100 Movies in 2009 Challenge!
1oo Movies - Rules and Guidelines:
oo1. Watch 1oo movies or more in 2oo9.
oo2. Keep track of how many I watch.
oo3. First-time movies only.
oo4. Leaving entry public. If you want to
recommend any movies, go for it.
oo1. "Revolutionary Road" (2008)
director: Sam Mendes writers: Justin Haythe & Richard Yates starring: Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslett
watched: Jan. 1 rating: 5/5
comments: What a phenomenal film! It plays out almost like a stage production and, if nothing else, is an acting tour de force. Though, the acting isn't the only amazing thing about this film. It's wonderfully written and directed and is entirely stylish from the wardrobe to the sets to the lighting and cinematography. Leonard and Kate prove once again why they are the creme de la creme of their beusiness. Their performances are completely and utterly captivating; especially Kate's. Her portrayal of April Wheeler, a true desperate housewive, is nothing short of transcended. Kate and Leo are in great company, too. Kathryn Hahn, my favorite supporting lady, is absolutely great as the Wheelers’ friend and neighbor. Another highlight is Michael Shannon as Kathy Bates’ troubled-but-genuis son. His dynamic performance makes every scene he's in jump off the screen.
oo2. "Happy-Go-Lucky" (2008)
director: Mike Leigh writer: Mike Leigh starring: Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan & Alexis Zegerman
watched: Jan. 10 rating: 5/5
comments: I expected this to be some sort of relentless life-is-great-and-you-should-smile-all-the-time cheesefest, but it totally surprised me. Eddie Marsan is fantastic throughout the whole film. He’s hilariously uptight and provides terrific dry comedy throughout most of the film. I was pleased to see that the movie features real-life issues and relatable characters. Sally Hawkins provides probably the most adorable, charming and charismatic character in years. I’ve heard a lot of comparisons of it to “Juno” and while I can see how they could be in the same vein, they are completely different. This is much more of a slice-of-life look at a character than a complete story and you leave it thinking more about your own life than the characters’ lives.
oo3. "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008)
director: Danny Boyle writers: Simon Beaufoy & Vikas Swarup starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor & Saurabh Shukla
watched: Jan. 20 rating: 5/5
comments: What an amazing and well-told story. I love the way it’s told in flashbacks and ends in current day. And the one criticism I’ve heard about the film, the ending, is totally unfounded. Without spoiling anything for those who haven’t seen (or heard about) it, I’ll just say that the critique is not valid. Doesn’t count! Also, I can declare that Freida Pinto is the most gorgeous being on Earth! I love the way the filmmakers kept subtle themes and motifs throughout the film, especially those with Latika’s character.
oo4. "Fay Grim" (2006)
director: Hal Hartley writer: Hal Hartley starring: Parker Posey, Jeff Goldblum, James Urbaniak, Saffron Burrows, Chuck Montgomery, Thomas Jay Ryan, Elina Löwensohn & Liam Aiken
watched: Jan. 26 rating: 4/5
comments: What an intense espionage thriller! And, at the same time, it’s very quirky and comedic. It’s like a sister movie to “Burn After Reading,” but the comedy is much darker. Parker Posey perfectly embodies the title character of Fay Grim. Having not seen the film to which this movie is the sequel I was still able to follow along without missing a beat, as this film stands completely dependent of the first, using the occasional flashback scene to fill in any necessary back story.
oo5. "Henry Poole Is Here" (2008)
director: Mark Pellington writer: Albert Torres starring: Luke Wilson, Radha Mitchell, Adriana Barraza, George Lopez & Morgan Lily
watched: Jan. 27 rating: 4.5/5
oo6. "Prom Night" (2008)
director: Nelson McCormick writer: J.S. Cardone starring: Brittany Snow, Scott Porter, Jessica Stroup, Dana Davis, Collins Pennie & Idris Elba
watched: Jan. 29 rating: 3/5
oo7. "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" (2008)
director: Kevin Smith writer: Kevin Smith starring: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson & Jason Mewes
watched: Feb. 3 rating: 3.5/5
comments: I found this movie to be surprisingly funny. The first half is hilarious, but the second half is spotty. The best scene in the whole film is Justin Long and Brandon Routh's. The film is worth seeing if only for that. Tisha Capmbell-Martin's single scene is pretty great, too. She's the highlight of the second half. It's worth waiting through the credits for some more Justin Long hilarity.
oo8. "White Coats" (2004)
director: Dave Thomas writer: Dave Thomas starring: Peter Oldring, Pat Kelly, Viv Leacock, Ingrid Kavelaars, Jane McLean, Christine Chatelain, Carly Pope, Dave Foley, Dave Thomas & Dan Aykroyd
watched: Feb. 10 rating: 2.5/5
oo9. "Friday the 13th" (2009)
director: Marcus Nispel writers: Damian Shannon, Mark Swift & Mark Wheaton starring: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle & Derek Mears
watched: Feb. 13 rating: 3/5
comments: I am a huge ‘fraidy cat, so I was surprised that this movie failed to scare me much. I think the problem is that they took too much of the mystique away from Jason. He has a lot of screen time and not just shaky or obscured shots, but a lot of him just standing there and watching or steady shots of him moving around and being his creepy serial-killing self. I liked that they refrained from making him supernatural, but he ended up being just a guy in a mask rather than a monster. I also didn’t like how many cheap scares there were - you know, build up of music, closet door opening, BAM! Oh, it was just the cat. And this movie has an insanely high number of those. Though, I think one of the best things about the movie was the score. The characters in this movie were all so cookie-cutter and stereotypical of horror film characters. Like, to the max. And I have a pet peeve with it being touted as a “remake” - it’s a sequel that happens to inexplicably have the same name as the first. Also, I couldn’t help but think many times throughout the movie that it was very similar to the 2003 “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and, sure enough, they have the same director.
