We've gotten all the way through "Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones." And the arguments are already starting.
Ritchie and I preferred it to "Episode I." Sure, you could drive a landspeeder through the plot holes, but at least we don't have to sit through as many jedi meetings and galactic hearings.
Brian and Patrick prefer "Episode I." Brian's reasoning is at least "Episode I" makes sense. Patrick's reasoning is that "Episode I" stands up because of Darth Maul. You know, his five minutes of screen time.
Here's a video of the arguing...
episode II defeats us from Ragtag Productions on Vimeo.
And, don't forget, we have a special surprise for later today. It's A BIG SURPRISE!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
episode I, watched.
We're all the way through "Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace." The reviews are mixed. Patrick and Brian swear it was an enjoyable watch. Ritchie and I found it unwatchable. And Angel is still in bed - he's been pulling doubles all week.
Patrick has just made spinach dip and we are getting ready to watch "Attack of the Clones."
the phantom menace ends... from Ragtag Productions on Vimeo.
episode I
The viewers are in place... kind of.
Brian and I are sitting here with our friend Ritchie, ready as ever to watch "The Phantom Menace," BUT Patrick Cohen wanted to go for an early morning jog, so now we're waiting for him to take his extra long shower. The movies alone are 13 hours worth of content, so if you add in breaks and ordering food and etc. stuff, we're going to be here until 2 or 3 in the morning. Ah well.
We have a semi-surprise built into this event, so stay tuned for the details.
I'll be blogging again after "Episode I" is over.
Brian and I are sitting here with our friend Ritchie, ready as ever to watch "The Phantom Menace," BUT Patrick Cohen wanted to go for an early morning jog, so now we're waiting for him to take his extra long shower. The movies alone are 13 hours worth of content, so if you add in breaks and ordering food and etc. stuff, we're going to be here until 2 or 3 in the morning. Ah well.
We have a semi-surprise built into this event, so stay tuned for the details.
I'll be blogging again after "Episode I" is over.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
a long time ago in a galaxy just outside of hollywood...
This Saturday, in our apartment, in front of the 73 inch HD television set that Patrick bought one day on a crazy, wild-eyed whim, we four are going to do something we've been talking about since our friendship began...
We are going to watch all six "Star Wars" movies in an epic marathon of Bantha sized proportions.
It's an endurance test, to be sure. Like most, we really hated the prequels and since those three will encompass the first SEVEN hours of the marathon, we will be like Rocky and Apollo at the end of "Rocky II" before we even get to the opening crawl of "A New Hope."
Which was also a place of debate...
You see, there was some discussion about which versions of the original trilogy we should watch. Should we watch the ORIGINAL theatrical cuts, with their brisk running times and Muppet puppet budget dance numbers? Or, should we watch the crappy, crappy special editions with the CG Puddle of Jabba, Han Shooting Kind of First, the Audrey II Sarlacc Pit, and, most infamous of all, THE HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN GHOST...
Now, of course, we all prefer the original cuts to the Special Edition. But Patrick and I made an argument for the Special Editions. If we were going to do this marathon correctly, we were going to have to do it the way "George Lucas intended." (For those of you who are too young to remember the trailers for the Special Editions from '96 and '97, the narrator kept saying, "The way George Lucas intended") Even if the way George Lucas intended was crappy and Jar Jar Binks-y, we wanted to see just how well the CG added to the original trilogy fit in to the prequels.
So, we're watching the Prequels and the Special Editions.
Now, there's another issue.
Recently, Brian and Patrick suggested we add "The Clone Wars" to the line-up. I am incredibly against this. A) I don't consider them part of the storyline. B) I DON'T WANT TO SEE STINKY THE HUTT IN ACTION.
Then I said, "If we watch that, we might as well watch The Star Wars Holiday Special!"
So, now that debate is out there.
The marathon starts Saturday. I plan to blog and vlog between the movies to let you know our progress. Please comment below on whether or not you think we should watch "The Clone Wars."
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!
We are going to watch all six "Star Wars" movies in an epic marathon of Bantha sized proportions.
It's an endurance test, to be sure. Like most, we really hated the prequels and since those three will encompass the first SEVEN hours of the marathon, we will be like Rocky and Apollo at the end of "Rocky II" before we even get to the opening crawl of "A New Hope."
Which was also a place of debate...
