I started looking through my blog the other day and realized I had not given a rating of less than 2.5/5 to any movie I have reviewed. That's when I decided to watch and review Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever, generally considered to be one of the worst movies of the past 15 years. How bad could it be? Well, let's just say that I can now officially say that I have given a movie less than 2.5/5.
This movie is bad. And it's not even funny bad, just plain bad. I'll just get that out there. Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu play spies (or something) that are fighting against each other, but then they team up. That sounds extremely vague but that is because the entire movie is extremely vague. A kid gets kidnapped early on, and a few people are trying to rescue him, and there is a mention of some device to create super spies, but it is all just so jumbled. Even if I did piece all of the plot together, it would still be a paper thin excuse for a story. But hey, it's an action movie right? Story isn't everything in this genre so some great fight sequences could really make up for it!
The fighting is ludicrously bad. Seriously, you would have an easier time believing that they were dancing with each other rather than fighting. Bad guys just wait on Lucy Liu to kick them in the face. The fights are so disjointed it's somewhat hilarious. Lucy Liu will kick someone, wait a few seconds while the guy just STANDS there, and then finish him off. They at least could have sped the film up to make it look better, do something.
Instead, the filmmakers opted to go with the opposite approach: the ULTRA SLOW MOTION approach. The movie has a run time of 91 minutes. If there were no slow motion, it might last 45. EVERYTHING is in slow motion. Just about every time a person runs, it's in slow motion. Any explosion, yeah that's most definitely in slow motion. Some guy walks into a room? Yep, slow motion there too. Antonio Banderas turning around to talk to someone? Why of course that requires slow motion! It's more epic that way. You can tell that the movie is trying so desperately hard to copy The Matrix, yet it fails utterly, time and time again.
The editing in this movie is just obscene. If you can competently follow any of the action on screen, I give you major props. Things just come out of no where and happen for no reason! Cars and people just appear during fight scenes. There's a motorcycle chase scene that will leave you baffled as to what you just witnessed. At one point Lucy Liu is driving a car, and Antonio Banderas shoots out her tire, causing her to immediately crash into a car that was one inch in front of her. Why did he need to shoot out the tire if the car was going to crash anyway? There's one scene where Lucy Liu inexplicably wastes dozens of police officers, one of which is killed by a tire flying into his face. Where the tire comes from? No one can be certain, in fact I don't think that even director KAOS knows. Yeah, that's right, the movie is directed by a guy who calls himself KAOS. As soon as this came on screen, I knew that I was going to have to struggle through it. I'll give him credit, the man has a distinct style. I've never seen more fade in/fade out transitions in any other movie, ever.
The production value is just generally awful, especially for a film that came out in 2002. FBI badges look like they were created on Microsoft Word and thrown into a wallet. A guy uses a tape recorder that looks suspiciously like a Yak Bak. The score sounds like it was mixed for a Nintendo 64 game. Actually, that would be a disservice to most Nintendo 64 games. Every piece of music that comes on is laughable, and does not go with anything on screen.
This movie tries so desperately hard to be cool. I think that watching your grandmother play bridge for 90 minutes would be way more cool than this waste of time. Every character has a distinct SERIOUS ACTING FACE during the entire movie. The characters take themselves so seriously, which makes you wonder if anyone even watched the dailies on this movie. If you're Banderas, generally considered to be a competent actor, and you're watching yourself in this crap fest, how do you not say anything? Then again he looks like he isn't even trying for most the movie, so maybe he just didn't care. With that being said, he was by far the best acting performance in the movie. Lucy Liu is beyond wooden, and every other character is worse than her.
Please do yourself a favor and don't see Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever. If you go forever without seeing it, your life will be enriched. Every single person involved with this film should be ashamed. I'm ashamed for having seen it.
1/5
Monday, August 27, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
The Top 5 films of Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger is the greatest action hero of all time. He blends a perfect mix of intimidating presence and charisma, all the while not taking himself too seriously. Stallone, Willis, Gibson, Cruise, and many others have some great action movies, yet Arnold has always stuck out to me as the best. Seriously, does any other actor have even close to the amount of classic one liners as Ah-nuld? One of his more famous is the title of this blog, and the movie it comes from has at least a few more great lines that might be better. While there are certainly MUCH better actors out there, Arnold is king of action films. Here are his top 5:
NOTE: All clips may contain NSFW violence or language
1. The Terminator/Terminator 2: Judgment Day/ Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Arnold is perfect for the role of The Terminator. His strong suit has never been subtleties, so why not have him play an emotionless killing machine (literally)? Each of these three films are sci-fi action classics. The first two, both directed by James Cameron, were groundbreaking for their special effects. T2 still looks great to this day, 20 years later. The action is non-stop, and Schwarzenegger is in the middle of all of it. Many are put off by T3, but I strongly disagree. It is a tight action film, with a frantic pace that never quits. Yes the entire series is riddled with plot holes, but who cares? It's best to enjoy it for what it is. The series tried to go on with Arnold (minus his digital cameo) in Terminator: Salvation, but despite a competent director, a huge budget, and a bankable star (Christian Bale), this film was only so-so, and served to prove that Arnie makes the series. Even at his age, I would love to see him reprise his role in a 5th film. I understand it is a cheat to lump these three together, but they would be 1, 2 and 3 on this list, so this at least affords me the opportunity to mention some of his other greats.
Best lines:
"I'll be back."
"Hasta la vista, baby."
"Talk to the hand."
"He'll live."
"I know now why you cry. But it's something I can never do"
2. Predator
You know that you are in for a great movie when within the first ten minutes you get an extreme close up of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers flexing their biceps. Predator is the original action sci-fi masterpiece that has spawned many sequels, spin-offs and video games. Arnold leads a band of soldiers in the Central American jungle as they are picked off one by one by an alien who has come to earth to hunt man. This film has a great cast of characters that includes two future governors (Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse "The Body" Ventura"), and Apollo Creed. Schwarzenegger's Dutch is a super-ripped super-soldier, and the only match for the Predator. The final showdown between Arnie and the Predator is an extremely satisfying pay-off for the rest of the film building to it. It's not often that Arnold faces an adversary more physically daunting than himself, but Predator does so, and the result is one of the greatest action films ever made.
Best lines:
"If it bleeds, we can kill it."
"You are one... ugly... m***********!"
