I've watched a few movies since my last update, so I'm going to take some time now to get up-to-date on the blog. I guess I haven't been as devoted to writing as I would like to be, but at least I am checking in occasionally!
118) Stash House - This was a DTV action/thriller that got my attention because of Dolph Lundgren being in it. Wasn't the greatest movie, but also didn't think it was a complete waste of my time either. Pretty much: A couple buys a house for a really good deal, and then find out why.
119) Solomon Kane - Dave and I were finally able to view this movie, which we've known about for about 4 years now! And the verdict: it was surprisingly well done. I'm not sure why the US never got a theatrical release of it, or why it took so long for it to be distributed here, but we both found it to be worth the wait. James Purefoy did a good job in the title role, and the rest of the cast was pretty decent as well. Good effects as well.
On 08/15, a group of us went to the RiffTrax Live event featuring Starship Troopers. It was a lot of fun, as always.
121) The Incredible Melting Man - Another Scream Factory release I own. This is a pretty bad '70s horror film, but the effects make up for the cheesiness factor. Rick Baker does his magic, and that is what makes this film worth owning. The special features include an interview with Baker, as well as director William Sachs, who also provides an audio commentary. I feel like if Sachs had been able to make the movie the way he wanted, the film might not have been as bad (even though the cheesiness is partially due to acting). My favorite scene: The old couple on their way to a dinner date.
122) The World's End - Another home run for Pegg, Frost, and Wright. I loved most of this film, and I'm glad Elizabeth decided to go with Dave and I to the "midnight" showing. It's a lot of fun, espcially for a sci-fi/comedy hybrid. Easily my favorite role of Nick Frost's, and I loved the supporting cast in this as well.
123) Bullet to the Head - The main reason I rented this was not because Stallone was in it, but because Jason Momoa was the antagonist. Throw in Sung Kang (AKA Han from the Fast & Furious franchise), and you have a decent action film. Basic premise: a DC detective and a hit man for hire team-up to take down a mutual enemy. Nothing really new to the genre, but once again, wasn't a waste of my time either.
124) Deep Rising - This is an underrated film in my opinion. I love this movie! You can not go wrong with a luxury cruise ship infested with gigantic sea creatures that have already eaten most of everyone on board, and then have the ship be overtaken by a small group of hijackers. Just sit back, watch them get taken out one by one, and enjoy the ride!
125) This Film is Not Yet Rated - This is an eye-opening documentary about the MPAA, and all that goes into the rating of a film. I really enjoyed it, and I'm sad it took me this long to decide to watch it. Over the past few years, I've felt a few films have not gotten the ratings they deserve, and this explains the how and why of the industry. If you love films of any kind, this documentary is worth watching.
126 & 127) G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and G.I. Joe: Retaliation - A nice double feature Elizabeth and I had last week. I'd had forgotten how enjoyable the first movie was! My one complaint of it is how Cobra Commander was portrayed, and that is rectified in the sequel.
128) The Incredible Burt Wonderstone - An enjoyable comedy. I really like Carrell, and Carrey seemed to be channeling some of his old school comedy here. I've always enjoyed magic, and the Copperfield cameo made me laugh pretty hard.
129) The Rundown - A decent action/comedy. I really like Dwayne Johnson, and I think this was his first or second leading role, and he does a good job. The supporting cast is pretty solid, with Rosario Dawson, Christopher Walken, and Seann William Scott. Always been a fan of Jon Gries, and love when he pops up in stuff.
130) One in the Chamber - And we finish how we started, which a Dolph Lundgren DTV. This one co-stars Cuba Gooding Jr, and wasn't half bad. They both play hit men for hire, and when Gooding lets a target get away, Dolph is called in to fix his mistake. In the mean time, Cuba gets hired to take out the hand that feeds him. Which puts Cuba on Dolph's list. I enjoyed it, which is a good thing in my book.
Tuesday, September 03, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
"Antonio bay has a curse on it."
OK, so I'm going to try something a little different here. Instead of reviewing the movie, I'm going to write a review for Scream Factory's Blu-ray release of John Carpenter's The Fog!
First off, I would just like to say that every title I've purchased of the Scream Factory catalog has been worth it. I've upgraded some DVDs to blu-ray, and some movies I've just bought blindly. The Fog was an upgrade purchase, and one that was worth making.
The Fog is one of Carpenter's underrated films, in my opinion. It is much more based on mood than just being the basic slasher movie. It sports a great cast, including scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, her mother Janet Leigh, Adrienne Barbeau, Tom Atkins, and my favorite role of the movie: Hal Holbrook as Father Malone.
For those of you who are unaware of the plot: As Antonio Bay celebrates its 100th anniversary, a fog rolls in as a terrible secret is revealed and revenge is seeked.
The Transfer and Sound: A brand new 1080p High-Def transfer was done for this release, and it was supervised by Dean Cundey, the film's cinematographer. Even though it has been a few years since watching my DVD release from MGM, this new transfer is considerable better. The film looks gorgeous & sharp, and the sound quality is just as good. The sound options are either 5.1 or 2.0 DTS-HD audio. I watched with the 5.1 audio, with no complaints. The audio is crisp and sound, and Carpenter's score truly shines. Subtitles are available for the hearing impaired on the film only.
Special Features: This disc is packed with new and old extras.
The previous extras included are:
The new extras Scream Factory have put together are:
This is a great addition to blu-ray collection, and easily my favorite release from Scream Factory so far this year. So, what are you waiting for? Buy yourself a copy today!
First off, I would just like to say that every title I've purchased of the Scream Factory catalog has been worth it. I've upgraded some DVDs to blu-ray, and some movies I've just bought blindly. The Fog was an upgrade purchase, and one that was worth making.
The Fog is one of Carpenter's underrated films, in my opinion. It is much more based on mood than just being the basic slasher movie. It sports a great cast, including scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, her mother Janet Leigh, Adrienne Barbeau, Tom Atkins, and my favorite role of the movie: Hal Holbrook as Father Malone.
For those of you who are unaware of the plot: As Antonio Bay celebrates its 100th anniversary, a fog rolls in as a terrible secret is revealed and revenge is seeked.
The Transfer and Sound: A brand new 1080p High-Def transfer was done for this release, and it was supervised by Dean Cundey, the film's cinematographer. Even though it has been a few years since watching my DVD release from MGM, this new transfer is considerable better. The film looks gorgeous & sharp, and the sound quality is just as good. The sound options are either 5.1 or 2.0 DTS-HD audio. I watched with the 5.1 audio, with no complaints. The audio is crisp and sound, and Carpenter's score truly shines. Subtitles are available for the hearing impaired on the film only.
Special Features: This disc is packed with new and old extras.
The previous extras included are:
- Audio Commentary with writer/director John Carpenter & writer/producer Debra Hill
- Fear on Film: Inside The Fog (07:42) A classic featurette featuring interviews with Carpenter, Hill, Leigh, Curtis, and Barbeau.
- Tales from The Mist: Inside The Fog (27:58) A holdover from the 2002 MGM Special Edition. Includes new interviews with Carpenter, Hill, Barbeau, Leigh, Cundey, and Tommy Lee Wallace (the films production designer/editor) and footage from a 1980 interview with Jamie Lee Curtis. Very informative, and a good watch. I liked learning about all the reshots and added footage they did before releasing the film.
- The Fog: Storyboard to Film (01:26)
- Outtakes (04:10)
- Special Effects Tests (02:39)
- Theatrical Trailers (04:34)
- TV Spots (03:05)
- Photo Gallery
- Storyboards
The new extras Scream Factory have put together are:
- Audio Commentary with actors Adrienne Barbeau & Tom Atkins and Production Designer/Editor Tommy Lee Wallace, moderated by Sean Clark
- My Time with Terror with Jamie Lee Curtis (21:46) A wonderful interview with Curtis as she looks back on her "Scream Queen" career.