You see, there was some discussion about which versions of the original trilogy we should watch. Should we watch the ORIGINAL theatrical cuts, with their brisk running times and Muppet puppet budget dance numbers? Or, should we watch the crappy, crappy special editions with the CG Puddle of Jabba, Han Shooting Kind of First, the Audrey II Sarlacc Pit, and, most infamous of all, THE HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN GHOST...
Now, of course, we all prefer the original cuts to the Special Edition. But Patrick and I made an argument for the Special Editions. If we were going to do this marathon correctly, we were going to have to do it the way "George Lucas intended." (For those of you who are too young to remember the trailers for the Special Editions from '96 and '97, the narrator kept saying, "The way George Lucas intended") Even if the way George Lucas intended was crappy and Jar Jar Binks-y, we wanted to see just how well the CG added to the original trilogy fit in to the prequels.
So, we're watching the Prequels and the Special Editions.
Now, there's another issue.
Recently, Brian and Patrick suggested we add "The Clone Wars" to the line-up. I am incredibly against this. A) I don't consider them part of the storyline. B) I DON'T WANT TO SEE STINKY THE HUTT IN ACTION.
Then I said, "If we watch that, we might as well watch The Star Wars Holiday Special!"
So, now that debate is out there.
The marathon starts Saturday. I plan to blog and vlog between the movies to let you know our progress. Please comment below on whether or not you think we should watch "The Clone Wars."
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Angel's Top 10.
I like movies. I love buying DVDs (now, Blu-Ray). I enjoy movie award shows. I just don’t care for making yearly Top 10 movie lists. I see the movies, I like it or don’t. May see it again in theaters. Buy the DVD (now, Blu-Ray). Watch it again, watch the special features. Done. Move on. I rather play Tetris on Facebook, read Hollywood Reporter, look for jobs on Craigslist, work on my Las Vegas puzzle, catch up on my DVR, eat lunch, and other things that wouldn’t be appropriate to mention here.
Nobody cares what my Top 10 movies are right? I’m gonna strain my brain thinking of all the movies I saw last year, just to think of 10 favorite movies. It would be easier to just to look at my DVD collection and see what I’ve purchased in 2008. Or just ask me.
YOU: Hey Angel, did you see “You Don’t Mess With The Zohan?
ME: Yeah.
YOU: Did you like it?
ME: Yes, I liked it.
YOU: Cool.
End.
So in order to appease my roommates, because apparently I have to make a list, I will write down a list of my favorite, well-liked, movies I didn’t mind this year. But I will do it differently. I will make my Top 10 list of movies by their tagline.
Angel’s Unpretentious 10 Well-Liked Movies of 2008 (in no particular order):
1. A comedy about getting dumped, and taking it like a man.
2. Fully Charged.
3. Go!
4. Because you were home.
5. An Adventure Beyond the Ordinar-E.
6. Welcome to a world without rules.
7. Put this in your pipe and smoke it.
8. Quantum of Solace*
9. Trust no one. Deceive everyone.
10. What does it take to find a lost love?
*Apparently has no tagline.
Nobody cares what my Top 10 movies are right? I’m gonna strain my brain thinking of all the movies I saw last year, just to think of 10 favorite movies. It would be easier to just to look at my DVD collection and see what I’ve purchased in 2008. Or just ask me.
YOU: Hey Angel, did you see “You Don’t Mess With The Zohan?
ME: Yeah.
YOU: Did you like it?
ME: Yes, I liked it.
YOU: Cool.
End.
So in order to appease my roommates, because apparently I have to make a list, I will write down a list of my favorite, well-liked, movies I didn’t mind this year. But I will do it differently. I will make my Top 10 list of movies by their tagline.
Angel’s Unpretentious 10 Well-Liked Movies of 2008 (in no particular order):
1. A comedy about getting dumped, and taking it like a man.
2. Fully Charged.
3. Go!
4. Because you were home.
5. An Adventure Beyond the Ordinar-E.
6. Welcome to a world without rules.
7. Put this in your pipe and smoke it.
8. Quantum of Solace*
9. Trust no one. Deceive everyone.
10. What does it take to find a lost love?
*Apparently has no tagline.
Top Ten Movies of the Year - The PATRICK Edition
ed. note... This is Steven Tsapelas here. Prepare for handsome actor Patrick Cohen's Top List...