And without further adieu... "GET TO DA CHOPPAA!!!!"
3. True Lies
Director James Cameron knows how to utilize Arnold's comedic and physical talents, and they really shine in True Lies. This film is about a bored housewife (Jamie Lee Curtis) who finds out that her seemingly mundane husband (Arnie) is actually a highly trained spy. Bill Paxton plays a sleazy car salesman who tries to seduce Curtis, and Arnold's revenge against him is absolutely hilarious. This movie never takes itself too seriously, and is full of one liners and action cliches. Arnold really has fun with this one, with some completely over the top action scenes that only he could pull off as believable. Well, maybe only believable for me. Schwarzenegger could definitely wreak havoc with a harrier jet, right?
Best lines:
"Helen Tasker: Have you ever killed anyone?
Harry: Yeah, but they were all bad."
"Cool off."
4. Total Recall
This is the original film to 2012's remake starring Colin Farrell, and while I have not seen that film, I can only guess that it suffers from some major lack of Arnold. Yet another sci-fi action flick, Total Recall is a mind bender that has Arnold searching for his true identity on a futuristic Mars. There are some great science fiction elements in the story, and the film was based off of a story by Philip K. Dick (who is also credited with providing the stories for Blade Runner and Minority Report, among others). The action is ultra-violent, narrowly escaping the dreaded NC-17 rating from the MPAA. Arnie does his thing in this one, creating another worthy Schwarzenegger action ride.
Best lines:
"Consider that a divorce"
"Relax. You'll live longer."
5. Commando
Before watching Commando, you have to ask yourself the following question: Do I take my action movies too seriously? If the answer is yes, don't watch Commando. But if the answer is a no, enjoy Commando with absolutely no shame. Here's how the IMDb plot summary reads:
A retired elite Black Ops Commando launches a one man war against a group of South American criminals who have kidnapped his daughter to blackmail him into starting a revolution and getting an exiled dictator back into power.
That sounds great, but honestly it could be condensed into one sentence: ARNOLD KILLS BAD GUYS. His character's name is John Matrix, how could he not be awesome? One of Arnold's earlier films, Commando is light on competent acting and story, and heavy on Arnold being a one man army. The scene below will perfectly describe what I mean. Arnold's total body count is 81, according to moviebodycounts.com, 74 of which are in the last scene.
Best lines:
"Let off some steam, Bennett"
"I eat Green Berets for breakfast. And right now, I'm very hungry!"
"Don't disturb my friend, he's dead tired"
NOTE: All clips may contain NSFW violence or language
1. The Terminator/Terminator 2: Judgment Day/ Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Arnold is perfect for the role of The Terminator. His strong suit has never been subtleties, so why not have him play an emotionless killing machine (literally)? Each of these three films are sci-fi action classics. The first two, both directed by James Cameron, were groundbreaking for their special effects. T2 still looks great to this day, 20 years later. The action is non-stop, and Schwarzenegger is in the middle of all of it. Many are put off by T3, but I strongly disagree. It is a tight action film, with a frantic pace that never quits. Yes the entire series is riddled with plot holes, but who cares? It's best to enjoy it for what it is. The series tried to go on with Arnold (minus his digital cameo) in Terminator: Salvation, but despite a competent director, a huge budget, and a bankable star (Christian Bale), this film was only so-so, and served to prove that Arnie makes the series. Even at his age, I would love to see him reprise his role in a 5th film. I understand it is a cheat to lump these three together, but they would be 1, 2 and 3 on this list, so this at least affords me the opportunity to mention some of his other greats.
Best lines:
"I'll be back."
"Hasta la vista, baby."
"Talk to the hand."
"He'll live."
"I know now why you cry. But it's something I can never do"
2. Predator
You know that you are in for a great movie when within the first ten minutes you get an extreme close up of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers flexing their biceps. Predator is the original action sci-fi masterpiece that has spawned many sequels, spin-offs and video games. Arnold leads a band of soldiers in the Central American jungle as they are picked off one by one by an alien who has come to earth to hunt man. This film has a great cast of characters that includes two future governors (Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse "The Body" Ventura"), and Apollo Creed. Schwarzenegger's Dutch is a super-ripped super-soldier, and the only match for the Predator. The final showdown between Arnie and the Predator is an extremely satisfying pay-off for the rest of the film building to it. It's not often that Arnold faces an adversary more physically daunting than himself, but Predator does so, and the result is one of the greatest action films ever made.
Best lines:
"If it bleeds, we can kill it."
"You are one... ugly... m***********!"
And without further adieu... "GET TO DA CHOPPAA!!!!"
3. True Lies
Director James Cameron knows how to utilize Arnold's comedic and physical talents, and they really shine in True Lies. This film is about a bored housewife (Jamie Lee Curtis) who finds out that her seemingly mundane husband (Arnie) is actually a highly trained spy. Bill Paxton plays a sleazy car salesman who tries to seduce Curtis, and Arnold's revenge against him is absolutely hilarious. This movie never takes itself too seriously, and is full of one liners and action cliches. Arnold really has fun with this one, with some completely over the top action scenes that only he could pull off as believable. Well, maybe only believable for me. Schwarzenegger could definitely wreak havoc with a harrier jet, right?
Best lines:
"Helen Tasker: Have you ever killed anyone?
Harry: Yeah, but they were all bad."
"Cool off."
4. Total Recall
This is the original film to 2012's remake starring Colin Farrell, and while I have not seen that film, I can only guess that it suffers from some major lack of Arnold. Yet another sci-fi action flick, Total Recall is a mind bender that has Arnold searching for his true identity on a futuristic Mars. There are some great science fiction elements in the story, and the film was based off of a story by Philip K. Dick (who is also credited with providing the stories for Blade Runner and Minority Report, among others). The action is ultra-violent, narrowly escaping the dreaded NC-17 rating from the MPAA. Arnie does his thing in this one, creating another worthy Schwarzenegger action ride.
Best lines:
"Consider that a divorce"
"Relax. You'll live longer."
5. Commando
Before watching Commando, you have to ask yourself the following question: Do I take my action movies too seriously? If the answer is yes, don't watch Commando. But if the answer is a no, enjoy Commando with absolutely no shame. Here's how the IMDb plot summary reads:
A retired elite Black Ops Commando launches a one man war against a group of South American criminals who have kidnapped his daughter to blackmail him into starting a revolution and getting an exiled dictator back into power.
