100 movies in 2009
1. Seven Pounds (3.5/5)
It's schmaltzy and kind of manipulative, fairly predictable, confusing, not at all linear in its execution BUT I still found myself intrigued by what this man was doing and WHY. Smith is quietly effective and really sold me on why this guy was doing what he did. Rosario Dawson is lovely and I thought they worked quite well together. Entertainment Weekly listed it as one of the 10 worst of 08 and I'm surprised. I almost didn't watch it because of that but I'm glad I did. It's not perfect but I still was very moved by it.
2. Revolver (1/5)
Oh, Jason Statham. I don't ask much of you. Kick ass, be bald, look good and drive an Audi. You did almost none of those things that I ask so little of you to do in this crapfest. And I don't know what I'm angrier about - the fact that I had this movie on Netflix for like a month before I watched it, that we both decided to continue to watch it even AFTER we decided it was a complete suckfest. Guy Ritchie movies are kind of touch and go - this one is just GO. Don't even ever bother EVER.
3. Defiance (4/5)
We both really enjoyed this. It's a little long and kind of drags in some parts but the whole is quite an amazing story, the acting very good. It's too bad that it didn't get more attention.
4. Brideshead Revisited (2/5)
Emma Thompson is great. The rest of it is lame and I stopped paying any attention to what was happening about 45 minutes in. It was all a little too soapy and tried a little too hard to be something I don't think it could be.
5. Sex and Death 101 (2/5)
I watched it because Noni Ryder is in it. I don't particularly mind Simon Baker - I'm not all goo-goo ga-ga over him like some people - he's cute for a blonde guy and I think he's a decent enough actor. I was interested in this not just because of Noni but also because it was from the same director, I think, as Heathers and I had to see if it could live up to that. It doesn't. It's not horrible, some parts are kind of clever, but it was just a lot of sex and some death.
6. The Ten (1/5)
Even though I couldn't finish it, I had only about 30 minutes left so I'm counting it because it was horrid and I actually sat through the majority of it! Another Noni fix - in which she makes sweet love to a vantriloquist doll (OMG she used to be like at the top of the awesome ladies of my generation...she was so my idol growing up - all this bullshit movie choices make me sad). Paul Rudd, Jessica Alba, and many many more wasted themselves on this.
7. Bride Wars (3/5)
I don't even want to hear it, okay? I went to see a lame movie. On purpose. Whatever. It's about weddings and I adore Anne Hathaway. Sue me. I didn't go into it thinking my life would be changed. It was supposed to make me laugh and it kind of did that in some places. Yes, I wanted to smack them both at different times throughout the movie - like when Hudson drops her (at least) $15,000 Vera Wang gown on the floor of her closet OR that she even HAS a custom made Wang gown 3 MONTHS before the wedding - the little things like that drove me insane. But that's my cross to bear in life.
8. Revolutionary Road (3/5)
I thought the acting was great. I still think DiCaprio is a little young looking and although he's a year or two older than Winslet (I think that's right), she seemed light years older and more mature than he. It was odd. Anyway, I had a feeling from the beginning about what the outcome would be so what I'm sure was meant to be an emotional assault just sort of felt like huh, yeah, OBVIOUSLY. Michael Shannon? Shanahan? whatever FREAKS me out. I thought he was fine here but I don't know if that equals him getting an Oscar nod. He was barely in it and he just yelled a lot...
9. Burn After Reading (4/5)
It starts slow but it was actually a blast come the end. Dark, funny, sick and twisted - just the way I like my Coen movies. It's no Lebowski but it was a treat to see them get back to the funny after NCfOM. Pitt and Clooney are hilarious and I will never get enough of J.K. Simmons. He makes everything better.
10. W. (3/5)
It being an Oliver Stone movie, I thought it would be nothing but a Bush bashing from beginning to end and I was surprised that it kind of wasn't. He gets in digs in, sure, but he makes Bush out to be more of a sympathetic dopey, alcoholic guy with massive daddy issues. I think Brolin's going for an Oscar one of these days and it's unfortunate that he won't win for Milk this year because he was soooo fantastic in it. I think if this movie had been better received, he may have gotten a nod for it. It's damn near perfect and maybe Stone didn't intend for him to be sympathetic at all but that's what Brolin brings to it. I found the supporting characters, with the major exceptions of James Cromwell as the elder Bush and Geoffrey Wright as Powell, to be short of awful. Thandie Newton is so horrible as Rice it made me cringe.
11. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (4/5)
It's long and for a short story, did it need to be almost 3 hours long? Probably not. I would have cut out some of the old Button stuff but, really, it was fleshed out so well and the acting is pretty great and the effects are cool that the 3 hours flew by. There's rarely been a Fincher movie I haven't loved (Panic Room and Aliens 3 being the exceptions) and Button, despite knowing that it couldn't possibly end well still made me cry like a baby even when I had absolutely no intention to do so. I am anxious to rewatch it.
12. The House Bunny (3.5/5)
It's cute and it made me laugh and sometimes, all you need is a movie that can make you laugh. It's ridiculous and silly but Anna Farris is good at that and she pulls this off without making you hate her which is a testament to her likeability in all the stupidity.
13. Love & Basketball (3.5/5)
This movie is a few years old but I had always wanted to see it because I heard it was very good. Plus, I ♥ basketball so... There's not much to say - I thought it was extremely well done, sexy, romantic, sad, etc. I enjoyed it.
14. The Wrestler (4.5/5)
Aronofsky, wrestling, Rourke? I'm so there. I don't hate on Mickey - guy's had an interesting career, to say the least, and was seriously the ONLY good thing about Sin City (his real come back, IMO). I've seen Milk and it moved me to tears and is, so far, my favorite of the 5 movies nominated. That being said, I do hope the Rourke wins the Oscar. We all know Penn can knock it out when he wants to, it's what he DOES - let someone else win something and not just to win it but because they actually deserve to win (not the Denzel Best Actor award way - sorry we f'ed up when we didn't give it to you for The Hurricane or more importantly Malcolm X - here it is, though! For Training Day!) OMG TANGENT - anyway - I thought the acting was great, Rourke, Tomei, Wood all turning out really lovely and subtle performances. I wish it had been nominated for Best Picture and Director. I would have liked some love to Evan, as well, but that could be my own daddy issues rearing it's ugly head and making me sympathize with her :) All in all - totally see it.
15. Rachel Getting Married (4/5)
There were parts that were a bit, um, hard to take - the wedding celebration goes on far too long BUT the rest of the story saves it, as does the acting. Before I even get to Hathaway, I want to say that Rosemarie DeWitt, who plays the title character, is fabulous and should have received an Oscar nom, as well. They play SO well off each other, making you love and hate them, feel for them and shake them that I don't think you would have gotten the performance Anne gives without Rosemarie's Rachel. I'm not sure, exactly, how Anne could do this movie and then Bride Wars - maybe the girl needed something that didn't require much of anything. She really gives it her all and I think she would have a damn good chance at winning if it weren't for Winslet and Streep (not bad company to be in AT ALL). Having grown up with this sort of dysfunction, the lies, the drinking, the drugs, it really hit some nerves in me that I would rather not be hit but this movie wanted bare bones honesty about addiction, sobriety, enabling, resentment - all of it. And when the movie is focused on that - when Rachel asks her mom about something awful that happens and you know the mother (the fantastic Debra Winger - please come back to acting!) doesn't want to talk about it but Rachel keeps pushing and pushing her until she explodes - that is how it goes. Addicts need to clear their conscience and for the most part, we can't hear it.
16. The Incredible Hulk (3/5)
Edward Norton is cute. That's kind of my basis for watching this. Oh and Liv Tyler is lovely. It's all very "Fire bad. Tree pretty". Okay so it's WAY better than that other one with Bana (oh, pretty Bana). We enjoyed this. I mean, it's the HULK, you know? What are you really expecting from it? I knew RDJ had a brief cameo and so that helped get me through to see him as Tony Stark again is always a pleasant experience. Also when he said he was putting together a "team" - the Avengers??