o1o. "The Duchess" (2009)
director: Saul Dibb writers: Jeffrey Hatcher, Anders Thomas Jensen & Saul Dibb starring: Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Hayley Atwell & Dominic Cooper
watched: Feb. 17 rating: 4/5
o11. "The Visitor" (2008)
director: Thomas McCarthy writer: Thomas McCarthy starring: Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Jekesai Gurira & Hiam Abbass
watched: Feb. 19 rating: 4.5/5
o12. "Frozen River" (2009)
director: Marcus Courtney Hunt writer: Courtney Hunt starring: Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Charlie McDermott & Mark Boone Junior
watched: Feb. 19 rating: 4/5
o13. "Frost/Nixon" (2008)
director: Ron Howard writer: Peter Morgan starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt, Matthew Macfadyen & Rabecca Hall
watched: Feb. 21 rating: 4.5/5
comments: After “The Queen,” I became a big Michael Sheen fan and this really solidifies it. After seeing this, I’ve also become a big fan of the writer, Peter Morgan, who also penned “The Queen” and “The Last King of Scotland,” which are my two of my favorite movies from the 2007 Oscars - and of 2006-07 in general. The performances in this film are amazing, and I was especially impressed with Kevin Bacon’s performance. I’ve never really thought much of him as an actor, but the last two films I’ve seen him in - the first being “Death Sentence” - he’s really surprised me. The stand-out in the film is definitely Frank Langella, though. I can see why he has been nominated for best actor by all of these awards organizations. The film is really masterfully shot and I love how the commentary is so artfully woven throughout. The intensity of Sheen’s Frost and Langella’s Nixon sparring, both men so desperate to come out the victor, both knowing that these interviews are their make-it-or-break-it moment, is what makes the film so compelling.
o14. "The Reader" (2008)
director: Stephen Daldry writer: David Hare starring: Ralph Fiennes, David Kross & Kate Winslet
watched: Feb. 21 rating: 4/5
o15. "Milk" (2008)
director: Gus Van Sant writer: Dustin Lance Black starring: Sean Penn, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, Alison Pill & Victor Garber
watched: Feb. 22 rating: 5/5
comments: This is a fantastic movie, so chock full of amazing performances it’s hard to even highlight a certain one. I guess I’ll just say that the three actors who have the biggest roles - Sean Penn, James Franco and Josh Brolin - are astonishing and deserving of any acclaim and accolades they receive. I was already a fan of both Sean and James, but I’m not completely on the Josh Brolin bandwagon, too. His performance in the film really is amazing, and it really had to be to match his fantastic co-stars. The film is also shot in a style very befitting of the film and the period in which the story takes place. I’d heard criticism of the film that it’s a bit monotone, but I didn’t share in that disappointment. I think it’s a very solid biopic and that it was actually very successful at just the opposite - at breaking up the monotony of telling a linear story by inserting flashbacks and still photographs and grainy footage to make it very stylistically interesting. The film is so engrossing that despite knowing full well what happens at the end - as it is based on the actual events of a high-profile person’s life - you’re still absolutely devastated when the credits start to roll.
o16. "Syriana" (2005)
director: Stephen Gaghan writers: Robert Baer & Stephen Gaghan starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Chris Cooper, Amanda Peet, Jeffrey Wright & Amr Waked rating: 3.5/5
o17. "Intolerable Cruelty" (2003)
director: Milos Forman writers: Milos Forman & Jean-Claude Carrière starring: George Clooney, Catheine Zeta-Jone, Geoffrey Rush, Cedric The Entertainer, Edward Hermann & Billy Bob Thorton rating: 4/5
o18. "Vantage Point" (2008)
director: Pete Travis writer: Barry Levy starring: Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker, Bruce McGill, Sigourney Weaver & William Hurt rating: 4/5
o19. "Black Christmas" (2006)
director: Glen Morgan writers: Glen Morgan & Roy Moore starring: Katie Cassidy, Michelle Trachtenberg, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, Andrea Martin, Crystal Lowe, Oliver Hudson, Leela Savasta & Kristen Cloke rating: 2.5/5
o2o. "Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day" (2008)
director: Bharat Nalluri writers: David Magee, Simon Beaufoy & Winifred Watson starring: Frances McDormand, Amy Adams & Lee Pace rating: 3.5/5
o21. "Goya’s Ghosts" (2006)
director: Milos Forman writers: Milos Forman & Jean-Claude Carrière starring: Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgård & Randy Quaid rating: 3.5/5
o22. "Chuck & Buck" (2000)
director: Miguel Arteta writer: Mike White starring: Mike White, Chris Weitz, Lupe Ontiveros Beth Colt & Paul Weitz rating: 3/5