That sounds great, but honestly it could be condensed into one sentence: ARNOLD KILLS BAD GUYS. His character's name is John Matrix, how could he not be awesome? One of Arnold's earlier films, Commando is light on competent acting and story, and heavy on Arnold being a one man army. The scene below will perfectly describe what I mean. Arnold's total body count is 81, according to moviebodycounts.com, 74 of which are in the last scene.
Best lines:
"Let off some steam, Bennett"
"I eat Green Berets for breakfast. And right now, I'm very hungry!"
"Don't disturb my friend, he's dead tired"
Saturday, August 18, 2012
The King's Speech
The King's Speech won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2010, and after finally having seen it, I will say that it was a worthy winner. I think that I like Inception as the year's best, but that being said, The King's Speech was very good. The performances are top notch, the cinematography has a distinct style, and the essence of the era is captured wonderfully. I thoroughly enjoyed this film, from start to finish.
Colin Firth plays unassuming King George VI, who has a great heart but is crippled by a speech impediment. Bertie (as he is known to his friends), tries to fix his problem by going to speech therapists, but none have been working. His wife (Helena Bonham Carter, NOT in a Tim Burton movie!) enlists the help of Lionel Logue (an exemplary performance by Geoffrey Rush) as a desperate measure to help the future King. After being thrust into the throne, it becomes more pressing that Bertie be able to speak well, or lose the trust of a nation on the brink of world war.
Rush and Firth shine in their scenes together. You wouldn't expect this film to be a buddy movie, but it sure plays that way. It's an interesting dynamic to watch Rush, the common man, treat royalty just like he would anyone else in order to treat him. Royalty are seen as these larger than life beings, and Firth does a fantastic job of playing one who tries to keep that persona, yet can't help but develop a great friendship with Rush's character. Lionel slowly wears Bertie down and builds him back up into a man that can lead. Lionel knows that underneath Bertie there is greatness, yet it just cannot be expressed properly.
The advent of radio and television has made public speaking such an important job for politicians and leaders. Our culture values those who are personable, easy to talk to, and can be related to, even if they are not much substance. It's a shame that introverts might be overlooked because they simply do not interact well. This is exactly what Bertie is faced with. He is a great man with honor, loves his family well, and wants to represent his country well, yet he is seen as a joke because he stammers. His determination to be a capable public speaker is inspiring, making the King's journey one to be invested in.
I was shocked to find out that this movie was rated R. The MPAA is so random with the rating system. Austin Powers in Goldmember, a PG-13 movie, is about a million times more offensive than The King's Speech. There are two scenes where Bertie swears quite a few times in a short time span, and that is the only remotely offensive conduct in the film. Only because a handful of the swears are the "f-word" does it garner the R rating. Somewhere along the line someone made up the standard that if a PG-13 film could get away with one "f-word", and any more than that would bump it up to an R, no matter how the rest of the movie is. If choosing to let someone under the age of 17 (the supposed age you must be to watch this film) watch The King's Speech or Goldmember, I would choose The King's Speech a hundred times out of a hundred. The rating system honestly is a joke.
The English royal family has always been a mystery to me. It's purpose in today's world eludes me. Yet The King's Speech is a film that portrays the importance of the Royal family to the country, and what an honor it is to represent the United Kingdom in that manner. The film does this by humanizing King George, and I genuinely cared about he and Lionel's friendship. The fact that this film is based off of true events is just icing on the cake to what will be remembered as a classic.
4/5
(Side note: I'm glad that the filmmakers decided to treat a speech impediment as something that needs to be treated with more than just a harsh word and a couple of slaps in the face, the good ol' John Wayne way)
Colin Firth plays unassuming King George VI, who has a great heart but is crippled by a speech impediment. Bertie (as he is known to his friends), tries to fix his problem by going to speech therapists, but none have been working. His wife (Helena Bonham Carter, NOT in a Tim Burton movie!) enlists the help of Lionel Logue (an exemplary performance by Geoffrey Rush) as a desperate measure to help the future King. After being thrust into the throne, it becomes more pressing that Bertie be able to speak well, or lose the trust of a nation on the brink of world war.
Rush and Firth shine in their scenes together. You wouldn't expect this film to be a buddy movie, but it sure plays that way. It's an interesting dynamic to watch Rush, the common man, treat royalty just like he would anyone else in order to treat him. Royalty are seen as these larger than life beings, and Firth does a fantastic job of playing one who tries to keep that persona, yet can't help but develop a great friendship with Rush's character. Lionel slowly wears Bertie down and builds him back up into a man that can lead. Lionel knows that underneath Bertie there is greatness, yet it just cannot be expressed properly.
The advent of radio and television has made public speaking such an important job for politicians and leaders. Our culture values those who are personable, easy to talk to, and can be related to, even if they are not much substance. It's a shame that introverts might be overlooked because they simply do not interact well. This is exactly what Bertie is faced with. He is a great man with honor, loves his family well, and wants to represent his country well, yet he is seen as a joke because he stammers. His determination to be a capable public speaker is inspiring, making the King's journey one to be invested in.
I was shocked to find out that this movie was rated R. The MPAA is so random with the rating system. Austin Powers in Goldmember, a PG-13 movie, is about a million times more offensive than The King's Speech. There are two scenes where Bertie swears quite a few times in a short time span, and that is the only remotely offensive conduct in the film. Only because a handful of the swears are the "f-word" does it garner the R rating. Somewhere along the line someone made up the standard that if a PG-13 film could get away with one "f-word", and any more than that would bump it up to an R, no matter how the rest of the movie is. If choosing to let someone under the age of 17 (the supposed age you must be to watch this film) watch The King's Speech or Goldmember, I would choose The King's Speech a hundred times out of a hundred. The rating system honestly is a joke.
The English royal family has always been a mystery to me. It's purpose in today's world eludes me. Yet The King's Speech is a film that portrays the importance of the Royal family to the country, and what an honor it is to represent the United Kingdom in that manner. The film does this by humanizing King George, and I genuinely cared about he and Lionel's friendship. The fact that this film is based off of true events is just icing on the cake to what will be remembered as a classic.
