22 posts tagged “movies”

I don't have access to my music here at work, so I'll have to wait to do the question of the day.  In the meantime, here is something that I'm excited about.

 

 

Both Vin and Paul are back for this movie!  Woo-hoo!  I think my favorite moment of Tokoyo Drift was Vin Diesel's cameo at the end.  I'm not even a big fan of Vin Diesel, but I loved him in the first movie.  And yeah, these movies are so cheesy at points, but I'd really like to drive that fast just once.

Why do weekends off always go so fast while a workday can last an excruciatingly long time?  If only there was a way to bottle the stuff that makes sleep and days off pass so fast and use it toward work days.

I'm on a movie-viewing roll.  Nowhere near what I used to be awhile ago, but I'm getting better, reminding myself that taking two hours for myself for something I enjoy is not a bad thing.

 

My sister and I wen to see Charlie Wilson's War today.  The only reason I went is because of my mad love for Aaron Sorkin, but it's nowhere near up to par with A Few Good Men or his writing on West Wing and Sports Night.  It wasn't a bad movie, but it wasn't good either.  It had a few good moments, but overall, it was utterly forgettable.

I'd suggest waiting to see it on dvd, but I'm not sure you'd be missing much if you just didn't see it at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I love Neil Gaiman's books and graphic novels, including this one, but the movie wasn't that good.  Charlie Cox is adorable and wonderful as Tristan, but there's only so far that prettiness can go.  The movie did get better, seem to find a pace, at the second half, but the first hour was rather boring.

I'd suggest sticking with the book, personally.

The latest movies I have seen on dvd and/or in the theater...

 

I am a history nerd, especially regarding the Civil War, and this movie is wonderful if you share my love of either of those things.  Though I must say, watching the extended version of a movie that's already three hours was probably not my brightest idea.  It's long, about four hours, so you might want to break it up, but it's really good.

Though I walked away thinking that a lot of the Civil War soldiers were kinda gay and in love with each other.  The way a few of them would talk about their "friends" fighting on the other side...it was just, "Look how cute, they're in love."

Highly recommend if you love history.

 

 

 

 

I'll admit it.  I love horror movies and I really enjoyed the remake of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre with Jessica Biel.  It was creepy and gory and entertaining, but it was good because in the end the bad guy is defeated (sort of anyway).

This one was just over-the-top disgusting at parts and because it's the beginning of the story, it doesn't end well for anyone (except the villain).

Can't really say I recommend it, unless you really love horror movies, and even then, you'll want to like gore.

 

 

 

 

 

I try to make a habit of seeing all the movies nominated for Best Motion Picture at the Oscars.  I had wanted to see this anyway as the book is phenomenal and this movie is just so good.  It's dark and bleak and heartbreaking, but so very well done.  The filming, the use of music and sound (especially the sounds of the typewriter throughout in various forms), and the whole story.  It's a movie that I left thinking about it for hours and feeling for the characters for long after it was over.

Highly, highly recommend.

My plans for the day were hijacked by an eight year old.  It's not her fault.  It's my mother, who agrees to babysit and then this morning goes, "Oh, I forgot that I have lunch plans."  So the little bit and I went to McDonalds for lunch and then we saw Alvin and the Chipmunks.  Not nearly as horrible as I expected.  Enjoyable even while I was there, though nothing I want to see again.  And now the kid is playing with her WebKins account on my desktop while I use my laptop.  I really don't mind spending time with her as she is the cutest, most awesome eight-year-old in the world, but I just get annoyed that my mother agrees to take her and then it ends up on me.

Oh well. what can you do?

**

So now I'm considering taking some of my time from working this weekend and leave work a day early so I can go see Atonement, like I originally planned for myself.  Sometimes I like to go to the movies alone and escape into a different world for a few hours and I was really looking forward to that today.

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I'm looking at my mess of a room and I know it has to be cleaned, but I just don't know where to start.  So I try to ignore it and it gets worse.  And I'm pretty sure this feeling applies to a whole lot going on in my life at the moment.  winter is so not my good time of the year.

I'm going to attempt to track all the movies I watch this year, renting or in the theater.  I'm just interested to see how many movies I watch - without including them more than once (though there are some movies I watch about once a month because I'm crazy like that...)

First two movies of the year:

 

An interesting movie based on the true story about the plane crash that killed most of the school's football team.  It's upsetting and hopeful and not a bad way to spend a few hours.  The only thing that bothered me was the weird affectation Matthew McConhaughey seemed to have.  I don't know if that was how the real person spoke or what, but a bit annoying.

Matthew Fox is always pretty, especially when he cries.  It's all those years of practice on Party of Five.

Overall: recommend, especially if you like sports movies

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a mocumentary, in the style of The Office, set around a group of teachers trying to make it through the year.  It's hysterical and yet deals with a lot of the issues teachers face. 

And hysterical.

The ending was a bit ambiguous for a movie of this nature, but aside from that I enjoyed it a great deal.

Highly recommend.

Which new movies are you looking forward to seeing this fall?

3:10 to Yuma is already out, but I really want to see that.  I also want to see Jesse James with Brad Pitt.  And yes, I do have a weird love of westerns that I can't explain.  Also, a great love of Brad Pitt that doesn't seem to go away ever.  A part of me wants to see Across the Universe, but Julie Taymor scares me so I'm on the fence about it.