o23. "Over Her Dead Body" (2008)
director: Jeff Lowell writer: Jeff Lowell starring: Paul Rudd, Eva Longoria Parker, Lake Bell, Jason Biggs & Lindsay Slone rating: 3.5/5
o24. "The Ruins" (2008)
director: Carter Smith writers: Scott B. Smith starring: Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker, Laura Ramsey, Shawn Ashmore & Joe Anderson rating: 2.5/5
o25. "Novocaine" (2001)
director: David Atkins writers: Paul Felopulos & David Atkins starring: Steve Martin, Laura Dern, Helena Bonham Carter & Elias Koteas rating: 4/5
o26. "Happily N’Ever After" (2006)
directors: Paul Bolger & Yvette Kaplan writers: Douglas Langdale & Robert Moreland starring:Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Lisa Kaplan, Andy Dick & George Carlin rating: 3.5/5
o27. "Black Snake Moan" (2006)
director: Craig Brewer writer: Craig Brewer starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake & S. Epatha Merkerson rating: 4/5
o28. "Fool’s Gold" (2008)
director: Andy Tennant writers: John Claflin, Daniel Zelman & Andy Tennant starring: Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Donald Sutherland & Alexis Dziena rating: 3/5
o29. "The Ex" (2006)
director: Jesse Peretz writers: David Guion & Michael Handelman starring: Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Jason Bateman, Charles Grodin & Mia Farrow rating: 4/5
o3o. "The Bucket List" (2007)
director: Rob Reiner writer: Justin Zackham starring: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman & Sean Hayes rating: 4/5
o31. "Definitely, Maybe" (2008)
director: Adam Brooks writer: Adam Brooks starring: Ryan Reynolds, Abigail Breslin, Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz & Isla Fischer rating: 5/5
o32. "No Country for Old Men" (2007)
directors: Ethan Coen & Ethan Coen writers: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson & Kelly Macdonald rating: 5/5
o33. "Breach" (2007)
director: Billy Ray writers: Adam Mazer, William Rotko & Billy Ray starring: Ryan Phillippe, Chris Cooper, Laura Linney & Caroline Dhavernas rating: 4/5
o34. "Street Kings" (2008)
director: David Ayer writers: James Ellroy & Kurt Wimmer & Jamie Moss starring: Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie, Chris Evans & Jay Mohr rating: 4/5
o35. "Mystery, Alaska" (1999)
director: Jay Roach writers: David E. Kelley & Sean O’Byrne starring: Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria, Mary McCormack, Burt Reynolds, Colm Meaney & Lolita Davidovich rating: 4/5
comments:
o36. "Dante’s Peak" (1997)
director: Roger Donaldson writer: Leslie Bohem starring: Pierce Brosnan & Linda Hamilton rating: 3.5/5
o37. "Armageddon" (1998)
director: Michael Bay writers: Robert Roy Pool, Jonathan Hensleigh, Tony Gilroy, Shane Salerno & J.J. Abrams starring: Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Billy Bob Thornton, Steve Buscemi, William Fichtner, Owen Wilson, Michael Clarke Duncan & Peter Stormare rating: 4/5
o38. "Shutter" (2007)
director: Masayuki Ochiai writers: Luke Dawson, Banjong Pisanthanakun , Sopon Sukdapisit & Parkpoom Wongpoom starring: Joshua Jackson, Rachael Taylor, Megumi Okina, David Denman & John Hensley rating: 3.5/5
o39. "Ghost Image" (2007)
director: Jack Snyder writers: Jack Snyder, James Dean Schulte & Srikant Chellappa starring: Elisabeth Röhm, Waylon Payne, Matthew Del Negro, Stacey Dash & Roma Maffia rating: 3/5
o4o. "We Own the Night" (2007)
director: James Gray writer: James Gray starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall & Eva Mendes rating: 5/5
o41. "Gone Baby Gone" (2007)
director: Ben Affleck writers: Ben Affleck, Aaron Stockard & Dennis Lehane starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris & Amy Ryan rating: 5/5
o42. "Charlie Wilson’s War" (2007)
director: Mike Nichols writers: Aaron Sorkin & George Crile starring: Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams & Julia Roberts
o43. "Watching the Detectives" (2007)
director: Paul Soter writer: Paul Soter starring: Cillian Murphy, Lucy Liu & Jason Sudeikis rating: 3.5/5
o44. "Be Kind Rewind" (2008)
director: Michel Gondry writer: Michel Gondry starring: Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Melonie Diaz & Mia Farrow rating: 3.5/5
o45. "You Kill Me" (2007)
director: John Dahl writers: Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely starring: Ben Kingsley, Téa Leoni, Luke Wilson, Dennis Farina, Philip Baker Hall & Bill Pullman rating: 4/5
o46. "Observe And Report" (2009)
director: Jody Hill writer: Jody Hill starring: Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Anna Faris & Michael Peña rating: 4/5
o47. "Fletch" (1985)
director: Michael Ritchie writers: Gregory McDonald & Andrew Bergman starring: Chevy Chase, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson & Tim Matheson rating: 5/5
o48. "Leatherheads" (2008)
director: George Clooney writers: Duncan Brantley & Rick Reilly starring: George Clooney, Renee Zellweger & John Krasinski rating: 3.5/5