4/5
(Side note: I'm glad that the filmmakers decided to treat a speech impediment as something that needs to be treated with more than just a harsh word and a couple of slaps in the face, the good ol' John Wayne way)
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Critically Underrated Comedies
Critics are wrong... A lot. Comedy movies especially seem to be hit and miss on critical competence. Movies are very subjective with elements of objectivity, but comedies are even more so. Sometimes a comedy will just hit you the right way, and despite how dumb it is, you will love it. Here are several comedies that critics seem to hate, but I think are great:
1. Nacho Libre
Rotten Tomatoes says: 40% fresh. "At times hilarious, but other times offensive, Director Jared Hess is unable to recapture the collective charisma of his Napoleon characters, instead relying on a one-joke concept that runs out of steam. Sure to entertain the adolescents, however."
This has to be one of the greatest critical misses of all time. Nacho Libre is outstanding. It is laughs from beginning to end. The whole movie is played straight by the amazing Jack Black. There are no "jokes" per se, just Black's horrible Spanish accent and ridiculous hair. Like half the laughs come from his accent and facial expressions. An impressive comedic scene is Black's first scene with his love interest, Encarnacion. His facial expressions are so wildly varied during such a short period of time, it's amazing. This movie is so quotable, but it must be done in a mimic of Black's horrible accent. It's a shame this movie bombed, Jared Hess made Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, and then fell back into obscurity. Both of these were absolute gold, and I would love to see more Jared Hess comedies.
2. The Cable Guy
Rotten Tomatoes says: 54% fresh
The Cable Guy is an often overlooked gem in Jim Carrey's catalog. Directed by Ben Stiller and co-starring Matthew Broderick, The Cable Guy put many people off because of its darker tone, especially in comparison with Carrey's previous efforts. But if you can accept the darker tone, you will find a riot. The basketball scene is one of, if not the, funniest scenes in movie history. I will never forget watching it for the first time on HBO with my Dad. We both looked like we were having simultaneous heart attacks we were laughing so hard and so irreverently. Just take a look below, and you'll see what I mean.
3. Blue Streak
Rotten Tomatoes says: 36% fresh. "Martin Lawrence lends his comedic touch, but the movie isn't much more than standard action-comedy fare."
Martin Lawrence is one of the most hit and miss comedic actors out there. At times he can be downright hilarious, at other times he can be offensively unfunny. Blue Streak is one of those times when he is hilarious. Luke Wilson plays the straight man, and Lawrence is a jewel thief posing as a cop. The premise is utterly absurd, but Lawrence makes it great. His "tactics" that he teaches to Wilson about being a police officer are hilarious, especially his driving skills. While Blue Streak is nothing that will set the world on fire, it is definitely a funny and worthy of a viewing if you are looking to turn your brain off for some laughs.
4. Last Action Hero
Rotten Tomatoes says: 38% fresh
I've never understood the hate for Last Action Hero. Most people consider it to be one of Arnold's worst films (which is absurd, these people have obviously never seen Collateral Damage, which was a turd). The movie is basically Arnold making fun of himself and the action movies that made him a star. Yes, the kid is a bit annoying, but so was Edward Furlong in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, an unquestioned classic. There are many great jokes poking fun of the action genre. When Arnold goes into the real world and he punches out a windshield and exclaims, "Wow, that actually hurt!" is a particularly great gag. At another point he falls into a tar pit, and wipes himself clean in 10 seconds with a Kleenex. Everything is extremely over the top and played for satire. If you are a fan of Arnold (the greatest action star of all time) at all, Last Action Hero is highly recommended.
5. Malibu's Most Wanted
Rotten Tomatoes says: 30% fresh. "There are some laughs, but not enough to sustain the running time."
This one definitely surprised me. Jamie Kennedy acting "gangster" for 80 minutes definitely didn't sound like I was in for many laughs. But surprisingly, the ruse works. Taye Diggs and Anthony Anderson are especially hilarious as the actors portraying thugs. Kennedy plays the son of a politician who has lived in privilege his whole life, yet longs to roll with the gangsta's. When he is confronted with the real streets, the results are entirely absurd and often hilarious. The part where he goes crazy in an actual gangland shooting is one of the best scenes of the film.
1. Nacho Libre
Rotten Tomatoes says: 40% fresh. "At times hilarious, but other times offensive, Director Jared Hess is unable to recapture the collective charisma of his Napoleon characters, instead relying on a one-joke concept that runs out of steam. Sure to entertain the adolescents, however."
This has to be one of the greatest critical misses of all time. Nacho Libre is outstanding. It is laughs from beginning to end. The whole movie is played straight by the amazing Jack Black. There are no "jokes" per se, just Black's horrible Spanish accent and ridiculous hair. Like half the laughs come from his accent and facial expressions. An impressive comedic scene is Black's first scene with his love interest, Encarnacion. His facial expressions are so wildly varied during such a short period of time, it's amazing. This movie is so quotable, but it must be done in a mimic of Black's horrible accent. It's a shame this movie bombed, Jared Hess made Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, and then fell back into obscurity. Both of these were absolute gold, and I would love to see more Jared Hess comedies.
2. The Cable Guy
Rotten Tomatoes says: 54% fresh
The Cable Guy is an often overlooked gem in Jim Carrey's catalog. Directed by Ben Stiller and co-starring Matthew Broderick, The Cable Guy put many people off because of its darker tone, especially in comparison with Carrey's previous efforts. But if you can accept the darker tone, you will find a riot. The basketball scene is one of, if not the, funniest scenes in movie history. I will never forget watching it for the first time on HBO with my Dad. We both looked like we were having simultaneous heart attacks we were laughing so hard and so irreverently. Just take a look below, and you'll see what I mean.
3. Blue Streak
Rotten Tomatoes says: 36% fresh. "Martin Lawrence lends his comedic touch, but the movie isn't much more than standard action-comedy fare."
Martin Lawrence is one of the most hit and miss comedic actors out there. At times he can be downright hilarious, at other times he can be offensively unfunny. Blue Streak is one of those times when he is hilarious. Luke Wilson plays the straight man, and Lawrence is a jewel thief posing as a cop. The premise is utterly absurd, but Lawrence makes it great. His "tactics" that he teaches to Wilson about being a police officer are hilarious, especially his driving skills. While Blue Streak is nothing that will set the world on fire, it is definitely a funny and worthy of a viewing if you are looking to turn your brain off for some laughs.
