Netflix & Doctor Who

Sorry, movie lovers. We're still going through the 2005 season of Doctor Who and enjoying it a lot. We highly recommend it.

We started getting our movies through Netflix in October 2005. We got sick and tired of getting DVDs from Blockbuster that wouldn't play when we got them home. The mail service is very convenient. Last week we received the very first disc from Netflix that wouldn't play on our DVD player. That's one bad disc out of about 190. Blockbusters odds were close to 40/60.

It was also very easy to replace the bad DVD. I got online, answered two multiple choice questions and my DVD replacement was on its way. How easy is that!?

If you're still hedging about doing a mail service, I hope this pushes you over the edge!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix * * * ½

I'll write a full review of the new HP movie next week. Until then, I can highly recommend a trip to the theatre to see it (which I don't do lightly). The special effects are worth it and so are the battle scenes. Everything is ramped up a notch. This all helps and director David Yates makes my least favorite HP book so far very enjoyable.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: I have my tickets!

We'll see how David Yates does directing the latest Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Midnight showings begin July 10. I would love to do a midnight show but, I have a job. So MyGeek bought us tickets for the 7:00 p.m. show on Wednesday.

Yates is also slotted to direct Half-Blood Prince. I think it's great that they change directors so frequently. I don't know if it's on purpose but it sure is keeping the franchise fresh.

I have things very well timed. After seeing Phoenix this week, I'll re-read Half-Blood Prince before I receive my birthday copy of Deathly Hallows on the 21st, the 7th and final Harry Potter book. Everyone will probably finish their books before I do so don't tell me what happens!

Movie Watch 2007

I thought I'd put a quick post out here about movies I'm looking forward to being released.

• Day Watch
  7/1/2007
  Fantasy/Foreign
  My Geek first heard about this two-part Russian-made vampire series. Night Watch was a visual feast, if a little choppy.





• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  7/13/2007
  Adventure
  Without any shame, I am a true fan of J.K. Rawling. My Geek pre-ordered me Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows being released 7/21/2007. The film already has a slot on IMDB for 2010. How tired (and rich) are Radcliffe and the gang going to be when this is finally over.


• Live Free, Die Hard
  7/27/2007
  Action
  It's Bruce Willis in an action movie. That's the only reason you need.






• Ratatouille
  7/29/07
  Animation
  I saw this trailer on a recent Neflix rental. I just thought it was funny, a rat who lives in Paris and is a food connoisseur.




• Penelope
  08/17/07
  Fantasy
  I saw this trailer a while back. The cast looks great (Christina Ricci, Reese Witherspoon, Catherine O'Hara) and it reminds me of Big Fish or the Harry Potter series.



• Martian Child
  10/26/07
  Drama
  It's the first promising John Cusack movie in a while. 1408 looks good but I'm just not a horror fan.

Shakespeare Movies

During my summer of teen angst, I checked out the complete works of Shakespeare. It was a fabulous book with the left and right margins filled with explanations on many of the phrases. During my family's summer vacation, I would wonder off by myself carrying my complete works of Shakespeare. The only other thing I was interested in was sun bathing.

I didn't get a chance to watch a film this week so I thought, in memory of summer and Shakespeare, I would recommend my favorite films based on Shakespeare's writings.


Ten Things I Hate About You, 1999

This is a modern adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew. It stars a young Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles and one of my favorite actors, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Unlike other teen flics with too much sex and scatological humor, this is heart warming and lovable. You like all the characters and you want more than anything in the world for Kat to thaw. There's a good payoff in the end and fun is had by all.

Romeo + Juliet, 1996

You already know what a huge fan I am of Baz Luhrmann. In his version of Romeo and Juliet, he attempts what seems like an unlikely combination. He sets the story in a modern Verona Beach, with guns and pimped cars but keeps the Shakespearean dialog. If you already love the story, get a fresh energetic view of it through Luhrmann's colorful and textured lens.


Much Ado About Nothing, 1993

This adaptation of Shakespeare's comedy of twisting plot lines and outrageous characters is directed, written and acted in by Kenneth Branagh. Much of the fun of this film is in the amazing all star cast: Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Richard Briers, Keanu Reeves, Michael Keaton, Imelda Staunton, and Kate Berkinsale. Keaton, in particular, is hilarious. Consider watching this film on movie night with friends. It's great crowd pleasing fun and, besides, who wouldn't want to see Keanu Reeves do Shakespeare.


