had from the beginning that they would come out better for crashing on the island than they would of if they lived their lives without one another.

In the end, LOST proved to be something that was more rewarding the more you were into it. Anytime we put in an effort to embrace a form of entertainment, we do so in hopes that it will be worthwhile. That LOST become a bridge to making my life happier, being creative, or just thinking that everything happens for a reason is something that will stick with me until I hopefully meet everyone who has meant something to me in the afterlife as well. I doubt any show will be able to make me care about something as deeply as I cared about LOST but in thinking positively, I think there will.

To some LOST was just another TV show trying to be edgy by giving tons of mystical questions and playing with an audience by not answering them when we wanted them. That’s a shame. To me, LOST will always be in a league of its own for the way it encapsulated the very themes of storytelling and character that are found in even the most ancient tales. When something unexplainable occurs, we tend to get so caught up in trying to figure out why it happened and what I did to deserve this that we never stop to appreciate who we get to go on the adventure with and how these obstacles occur for a reason in order to shape us for the better so that we can truly appreciate what we have and how lucky we are to live in a world with such great entertainment.

I look forward to introducing as many people as possible to LOST and I hope you do too.

G.I. Joe (2009) (Theatrical) - 8/10

The definition of a summer popcorn flick, G.I. Joe is actually better than it should have been thanks to a good looking cast that takes it seriously and Stephen Sommers' over the top action sequences that really allow the special fx to enhance the action but not overpower the acting.

The Soloist (2009) (Blu Ray) - 6/10

I was anxious to see The Soloist on Blu Ray after missing it in theatres but I was ultimately disappointed by this obvious Oscar bait for the way it intentionally tried to influence the audience by being over emotional one minute and then comedic the next. Joe Wright won me over on Atonement's one take long shot but in this he tries a more realistic approach to uncover the homeless problem in L.A and give Jamie Fox another role to act like part retard/part musical savant who is befriended by a columnist for the LA Times. I like some of the musical pieces Fox plays and the relationship they build but it ultimately seems forced and not fleshed out as much with the supporting cast to be worthwhile. The extras and commentary talk about the real life people they used in the slum scenes and interviews with the real guy who's life this is based on. Overall, a big letdown.

The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

I'm a sucker for underdog sports movie so this Disney flick with Shia Labeuf playing the amateur golf who wins the US Open is a thrilling ride and a treat to see in all it's Blu Ray glory. I like that director Bill Paxton switched over from acting to create a truly original editing and golf ball technique so that it keeps the action in focus while feeling like your'e really there. An inspiring movie that had 2 separate commentaries with even more insight into the actual history of the event.

Constantine (2005) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

It was fun to rewatch this supernaturl thriller again with the new Blu ray extras and PIP window which dove into the making of the visual effects and casting process. Cool to see Shia Labeuf as a young taxi driver and Rachel Weitz is always hot. Fun if not forgettable movie.

Race to Witch Mountain (2009) (Blu Ray) - 6/10

Race to Witch Mountain is one of the bigger missteps in the Disney canon and I'm surprised by how little I liked it. I usually love The Rock but in this it seemed like he was just reading his cue cards right outta the script, not to mention the alien-like dialogue which came off as wooden and forced by the kids. The music is inspiring at some points but the stereotypical govt. bullies and pursues them throughout the movie like a bunch of dumbasses and the bounty hunter dude is so indestructable yet we never hear where he's from or even how he got here. Going to Vegas and making fun of comic book nerds didn't win me over either, though I liked the CGI of the alien ships and car chase scene. In the end, this movie is just a repetitive nod to it's original and the director even says he hid the original actors and props inside the movie for the fans of the old ones. Either way, Disney lost out on this b/c they cast the Game Plan director instead of someone who can balance action and humor. Instead, this comes off like a bad ripoff where we just can't wait for it to be over. Oh well...

Green Lantern: First Flight (2009) (Blu Ray) - 7/10

Another of the DC universe's animated movies, Green Lantern: First Flight is a fun introduction to the character and has some decent enough action scenes to make this worthwhile. I had never read any comics of Green Lantern but have heard they're hopefully making a live action movie so i figured now is as good a time as ever to get into this backstory. The movie looks pretty good for recent animation and Hal Jordan gets the ring in the first few minutes so the story charges right out of the gate. With great voice work and fun explorations of univeral themes, this movie had some cool extras and camera techniques to make it the best I could have hoped for.

