Memorial Day 2022: Movie Marathon Continued

 I know I am a bit delayed in writing up the last of the movies from the weekend movie marathon. Saturday I watched 4 movies, but I only managed to watch 1 more the rest of the weekend for a total of 7 over 3 days. Here are the last 5 from the bucket list in the order viewed.

Up:  The last of the animated films on the bucket list. I'll admit to liking this one more than its predecessors. However, it was still a bit too long for my taste (for an animated film) and I found my attention fading a little over halfway through. I'm not sure how kids with short attention spans managed to watch the entire movie. Overall rating: B

Memento:  It seems the further I progress through the list the more bizarre some of the films are. I kind of thought of this as a very dark, revenge oriented version of 50 First Dates with Adam Sandler. Odd would be something of an understatement. To be honest, I'm not sure I even remembered the end of the movie. Overall rating: C-

Blade Runner:  Here's another film that had a very futuristic view of Los Angeles (if I recall it is set in about 2017 or 2018). Interesting how filmmakers of the 80s and 90s thought L.A. in the 21st century would appear. Premise was somewhat intriguing, but still the movie was at times very hard to follow. Harrison Ford was, as always, a good leading man here. Overall rating: C

Reservoir Dogs: Ah, my old friend Quentin Tarantino (sarcasm). If I have learned one thing from all of the Tarantino films I have subjected myself to over the years it is that one should expect over-the-top violence and gore that is not entirely necessary to the telling of the story. However, I will say that this movie is one of his better ones in my humble opinion. Given the subject matter of the movie, the violence (while somewhat exaggerated) was at least logical. Overall rating: B- (very high for a Tarantino flick).

The Prestige:  The first plus to this film is that it stars Hugh Jackman. It was all about two magicians who were friends/partners turned bitter rivals. The other leading man was played by Christian Bale (who personally I do not much care for). Over all the story was engaging and at least kept my attention for the better majority. The surprise casting was David Bowie as Nikola Tesla and he did a phenomenal job (nearly unrecognizable). Of these last five movies, this was far and away my favorite. Overall rating: A- (still a bit too long for a solid A).

2nd Annual Memorial Day Movie Marathon: 1st 2 nights Down

 It doesn't seem like it has already been a year since I officially started the bucket list challenge. So I started the weekend movie marathon a night early this year. Officially I watched three movies the 1st two nights, however, I realized (much to my chagrin) one of the movies I watched wasn't actually on the bucket list. I will still include the review after the other two.

The Big Lebowski: This wasn't entirely new to me with this viewing, however, I had not seen the whole film start to finish. I was pretty entertained, although there were a few parts that I felt could have been left out without sacrificing essential plot points. Jeff Bridges' character and John Goodman's character were hilarious. Overall I would give it a strong B+ rating. It would have gotten an A if not for the superfluous material that added unnecessary length to the movie. 

The Terminator: Here's another that probably surprises most people that I have not previously seen. There was no specific reasoning as to why...it just never occurred to me to watch it. I did see T2 not long after it was available on VHS. I have not, however, seen any of the subsequent Terminator movies. Of course it struck me as funny that the beginning of Terminator was set in Los Angeles in the year 2029. I always find it interesting to see how movies imagined the 2020s to be. The 80s aspects were great, especially Linda Hamilton's wardrobe. Towards the end of movie a question came to mind (upon seeing how difficult it was to "kill" the Terminator): who would win in a battle of evil killing machines -- the Terminator or a Dalek? Discuss amongst yourselves and/or leave a comment on the blog with your opinion. My overall rating for the movie was probably an A-. Due in large part to not being excessively long with unnecessary parts.