o49. "Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America - A Final Night with George W Bush" (2009)
director: Marty Callner starring: Will Ferrell rating: 5/5
o5o. "L.A. Confidential" (1997)
director: Curtis Hanson writers: James Ellroy, Brian Helgeland & Curtis Hanson starring: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, James Cromwell & Kim Basinger
rating: 5/5
o51. "Two Weeks" (2006)
director: Steve Stockman writer: Steve Stockman starring: Sally Field, Ben Chaplin, Julianne Nicholson, Thomas Cavanagh & Glenn Howerton
rating: 4/5
o52. "17 Again" (2009)
director: Burr Steers writer: Jason Filardi starring: Zac Efron, Thomas Lennon, Leslie Mann, Sterling Knight, Michelle Trachtenberg & Matthew Perry
rating: 4/5
o53. "The Man With Two Brains" (1983)
director: Carl Reiner writers: George Gipe, Steve Martin & Carl Reiner starring: Steve Martin, Kathleen Turner & David Warner
rating: 4.5/5
o54. "All Of Me" (1984)
director: Carl Reiner writers: Edwin Davis, Henry Olek & Phil Alden Robinson starring: Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin & Victoria Tennant
rating: 4/5
o55. "Grand Canyon" (1991)
director: Lawrence Kasdan writers: Lawrence Kasdan & Meg Kasdan starring: Danny Glover, Kevin Kline, Steve Martin, Mary McDonnell, Mary-Louise Parker & Alfre Woodard
rating: 5/5
o56. "I Could Never Be Your Woman" (2007)
director: Amy Heckerling writer: Amy Heckerling starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Rudd, Saoirse Ronan, Stacey Dash, Fred Willard, Jon Lovitz & Tracey Ullman
rating: 4/5
o57. "I Love You, Man" (2009)
director: John Hamburg writers: John Hamburg & Larry Levin starring: Paul Rudd, Jason Segal, Rashida Jones, Jaime Pressly & Jon Favreau
rating: 5/5
o58. "Heckler" (2007)
director: Michael Addis starring: Jamie Kennedy
rating: 3.5/5
o59. "Run Fat Boy Run" (2007)
director: David Schwimmer writers: Michael Ian Black & Simon Pegg starring: Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria, Dylan Moran & Harish Patel
rating: 4.5/5
o6o. "Wanted" (2008)
director: Timur Bekmambetov writers: Michael Brandt, Derek Haas, Chris Morgan, Mark Millar & J.G. Jones starring: James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman & Thomas Kretschmann
rating: 3/5
o61. "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (2009)
director: Gavin Hood writers: David Benioff & Skip Woods starring: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston & Taylor Kitsch
rating: 4/5
o62. "Penelope " (2006)
director: Mark Palansky writer: Leslie Caveny starring: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara, Richard E. Grant & Reese Witherspoon
rating: 3.5/5
o63. "Rory O’Shea Was Here" (2004)
director: Damien O'Donnell writers: Jeffrey Caine & Christian O'Reilly starring: James McAvoy, Steven Robertson & Romola Garai
rating: 5/5
o64. "Becoming Jane" (2007)
director: Julian Jarrold writers: Jane Austen, Kevin Hood & Sarah Williams starring: Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters, James Cromwell, Maggie Smith, Anna Maxwell Martin & Joe Anderson
rating: 5/5
o65. "The Hangover" (2009)
director: Todd Phillips writers: Jon Lucas & Scott Moore starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham & Jeffrey Tambor
rating: 4.5/5
o66. "The Tenth Circle" (2008)
director: Peter Markle writers: Maria Nation & Jodi Picoult starring: Brittany Robertson, Ron Eldard & Kelly Preston
rating: 3.5/5
o67. "Hostile Makeover" (2009)
starring: Maggie Lawson, Mario Cantone & Mark Consuelos
rating: 2.5/5
comments: I was so prepared for this to be an adorable, maybe cheesy, fashion reporter turns detective story - like Elle Woods meets Nancy Drew - but it just isn't. Not at all. It even stars the adorable Maggie Lawson and the sexy and hilarious Mark Consuelos, but an actor's only as good as the material they're given, and the writing is just weak. The plot's thin, it drags on for seemingly ever and bores you to death. It's really too bad.
o68. "Why Did I Get Married?" (2007)
director: Tyler Perry writer: Tyler Perry starring: Janet Jackson, Tyler Perry, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Sharon Leal, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Richard T. Jones, Lamman Rucker, Denise Boutte & Keesha Sharp
rating: 3.5/5
o69. "Careless" (2007)
director: Peter Spears writer: Eric Laster starring: Colin Hanks, Fran Kranz, Rachel Blanchard & Tony Shalhoub
rating: 3.5/5
o7o. "Public Enemies" (2009)
director: Michael Mann writers: Ronan Bennett, Ann Biderman, Michael Mann & Bryan Burrough starring: Johnny Depp, Marion Catillard, Christian Bale & Billy Crudup
rating: 4.5/5
o71. "Prime" (2005)
director: Ben Younger writer: Ben Younger starring: Uma Thurman, Bryan Greenberg & Meryl Streep
rating: 4/5
oo1. Watch 1oo movies or more in 2oo9.
oo2. Keep track of how many I watch.