Sin City (2005) (Blu Ray) - 10/10

Sin City is a marvel of green screen and acting, the most realistic graphic novel representation that Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez could have made and it's violent, funny, and awesome all at the same time. The Blu Ray is stacked with extras but most importantly, the Cine-Explore mode which is amazing, you really have to see it to believe it. With pop up panels from the graphic novels, behind the scenes green screen footage as well as a full running commentary by the directors, it's one of the most immersive movie experiences i've seen in a while. For me, this movie is almost the antithesis of Speed Racer but just as imporant. The way that they use color so sparingly and as a "weapon" they call it to overemphasize certain things like blood and such is genius. Such an ensemble cast could almost never be done again in Hollywood and everyone knew that they were getting into something epic from the start. Recreating exact props and shots to match the stories, a movie completely shot on green screen had never been done before like this and watchin the extras they show you it's almost like the actors were on a stage performing with blocks and cheap props to add 99% of the world in after the fact. Everything about this movie is kick-ass and it was a real treat to go into every aspect of how they made it to refresh my memory of why i love it so much. this movie was the start of the comic adaptations and one that works.

Mad Men: Season 2 (2008) - 9/10

I've been watchin the second season of Mad Men with director commentary to get ready for the start of the 3rd season and have to say, this show is excellent. With amazing costumes and characters straight out of the past, the production design and dialogue is great in the advertising agency as well as in the homes of all these trouble people. The director and writers are hilarious on the commentaries telling us how they can't make these beautiful people look bad but still try, and how their choice of music to end the different episodes all makes a different to how they want the audience to feel. Showing adultry, racism, sexism, and harrassment as just another day in the office, Mad Men is one of the most fascinating character studies on AMC and TV for that matter and I can't wait to see what they come up with next.

Fast & Furious (2009) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

Though not as good as the original, at least they brought back the cast and have bigger action scenes this time out. Fast & Furious is exactly what the title says and actually starts with a pretty impressive action scene of stealing gas tankers and then goes downhill from there. The racing scenes are not repetivite at least and they crash enough cars to keep me interested but there wasn't enough balance b/w action and character development to really see the changes they go through as honorable. I like the cars, girls, rap music they play to keep the story moving but the villians is predictable and the cops are just cut out losers who are beaten by a bunch of meatheads. Fun movie to turn your brain off and it looks fantastic in Blu Ray, nevertheless I don't think it's the last and best this series has to offer.

Twilight (2008) (Blu Ray) - 1/10

Hahahahaha, I don't even know what to write on this one. I watched this in the background of working today just to see what all the fuss is about. Not only is this the most teeny bopper, emo music, goth-centric crap to come out in a while, it seriously dumbs down the vampire genre and only makes Hollywood pander to these crappy kids with more of the same fish out of water love story high school prom crap. Twilight should be banished from all schools and film history, I am sorry I even watched this at all.

Rec (2007) - 7/10

Rec is the movie that Quarantine was based on and even though it does bring the horror and realism a little bit better, it still underwhelms by the annoying secondary characters who basically are only there to be killed. I liked the documentary structure of talking to the camera and following the fire crews around but once the pathogen takes over and people start turning into infected flesh eaters, the sets really don't change and the attacks are pretty one note. Though the shaky cam works well to make it seem like the wounds and blood are happening in real time, the movie is ultimately too small and unrememberable to show any true action or enduring heroes. The main female even dies at the end which makes you wonder why you even were supposed to like her in the first place. Still interesting for it's subtitles and trying to change the genre but the small budget is felt and there's not enough light to see what's happening half the time.

Knowing (2009) (Blu Ray) - 6/10

For some reason Knowing didn't do it for me in theatres and once again looking great on Blu Ray, it didn't make any lasting impact other than the fact that I slowly am starting to hate Nic Cage. Alex Proyas has done some decent work with movie like Dark City but with this he's trying to take on the end of the world, aliens, and a set of numbers that predict all the major global disasters but he never gives us characters who we care if they live or die. The bad acting overpowers any of the dramatic action scenes and we're constantly being preached to by Cage's character as to what he "thinks" is going on, only to basically get creeped out and never have everything fall together until it's too late. This movie has an interesting concept and the BR audio and video are excellent but there is just too much fake CGI and laughably bad moments to take it seriously. Too bad..

Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989) - 10/10

Saw Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade at Film on the Rocks tonight and it was glorious. Red Rocks is such a great place in the first place but when you add one of my favorite movies of all time, it gets epic. For me, this is the best of the Indy series and the one of the highpoint of John Williams/Speilberg collaborations, showing that you can bring together a great cast in exotic locations and still make it bigger than the original. Nothing much to say on this one other than I'm glad it didn't rain, and when will this be out on Blu Ray?!

Memento (2000) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

Memento is such a hard movie to understand that each time I watch it there is just something about the way it's structured that keeps you wanting more and engaged from start to finish. I listened to the commentary track by director Christopher Nolan and was glad to get inside his head to see how he came up with this backwards story and why he chose to give us an unreliable protagonist who by the end we clearly find out is the bad guy. This movie slowly gives us the details that we think are right only to constantly pull the rug out from under as we find out no one's intentions are genuine, something Nolan credits to the acting and script which he went over and over to make sure it could flow straight too. This movie really shows off the editing techniques Nolan likes and the story structure that is a lot different than the Dark Knight which I appreciate more for it's originality.

Coraline (2009) (Blu Ray) - 10/10

Coraline on Blu Ray is wonderful, having watched the PIP extras and commentary, it literally gets better every time. The stop motion animation by Henry Selick is the best he's ever done and hearing all the little details of how they created the realistic hair, casted actors for voice work, and how they used CGI to ehance some action scenes all made me appreciate this medium over newly computer animated films. Having read the book before I saw this in theatres, it's cool to see this film version look so good on Blu Ray and in 3D and have them expand on the characters to the point where you wish more hollywood types would take chances with such dark and original stories. Coraline is a must see and something I can tell I will revisit along with Nightmare Before Christmas every Halloween.

Super Troopers (2001) (Blu Ray) - 10/10

Probably one of the most quoted movies in the past 10 years, Super Troopers is Broken Lizard's masterpiece of comedy that never gets old. I watched it with a PIP commentary by the entire filmmaking cast and crew and it was awesome to watch them joke about the on set antics and shooting problems they encountered.

The Haunting in Connecticut (Blu Ray) (2009) - 7/10

When you get these movies based on real life events, it always feels like they're trying to hard to keep the realism without giving the audience enough suspense to feel entertained. The Haunting in Connecticut is an alright horror movie that has some cool make-up effects and interesting ideas of battling cancer but in the end strays too far from fantasy and instead becomes something that tries to scare you for pretending it happened. I don't deny that there are supernatural elements in the world but this exorcims and possessions seem a little far fetched. In the end, this movie is worth checking out at night but doesn't bring anything new to the table and instead tries to make you care for the health of the boy rather than worry about the actual demons. Could have been better.

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) - 9/10

You either love or hate The Royal Tenenbaums and I am in the category of loving everything Wes Anderson does. From the weird yet familiar characters, the commentary really helped me understand the casting and creative process that came from such an ambitious movie. By writing in the acts like the screenplay, the movie is so structed and divided that it's easy to get confused as to who is who. But the way that you see everyone as kids then grown up really is a testament to the casting and scriptwork to have these underlying themes and motifs pop up that really go along with the great music he incorporates. This movie has such dry humor that you sometimes wonder if you should be laughing but to me it almost reminds me of Arrested Development in the dysfucntional family aspect and straight faced seriouslness. Anderson's commentary was a little dry but still got across some hidden articles and his childhood memories of forts, red jumpsuits, and the bird. Definitely a cult classic.

Robot Chicken Star Wars: Episode 2 (2009) - 8/10

Another great parody of Star Wars by Seth Green and the Robot Chicken folk. The extras alone are worth it.

Boogie Nights (1997) - 9/10

Watched Boogie Nights with the infamous commentary by and have to say, he definitely sounds drunk and curses a lot but it's a very worthwhile listen. What's cool about this movie is the great overlapping dialogue, ensemble cast, and the musical choices he uses to signify the beginning and end of the 70's vs. 80s. Anderson is clearly confident after making this movie and talks about the problems with the length vs NC-17 and how the studio only allowed him to choose one. I liked his references to other Altman or Demme movies that influenced him and casting of unknown Heather Graham and Mark Wahlberg that really let them evolve as characters. In the end, Boogie Nights is a great look at the backstage family that a porn business creates and it was interesting to hear how certain people laughed at parts that weren't meant to and why he kept idea in which helped flesh out all the overlapping stores. A must see.