- Dean of Darkness with Dean Cundey (18:40) An informative interview with Cundey, as he discusses techniques used in the film, as well as his relationship with Carpenter
- Horror's Hallowed Grounds with Sean Clark (20:22) Another great episode to the series, as Clark visits locations used throughout the filming of The Fog. Clark is what makes these features worth watching, as his love of the films and genre resonates on the screen. He is super knowledgeable about what was filmed where, and even knows what has changed in the 30 years since the movie was actually filmed.
- Easter Egg (1:02) A great little find, and I hope Scream Factory continues on with putting Easter Eggs on releases.
This is a great addition to blu-ray collection, and easily my favorite release from Scream Factory so far this year. So, what are you waiting for? Buy yourself a copy today!
Thursday, August 01, 2013
08/01/2013
Elizabeth and I had a date night last night, and went to the movies. I decided to take her up on the offer to see The Conjuring, since she doesn't normally like to do horror/supernatural films while in the theater.
115) The Conjuring - This was truly a creepy supernatural movie, and very enjoyable. The basic plot follows a family that moves into a new home, and then things begin happening at night (mostly). They aren't to sure of what is going on, so they track down Ed and Lorraine Warren, well known investigators of the paranormal to come and visit their home. The cast is great, and the suspense is terrific. The supernatural stuff is what gets to me, and this mostly definitely got under my skin. A few nice jumps, and just the fact that it's based on a true story is what really gets me.
fun fact: The Warren's most well known case is The Amityville Horror.
116) The Package - I'm not sure what it means when I can enjoy a DTV action flick starring Steve Austin and Dolph Lundgren. I may not have the best taste in cinema, nor do I critique it to death either. I just like to sit back, and hopefully I can enjoy myself for a little bit. And that is what I was able to do with this film. I was unaware that Austin would be the protagonist, but he did a pretty decent job acting. The plot is simple: Austin is a goon hired to deliver a package to The German (Lundgren). The German is currently embroiled in a war with some rival gang leaders, and they want to the package for leverage over him. So, Austin is being chased by some guns for hired, who are willing to do anything to get the package before the German. What I enjoyed about the film is, the action scenes were solid, including the fighting. And there is a twist that I surprisingly didn't see coming.
I've got a few more recent DTV action films queued, which I hope they are as enjoyable as The Package was.
Received my copy of the Scream Factory release of John Carpenter's The Fog in the mail today! The special features look awesome, including an interview with Jaime Lee Curtis and an all new Horror's Hallowed Grounds. The transfer also looks AMAZING, which given I have a pretty out of date TV, that says a lot. Looking forward to watching the movie tonight (more than likely), than getting into the special features!
115) The Conjuring - This was truly a creepy supernatural movie, and very enjoyable. The basic plot follows a family that moves into a new home, and then things begin happening at night (mostly). They aren't to sure of what is going on, so they track down Ed and Lorraine Warren, well known investigators of the paranormal to come and visit their home. The cast is great, and the suspense is terrific. The supernatural stuff is what gets to me, and this mostly definitely got under my skin. A few nice jumps, and just the fact that it's based on a true story is what really gets me.
fun fact: The Warren's most well known case is The Amityville Horror.
116) The Package - I'm not sure what it means when I can enjoy a DTV action flick starring Steve Austin and Dolph Lundgren. I may not have the best taste in cinema, nor do I critique it to death either. I just like to sit back, and hopefully I can enjoy myself for a little bit. And that is what I was able to do with this film. I was unaware that Austin would be the protagonist, but he did a pretty decent job acting. The plot is simple: Austin is a goon hired to deliver a package to The German (Lundgren). The German is currently embroiled in a war with some rival gang leaders, and they want to the package for leverage over him. So, Austin is being chased by some guns for hired, who are willing to do anything to get the package before the German. What I enjoyed about the film is, the action scenes were solid, including the fighting. And there is a twist that I surprisingly didn't see coming.
I've got a few more recent DTV action films queued, which I hope they are as enjoyable as The Package was.
Received my copy of the Scream Factory release of John Carpenter's The Fog in the mail today! The special features look awesome, including an interview with Jaime Lee Curtis and an all new Horror's Hallowed Grounds. The transfer also looks AMAZING, which given I have a pretty out of date TV, that says a lot. Looking forward to watching the movie tonight (more than likely), than getting into the special features!
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
07/31/2013
I've fallen behind on my updating, it seems, but I shall just pick up from where I last left off and see what I decide to write tonight.
Elizabeth and I spent this last weekend in Baltimore, celebrating our 4 year anniversary. She planned the whole trip, leaving it a surprise to me. We had a great time up there, and we're already planning a second visit. We went to Medieval Times for dinner on Friday night, and Saturday spent all day at Inner Harbor, which is where our hotel was. We walked everywhere, which included the cemetery where Poe is buried, the Ripley's museum, a pop culture museum (which was super cool), and Camden Yard. I got to knock seeing a professional baseball game off my 40 before 40 list! (The Orioles lost to the Red Sox, 7-3. Highlight of the game: David Ortiz being ejected from the game.)
Movie wise, it's been a slow month. Since Pacific Rim, I've been to the movies twice and have watched one Blu-Ray.
112) Red 2 - This was lots of fun, and almost as good as the first one! The action was great, and has a good ensemble cast.
113) The Goonies - Easily one of my top 10 favorite films, and I had to opportunity to see in on the big screen at the Movie Tavern's RetroCinema. Such a great film. It was one of the films on the list I made for Elizabeth, and Dave joined us as well.
114) The Burning - Finally got around to watching my Scream Factory BR release of this flick, and it is great. The film is a solid '80s slasher film, with some great kills in it. And even though it takes place at a summer camp and it gets compared to the Friday the 13th franchise, a main difference is you care about the kids in this film. When I'm watching a F13 movie, I'm rooting for Jason. The special features are pretty good, with a few interviews with a couple actors (including Cropsy!) and the editor, and the best feature being an interview with make-up artist Tom Savini. I've yet to be disappointed by a Scream Factory release, and they have some good stuff I look forward to adding to my collection being released in the near future.
With that, I headed out. Hopefully I will stay on top of this thing. LoL. Who knows, maybe I will get some traffic one day.
Friday, July 12, 2013
07/12/2013
I'm back from vacation. It was a well needed time away with friends, and got a nice recharge on my batteries.
Now, with further adiu: the summer movie I've been waiting for:
111) Pacific Rim
Kaiju vs Jaegers. Giant Monsters vs Robots built to defeat them. And Guillermo del Toro at the helm. You could tell he has a love for this genre, and he has made a pretty amazing movie. And for the few complaints I do have (I found the ending to be a bit predictable), the fight scenes make up for it ten-fold.
Seriously. do yourself a favor. Go see this is theaters. You will not be disappointed.
Tuesday, July 02, 2013
07/02/2013
Taking some time to catch up.
Comics for the most part last week were great. I'm loving the City Fall arc in TMNT, and the new Godzilla book that started on Wednesday got off to a great start. I mean, Japanese Godzilla VS. 1998 Americanized Godzilla? I can't wait!
DC has me interested in the upcoming Trinity War. And I'm interested in all of the Lantern books with their new teams, but found Red Lanterns to be the one I'm most interested in after the first issue. I'm really looking forward to Villains Month in September, and to see what ramifications come out of it.
I've started using Twitter again. So, if you are on there and want to find me: Jrwells82.
On the movie side of things, I've decided I need to start watching movies I've recently purchased or got from DVD Swap. Since I have added 24 movies to my collection since joining their site last year.