The BONUS ENTRY:

Inception: I have no idea why I was certain this was on the bucket list. Did not realize it was not until after I had finished watching and was trying to scratch it off the list. Well, this was certainly an interesting movie. I had a bit of trouble following the story, but I suppose that is not entirely uncommon. Generally speaking it was alright. Like several of the movies on the list I felt as though it could have been shorter without losing much in the way of important details. It does get bonus points for ending with a conclusion that wraps up with closure for the main character. I'm still not quite sure what exactly happened to his wife though. Perhaps I missed it. I'll leave it with an overall grade of C+.

Another From the Bucket List

 Yes, I know it has been awhile since I added anything to the blog. I've been kind of slacking off when it comes to watching movies. However, I do plan to have another movie marathon over Memorial Day weekend (and I've added several of the missing titles from the bucket list to my collection). So there should be plenty of reviews coming in the next week or so. Since my last entry I have only crossed one more film off the list. This will be quite a short entry since there is only one film being reviewed.

2001: A Space Odyssey: I had been warned in advance that this is somewhat of an odd movie. It seems that warning was more than justified. I wouldn't go so far as to say the movie was bad. But, it definitely could have been much shorter without losing anything essential to the plot. The soundtrack wasn't too bad, either. I can't say that I fully understood the movie (neither did the person I was watching it with). Given the excessive length of the movie I am not inclined to watch it again to see if it makes more sense the 2nd time around.

Ringing in 2022 with 4 More Titles off of the List

     Welcome to 2022! Hard to believe it's nearly the middle of February already. Since the beginning of the year I have managed to cross another 4 movies off of the bucket list. 2 movies were foreign language films with subtitles (a horrific feature for some people, but I actually don't mind them), 1 was an animated movie, and finally the last of the group was the lone anime film on the list. Away we go!

Amelie:  I was actually looking forward to seeing this one as I have heard good things about it. I found it somewhat odd, but there were parts that I found quite entertaining. I also improved a bit of my French vocabulary (bonus). I speak French at an intermediate level but I still need the subtitles to truly be able to follow the dialog. My television screen isn't the greatest for seeing the subtitles, but with my basic comprehension I kept up pretty well. Overall I'd rank it somewhere in the middle. Not an obvious classic but also not among the worst movies I have been subjected to. 

The Intouchables: Not to be confused with The Untouchables, this is another French language film. The subject matter was more serious than Amelie and the overall story is pretty good. If you like the rom-com genre, in some ways this movie reminds me of the more recent English language film Me Before You (based on a book). The Intouchables is based on a real-life story. I'd probably give this a solid B rating. For the most part I could keep up with the plot of the movie while managing the subtitles. Despite my fairly high grade, I'm not quite sure why this movie would make a 100 Movies to See before You Die type of list. Perhaps it's just that I expect movies on this type of list to be cinematic masterpieces with stories so captivating that you instantly know you've seen a classic. 

Toy Story: After this one, I think I only have one more animated film to subject myself to. I've already discussed my general dislike of the modern animated films (with relatively few exceptions). I get that Disney/Pixar is a powerhouse when it comes to animated movies. Given all the hype (and seemingly infinite sequels) for Toy Story I expected to be dazzled. Again I was disappointed. The overall storyline was just okay for me. I won't deny that for younger viewers (the target audience of Disney/Pixar) the story is relatable and probably entertaining. But 4 sequels? No, I don't get it. 

Spirited Away: If there was something I was looking forward to less than the animated movies on the list, it was the lone anime selection. To date I have never really been able to get into anime. It could be that the very first one I watched (back in my high school days) was probably one of the heaviest of the anime films: Akira. I've also seen Princess Mononoke (spelling?). The only anime I ever really enjoyed was the series Cowboy Bebop (and that was mainly because one of the characters was a Pembroke Welsh Corgi). Given all of my prior history with anime, I actually found myself kind of enjoying this one more than I thought I would. I still don't fully understand the genre and can have a hard time keeping up with the unusual storylines. But with Spirited Away I found myself wanting the main character to be successful in her quest to save her parents. 

That's all for tonight. Not sure what my next selections will be or when I'll make some time to cross a few more off of the list. Until next time!

