Movie #57 - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Title: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Director: Garth Jennings

Release Year: 2005

Plot Summary: Everyone has bad mornings. You wake up late, you stub your toe, you burn the toast - but for a man named Arthur Dent, this goes far beyond a bad day. When he learns that a friend of his is actually an alien with advanced knowledge of Earth's impending destruction, he is transported off the Earth seconds before it is exploded to make way for a new hyperspace motorway...

Thoughts: Joke-wise, it was hilarious. It actually opens with a musical montage of dolphins singing "So Long, And Thanks For All the Fish!" I mean, holy carp. And the funny just keeps on coming throughout.

That said, I think the plot suffered somewhat, this being due to the fact that there was more of it. The Arthur-Trillian love story was more than a bit over-Hollywooded, I feel. Also, a couple of new characters were introduced that didn't really do anything for me at all (even if one of them was John Malkovich).

As far as casting goes - spot-on perfect all around. Arthur, Ford, Zaphod, Trillian, and most especially Marvin were fantastic. I really can't say enough about how great Marvin is. :D

In the end, I personally felt like there were way too many (unnecessary) plot-threads left dangling. But in terms of sheer comedy gold, Hitchhiker has that in spades. So it's really a bit uneven, in a way.

Rating (0-10): 7

Recomendations: Hah. Either you're going to see it or you're not, and nothing I can say will dissuade you. ;)

Movie #56 - Schindler's List

Title: Schindler's List

Director: Steven Spielberg

Release Year: 1993

Plot Summary: The true story of Czech born Oskar Schindler, a businessman who tried to make his fortune during the Second World War by exploiting cheap Jewish labour, but ended up penniless having saved over 1000 Polish Jews from almost certain death during the holocaust.

Thoughts: "Powerful" only begins to describe this movie. Watching Oskar Schindler gradually transform from self-centered moneymonger to self-sacrificing benefactor is just amazing; all the more so because it is a true story. God, I must've cried at least four times throughout watching. Honestly, the only drawback I can think of is the length, and that's a very tiny drawback in hindsight (it felt longer watching it than it does remembering it).

Films like Schindler's List and Hotel Rwanda and suchlike should really be required viewing for everyone.

Rating (0-10): 9

Recomendations: Watch it, and see if it doesn't make you cry too. Make sure to set aside a lot of time to watch it all in one sitting, though.

Movie #55 - A Lot Like Love

Title: A Lot Like Love

Director: Nigel Cole

Release Year: 2005

Plot Summary: On a flight from Los Angeles to New York, Oliver (Kutcher) and Emily (Peet) make a connection, only to decide that they are poorly suited to be together. Over the next seven years, however, they are reunited time and time again, they go from being acquaintances to close friends to ... lovers?

Thoughts: My major gripe with this movie is twofold - the time-jumps left me very confused as to when everything was happening (even though they were all just "X years later"); and I just don't logically see how these two managed to keep running into each other after so many years of not seeing one another. It definitely stretched the bounds of credibility more than a little.

That said... I actually enjoyed this movie, and I'm not even really sure why. It was kinda sweet, kinda ridiculous, but it was all in good fun. As much as it pains me to say this, I'm even starting to get over my rabid dislike for Ashton Kutcher.

Rating (0-10): 6.2

Recomendations: Rent it if you're in the mood for something kinda sappy. Don't kill yourself trying to see it in theaters, though.

Movie #54 - Forrest Gump

Title: Forrest Gump

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Release Year: 1994

Plot Summary: If you don't know what this one is about, then there's no hope for you. Seriously.

Thoughts: I always have a very difficult time picking my so-called "favorite" movies, but Forrest Gump is in the top five and there's precious little chance it'll ever be dethroned. Tom Hanks is absolutely 100% perfect as Forrest, a simple guy who's led an extraordinary life that would give Edward Bloom a run for his money.

What can I say about this film that hasn't already been said? It's hilarious, it's heartbreaking, it's spectacular.

Rating (0-10): 11

Recomendations: Watch this movie right now.