All right. So this is my first blog for Ragtag Productions, and I feel like I should start out by saying something. Something important. Brian is a crazy person. “A weak year for films?” Are you kidding me? This was an amazing year for films... with movies like “Hamlet 2” and Uwe Boll’s now-classic “In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale”… wait.
Well, it was an amazing summer at least. To see the master M. Night Shyamalan at work in his masterpiece “The Happening,” and to finally see the return of my childhood idol Indiana Jones… damn.
Well at least it was an amazing year for superhero films. I mean this year we got movies like “The Spirit” and “Punisher: War Zone”... hold on…
Maybe Brian was right…
Jokes.
Okay, here we go.
First, the unquestionable
Worst Movie of the year:
THE SPIRIT-
I’m sure most of you haven’t seen this movie. That’s a blessing. One day in December, my brother and I were bored and decided to see a movie. Why not? Movies are fun when you’re bored, right? Yea… do yourself a favor. When this is on TV check it out. No more than 10 minutes or so at a time, mind you, but give it a watch. And ask yourself: What the hell is Sam Jackson doing in this movie?” This isn’t like “Jumper” where it’s so bad it’s funny. This is like when a handicapped kid falls and starts crying. It’s just too embarrassing and painful to laugh at. This was easily the most painful cinematic experience of my life. And I’ve seen two Uwe Boll movies and “Ultraviolet” on opening night.
Now, the
Movie I hated the most this year:
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL-
Okay, so this movie is 100 times better than “The Spirit,” but there’s a big difference. I didn’t grow up watching the Spirit and thinking he was the coolest hero ever. I didn’t run around my backyard dressed like the Spirit. But Indy? Come on, I had the hat, the whip, a toy gun, and I’d run around fighting imaginary Nazis. I must have been Indy for Halloween at least 8 times (most recently in ’07). So to watch this movie was heartbreaking.
Now I’m not one of those people who’ll tell you that aliens don’t belong in an Indiana Jones movie. I get it. It’s the 50s now. The occult and WW2 has been replaced by UFO sightings and the cold war. I get it. That’s fine. I also don’t mind Harrison Ford in this. Is he amazing? No. Is he too old? Yes. But he works for me. I felt like he was Indy. The problem with this movie is not Shia LeBouf, Karen Allen or Ray Winstone. The problem with this movie is Lucas. The Beard. This was Episode 1. Stupid freaking CGI monkeys, ridiculously fake looking fire ants, surviving an atomic bomb in a refrigerator. A refrigerator people. And don’t even get me started on the gophers. My God the gophers. I know it was you George. You broke my heart. Again.
Okay, now here’s my top ten. Bear in mind, these are my favorite movies of the year, not necessarily what I think the “best” 10 movies of the year were. Also, it should be noted that I’ve had a busy few months getting set up in a new town, pursuing a career, etc, and haven’t seen quite a few movies. My blatant omissions are “Slumdog Millionare,” “Milk,” and “The Reader.” I have every reason to believe that I’d love two of those movies (guess which two), and who knows where they’d fit in my list. But here’s the best I can do with what I’ve seen.
10.) Rambo-
I know, I know. This one’s controversial. Brian will probably think I’m an idiot. But you know what? This movie totally works for me. I got exactly what I paid for. I wanted to see Rambo get really pissed off, and blow up a whole shitload of people, preferably in or around Vietnam. That’s what I wanted the second I read that they were making this movie, that’s what I wanted when I bought my ticket, and that’s what I got. I love it.
9.) Forgetting Sarah Marshall-
If it hadn’t been the year of Pineapple and Tropic, this would have been my favorite comedy of the year. I loved Segel in this. He killed me, especially when he starts singing the Dracula music that first time. When you don’t expect that accent, it’s freaking hilarious. And let’s just call it like it is: Mila Kunis is both ridiculously hot, and ridiculously good in this movie. Throw in a little cameo by Bateman and it’s no wonder my broke ass bought this on Blue Ray.
8.) The Visitor-
After years of being a nameless “that guy,” it’s good to see Richard Jenkins working so much. He’s hilarious in “Step Brothers,” and one of the better parts of the disappointing (sorry, Steve) “Burn After Reading,” but it’s in “The Visitor,” that Jenkins really shows what he can do. He is so good in this movie. I believe him every second that he’s on that screen.