Hamlet, 1990

This was the first time I completely understood Shakespeare and I know it was the result of Mel Gibson's acting and Franco Zeffirelli's adaptation. Gibson's Hamlet is passionate, physical and intoxicating, which is the kind of characters Gibson plays. There is never a boring moment when he's on the screen.




The Taming of the Shrew, 1967

I rented this film because I hadn't read The Taming of the Shrew and I had yet to see a movie with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton together. Taylor and Burton's chemistry is obvious. This is Zeffirelli's earliest success in adapting Shakespeare to film and the most well known. I choose it as my classic.


Shakespeare in Love doesn't really count in this category because it's a fictional story about Shakespeare writing Romeo & Juliet, it's not actually one of his plays.

I saw Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet (1996) and was totally bored. It was the Kenneth Branagh show and, although Hamlet is melodramatic, Branagh's interpretation is too self-important. I didn't like Hamlet in this film and I didn't care what happened to him.

I haven't seen Laurence Olivier's Hamlet (1948). I hope to one day.

Movie Review Index

In a single post I have accumulated a list of all the movies I've ***** rated ***** since June 1, 2006. You can find a quick link to it in the right hand margin under "Movie Reviews". I'll keep this current each week with the movies I see and rate.

In addition to links to the reviews, there will also be links to IMDB so you can find out more about the movie and a link to a trailer, if available.

Let me know if any of the links don't work or if there is any other information you would like to have access to.

Fox Faith Movies

My friend Sandi is a member of the Fox Faith Movies Press Room. As a member, Sandi gets early releases of films before they are released either in the theatre or on DVD.

From their web site, here is what Fox Faith Movies is about:

FoxFaith Movies is the Christian moviegoer’s online guide to current and upcoming faith-based theatrical releases from FoxFaith. FoxFaith is a new branded distribution label from Twentieth Century Fox, created to house and distribute its growing portfolio of morally-driven, family-friendly programming. To be part of Fox Faith, a movie has to have overt Christian Content or be derived from the work of a Christian author.

Since I write movie reviews here every week, Sandi wrote her contact at FFM and got me in the Press Room. In the future, if I happen to be reviewing a FFM, I will include the above logo in the review so that you'll know it comes from them.

You might be scratching your head at this point. The movies I review are not considered family friendly and, as I said from the beginning, this is not the site to go to if you are looking for recommendations in that area. I like thrillers, action, and drama and everything I have reviewed has been R rated. But this was a great opportunity to hook up with the review community so I took it.

I don't know if my reviews will be helpful to them. I hold movies to a high standard and don't expect any less from the family friendly genre.

Halloween Pics

As I said when I started adding movie reviews to this site, I am not a horror movie fan. I've read quite a few horror novels but I don't enjoy the movies. That's not to say that I don't have a few, very tame favorites for this time of year.

The Corpse Bride is not actually classified as horror (told you these were tame) but it's fun. The artistic quality alone makes it worth seeing at least once. I really appreicate Tim Burton believing in the craft of stop-motion animation enough to pursue this project. You have to check out the extras on this DVD, especially The Animators.

Tim Burton makes wonderfully imaginative and colorfully artistic films. Beetle Juice and Sleepy Hollow are also good selections.

My Geek said that I couldn't put Shaun of the Dead on my list because it was a comedy. IMDB lists it as a Comedy/Horror. The movie's tag line is "A romantic comedy. With zombies." The gross factor alone qualifies it as a horror for me. Shaun is having a really bad day. His girlfriend dumped him because he has no real ambition and hangs out at the pub all the time. He gets no respect at work or from his family. Then zombies start taking over London! Shaun and his best mate try to rise to the occasion and save their friends and family from these flesh eaters. Funny and gross. See our dilemma?

Tremors is one of those films that didn't get much fan fair on release but has a significant cult following. The best part of this film is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. The characters are small town folk who find themselves breakfast, lunch and dinner for giant underground worms who track vibrations made on the surface. The worms are not complicated or super smart which makes it all the more entertaining to see these simple folk try to out smart them and survive. There are plenty of laughs and scary moments.