I have survived our big annual work to-do today, including a guest speaker from Toyota to discuss all the developments with hybrids and such.  It's fitting since I work for a non-profit all about getting the single driver-high emission cars off the road.  Yes, there were Hummer jokes - but anyone who drives a Hummer deserves to be made fun of and the speaker mentioned that Hybrids are big in our area, but if you head South or Midwest, they make fun of them. Le sigh.

Anyway, I'm hoping things will calm down some at least on the work front now for awhile.  The two big things of my year - the audit and the member breakfast - are done.

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To celebrate my pending work successes, I went to Best Buy on my lunch yesterday and picked up:

 

 

Season two of Supernatural is out.  More Sammy and Dean fighting evil and being the best pair of brothers on television (Though Nathan & Peter Petrelli are a close second).  This show has banter, amazing characters, and occasionally interesting lore.  But really, it's all about Sam & Dean as characters and their relationship.  I love them a whole lot and I adore how much they love each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've wanted to buy this for awhile, but my family & friends kept telling me that I wasn't allowed to buy things for myself close to my birthday.  But now my birthday has passed so I picked up season two from Best Buy!  I think this is the season where the show began to find its rhythm with the characters, relationships, and crime stories (though season four did seem to get off track a bit again) and I just love the characters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I couldn't resist picking up the collector's edition of Serenity.  Sure, it annoys me that I bought the dvd when it first came out and why couldn't they have taken care of their fans then...but I'm a sucker for the Firefly 'verse so what am I gonna do?

Really, next time I bitch as to why I'm poor, feel free to link to this post and say, "Because you buy shit you really don't need, just want."

But I love this movie.  I love the Firefly world.  I love Mal Reynolds.

 

 

 

 

 

So yes, more dvds for watching is always good.  And I highly recommend all of those that I purchased.  Especially Supernatural - though I'd start with season one - because it's wonderful stuff.

I've recently watched a few movies that I got from Blockbuster or caught on cable.  Sometimes it makes me wonder about the movies that are being created these days, since they all have to fit into some sort of niche, but it also makes me worry because some of them are truly stupid, but I love them all the same.

First example:

 

Talladega Nights was so incredibly dumb, but I found it amusing.  There were certain parts that were just stupid, but there were other parts that made me laugh.  And I felt dirty about it.  Though, no offense to those into NASCAR, it did nothing to make me understand the allure of the sport.  I mean, I can see enjoying the driving at extreme speeds and the danger, but how is it any fun to watch something like that? 

If you're bored and it's on cable, I'd check it out, but only if you like Will Ferrell's humor/movies. 

 

 

 

I saw this in the theater when it came out and watched it again with my friend.  I liked the Dixie Chicks' music prior to what happened with their comments, but seriously, I guess I'm the opposite of most people because them speaking out made me love them more.  And it goes into the whole idea back at that time how so many people tried to make it that if you spoke out against the war and/or President, you weren't patriotic and should be shipped off somewhere else.  Except that our country was founded by dissenters who made sure that we all have the right to express our opinions.  And being against a war doesn't make you unpatriotic.

I highly recommend this documentary, just to see how things unfolded from their perspective.  And I just walked away with so much love for them, especially Natalie because she's outspoken and unapologetic and unforgiving of those that were wrong...so much like me.

 

 

i saw this because it had Shia in it and I think that he's adorable and a great actor.  That said, it's rather formulaic and the characters are complete morons.  They set up this whole backstory at the beginning of the film, but never really go into it again, except that this one action has turned Cale (Shia) into a bad kid who gets arrested and ends up on house arrest.

And the romantic storyline is ridiculous.  What girl finds it romantic that some guy has been watching her every move from his window? 

I'd pass on this one.

Show us something to look forward to.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm *extremely* excited about the next Harry Potter movie.  The book too, but that one I'm somewhat sad about as well (it's ending!)...but the movie should be good stuff.  Even if the death in this one upsets me a great deal.

Busy weekend of errands and working extra hours to get a project done and just not a whole lot of fun for the most part.  Though I did see Ocean's Thirteen this morning.  My attempts were almost thwarted as a huge power outtage had the local theater closed, but luckily I live near three theaters and all were showing OE13.  George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon.  YUM.  And it was funny and enjoyable.  Not as good as the first one, but better than the second one (which I found grows on me like fungus), and featured no unnecessary romance.

I also finished up two books and bought a bunch more from the library book sale, Borders, and Amazon.  I have a problem.  Are there bibliophiles anonymous programs?

 

 

 

I think the first one was better, but that's because I'm a sucker for sibling angst and the "us versus the world" motif.  But it was still a damn good book.  I really love Cal, the narrator, and his relationship with not only his brother, but the few people he allows into his life.  Nice, fun read.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will I be thrown out of the democratic party for admitting that I didn't particularly care for this book?  I still love him and he's still one my political boyfriends, but whereas he's a charismatic speaker (his DNC convention speech is still one of my favorite things EVER), this book is just rather dull.  And I think it over-simplifies a lot of the issues that face us.  Yes, hope is always a good thing.  As is tyring to inspire people to believe and get involved, but I'm not sure that it works.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nancy Drew opens this coming Friday and I'm taking my little bit to see it.  She and I are both very excited about this movie.  I hope they do justice by Nancy Drew and the books that I loved.  It would be sad otherwise.