7.) Pineapple Express-
Hilarious. This movie totally redeems Franco. Because, let’s face it, he’s pretty friggin bad in the Spiderman films. But in this? Amazing. Even with the useless and decidedly unfunny opening scene, this movie rocks. And Danny McBride in that final diner scene made me laugh harder than almost any other moment in film this year.
6.) Tropic Thunder*-
Okay, so a second ago? When I said Danny McBride’s diner scene made me laugh harder than almost any other film? Yea, that exception would be this film. Every moment worked for me. Loved the trailers in the beginning (particularly the “MTV best kiss award winner Tobey Maguire” moment), the “full retard” speech and virtually every moment of this film.
So why the asterisk you ask? Well, unfortunately, we live in a world where it’s apparently acceptable for a director to release a dvd of a film as an “extended” or “director’s” cut, without including the original theatrical release. This always drives me crazy. With the exceptions of the Lord of the Rings, Bladerunner, and possibly “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” (which wisely included the theatrical cut on the Blue Ray), the theatrical cut is always better. This lengthened, slowed down, and overall less entertaining version of the film is just not great. I really hate that I can’t own the movie I saw in theaters.
5.) Iron Man-
Not much to say about this that you don’t already know. A great, fun, and action-packed ride. Downey Jr. is so watchable in this role that I wish they could’ve made it 10 years ago so we could have more sequels. The Rocketeer meets Robocop with a little taste of Batman. Awesomeness.
4.) The Wrestler-
I am angry at the academy. This movie deserves a best picture nomination (and in my humble opinion, probably a win). It is beyond good. Rourke is so good here that it seems like it is practically a documentary. A perfect film. I wouldn’t change a frame, and that final moment is amazing. How Springsteen can win the Golden Globe and not even get a nomination for what is clearly the best song in any movie this year is mind-boggling. In my opinion the best film of the year.
3.) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button-
God I loved this movie. I understand why not everyone did. It is very long, has some serious pacing problems (do we really need to spend so much time in the hospital room? We get it, we get it, get back to the story…), and can feel a little heavy-handed at times. But it really worked for me. Aside from what is obviously a stunning breakthrough in makeup and visual effects, this is just a beautiful movie. I loved every actor in this film, I loved Brad’s voice-over, and I loved what has become one of my favorite lines ever. “We have to lose people. How else would we know how much they meant to us?” I’ll be honest. I teared up a bit at the end. A beautiful and touching film. Absolutely loved it.
2.) Wall-E-
My God this movie is awesome. I love sci-fi, I love animation, and I love Fred Willard. All in one? Brilliant. This movie is astonishing. The entire first act is basically a silent film. No dialogue (except for a bit of “Hello, Dolly”), and yet the story couldn’t be clearer. We easily follow and understand Wall-E’s needs, desires, and emotions. And of course, I love what happens to humanity in the future, and the captain’s epiphany as he realizes that it’s our job to take care of Earth. Brilliant film. My new favorite pixar movie (although I’m eagerly awaiting UP, so we’ll see how long that title lasts!)
1.) The Dark Knight-
Obviously. Come on, I’m a huge superhero and comic book fan. How could this not have been my favorite movie of the year? I am ridiculously pissed at the academy for this one. Should have been up for best picture. Should have been up for best director, best score, and best adapted screenplay too. This was not the second biggest movie of all time for no reason. There’s so much here to love.
Ledger’s performance is perfect. I love Bale in this role even more now than in the first one (the Batman voice totally works for me), and I love that this has become an ensemble piece. It’s not just Batman’s journey now, we follow, and care about Gordon and Dent, because of the wonderful script and performances. And that truck flip? Hopefully this film can convince filmmakers that sometimes CGI won’t cut it. Sometimes you have to go back to basics, and get some practical effects. Hire some stuntmen. It looks so much better.
Now I’m not Steve, I’m not scouring the internet for Batman 3 rumors, and I don’t think this was a perfect film (I hated the sonar eyes for instance), but it is easily one of my favorite movies of all time. Take your time Nolan, if you can’t give us another masterpiece, don’t make a third. One Spiderman 3 was enough.
There’s my list, Steve. Let the arguments begin!