The Unborn (Blu Ray) (2009) - 7/10

Watching Knowing for the hot Odette Yustman and found that even though it was written by David Goyer of The Dark Knight and has Gary Oldman, it's still a formulaic PG-13 horror film that is too cliched to matter.

Paper Heart (2009) - 7/10

Watched a screener of the new Overture film Paper Heart today and was not that impressed with the documentary type feel this gave off. The movie was just weird, I liked the kind of real documentary feel that changes as their relationship evolved but to me it felt borderline scripted and tried a little too hard to get them together. I guess I felt bad b/c one minute I was laughing at her then another I felt bad for her. The ending had me cracking up though, the whole biker chase when they go up on no wheels, really funny. But now that I’ve heard they broke up in real life it’s just sad, it seems this just tried too hard to be indie but there was never the songs that gave the scenes weight. Almost TOO realistic. 500 days of summer is still my favorite so far this year

Ong Bak (2003) - 7/10

For some reason I just felt like watchin kick ass Mua-Tai fighting so I popped in some Tony Jaa and his first movie, Ong Bak. I'm hoping to watch the sequel here shortly which i've heard is much better, but it's always cool to see the crazy stunts he performs and the actors he beats the shit out of.

Push (2009) (Blu Ray) - 6/10

Much worse than I expected, Push comes off like a bad episode of heroes without any hot chicks.

Jaws (1975) - 10/10

One of the greatest movies of all time and a favorite of mine, I wanted to just watch Jaws again to reflect on all the information I had gained from the amazing documentary I saw this weekend. Jaws holds up so well and it's so cool to remember that the problems they had with the shark not working actually helped the movie by making them improvise with barrels and such instead of showing the shark. This was the first blockbuster and a classic.

The Shark Is Still Working (2009) (Theatrical) - 9/10

A fascinating documentary on the legacy of Jaws and the real life people the movie affected.

Pitch Black (2000) (Blu Ray) - 7/10

A cheesy CGI fest that feels date even with Vin Diesel. Some of the ideas are cool but otherwise the secondary characters are so annoying compared to Riddick that it's a shame he doesn't get more screentime.

Goal II: Living the Dream (2007) - 8/10

Cool soccer movie sequel with all the big name altheletes like Beckham, Zidane, Ronaldo that make it much more realistic than i expected. Man, I wish I was a rich famous athlete in Europe!

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009) (Theatrical) - 9/10

Great movie, bad adaptation.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

Watched the last HP Blu Ray this afternoon to refresh my memory right before we went and saw the new one. This installment has an awesome ending that makes up for the parts where it drags.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

The fourth film in the series has a more rushed feel and it almost cheesy in the way it presents the relationships of the characters but I love the 3 tasks and the creativity of the dragon sequence as well as the creation of Voldemort.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

The third movie is by far the best in the series and a very complicated piece of action, time traveling, and humor that blends so nicely you can't help but want to continue with these characters.

Jarhead (2005) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

Sam Mendes's third film is a very intersting take on war and based on a book of the same name written by the guy who experienced all this, it's cool to see it from their perspective. Listened to commentary by Mendes and another by the screenwriter and the real life "Swoff" character who wrote the book, they examine the details of being a marine and how the director was learning as they went in how to show the realism of relationships and horror they encountered along the way. It's hard to think that they were so bored during this war but the quote that says these soldiers were the actual casualities is important to understand as this movie tries to paint war as something that changes people for the worse and can bring out the animal in people who learn to kill and when dont' have that opportunity, turn on eachother. The comedic side is fun at times yet you can't help but be amazed at the ILM digital work of the blazing oil fields and mirror shots that give this movie a type of sadness that these soldiers didn't get the stories they wanted in the end.

Delicatessen (1991) - 7/10

A truly weird movie that caught me off guard. A post apocalyptic apartment complex where they are so hungry they start chopping up travelers and selling their parts at the local butcher unaware to the new guy trying to work there. French dark comedy that is a must see for the lighting and quirky characters.