106) The Town That Dreaded Sundown - This is one of the Scream Factory releases I purchased last month, and I finally decided it was time to give it a chance. Is a pretty decent movie, and the fact that it is (loosely) based on a true event down in Texarkana is what makes it so frightening. I really enjoyed this film, and Scream Factory did a stellar job, not just with the transfer for Blu-Ray, but also the supplemental features. On the DVD, there is a bonus film of The Evictors, which I will attempt to make time for this month.
107) Mad Max - I finally acquired a DVD of The Road Warrior through DVD Swap, so it's time to watch another franchise of films I love. Mad Max is a pretty solid film, with some great car chases & crashes, and an excellent performance from Mel Gibson. Of course, The Road Warrior amps everything up a notch, but Mad Max still holds up.
Netflix Double Feature! Because I love not knowing what they will send me next.
108) Showdown in Little Tokyo - Not the best, nor worst, film I've seen. I actually live-tweeted while watching the film last night. Dolph Lundgren and Brandon Lee are good together, but this film was just lacking something. It was a decent action/buddy-cop film, but the humor was missing.
109) Soylent Green - I really enjoyed this, even though I knew the ending going in (it's hard not to know when "Soylent Green is people!" is a part of pop culture.) I really liked the character interaction between Sol and Thorn, especially since Sol had experienced the world before the overpopulation, and knew of things like strawberries and beef. Edward G. Robinson does a fantastic job as Sol, especially after finding out this was his last film and he was dying of cancer while filming.
Going to Retro Cinema at Movie Tavern with Dave & Elizabeth tonight. Jaws is playing! Can't wait to experience it on the big screen (BONUS: Eliz has never seen it, and it is on my "40 films before 40" list)
Comics for the most part last week were great. I'm loving the City Fall arc in TMNT, and the new Godzilla book that started on Wednesday got off to a great start. I mean, Japanese Godzilla VS. 1998 Americanized Godzilla? I can't wait!
DC has me interested in the upcoming Trinity War. And I'm interested in all of the Lantern books with their new teams, but found Red Lanterns to be the one I'm most interested in after the first issue. I'm really looking forward to Villains Month in September, and to see what ramifications come out of it.
I've started using Twitter again. So, if you are on there and want to find me: Jrwells82.
On the movie side of things, I've decided I need to start watching movies I've recently purchased or got from DVD Swap. Since I have added 24 movies to my collection since joining their site last year.
106) The Town That Dreaded Sundown - This is one of the Scream Factory releases I purchased last month, and I finally decided it was time to give it a chance. Is a pretty decent movie, and the fact that it is (loosely) based on a true event down in Texarkana is what makes it so frightening. I really enjoyed this film, and Scream Factory did a stellar job, not just with the transfer for Blu-Ray, but also the supplemental features. On the DVD, there is a bonus film of The Evictors, which I will attempt to make time for this month.
107) Mad Max - I finally acquired a DVD of The Road Warrior through DVD Swap, so it's time to watch another franchise of films I love. Mad Max is a pretty solid film, with some great car chases & crashes, and an excellent performance from Mel Gibson. Of course, The Road Warrior amps everything up a notch, but Mad Max still holds up.
Netflix Double Feature! Because I love not knowing what they will send me next.
108) Showdown in Little Tokyo - Not the best, nor worst, film I've seen. I actually live-tweeted while watching the film last night. Dolph Lundgren and Brandon Lee are good together, but this film was just lacking something. It was a decent action/buddy-cop film, but the humor was missing.
109) Soylent Green - I really enjoyed this, even though I knew the ending going in (it's hard not to know when "Soylent Green is people!" is a part of pop culture.) I really liked the character interaction between Sol and Thorn, especially since Sol had experienced the world before the overpopulation, and knew of things like strawberries and beef. Edward G. Robinson does a fantastic job as Sol, especially after finding out this was his last film and he was dying of cancer while filming.
Going to Retro Cinema at Movie Tavern with Dave & Elizabeth tonight. Jaws is playing! Can't wait to experience it on the big screen (BONUS: Eliz has never seen it, and it is on my "40 films before 40" list)
Thursday, June 27, 2013
06/27/2013
So, after having lunch with Elizabeth, I had practice for the VBS play and then worked last night, so I now return to catch us all up-to-date!
Over the weekend, I watched the movies Netflix had sent out to me. I don't keep a close eye on my queue, so sometimes checking the mail can be an adventure. I had two sc-fi themed films, which isn't always my bag, but I was in a decent mood and gave them a shot.
104) Logan's Run - A campy classic from the '70s, and surprisingly one I hadn't seen. It does show its age at times, but still overall a decent film. The basic premise is a Utopian society with one major drawback: you only get to live until your 30. Michael York plays a sandman, a group who terminates the runners, people who attempt to escape their fate. He's given the task to find Sanctuary, but what does he really find?
105) Johnny Mnemonic - Before I say anything, 2 things: 1) I like Keanu Reeves as an actor, and 2) I know nothing about cyberpunk literature. That being said, I really liked this film. It has a very interesting concept, and made me want to watch The Matrix. I loved Dolph Lundgren in it, and wish he had a bigger part (I've read his role is bigger in the Japanese cut). Besides Lundgren, the supporting cast in this one is pretty solid: Ice-T, Henry Rollins, and Takeshi specifically. If I found it cheap, and in Widescreen, I would add this to my collection.
Over the weekend, I watched the movies Netflix had sent out to me. I don't keep a close eye on my queue, so sometimes checking the mail can be an adventure. I had two sc-fi themed films, which isn't always my bag, but I was in a decent mood and gave them a shot.
104) Logan's Run - A campy classic from the '70s, and surprisingly one I hadn't seen. It does show its age at times, but still overall a decent film. The basic premise is a Utopian society with one major drawback: you only get to live until your 30. Michael York plays a sandman, a group who terminates the runners, people who attempt to escape their fate. He's given the task to find Sanctuary, but what does he really find?
105) Johnny Mnemonic - Before I say anything, 2 things: 1) I like Keanu Reeves as an actor, and 2) I know nothing about cyberpunk literature. That being said, I really liked this film. It has a very interesting concept, and made me want to watch The Matrix. I loved Dolph Lundgren in it, and wish he had a bigger part (I've read his role is bigger in the Japanese cut). Besides Lundgren, the supporting cast in this one is pretty solid: Ice-T, Henry Rollins, and Takeshi specifically. If I found it cheap, and in Widescreen, I would add this to my collection.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
06/26/2013
Well, I've fallen behind on updating again. I really would like to get in the habit of doing this at least every couple of days, just so I'm writing and don't get backed-up on the films.
It's been a pretty decent week. Nothing too eventful. Elizabeth and I did some house straightening last night, since Roc might be coming down from Richmond this weekend. Even if he doesn't, the house looks good and I hope we can keep it this way.
I finished watching the Rambo franchise last week, with back-to-back viewings of Rambo III and Rambo. Both are pretty decent films, but don't compare to the first two. Rambo was interesting, seeing the character almost 20 years later.
Last Thursday, I surprised Elizabeth with a date night and we went up to Williamsburg for dinner and a movie. We had dinner at Friendly's, a restaurant we both love. The initial plan was to attend a showing of The Sound of Music at Movie Tavern, but that afternoon I found out Monsters University was opening that night with an 8 pm showing, we attended that instead.
103) Monsters University - This was a really fun film, and I'm glad we went in with little knowledge of the actual plot. I love Monsters Inc., and this is a great companion piece to it. I really would like to see the two of them back-to-back, to see the nods to the original that they put in the prequel.
Lunch date with Eliz, so the rest of this update will be at a later time!
