Day 59 - 2/28/09 - Movie #57
BEFORE: We went to the Empire Casino this weekend, up at Yonkers Raceway. It was fun, but it puts me short on movie-time again. I'm still barely starting the movie before the day ends - I'll have to find a way to get back on track.
THE PLOT: A romance writer sets off to Colombia to ransom her kidnapped sister, and soon finds herself in the middle of a dangerous adventure.
AFTER: This was one of those "Raiders of the Lost Ark" knock-offs - so that means I've been putting off watching this movie since the mid-80's! I don't know why, since Kathleen Turner was so hot, and spends most of the film in a soaking-wet dress...
The plot is twisty, but it's mostly "Who's got the map?" and "Who's got the jewel?" - not really highbrow.
RATING: 7 out of 10 alligators (that's 5 for being 1/2 as good as "Raiders" and 2 points for the wet dress)
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Johnny English
Day 58 - 2/27/09 - Movie #56
BEFORE: I'm almost at the end of Month 2, but I'm still 2 movies behind schedule. It's Friday night, and I have to start my weekend work - but this seems like a quick film. Hey, back-to-back Rowan Atkinson!
THE PLOT: During this spoof spy thriller, we follow our hero as he attempts to single-handedly save the country from falling into the hands of a despot.
AFTER: Hey, Mr. Bean can talk after all! I found this to be pretty entertaining, combining Mr. Bean's ability to foul things up with a spoof of Bond films. I know the Bond films have been parodied many times before, but come on, the genre's a pretty easy target. John Malkovich was great as the villain here - but it was a little schizophrenic, since Johnny English is being portrayed as incompetent, but ultimately he still has to save the day. And who knew that Natalie Imbruglia could act? I sure didn't.
RATING: 7 out of 10 crown jewels
BEFORE: I'm almost at the end of Month 2, but I'm still 2 movies behind schedule. It's Friday night, and I have to start my weekend work - but this seems like a quick film. Hey, back-to-back Rowan Atkinson!
THE PLOT: During this spoof spy thriller, we follow our hero as he attempts to single-handedly save the country from falling into the hands of a despot.
AFTER: Hey, Mr. Bean can talk after all! I found this to be pretty entertaining, combining Mr. Bean's ability to foul things up with a spoof of Bond films. I know the Bond films have been parodied many times before, but come on, the genre's a pretty easy target. John Malkovich was great as the villain here - but it was a little schizophrenic, since Johnny English is being portrayed as incompetent, but ultimately he still has to save the day. And who knew that Natalie Imbruglia could act? I sure didn't.
RATING: 7 out of 10 crown jewels
Mr. Bean's Holiday
Day 57 - 2/26/09 - Movie #55
BEFORE: Seeing Rowan Atkinson's cameo in "Hot Shots", plus watching the (mostly) dialogue-free film "Triplettes of Belleville", logically leads me to watch this film next - since it's set in France, and Mr. Bean barely speaks -
THE PLOT: Mr. Bean wins a trip to Cannes where he unwittingly separates a young boy from his father and must help the two come back together. On the way he discovers France, bicycling, and true love.
AFTER: I actually really enjoyed this one. Yes, Atkinson's humor is low-brow slapstick, but it's FUNNY and the timing is always spot-on. Willem Dafoe had a great part as an egotistical, pretentious film director, and it's amusing to watch all of Bean's plans run off the rails before somehow fixing themselves. The Mr. Bean character wasn't as annoying here as he's seemed to me in the past - I don't know if that's because he had good intentions in this story, or if hanging out with a young boy sidekick and a cute actress humanized him a bit more.
RATING: 7 out of 10 phone numbers
BEFORE: Seeing Rowan Atkinson's cameo in "Hot Shots", plus watching the (mostly) dialogue-free film "Triplettes of Belleville", logically leads me to watch this film next - since it's set in France, and Mr. Bean barely speaks -
THE PLOT: Mr. Bean wins a trip to Cannes where he unwittingly separates a young boy from his father and must help the two come back together. On the way he discovers France, bicycling, and true love.
AFTER: I actually really enjoyed this one. Yes, Atkinson's humor is low-brow slapstick, but it's FUNNY and the timing is always spot-on. Willem Dafoe had a great part as an egotistical, pretentious film director, and it's amusing to watch all of Bean's plans run off the rails before somehow fixing themselves. The Mr. Bean character wasn't as annoying here as he's seemed to me in the past - I don't know if that's because he had good intentions in this story, or if hanging out with a young boy sidekick and a cute actress humanized him a bit more.
RATING: 7 out of 10 phone numbers
Les Triplettes de Belleville
Day 56 - 2/25/09 - Movie #54
BEFORE: Another movie I SHOULD have watched years ago - not only because I work for animators, but due to its reputation as a well-made animated film. But I guess I've been putting it off. American Idol was 2 hours again tonight, so I need something sort of short.
THE PLOT: When her grandson is kidnapped during the Tour de France, Madame Souza teams up with the Belleville Sisters--an aged song-and-dance team--to rescue him.