The Christmas Edition

     Merry Christmas everyone! I mentioned in my last entry I was going to take a break from the bucket list to compile a list of some of my favorite Christmas movies. I'll start off by reviewing the criteria by which I decided what to include as a Christmas film. First, I am not including made for TV movies. To the best of my knowledge all of the films included below were released in the theaters. Second, I am not including films that just happen to take place at Christmas. This means I am not including films like Gremlins and Die Hard. There I said it...Die Hard is not a Christmas movie. Finally, the order in which I list the films is completely random and not an indication as to how much I liked or disliked it. If a film is not included (that is traditionally considered a Christmas movie), there are two likely explanations: either I haven't seen it or I completely forgot about it when I was compiling the list. And now on with the show!

A Christmas Story: Classic story about a little boy who wants nothing more than a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas. Includes some classic lines and memorable scenes. I generally liked the movie, however, the cult fascination with it seems a bit much. I don't mind watching it once in awhile but multiple 24 hour marathons of it on television every year is a bit much. 

Home Alone: One of my favorites to be included on this list. I still enjoy watching it when it comes on television. Of course, certain aspects of the story remain questionable. How on earth did Kevin's parents not realize he was missing for as long as they did? I've been on trips (including international trips) with large groups of people and always seemed to know if someone was missing from the group as a whole. Putting those questionable details aside, I still really like the movie.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York: Like the original I really enjoy this movie...even if the script isn't all that different from the first one. This time they manage to get Kevin to the airport before he inexplicably manages to get lost and on an entirely different flight from his parents and extended family. These are the only two movies in this franchise that I have seen. I couldn't imagine any subsequent films needing to be made or being any good.

It's a Wonderful Life: What list of Christmas movies is complete without this classic? It has been a very long time since I have seen it and don't really recall many details. What I do know is that it has spawned a great number of imitations (both in movies and on television). For example, the soap opera The Young and the Restless is known for doing a Christmas episode nearly every year in which one of the main characters has an It's a Wonderful Life dream-like experience. It's this type of thing that ruins the original for me. 

The Santa Clause: Obviously an implausible plot, but still generally entertaining. Tim Allen was pretty funny as a father who accidentally kills Santa and therefore must become Santa going forward. Also resulted in a few sequels, none of which were as entertaining as the original.

Four Christmases: The tale of a couple who make the attempt to visit all four of their dysfunctional parents on one Christmas day. I enjoyed it because despite going to extremes about how each parent is dysfunctional, it very realistically chronicles the struggle of couples to visit multiple families during the holidays. Plus Reese Witherspoon is one of my favorites. Vince Vaughn was not his normal annoying character stereotype in this film. 

Bad Santa: As it has been a long time since I have actually watched this film, I don't really remember the details. With that said, I do remember Billy Bob Thornton being hilarious as a drunken mall Santa. Never did see the sequel...as with most sequels I figured it couldn't have been as good as the original.

The Family Stone: Sarah Jessica Parker plays an uptight Manhattan executive who agrees to celebrate Christmas with her boyfriend's family (a pretty dysfunctional family). Hilarity ensues as she goes overboard trying to impress his difficult mother. A few plot twists along the way kept the movie from falling into a predictable pattern. Overall, pretty good...and better still it hasn't resulted in unnecessary sequels. The end of the film does a great job of wrapping up all of the divergent stories and giving the audience closure.

The Holiday: Pretty sure I stumbled upon this one by accident, however, to quote Bob Ross it was a "happy little accident." I generally like Jack Black, Kate Winslet, and Jude Law in most movies. Even the presence of Cameron Diaz didn't detract. Also required no sequels because the end of the movie suggests how things turn out for all of the characters. 

Elf: A Will Farrell Christmas classic. It's been awhile since I have seen it so I don't really remember all of the specifics. Farrell was great in a movie that was something of a departure from some of his dumber offerings (probably because they didn't create roles for some of his usual co-stars). Nothing against Will Farrell in general, but I have a hard time watching some of his movies. 