It's been a pretty decent week. Nothing too eventful. Elizabeth and I did some house straightening last night, since Roc might be coming down from Richmond this weekend. Even if he doesn't, the house looks good and I hope we can keep it this way.
I finished watching the Rambo franchise last week, with back-to-back viewings of Rambo III and Rambo. Both are pretty decent films, but don't compare to the first two. Rambo was interesting, seeing the character almost 20 years later.
Last Thursday, I surprised Elizabeth with a date night and we went up to Williamsburg for dinner and a movie. We had dinner at Friendly's, a restaurant we both love. The initial plan was to attend a showing of The Sound of Music at Movie Tavern, but that afternoon I found out Monsters University was opening that night with an 8 pm showing, we attended that instead.
103) Monsters University - This was a really fun film, and I'm glad we went in with little knowledge of the actual plot. I love Monsters Inc., and this is a great companion piece to it. I really would like to see the two of them back-to-back, to see the nods to the original that they put in the prequel.
Lunch date with Eliz, so the rest of this update will be at a later time!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
06/19/2013
So, it has been over a week since I last updated, so I'm taking time this morning to do so. I really need to get into the habit of writing more often, even if it's just a small update.
Work is continuing to be great. If you had told me 6 months ago that I would find I job I was completely happy with and looked forward to each day, I would of called you a liar. It's an amazing feeling to not be stressed and to actually enjoy work once again. It may not be 682, but nothing will ever be. I truly love my job, and the fact that is also serves as a ministry is awesome.
Elizabeth and I had a great time last Wednesday at Chuck E. Cheese with the kids and their parents. Thursday we went to the Rathbones to get copies of the new Sunday School curriculum. We had a pretty big storm come through around 5 that day, and they had lost power, so we ended up hanging out with them and playing cards, eating pizza, and just enjoying the company of one another. It was a great time. Eliz and I are really looking forward to the pre-teen ministry going forward.
On the movie front, I watched my 100th movie of the year. 6 months earlier than 2012, when movie 100 was watched in December. So, I've forgotten if I set a goal for this year, but I think 200 is reasonable, if I continue on this track.
97) Raiders of the Lost Ark - Dave and I took the opportunity to see this on the big screen and went to Cinemark last Wednesday afternoon. It was fun, and a great movie to experience in a theater. The first 3 Indiana Jones movies are wonderful adventure films, and I would look the chance to see Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade in theaters as well.
98) Constantine - Elizabeth and I had a date night the other night, and this was the movie drawn. (I'm not sure if I've explained this before, but I will put movies on a slip of paper and have E draw one or two, and that is our selection for the night. We came up with this idea, as when I am left to choose, I get moody and indecisive, and the night gets ruined.) I really enjoy this film, and since I was introduced to the character via film and not comic books, the characterizations that were changed I can deal with. It's a fun, atmospheric supernatural/action/thriller, with a good cast. I've always like Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz, and they both do excellent in this film.
99) Bad Company - This was a little thriller that somehow slipped under my radar, especially for being a Joel Schumacher film. Which is odd, since it was released during my BBV days. It was pretty decent, given the concept is highly unbelievable, LoL. A CIA agent is killed in action, so his twin brother (they were separated at birth) is recruited to replace him and trained to help finalize a deal that is going down for a nuclear weapon....in just 9 days. Add in that the two main characters are played by Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock, maybe I can understand how this did get by me.
100) Knight and Day - Another date night bowl selection for Elizabeth and I. I really like this film, and it is one of the films within the past 5 years that have made me like Tom Cruise. Maybe it's the memory of us seeing this film together at the drive-in that adds to the likeness factor, but it's just a fan action romp, one where you don't have to think much, just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Work is continuing to be great. If you had told me 6 months ago that I would find I job I was completely happy with and looked forward to each day, I would of called you a liar. It's an amazing feeling to not be stressed and to actually enjoy work once again. It may not be 682, but nothing will ever be. I truly love my job, and the fact that is also serves as a ministry is awesome.
Elizabeth and I had a great time last Wednesday at Chuck E. Cheese with the kids and their parents. Thursday we went to the Rathbones to get copies of the new Sunday School curriculum. We had a pretty big storm come through around 5 that day, and they had lost power, so we ended up hanging out with them and playing cards, eating pizza, and just enjoying the company of one another. It was a great time. Eliz and I are really looking forward to the pre-teen ministry going forward.
On the movie front, I watched my 100th movie of the year. 6 months earlier than 2012, when movie 100 was watched in December. So, I've forgotten if I set a goal for this year, but I think 200 is reasonable, if I continue on this track.
97) Raiders of the Lost Ark - Dave and I took the opportunity to see this on the big screen and went to Cinemark last Wednesday afternoon. It was fun, and a great movie to experience in a theater. The first 3 Indiana Jones movies are wonderful adventure films, and I would look the chance to see Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade in theaters as well.
98) Constantine - Elizabeth and I had a date night the other night, and this was the movie drawn. (I'm not sure if I've explained this before, but I will put movies on a slip of paper and have E draw one or two, and that is our selection for the night. We came up with this idea, as when I am left to choose, I get moody and indecisive, and the night gets ruined.) I really enjoy this film, and since I was introduced to the character via film and not comic books, the characterizations that were changed I can deal with. It's a fun, atmospheric supernatural/action/thriller, with a good cast. I've always like Keanu Reeves and Rachel Weisz, and they both do excellent in this film.
99) Bad Company - This was a little thriller that somehow slipped under my radar, especially for being a Joel Schumacher film. Which is odd, since it was released during my BBV days. It was pretty decent, given the concept is highly unbelievable, LoL. A CIA agent is killed in action, so his twin brother (they were separated at birth) is recruited to replace him and trained to help finalize a deal that is going down for a nuclear weapon....in just 9 days. Add in that the two main characters are played by Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock, maybe I can understand how this did get by me.
100) Knight and Day - Another date night bowl selection for Elizabeth and I. I really like this film, and it is one of the films within the past 5 years that have made me like Tom Cruise. Maybe it's the memory of us seeing this film together at the drive-in that adds to the likeness factor, but it's just a fan action romp, one where you don't have to think much, just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
06/12/2013
It's late, but I'm not tired, so I thought I would take this time to catch the blog up to date with my movie watching.
93) The Numbers Station - This is a new DTV movie that John Cusack did, and it sounded decent enough that I gave it a shot. It wasn't that bad either. I'm not the biggest fan of Malin Akerman, the female lead, but she did a pretty decent job in this. Basically, a black ops agent gets reassigned to watch over and protect a code announcer, and the station comes under attack. No big twist or anything, and it actually reminded me of Safe House at times. But I was able to enjoy the movie, especially Cusacks performance.
94) The Bourne Legacy - An expansion of the Jason Bourne universe, with the introduction of Aaron Cross (played by Jeremy Renner). What happens when you have someone with the same abilities, but remembers everything about themself? The acting was great, and Elizabeth and I really enjoyed the movie. I especially liked how it runs parallel to The Bourne Ultimatum. The fight scenes are top-notch, and the chase scenes are great. The final 15 minutes is edge of your seat. I'm curious if they will make another chapter in this movie franchise.
95) Jack Reacher - I did not want to like this movie. I love the book series by Lee Child, and I just find Tom Cruise a bad fit for the character. But I've got to admit, they did an excellent job bringing One Shot to the screen. Outside of the Cruise miscast (even though his acting was decent), I think the rest of the cast was pretty good. A good adaptation of the series, and I hope a sequel happens in the future. Elizabeth really enjoyed this film, too.
96) Rambo First Blood: Part II - This is a Grade A '80s action flick. Stallone goes all out as Rambo returns to Vietnam on a mission to save POWs. I loved it. Stallone has become a favorite of mine in the last few years, and this ranks as one of his best of the '80s.