All right. So this is my first blog for Ragtag Productions, and I feel like I should start out by saying something. Something important. Brian is a crazy person. “A weak year for films?” Are you kidding me? This was an amazing year for films... with movies like “Hamlet 2” and Uwe Boll’s now-classic “In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale”… wait.
Well, it was an amazing summer at least. To see the master M. Night Shyamalan at work in his masterpiece “The Happening,” and to finally see the return of my childhood idol Indiana Jones… damn.
Well at least it was an amazing year for superhero films. I mean this year we got movies like “The Spirit” and “Punisher: War Zone”... hold on…
Maybe Brian was right…
Jokes.
Okay, here we go.
First, the unquestionable
Worst Movie of the year:
THE SPIRIT-
I’m sure most of you haven’t seen this movie. That’s a blessing. One day in December, my brother and I were bored and decided to see a movie. Why not? Movies are fun when you’re bored, right? Yea… do yourself a favor. When this is on TV check it out. No more than 10 minutes or so at a time, mind you, but give it a watch. And ask yourself: What the hell is Sam Jackson doing in this movie?” This isn’t like “Jumper” where it’s so bad it’s funny. This is like when a handicapped kid falls and starts crying. It’s just too embarrassing and painful to laugh at. This was easily the most painful cinematic experience of my life. And I’ve seen two Uwe Boll movies and “Ultraviolet” on opening night.
Now, the
Movie I hated the most this year:
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL-
Okay, so this movie is 100 times better than “The Spirit,” but there’s a big difference. I didn’t grow up watching the Spirit and thinking he was the coolest hero ever. I didn’t run around my backyard dressed like the Spirit. But Indy? Come on, I had the hat, the whip, a toy gun, and I’d run around fighting imaginary Nazis. I must have been Indy for Halloween at least 8 times (most recently in ’07). So to watch this movie was heartbreaking.
Now I’m not one of those people who’ll tell you that aliens don’t belong in an Indiana Jones movie. I get it. It’s the 50s now. The occult and WW2 has been replaced by UFO sightings and the cold war. I get it. That’s fine. I also don’t mind Harrison Ford in this. Is he amazing? No. Is he too old? Yes. But he works for me. I felt like he was Indy. The problem with this movie is not Shia LeBouf, Karen Allen or Ray Winstone. The problem with this movie is Lucas. The Beard. This was Episode 1. Stupid freaking CGI monkeys, ridiculously fake looking fire ants, surviving an atomic bomb in a refrigerator. A refrigerator people. And don’t even get me started on the gophers. My God the gophers. I know it was you George. You broke my heart. Again.
Okay, now here’s my top ten. Bear in mind, these are my favorite movies of the year, not necessarily what I think the “best” 10 movies of the year were. Also, it should be noted that I’ve had a busy few months getting set up in a new town, pursuing a career, etc, and haven’t seen quite a few movies. My blatant omissions are “Slumdog Millionare,” “Milk,” and “The Reader.” I have every reason to believe that I’d love two of those movies (guess which two), and who knows where they’d fit in my list. But here’s the best I can do with what I’ve seen.
10.) Rambo-
I know, I know. This one’s controversial. Brian will probably think I’m an idiot. But you know what? This movie totally works for me. I got exactly what I paid for. I wanted to see Rambo get really pissed off, and blow up a whole shitload of people, preferably in or around Vietnam. That’s what I wanted the second I read that they were making this movie, that’s what I wanted when I bought my ticket, and that’s what I got. I love it.
9.) Forgetting Sarah Marshall-
If it hadn’t been the year of Pineapple and Tropic, this would have been my favorite comedy of the year. I loved Segel in this. He killed me, especially when he starts singing the Dracula music that first time. When you don’t expect that accent, it’s freaking hilarious. And let’s just call it like it is: Mila Kunis is both ridiculously hot, and ridiculously good in this movie. Throw in a little cameo by Bateman and it’s no wonder my broke ass bought this on Blue Ray.
8.) The Visitor-
After years of being a nameless “that guy,” it’s good to see Richard Jenkins working so much. He’s hilarious in “Step Brothers,” and one of the better parts of the disappointing (sorry, Steve) “Burn After Reading,” but it’s in “The Visitor,” that Jenkins really shows what he can do. He is so good in this movie. I believe him every second that he’s on that screen.