4. Last Action Hero
Rotten Tomatoes says: 38% fresh
I've never understood the hate for Last Action Hero. Most people consider it to be one of Arnold's worst films (which is absurd, these people have obviously never seen Collateral Damage, which was a turd). The movie is basically Arnold making fun of himself and the action movies that made him a star. Yes, the kid is a bit annoying, but so was Edward Furlong in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, an unquestioned classic. There are many great jokes poking fun of the action genre. When Arnold goes into the real world and he punches out a windshield and exclaims, "Wow, that actually hurt!" is a particularly great gag. At another point he falls into a tar pit, and wipes himself clean in 10 seconds with a Kleenex. Everything is extremely over the top and played for satire. If you are a fan of Arnold (the greatest action star of all time) at all, Last Action Hero is highly recommended.
5. Malibu's Most Wanted
Rotten Tomatoes says: 30% fresh. "There are some laughs, but not enough to sustain the running time."
This one definitely surprised me. Jamie Kennedy acting "gangster" for 80 minutes definitely didn't sound like I was in for many laughs. But surprisingly, the ruse works. Taye Diggs and Anthony Anderson are especially hilarious as the actors portraying thugs. Kennedy plays the son of a politician who has lived in privilege his whole life, yet longs to roll with the gangsta's. When he is confronted with the real streets, the results are entirely absurd and often hilarious. The part where he goes crazy in an actual gangland shooting is one of the best scenes of the film.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
The Bourne Legacy
I thought that The Bourne Legacy was a great idea. Obviously great idea number one would have been to bring back the team of director Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon from The Bourne Ultimatum. But bringing in the screenwriter from the first 3 films to direct and casting Jeremy Renner as the hero was a good plan B. Renner has slowly begun the process of becoming a bankable leading man. He broke through with an excellent Oscar nominated performance in The Hurt Locker, and has since had several great supporting turns in The Town, Mission Imposible: Ghost Protocol, and The Avengers. Now he has been given the keys to one of the most bankable action franchises as its new star, and the result of his first iteration is a worthy follow up to the Matt Damon predecessors.
The Bourne Legacy somewhat picks back up after the events of Ultimatum. Jason Bourne has exposed "the program", the government program that trains ruthless super spies, and the shadowy government leaders that run it are doing their best to cover their tracks. Legacy sets forth that Jason Bourne was merely the tip of the iceberg; that there are many other genetically enhanced superhuman spies out there. Jeremy Renner's Aaron Cross is one of these. Once Bourne exposes the government program that created these men, they quickly decide to erase every trace it existed, which includes Cross. Now Cross is on the run, getting help from a program doctor, Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz). Legacy unfolds like a chase film, very much in the style of the previous installments.
Jason Bourne is mentioned in passing almost throughout the entire film. I understood that Matt Damon was not going to be in this movie, and it was probably a smart move to not straight up replace him, like the James Bond franchise has done so successfully. Keeping Damon as Bourne leaves the possibility that he may come back to reprise his role in future installments, something I'm sure the studio is frothing at the mouth over. But it certainly feels like a tease to have the hero we have become attached to mentioned so much and have him not even make at the very least a cameo . Here's to hoping they can convince Damon to come back for a fifth installment alongside Renner, something that has huge potential.
Renner's Cross is great as the lead. He plays the role totally different than Damon did, which was to his benefit. Cross just has more personality than Bourne did. Bourne was a tortured soul, painfully robotic from the training he had been given in the program. Cross actually seems like a real person. He jokes, he's interested in people, and oozes charisma. This definitely works when he meets up with Shearing, the doctor helping him on the run. Renner and Weisz work very well together, and their scenes together are the highlight of the film.
The thing the Bourne series is known for is its frenetic action and chases, and Legacy does not disappoint. There are some great action scenes, including an incredible chase in the last 30 minutes. The action doesn't seem all that new, but that is because every action movie made in the past 8 years or so has taken influence from the Bourne series. Bourne pretty much single handedly caused MGM to retool the James Bond franchise to what it is today. So it's not Legacy's fault that the action scenes seem familiar, simply for the fact that the series has been extremely influential. Despite the familiarity, there it still plenty to see and love, and Renner is awesome throughout.
I will say that the pacing of Legacy was a bit off. The end is very abrupt. The main "bad guy" is introduced in the last 30 minutes and has no real explanation at all. Things happen and then all the sudden the movie is over. Endings should be given weight by how they have been led up to in the previous two acts, and it just didn't seem like what was happening should have ended the film. There are definitely exceptions to this rule (Pulp Fiction is a good example where it doesn't happen this way), but it usually behooves action movies to follow this pattern.
As far as seeing the first installments before this one, I wouldn't say that it's absolutely necessary, but if you want to be up on every intricacy of the plot, you should probably watch them first. I've seen all the Damon Bourne's multiple times, but not for a while, and I have to say I was a bit lost on a few of the references the characters make. I felt like this was a problem for Legacy. In an action chase film, there's no reason to be overly confusing in plot points. I guess a recent re-watch of Ultimatum would have helped, but this essentially being a new story to the franchise, prior viewings should not be required.
The rest of the cast is good to excellent, including Edward Norton. I don't understand why Norton has been relegated to supporting cast duties after the brilliant string of amazing performances he pulled off in the 90's (Primal Fear, Fight Club, and American History X to name a few), but I still liked him. The Bourne Legacy works as a great action film and a worthy installment of the Bourne franchise, and is certainly worth a trip to the theater.
3.5/5
The Bourne Legacy somewhat picks back up after the events of Ultimatum. Jason Bourne has exposed "the program", the government program that trains ruthless super spies, and the shadowy government leaders that run it are doing their best to cover their tracks. Legacy sets forth that Jason Bourne was merely the tip of the iceberg; that there are many other genetically enhanced superhuman spies out there. Jeremy Renner's Aaron Cross is one of these. Once Bourne exposes the government program that created these men, they quickly decide to erase every trace it existed, which includes Cross. Now Cross is on the run, getting help from a program doctor, Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz). Legacy unfolds like a chase film, very much in the style of the previous installments.
