A Year of Zip Movies: November 2011
November 2011
-Sons of Anarchy: Season 2 Discs 2-4 (2009)
-The Ghost Writer (2010)
-Transformers (2007)
-How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
-Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
-Gunless (2010)
-Sons of Anarchy: Season 3 Discs 1 and 2 (2010)
Sons of Anarchy: Season 2 Discs 2-4 (2009)
Really incredble acting on this show. I am developing a real crush on Ron Perlman - his acting is so amazing - even though his character is so frustrating sometimes. Great writing. Recommended strongly, though it is violent. Can't wait for seasons 3 and 4.
The Ghost Writer (2010)
I had read this book on a plane and remembered almost nothing other than "ghost writer hired to write former British PM's memoirs, it takes place mostly on Martha's Vineyard, and it rains a lot". Which was about right. The movie stars Ewan McGregor as the ghost writer and Pierce Brosnan as the former British PM. The movie is great to look at (very gray, moody, etc.) and you could probably believe it was shot on Martha's Vineyard except that it was directed by Roman Polanski so of course it was shot in Europe. (Germany, in fact.) I had no idea where this was going, and it surprised me in a lot of good ways. (SFD liked it, too.)
Transformers (2007)
We rented this because someone (iseult_variante?) told us that important stuff happens at the Hoover Dam. We love the Hoover Dam and have visited it twice. (The most recent time we took the "dam tour" (heh) and really enjoyed it. Recommended if you are not claustrophbic.) Anyway, the movie was very silly and very ridiculous, and we will NOT be watching the sequel or the other sequel, but we did enjoy seeing the Hoover Dam and learning about its fake Transformers-related history. Decent CGI but plot holes big enough to drive a transformer through.
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
This was absolutely awesome, and totally adorable. The voices are great - Jay Baruchel (who I don't know but apparently SFD knows from Tropic Thunder and some might know from the TV show Undeclared and who is Canadian!) was dorkily fantastic, and his father (voiced by Gerard Butler) and dragon-training boss/mentor (voiced by Craig Ferguson) were really good too. All of the supporting voice roles were good, too. The story was good, not totally predictable, and entertaining. We do not have 3-D on our TV, and for once it felt like an movie made in 3D was not falling flat (ha ha) on our screen. What I mean is, we didn't feel like we were missing out on jokes and things (hello, the amusing but very 3D-visual-gag-filled Monsters vs. Aliens and the terrible and "look what we did in 3D" Clash of the Titans remake). RECOMMENDED HIGHLY!! And they're making a sequel, apparently, due to come out in 2014. I AM ALREADY EXCITED FOR THIS.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
SFD wanted to see this, and since he had seen Walk the Line he got more of the blatant references than I did. This was so full of cliches - but it was supposed to be - and though it was a little much for me, the soundtrack/original songs were great. Very funny and (intentionally) inappropriate in parts. Particularly liked seeing Raymond J. Barry and Margo Martindale (both of whom we know from and love (Margo Martindale more than Raymond J. Barry, to be honest) in Justified) as Dewey's parents. The scene with Dewey hanging out with the Beatles and the Maharishi was also funny. And the Eddie Vedder cameo was, too. (And Dewey in his Brian Wilson 'Smile' period - "It's still not finished yet. I'm hearing... more Aboriginal percussionists. And I want an army of digeridoos. Fifty thousand digeridoos!")
Gunless (2010)
This suffered from Bad Trailer Sickness where they put all the slapstick moments (not that many) in a row and made it look farcical, and it isn't. It's a nice little movie. See more details here if you have access, or ETA: here is a shorter version:
It was decent. It was amusing but not farcical. It was sweet. The scenery (near Osoyoos, BC - which I knew nothing about) is GORGEOUS. Paul Gross as the Montana Kid has terrible terrible hair (though once it's washed/brushed it's not AS bad) but otherwise is his regular handsome self, he's funny and he's intense and brooding, he talks to his horse and his horse talks to him (a la Dief) and all in all he's great. Sienna Guillory as Jane was quite good in this. She looked amazing (of course) but she played strong and determined and her comic timing was good. Supporting cast is also good. The story could have been deeper, there was a lot more they could have done with it, but for what it is, it's pretty good.
The Tourist (2010)
If you have been to Venice and loved it, you'll want to see this for the scenery. If, like me, you have NOT been to Venice but want to, you'll want to see this for the scenery. Great costumes, great interiors and out, a really gorgeous movie to look at. There were some twists I called and that SFD had been spoiled for, but it still surprised us in a lot of ways. And? Paul Bettany is in it, wearing a suit and making exasperated faces. Fluffy but fun.
Sons of Anarchy: Season 3 Discs 1 and 2 (2010)
So far the plot is not as strong as S1 and S2 - SFD and I are both not sure we're following the Irish plot, but still - great writing, acting, etc. Ron Perlman continues to shine for me - I love the way he plays Clay, especially to Katey Segal's Gemma.
Currently Out From Zip:
-Sons of Anarchy: Season 3 Disc 3 (2010)
-127 Hours (2010)
-Sexy Beast (2001)
Anything you've watched lately that you recommend - or don't recommend?