oo3. First-time movies only.
oo4. Leaving entry public. If you want to
recommend any movies, go for it.
oo1. "Revolutionary Road" (2008)
director: Sam Mendes writers: Justin Haythe & Richard Yates starring: Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslett
watched: Jan. 1 rating: 5/5
comments: What a phenomenal film! It plays out almost like a stage production and, if nothing else, is an acting tour de force. Though, the acting isn't the only amazing thing about this film. It's wonderfully written and directed and is entirely stylish from the wardrobe to the sets to the lighting and cinematography. Leonard and Kate prove once again why they are the creme de la creme of their beusiness. Their performances are completely and utterly captivating; especially Kate's. Her portrayal of April Wheeler, a true desperate housewive, is nothing short of transcended. Kate and Leo are in great company, too. Kathryn Hahn, my favorite supporting lady, is absolutely great as the Wheelers’ friend and neighbor. Another highlight is Michael Shannon as Kathy Bates’ troubled-but-genuis son. His dynamic performance makes every scene he's in jump off the screen.
oo2. "Happy-Go-Lucky" (2008)
director: Mike Leigh writer: Mike Leigh starring: Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan & Alexis Zegerman
watched: Jan. 10 rating: 5/5
comments: I expected this to be some sort of relentless life-is-great-and-you-should-smile-all-the-time cheesefest, but it totally surprised me. Eddie Marsan is fantastic throughout the whole film. He’s hilariously uptight and provides terrific dry comedy throughout most of the film. I was pleased to see that the movie features real-life issues and relatable characters. Sally Hawkins provides probably the most adorable, charming and charismatic character in years. I’ve heard a lot of comparisons of it to “Juno” and while I can see how they could be in the same vein, they are completely different. This is much more of a slice-of-life look at a character than a complete story and you leave it thinking more about your own life than the characters’ lives.
oo3. "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008)
director: Danny Boyle writers: Simon Beaufoy & Vikas Swarup starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor & Saurabh Shukla
watched: Jan. 20 rating: 5/5
comments: What an amazing and well-told story. I love the way it’s told in flashbacks and ends in current day. And the one criticism I’ve heard about the film, the ending, is totally unfounded. Without spoiling anything for those who haven’t seen (or heard about) it, I’ll just say that the critique is not valid. Doesn’t count! Also, I can declare that Freida Pinto is the most gorgeous being on Earth! I love the way the filmmakers kept subtle themes and motifs throughout the film, especially those with Latika’s character.
oo4. "Fay Grim" (2006)
director: Hal Hartley writer: Hal Hartley starring: Parker Posey, Jeff Goldblum, James Urbaniak, Saffron Burrows, Chuck Montgomery, Thomas Jay Ryan, Elina Löwensohn & Liam Aiken
watched: Jan. 26 rating: 4/5
comments: What an intense espionage thriller! And, at the same time, it’s very quirky and comedic. It’s like a sister movie to “Burn After Reading,” but the comedy is much darker. Parker Posey perfectly embodies the title character of Fay Grim. Having not seen the film to which this movie is the sequel I was still able to follow along without missing a beat, as this film stands completely dependent of the first, using the occasional flashback scene to fill in any necessary back story.
oo5. "Henry Poole Is Here" (2008)
director: Mark Pellington writer: Albert Torres starring: Luke Wilson, Radha Mitchell, Adriana Barraza, George Lopez & Morgan Lily
watched: Jan. 27 rating: 4.5/5
oo6. "Prom Night" (2008)
director: Nelson McCormick writer: J.S. Cardone starring: Brittany Snow, Scott Porter, Jessica Stroup, Dana Davis, Collins Pennie & Idris Elba
watched: Jan. 29 rating: 3/5
oo7. "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" (2008)
director: Kevin Smith writer: Kevin Smith starring: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson & Jason Mewes
watched: Feb. 3 rating: 3.5/5
comments: I found this movie to be surprisingly funny. The first half is hilarious, but the second half is spotty. The best scene in the whole film is Justin Long and Brandon Routh's. The film is worth seeing if only for that. Tisha Capmbell-Martin's single scene is pretty great, too. She's the highlight of the second half. It's worth waiting through the credits for some more Justin Long hilarity.
oo8. "White Coats" (2004)
director: Dave Thomas writer: Dave Thomas starring: Peter Oldring, Pat Kelly, Viv Leacock, Ingrid Kavelaars, Jane McLean, Christine Chatelain, Carly Pope, Dave Foley, Dave Thomas & Dan Aykroyd
watched: Feb. 10 rating: 2.5/5
oo9. "Friday the 13th" (2009)
director: Marcus Nispel writers: Damian Shannon, Mark Swift & Mark Wheaton starring: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle & Derek Mears
watched: Feb. 13 rating: 3/5
comments: I am a huge ‘fraidy cat, so I was surprised that this movie failed to scare me much. I think the problem is that they took too much of the mystique away from Jason. He has a lot of screen time and not just shaky or obscured shots, but a lot of him just standing there and watching or steady shots of him moving around and being his creepy serial-killing self. I liked that they refrained from making him supernatural, but he ended up being just a guy in a mask rather than a monster. I also didn’t like how many cheap scares there were - you know, build up of music, closet door opening, BAM! Oh, it was just the cat. And this movie has an insanely high number of those. Though, I think one of the best things about the movie was the score. The characters in this movie were all so cookie-cutter and stereotypical of horror film characters. Like, to the max. And I have a pet peeve with it being touted as a “remake” - it’s a sequel that happens to inexplicably have the same name as the first. Also, I couldn’t help but think many times throughout the movie that it was very similar to the 2003 “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and, sure enough, they have the same director.