Jason Bourne is mentioned in passing almost throughout the entire film. I understood that Matt Damon was not going to be in this movie, and it was probably a smart move to not straight up replace him, like the James Bond franchise has done so successfully. Keeping Damon as Bourne leaves the possibility that he may come back to reprise his role in future installments, something I'm sure the studio is frothing at the mouth over. But it certainly feels like a tease to have the hero we have become attached to mentioned so much and have him not even make at the very least a cameo . Here's to hoping they can convince Damon to come back for a fifth installment alongside Renner, something that has huge potential.
Renner's Cross is great as the lead. He plays the role totally different than Damon did, which was to his benefit. Cross just has more personality than Bourne did. Bourne was a tortured soul, painfully robotic from the training he had been given in the program. Cross actually seems like a real person. He jokes, he's interested in people, and oozes charisma. This definitely works when he meets up with Shearing, the doctor helping him on the run. Renner and Weisz work very well together, and their scenes together are the highlight of the film.
The thing the Bourne series is known for is its frenetic action and chases, and Legacy does not disappoint. There are some great action scenes, including an incredible chase in the last 30 minutes. The action doesn't seem all that new, but that is because every action movie made in the past 8 years or so has taken influence from the Bourne series. Bourne pretty much single handedly caused MGM to retool the James Bond franchise to what it is today. So it's not Legacy's fault that the action scenes seem familiar, simply for the fact that the series has been extremely influential. Despite the familiarity, there it still plenty to see and love, and Renner is awesome throughout.
I will say that the pacing of Legacy was a bit off. The end is very abrupt. The main "bad guy" is introduced in the last 30 minutes and has no real explanation at all. Things happen and then all the sudden the movie is over. Endings should be given weight by how they have been led up to in the previous two acts, and it just didn't seem like what was happening should have ended the film. There are definitely exceptions to this rule (Pulp Fiction is a good example where it doesn't happen this way), but it usually behooves action movies to follow this pattern.
As far as seeing the first installments before this one, I wouldn't say that it's absolutely necessary, but if you want to be up on every intricacy of the plot, you should probably watch them first. I've seen all the Damon Bourne's multiple times, but not for a while, and I have to say I was a bit lost on a few of the references the characters make. I felt like this was a problem for Legacy. In an action chase film, there's no reason to be overly confusing in plot points. I guess a recent re-watch of Ultimatum would have helped, but this essentially being a new story to the franchise, prior viewings should not be required.
The rest of the cast is good to excellent, including Edward Norton. I don't understand why Norton has been relegated to supporting cast duties after the brilliant string of amazing performances he pulled off in the 90's (Primal Fear, Fight Club, and American History X to name a few), but I still liked him. The Bourne Legacy works as a great action film and a worthy installment of the Bourne franchise, and is certainly worth a trip to the theater.
3.5/5
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Top 10
DISCLAIMER: This list will be entirely flawed. A top 10 movie list is almost an impossible task for me. To rank my ten favorite movies and be satisfied with the result just not going to happen. To pick 10 favorite movies from over 100 years of cinema and across so many genres is going to be a dubious process, at best. This list would look totally different at different times in my life and will probably look totally different in a year. But there is something undeniably fun about the nostalgic process of ranking ten movies and reliving the first time I saw it.
I'm going to stick with one movie per franchise. I'm also going to play "desert island" style, meaning that this is a list of ten movies I would take with me on a deserted island to have for eternity. This list sucks already.
10. Dumb and Dumber
If there were an award given for "most times having seen Dumb and Dumber", I might win it. There was a point in my life where I literally watched the movie every day. I had the first thirty minutes practically memorized. And yet, I can still sit down and laugh my head off to this movie if you put it in front of me right now. That's how funny it is. Jim Carrey had a ridiculous string of movies in the 90's: Liar, Liar, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, The Cable Guy. These are all super funny, yet don't match up to the greatness that is Dumb and Dumber. Quoting this movie has become a part of my every day life. Sometimes I even forget I'm quoting the movie, it's just how I speak. Watching this movie with my Dad has produced some uproarious laughter, many, many times. I expect it to do the same many more times in the future.
Best line: "We got no food, we got no jobs... Our pets HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!!"- Lloyd Christmas
9. Minority Report
An often overlooked Steven Spielberg sci-fi film, Minority Report is brilliant. The concept of "pre-crime", the notion that futuristic beings can stop a murder before it happens is intriguing. When does the crime happen? Is it at the intent in the person's mind or the act itself? Tom Cruise continues to prove that he's one of the greatest actors out there, and Colin Farrell gives the performance of his career. Spielberg has a lot of great movies, and Raiders of the Lost Ark is probably his best, but in this desert island scenario, give me Minority Report.
Best line: "Everybody runs."- John Anderton
8. The Dark Knight Rises
What a tough call. Picking one of the three Christopher Nolan directed Batman movies was a chore. Batman Begins excelled in telling Batman's origin and blew my mind by making Batman seem real. The Dark Knight created probably the greatest villain of all time in the Joker. But The Dark Knight Rises takes the spot for me. I've already written about why it is so great, but for me it combines what makes the first two work so well (a focus on Bruce Wayne/Batman and a compelling villain), and ups the stakes. Bane's voice alone gives me chills just thinking about it.
Best line: "You merely adopted the darkness. I was born in it. Molded by it. By the time I saw the light I was already a man!" - Bane
7. Fight Club
Fight Club epitomizes high school for me. I realize that it is an extremely dark and violent movie to define a part of my life, but I was in love with this movie in high school. I watched it over and over. I read the book, and then read every book I could find by the author, Chuck Palahniuk. I thought that I would eventually "age out" of it, but Fight Club has stuck with me. There are so many interesting philosophies that stem from it. The film points out the problem with mankind: that we are trying to fill ourselves up with things that don't fulfill. The main character has tried, and failed. Tyler Durden, played amazingly by Brad Pitt, flips this on its head and tells him that materials and "comforts" don't matter, and don't make you happy. He's right, but he doesn't point out the solution, that we have a wonderful Savior who offers a solution to the emptiness by having a personal relationship with Him. Brad Pitt and Edward Norton are super cool, the ending will blow your mind the first time, and part of you will want to go out and start a fight.
Best line: "The things you own end up owning you" -Tyler Durden
6. Back to the Future
As a kid, my parents bought the Back to the Future VHS at McDonald's when there still was such a thing as VHS tapes, and I absolutely wore it out. Back to the Future is one of those effortless movies that will get you to watch it on TV, no matter where you catch it or how recently you've seen it. Hilarious and as 80's as can be, this movie is just plain fun. I don't think I know how else to describe it. Crispin Glover, Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Lea Thompson are all great, with Lloyd as the Doc especially shining. Plus this movie gave us Huey Lewis and the News', "The Power of Love", an all-time 80's classic song.
