One of the few good things about the Burbank Little League season ending, and my umping mask being put in the closet till next Spring, is that I have a lot more time to watch movies (God forbid I actually read a book). As we wait to see what fairly new proud papa JohnFN’s seen lately, between 4 AM feedings and classwork …
Heartbreak Ridge (aka Part 1 of “It’s about damn time”) — Hard to pinpoint a favorite part of a movie crammed so full of Clint Eastwood bad-assery, but due to more recent developments in that part of the world, the Swede defiantly and triumphantly yanking down the Venezuelan flag ranks highest on the list, slightly ahead of Gunny ripping out Mario Van Peebles’ earring. The team’s Stripes-esque victory welcome home also right up there. How’s that Kihn song go? They don’t write ‘em like that anymore … dammit.
The Karate Kid (aka Part 2 of “It’s about damn time”) — Don’t ask why I hadn’t seen this one till this weekend either, please. The deserved verbal beat-down from the Mrs. already beat ya to it. With such great across-the-board performances (did I just say that about Billy Zabka AND Ralph Macchio?), plus the scene where Mr. Miyagi remembers his deceased wife and newborn baby (Pat Morita, I salute you!), I’ll even echo her words: “I love Jackie Chan, but why the hell did they feel the need to re-make this movie? Stupid Hollywood.”
The Final Season — Fitting Sean “Rudy” Astin starred and Exec Produced this “based on a true story” small-town tale of the 1990-91 Norway, Iowa state baseball champs. So much fun watching the gleam in his eye, all grown up and playing a real-life coach instead of a player. Powers Boothe nails his “fundamentals first” coach role as well, passing the torch to Astin’s Kent Brock as the town’s beloved team plays its final season before the school’s absorbed into a larger district, “for state budget purposes.” Throw in subtle and not-so-subtle nods to Midwest values — a shirt which reads “This t-shirt made in the USA,” the full rendition of a little girl singing the National Anthem before the championship game (sung by the daughter of one of the 1991 players), dedication to hard rock — and I’m near-ready to move back to Corry, PA, the three-traffic-light town of my earliest memories. Please scratch what I said recently about Europeans being so exclusively (and unhealthily) invested in soccer, too. This movie proves obsession with one sport isn’t all that bad (yes, I admit my love affair with baseball obviously influences this change of opinion).
Facing Ali — As mentioned earlier this year after steamrolling through The Cove, Good Hair and More Than a Game, Lionsgate is the king of the documentaries, consistently releasing one creatively told and gripping movie after the next. No exception here. Ali’s oft-told tale, but this time through the words of 10 of his challengers through the years, never gets dull. Sure, Larry Holmes proves Billy Crystal’s above routine wrong as Holmes’ asinine comment, wherein he wishes someone like Ali would inspire black kids today not to go to that “wrong war in the Middle East,” easily makes him the dumbest fighter with whom Ali ever boxed, but a minor speed-bump. Most importantly, all these fighters truly care deeply for the man formerly known as Cassius Clay (great bit on that in the movie, too, with Ernie Terrell’s stories and footage from the late 60s sounding like the barber in Coming to America who refused to recognize “Muhammad Ali”), the man who gave them all a shot at the greatest title in the world. Don’t let the rap song in the trailer dissuade you, either. All the music in the movie has the funk, R&B and jazz feel of the 60s and 70s era. Sooooo cool.
Shutter Island — The first Scorsese I didn’t see in the theatre since Kundun, this is nonetheless one of those movies that won’t leave my head, and keeps getting better the more I think about it. A Marty collaboration with DiCaprio which finally fully works??? I’m now gonna go get my shine-box. With the umping money on hold, gotta pay for a non-rented copy of the movie somehow.
ON-DECK — Six hour documentary World War II: Behind Closed Doors: Stalin, the Nazis and the West. Uncle Joe, here I come …
Print
Digg
StumbleUpon
del.icio.us
Facebook
Yahoo! Buzz
Twitter
Google Bookmarks
Google Buzz
LinkedIn
MSN Reporter
MySpace
Orkut
Ping.fm
Reddit
RSS
Slashdot
Technorati
Tumblr
Webnews.de
Don’t feel bad about never having seen Karate Kid, Eric. I’ve never seen Old Yeller…but I do know how it ends.
I feel no need to put myself through that emotional wringer. It was bad enough when my Dad told us how they had to put down their dog on the farm back in the day, I don’t need to see that re-created in Technicolor.
Remember Crane Technique when done right, no can defend!