Movie #53 -- Donnie Brasco

Title: Donnie Brasco

Director: Mike Newell

Release Year: 1997

Plot Summary: Johnny Depp is an FBI agent trying to expose the mob in New York City.

Thoughts: What a fantastic cast! Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, Michael Madsen (who steals every scene that he is in) and, yes, Anne Heche (who gives us here finest work as an actress).

Depp is Special Agent Joe Pistone (a.k.a. Donnie Brasco) who does an excellent job of uncovering the seedy underworld of the New York City mafia. His accent is spot on throughout the film. Al Pacino turns in a good performance as Lefty Ruggiero, a lifetime criminal who feels he's been wronged most of his career. But the real star of this film is the malevolent Michael Madsen as crime syndicate boss Sonny Black -- as I mentioned above, he simply owns this movie. You can't take your eyes off of him anytime he is on screen.

I really like this movie, aside from the fact that it runs a bit slow at times. It's a character-driven piece to be sure but the 'plot' falls a little thin from time to time. However, there is enough fine acting to see your way clear of a merely average plot. The scene in the basement with Al Pacino and Michael Madsen when they murder some made men is fantasic (think: the "There was a firefight!" scene from The Boondock Saints) and the dialogue between Al Pacino and Johnny Depp in the Cadillac at the end of the film is nothing short of brilliant.

Rating (0-10): 8.1

Recomendations: If you liked Goodfellas, you will like this movie. It's usually availabe at best buy for $10 or so and I would recommend picking it up at that price.

Movie #52 -- Road House

Title: Road House

Director: Rowdy Herrington

Release Year: 1989

Plot Summary: You're Dalton? I thought you'd be bigger.

Thoughts: Recently, I was listening to the radio and they were talking about the top 25 'so bad, they're good' movies and this one was number one. Yes, it really is that bad. So bad that it's good and back to bad again.

Patrick Swayze is a philosophical bouncer hired to clean up a bar in beautiful Jasper, Kansas. Seriously... This project actually got greenlighted. Anyway, between being a bad ass bouncer with a heart of gold and waxing moronic with the rest of the cast, there are plenty of fight scenes to satisfy even the most red-necked ruffian. Although, I must admit the scene at the end of the movie where the dude gets his spine ripped out is pretty sweet.

This movie is on basic cable pretty much all the time and with good reason.

Rating (0-10): 4.0

Recomendations: If you are sick and sitting at home and have two hours to kill, I'd recommend this to you for the sheer pointlessness of it all.

Movie #50 - Full Metal Jacket

Title: Full Metal Jacekt

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Release Year: 1987

Plot Summary: Born to Kill.

Thoughts: I am not a huge fan of Stanley Kubrick's work. Eyes Wide Shut sucks. The Shining isn't really all that scary. A Clockwork Orange has to be the most over-rated movie of all time. But then again, Dr. Strangelove... and Spartacus are both really good. To say that his work is sporadic is nothing short of the truth. This film is no different.

The first half of this movie, while the recruits are in basic training is quite accurate, from what I have been told bootcamp is like. There is wonderful character development and you really feel some sort of connection to each of the main characters (not in an empathetic or loving way, but a connection nonetheless).

Then the second half of the film rolls around and the recruits (well, those who survived boot camp, that is) are fighting in Vietnam. The movie takes a strange twist for the worse at this time. It seems that Kubrick shows the brutality of war simply for the sake of it. The film goes from dramatic and and emotional to bloody and boring. One could almost get the feeling that the scenes in Vietnam were simply thrown on there for a bunch of "bang bang shoot 'em up" sequences that have absolutely nothing to do with the first half of the film.

This movie is regarded as a classic, although I would be extremely hesitant to call it that. It would be a stretch to even say that I liked it very much simply because the two halves of the film do not coalesce in the least.

Rating (0-10): First Half: 9.0... Second Half: 2.5. Overall: 6.0

Recomendations: Worth seeing to say that you saw it. Worth buying? Of course not. Worth watching uninterrupted and unedited on premium cable? Yes,

Movie #48 - Tombstone

Title: Tombstone

Director: George P. Cosmatos

Release Year: 1993

Plot Summary: Generally the story of Wyatt Earp and the OK corall. Generally.

