Film and Literature in 2009
Film
#
Date
Title
Rating
Review
01.
01/05/09
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
Obviously not my first viewing, but just as epic as always
02.
01/06/09
You've Got Mail
I think my boyfriend liked it more than I did, but I do love Tom Hanks!
03.
01/07/09
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
Half as good as the original
04.
01/07/09
Eagle Eye
Just as intense and unbelievable as the first viewing
05.
01/07/09
Bottle Shock
Fun concept, badly realized
06.
01/18/09
Slumdog Millionaire
Absolutely, and shockingly brilliant
07.
01/21/09
Seven Pounds
Predictable, but Will Smith is incredible
08.
01/25/09
Wonderland
Random actors from everywhere, but a very cool snapshot of a London family
09.
01/26/09
Bend It Like Beckham
Was much more fun back when I cared about soccer and cared about Keira Knightly
10.
01/27/09
Doubt
Very subtle and it left me in tears. Hoffman and Adams are great, but Meryl Streep shines
11.
02/02/09
Milk
James Franco and Diego Luna, where have you been?
12.
02/03/09
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
I am starting to enjoy Brad Pitt again
13.
02/05/09
In Bruges
LOL to my new favorite movie
14.
02/06/09
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Entertaining, funny, and adorable
15.
02/07/09
City of Angels
Nick Cage is actually a creepy stalker. Way, way too corny for me
16.
02/07/09
Leatherheads
Those stars are for Jim Halpert and a couple good laughs
17.
02/08/09
Matchstick Men
Just a well done film, and it never gets old
18.
02/12/09
X-Men
But Hugh Jackman is Wolverine!!
19.
02/12/09
X2
Still Wolverine, and still kickass!
20.
02/13/09
X3: The Last Stand
My least favorite. Why is Blazer so lame and emo?
21.
02/15/09
How To Lose Friends And Alienate People
Genuinely enjoyable. I adore Simon Pegg!
22.
02/16/09
W.
Extremely interesting and uncomfortable. I wonder how much is based on actual fact.
23.
02/16/09
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
I forgot how chilling this was. I don't even know what to say, but see it asap.
24.
02/17/09
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Adorable! Same vein as Juno, but I liked this one better.
25.
02/19/09
Australia
Way too long, but fairly epic
26.
02/20/09
Gran Torino
At least he doesn't discriminate in his hate. He is an equal opportunity racist.
27.
02/20/09
Vicky Christina Barcelona
Loved the way it was narrated, but the characters irritated me
28.
02/21/09
The Reader
Weird movie, this. I don't understand all the hype.
29.
02/23/09
Batman Begins
Still great no matter how often I see it!
30.
02/24/09
The Bourne Identity
I notice new things each time I watch this, like the red bag from the bank as a flowerpot near the end.
31.
02/28/09
The Bourne Supremacy
Mmmmm Matt Damon
32.
02/28/09
The Bourne Ultimatum
I must have been cracked out when I saw this last - I didn't remember the plot at all.
33.
03/01/09
Swing Vote
Not even the cute daughter Molly could save this movie.
34.
03/01/09
Braveheart
Had no idea this was directed by Mel Gibson. Waited 10+ years to see this, wasn't what I expected, but still a great movie. Music made the film.
35.
03/02/09
Yes Man
This got funnier as it progressed, luckily.
36.
03/10/09
East Is East
Another great British film that explores multiculturalism and transnationalism through religion and Eastern culture in a typical UK setting.
37.
03/12/09
Taken
Probably the worst movie I have seen all year. Who wrote this, a 15 year old?
37.
May 2009
The Watchmen
Saw this in Prague! Loved how true to the novel it was, stylistically.
38.
May 2009
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
What a great action movie. Not an A+ in acting or writing, but actiony goodness.
39.
May 2009
Fever Pitch
Really pretty cute, and got me all excited for baseball season.
40.
05/19/09
Inkheart
Surprisingly delightful, and loved Paul Bettany. Literary and light-hearted!
41.
05/19/09
Bride Wars
Predictable but still marginally funny.
42.
05/19/09
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Something tells me this might have made more sense, and been better, if I had seen the other films
43.
05/23/09
Angels and Demons
I still love Tom Hanks, no matter what he does. Plus cool to see Rome, having just visited the city.
44.
05/25/09
Star Trek
I loved this, and I know I was meant to. Kirk is doing one of three things...
45.
05/27/09
The Weatherman
I did enjoy this - internal narration and the falafel was killer.
46.
05/29/09
Kung Fu Panda
Cute, funny and lots of famous voices.
47.
June 2009
Up
Unexpectedly sad! But adorable otherwise.
48.
June 2009
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Man, just not very good. Disappointing, even.
49.
June 2009
The Mummy 3
Should have just left the series at two.
50.
07/01/09
Hoosiers
My favorite basketball sports movie of all time. Welcome to Indiana Basketball!
= Fantastic; a movie I would see over and over again
= Great, definitely worth the ticket/rental price
= Good, but I probably wouldn't see it again
= Meh
= Awful
Table code made possible by genrocks.
[thagreatleon's table]
Literature
#
Date
Title
Author
Review
01.
01/03/09
The Doomsday Book
Connie Willis
Can't get enough of this author. Historians are time travelers! Plague!
02.
01/12/09
Wicked
Gregory Maguire
Didn't live up to the hype I heard in all directions.
03.
01/20/09
Slumdog Millionaire
Vikas Swarup
Very different from the film, but as per usual, I enjoyed this more.
04.
01/28/09
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower
C.S. Forester
My second read, this time paralleled with a viewing of the Hornblower miniseries.
05.
02/15/09
Dreams From My Father
Barack Obama
I am very seriously moved and impressed.
06.
02/18/09
Lieutenant Hornblower
C.S. Forester
I don't like this as much as the first, the narration moves away from Hornblower too often.
07.
02/24/09
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints: A Memoir
Dito Montiel
A collection of powerful vignettes and poems that are truly insightful.
08.
03/01/09
Wolverine: Origins - Born in Blood: V.1
Daniel Way
My first graphic novel, and I did enjoy it once I got past the initial frustration due to lack of insider knowledge.
09.
03/06/09
The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers
J.R.R. Tolkien
I really dislike reading about Frodo and Sam - I'd much rather hear about Aragorn and Co.
10.
03/08/09
Speaker For The Dead
Orson Scott Card
I am so in love with Ender Wiggin and Orson Scott Card. Next, please!
11.
03/15/09
First Meetings in the Enderverse
Orson Scott Card
Four short stories, two prequels and one epilogue to the Ender's Game novella. Brilliant! More!
12.
03/17/09
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Khaled Hosseni
Another example of why I am grateful to have grown up in the United States
13.
03/24/09
The Watchmen
Alan Moore
Can't wait to see the movie now!
14.
April 2009
East of Eden
John Steinbeck
Still remains one of my favorite novels of all time
15.
May 2009
Straight Man
Richard Russo
Laugh out loud funny and academic, but hard to relate to
16.
May 2009
Ender's Shadow
Orson Scott Card
Still love this author, but this book wasn't as great as others
17.
May 2009
Ender in Exile
Orson Scott Card
Not the Ender I knew from previous books, a little disappointing.
18.
May 2009
Brave New World
Aldous Huxley
Liked the concept, didn't feel passionately, though.
19.
June 2009
The Uncommon Reader
Alan Bennett
Loved the ending! A very quick and enjoyable glimpse.
20.
June 2009
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
Dave Eggers
Long trek on this one, but loved the stream on consciousness style.