The Chelsea Challenge

On December 28th I went to the movies.  No big deal right? I go see a lot of movies.  This evening I saw a double feature.  I started with a 4:20 showing of Big Eyes and followed it with a 6:50 showing of The Imitation Game.  The second film stood out to me more then the first.  However both films mark a moment for me.  I completed my 2014 Chelsea challenge.

The challenge was to see every film that played at the Chelsea movie theater during the calendar year.  In addition to seeing all the good films that meant seeing all the bad films.  There were some bad movies.  In Secret, Le-Weekend top the list of movies that I would of loved to skip.  

There were a few surprises during the year.  Omar was a fantastic foreign film that did not appeal to me.  I would of skipped this one had I not had the challenge going.  It’s not  that the movie comes with subtitles but rather a movie that just looked like it would bore me.  After seeing I now wonder how I could of even considered skipping it.  Other movies like that include The Immigrant, the vampire tale Only Lovers Left Alive, the abortion comedy (yes you read that right) Obvious Child, and the film about Charles DickensThe Invisible Woman.

Some movies I would of seen anyway and, realized after the fact, I should of skipped them.  Magic in the Moonlight and the Oscar entry from Chili Gloria lead the should of rethought seeing aspect of the year.

The obvious part of the challenge was to see movies I was already going to see.  Birdman, Chef, The Grand Budapest Hotel, A Most Wanted Man, among others, were all movies I would of seen without the challenge.  

Some films I was two sided about.  The Theory of Everything tops of that last.  While I really enjoyed the movie and thought the actor playing Hawking was great in the role I wanted more of the physics and less of the love story.     

Looking back I enjoyed myself doing the challenge.  I had a rough year and enjoyed looking forward to seeing all these movies.

Would I do it again? Yes.

Will I do it again in 2015? I don’t know.

Regardless come see a movie with me.

Top 10 of 2014

I’m not going to lie, I am more then ready to look this year in the rear view mirror.  It seems like it had more downs then ups and I am really looking forward the blank slate that 2015 promises to be.  Luckily I got to spend more then ample time watching and experiencing the movies of this year with friends, family, and strangers alike.  That I enjoyed, as I wanted to.

Now that the movies of 2014 are rolling their final credits I look back to pick my top ten favorite movies of the year.  I enjoyed a lot of what I saw this year, as I tend to do each year.  Of course there were some major duds (Transformers: Age of Extinction, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) released during the calendar year.  One or two of then (Ride Along, Le-Weekend) didn’t even have the benefit of having Michael Bay drag them through the mud.  At the rate I view movies a few duds are to be expected.

When reviewing all the movies I see during the year I find there are many films I want to include on my top ten list.  I’ve come to call this the almost list.  The British darling Pride, the photography documentary Finding Vivian Maier, the foreign language gem The Lunchbox and the Scarlett Johansson indy sci-fi thriller Under the Skin are distinct honorable mentions that lead the list.  They didn’t make the list for various reasons but mainly I enjoyed the ten films listed below more.

So without further ado I present my top ten(ish) films of 2014.  Please enjoy reading the list as much as I have enjoyed seeing the films and assembling them together in what short list.

10. Chef/The Grand Budapest Hotel

Ok I get it.  This one is cheating but this is my blog and my top ten list.  I’m only cheating this once because I find both films so similar and love them for the exact same reasons.  Both films have great ensembles and a unique voice in their since of humor. (Wes Anderson - The Grand Budapest Hotel - tends to excel at ensemble comedies.)  At the core of each movie you’ll find a road movie about individuals learning there passions all over again with the help of those closest to them.  I fell in love with many characteristics in both films including their the before mentioned ensembles and since of humors.  I also loved the adventure that the filmmakers of each respective film created.  Like I was mentioning in my blurb about The Lego Movie how movies can be fun as well as an art form both Chef and The Grand Budapest Hotel blend both aspects together beautifully for some must see cinema.

9. Annabelle

Horror films are always best seen with a crowd.  To be part of the jumps, the screams, the oohs & ahhs, and laugh about it a second later while catching your breath is what makes a horror movie fun.  When you get a really entertaining movie that contains some really unique scares it’s a double pleasure.  The Conjuring topped my top ten list last year and thus made Annabelle a must see for me.  Like its predecessor Annabelle went for the kind of scares that I have come to love in horror.  They’re the kind that come from the shadows or the anticipation of what is around the corner.  This one does it with almost no blood, a technique that it not only shared with The Conjuring but one that I throughly enjoy.

8. The Lego Movie

In a word The Lego Movie is awesome.  In a few other words, 2014 was a strong year for animation and none, of the fine animated flicks, where more unique or entertaining for me then The Lego Movie.  The film has a big nostalgic factor going for it as much of it was a road trip down memory lane.  The film also boasted some of the best cameos of the film.  I want to put them here but it would ruin it for those who have yet to see the movie.  This movie is like a candy cone for the brain, just so much fun.  Movies can be fun as well as an art form.  This one falls more on the fun side and I will never stop making the argument for fun in cinema.  Now I have The Lego Movie as another soldier for that cause.

7. Ida

Yes I transition from The Lego Movie the incredibly powerful foreign language film entre Ida.  It’s a beautifully shot movie, with one of the most haunting stories to cross the silver screen this year.  I love the use of black and white cinematography in any movie.  The cinematographer crafts the black & white images so beautifully that any one shot could be a framed painting.  About ten maybe fifteen minutes in I completely forgot that I was watching a foreign film and was engrossed in the images presented, subtitles included.  Days after seeing the movie I still had it on my mind.  It’s hard one to shake and an impossible movie to forget.  The experience of seeing this one is a must for any and all.

6. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

The story of Caesar continues and I love it!  Planet of the Apes is one of my favorite franchises in science fiction and cinema in general.  I loved the first Andy Serkis prequel, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and was excited for the release of its sequel.  I was not disappointed.  I got to witness epic battles, struggles that led to great character development, and a story I throughly enjoyed.  It was a perfect summer blockbuster: something awesome to look it that was well written and did not insult my intelligence in making its point.  I loved how Dawn paid its subtle homage to Beneath the Planet of the Apes, just like Rise did with Planet of the Apes. 

5. Gone Girl

To be completely honest I wasn’t sure what to make of Gone Girl when I first read about it.  I convinced myself to see it.  I’m a fan of director David Fincher’s work.  After all his movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a personal favorite.  Ben Affleck’s recent career surge with films like Argo was also another reason to see it.  The movie even featured 007 alum Rosamund Pike (Die Another Day).  Those ingredients, stirred with a trailer I wasn’t sure what to make of, drew me into the theater.  I’m glad I felt compelled to see it.  Despite flying solo to this film I got engulfed, with the strangers watching with me, in the twists and turns that the story offered.  This is one of those movies that kept me on the edge of my seat minute and grabbing the back of my seat in suspense the next.  That roller coaster of thrills was one ride I’m glad I paid the admission.

4. The Drop

Tom Hardy is one of my favorite actors working in cinema today.  The diversity of roles he plays and how he plays them gets me excited to see his movies.  The pairing of Tom Hardy and James Gandolfini (in his final film, a heart breaking fact) was a stroke of genius.  The film combines the best elements of both modern and classic gangster movies.  It combines those elements with a dramatic story.  There are some sly moments in the film that are used as spices to the story telling element.  This journey enthralled me from opening credits to the lights slowly coming back on.  I loved how this movie kept you on the edge of your seat, with its intensity, and it never let go of that feeling.

3. Birdman

I loved how this story was told.  The handheld camera movements, dueling performers dealing with their own demons, and the themes of dealing with your best years behind you all added up in the most well written film of the year.  Birdman has a very in your face way about it, almost like a documentary or a found footage film.  The casting of Michael Keaton, as a has been superhero actor, was a stroke of genius.  His performance reminded my greatly of Mickey Rourke’s in The Wrestler.  (As a side note I do find many similarities in the two films.  Both of which are fantastic.)  It took me a bit longer then normal to get into this one but once I did I fell hard into it.  Birdman easily became one of the must, and twice, sees of 2014.

2. A Most Wanted Man

This John Le Carre adaptation is the final film in which Philip Seymour Hoffman has the lead role and with the final two Hunger Games installments the era of his career will tragically end.  He gave a brilliant performance and was supported masterfully by his costars.  I loved how this espionage movie created all the thrills and nail biting suspense expected on the genre without any gun play or explosions.  Few films have ever accomplished such a task and even fewer with in the spy genre.  It’s master filmmaking at its best and even greater entertainment at that.  This was the first film I saw twice on the big screen in over a year.  The second screening was just as exciting for me as the first time, almost like seeing a brand new movie. That makes for the kind of movie that I like to watch over and over again.

1. Interstellar

This movie was one of the movies I was most excited to see when 2014 came to be.  In early November I held a viewing party surrounding this one.  A week later I went back to see it again, this time in IMAX.  That, for me, rarely happens.  Especially if the movie is not a James Bond flick.  Christopher Nolan’s previous film, Inception, was the same way.  I was easily drawn into the world created by the filmmakers and did not want to leave it.  The three hour running time went by in a blink, both viewings.  That fact alone makes for really good cinema.  The fact that I love science fiction movies does not hurt either.  Many films from the genre I often sight as must sees in the wide spectrum that is cinema.  Interstellar is no different.  It’s the kind of movie I can watch over and over again without getting bored and one I anticipate doing when it comes to home video.

The Best of the Rest:

My tradition is to post my annual list around new years.  With that said there are films that I do not see in time to make the list.  These movies are released wide after the publication of my annual top ten.  In years past there have been titles that I would of loved to include in this list.  Of Gods and Men(2010), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy(2011) and Zero Dark Thirty(2012) are perfect examples.  I am including this year a new category to the best of the rest titled “The One That Got Away”.  This is a film from 2013 that I would of loved to put on my list that came out after the publication of last year’s top ten.

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: Inside Llewyn Davis

(Brilliant movie.  I always get excited for the Coen Brothers work and this was fantastic)

MALE PERFORMANCE: Ben Affleck Gone Girl

(I’m loving this reconnaissance in his career.  Gone Girl is a strong entry in both his career and the reconnaissance.  I can’t wait to see what happens next in the career of this two time Oscar winner)

FEMALE PERFORMANCE: Patricia Arquette Boyhood

(Easily the best performance, male or female, this year)
SCREENPLAY: Birdman

(One of the most creative films of the year.  Thanks in large to a unique story crafted in the script)

DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan Interstellar

(An ambitious and beautiful film.  It was masterfully pieced together by Mr Nolan)

REPARATORY SCREENING: Monty Python & the Holy Grail

(My favorite comedy ever!!! I always enjoy watching and laughing at this one)

A FOND FAREWELL

Philip Seymour Hoffman & Robin Williams
in Patch Adams

TEDDY ROOSEVELT: “The adventure never ends.” 

“How exciting!”

The final two lines of dialogue spoken by Robin Williams in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb*.

What does Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb & The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 1 have in common?  Both say farewell to two of the greatest actors to grace the silver screen.  Robin Williams & Philip Seymour Hoffman both, tragically, passed in 2014.  Both were incredible talents who entertained the world for years and had years of  life ahead of them.