93) The Numbers Station - This is a new DTV movie that John Cusack did, and it sounded decent enough that I gave it a shot. It wasn't that bad either. I'm not the biggest fan of Malin Akerman, the female lead, but she did a pretty decent job in this. Basically, a black ops agent gets reassigned to watch over and protect a code announcer, and the station comes under attack. No big twist or anything, and it actually reminded me of Safe House at times. But I was able to enjoy the movie, especially Cusacks performance.
94) The Bourne Legacy - An expansion of the Jason Bourne universe, with the introduction of Aaron Cross (played by Jeremy Renner). What happens when you have someone with the same abilities, but remembers everything about themself? The acting was great, and Elizabeth and I really enjoyed the movie. I especially liked how it runs parallel to The Bourne Ultimatum. The fight scenes are top-notch, and the chase scenes are great. The final 15 minutes is edge of your seat. I'm curious if they will make another chapter in this movie franchise.
95) Jack Reacher - I did not want to like this movie. I love the book series by Lee Child, and I just find Tom Cruise a bad fit for the character. But I've got to admit, they did an excellent job bringing One Shot to the screen. Outside of the Cruise miscast (even though his acting was decent), I think the rest of the cast was pretty good. A good adaptation of the series, and I hope a sequel happens in the future. Elizabeth really enjoyed this film, too.
96) Rambo First Blood: Part II - This is a Grade A '80s action flick. Stallone goes all out as Rambo returns to Vietnam on a mission to save POWs. I loved it. Stallone has become a favorite of mine in the last few years, and this ranks as one of his best of the '80s.
Friday, June 07, 2013
Flash! Ahhhhh....
92) Flash Gordon - Cheesy, corny, '80s sci-fi fun. This is my only experience with the Flash Gordon character, as I've never read any of the comics or watched the serials. But this movie is just a lot of fun. I did find it to be a little slow at first, but then I just saw back and enjoyed it. My favorite characters are Zarkov and Vulcan, and as I told Dave, I can't see Timothy Dalton now and not think of him in Hot Fuzz. Maybe I will queue that up soon.
06-07-2013
Been a slow week. Nothing new really happening, and work has been slow. I have gotten a few movies watched. This weekend should be fun, as the annual Marriage Tune-Up is going on at PBC. This year we are doing Gary Chapman's The 5 Love Languages. Elizabeth and I are actually going to be doing childcare this year, which should be fun.
What movies have I watched recently?
89) Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead - A fairly decent sequel in the Phantasm franchise. We saw the return of the original Mike actor, who I didn't find annoying at all in this film. A new kid was introduced as Reggie's sidekick in his endeavor to hunt down The Tall Man, especially after Mike is taken by him. Reg gets some unexpected help from Jody, now a minion of The Tall Man. Some good fight scenes, and I liked the scene where Tim (the kid) defends his house from some scavengers. The ending is once again left open (the Phantasm trademark). Of course, Angus Scrimm steals the whole show, as does the score.
91) Phantasm IV: Oblivion - An odd movie. Not bad, per se. As I did enjoy it, and it made me appreciate the franchise. But it's not as action-y as II and III, and it leaves a lot of questions unanswered. I'm not a fan of trying to give The Tall Man an origin, but it doesn't take away from the character. Once again, a very open ending. I did enjoy how unused film from Phantasm was incorporated into the film.
90) Now You See Me - Elizabeth and I loved this film. It was a great way to spend time in the theater. A cast that worked well with one another, and a decent plot. I love magic, so I was excited to see what this film had to offer, and I was not disappointed.
What movies have I watched recently?
89) Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead - A fairly decent sequel in the Phantasm franchise. We saw the return of the original Mike actor, who I didn't find annoying at all in this film. A new kid was introduced as Reggie's sidekick in his endeavor to hunt down The Tall Man, especially after Mike is taken by him. Reg gets some unexpected help from Jody, now a minion of The Tall Man. Some good fight scenes, and I liked the scene where Tim (the kid) defends his house from some scavengers. The ending is once again left open (the Phantasm trademark). Of course, Angus Scrimm steals the whole show, as does the score.
91) Phantasm IV: Oblivion - An odd movie. Not bad, per se. As I did enjoy it, and it made me appreciate the franchise. But it's not as action-y as II and III, and it leaves a lot of questions unanswered. I'm not a fan of trying to give The Tall Man an origin, but it doesn't take away from the character. Once again, a very open ending. I did enjoy how unused film from Phantasm was incorporated into the film.
90) Now You See Me - Elizabeth and I loved this film. It was a great way to spend time in the theater. A cast that worked well with one another, and a decent plot. I love magic, so I was excited to see what this film had to offer, and I was not disappointed.
Monday, June 03, 2013
06/03/2013
This past weekend was great. Elizabeth and I had company in town with Roc, so the 3 of us hung out Thursday night playing Life. Friday night Brandi joined us for pizza and another round of Life, and Dave made an appearance. And after the 2 of them left, the 3 of us played some intense rounds of Hoopla.
Saturday was movie marathon day at TOS. We did a "Ben Stiller" theme, which included 4 movies: Heavyweights, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Zoolander, and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Yes, I know: Stiller only has a brief cameo in Anchorman. But Raj and Eliz made the movie choices, and I think it's one they quote a lot and wanted to watched together.
After the movie marathon, Eliz and I walked around the Pirate festival that was going on in Hampton this weekend. It was lots of fun, even though we didn't buy anything. Neither one of us was hungry enough for the food, and we didn't see anything souvenir wise that was worth it. We did get to see a cool game though called "Water War", where two people/groups launch water balloons at each other to see who can get the wettest.
Yesterday was a wonderful day at church, as we played Jeopardy in Sunday School class for end of the quarter, and then there was a luau in Children's Church for end of the year. It was lots of fun, and I look forward to seeing how the children's program moves forward in the fall.
And to top the weekend off, Elizabeth and I had a date night in last night, catching up on some comics and then watching a movie. We finally finished up Geoff Johns Green Lantern run. I can't believe it's been 9 years. Part of me doesn't even want to continue with the GL books, since it ended so perfectly, and it will be a hard run to follow.
So, a couple movies to cover. I won't cover all 4 movies from the marathon, but I do want to cover one of them. :)
83) Heavyweights - I had forgotten how good this movie was! I'm pretty sure I've only seen it a handful of times since seeing it in the theater in '94, so it wasn't ingrained into my brain unlike other films. First off, it's probably one of the first films Judd Apatow worked on (he was writer/executive producer). Then, Ben Stiller is great as villain Tony Perkis. A lot of humor and warmth, and quotable, and made evident by Elizabeth. I currently own a Full Screen DVD (one of the few that I do allow in my collection), but a Blu-Ray was released in Dec '12, which I will be upgrading to eventually. Not just for the Widescreen transfer, but because it is also loaded with extras, which the DVD has none of.
87) Up - Why why why did I wait 4 years to see this movie? This was the selection Elizabeth made for date night last night, and man is it great! First off, it takes a lot for me to cry during a film. Not get emotional, but to actually shed a tear is work. But this one had me crying within the first 10 minutes of it, and the thing is: I knew what was coming! I had actually watched the opening of the movie online, knowing what kind of story Disney/Pixar was able to pull off in a span of 5 minutes. But the movie itself is just wonderful. Great characters, beautiful landscapes, and just a wonderful story. Easily one of my top 5 Pixar films.
88) First Blood - I remember catching Rambo movies on TV when I was younger (probably on the USA network), but it must of been mostly the 2 sequels, because I watched First Blood last night, and realized I had never seen any of it. A good early '80s action flick. The scene where Rambo takes the cops out in the forest was easily my favorite part, and the interaction between Rambo and Col. Trautman. I look forward to seeing the sequels with the eyes of film love I've acquired since my childhood.
