Movie Log 2013
Well, I should be about 12 movies into my goal of 50, if I want to make the goal by the end of the year. Yeah… not so much.
05. Snitch (2013) - starring Dwayne Johnson, Jon Bernthal
Look at me, going to an actual theatre AGAIN. This is apparently going to be my 'thing' this year, because there's already at least 5 more movies that I want to see in the theatre. I'm having lots of fun doing this, and it's such a simple (and relatively inexpensive) thing to do.
Anyway. SNITCH. I really enjoyed this movie. I'd seen a few trailers and sort of waved it off as a typical generic action film. Then I noticed Bernthal in the trailer, and one of the things that impressed me about him in The Walking Dead is just how GOOD he is. He's really a fantastic actor. Based on that, my friend Amy and I decided to go (she's a fan of The Rock, so it didn't take much convincing.) What I thought would be a standard The Rock Takes On A Drug Cartel Amidst Much Gunfire And Explosions movie turned out to be a little story about family. Johnson and Bernthal both play fathers trying to do the right thing to help their sons, only to get caught up in something that is more than either had bargained for. There are some surprisingly good moments from Johnson, and Bernthal nails every scene he's in. An unexpected winner.
06. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) - starring Emma Waston, Ezra Miller, Logan Lerman
I've had this one for a while, and resisted watching it because reallllllly, more high school students and their stupid problems? But my co-worker kept insisting that I'd love it, so I finally popped it in the DVD player. And… I'm not sure I love it, but it was certainly interesting and I liked it a whole lot! Lerman plays a kid dealing with a lot in his first year - including trying to handle the memories of the deaths of his favourite aunt and his best friend. He's an outcast who's befriended by another group of outcasts - a group of misfit seniors, all of whom are dealing with their own issues, who take him under their wing. The script is a little uneven, but you'll find yourself cheering for each one of these kids to make it. And it really made me want to read the book on which the movie is based. (Got it now, and plan to start reading it tonight.)
07. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) - starring Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandie Newton
Why don't I just go see every Will Smith movie ever? I always love him. This is… a truly wonderful film. Will plays Chris Gardner, a medical supply salesman who's barely making ends meet. When his wife leaves him and their five year old son, he struggles to stay afloat while trying to make a new life for himself by taking an unpaid internship at a brokerage firm. His financial troubles lead to homelessness for him and his son.
What is amazing about this movie is that while Chris represents a lot of amazing things - perseverance, dedication, honesty, commitment - he's not portrayed as perfect. He gets angry. He says things he regrets. Sometimes he snaps at his kid. But in the midst of all that he's going through, he's also doing his best to make a good life for his son, in the future and in the now. It's really a gorgeous film.
A friend who'd seen this one told me, "bring kleenex." I pssshaw-ed… right up until about ¾ into the film. Then… I bawled. So yes. Bring kleenex.
***
In the re-watch pile, I watched They Live (1988) starring the wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper and directed by John Carpenter. I remember seeing this with my sister when it came out and thinking it was pretty awesome. My my, it really didn't stand the test of time. Oh, the story is still interesting, but - the cheesy special effects! The endless fight scene in the alley! Piper's "acting"! Hilarious.
The Year to Date
Movies Watched: 6
Movies Re-Watched: 1
Gotta step up the pace. :D
.
05. Snitch (2013) - starring Dwayne Johnson, Jon Bernthal
Look at me, going to an actual theatre AGAIN. This is apparently going to be my 'thing' this year, because there's already at least 5 more movies that I want to see in the theatre. I'm having lots of fun doing this, and it's such a simple (and relatively inexpensive) thing to do.
Anyway. SNITCH. I really enjoyed this movie. I'd seen a few trailers and sort of waved it off as a typical generic action film. Then I noticed Bernthal in the trailer, and one of the things that impressed me about him in The Walking Dead is just how GOOD he is. He's really a fantastic actor. Based on that, my friend Amy and I decided to go (she's a fan of The Rock, so it didn't take much convincing.) What I thought would be a standard The Rock Takes On A Drug Cartel Amidst Much Gunfire And Explosions movie turned out to be a little story about family. Johnson and Bernthal both play fathers trying to do the right thing to help their sons, only to get caught up in something that is more than either had bargained for. There are some surprisingly good moments from Johnson, and Bernthal nails every scene he's in. An unexpected winner.
06. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) - starring Emma Waston, Ezra Miller, Logan Lerman
I've had this one for a while, and resisted watching it because reallllllly, more high school students and their stupid problems? But my co-worker kept insisting that I'd love it, so I finally popped it in the DVD player. And… I'm not sure I love it, but it was certainly interesting and I liked it a whole lot! Lerman plays a kid dealing with a lot in his first year - including trying to handle the memories of the deaths of his favourite aunt and his best friend. He's an outcast who's befriended by another group of outcasts - a group of misfit seniors, all of whom are dealing with their own issues, who take him under their wing. The script is a little uneven, but you'll find yourself cheering for each one of these kids to make it. And it really made me want to read the book on which the movie is based. (Got it now, and plan to start reading it tonight.)
07. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) - starring Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Thandie Newton
Why don't I just go see every Will Smith movie ever? I always love him. This is… a truly wonderful film. Will plays Chris Gardner, a medical supply salesman who's barely making ends meet. When his wife leaves him and their five year old son, he struggles to stay afloat while trying to make a new life for himself by taking an unpaid internship at a brokerage firm. His financial troubles lead to homelessness for him and his son.
What is amazing about this movie is that while Chris represents a lot of amazing things - perseverance, dedication, honesty, commitment - he's not portrayed as perfect. He gets angry. He says things he regrets. Sometimes he snaps at his kid. But in the midst of all that he's going through, he's also doing his best to make a good life for his son, in the future and in the now. It's really a gorgeous film.
A friend who'd seen this one told me, "bring kleenex." I pssshaw-ed… right up until about ¾ into the film. Then… I bawled. So yes. Bring kleenex.
***
In the re-watch pile, I watched They Live (1988) starring the wrestler Rowdy Roddy Piper and directed by John Carpenter. I remember seeing this with my sister when it came out and thinking it was pretty awesome. My my, it really didn't stand the test of time. Oh, the story is still interesting, but - the cheesy special effects! The endless fight scene in the alley! Piper's "acting"! Hilarious.
The Year to Date
Movies Watched: 6
Movies Re-Watched: 1
Gotta step up the pace. :D
.