1. Twilight — Eclipse. Not bad actually for what it is… they could all be better.
2. Karate Kid — Jackie Chan. Great time at the movies actually. Chan does a great job.
3. McClintock!
4. Animal House
5. The Heiress… Montgomery Clift woos Olivia de Havilland’s inheritance and she receives the greatest verbal beat down ever filmed from her father — it was actually breathtaking because I wasn’t sure he’d go there….
Shutter Island was the best M Night Shyamalan movie since…well I’ll leave it at that.
speaking of M…what the hell happened to him? started out so well….everything after The Village has brought, what they call in some places, The Suck.
my last few:
The Book of Eli — I loved it. bought the Blu-Ray
Barry Lyndon — I seem to remember this getting some pretty cruddy reviews about the performances. I kinda liked it. yeah, it’s slow, but it’s a fascinating look at aristocracy and the mind-numbingly empty lives they lead. I liked the ending card: “they are all equal now.”
Blade Runner — fascinating yet still boring as shit
THX 1138 — great movie all around; saw the tweaked edition with souped up special effects and, unlike Star Wars, Lucas didn’t fill the screen with useless distracting crap. seamless.
Exploring the Deserts of the Earth — pretty interesting look at a couple who somehow wrangled the money to go to just about every desert on Earth with a motorcycle. I love documentaries like this.
1. Jaws – This movie is still awesome after all these years. It barely shows its age if it weren’t for the fashions. Ah, the power of classic FXs and limitations, CGI can suck it!
2. The Revolution – Pretty much all 16 episodes in a row, great documentary and depressing beyond belief. I think if we somehow brought all the Founding Fathers back to life they’ll immediately kill themselves after seeing what the USA has become.
3. Toy Story 3 – Seriously, I take back my CGI comment if its Pixar and totally animated. How the hell does a story about animated toys pull so hard at the heart strings?
4. A-Team – Enjoyed it greatly, a lot of fun to watch. I guess people are 80s out?
5. Ironman 2 – Thought it was just as great as the first. The idea of Ironman, Captain America and Thor in an Avengers movie gives me a geek stroke.
It barely shows its age if it weren’t for the fashions.
I was making the same comment the other day. In fact, it doesn’t look very dated until about 30 minutes in or so, when Richard Dreyfuss shows up with his Grizzly Adams beard and his Jew ‘fro.
1. Sergeant York. My wife said she wanted to watch something uplifting and patriotic – if that film doesn’t fit the bill, I don’t know what does.
2. Moon. Sam Rockwell at his best. Heart-breaking sci-fi that kind of reminds me of a cross between Blade Runner and Silent Running.
3. Eclipse. Had a hard time staying awake during the first 2/3 of the film – got better toward the end. Liked the first film the best.
4. The Dark Knight. ‘nough said!
5. Akeelah and the Bee. My vote for the most inspirational film of the last decade.
1. Highlander 2 – The Renegade Version. I’d heard it was better than the theatrical release, and it was. Just like a punch in the gut is better than a kick in the crotch.
2. Star Trek – fun visually but I still don’t know why Kirk wasn’t thanked and replaced at the end.
3. Up – Good movie, but aside from the beginning sequence not quite in the same league as Pixar’s finest.
4. Sherlock Holmes – Not a Sherlock Holmes movie.
5. The Three Musketeers – Lots of fun. Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain, Michael York, Christopher Lee, Raquel Welch, Charleton Heston and Faye Dunaway having a ball. Excellent stunts.
[...] Last 5 Watched [...]
1. Futurama: The Beast With a Billion Backs. We love Futurama in our house; it always brings teh funny without bringing teh preachy, and what else can you hope for from a lefty like Matt Groening? This movie doesn’t have the fast pace of the show, but is still continually amusing throughout.
2. Daybreakers. Kind of reminded me of a vampire version of District 9. Well-made and it finds some genuinely clever things to do with its premise, but incredibly depressing. Would it kill Hollywood to make a sci-fi movie that’s FUN for a change?
3. The Count of Monte Cristo (2002 version). Re-watched it because the Mrs. hadn’t seen it yet. A fantastic adaptation of the Dumas novel, with lots of exciting swashbuckling and a very powerful storyline (Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce are pitch-perfect in the lead roles). This is like a Jane Austen movie for guys- great stuff.
4. Toy Story 3. What can I say that hasn’t been better said by John Nolte or a dozen other reviewers? A perfect end to the trilogy, exciting and funny in all the right amounts (in typical Pixar fashion), and the ending had me on the verge of tears.
5. Legion. Entertaining popcorn movie about violent angels duking it out with humanity on Earth (kind of like a big-budget version of “The Prophecy,” sadly minus Christopher Walken). Not much to it, but a fun ride.