Last Christmas: One of the most recent entries on this list...and the one I watched the most recently (just last weekend). I expected it to be pretty cheesy...but turns out I was wrong. Not only was the storyline somewhat entertaining, there was a twist in the plot I legitimately did not see coming. Also surprising was Emma Thompson's character. Normally she's kind of a stereotypical Brit...but here she played Emilia Clarke's over protective Eastern European mother (and quite convincingly). Also well done was the soundtrack of George Michael songs...not in a forced way. 

Love, Actually: If I were ranking these movies, I'd probably consider this my second favorite. Not a traditional Christmas movie, but rather a loose collection of separate stories (some of which intersect quite nicely). Set in London, the ensemble cast features a lot of big stars...Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, and Liam Neeson just to name a few. Definitely worth watching if you like any of these actors.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation: Although I wasn't really ranking these films, this is without a doubt my favorite Christmas movie. How could it not be? The extended Griswold family is together in one house (and an R.V.) and hilarity ensues. This is one film franchise where I enjoy (at least at some level) almost every movie included. Full of memorable quotes and the standard by which all over-the-top exterior Christmas light displays are now judged. It's one of the few Christmas movies I can watch multiple times and not be bored.

There you have it...my review of some of my favorite Christmas movies. Yes, there are several not included on here that I have not seen (some of which I'm sure y'all are wondering how it is I haven't seen at this point). Maybe next year I will try to watch some of the ones I have missed in order to update the list. If you have any suggestions for ones to watch feel free to leave it in the comments. Until later...

Four More Down...

     I know it's been a little while since I updated my progress on the bucket list. Work has kept me pretty busy and so I've been pretty tired on the weekends. Since the last update I have managed to scratch another four films off of the list. Without further ado here are my reviews of those those films.

Halloween (the original): I'm not much for horror movies. It's not that I get scared easily...I just generally find they are overly predictable and I tend to get annoyed with the characters not being able to sense that they are in danger. Unfortunately the bucket list has a few horror films on it that I will have to subject myself to if I want to complete the challenge. I expected Halloween to be far more gruesome than it actually was. I'm sure it scared plenty of people when it first came out in the 70s...but today it really falls flat. It's one of the worst offenders when it comes to being predictable. It was pretty obvious when Michael was about to strike. I'm fairly sure I'll be able to resist the numerous sequels...although I was admittedly intrigued by the trailers for the one that came out earlier this year. Not enough to pay money to watch it though.

Four Weddings and a Funeral: This might be one of those films that I have to watch more than once to truly understand why it would be included on a movie bucket list. Don't get me wrong...I typically like Hugh Grant in just about any movie. I find it lacked a truly cohesive storyline. None of the characters were all that captivating (even Hugh Grant's character). I wouldn't go so far as to say it was terrible...there are plenty of other films that would fall into such a category. I would say it was average at best.

12 Angry Men: When I found this on DVD at Barnes and Noble and read the synopsis on the back I was actually intrigued. It doesn't feature a lot of well-known actors (at least to younger viewers). What made the movie all the more interesting is that this type of story is actually relevant today. If you're looking for action and adventure...look elsewhere. This drama based on a jury of 12 men deciding the fate of a young man accused of murder is something that could easily be remade today. I think this was a very well made film that didn't try to do more than necessary to tell a captivating story. If I go into much more detail, I would certainly ruin the movie. I recommend this to anyone who likes a good legal drama.

Groundhog Day: The premise of this movie never really seemed all that interesting to me. I know plenty people swear by this as a comedy classic. I disagree. Yes, there were a few parts that occasionally made me laugh. But overall it was about what I expected it to be. Maybe it's just not my type of humor. I'm sure someone reading this will be shocked that I disliked it. Maybe it was that I was predisposed against it, however, I felt the same way about The Goonies before I watched it for this list and I actually changed my mind. It would be much better for me if every movie on the list I was skeptical about was better than I initially thought. Sadly Groundhog Day was not one of those movies.