It’s no secret I fell in love with cinema during the summer of 1998 when Patch Adams came to town to film.  The movie, featuring both actors, gave me a much treasured look into how movies were made and I fell immediately in love.  This love I have yet to let go.  I even had the pleasure of getting Robin Williams autograph on a movie poster.  I hang it proudly at each Oscar party. 

After watching Night at the Museum this evening I couldn’t help but feel a combination melancholy and joy.  This feeling I got after watching the latest Hunger Games movie as well.  Both emotions equally strong knowing that these two individuals, whose work has meant much to me over the years in one way or another, have taken their final steps on screen.

It’s hard to think that both have only one more film a piece coming out.  For Philip Seymour Hoffman its the final Hunger Games movie while Robin Williams lends his voice to a sci-fi comedy called Absolutely Anything.  Each film I simultaneously look forward to and dread knowing the careers of these two legends are over.  Thank you both for the adventures and with the creation of home video I have the privilege to replay them often.

Farewell.

*Please note that Ben Stiller has a line of dialogue in between.  I have chosen to admit it for my blog.

Looking to 2015 in Film

Soon I will be reflecting on the cinematic year of 2014 and creating my annual top ten list.  Also I like looking forward to the future and seeing what is coming to theaters.  Like Luke Skywalker looking to the stars I look eagerly to the films of 2015.

The one I am looking forward the most is the 24th 007 film.  Currently its untitled but in the days to come that will be remedied.  James Bond is my favorite in cinema and any adventure I get excited for.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Avengers: Age of Ultron are two titles I am excited for as well.  I love both the Star Wars franchise and Marvel Film Canon.  Each have their respective duds(The Phantom Menace, Ironman 3) but its not enough to deter me from looking forward to these films.

Though there are many more sequels I am looking forward to next year I’m rounding out the sequel list with Furious 7 and Jurassic World.  The Fast & Furious franchise continues to get better and better.  The films have expanded from fast cars to cover a variety of other genres such has heist films and international espionage.  This film will be the final film of franchise star Paul Walker and makes it that much more intriguing to see.  The first Jurassic Park was genius and The Lost World: Jurassic Park was also a high caliber film.  Jurassic Park 3 was a step down from its predecessors but still had its merits.  Regardless dinosaurs running loose on an island is exciting for me.

A pair of pixar films (Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur) lead the animated flicks of the year for me.  I enjoy pixar.  I’m also looking forward to The Peanuts Movie.  I don’t know alot about it except it has something to do with Snoopy and the red Baron.  Minions, the Despicable Me spinoff, looks like a lot of fun as well.

Chappie intrigues me.  It’s the new movie from Neill Blomkamp.  While Elysium was a tad of a let down District 9 I thought was brilliant.  I’m hoping that Chappie will prove that he won’t be a one hit wonder.

Cinderella I’m on the fence about.  The trailer really didn’t do it for me but the fact that it’s from the director of Thor & Jack Ryan:Shadow Recruit excites me because I enjoyed both those films throughly.

I’m sure there will be plenty more to see next year and I eagerly await seeing them.  Please join me in my quest to enjoy going to the cinema.

The Upcoming Academy Awards: A pre Oscar Ramble

Welcome to November blog readers!  Halloween is in the rearview mirror, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the changing of the year are all ahead. The short, cool days are turning into long, cooler nights.  The box office has also changed its guard.  The summer saw many big release spectacles.  Now its big the big awards contenders, with few exceptions (Hunger Games and sigh The Hobbit are both receiving sequels among other Holiday flair).  Film wise this is my favorite time of year.  I love watching all the potential awards films and following the contenders during the awards season.  In about a month the first round of awards will be nominating their choices for the best of 2014.

Where does everything stand? 

First up the early year, the pre summer season.  Normally this is a quite time of year for awards contenders.  The previous years awards conclude during this time.  There are exceptions, for example the best picture winner The Silence of the Lambs was a February release.  Certainly February’s release of The Lego Movie will compete in the animation category.  If not then something’s not right with the nomination process.  March’s The Grand Budapest Hotel has a lot of charm to it and five maybe six years ago would of been a more serious contender.  For instance Juno holds up the same umbrella.  Budapest Hotel maybe settling for a screenplay nod and I hope one for Ralph Fiennes delightfully fun performance.

Moving on to the summer season.  The summer season will be well represented in the technical categories.  Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Guardians of the Galaxy, Godzilla all beautiful eye candy in which these categories are created to reward.  

As the summer season died down August saw the release of the first major awards contender.  The film: Boyhood.  It’s an ambitious indy movie that seems to do well at the Oscars, especially since the expansion of the best picture category.  Ellar Coltrane and Patricia Arquette are both destined to be first time acting nominees for the movie along with the films director and writer Richard Linklater in his respective categories.

Now for the fall, when most of the big time awards contenders arrive at your local multiplex or art house.  David Fincher’s Gone Girl I though excelled in many aspects including Ben Affleck’s performance.  Jake Gyllenhaal most certainly will be nominated as well for his performance in Nightcrawler.  The film itself should benefit from the best picture expansion.  

So now I move to sights unseen.  As of now I have yet to see Birdman but that will be remedied by the weekends end.  I keep hearing buzz around the cast and film.  Same goes with future releases Foxcather, The Theory of Everything, & The Imitation Game.  

I do wonder about Interstellar, this year ambitious science fiction release.  Last year’s ambitious science fiction release, Gravity, scored ten nominations including best picture.  While the movie lost the best picture prize it took home seven trophies including one for best director.  Christopher Nolan’s work is not uncharted to the academy awards.  Inception was a best picture contender and took home four awards despite not winning the evenings top prize.  Also his Batman entry The Dark Knight earned Heath Ledger a well deserved posthumous Oscar and is often cited as the film that led the way for the expansion of the best picture category.