o1o. "The Duchess" (2009)
director: Saul Dibb writers: Jeffrey Hatcher, Anders Thomas Jensen & Saul Dibb starring: Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Hayley Atwell & Dominic Cooper
watched: Feb. 17 rating: 4/5
o11. "The Visitor" (2008)
director: Thomas McCarthy writer: Thomas McCarthy starring: Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Jekesai Gurira & Hiam Abbass
watched: Feb. 19 rating: 4.5/5
o12. "Frozen River" (2009)
director: Marcus Courtney Hunt writer: Courtney Hunt starring: Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Charlie McDermott & Mark Boone Junior
watched: Feb. 19 rating: 4/5
o13. "Frost/Nixon" (2008)
director: Ron Howard writer: Peter Morgan starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt, Matthew Macfadyen & Rabecca Hall
watched: Feb. 21 rating: 4.5/5
comments: After “The Queen,” I became a big Michael Sheen fan and this really solidifies it. After seeing this, I’ve also become a big fan of the writer, Peter Morgan, who also penned “The Queen” and “The Last King of Scotland,” which are my two of my favorite movies from the 2007 Oscars - and of 2006-07 in general. The performances in this film are amazing, and I was especially impressed with Kevin Bacon’s performance. I’ve never really thought much of him as an actor, but the last two films I’ve seen him in - the first being “Death Sentence” - he’s really surprised me. The stand-out in the film is definitely Frank Langella, though. I can see why he has been nominated for best actor by all of these awards organizations. The film is really masterfully shot and I love how the commentary is so artfully woven throughout. The intensity of Sheen’s Frost and Langella’s Nixon sparring, both men so desperate to come out the victor, both knowing that these interviews are their make-it-or-break-it moment, is what makes the film so compelling.
o14. "The Reader" (2008)
director: Stephen Daldry writer: David Hare starring: Ralph Fiennes, David Kross & Kate Winslet
watched: Feb. 21 rating: 4/5
o15. "Milk" (2008)
director: Gus Van Sant writer: Dustin Lance Black starring: Sean Penn, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, Diego Luna, Alison Pill & Victor Garber
watched: Feb. 22 rating: 5/5
comments: This is a fantastic movie, so chock full of amazing performances it’s hard to even highlight a certain one. I guess I’ll just say that the three actors who have the biggest roles - Sean Penn, James Franco and Josh Brolin - are astonishing and deserving of any acclaim and accolades they receive. I was already a fan of both Sean and James, but I’m not completely on the Josh Brolin bandwagon, too. His performance in the film really is amazing, and it really had to be to match his fantastic co-stars. The film is also shot in a style very befitting of the film and the period in which the story takes place. I’d heard criticism of the film that it’s a bit monotone, but I didn’t share in that disappointment. I think it’s a very solid biopic and that it was actually very successful at just the opposite - at breaking up the monotony of telling a linear story by inserting flashbacks and still photographs and grainy footage to make it very stylistically interesting. The film is so engrossing that despite knowing full well what happens at the end - as it is based on the actual events of a high-profile person’s life - you’re still absolutely devastated when the credits start to roll.
o16. "Syriana" (2005)
director: Stephen Gaghan writers: Robert Baer & Stephen Gaghan starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Chris Cooper, Amanda Peet, Jeffrey Wright & Amr Waked rating: 3.5/5
o17. "Intolerable Cruelty" (2003)
director: Milos Forman writers: Milos Forman & Jean-Claude Carrière starring: George Clooney, Catheine Zeta-Jone, Geoffrey Rush, Cedric The Entertainer, Edward Hermann & Billy Bob Thorton rating: 4/5
o18. "Vantage Point" (2008)
director: Pete Travis writer: Barry Levy starring: Dennis Quaid, Matthew Fox, Forest Whitaker, Bruce McGill, Sigourney Weaver & William Hurt rating: 4/5
o19. "Black Christmas" (2006)
director: Glen Morgan writers: Glen Morgan & Roy Moore starring: Katie Cassidy, Michelle Trachtenberg, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, Andrea Martin, Crystal Lowe, Oliver Hudson, Leela Savasta & Kristen Cloke rating: 2.5/5
o2o. "Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day" (2008)
director: Bharat Nalluri writers: David Magee, Simon Beaufoy & Winifred Watson starring: Frances McDormand, Amy Adams & Lee Pace rating: 3.5/5
o21. "Goya’s Ghosts" (2006)
director: Milos Forman writers: Milos Forman & Jean-Claude Carrière starring: Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgård & Randy Quaid rating: 3.5/5
o22. "Chuck & Buck" (2000)
director: Miguel Arteta writer: Mike White starring: Mike White, Chris Weitz, Lupe Ontiveros Beth Colt & Paul Weitz rating: 3/5