The Mask (1994) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

A perfect vehicle for Jim Carrey, I checked out The Mask on Blu Ray with commentary this afternoon and was intrigued by all the benchmarks this film represented to CGI in the film industry. Based on a darker and more violent comic strip, director Chuck Russel and a variety of technical and animation advisors go through tons of details of how this movie was the first of it's kind integrating live action people and realistic animation in ways that would pave the way for even bigger films to come. Hearing from ILM was cool with how the tornado technique used in this was the blueprint for Twister or the way lighting was being used on this to help with Jurassic Park. I like that this movie kind of is in it's genre where it's borderline violent yet uses terrific CGI to emphasize the comedy aspect which they say had never been done before. The casting of the unknown Camerion Diaz was also a highlight for them as well as the talented dog who they said needed to have no hair b/c it would have been impossible for them to create an animated version of it when it puts on the mask. From the over the top comparisons to looney toons cartoons, this movie is all about the physical comedy of Jim Carrey and the one liners are great to where he really gets to unleash his fury of craziness and quote tons of other movies. Overall, the blu ray was fun to revisit and I learned how big of a gamble the filmmakers took on this movie's technology so it's a testament to how well it holds up today that it exceeded expectations and is hilarious every time.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

After watching Year 2 of the HP marathon, I realized each film gets better and better with the technology available and can't help but get caught up in this world of Hogwarts even more.

Casablanca (1942) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

Felt like watching a classic in between Harry Potters today so I dove right into the Casablanca Ultimate Edition and watched hours of documentaries as well as listened to a film historian commentary to try and get a better understanding of what makes this movie so important. It's interesting because I don't particularly like older movies but I understand their significance for the patience and lack of technology they had to still create gripping stories and camera movement. I guess I just didn't grow up with Bogart and Bergman to fully appreciate their screen presence but I admire the cool way they talk in this film and the way he acts like he doesn't care when he really does. But the commentary discusses a lot to digest from the casting process to the history of the WB studio during the wartime so that it was a hard movie to get made and carefully censored. The dark characters and flopping sides help set up the frantic tone towards the end and it was fun to hear each scene examined closely for how it was created like a huge plane with midgets or the unforgettable Cafe Americano Rick owns. So after hearing all the familes and people talk about how important this film is, I'm on board but not totally sold it's as rewatchable as say the Sound of Music or the Wizard of Oz. Either way, Casablanca is a complicated melodrama that benefits from it's great cast and wartime themes to make it a product of it's time.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2000) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

Started my Harry Potter Blu Ray marathon last night and had a blast going back to year one to see all these character when they were just babies. What's amazing to think about as I start to get into this world of Harry Potter is to see how much the actors have grown up over the course of 9 years and 6 movies so it's a testament to the casting director of this first film to see the potentional of them all to stick with the series all the way through. This first film is definitely dated yet still has that sparkle of fantasy and adaptation that works so well that you can't help but be transported into Hogwarts and the magic within. I like the way it balances the humor witht the CGI and weird characters to give you a organic feel to the surroundings as we see the school for the first time. Introducing all the teachers and other students feels so weird after we've been with them for years now that it must be weird for them to go back and see how kidlike their performances were. Nonetheless, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is a terrificly fun film that is a blend of everything you're looking for in a series and a remarkable feat to bring that chemistry off the screen. I'm looking forward to seeing all these in a row again though wish there were commentaries to go along.

Away We Go (2009) (Theatrical) - 7/10

I was looking forward to seeing Sam Mendes' new film after Revolutionary Road called Away We Go but left ultimately underwhelmed by a story that tries too hard to be realistic that it takes out any suspense or emotional climax we were hoping for. John Krazinsky and Mia Rudolph are cute as the in love couple expecting a baby yet their trip across the country to find a new home is so sporatic and disjointed that you never know how long they're gonna take in a certain place that just when you're comfortable, they change the scenery. I liked the supporting characters like his mom and Dad or the friends they see in each city but I was just waiting for some sort of rising conflict to occur or have the baby put in danger so that we are actually worried about their future. Instead, we're treated to a bunch of sappy indie love songs and unlikabel characters so that we have no choice but to try and identify with the leads who I couldn't b/c I believe in marriage and don't have a pregnant girlfriend. The scenes b/w the two when they're alone work great because we see the humor in him trying to get mad or excited the heart rate of the baby but when we see how unhappy they are at the end still, I feel like they didn't learn anything from anyone. Overall, a letdown only because I like Mendes' more dramatic work than this love story type realism where it shows how shitty parents and drunk friends can be when you're just trying to find your way in the world. Depressing to say the least.