I look forward to seeing many more movies in the weeks to come and cordially invite anyone and everyone to join me on my quest to see the Awards contenders.  Time will tell what will be snubbed, nominated, and eventually win the Academy Awards.  I look forward to watching the evenings festivities unfold as Neil Patrick Harris takes center stage on Oscar night.

2004 Ten Years Later

During the trailer reel for Annabelle there was a preview advertising the ten year rerelease of Saw.  I got to thinking why Saw?  Why a ten year anniversary rerelease?  What I was really doing was remembering 2004 as it related to cinema.

So what’s held up?  The Pixar flick The Incredibles stands out at the top of the back.  It’s a movie I enjoy rewatching constantly.  This is followed very closely by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.  Charlie Kaufman wrote a great screenplay and the film is not only entertaining but one I get something new out of almost every time I watch.  Anchorman I still find my self quoting after all these years.  Man on Fire is an action movie of epic proportions.  One I still excites me when I watch.  In fact The Polar Express is one I watch every Christmas.  Hellboy, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, and the Dawn of the Dead remake are still fun to watch.

2004 also brought some great sequels.  Shrek 2, Spiderman 2, The Bourne Supremacy, Kill Bill Vol 2, and Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban all are great examples of how sequels live up to their original material.  

The Oscar contenders had a great feel to it.  The Aviator and Million Dollar Baby battled it out for best picture with Clint Eastwood’s boxing movie taking the heavy weight belt.  Jamie Foxx had the the duel nomination for Ray & Collateral, winning for his performance as Ray Charles.  Also sprinkled in the Oscar contenders were the wine tasting, road trip comedy Sideways; the powerful Hotel Rwanda, and Johnny Depp gave us the back story to the writing of Peter Pan in Finding Neverland.  All of those films are worth watching at least once.

The year was also marked with two big controversial films.  Those two movies are Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ and Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11.  Both movies were widely discussed and debated while enjoying record breaking box office results.

Of course every year has its fair share of bad movies.  The remake of The Stepford Wives led the way the worst category.  Oliver Stone’s Alexander, the kid friendly The Spongebob Square Pants Movie, and Kevin Smith’s Jersey Girl are also among the dishonors.

Looking back 2004 had some very strong high points with some very weak low points.  Some films I still talk very highly about and remember 2004’s flicks fondly.

ANNABELLE

Happy October to the Willflix audience!  Nights are getting longer, leaves are beginning to turn to the dark side, and the weather is taking its sweet time changing over from warm to luke warm and eventually cool.  Of course it’s also that time of year where ghosts, goblins, and all their pals get dusted off for some good old fashion scares.  That fills the horror film fan in me with joy.

The release of Annabelle kick starts the month of ghouls with its release.  So of course we gathered for a movie night.  Though it wasn’t the midnight release, which I miss deeply, however it was a night before release.  (Not the same but sometimes you have to take the good with the ultra bad).  As always at these events, I cook.  The evening’s menu was homemade pizzas, which is a dish I am always proud to serve.  

To get in the mood for the night’s festivities Spider Baby was rewatched.  If you haven’t seen this gem from the late 60’s please do yourself the favor,  it’s a lot of fun and worth at least one viewing.

From there we headed to the theater, snacks in hand, the film shortly began.  After twenty odd minutes of trailers the feature presentation began.  An hour and thirty five minutes later I let go of my arm rest as the credits began to role.

Like The Conjuring this movie goes for the classic jump out behind you scares with very minimal blood use.  That made for many great scares including one frighting sequence in the basement.  I stop myself there because I don’t want to spoil anything for the uninitiated.  Many times throughout the flick I jumped with fright, as did the crowd viewing the film as well.  The audience really got into watching Annabelle and that made for a really great show.

Needless to say I enjoyed all aspects of the evening, the company and film alike.

I look forward to slowly enjoying this frightful month.

Something Spooky This Way Comes

It’s September, finally!  Pumpkin flavored goodies are making their yearly voyage to menus.  I love pumpkin flavored goodies, but that’s irrelevant at this moment.  Halloween is coming!  Just under two months till my favorite of the holidays comes.  Horror flicks will soon be dominating my home entertainment system.  Over the past few years I’ve tried to cast a wide net in my viewings.  Stephen King adaptations, Argento/Fulci classics, and selections from the career of the master of suspense.  Regardless of how wide a net I try to spread I find myself watching a few of the same titles every year.

First up seems like an obvious choice.  It’s Halloween.  Brilliantly directed by John Carpenter and Jamie Lee Curtis’ claim to fame is always a great watch no matter what time of year it is.

Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick are two of my favorite directors.  Psycho and The Shining tend to be must watches as well.

Halloween needs a good zombie flick and none are better then the granddaddy of them all Night of the Living Dead.

Finally The Haunting rounds out the list.  I love a good haunted house film and this one (as well as The Shining) set the standard for me for haunted house movies.  

I do have a feeling that The Conjuring will be added to circulation each Halloween.  I thought very highly of that film when I first saw it in the theater and subsequent viewings of my blu ray have only strengthened my thoughts on the film.  I eagerly look forward to the release of Annabelle, the spinoff from The Conjuring.

With all that said happy hauntings!

Looking to the Future.

Happy September Blog Readers!