Best line: "1.21 gigawatts! 1.21 gigawatts. Great Scott!" -Doc Brown
5. Gladiator
Gladiator was my first R-rated movie theater experience. I will never forget watching that first scene with my Dad. Maximus leading the Romans against the Barbarian army into a gory battle. Gladiator's story of redemption is such a compelling tale. Joaquin Phoenix gives an amazing performance as the bad guy, the wrongful Emperor Commodus. The action is superb, the acting is great, and ancient Rome is beautifully portrayed, even if it is with early 2000's era special effects. The first time that Commodus sees Maximus alive in the arena is one of the great confrontations in movie history. The ending made me cry as an 11 year old, and I still tear up today.
Best line: " My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next"- Maximus
4. It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life is a Christmas tradition in the Marshall household. I've probably seen it at least once every year for my entire life. There is a reason why NBC chooses to show an almost 70 year old film every year at Christmas-time. Frank Capra takes George Bailey from his lowest depths to his highest high, taking the audience along with him. The message that your influence and relationships define you as a person,and not your accomplishments or wealth, rings even more true today than it did in 1946. Another movie that makes me tear up every time, and if you at least don't get emotional from the ending, you might need to be analyzed by a psychotherapist.
Best line: "To my brother George... The richest man in town!"- Harry Bailey
3. The Matrix
Science Fiction at its absolute best. It seems to me like the impact of The Matrix has been somewhat lessened because of its ridiculous cultural impact; "bullet time" is used in almost every action movie nowadays. But The Matrix blew everyone's minds in 1999, and continues to do so for each new viewer today. The special effects still hold up today, as do the action scenes. Yes, the sequels were not near as good, but the original was the pinnacle of science fiction greatness: a mind-bending plot, great effects, memorable characters, and amazing action. Laurence Fishburne is so great as Morpheus, I feel like everything he says is insightful. The first showdown between Neo and Morpheus while in the Matrix is one of my favorite fights ever.
Best line: "Neo, sooner or later you're going to realize just as I did that there's a difference between knowing the path and walking the path."- Morpheus
2. The Empire Strikes Back
This is absolutely the best Star Wars film. Everything just seems to work. The first amazing battle on Hoth. Han and Leia's budding romance. Luke's Jedi training on Dagobah. Plus the final showdown between Darth Vader and Luke is one of the greatest scenes in movie history. This movie is the darkest of the three, and it really works. Star Wars (A New Hope) has some problems getting started, and Return of the Jedi has some problems on Endor, but Empire never slows down. I loved it as a kid, and I love it to this day. This is one of those movies that I can't wait to show my kids one day, and get to experience it for the first time through them. There is a reason why Lucas changed this one the least in his "special" editions (that aren't really all that special); it's because it's darn near perfect.
Best line: -Leia: "I love you", Han Solo: "I know."
1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Picking one of these was hard, but I think that in terms of re-watchability, Fellowship gets the nod. The Lord of the Rings movies are my favorites of all time, and Fellowship is slightly my favorite of the three. This was what introduced us into the world of Middle Earth on film, and Peter Jackson knocked our socks off. I saw the movie opening day having only read the Hobbit, and I was blown away. I immediately read all three books and painfully awaited The Two Towers. In the mean time I watched Fellowship 8 times in theaters, which is impressive looking back on it, considering I was a 7th grader without the ability to drive and had no money. Fellowship of the Ring has one of the best scores of all time, with the pinnacle being the theme of the Shire. 3 hours absolutely breezes by (3 and a half if you are watching the extended version, which I almost always do), and Fellowship entertains the whole time. One of the more underrated scenes is Boromir's redemption at the end, when talking to Aragorn, his true king. I can't wait until the Hobbit comes out. It is my favorite book ever written. But it will have a tall task to dethrone the LotR trilogy.
Best line: "Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many." - Gandalf the Grey
Honorable mentions:
The Dark Knight
Batman Begins
Return of the King
The Two Towers
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Star Wars
The Godfather
Sling Blade
Goodfellas
The Departed
Se7ven
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Nacho Libre
Napoleon Dynamite
Almost Famous
L.A. Confidential
District 9
Pulp Fiction
Terminator 2
Braveheart
Collateral
Casino Royale
Rear Window
Psycho
Black Hawk Down
Wayne's World
Reservoir Dogs
Inception
I'm going to stick with one movie per franchise. I'm also going to play "desert island" style, meaning that this is a list of ten movies I would take with me on a deserted island to have for eternity. This list sucks already.
10. Dumb and Dumber
If there were an award given for "most times having seen Dumb and Dumber", I might win it. There was a point in my life where I literally watched the movie every day. I had the first thirty minutes practically memorized. And yet, I can still sit down and laugh my head off to this movie if you put it in front of me right now. That's how funny it is. Jim Carrey had a ridiculous string of movies in the 90's: Liar, Liar, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, The Cable Guy. These are all super funny, yet don't match up to the greatness that is Dumb and Dumber. Quoting this movie has become a part of my every day life. Sometimes I even forget I'm quoting the movie, it's just how I speak. Watching this movie with my Dad has produced some uproarious laughter, many, many times. I expect it to do the same many more times in the future.
Best line: "We got no food, we got no jobs... Our pets HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!!"- Lloyd Christmas
9. Minority Report
An often overlooked Steven Spielberg sci-fi film, Minority Report is brilliant. The concept of "pre-crime", the notion that futuristic beings can stop a murder before it happens is intriguing. When does the crime happen? Is it at the intent in the person's mind or the act itself? Tom Cruise continues to prove that he's one of the greatest actors out there, and Colin Farrell gives the performance of his career. Spielberg has a lot of great movies, and Raiders of the Lost Ark is probably his best, but in this desert island scenario, give me Minority Report.
Best line: "Everybody runs."- John Anderton
8. The Dark Knight Rises
What a tough call. Picking one of the three Christopher Nolan directed Batman movies was a chore. Batman Begins excelled in telling Batman's origin and blew my mind by making Batman seem real. The Dark Knight created probably the greatest villain of all time in the Joker. But The Dark Knight Rises takes the spot for me. I've already written about why it is so great, but for me it combines what makes the first two work so well (a focus on Bruce Wayne/Batman and a compelling villain), and ups the stakes. Bane's voice alone gives me chills just thinking about it.