7.) Pineapple Express-
Hilarious. This movie totally redeems Franco. Because, let’s face it, he’s pretty friggin bad in the Spiderman films. But in this? Amazing. Even with the useless and decidedly unfunny opening scene, this movie rocks. And Danny McBride in that final diner scene made me laugh harder than almost any other moment in film this year.
6.) Tropic Thunder*-
Okay, so a second ago? When I said Danny McBride’s diner scene made me laugh harder than almost any other film? Yea, that exception would be this film. Every moment worked for me. Loved the trailers in the beginning (particularly the “MTV best kiss award winner Tobey Maguire” moment), the “full retard” speech and virtually every moment of this film.
So why the asterisk you ask? Well, unfortunately, we live in a world where it’s apparently acceptable for a director to release a dvd of a film as an “extended” or “director’s” cut, without including the original theatrical release. This always drives me crazy. With the exceptions of the Lord of the Rings, Bladerunner, and possibly “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” (which wisely included the theatrical cut on the Blue Ray), the theatrical cut is always better. This lengthened, slowed down, and overall less entertaining version of the film is just not great. I really hate that I can’t own the movie I saw in theaters.
5.) Iron Man-
Not much to say about this that you don’t already know. A great, fun, and action-packed ride. Downey Jr. is so watchable in this role that I wish they could’ve made it 10 years ago so we could have more sequels. The Rocketeer meets Robocop with a little taste of Batman. Awesomeness.
4.) The Wrestler-
I am angry at the academy. This movie deserves a best picture nomination (and in my humble opinion, probably a win). It is beyond good. Rourke is so good here that it seems like it is practically a documentary. A perfect film. I wouldn’t change a frame, and that final moment is amazing. How Springsteen can win the Golden Globe and not even get a nomination for what is clearly the best song in any movie this year is mind-boggling. In my opinion the best film of the year.
3.) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button-
God I loved this movie. I understand why not everyone did. It is very long, has some serious pacing problems (do we really need to spend so much time in the hospital room? We get it, we get it, get back to the story…), and can feel a little heavy-handed at times. But it really worked for me. Aside from what is obviously a stunning breakthrough in makeup and visual effects, this is just a beautiful movie. I loved every actor in this film, I loved Brad’s voice-over, and I loved what has become one of my favorite lines ever. “We have to lose people. How else would we know how much they meant to us?” I’ll be honest. I teared up a bit at the end. A beautiful and touching film. Absolutely loved it.
2.) Wall-E-
My God this movie is awesome. I love sci-fi, I love animation, and I love Fred Willard. All in one? Brilliant. This movie is astonishing. The entire first act is basically a silent film. No dialogue (except for a bit of “Hello, Dolly”), and yet the story couldn’t be clearer. We easily follow and understand Wall-E’s needs, desires, and emotions. And of course, I love what happens to humanity in the future, and the captain’s epiphany as he realizes that it’s our job to take care of Earth. Brilliant film. My new favorite pixar movie (although I’m eagerly awaiting UP, so we’ll see how long that title lasts!)
1.) The Dark Knight-
Obviously. Come on, I’m a huge superhero and comic book fan. How could this not have been my favorite movie of the year? I am ridiculously pissed at the academy for this one. Should have been up for best picture. Should have been up for best director, best score, and best adapted screenplay too. This was not the second biggest movie of all time for no reason. There’s so much here to love.
Ledger’s performance is perfect. I love Bale in this role even more now than in the first one (the Batman voice totally works for me), and I love that this has become an ensemble piece. It’s not just Batman’s journey now, we follow, and care about Gordon and Dent, because of the wonderful script and performances. And that truck flip? Hopefully this film can convince filmmakers that sometimes CGI won’t cut it. Sometimes you have to go back to basics, and get some practical effects. Hire some stuntmen. It looks so much better.
Now I’m not Steve, I’m not scouring the internet for Batman 3 rumors, and I don’t think this was a perfect film (I hated the sonar eyes for instance), but it is easily one of my favorite movies of all time. Take your time Nolan, if you can’t give us another masterpiece, don’t make a third. One Spiderman 3 was enough.