Identity is the closest I get on this list to a modern day slasher. It's scary, creepy and gross but the plot line is typical. Several strangers end up stranded together at a roadside motel during a torrential rain storm. One-by-one they are murdered. While trying to figure out what is going on, they discover they have one very strange thing in common. As easily frightened as I get, I was able to make it through this film because it stars John Cusack, one of my favorite actors (and also by watching through the holes in my afghan.)

Nosferatu is the 1922 German black and white vampire classic based on the Dracula story. What I love is the idea that Count Orlok is so evil that death, famine and hoplessness consumes the entire town of Bremen simply from his presence.

There was also a good film in 2000, Shadow of the Vampire, that is a fictional account of the making of Nosferatu . It plays on a rumor that the actor who played Count Orlok was actually a vampire who was promised the leading lady at the end of filming if he would make the movie.

If you're interested in truer Halloween fair, try one of My Geek's selections:
Halloween II, 1981
American Werewolf in London, 1981
Fright Night, 1985
Lost Boys, 1987
Near Dark, 1987
Session 9, 2001

Where Am I and the The Black Dahlia

Sorry it's been such a long hiatus. Things have been crazy around here and I haven't even had time to say, "boo".

Because my social calendar has been busier, I haven't watched very many movies. I've also been spending more time with the TV premier season. (Check the sidebar for my list.) I have caught a couple of movies. One I will review for Friday.

Last weekend we went to see The Black Dahlia. The four of us have very different tastes and opinions on movies so it's a notable occasion when we all agree. The Minx almost feel asleep and Valet Boy was uncharacteristically silent (a sure sign of boredom). I really don't think this warrants a full review but a warning.

Brian De Palma directed the film. He's done films of great story and style like Scarface and The Untouchables. The Black Dahlia can be credited with having style but the story is a chopped up, convoluted mess. You can probably blame Josh Friedman's screenplay since his previous credits, War of the Worlds and Chair Reaction don't bring a lot to the table. I haven't read James Ellroy's novel so I don't know if that's where the mess began or not.

There's an all-star cast but I have to blame their melodrama accompanied by equally melodramatic music to the director. Sometimes the music was so over the top it actually produced titters.

I don't want to spend a lot more time on this. It is one of the worst movies I've seen in a long time. (The worst is probably "The New World".) If I hadn't of been with friends, I would have walked out on it.

Recommendations

Sorry I missed my movie review last Friday. I'm lucky I don't get paid for this or I'd be out of a job. Please look for a review of Panic this Friday.

Things have gotten really hectic. In the past two weeks school has started, I'm juggling several fires at work and our social calendar has exploded. I may be down to posting only once a week for a while. In the mean time, I know you're at a loss for something to rent so here are some recommendations to tide you over.

Romantic comedy: Grosse Pointe Blank. I know I've mentioned this before so if you still haven't rented it, you should feel guilty.

Foreign: Hero. This is not a kung-fu movie. It is one of the most beautifully artistic films you will probably every see. Guys, you'll like this too. There is beauty in heroism.

Action: The Replacement Killers. And old story: a hitman gets a conscience and then become the target. But Chow Yun-fat is such a wonderful actor it doesn't feel like a rerun.

TV: Firefly. This is a brilliant sci-fi/western adventure series. It's the first series in a long time to develop such wonderful characters. Don't let the genre turn you off. You will love these characters.

I'm going to leave you with these and go put out some fires. Until Friday...

Top 5 (T5) Movie Lists

You may have noticed that in addtion to posting a weekly movie review I also, in the right margin, post a new Top 5 (T5) movie list. Each T5 is by genre (Action, Comedy, Drama, etc.) and is either my T5 or My Geek's. The 5 are not in any particular order. It's hard enough coming up with just 5 much less ranking them.

Eventually I will post my AllTime T5. This list is in progress and very difficult to come up with. You may be shocked to see what ends up in that list (e.g. you probably won't see Casablanca or Citizen Kane). My criteria for film is not the same as a critic's. My T5s are based on consumer parameters. I don't watch movies for a living; I watch them because I love movies. These are movies I like.

Any movie that appears on my AllTime T5 will not appear on any of the individual genre lists. Star Wars (I won't tell you which one yet) will appear in my AllTime list but not in the sci-fi list. It is definitely one of the best Sci-Fi films of all time but I think it is more than that. That's why it gets on the AllTime list. Terminator 2 is an T5 sci-fi film but not an AllTime film.