-Sons of Anarchy: Season 2 Discs 2-4 (2009)
-The Ghost Writer (2010)
-Transformers (2007)
-How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
-Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
-Gunless (2010)
-Sons of Anarchy: Season 3 Discs 1 and 2 (2010)
Sons of Anarchy: Season 2 Discs 2-4 (2009)
Really incredble acting on this show. I am developing a real crush on Ron Perlman - his acting is so amazing - even though his character is so frustrating sometimes. Great writing. Recommended strongly, though it is violent. Can't wait for seasons 3 and 4.
The Ghost Writer (2010)
I had read this book on a plane and remembered almost nothing other than "ghost writer hired to write former British PM's memoirs, it takes place mostly on Martha's Vineyard, and it rains a lot". Which was about right. The movie stars Ewan McGregor as the ghost writer and Pierce Brosnan as the former British PM. The movie is great to look at (very gray, moody, etc.) and you could probably believe it was shot on Martha's Vineyard except that it was directed by Roman Polanski so of course it was shot in Europe. (Germany, in fact.) I had no idea where this was going, and it surprised me in a lot of good ways. (SFD liked it, too.)
Transformers (2007)
We rented this because someone (iseult_variante?) told us that important stuff happens at the Hoover Dam. We love the Hoover Dam and have visited it twice. (The most recent time we took the "dam tour" (heh) and really enjoyed it. Recommended if you are not claustrophbic.) Anyway, the movie was very silly and very ridiculous, and we will NOT be watching the sequel or the other sequel, but we did enjoy seeing the Hoover Dam and learning about its fake Transformers-related history. Decent CGI but plot holes big enough to drive a transformer through.
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
This was absolutely awesome, and totally adorable. The voices are great - Jay Baruchel (who I don't know but apparently SFD knows from Tropic Thunder and some might know from the TV show Undeclared and who is Canadian!) was dorkily fantastic, and his father (voiced by Gerard Butler) and dragon-training boss/mentor (voiced by Craig Ferguson) were really good too. All of the supporting voice roles were good, too. The story was good, not totally predictable, and entertaining. We do not have 3-D on our TV, and for once it felt like an movie made in 3D was not falling flat (ha ha) on our screen. What I mean is, we didn't feel like we were missing out on jokes and things (hello, the amusing but very 3D-visual-gag-filled Monsters vs. Aliens and the terrible and "look what we did in 3D" Clash of the Titans remake). RECOMMENDED HIGHLY!! And they're making a sequel, apparently, due to come out in 2014. I AM ALREADY EXCITED FOR THIS.
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
SFD wanted to see this, and since he had seen Walk the Line he got more of the blatant references than I did. This was so full of cliches - but it was supposed to be - and though it was a little much for me, the soundtrack/original songs were great. Very funny and (intentionally) inappropriate in parts. Particularly liked seeing Raymond J. Barry and Margo Martindale (both of whom we know from and love (Margo Martindale more than Raymond J. Barry, to be honest) in Justified) as Dewey's parents. The scene with Dewey hanging out with the Beatles and the Maharishi was also funny. And the Eddie Vedder cameo was, too. (And Dewey in his Brian Wilson 'Smile' period - "It's still not finished yet. I'm hearing... more Aboriginal percussionists. And I want an army of digeridoos. Fifty thousand digeridoos!")
Gunless (2010)
This suffered from Bad Trailer Sickness where they put all the slapstick moments (not that many) in a row and made it look farcical, and it isn't. It's a nice little movie. See more details here if you have access, or ETA: here is a shorter version:
It was decent. It was amusing but not farcical. It was sweet. The scenery (near Osoyoos, BC - which I knew nothing about) is GORGEOUS. Paul Gross as the Montana Kid has terrible terrible hair (though once it's washed/brushed it's not AS bad) but otherwise is his regular handsome self, he's funny and he's intense and brooding, he talks to his horse and his horse talks to him (a la Dief) and all in all he's great. Sienna Guillory as Jane was quite good in this. She looked amazing (of course) but she played strong and determined and her comic timing was good. Supporting cast is also good. The story could have been deeper, there was a lot more they could have done with it, but for what it is, it's pretty good.
The Tourist (2010)
If you have been to Venice and loved it, you'll want to see this for the scenery. If, like me, you have NOT been to Venice but want to, you'll want to see this for the scenery. Great costumes, great interiors and out, a really gorgeous movie to look at. There were some twists I called and that SFD had been spoiled for, but it still surprised us in a lot of ways. And? Paul Bettany is in it, wearing a suit and making exasperated faces. Fluffy but fun.
Sons of Anarchy: Season 3 Discs 1 and 2 (2010)
So far the plot is not as strong as S1 and S2 - SFD and I are both not sure we're following the Irish plot, but still - great writing, acting, etc. Ron Perlman continues to shine for me - I love the way he plays Clay, especially to Katey Segal's Gemma.
Currently Out From Zip:
-Sons of Anarchy: Season 3 Disc 3 (2010)
-127 Hours (2010)
-Sexy Beast (2001)
Anything you've watched lately that you recommend - or don't recommend?