Big Fish (2003) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

You have to admire Tim Burton for creating a truly unique movie experience in Big Fish, a movie that uses the voice over narrative and circus-like storytelling to bring the viewer into a world where anything is possible. Watching this again with the commentary by Burton, I couldn't help but be caught up again with the balancing plots of the relationship with his dying father and the tall tales he tells where we see Ewan McGregor experience the weirdest people imaginable. What I like about this movie is the use of color and eccentric characters to cement his story beyond that of a normal fairy tale but one that exists in the real world and in the imagination of his family. The great performances by all the secondary characters give the world a believeable lived in quality and Burton explains everything from the blending of CGI elements to camera tricks to make actors seem tall, short, or young. By keeping the bulk of the story told in the past as a backstory for his adventurous life, Big Fish has such an emotional punch that when you go back to the present, it means even more. There's just something about this movie that screams originallity and I admire the passion Burton has for giving even the smallest details to the background characters as the foreground ones, showing that every character that comes on screen means something to the lead and can be enjoyed for their uniqueness to the story.

12 Rounds (2009) (Blu Ray) - 8/10

Under the WWE trademark, this by the numbers action film is actually pretty fun, John Cena stars as the unstoppable cop who must get through 12 Rounds of obstacles to stop the madman who has his wife captive. Even though some of the dialogue is a bit cheesy, the action set pieces and stunts are top notch and you have to give credit to the screenwriters for an all over town romp that destroys everything from trolly cars, bridges, buildings, and helicopters. The tasks he must solve/do don't ever get too repetitive and are completed so fast that you never get caught up wondering why it was put in at all. Overall, a mindless flick that is great to just turn off your brain and watch a meathead run around punching people and jumping off rooftops. The fact that John Cena is afraid of heights makes it funny to know such a big tough wrestling guy still can be scared shitless. Better than expected.

Frankenstein (2004) - 6/10

Based on a continuing series of novels by Dean Koontz, I wanted to watch this DVD of book one just to refresh my memory of this modern retelling of the classic story and get ready for the third part to be released later this month. While the books are just plain awesome and revolve around police detectives tracking down a serial killer while also getting the help of a thousand year old giant who has survived to track down his nemesis, the immortal Victor Helios who is the title character that uses modern day technology to clone his girlfriend and survive. The problem with this movie is the lenght, at only 89 minutes, they cut far too much from the book to fit into this short narrative which is edited so spotty you can see that they originally wanted it to be a TV Series. Although the small characters are still here, the pace feels rushed and open ended that I really hope they make another one to give this mythology it's due. Either way, a letdown.

He's Just Not That Into You (2009) (Blu Ray) - 7/10

Another movie that you feel like you've seen it 10 times before, He's Just Not That Into You tries so hard to be outside the Rom Com scene where normal people talk to the camera about the rules of dating but this movie just falls flat because of the cliched structure and ending that tries to leave the viewer on a happy note. I liked the chemistry of the cast sometimes in this movie, particularly Ben Affleck and Justin Long, but the female characters in this movie were so annoying and batsht crazy that I actually hoped all the guys would get out of it all together and just hang out. Cheating on your wife, calling back, and how to market yourself are all ideas brought up yet I guess I haven't grown up enough yet to be worred about marriage and getting too old for kids. Either way, there are some amusing moments but the use of facebook and myspace date this movie so that it will probably seem old in just a few years. Overall, a harmless movie that tries to think outside the box but falls into the same traps as 99% of others. If you wanna see a good movie, go see 500 Days of Summer.

Rushmore (1998) - 9/10

We watched the Criterion version of Rushmore at the Film in the Forest monthly film series and I had blast talking about this movie for the weird, wonderful fable it is. Wes Anderson's sophomore effort after Bottle Rocket is a movie that I find gets better every time you watch it, something that has such a good script that it doesn't need to get changed at all so that even Bill Murray would do it for free. I like the way the music changes to emphasize each scene and Max character almost makes his own rules to bend the world as he chooses. The kooky characters and scene of the perfect private school all work to balance the play aspect with the idea of coming of age, a rare feat that has as many one liners as effective life lessons. What's cool to think about is the way this movie switches the roles of Schwartzman's and Murray's characters from childish humor to acting all adult so that when they're both swooning over the same girl, you really don't know who to root for. This movie is not for everyone and has a sort of dry humor throughout like you're not in on the joke, but the way that characters all try so hard and are so empathetic make this a truly classic movie.