Thoughts: Word of the day? "No."

Plus:
- Kurt Russell makes for an awsome Earp
- Val Kilmer makes for an awsome Doc
- umm... I think thats about it.

Minus:
- They casted Bill Paxton. Arg!! He was amost as bad as he was in Aliens.
- The entire movie felt like we were supposed to know about the entire back history in Dodge and whatnot.
- The fucking stupid "romantic intrest" between random chick and Wyatt was unnessicary to the plot and really distracted from the film on the whole.
- Way too much cowboy lingo
- Reguardless of the historical accuracy (which was iffy to begin with) they should have killed Bill Paxton in the beginning or at least made him a "cowboy".

Rating (0-10): 2.5

Recomendations: None. Rent Wyatt Erp or watch the special the History Channel did.

Movie #46 - The Amityville Horror

Title: The Amityville Horror

Director: Andrew Douglas

Release Year: 2005

Plot Summary: A family is terrorized by demonic forces after moving into a home that was the site of a grisly mass-murder.

Thoughts: It wasn't as dumb as I thought it would be. It was suitably creepy in places, and it had a few "jump-a-mile" moments. And strangely enough, I thought all of the actors did a pretty good job, even Ryan Reynolds (who to me is still just a poor man's Jason Lee).

But the movie seemed to move too fast, rather than slowly developing up to a "horror" level. And the "explanation" in the end was pretty cheesy. So, mixed bag, really.

Rating (0-10): 5.2

Recomendations: I wouldn't go pay to see it, but I'd definitely go see it for free. Or maybe at the $2 theater, even.

Movie #45 -- Ocean's Twelve

Title: Ocean's Twelve

Director: Steven Soderberg

Release Year: 2004

Plot Summary: Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his gang of thieves team up for another round of robberies.

Thoughts: Well... one would be inclined to think that with the talent of the cast and crew, this would be a spectacular film. It was, quite the let down to say the least. I expound...

The ensemble of actors in this film is nothing short of astounding: the aforementioned Clooney, Oscar winners Julia Roberts (Best Actress, Erin Brockovich -- also directed by Soderberg) and Catherine Zeta-Jones (Best Supporting Actress, Chicago), Brad Pitt, Andy Garcia, Matt Damon, and on and on certainly look like they phoned in their work for this one.

Director Steven Soderberg (Oscar winner for Traffic back in 2000) is at the top of his game, however. He's truly one of the best directors working today. This film is as stylish as it could possibly be, although it pales in comparison to the bright lights of Las Vegas in it's predecessor.

However, the cast's overall weak performance, a lame script (we're supposed to feel some sort of emotional connection to Catherine Zeta-Jones' character at the end of the film, apparently) and too many "inside" jokes make this film a weak sequel.

Rating (0-10): 5.5

Recomendations: Worth renting at Blockbuster. I'd recommend Ocean's Eleven or Casino over this in a heartbeat, though.

Movie #44 -- The Usual Suspects

Title: The Usual Suspects

Director: Bryan Singer

Release Year: 1995

Plot Summary: Who is Keyser Soze?

Thoughts: The best crime drama ever. Period. Better than The Godfather. Better than The Godfather Part 2. Better than Reservoir Dogs. It's just that good.

Kevin Spacey won an Oscar for his performance of Verbal Kint, a criminal with cerebral palsy. This film also took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and rightly so. The casting is fantastic, even (gasp) Stephen Baldwin is terrific. This, along with Braveheart, was one of only two classic films released in 1995. This is not one to be missed.

The ending of this film is one of the top five endings of all time... Think or The Empire Strikes Back or Arlington Road ending good.

Rating (0-10): 9.3

Recomendations: Buy this film. It's usually $15 at Best Buy and it's worth every penny.

Movie #43 -- Lil' Pimp

Title: Lil' Pimp

Director: Mark Brooks and Peter Gilstrap

Release Year: 2005

Plot Summary:A red-headed nine year old boy from the suburbs (along with his talking pet rat) saves the game of pimpin'.