The summer movie season has come to a close while the long days are slowly becoming long nights.  Ahh fall, my favorite time of year for movies.  I do enjoy the fireworks known as summer blockbusters but I prefer the more thought provoking award contenders released in the fall.  The fact that Halloween is coming up doesn’t hurt either.  So as I have done every year since the inception of this blog I put out my thoughts on the fall release season.

There are three movies that excite me more then any other this fall and year.  First is Gone Girl starring Ben Affleck.  He’s been on a streak the past few years with films like Argo.  He even has been cast as Batman (before you ask I’m in a wait and see holding pattern with that casting decision).  David Fincher directs this one and his work I routinely enjoy. Recent titles such as The Social Network & The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo were good and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a favorite.  The guy even made Se7en.  With Gone Girl I’m willing to overlook the fact that Tyler Perry is in the movie.

Annabelle is next on my trio of fall films I’m eager to see.  I loved The Conjuring and it looks like its going for the similar scares.  These come more from the shadows and whats behind you less then blood and guts.  That I prefer.  

Rounding out the trilogy is Interstellar.  Christopher Nolan is my favorite director working in film right now and I love a strong science fiction film.  This looks like just that.  Also an incredible cast rounds out an incredible looking movie.

Other releases I’m looking forward to see include The Drop (The final James Gandolfini film), A Walk Among Tombstones, The Hunger Games Mockingjay part 1, Inherent Vice, The Judge, Big Hero 6, and the indy darling The Trip to Italy.  I am a huge fan of the first movie The Trip and am patiently awaiting the sequel.  Also American Sniper appeals to me.  I love a good war film and will see movies solely based on the name CLINT EASTWOOD.

I’ll see, ugh, the third Hobbit movie.  I’ll see it to say I’ve seen it and to conclude the trilogy. I won’t be happy about it because the first two were giant wastes of time.  I’ve lost a lot of appreciation for Peter Jackson with these films.  I’ve enjoyed most of his other works.  The latter two Lord of the Rings films, parts of the first one, his King Kong, and Heavenly Creatures are all good films.  Anyways I could go on about how much I am not a fan of these three films but I won’t.  

Anyways happy fall!

The summer 2014 wrap up.

Inch by inch the days are giving way to the growing nights.  The summer movie season is winding down and only two titles remain on my must list of the summer.  The Sin City sequel and Pierce Brosnan espionage thriller The November Man are the only two titles remaining.

The summer started with the superhero release of The Amazing Spiderman 2, which like the other superhero flicks this summer, I really enjoyed.  I expected to really enjoy those.  With Spiderman I am glad that Tobey Macguire is no longer doing the role.  I enjoyed his spiderman films but not him in the role.  Andrew Garfield is what I want in the role and his films have been good.

This summer saw many blockbusters, the mightiest of them all was Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.  I throughly enjoyed continuing to see the rise of Caesar and almost always enjoy some ape goodness on the cinema marquee.  Lucy, Godzilla, and The Signal rounded out some great science fiction this summer.  I do enjoy my sci-fi flicks.

On the comedy front nothing was better then the Seth Macfarlene film A Million Ways to Die in the West.  He recruited a great ensemble and utilized the talents of his cast.  The film also had some great cameos from pop culture history.  22 Jump Street was a great second place comedy.  The jokes about sequels never got old in this one.

Surprisingly I enjoyed Jersey Boys.  I saw it solely because it was directed by Clint Eastwood, who is my favorite director and occasional actor working in Hollywood today.  The music was good and I loved the mob story that was told.

The indy scene had a strong summer as well with releases like Ida, Boyhood, and A Most Wanted Man.  A Most Wanted Man is Philip Seymour Hoffman’s final film outside of The Hunger Games.  It’s also the first film I saw twice on the big screen in a little over a year and a half.

Unfortunately every coin is two sided and there were some bad flicks.  Thank you Michael Bay.  First was the Bay directed Transformers: Age of Extinction.  It was three hours over long and filled with bad slow motion action sequences.  When I thought it couldn’t get any worse I saw the Bay produced Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Thank you Mr Bay for ruining a beloved franchise from my childhood.  In Ninja Turtles the action was bad, dialogue worse, and the CGI was just awful.  There were other films that were subpar that weren’t influenced by Michael Bay.  Into the Storm jumps to mind but I’d rather remember the good this summer.

Now I look forward to the long cool nights of fall when the awards contenders come out to play.

Goodbye Mr. Williams

Growing up I enjoyed movies, not love like I do now but enjoyed the. I would watch them with a shrug and enjoy the occasional behind the scenes story.  Sixteen years ago my view on cinema was turned around dramatically and I was in love.  There was no looking back.  During the summer of 1998 Robin Williams came to town to film Patch Adams.  

During the summer I became emerged in cinema watching the movie come to life.  By the end of that summer my affair with cinema had started and is going strong to this today.  During the year I would experience many firsts in film.  I saw my first Bond flick - Tomorrow Never Dies, learned about the rating system while viewing my first R rated feature - Air Force One, and learned about the academy awards, which Mr Williams had just won for his work on Good Will Hunting.  Of course all this led to the granddaddy cinema event of the year for me, the release of Patch Adams.

In the years since my love for film was nurtured.  I started reading biographies on the greats such as Hitchcock and Kubrick.  Additionally I started watching the classics (Gone With the Wind, Top Gun, The Wizard of Oz and eventually The Godfather to name a few) all while falling deeper and deeper in films.  I ate up as many new releases as I could (Gattaca, Waking Ned Devine both of witch I include as all time favorites).  All this because I got to watch Mr Williams perform his art.

During the summer of ‘98 I had the pleasure of meeting the man who would become a hero of mine.  It was brief but memorable and unforgettable.  It was only a minute as he autographed my Flubber poster.  It’s a moment that I have always treasured, even more so now since his passing.