o23. "Over Her Dead Body" (2008)
director: Jeff Lowell writer: Jeff Lowell starring: Paul Rudd, Eva Longoria Parker, Lake Bell, Jason Biggs & Lindsay Slone rating: 3.5/5
o24. "The Ruins" (2008)
director: Carter Smith writers: Scott B. Smith starring: Jena Malone, Jonathan Tucker, Laura Ramsey, Shawn Ashmore & Joe Anderson rating: 2.5/5
o25. "Novocaine" (2001)
director: David Atkins writers: Paul Felopulos & David Atkins starring: Steve Martin, Laura Dern, Helena Bonham Carter & Elias Koteas rating: 4/5
o26. "Happily N’Ever After" (2006)
directors: Paul Bolger & Yvette Kaplan writers: Douglas Langdale & Robert Moreland starring:Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Lisa Kaplan, Andy Dick & George Carlin rating: 3.5/5
o27. "Black Snake Moan" (2006)
director: Craig Brewer writer: Craig Brewer starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake & S. Epatha Merkerson rating: 4/5
o28. "Fool’s Gold" (2008)
director: Andy Tennant writers: John Claflin, Daniel Zelman & Andy Tennant starring: Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Donald Sutherland & Alexis Dziena rating: 3/5
o29. "The Ex" (2006)
director: Jesse Peretz writers: David Guion & Michael Handelman starring: Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Jason Bateman, Charles Grodin & Mia Farrow rating: 4/5
o3o. "The Bucket List" (2007)
director: Rob Reiner writer: Justin Zackham starring: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman & Sean Hayes rating: 4/5
o31. "Definitely, Maybe" (2008)
director: Adam Brooks writer: Adam Brooks starring: Ryan Reynolds, Abigail Breslin, Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz & Isla Fischer rating: 5/5
o32. "No Country for Old Men" (2007)
directors: Ethan Coen & Ethan Coen writers: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson & Kelly Macdonald rating: 5/5
o33. "Breach" (2007)
director: Billy Ray writers: Adam Mazer, William Rotko & Billy Ray starring: Ryan Phillippe, Chris Cooper, Laura Linney & Caroline Dhavernas rating: 4/5
o34. "Street Kings" (2008)
director: David Ayer writers: James Ellroy & Kurt Wimmer & Jamie Moss starring: Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie, Chris Evans & Jay Mohr rating: 4/5
o35. "Mystery, Alaska" (1999)
director: Jay Roach writers: David E. Kelley & Sean O’Byrne starring: Russell Crowe, Hank Azaria, Mary McCormack, Burt Reynolds, Colm Meaney & Lolita Davidovich rating: 4/5
comments:
o36. "Dante’s Peak" (1997)
director: Roger Donaldson writer: Leslie Bohem starring: Pierce Brosnan & Linda Hamilton rating: 3.5/5
o37. "Armageddon" (1998)
director: Michael Bay writers: Robert Roy Pool, Jonathan Hensleigh, Tony Gilroy, Shane Salerno & J.J. Abrams starring: Bruce Willis, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Billy Bob Thornton, Steve Buscemi, William Fichtner, Owen Wilson, Michael Clarke Duncan & Peter Stormare rating: 4/5
o38. "Shutter" (2007)
director: Masayuki Ochiai writers: Luke Dawson, Banjong Pisanthanakun , Sopon Sukdapisit & Parkpoom Wongpoom starring: Joshua Jackson, Rachael Taylor, Megumi Okina, David Denman & John Hensley rating: 3.5/5
o39. "Ghost Image" (2007)
director: Jack Snyder writers: Jack Snyder, James Dean Schulte & Srikant Chellappa starring: Elisabeth Röhm, Waylon Payne, Matthew Del Negro, Stacey Dash & Roma Maffia rating: 3/5
o4o. "We Own the Night" (2007)
director: James Gray writer: James Gray starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall & Eva Mendes rating: 5/5
o41. "Gone Baby Gone" (2007)
director: Ben Affleck writers: Ben Affleck, Aaron Stockard & Dennis Lehane starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris & Amy Ryan rating: 5/5
o42. "Charlie Wilson’s War" (2007)
director: Mike Nichols writers: Aaron Sorkin & George Crile starring: Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams & Julia Roberts
o43. "Watching the Detectives" (2007)
director: Paul Soter writer: Paul Soter starring: Cillian Murphy, Lucy Liu & Jason Sudeikis rating: 3.5/5
o44. "Be Kind Rewind" (2008)
director: Michel Gondry writer: Michel Gondry starring: Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Melonie Diaz & Mia Farrow rating: 3.5/5
o45. "You Kill Me" (2007)
director: John Dahl writers: Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely starring: Ben Kingsley, Téa Leoni, Luke Wilson, Dennis Farina, Philip Baker Hall & Bill Pullman rating: 4/5
o46. "Observe And Report" (2009)
director: Jody Hill writer: Jody Hill starring: Seth Rogen, Ray Liotta, Anna Faris & Michael Peña rating: 4/5
o47. "Fletch" (1985)
director: Michael Ritchie writers: Gregory McDonald & Andrew Bergman starring: Chevy Chase, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson & Tim Matheson rating: 5/5
o48. "Leatherheads" (2008)