Out of Control Movie Trailers

More and more you hear grumblings at the number of movie trailers shown at theaters before the main feature. I have never complained. I love trailers. I want to be in the theatre early, before the lights go down, to make sure I see all the trailers.

My Geek is kind of the opposite. He prefers to read about movies. This way he has more control over the amount of information he gets about the film. He wants to be surprised and develope no presuppositions. I'm beginning to see it his way.

The Lake House is coming out June 16 starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. The premise is that Kate (Sandra Bullock), a lonely doctor, lives in an unusual lake house. Somehow, she is able to exchange letters via the lake house mailbox with Alex (Keanu Reeves) who lives in the same lake house... two years in the future. They fall in love but how can they ever get together? This is impossible, right?

Then, late one night on TV I saw a trailer for The Lake House that appears to answer these questions! I was furious!

Romance is a very difficult storyline. There aren't many films that stand out in the romance category (e.g.Notorius, Casablanca, The Princess Bride). A romance must have two people that you care very much about and that you want to see get together. They also must struggle to overcome obsticles that keep them apart, either physcially, mentally or emotionally. In the two hours you're in the theatre, you want to experience the building of desire and anxiety for the ultimate payoff in the end. Will they make it? I don't want the answer before I enter the theatre! It's about the experience, studip!

I really like both of these actors (yes, I like Keanu Reeves) and I'm still looking forward to this film but I may start changing the TV the next time a trailer comes on.

So how do you feel about movie trailers? Like, dislike, indifferent?

About Movie Reviews

My friend Sandi encouraged me to start a movie review blog. I love movies and I love to talk about movies. My Geek (lover, friend and dance partner) has a knack for finding movies that are off the beaten path and frequently overlooked treasures. I hope my Friday reviews will be a resource when you simply want to find a good film to rent and need a recommendation.

My view is that Follywood doesn't try to produce a quality product anymore. I absolutely love that home computers have made publishing (art, movies, writing, etc.) easy for the average person and make them available to the world. People simply want a quality product; they don't want to waste their time. Self-publishing is raising the bar. These are the kinds of films that My Geek and I like to find.

I do not review all movies. I only see movies that interest me, but I will hit on almost every genre. Horror movies, westerns, and war movies are my least favorite. If you enjoy these genres, I'm not your source. Frankly, all horror movies scare me to death, westerns are boring and war flicks have too much T (Testosterone). Of course, there are exceptions to every rule (ex “Identity”, “Unforgiven”, and ... nope. I can’t think of a war flick.)

My absolute favorites are Sci-Fi, Action/Adventure, Comedy, Animation, Drama and Romance - in that order. There are so many films I want to talk about that I will not discuss the more popular, main stream films (i.e. "Lord of the Rings") although I may rate them in a short list for your reference. I also rarely see movies in the theatre. I’m a fan of Netflix. So the movies I rate will not necessarily be new releases but, possibly, several years old.

My intention is not to be vulgar but most of the films I watch are rated “R”. There are some beautiful and exceptional films out there that are extreme (ex. "Sin City"). I will try to explain what makes the movie extreme so you can decide if it's outside your level of tolerance. But I don't believe that extreme violence, adult situations/subjects, or language automatically make a film bad. These reviews are about quality filmmaking. I will not review movies that rate beyond an "R" (i.e. NC-17, X, etc.). These are beyond my tolerance.

My dog, Willa, is going to help me rate the movies based on her squabbit scale. How many squabbits would Willa be willing to let get away so she could see this movie.

1 : One measly squabbit would pull me away from this dreck (do I smell squabbit?).
2 : better bring a buddy. This movie’s trashy but hey, it’s better’n one.
3 : A trio of blind squabbits would have a lucky day getting across my yard if this movie is playing.
4 : There better be a randy foursome of squabbits, and one can be gimpy.
5 : OK, it’s gonna take five squabbits... ringing the doorbell... with a pizza.

I typically do not see a film unless it has received some sort of buzz so I doubt if I'll be presenting very many 1 Squabbit movies. But if there's buzz and I think it's overrated, I'll let you know.

There you have it. I hope this comes in handy.