Years later I would see him perform his stand up live at the DPAC and that night reaffirmed my love with cinema. 

In the days and weeks to come I’ll pull many of his movies off the shelf from his varied career and give them another viewing, many for the umpteenth time.  All in honor of the man who introduced me to my first true love, the movies.  Good Morning Vietnam, Good Will Hunting, Mork & Mindy, The Night Listener, Man of the Year, and of course Patch Adams all come to mind.  

Mr Williams I thank you for introducing me to my first true love of film.  I will treasure your works forever and wait patiently to lovingly view your final films as they grace the screens.  You were then, are now, and will forever be a titan of cinema and one of my heroes for championing my love of cinema.

A Summer Science Fiction Double Feature

Under the Skin movie poster

It’s late July and that tells me that the dog days of summer are in full swing.  I’ve been throughly enjoying popcorn flare released this summer, despite some really bad releases.  Science fiction has been particularly good this summer.  Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was an incredible movie that told an intriguing story with beautiful acting and visual effects.  The well crafted and highly entertaining Apes franchise entry will more then likely take a spot on my annual top ten list when it is created at the end of this year.

I could go on about the Apes flick but there has been a pair of science fiction movies equally worthy of discussion and not because both star Scarlett Johansson.  

Scarlett Johansson in Lucy

Rather both movies are creative, well made, and thought provoking pieces of art. 

First was Under the Skin released in theaters this past April and currently available on DVD.  In this movie Miss Johansson portrays an alien seducing men along the Scottish country side.  As the events in the film unfold she begins an incredible journey of self discovery and what it means to be human.

In the second film of this science fiction double feature, Lucy, Miss Johansson plays a woman who is unlocking more then the 10% of normal human brain function.  The title character turns a series of unfortunate and violent events to her advantage while discovering her true humanity.

Both movies are rich in powerful imagery reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s genius sci-fi odyssey 2001: A Space Odyssey.  Each respectfully puts their protagonist through difficult situations and the characters come out on the other side a little more knowledgable.  

It’s easy to overlook both features by lumping them in as over priced popcorn fair but at the core of both you’ll find movies that more then worth the time it takes to see.

The Challenge

This year I proposed a challenge to myself.  The challenge is to see everything that plays at the movie theater where I work, the Chelsea.  To answer the obvious question: Of all the movies you see you mean you’re not all ready doing this?  The answer is no.  I average about two thirds.  

So now that we are half way through the year it’s time I check in and see how its going.  After six months I’m doing well.  I have successfully seen everything we’ve played, so far this year.

Such an undertaking comes with good and bad viewings.  Movies such as Le-Weekend and In Secret I really did not enjoy and would of past normally.  Flicks like The Railway Man, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Chef I would of seen without the challenge and was pleased with how much I enjoyed them.  That was to be expected.

  Then there are movies that I would of passed on for one reason or another that I’m glad I saw.  They are movies that I would of missed and now can not imagine not seeing them.  The Lunchbox tops that list.  I thought of it as another typical rom com and I was going to miss.  Good thing I didn’t because I loved the sophisticated charm of the movie.  As The Lunchbox tops the list of great surprises Locke is a not to distant second.  The whole concept sounded boring, a man driving on his car talking on his cell phone for ninety minutes.  If I wanted to see that I’d watch the rush hour reports on the news.  Locke played brilliantly, like a one man stage play, quietly building tension, a lot like the way the trojan horse did.  Omar was a breath taking movie that was robbed of the foreign film Oscar and as tough as it was to watch it’s clearly a twice or more see.  Those round out the top three but others include Obvious Child, The Immigrant, and the Ralph Fiennes film about Charles Dickens The Invisible Woman.

Six months are now in the rear view mirror and I’m half way down the highway of this challenge.  Only time will tell if I complete the self imposed challenge but I look forward to attempting to do so.  I end with saying please join me in my quest and see a movie every once and a while with me.  (This offer extends beyond the challenge and seeing movies at other theaters cause I love going to the movies and really love company when I go).

My 2014 mid year Ramble

It’s the dog days of summer with incredibly hot temperatures.  So as always I’ve been keeping cool at the movies, as I do year round.  As its mid June I like to pause to take note of what I think of the movies so far.  

the Nevermore Festival was this past February.  Of the films I saw Open Grave truly was incredible and it was awesome to see The Tingler with all the gimmicks included.

The comic book adaptations have been strong.  I love how Captain America: The Winter Soldier played beautifully as an espionage film as well as a hero film.  X-Men Days of Future Past was a lot of fun and raised above my concern about the film trying to bite off more then it could chew.  The Amazing Spiderman 2 was what I wanted it to be and that was a lot of fun.

The animation front this yearly is being led by two incredible movies.  First up is The Lego Movie which was fun and truly funny.  The second animated flick is How to Train Your Dragon 2.  This sequel surpasses its predecessor in every way.

I saw some excellent documentaries so far this year as well.  Tim’s Vermeer and Finding Vivian Maier were both thought provoking films that covered fascinating subjects.

The Lunchbox is clearly the best foreign film I’ve seen this year and one of the better ones in the past few years.  The film comes from India and is a must see stand out film of this year and any year.  

Under the Skin and Locke are some of the best indy films this year and both more then worth the price of admission to see. 

Time and time again I’ve said how disappointed I am with modern horror going for shock value with blood and guts for its scares.  Instead I prefer the scares to come from behind the characters or from the shadows of the film.  It’s why I remain a huge fan of last years The Conjuring and like wise am a huge fan of this years The Quiet Ones.