JFK (1991) (Blu Ray) - 9/10

A remarkable achievement in epic historical filmmaking, Oliver Stone provides a great commentary for this 205 minute analysis of all the conspiracies and facts surrounding one of the most important assasinations in history. Stone talks about all the details he was allowed to include in the film from filming in the actual library where they think Oswald shot from to the actual offices of the politicians. What makes JFK such an all encompassing view on this great event is the incredible ensemble cast that are so many you can't even name them on here. Costner is great as the energetic man trying to bring to light all the mysterious details of how the government changed facts and created the patsy's for what we still don't know the truth to. I enjoyed listening to the terrific score by John Williams and the commentary provided great depth to the extensive research and actual transcripts of the courtroom scenes they brought into the screenplay to give multiple sides of the same incident. Eventually winning the oscar for editing, JFK is a triumph of a balancing act, giving me so many facts that it makes you think they were really onto uncovering the truth while making this. Towards the end Stone refers to this as his "Godfather' and Nixon as his "Godfather 2" and I say I have to agree with him. Movies like these are so much harder to put out nowadays b/c the government probably has even more to hide and censor.

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li (2009) (Blu Ray) - 4/10

Quite possibly the worst movie i've seen all year, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li packs one hell of a punch on the Blu Ray audio side, but other that that everything in this movie is laughably bad. Not only is the story completely outside the Street Fighter mythology, but the special FX and acting are so unprofessional that I literally contemplated turning it off a quarter of the way through. Chris Klein should be given the razzie right now for the most over the top, out of left field horrible performance i've seen in years. Please stay away from this if you know what's good for you.

Walz With Bashir (2008) - 7/10

A very cool looking animated film from an Israeli director that is actually based on a true story of how he remembers the war he served in and the people he met along the way. Although the computer generated, non-rotoscoping imagery is interesting from a technical side, this oscar nominated foreign language movie feels distant and cold, something I couldnt' identify with this second time and it feels just to weird for my taste. Still, it's worth seeing just for the look.

Bruno (2009) (Theatrical) - 9/10

Saw Bruno at an advanced screening tonight and can confirm that it is even more outrageous, offensive, and gut wrenchingly hilarious than Borat. Sasha Baron Coen is a master of disguise, a one man army that is totally in character that you have no choice but to believe he is the gay austrian fashion expert who gets blacklisted from europe and comes to the USA to become famous. What makes this movie so revolutionary, as did Borat, is the way that he uses humor to break the ice in these uncomfortable situations and turns the hidden bigotry found all over to full light by interviewing such racist and ignorant people that you can't help but cringe. There are so many funny situations in this movie that it's impossible to spoil, using gross out full frontal nudity, terrorism, baby commercials, and talk shows to oust people's fears of the gay reporter. Bruno was better than i'd hoped and had the audience reeling throughtout, a real feat given that people know this is a schtick after Borat. Cohen manages to trick celebrities and normal folk alike into thinking he is someone he's not and in the process uncovers such real life stupidity that you almost wish that it WAS scripted. Either way, Bruno will be on repeat watch for me and I can't wait to see this again with my friends.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) (Blu Ray) - 10/10

I remember reading the book for The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy and thinking there was no way they could ever make it into a movie. But after I've seen this movie a couple times now and once again today with commentary by the director and cast, I have to give this movie huge props for actually getting better with time and more fun than I could have ever imagined. What's so cool about this movie is that it integrated all types of CGI, matte paintings, practical, cartoon, and just about every weird editing technique in the book. The comedic tone for such an event as the earth being destroyed is what makes this movie so fun, taking the weird ideas and expanding on them with such creative energy that I can't help but be swept away in the quirkiness. The commentary was hilarous if just for the stories from the cast about bad wigs, the huge puppets, and the way that they would compose the music first and then edit the shots around it. From descriptions of how they filmed on location in Wales and on stage, you can tell everyone involved had a blast on the shoot and really enjoyed bringing their characters to life. From the littel details of wanting to use CGI mice vs real or the blue screen scenes or props to Sam Rockwell, this movie has such an original tone and british sense of humor that you really wont' find anything like it coming out of the states. I absolutely love this movie and can see it becoming an annual watching event.