This was a pretty good catch-up. I'm back to mostly mid-shifts this month at work, so I will probably continue to watch movies during my down time. I am back into reading regularly as well though.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
05-29-2013
Not much going on outside of the norm. I've been working, and Elizabeth and I had a good weekend off together. Saturday we went to the movies with Dave, and then had dinner over at a friends house. They grilled steaks, which were delicious! I'm going over to Dave's shortly, to catch up on movies. But I wanted to write for a bit before I get myself backlogged.
Before I get into the movie reviews, I've noticed that when I watch the special features on a movie, I tend to appreciate the movie a little more afterwards. I guess its because getting to see how it was done, and the love and effort that was put into it, it's hard not to appreciate. Over the weekend, I watched most of the features that were on the Scream Factory BR of Phantasm II, and then I went back and watched what was on the Phantasm DVD release I have. Very interesting stuff, and it just made me like the movies more.
So, what have I viewed recently?
78) Furious 6 - AKA Fast & Furious 6. Furious 6 is what the opening title states, and that is why I'm using it here. It's funny, a franchise over a decade old, and 6 movies in, but this is a franchise that I find keeps getting better & better with each film. I love that is ties into previous films, and even ties in Tokyo Drift nicely, with the character of Han. Some great actions sequences, and a post-credit teaser that I can not wait to see unfold. I really do hope that FF7 happens for next summer. Not a work of art, and it probably won't win any awards, but that's not why I watch movies like this. It's so I can just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
79) The Last Stand - Schwarzenegger returns to the screen, his first starring role post-Governor, and surprisingly, it's not that bad of a film. It was a little predictable, but overall I enjoyed it. Had some people I didn't realize were in it (Forest Whitaker and Peter Stormare), and some good action scenes, including a cool shoot-out and a car chase through a corn field.
80) Prison - My newest acquisition from the Scream Factory catalog, and it didn't disappoint. A creepy little horror film from the late '80s that didn't really get to see the light of day because of studio problems. Starring Viggo Mortensen and Lane Smith (who does a fabulous job as Warden Sharpe). The deaths are creative, and the atmosphere is perfect, which is probably due to them filming in an actual prison. The extras are nice on the BR, which a pretty good making of documentary.
Before I get into the movie reviews, I've noticed that when I watch the special features on a movie, I tend to appreciate the movie a little more afterwards. I guess its because getting to see how it was done, and the love and effort that was put into it, it's hard not to appreciate. Over the weekend, I watched most of the features that were on the Scream Factory BR of Phantasm II, and then I went back and watched what was on the Phantasm DVD release I have. Very interesting stuff, and it just made me like the movies more.
So, what have I viewed recently?
78) Furious 6 - AKA Fast & Furious 6. Furious 6 is what the opening title states, and that is why I'm using it here. It's funny, a franchise over a decade old, and 6 movies in, but this is a franchise that I find keeps getting better & better with each film. I love that is ties into previous films, and even ties in Tokyo Drift nicely, with the character of Han. Some great actions sequences, and a post-credit teaser that I can not wait to see unfold. I really do hope that FF7 happens for next summer. Not a work of art, and it probably won't win any awards, but that's not why I watch movies like this. It's so I can just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
79) The Last Stand - Schwarzenegger returns to the screen, his first starring role post-Governor, and surprisingly, it's not that bad of a film. It was a little predictable, but overall I enjoyed it. Had some people I didn't realize were in it (Forest Whitaker and Peter Stormare), and some good action scenes, including a cool shoot-out and a car chase through a corn field.
80) Prison - My newest acquisition from the Scream Factory catalog, and it didn't disappoint. A creepy little horror film from the late '80s that didn't really get to see the light of day because of studio problems. Starring Viggo Mortensen and Lane Smith (who does a fabulous job as Warden Sharpe). The deaths are creative, and the atmosphere is perfect, which is probably due to them filming in an actual prison. The extras are nice on the BR, which a pretty good making of documentary.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
05-22-2013
So, Eliz is out of town til Thursday night for work. Her first work-based trip for the company. And one of the associates I work with is on vacation this week, so I'm scheduled for a full week of shifts. It worked out nicely, as I've got Saturday off, so we can catch up with one another then. Even though we already have some plans, which include us seeing Fast & Furious 6 and dinner with the Rathbones.
I've been on a horror kick recently, and have started picking up some of the recently released Scream Factory Blu-Rays, so I don't fall too far behind. I've acquired Phantasm II and Prison over the past week. So, onto the movie coverage!
75) The Hand - A early '80s horror film, starring Michael Caine and directed by Oliver Stone (one of his first feature films). It wasn't too bad actually. Caine stars as an artist who loses his hand in an accident, and the hand soon returns, following him and killing people who wrong him. I had a few complaints with it, especially at how Caine wasn't angry at his wife for creating the accident in which he lost his hand, but overall a fairly decent film. Very atmospheric, and Caine is great in it, as per usual.
76) Phantasm - Two things make this movie great: the score (the main theme for this franchise is beautifully haunting. I currently have the Phantasm II blu-ray menu up playing the theme as I write), and Angus Scrimm as The Tall Man. I truly feel The Tall Man is a horror icon who does not get the recognition he deserves. The first film is a tad slow, and I'm not a huge fan of the kid actor, but overall it's a pretty solid horror film. I love that Don Coscarelli never sold the franchise and kept it his own. I've yet to see III or IV, but I look forward to viewing them.
77) Phantasm II - As much as I like the original, II is superior. A lot of that has to do with having a major studio backing it (Universal), and a budget. The character or Mike was replaced, and I don't feel like it changed much. I actually liked him a lot more than I did the kid in the first one. As I told Dave, the difference between the two films is just like Evil Dead/Evil Dead 2 or Alien/Aliens. Phantasm II has more action, more gore, more humor. I look forward to watching the extras on the Scream Factory release, as there are quite a few. A task that will probably begin tomorrow.
I've got Phantasm III & IV in my Netflix queue, but I might drop by MovieStop tomorrow and see if they have a copy of either cheap. If not, my Phantasm marathon will have to wait.
Well, I've caught up on the movies. I think I'm going to head to bed now. Hopefully I can hit the comic book store tomorrow before going into work, but we shall see.
I've been on a horror kick recently, and have started picking up some of the recently released Scream Factory Blu-Rays, so I don't fall too far behind. I've acquired Phantasm II and Prison over the past week. So, onto the movie coverage!
75) The Hand - A early '80s horror film, starring Michael Caine and directed by Oliver Stone (one of his first feature films). It wasn't too bad actually. Caine stars as an artist who loses his hand in an accident, and the hand soon returns, following him and killing people who wrong him. I had a few complaints with it, especially at how Caine wasn't angry at his wife for creating the accident in which he lost his hand, but overall a fairly decent film. Very atmospheric, and Caine is great in it, as per usual.
76) Phantasm - Two things make this movie great: the score (the main theme for this franchise is beautifully haunting. I currently have the Phantasm II blu-ray menu up playing the theme as I write), and Angus Scrimm as The Tall Man. I truly feel The Tall Man is a horror icon who does not get the recognition he deserves. The first film is a tad slow, and I'm not a huge fan of the kid actor, but overall it's a pretty solid horror film. I love that Don Coscarelli never sold the franchise and kept it his own. I've yet to see III or IV, but I look forward to viewing them.
77) Phantasm II - As much as I like the original, II is superior. A lot of that has to do with having a major studio backing it (Universal), and a budget. The character or Mike was replaced, and I don't feel like it changed much. I actually liked him a lot more than I did the kid in the first one. As I told Dave, the difference between the two films is just like Evil Dead/Evil Dead 2 or Alien/Aliens. Phantasm II has more action, more gore, more humor. I look forward to watching the extras on the Scream Factory release, as there are quite a few. A task that will probably begin tomorrow.