AFTER: It's certainly gorgeous, very artistic. I'm not sure that the story made a lot of sense - does the French mafia really kidnap pro bike racers to provide underground entertainment? It's too bad that the story didn't match the art - it's all style and not much substance, so it's hard for me to see why this film got so much hype. The music powered the film, but was also just too...French for me.
RATING: 4 out of 10 frogs
BEFORE: Another movie I SHOULD have watched years ago - not only because I work for animators, but due to its reputation as a well-made animated film. But I guess I've been putting it off. American Idol was 2 hours again tonight, so I need something sort of short.
THE PLOT: When her grandson is kidnapped during the Tour de France, Madame Souza teams up with the Belleville Sisters--an aged song-and-dance team--to rescue him.
AFTER: It's certainly gorgeous, very artistic. I'm not sure that the story made a lot of sense - does the French mafia really kidnap pro bike racers to provide underground entertainment? It's too bad that the story didn't match the art - it's all style and not much substance, so it's hard for me to see why this film got so much hype. The music powered the film, but was also just too...French for me.
RATING: 4 out of 10 frogs
Hot Shots Part Deux
DAY 55 - 2/24/09 - Movie #53
BEFORE: OK, let's get it out of the way.
THE PLOT: "Rambo" parody in which Topper Harley leads a rescue team into Iraq to save Iraqi war prisoners and all of their previous rescue teams.
AFTER: See yesterday's review. More of the same.
RATING: 5 out of 10 bullets
BEFORE: OK, let's get it out of the way.
THE PLOT: "Rambo" parody in which Topper Harley leads a rescue team into Iraq to save Iraqi war prisoners and all of their previous rescue teams.
AFTER: See yesterday's review. More of the same.
RATING: 5 out of 10 bullets
Hot Shots
Day 54 - 2/23/09 - Movie #52
BEFORE: I meant to watch another Oscar winner, but I'm short on time. I'm behind on my TV viewing for work as well. Let's pick something short and not too challenging...
THE PLOT: A talented but unstable fighter pilot must overcome the ghosts of his father and save a mission sabotaged by greedy weapons manufacturers.
AFTER: Pretty funny - a lot of quick gags, so I did have to pay attention. Not exactly as funny as "Airplane", but I guess if you watch a lot of action movies like "Top Gun", it's probably hilarious. I haven't seen "Top Gun" (nor am I planning to), so I just have to judge it on its own merits.
RATING: 6 out of 10 bunny slippers
BEFORE: I meant to watch another Oscar winner, but I'm short on time. I'm behind on my TV viewing for work as well. Let's pick something short and not too challenging...
THE PLOT: A talented but unstable fighter pilot must overcome the ghosts of his father and save a mission sabotaged by greedy weapons manufacturers.
AFTER: Pretty funny - a lot of quick gags, so I did have to pay attention. Not exactly as funny as "Airplane", but I guess if you watch a lot of action movies like "Top Gun", it's probably hilarious. I haven't seen "Top Gun" (nor am I planning to), so I just have to judge it on its own merits.
RATING: 6 out of 10 bunny slippers
For Your Consideration
Day 53 - 2/22/09 - Movie 51
BEFORE: My BFF Andy's visiting, and as my guest, I asked him to pick a movie from the list. He picked perhaps the PERFECT film to watch before the Oscar ceremony airs. I have been meaning to watch this for some time, being a big fan of Christopher Guest's mockumentaries.
THE PLOT: Three actors learn that their respective performances in the film "Home for Purim," a drama set in the mid-1940s American South, are generating award-season buzz.
AFTER: I'm afraid it didn't really live up to my expectations, it's no "A Mighty Wind" or "Best in Show". Knowing what I know about filmmaking and the Oscar-nominating process, I had some problems with the timeline - namely, actors don't usually go on talk-shows and promote a movie WHILE it's being shot. The media also wouldn't speculate on Oscar nominations, and a studio wouldn't promote a performance, before a film is edited and is given a release date. I didn't like the portrayal of entertainment reporters either - they're tools, sure, but they're not necessarily idiots, like Fred Willard portrayed. OK, maybe Billy Bush is, but that's it.
RATING: 5 out of 10 trailers
BEFORE: My BFF Andy's visiting, and as my guest, I asked him to pick a movie from the list. He picked perhaps the PERFECT film to watch before the Oscar ceremony airs. I have been meaning to watch this for some time, being a big fan of Christopher Guest's mockumentaries.
THE PLOT: Three actors learn that their respective performances in the film "Home for Purim," a drama set in the mid-1940s American South, are generating award-season buzz.
AFTER: I'm afraid it didn't really live up to my expectations, it's no "A Mighty Wind" or "Best in Show". Knowing what I know about filmmaking and the Oscar-nominating process, I had some problems with the timeline - namely, actors don't usually go on talk-shows and promote a movie WHILE it's being shot. The media also wouldn't speculate on Oscar nominations, and a studio wouldn't promote a performance, before a film is edited and is given a release date. I didn't like the portrayal of entertainment reporters either - they're tools, sure, but they're not necessarily idiots, like Fred Willard portrayed. OK, maybe Billy Bush is, but that's it.
RATING: 5 out of 10 trailers
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