Best line: "You merely adopted the darkness. I was born in it. Molded by it. By the time I saw the light I was already a man!" - Bane
7. Fight Club
Fight Club epitomizes high school for me. I realize that it is an extremely dark and violent movie to define a part of my life, but I was in love with this movie in high school. I watched it over and over. I read the book, and then read every book I could find by the author, Chuck Palahniuk. I thought that I would eventually "age out" of it, but Fight Club has stuck with me. There are so many interesting philosophies that stem from it. The film points out the problem with mankind: that we are trying to fill ourselves up with things that don't fulfill. The main character has tried, and failed. Tyler Durden, played amazingly by Brad Pitt, flips this on its head and tells him that materials and "comforts" don't matter, and don't make you happy. He's right, but he doesn't point out the solution, that we have a wonderful Savior who offers a solution to the emptiness by having a personal relationship with Him. Brad Pitt and Edward Norton are super cool, the ending will blow your mind the first time, and part of you will want to go out and start a fight.
Best line: "The things you own end up owning you" -Tyler Durden
6. Back to the Future
As a kid, my parents bought the Back to the Future VHS at McDonald's when there still was such a thing as VHS tapes, and I absolutely wore it out. Back to the Future is one of those effortless movies that will get you to watch it on TV, no matter where you catch it or how recently you've seen it. Hilarious and as 80's as can be, this movie is just plain fun. I don't think I know how else to describe it. Crispin Glover, Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Lea Thompson are all great, with Lloyd as the Doc especially shining. Plus this movie gave us Huey Lewis and the News', "The Power of Love", an all-time 80's classic song.
Best line: "1.21 gigawatts! 1.21 gigawatts. Great Scott!" -Doc Brown
5. Gladiator
Gladiator was my first R-rated movie theater experience. I will never forget watching that first scene with my Dad. Maximus leading the Romans against the Barbarian army into a gory battle. Gladiator's story of redemption is such a compelling tale. Joaquin Phoenix gives an amazing performance as the bad guy, the wrongful Emperor Commodus. The action is superb, the acting is great, and ancient Rome is beautifully portrayed, even if it is with early 2000's era special effects. The first time that Commodus sees Maximus alive in the arena is one of the great confrontations in movie history. The ending made me cry as an 11 year old, and I still tear up today.
Best line: " My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next"- Maximus
4. It's a Wonderful Life
It's a Wonderful Life is a Christmas tradition in the Marshall household. I've probably seen it at least once every year for my entire life. There is a reason why NBC chooses to show an almost 70 year old film every year at Christmas-time. Frank Capra takes George Bailey from his lowest depths to his highest high, taking the audience along with him. The message that your influence and relationships define you as a person,and not your accomplishments or wealth, rings even more true today than it did in 1946. Another movie that makes me tear up every time, and if you at least don't get emotional from the ending, you might need to be analyzed by a psychotherapist.
Best line: "To my brother George... The richest man in town!"- Harry Bailey
3. The Matrix
Science Fiction at its absolute best. It seems to me like the impact of The Matrix has been somewhat lessened because of its ridiculous cultural impact; "bullet time" is used in almost every action movie nowadays. But The Matrix blew everyone's minds in 1999, and continues to do so for each new viewer today. The special effects still hold up today, as do the action scenes. Yes, the sequels were not near as good, but the original was the pinnacle of science fiction greatness: a mind-bending plot, great effects, memorable characters, and amazing action. Laurence Fishburne is so great as Morpheus, I feel like everything he says is insightful. The first showdown between Neo and Morpheus while in the Matrix is one of my favorite fights ever.
Best line: "Neo, sooner or later you're going to realize just as I did that there's a difference between knowing the path and walking the path."- Morpheus
2. The Empire Strikes Back
This is absolutely the best Star Wars film. Everything just seems to work. The first amazing battle on Hoth. Han and Leia's budding romance. Luke's Jedi training on Dagobah. Plus the final showdown between Darth Vader and Luke is one of the greatest scenes in movie history. This movie is the darkest of the three, and it really works. Star Wars (A New Hope) has some problems getting started, and Return of the Jedi has some problems on Endor, but Empire never slows down. I loved it as a kid, and I love it to this day. This is one of those movies that I can't wait to show my kids one day, and get to experience it for the first time through them. There is a reason why Lucas changed this one the least in his "special" editions (that aren't really all that special); it's because it's darn near perfect.
Best line: -Leia: "I love you", Han Solo: "I know."
1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Picking one of these was hard, but I think that in terms of re-watchability, Fellowship gets the nod. The Lord of the Rings movies are my favorites of all time, and Fellowship is slightly my favorite of the three. This was what introduced us into the world of Middle Earth on film, and Peter Jackson knocked our socks off. I saw the movie opening day having only read the Hobbit, and I was blown away. I immediately read all three books and painfully awaited The Two Towers. In the mean time I watched Fellowship 8 times in theaters, which is impressive looking back on it, considering I was a 7th grader without the ability to drive and had no money. Fellowship of the Ring has one of the best scores of all time, with the pinnacle being the theme of the Shire. 3 hours absolutely breezes by (3 and a half if you are watching the extended version, which I almost always do), and Fellowship entertains the whole time. One of the more underrated scenes is Boromir's redemption at the end, when talking to Aragorn, his true king. I can't wait until the Hobbit comes out. It is my favorite book ever written. But it will have a tall task to dethrone the LotR trilogy.
Best line: "Pity? It was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand. Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. Even the very wise cannot see all ends. My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play yet, for good or ill before this is over. The pity of Bilbo may rule the fate of many." - Gandalf the Grey
Honorable mentions:
The Dark Knight
Batman Begins
Return of the King
The Two Towers
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Star Wars
The Godfather
Sling Blade
Goodfellas
The Departed
Se7ven
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Nacho Libre
Napoleon Dynamite
Almost Famous
L.A. Confidential
District 9
Pulp Fiction
Terminator 2
Braveheart
Collateral
Casino Royale
Rear Window
Psycho
Black Hawk Down
Wayne's World
Reservoir Dogs
Inception
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