There’s my list, Steve. Let the arguments begin!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Top Ten Movies of the Year - The BRIAN Edition
I felt this was a weak year for films. There was certainly a lot that I liked, but I’m not sure if they will stand the test of time (with the exception of my top 5). I see a lot, but always want to see more. There are a few films that I haven’t seen this past year that I feel may sneak on to the list, but them’s the breaks. So here we go…
Worst movie of the year:
SPEED RACER – Its difficult to pick a worst movie of the year, because there have been a lot of terrible films this year (and I’ve seen many). My worst movie is usually one that I just hate. Speed Racer was terrible, but more than that, I just hated it. It was so over indulgent, over done, and over blown. What a waste of money and time, it was almost two and half hours (!) of nonsense.
Best worst movie of the year:
JUMPER – This is probably one of the worst movies ever made. I’ve seen the majority of it on HBO. I expected it to be one of the worst movies ever made. It met my expectations, but to my surprise, it’s so bad that I loved every moment of it. Samuel L. Jackson’s final moment is a classic moment of trash cinema.
10) CLOVERFIELD – This was just a cool movie. It’s a concept (the monster movie) that has been done a million times over, but they totally revamped it. Terrifically shot with great looking effects, a badass monster. It was a really fun ride, and actually had a good story; I was genuinely interested every time the camera cut back to the day at Coney Island.
9) TROPIC THUNDER – Great cast, I even loved Jack Black (normally I don’t). Makes fun of actors, directors, writers and producers, and is very smart about it, how could I not love that. Tom Cruise dancing. That’s all I need to say.
8) THE DARK KNIGHT – Steve thinks this is a flawless film, so I always get him worked up poking holes in it. But ultimately, it winds up on my list. There is just no denying that it is a great film. Probably the best comic book movie ever. I love Michael Caine and Gary Oldman in these films so much. Ledger’s performance will win an Oscar and deserves to be remembered.
7) PINEAPPLE EXPRESS – I always like to get as many comedies on my list as possible, but it’s hard, because it’s so hard to do comedy well. There was some pretty good comedy this year. Pineapple was hilarious. Take out the opening scene and it’s just about a perfect movie. I love Rogen, but Franco really steals the show and owns this movie, and then Danny McBride shows up and just owns everybody. “Thug life.”
6) BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER – It might be the year of the comic book movie for Steve, for me I guess it’s the year of the documentary. This is the first of two to make my list (note: Taxi to the Darkside was also brilliant, I saw it this year, but it was the Oscar for last year, so I’m not gonna let it qualify for this list). Bigger, Stronger, Faster is about steroids. Find it on DVD, rent it, buy it, and watch it. It raises great talking points and shows so many perspectives on the issue. But it’s told from a first person point of view, which makes it emotional and powerful.
5) SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – It’s the likely best picture winner this year, and it’s an excellent film. It’s a real crowd pleaser and I definitely got swept up in it. It’s a fun watch and interesting to see actors, locations, and visuals we don’t see every day. I’ve always been a big Danny Boyle fan, so I’m glad he’s getting all this acclaim.
4) MAN ON WIRE – Another amazing documentary. This one, however, plays like a narrative film. The story is almost too good to be true. You won’t believe that a man could tightrope between the Twin Towers until you see it. Philippe Petit is such a compelling character, and the last image is somehow so powerful that I feel like it will be ingrained in my brain forever.
3) RACHEL GETTING MARRIED – I did expect to like this film. My girlfriend wanted
to see it, I like Demme, so I went in with an open mind. I LOVED this film. I loved everything about it. I’ve never really seemed anything like it. It just seemed so real, so honest. It was the best I’ve ever seen Anne Hathaway. The supporting cast is outstanding; Bill Irwin is hilarious and heartbreaking. And in my opinion, Rosemary Dewitt outshines Anne Hathaway and gives a great performance.
2) WALL-E – My favorite Pixar film ever, probably my favorite animated film ever. The first 40 or so minutes of the film when WALL-E and EVE are alone on earth is so beautiful and breathtaking, I could watch it every day. The sound was great, Ben Burtt is a genius. WALL-E was such a great character, I fell in love with him and I believed everything he did, they gave that little robot so much personality.
1) THE WRESTLER – A pitch perfect performance from Rourke, but this movie so much more than just a performance piece. Darren Aronofsky is not getting enough credit, this is masterfully directed. Every moment works so well, the pace is perfect. There is so much subtly to the film, especially from a director that is typically flashy, you can just tell that he was in total control of this picture. Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood give equally great performances. I loved every moment; it just sucked the life out of me. And I listen to Springsteen’s title song nonstop.