I've got Phantasm III & IV in my Netflix queue, but I might drop by MovieStop tomorrow and see if they have a copy of either cheap. If not, my Phantasm marathon will have to wait.
Well, I've caught up on the movies. I think I'm going to head to bed now. Hopefully I can hit the comic book store tomorrow before going into work, but we shall see.
Friday, May 17, 2013
05-17-2013
Once again, time to catch up on movies!
72) Beetlejuice - I've been wanting to rewatch this one for a few weeks now, and finally got around to doing so. It hold up well. It's probably one of my favorite Burton films. Keaton in the title role steals the whole movie, even though the character in on screen for about 18 minutes. I've not always beeen a fan of Alec Baldwin, but I've watched a few movies starring him this year and he has grown on me. I really like him and Geena Davis as the Maitlands. My favorite scene is the dinner table possession. It's a fun film, with a great cast all around.
73) Attack of the Killer Tomatoes - First off, my main reason for watching this was because it's the retrospective in the new issue of HorrorHound and it has been over a decade since I have watched it. Funny enough, the cover story for the new issue of HH is animated horror shows, with "Beetlejuice" being the main focus. Onto the movie: It's bad. But it was made that way, which makes it entertaining. Which really, doesn't make much sense. I enjoy it, and probably next time I watch it it'll be with the trivia track (Yes, I own this on DVD, in a special collector's edition.) Not that I'll be viewing it again anytime soon. I did queue the rest of the movie series at Netflix though, so I might be investing some time into the sequels soon!
74) Star Trek Into Darkness - Dave and I went to the Midnight showing Wednesday night, in which attendance was sparce. But then again, we both thought the midnight opening was Thursday night. I enjoyed the film, but it could've been better. I wish Abrams was creating his own Trek universe, instead of rehashing characters and ideas. I won't go into details, since they fall into the spoiler realm, but a new villain would of been nice. I did like Peter Weller, who I didn't even know was going to be in the film. But I did end up coming home and watching some Original Star Trek episodes on Netflix. I did feel there was some ser-up for continuing this new franchise, and I look forward to seeing how that gets explored. And the Klingons were a welcomed surprise. But all in all, I felt a little robbed once the credits started to role.
72) Beetlejuice - I've been wanting to rewatch this one for a few weeks now, and finally got around to doing so. It hold up well. It's probably one of my favorite Burton films. Keaton in the title role steals the whole movie, even though the character in on screen for about 18 minutes. I've not always beeen a fan of Alec Baldwin, but I've watched a few movies starring him this year and he has grown on me. I really like him and Geena Davis as the Maitlands. My favorite scene is the dinner table possession. It's a fun film, with a great cast all around.
73) Attack of the Killer Tomatoes - First off, my main reason for watching this was because it's the retrospective in the new issue of HorrorHound and it has been over a decade since I have watched it. Funny enough, the cover story for the new issue of HH is animated horror shows, with "Beetlejuice" being the main focus. Onto the movie: It's bad. But it was made that way, which makes it entertaining. Which really, doesn't make much sense. I enjoy it, and probably next time I watch it it'll be with the trivia track (Yes, I own this on DVD, in a special collector's edition.) Not that I'll be viewing it again anytime soon. I did queue the rest of the movie series at Netflix though, so I might be investing some time into the sequels soon!
74) Star Trek Into Darkness - Dave and I went to the Midnight showing Wednesday night, in which attendance was sparce. But then again, we both thought the midnight opening was Thursday night. I enjoyed the film, but it could've been better. I wish Abrams was creating his own Trek universe, instead of rehashing characters and ideas. I won't go into details, since they fall into the spoiler realm, but a new villain would of been nice. I did like Peter Weller, who I didn't even know was going to be in the film. But I did end up coming home and watching some Original Star Trek episodes on Netflix. I did feel there was some ser-up for continuing this new franchise, and I look forward to seeing how that gets explored. And the Klingons were a welcomed surprise. But all in all, I felt a little robbed once the credits started to role.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
05-15-2013
I was going to wait until after work to write, but decided to eat some leftover pizza for lunch, since I'll eat out during my break later. So, going to at least start my new blog post, and if I don't finish, I shall do so after work.
Eliz has been out of town since Monday night. Her grandmother passed, so she flew out to Indiana to attend the funeral and be with family. I wish I could've gone with her, but work and finances did not allow it. Not that money was really an issue. She comes back tomorrow, and I can't wait to see her. We haven't spent much time away from one another in our 4 years of marriage.
I was off yesterday, and actually spent some of my time being productive, as I began moving things around in our bedrooms. Not sure how much I'll accomplish before Eliz returns, but since I'm off tomorrow too, I'm hoping to have a decent chuck moved. We have a lot more than I realized, but if I do a little at a time instead of trying to accomplish the big picture, it's a lot easier.
With Eliz gone this week, being on the internet has been tricky, as I've been trying to avoid spoilers for the season finales that are airing. So far, so good...for the most part.
We had a lot going on last week, between her family situation, just life in general, and then prepping for Rocky's graduation, so I haven't had time to settle in for a movie until yesterday. And I ended up doing a double feature: Beetlejuice and Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!
TBC
Eliz has been out of town since Monday night. Her grandmother passed, so she flew out to Indiana to attend the funeral and be with family. I wish I could've gone with her, but work and finances did not allow it. Not that money was really an issue. She comes back tomorrow, and I can't wait to see her. We haven't spent much time away from one another in our 4 years of marriage.
I was off yesterday, and actually spent some of my time being productive, as I began moving things around in our bedrooms. Not sure how much I'll accomplish before Eliz returns, but since I'm off tomorrow too, I'm hoping to have a decent chuck moved. We have a lot more than I realized, but if I do a little at a time instead of trying to accomplish the big picture, it's a lot easier.
With Eliz gone this week, being on the internet has been tricky, as I've been trying to avoid spoilers for the season finales that are airing. So far, so good...for the most part.
We had a lot going on last week, between her family situation, just life in general, and then prepping for Rocky's graduation, so I haven't had time to settle in for a movie until yesterday. And I ended up doing a double feature: Beetlejuice and Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!
TBC
Monday, May 06, 2013
05/06/2013
Movie catch up time!
69) Street Fighter - A rather hokey, yet entertaining, film adaptation of the popular video game. I know fans of the game have issue with the movie, but I found it to be an enjoyable time. Or as Dave said "it's a good bad movie". Yes, there is not a lot of fighting in the film itself (an error MK rectified). But I liked the story and I feel they brought a majority of the characters to a decent representation on film. And Raul Julia totally steals the movie as General Bison.
70) Iron Man 3 - Went and saw the 9 PM showing on Thursday with Dave. I really enjoyed it. Much better than the second, and on par with the first. I had a friend say they enjoyed it more than The Avengers. It has a great story, and lots of action. For an 120 minute film, it didn't drag at all for me. I really love Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark. And the rest of the cast ain't to bad either. I might actually have to get around to adding the Marvel movies to my BR collection.
71) Frequency - Elizabeth and I had a date night Friday, and this was the movie that was pulled from the bowl. It's also a movie from my "40 before 40" list, and one of the few that I haven't seen myself. Which after watching, I'm surprised I hadn't! especially since I'm pretty sure I've owned the DVD since my Blockbuster Video days. I loved it. It has an excellent and different use of the time travel story, and I love how it shows how one small change effects everything. It has great suspense to it, and I really enjoyed the father/son aspect of the storytelling. One most definely worth seeking out if you haven't seen it.