director: George Clooney writers: Duncan Brantley & Rick Reilly starring: George Clooney, Renee Zellweger & John Krasinski rating: 3.5/5
o49. "Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America - A Final Night with George W Bush" (2009)
director: Marty Callner starring: Will Ferrell rating: 5/5
o5o. "L.A. Confidential" (1997)
director: Curtis Hanson writers: James Ellroy, Brian Helgeland & Curtis Hanson starring: Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, James Cromwell & Kim Basinger
rating: 5/5
o51. "Two Weeks" (2006)
director: Steve Stockman writer: Steve Stockman starring: Sally Field, Ben Chaplin, Julianne Nicholson, Thomas Cavanagh & Glenn Howerton
rating: 4/5
o52. "17 Again" (2009)
director: Burr Steers writer: Jason Filardi starring: Zac Efron, Thomas Lennon, Leslie Mann, Sterling Knight, Michelle Trachtenberg & Matthew Perry
rating: 4/5
o53. "The Man With Two Brains" (1983)
director: Carl Reiner writers: George Gipe, Steve Martin & Carl Reiner starring: Steve Martin, Kathleen Turner & David Warner
rating: 4.5/5
o54. "All Of Me" (1984)
director: Carl Reiner writers: Edwin Davis, Henry Olek & Phil Alden Robinson starring: Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin & Victoria Tennant
rating: 4/5
o55. "Grand Canyon" (1991)
director: Lawrence Kasdan writers: Lawrence Kasdan & Meg Kasdan starring: Danny Glover, Kevin Kline, Steve Martin, Mary McDonnell, Mary-Louise Parker & Alfre Woodard
rating: 5/5
o56. "I Could Never Be Your Woman" (2007)
director: Amy Heckerling writer: Amy Heckerling starring: Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Rudd, Saoirse Ronan, Stacey Dash, Fred Willard, Jon Lovitz & Tracey Ullman
rating: 4/5
o57. "I Love You, Man" (2009)
director: John Hamburg writers: John Hamburg & Larry Levin starring: Paul Rudd, Jason Segal, Rashida Jones, Jaime Pressly & Jon Favreau
rating: 5/5
o58. "Heckler" (2007)
director: Michael Addis starring: Jamie Kennedy
rating: 3.5/5
o59. "Run Fat Boy Run" (2007)
director: David Schwimmer writers: Michael Ian Black & Simon Pegg starring: Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria, Dylan Moran & Harish Patel
rating: 4.5/5
o6o. "Wanted" (2008)
director: Timur Bekmambetov writers: Michael Brandt, Derek Haas, Chris Morgan, Mark Millar & J.G. Jones starring: James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman & Thomas Kretschmann
rating: 3/5
o61. "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (2009)
director: Gavin Hood writers: David Benioff & Skip Woods starring: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston & Taylor Kitsch
rating: 4/5
o62. "Penelope " (2006)
director: Mark Palansky writer: Leslie Caveny starring: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara, Richard E. Grant & Reese Witherspoon
rating: 3.5/5
o63. "Rory O’Shea Was Here" (2004)
director: Damien O'Donnell writers: Jeffrey Caine & Christian O'Reilly starring: James McAvoy, Steven Robertson & Romola Garai
rating: 5/5
o64. "Becoming Jane" (2007)
director: Julian Jarrold writers: Jane Austen, Kevin Hood & Sarah Williams starring: Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters, James Cromwell, Maggie Smith, Anna Maxwell Martin & Joe Anderson
rating: 5/5
o65. "The Hangover" (2009)
director: Todd Phillips writers: Jon Lucas & Scott Moore starring: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Heather Graham & Jeffrey Tambor
rating: 4.5/5
o66. "The Tenth Circle" (2008)
director: Peter Markle writers: Maria Nation & Jodi Picoult starring: Brittany Robertson, Ron Eldard & Kelly Preston
rating: 3.5/5
o67. "Hostile Makeover" (2009)
starring: Maggie Lawson, Mario Cantone & Mark Consuelos
rating: 2.5/5
comments: I was so prepared for this to be an adorable, maybe cheesy, fashion reporter turns detective story - like Elle Woods meets Nancy Drew - but it just isn't. Not at all. It even stars the adorable Maggie Lawson and the sexy and hilarious Mark Consuelos, but an actor's only as good as the material they're given, and the writing is just weak. The plot's thin, it drags on for seemingly ever and bores you to death. It's really too bad.
o68. "Why Did I Get Married?" (2007)
director: Tyler Perry writer: Tyler Perry starring: Janet Jackson, Tyler Perry, Jill Scott, Malik Yoba, Sharon Leal, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Richard T. Jones, Lamman Rucker, Denise Boutte & Keesha Sharp
rating: 3.5/5
o69. "Careless" (2007)
director: Peter Spears writer: Eric Laster starring: Colin Hanks, Fran Kranz, Rachel Blanchard & Tony Shalhoub
rating: 3.5/5
o7o. "Public Enemies" (2009)
director: Michael Mann writers: Ronan Bennett, Ann Biderman, Michael Mann & Bryan Burrough starring: Johnny Depp, Marion Catillard, Christian Bale & Billy Crudup
rating: 4.5/5
o71. "Prime" (2005)
director: Ben Younger writer: Ben Younger starring: Uma Thurman, Bryan Greenberg & Meryl Streep
rating: 4/5