17. Slumdog Millionaire (4/5)
I'll admit I was beginning to wonder if I was going to like this after all the hype and awards and everything. I think we were both pleasantly surprised. This is a far cry from Trainspotting, that's for sure, but it just goes to show the versatility Danny Boyle has a director (much like Aronofsky) and how he knew just how to weave this story because it could have gone in so many other ways. The romance is lovely and Dev Patel is a fine actor and I look forward to seeing what else he will do. And, really, is there anyone prettier than Freida Pinto? It's ridiculous. I thought the whole premise and the way the story was told was extremely clever and helped keep my interest throughout. I might not think it's the best movie of the year (it's going to win anyway) but it definitely deserves to be nominated.
18. Doubt (4/5)
The acting is strong - Streep and Hoffman are always on fire and it was great to watch them go toe to toe. Amy Adams really surprised me - not that I don't think she's great because I do, but I've gotten a little tired of her sweet, innocent twittery way that has dominated the majority of her roles lately (I blame Junebug). She's definitely innocent here and wants to believe in the greater good but it's in a completely different manner. Very well done and I would say she might win if it weren't for Viola Davis who in about 10 minutes made the strongest impact on me and really jump started the film. It's fairly slow to start but once Sister Aloysius and Mrs. Miller have their conversation and you're left not knowing HOW to feel, everything changes as you watch the rest of it. I enjoyed far more than I thought I was going to.
19. Wall-E (5/5)
I completely LOVED this movie. I laughed, I cried...it just made me HAPPY. It was romantic and sweet and yes, anvils a-plenty but whatever, it was awesome and I completely didn't think I would like it that much at all. So that was really a nice pleasant little surprise.
20. Pineapple Express (4/5)
I don't know why I get such a kick out of Seth Rogen. I really don't. It's becoming an issue. A serious problem. I'm watching things I would probably never watch and I don't particularly like Franco - but, you know, the two of them here are fantastic together. The movie is OTT, but it's fairly hilarious and they work really well off each other. I almost get why Franco got nommed for a Globe for this. Almost.
21. Quantum of Solace (3/5)
I still like Daniel Craig as Bond. I just do. I mean, would I have liked Clive Owen more? Probably BUT hey! This is the way it is. SO...this one - NOT as good as Casino Royale. It made NO sense. Action movies have taken on this thing where they need to be MORE than what they are and WE just want people to beat up other people and look pretty (I'm looking at YOU, Statham). All this back story mumbo jumbo bullshit means nothing. Just get the bad guys and bed the ladies, Bond. It's all we need. Connery knew this. Brosnon knew this. Hell, even Moore knew this. (And, of course: "Timothy Dalton should get an Oscar and beat Sean Connery over the head with it!"...can't mention Bond without THAT line!) It was meh.
22. Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (4/5)
It was really, really sweet! I enjoyed Michael Cera and Kat Dennings together - I really like Dennings and hope she gets more work. Even John Cho was in for like 2 minutes and we know how I feel about Mr. Cho. YUM. The sister from Fringe was very funny and it was just a nice movie that made me smile. I like that! My only problem was that for a movie about an infinite playlist, there wasn't a whole lot of music, imo.
23. Lakeview Terrace (3/5)
Sam Jackson is awesome and I dig when he's all crazy and wants to pops caps in people's asses and says mother fucker and stuff like that. It makes me weirdly giddy. I expected this be much darker than it ended up being. For 2 reasons: 1) Jackson and 2) Neil LaBute. Together, I think this could have been gold and yet...it seemed to miss that PUNCH that could have turned this movie from mediocre to kind of bad ass. I think they wussed out. And when Jackson and LaBute wuss out, that's just sad.
24. Role Models (4/5)
My love and adoration for Jane Lynch rolls on! Seriously, forget Tina Fey. Lynch is THE funniest lady in Hollywood. She doesn't get enough credit. Have you seen those Healthy Choice commercials? She's on FIRE in A COMMERCIAL ABOUT FOOD. Anyway - Paul Rudd is ALWAYS adorkable and a favorite, SWS actually didn't annoy me and I liked him quite a bit, McLovin' RULES ALL, the little boy was funny...I think the only person I'm sort of over is Elizabeth Banks. And I used to like her but I think now she's just kind of full of herself and she plays the same character over and over. Branch out a little, Banks. Also, you know what I had for breakfast? COCAINE!
25. You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2/5)
Don't ask. It was Dave's choice. I have to give him one every once in a while, you know?