Worst movie of the year:
SPEED RACER – Its difficult to pick a worst movie of the year, because there have been a lot of terrible films this year (and I’ve seen many). My worst movie is usually one that I just hate. Speed Racer was terrible, but more than that, I just hated it. It was so over indulgent, over done, and over blown. What a waste of money and time, it was almost two and half hours (!) of nonsense.
Best worst movie of the year:
JUMPER – This is probably one of the worst movies ever made. I’ve seen the majority of it on HBO. I expected it to be one of the worst movies ever made. It met my expectations, but to my surprise, it’s so bad that I loved every moment of it. Samuel L. Jackson’s final moment is a classic moment of trash cinema.
10) CLOVERFIELD – This was just a cool movie. It’s a concept (the monster movie) that has been done a million times over, but they totally revamped it. Terrifically shot with great looking effects, a badass monster. It was a really fun ride, and actually had a good story; I was genuinely interested every time the camera cut back to the day at Coney Island.
9) TROPIC THUNDER – Great cast, I even loved Jack Black (normally I don’t). Makes fun of actors, directors, writers and producers, and is very smart about it, how could I not love that. Tom Cruise dancing. That’s all I need to say.
8) THE DARK KNIGHT – Steve thinks this is a flawless film, so I always get him worked up poking holes in it. But ultimately, it winds up on my list. There is just no denying that it is a great film. Probably the best comic book movie ever. I love Michael Caine and Gary Oldman in these films so much. Ledger’s performance will win an Oscar and deserves to be remembered.
7) PINEAPPLE EXPRESS – I always like to get as many comedies on my list as possible, but it’s hard, because it’s so hard to do comedy well. There was some pretty good comedy this year. Pineapple was hilarious. Take out the opening scene and it’s just about a perfect movie. I love Rogen, but Franco really steals the show and owns this movie, and then Danny McBride shows up and just owns everybody. “Thug life.”
6) BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER – It might be the year of the comic book movie for Steve, for me I guess it’s the year of the documentary. This is the first of two to make my list (note: Taxi to the Darkside was also brilliant, I saw it this year, but it was the Oscar for last year, so I’m not gonna let it qualify for this list). Bigger, Stronger, Faster is about steroids. Find it on DVD, rent it, buy it, and watch it. It raises great talking points and shows so many perspectives on the issue. But it’s told from a first person point of view, which makes it emotional and powerful.
5) SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE – It’s the likely best picture winner this year, and it’s an excellent film. It’s a real crowd pleaser and I definitely got swept up in it. It’s a fun watch and interesting to see actors, locations, and visuals we don’t see every day. I’ve always been a big Danny Boyle fan, so I’m glad he’s getting all this acclaim.
4) MAN ON WIRE – Another amazing documentary. This one, however, plays like a narrative film. The story is almost too good to be true. You won’t believe that a man could tightrope between the Twin Towers until you see it. Philippe Petit is such a compelling character, and the last image is somehow so powerful that I feel like it will be ingrained in my brain forever.
3) RACHEL GETTING MARRIED – I did expect to like this film. My girlfriend wanted
to see it, I like Demme, so I went in with an open mind. I LOVED this film. I loved everything about it. I’ve never really seemed anything like it. It just seemed so real, so honest. It was the best I’ve ever seen Anne Hathaway. The supporting cast is outstanding; Bill Irwin is hilarious and heartbreaking. And in my opinion, Rosemary Dewitt outshines Anne Hathaway and gives a great performance.
2) WALL-E – My favorite Pixar film ever, probably my favorite animated film ever. The first 40 or so minutes of the film when WALL-E and EVE are alone on earth is so beautiful and breathtaking, I could watch it every day. The sound was great, Ben Burtt is a genius. WALL-E was such a great character, I fell in love with him and I believed everything he did, they gave that little robot so much personality.
1) THE WRESTLER – A pitch perfect performance from Rourke, but this movie so much more than just a performance piece. Darren Aronofsky is not getting enough credit, this is masterfully directed. Every moment works so well, the pace is perfect. There is so much subtly to the film, especially from a director that is typically flashy, you can just tell that he was in total control of this picture. Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood give equally great performances. I loved every moment; it just sucked the life out of me. And I listen to Springsteen’s title song nonstop.
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