Now that I have two 3 day weekends back-to-back to close out 2021, I'm going to try and clear out a few more selections. Not sure which ones I'll tackle next. I'm also pondering a brief entry that takes a break from the bucket list challenge...all about Christmas movies. As always, feel free to leave a comment if you agree or disagree with any of the reviews I have included. I also saw online an ad for another movie poster that lists 100 movies from the 90s. I might just have to purchase that one as well...for another bucket list challenge. Some appear to be duplicates from the current list...which only means I will be able to work my way through it faster. Until next time...

July Challenge Update

 I haven't made a lot more progress on the Bucket List Challenge, however, I did scratch another five titles off of the poster in July. I'll review them below, and as always beware of potential spoilers.

Jaws: For as long as I can remember I've also been under the impression that Jaws is an exceptionally graphic and somewhat frightening film. For that reason I was expecting it to be somewhat scarier than it was. As with a lot of horror-type movies I found it to be rather predictable in the sense that I could generally anticipate when the bad stuff was going to happen. I expected far more blood and gore given the hype. I won't say that I didn't like the movie, but I can safely say it is unlikely to be one I would watch again (unless it just so happens to be on TV and nothing better is on).

This Is Spinal Tap: I'll put this movie into the category of "what the heck did I just watch and why." I get that it was supposed to be something of a "mockumentary." With that said I just could not get into it and couldn't really focus on it. Perhaps I need to watch it again to fully "get it." There are plenty of other movies that fall into that category, and many of them I ended up liking the second (or sometimes third) time around. Specific examples would be "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" and "Moulin Rouge." So I won't rule out another attempt at watching it, but not before I finish off other movies I have not watched yet.

Fight Club: Yes, I'm sure many of you will be surprised that I had not seen this film prior to embarking upon the Bucket List Challenge. Like others, there was no particular reason I hadn't seen it. As for the film itself...it was certainly interesting. This one did keep my attention and admittedly I did not expect the plot twist at the end. So kudos for catching me off guard with the ending (and no, I won't spoil it for those who haven't watched it as no one spoiled it for me). Although I didn't dislike the movie, I'm not so sure it is worth all of the hype either. I can understand at least why it is on a movie bucket list.

The Godfather: Another classic movie. I happened to catch this one on TV and decided to watch it that way. Of course with commercials added, I expect it is possible that I missed bits and pieces of the movie that I would have seen had I watched it on a DVD. I don't think I missed anything significant. As far as mafia movies go, it was probably a little less violent than others I have seen (think "Casino" as an example). As a side note (unrelated to the plot of the film), I was surprised at how handsome Al Pacino was when he was younger. Can't say he aged all that well. Probably not a movie I would really ever watch again, but as with "Jaws" I wouldn't necessarily change the channel if I happened across it on TV again.

Lawrence of Arabia: Epic movie! But, you really have to be committed to the cause to embark on a film such as this. It's very long! I got to see this one in a unique setting as it was played on a huge outdoor screen at the National World War I Museum. I've studied some of the actual history surrounding T.E. Lawrence (played by Peter O'Toole in the movie)...and I know that the movie is somewhat loosely based on his life. But as most of my history classes don't generally talk much about Lawrence it was difficult to separate the fact from the fiction. I didn't pick up on a lot of huge historical errors (that wouldn't be obvious to most people). I've studied WWI (and to some degree the Arab portions of the conflict) in pretty great detail and I was able to enjoy the story without being too nit-picky on historical accuracy. I'd probably watch it again. Like Pacino, Peter O'Toole was quite handsome as a young man.

There you have...the five most recent additions to the completed list. I'll probably watch a few more titles over the Labor Day weekend, when I have an extra day off. Feel free to add any comments if you think I missed something or disagree with any of my opinions. I love a good discussion!