A Million Ways to Die in the West is one I need to see again on the big screen because it’s that funny.  I can’t tell you how many times I almost fell out of my chair laughing at the movie.  The Grand Budapest Hotel is another great comedy this year and truly shows Wes Anderson’s strengths as a filmmaker.

On the flip side there have been some awful movies.  The action film Brick Mansions, the comedies Ride Along and Le Weekend are just a few of the bad flicks that have been released this year.

With all that said I eagerly look forward to the cool nights of fall when the Oscar contenders tend to come out to play as well as enjoy the remaining summer spectacles. 

My Summer Movie Viewing List

Do you ever grow weary of the summer blockbusters? Some years I do but not often.  However there are films that help me to appreciate the firework show of blockbusters even more. Just like the Christmas season each summer, there are a few films I pull off the shelf, dust off, & rewatch with a cold beverage in hand.  

Jaws

The ultimate summer movie and not because it takes place at the beach.  The classic from 1975 is filled with mesmerizing suspense, classic one liners (‘You’re going to need a bigger boat’), and is always fun to watch.  It’s summer cinema at its best.

Roger Corman’s Piranha

I put the 1978 cult classic out of withdrawal from finishing up a Jaws viewing.  It’s fun and hokey which is a combination for a good time.

Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope

The first film released in the epic saga transports me to galaxy far far away and to the heat of battle between good & evil.  One can also never get enough Star Wars either. 

Monty Python & The Holy Grail

Always a hoot to watch and I look forward to watching, no matter what season.  Very few movies I can quote start to finish and this is the grand daddy of those films.

Air Force One

I always love a good action movie.  To see Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman do battle on the presidential plane is always riveting to me and I cheer each time at the end.

& finally

The Big Lebowski

The Coen Brothers work are movies I routinely look forward to.  This one is my personal favorite and if I can get a group together to have dinner and watch each summer I will.  Otherwise I’ll enjoy the movie by myself, regardless I look forward to seeing this one each year.

Questions? Concerns? Thoughts?

Ok then.  I need to get cracking on this list.

A DIFFERENT SORT OF SUMMER FLICK

The summer movie fireworks have begun! Heroes such as Spiderman & the X-men have done battle across the silver screen all while Godzilla continues to leave a trail of debris as if it were a trail of bread crumbs.  I’ve thus far been throughly entertained by the high octane, adrenaline filled popcorn flair.

However every coin is two sided.  Each summer I also look forward to the occasional break from world impending doom for smaller, more thought provoking flair.  The Immigrant is such a flick.  I am in aww of the three leads, this film carries, and the incredible talent each bring to their respective roles, that provide the back drop to a story from a part of american history that intrigues me.  That piece of history being Ellis Island.  The story focuses on the immigration of a young woman in the 1920’s first journey in America and struggles to adapt/save her sister.  A story I feel is just as relevant almost 90 years later.

For me one of the most amazing moments, in 2014 cinema, came after the movies’ 120 minute runtime had concluded.  For a minute or so nobody moved, not even to light up their cell phone as if it were that first cigarette in many hours, as the only noise to engulf the theater was that of the music from the end credit sequence.  Finally mumbling started about the movie.  The dozen or so strangers seeing the movie with me all seemed to be letting out what I was thinking ‘Wow’.  That is the kind of moment that makes me fall back in love with going to the movies.

On your next cinema outing I highly encourage you to take a break from the popcorn flair to treat yourself to a movie that will last with you longer then the popcorn spilled on the floor at the next superhero flick.

Opening Weekend of the Summer Season!

Welcome to the summer movie season! Over the next few months many major blockbusters will be shot off at the box office like fireworks on the fourth of July.

This first weekend in May marks the release of the first of the said blockbusters: The Amazing Spiderman 2.  What a ride it is as well!  It played beautifully in Imax, hated the 3D but that’s because I hate 3D, and I loved the crowd tonight adding in the experience of the movie.  The cheers and applause, the ‘did you see’ when the easter eggs where revealed, and the collective gasps of breath released when the climax concluded were all part of the experience that I love and will treasure.

Let me diverge and ramble a bit about the original flicks for a second. I throughly enjoyed the first two entries in Sam Raimi’s trilogy and like many fans that I’ve come across I was disappointed with his third entry.  I also throughly enjoyed the first in the new line of spidey flicks.

What I enjoy most this time around is the recasting of the roll.  Andrew Garfield is captures me in his duel roll of Peter Parker and Spiderman in a way Tobey Maguire never did.  Then again Tobey Maguire can’t act is way out of a paper bag to save his life.  The only performance worst then whatever his last movie was is the performance he is currently filming right now.

Anyways back to the topic at hand and that being the summer movie season.  The 2014 summer season is off to a good start, as I witnessed this past evening with friends and strangers alike.  I eagerly await summer big budget remakes (Godzilla), sequels (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Expendables 3, Sin City 2), more superhero flicks (X Men Days of Future Past, Guardians of the Galaxy), the hyped up over caffeinated flicks (Jupiter Ascending), and what ever else comes this way over the next few months.

Blog Birthday

Happy 2nd birthday to my blog!

As of April 2014 I have doing this blog for two years.  There’s been some awesome movies of all sizes.  This includes franchise flicks (Skyfall), foreign movies (The Intouchables), indy films (The Grand Budapest Hotel), and documentaries (The Act of Killing, Searching for Sugarman).  There have also been duds and disappointments like Ironman 3.

Looking back here are my favorite film related events in the past two years.

Found

It’s an indy horror film that truly understands how to use shock value.  Enough said.

The announcement of A new Star Wars trilogy.

Ok this one’s both sides of the coin.  Side 1 the three horrid films that I don’t like to acknowledge were ever made.  Side 2 expanding on three incredible movies and hiring talent like J.J. Abrams is a step in the right direction.