69) Street Fighter - A rather hokey, yet entertaining, film adaptation of the popular video game. I know fans of the game have issue with the movie, but I found it to be an enjoyable time. Or as Dave said "it's a good bad movie". Yes, there is not a lot of fighting in the film itself (an error MK rectified). But I liked the story and I feel they brought a majority of the characters to a decent representation on film. And Raul Julia totally steals the movie as General Bison.
70) Iron Man 3 - Went and saw the 9 PM showing on Thursday with Dave. I really enjoyed it. Much better than the second, and on par with the first. I had a friend say they enjoyed it more than The Avengers. It has a great story, and lots of action. For an 120 minute film, it didn't drag at all for me. I really love Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark. And the rest of the cast ain't to bad either. I might actually have to get around to adding the Marvel movies to my BR collection.
71) Frequency - Elizabeth and I had a date night Friday, and this was the movie that was pulled from the bowl. It's also a movie from my "40 before 40" list, and one of the few that I haven't seen myself. Which after watching, I'm surprised I hadn't! especially since I'm pretty sure I've owned the DVD since my Blockbuster Video days. I loved it. It has an excellent and different use of the time travel story, and I love how it shows how one small change effects everything. It has great suspense to it, and I really enjoyed the father/son aspect of the storytelling. One most definely worth seeking out if you haven't seen it.
Friday, May 03, 2013
05/03/2013
Not much new here. My doctors appointment the other day went well. I was told I was the healthiest person he had seen in a while. A few more tests are going to be run, but it looks like for the most part it's just something to do because of my size.
Work is going well. I haven't mentioned it here, so briefly: I quit Food Lion back in November, and have been working at the LifeWay Christian Store since February. I'm doing Inventory mostly, as after I was hired the person who was doing inventory put in their 2 weeks. Godly timing, I say. :) I love it there. The atomosphere is wonderful, and the people I work with are great too.
Elizabeth's showroom opening was last night/this morning. I went over after work last night, to support her and to see the new place without all the mess of the past 6 months. It looks great, and I can't wait to see where the business goes as it continues to grow! I'm hoping she will be able to leave work before 5 today, and maybe we can get a movie date in or something.
I just got a text from her, saying she is done for the day. Instead of catching up on movies, I'm going to go see my beautiful wife!
Next time: Street Fighter & Iron Man 3!
Work is going well. I haven't mentioned it here, so briefly: I quit Food Lion back in November, and have been working at the LifeWay Christian Store since February. I'm doing Inventory mostly, as after I was hired the person who was doing inventory put in their 2 weeks. Godly timing, I say. :) I love it there. The atomosphere is wonderful, and the people I work with are great too.
Elizabeth's showroom opening was last night/this morning. I went over after work last night, to support her and to see the new place without all the mess of the past 6 months. It looks great, and I can't wait to see where the business goes as it continues to grow! I'm hoping she will be able to leave work before 5 today, and maybe we can get a movie date in or something.
I just got a text from her, saying she is done for the day. Instead of catching up on movies, I'm going to go see my beautiful wife!
Next time: Street Fighter & Iron Man 3!
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
04-30-2013
First things first: It seems that the site I use to list the movies I've watched hasn't been all that reliable recently, so I'm including a link to my Pinterest page that is basically the same thing. I actually like the Pinterest page better, but I think that's because I get to choose what art represents the movie.
I'm really hoping that I stick to updating this thing regularly again. It's a way for me to be writing, which helps. I've been taking an online writing course, and hopefully that will help me expand some of the ideas that burrow into my head.
I've got a doctors appointment this afternoon, to see what kind of possible problem I have regarding my kidneys. I produce too much protien, which is a possible sign of many different health problems.
So, my main reason for making this blog was movies, which is what I will continue to use it for, as well as anything else that I fancy. So, without further adieu, lets see what I've viewed recently! I'm going to number the movies as they fall on my list.
66) Mortal Kombat - A fun, cheesy, and overall not a bad film from the mid '90s, based upon the ever popular video game franchise. Now, I've never been a real big gamer, but I do own a copy of Mortal Kombat for my SNES. And even though I've never been good with fighting games, I did enjoy it a lot when I played it. The movie itself is decent. You can tell Lambert had fun playing Rayden. And Goro was done awesomely. I ended up watching some making of vids on YouTube on how Goro was done, and it was quite inpressive. The music makes this movie, as they use the original VG music in most of the fight scenes. Which I now believe ALL movie fight scenes should have as background music.
67) Maximum Overdrive - Oh man, this is an underrated film, in my opinion. It's been a while since I had seen it, and I had forgotten at how good of a movie it really is. I love Emilio Estevez in it, and it's just a great B-film from the '80s. The Green Goblin truck is classic, and makes an awesome protagonist. Plus, you get a soundtrack done completely by AC/DC. I really don't think you can go wrong with a movie about killer machines.
Oh wait....
68) Trucks - Seriously, I should've just rewatched Maximum Overdrive. This is a made for TV remake done by USA in '97. I normally can tolerate bad movies. And yes, I did watch this through until the end. Which I guess was the one good aspect of it. The acting was bad, the effects were horrible (blood looked like strawberry jelly), and instead of all machinery becoming active, it was just a handful of trucks. Oh yeah, and it took place outside of Area 51. The music was some generic sounding suspense stuff, and there weren't any truly likeable characters.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Sup?
So, clearly I didn't use this as much as I intended last year. And this will probably be the only post I do this year, but we shall see. It's not like I have any readers to begin with, LoL.
I did not meet my goal of 200 movies last year. I barely broke 100! My list for last year is still available here. Clearly a lot was going on last year, and I was lost in a void for awhile. But some changes came about at the end of the year, and I'm much happier now than I've been in a while. I've got a new job, which I love. And I continue to grow spiritually.
So, how am I fairing this year, movie wise? This is my list for 2013. I'm finishing up movie 65, and it's only April! Movie 65 last year was the midnight showing of The Expendables 2, which was on Aug 17. Now, I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I'm thinking the 200 goal is reachable this year.
Elizabeth and I finally started on my "40 before 40" list that I made, which consists of 40 movies I want to watch with her before we turn 40. We did a double feature of Cobra and A Knight's Tale. Odd mixture, for sure.
I've been on a Tim Burton kick recently. I've watched Batman, Batman Returns, and Pee-Wee's Big Adventure all within the past week. I'll probably continue on that, as there are a few other movies of his I've been wanting to see recently.
I just finished watching Killer Klowns from Outer Space, a very B-movie from the '80s. But there is something enjoyable about it! Not sure what else I will watch tonight. I have Mortal Kombat waiting from Netflix, but I might go a different route.
I did not meet my goal of 200 movies last year. I barely broke 100! My list for last year is still available here. Clearly a lot was going on last year, and I was lost in a void for awhile. But some changes came about at the end of the year, and I'm much happier now than I've been in a while. I've got a new job, which I love. And I continue to grow spiritually.
So, how am I fairing this year, movie wise? This is my list for 2013. I'm finishing up movie 65, and it's only April! Movie 65 last year was the midnight showing of The Expendables 2, which was on Aug 17. Now, I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I'm thinking the 200 goal is reachable this year.
Elizabeth and I finally started on my "40 before 40" list that I made, which consists of 40 movies I want to watch with her before we turn 40. We did a double feature of Cobra and A Knight's Tale. Odd mixture, for sure.
I've been on a Tim Burton kick recently. I've watched Batman, Batman Returns, and Pee-Wee's Big Adventure all within the past week. I'll probably continue on that, as there are a few other movies of his I've been wanting to see recently.
I just finished watching Killer Klowns from Outer Space, a very B-movie from the '80s. But there is something enjoyable about it! Not sure what else I will watch tonight. I have Mortal Kombat waiting from Netflix, but I might go a different route.
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