Thoughts: An animated disaster. Actually, the first 10 (maybe 12) minutes of this movie are thoroughly enjoybale, entertaining and funny. The next 70 are pure hell. Sitting through this extremely unfunny movie was more painful than getting tattooed. Nothing but recycled jokes...

This movie was (according to imdb.com) the first full length animated movie to use Macromedia Flash for all of the animation. Of course, it also had half of the test audience walk out on it because it was so bad. And, yes, it really is that bad. If not the worst movie that I've ever seen, then it's right there in the bottom five.

Of course you might just want to see it to say that you saw it.

Rating (0-10): 1.5

Recomendations: Don't rent this from Blockbuster even if you unlimited rentals.

Movie #42 -- Sideways

Title: Sideways

Director: Alexander Payne

Release Year: 2004

Plot Summary: 2 friends visit California's wine country for a week while as a "sending off" for one of them who is about to get married.

Thoughts: Sideways almost plays like a buddy-road trip comedy, but it is much too smart for that. Paul Giammati plays a divorced middle-aged man who is obsessed with fine wine and his writing. Thomas Hayde Church (remember NBC's Wings?) was nominated for an Oscar for his work here as the strangely loveable groom-to-be who is both dispicable and endearing.

A very fine ensemble piece here, with strong acting all around and very good writing throughout. Certainly not the best picture of 2004 (that would/should have Eternal Sunshine...), but a very strong movie nonetheless.

My only complaint is that at the end of the film, director Alexander Payne switches gears a bit too drastically. All of a sudden, the movie loses it's light-heartedness and a turns (dare i say) a bit dark. Maybe the darkness in the film was there all along and I failed to realize it.

Rating (0-10): 8.2

Recomendations: I'd recommend this to most anyone with an attention span longer than the average fan of Alien Vs. Predator. Think of this movie as Dumb and Dumber meets American Beauty. Certainly worth renting, and worth owning if you are into dvd collecting.

Movie #41 - This Is Spinal Tap

Title: This Is Spinal Tap

Director: Rob Reiner

Release Year: 1984

Plot Summary: Spinal Tap, the world's loudest band, is chronicled by hack documentarian Marty DeBergi on what proves to be a fateful tour.

Thoughts: I'd wanted to watch this movie for the longest time, so when I happened to see it was in at Blockbuster while looking for something else, I said "what the hell?" and snatched it up. I wasn't overwhelmed, but I definitely wasn't disappointed, either.

I think this film works because the band members just seem so earnest in their not-too-brightness. They seem like they could be a real band with real problems, that just happens to be so rock-dumb that you can't help but laugh at everything they say and do. That said, I think there are definitely a ton of hilarious scenes and eminently quotable lines, but it's uneven in this regard - when there's actually a "serious moment," it's just not as compelling. Fortunately, there's just enough funny to make it all worthwhile.

Rating (0-10): 7

Recomendations: Watch it, and see if you don't start quoting it. I'm not sure I'd buy it, though.

Movie #40 -- Sin City

Title: Sin City

Director: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller, Quentin Tarantino

Release Year: 2005

Plot Summary: Four different storylines told via flim noir kinda converge in Sin City: where "if you walk down the right alley, you can find anything."

Thoughts: Wow. Based on co-director Frank Miller's comic (nee: pulp reading) of the same name, this is the most stylish film that I've seen since Pulp Fiction, and that's saying something. Actually, this reminds me, in more ways than one of co-director Tarantino's other work -- the non-linear storyline, the dialogue, the visuals, etc...

The only complaint that I have with this movie is that you're not terribly sure how the four different storylines are converging. Taking each story on it's own and not trying to weave them altogether while viewing the film (at least for the first time) is probably the best way to go, otherwise one would run the risk of overthinking this movie.

At any rate, this movie will terribly polarize people: you'll either think that it's utterly horrible and pointless or dumbfoundingly brilliant. I chose the latter.

Rating (0-10): 8.75

Recomendations: If you like Pulp Fiction, either Kill Bill, Desperado, Once Upon A Time In Mexico, or film noir, I would go see this immediately. If you don't like the aforementioned films or the genre, I would avoid this because you'll probably be bored to tears.