Espionage films

Some great spy thrillers over the last two years have been incredible.  Argo, Zero Dark Thirty, Skyfall to name some and how this genre has crossed with others.  For example crossing espionage films with superhero movies being Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Seth McFarlene as Oscar Host.

He was an unusual and bold choice to host the Oscars and it paid off brilliantly. Yes some of his material out of context can be offensive but back in context it show a lot of confidence to bring William Shatner in to make fun of you.

Skyfall

Anyone surprised that a James Bond movie made the top of the list?  Not only is it the best 007 flick of the Craig era but one of the best in the entire franchise.

Looking to the Stars for Answers

Ever since I was a little kid I was head over heals for science fiction movies.  I was consumed by the epic good vs evil battles while being swept away to other worlds.  Growing up that fact has yet to change.  What has changed is what I have been privileged to view and come to appreciate.  Such movies I have been privileged to view have been Ridley Scott’s Alien, James Cameron’s follow up Aliens while haven found new appreciation for Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. 

So here are a selection (5) of my favorite science fiction movies.

1. Alien/Aliens

Some may consider it cheating to have two films in one spot but when mentioning Alien you can not leave Aliens out of the conversation.  It’s like peanut butter and jelly, you can’t have one without the other.  Both movies routinely keep me on the edge of my seat and cheering as Ripley kicks ass and takes names.

2. Planet of the Apes

Not only my favorite of the genre but one of my favorites period.  The Charlton Heston center piece is everything I want in a movie.  A bit of social commentary, decent story, decent effects for its time, and one hell of an ending.  I still get a lump in my throat each time I see Mr Heston pounding the beaches at the films reveal.

3. The Empire Strike Back

With 5 words the film has the greatest twist in film history.  The second of the original trilogy has some of the greatest battles ever filmed and shows perfectly the battle of good vs. evil.  Skip the prequel trilogy and enjoy Star Wars as it was originally: A science fiction masterpiece.

4. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

One of two films I call perfect movies.  The imagery is stunning and story compelling.  What I particularly love is how there is little to no violence in this movie.  The climax has almost no dialogue yet keeps attention perfectly.

5. Blade Runner the directors cut

Please note the directors cut not the original cut.  This movie benefited greatly from a reedit.  It’s beautifully shot and well crafted with a great story.  Not to mention Harrison Ford is pitch perfect in his role.

HONORABLE MENTIONS: The Matrix, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Moon(2009), John Carpenter’s The Thing, and the original War of the Worlds

The 11th Annual Oscar Party

Prize baskets for the trivia games

March 2 2014 is one for the books.  Though I could be a little biased in saying that, because at the time of this writing it is in fact a short 24 hours later. 

Last night was the

ballots being filled out

academy awards and my 11th consecutive Oscar party.  It was a night many months in the making and more then worth doing the time to create the night.  The time spent in the months leading up to the event were spent assembling prizes, writing and verifying trivia.  As time got closer the invitations were created and sent out.  Ballots were designed and printed.  Baskets themselves were completed and food prepped as the party arrived at warp speed.

Around 7 last night friends and family started gathering for the evening.  Ballots were being filled out as food was being enjoyed.  (The ballots were for the three prediction contests.  Please predict what those contests were).  Prior to Ellen Degeneres taking Oscar stage for the second time games of trivia were happening at my party.  Each trivia game was sealed its own uniquely created envelope.  Individual themed baskets were being handed out to the respective winners.  This would go through the evening as attendees cheered on as their favorites won awards.  

Many hours later, after all the envelopes had given up their contents, the evening concluded with one final game awarded.  Ballots were soon counted and those who had more prizes to claim were notified. 

As I eagerly await next years gathering I will not forget this magical evening in the near or distant future.

Me & a date

The Oscars themselves were also one for the record books.  I was skeptical about Ellen Degeneres returning to host.  A lot of that has to do to with her being a such a safe choice after last years Seth MacFarlene, who I happened to enjoy and was disappointed that he turned the Oscars down this year.  In her role as host Ellen Degeneres commanded the stage creating a fun atmosphere, perfectly complementary to my party.

I wasn’t surprised that Gravity did so well.  After all it is the kind of movie that was made for the technical awards.  

Enjoying the party

12 Years A Slave taking best picture? Yes I thought the movie was very powerful and well crafted but a best picture winner to me has to be well crafted and entertaining, something I can watch over and over again with no reservations.  12 Years A Slave does not meet the latter criteria.  I will watch it again but with much hesitation due to the brutality of it.  That is not meant to deter from the movie that the talented filmmakers crafted.

And the night goes on

So what would I of awarded best picture? Of the three front runners for the award (American Hustle, 12 Years A Slave, Gravity) I would award Gravity.  Of all nine movies (the three previous front runners led the pack that also included Nebraska, The Wolf of Wall Street, Dallas Buyers Club, Philomena, Captain Phillips, and Her) Dallas Buyers Club was clearly the best and robbed of its award.  However Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto winning for their respective performances was two categories well awarded.  In fact all four acting awards were well placed. Actress was awarded to Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine and Lupita Nyong’o was awarded the supporting actress award for 12 Years A Slave.

The one disappointing award for me came in the documentary category.  I enjoyed seeing the winning film 20 Feet From Stardom but felt that last years winner was in the same general vein.  Also The Act of Killing I found to be an incredibly bold & powerful documentary.  I walked out the theater a bit disturbed and a bit more educated, which make for one incredible documentary and movie going experience.

I do enjoy the Oscars and the spirit of the movies they create.  I hope everyone who attended the party enjoyed themselves.