Avatar (2009)

Date Watched: May 20, 2010

Source: redbox

I boycotted this movie hardcore. I refused to watch something with SO. MUCH. HYPE.

I wish I hadn’t.

Boy howdy, this was a great freaking movie. It’s visually stunning, and while I heard a lot of people say that the story didn’t carry well with the visuals, I think it absolutely did. This is all about how we think we can just stomp onto foreign territory, and claim it as our own, with no regard to those who lived there forever before we even knew about it. And it works on more than one level. You look at them as creatures and wildlife, but they’re humanoids; it’s like the age-old horror that was the “discovery” of America, where sacred land was ripped away from its inhabitants and they were forced into another area. I loved this. I may have nearly wept. Or it could’ve been a little dusty in the room. Yeah, dust. That’s it.

RENT IT.

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Up (2009)

Date Watched: May 30, 2010

Source: TV

What a freaking great movie. Everyone told me how popular it was, but until I sat down to watch it, I’d never heard of it. I would love to know how someone who watches as much TV as I do could miss every single trailer or preview or even mention of this movie. And it’s a Disney/Pixar! How does that even happen?

Well, Disney/Pixar has been darned disappointing. But this? This movie tops the cake. I think it’s like The Simpsons… the last few seasons sucked because they were saving the good stuff for the movie.

This movie does a pretty good job of bringing you down in the beginning. It’s pretty depressing. I actually said at one point, “What next? Is someone going to come out of the screen and shoot me in the face?” But then… OH, but then it gets good. That poor little old man/retired balloon salesman outsmarts all those businesspeople and bureaucrats and the nursing home goons and hoists his entire house up into the air with a ton of helium-filled balloons. His goal is to keep a promise that he and his wife made to each other when they were just kids, and it’s so sweet. He picks up a few “hitchhikers” on the way, runs into his childhood idol, and the whole ordeal changes him (and a few others) forever.

This movie is adorable, touching, funny, clever, visually amazing, smart… it’s a must-see. So… go. See. NOW.

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Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story (2004)

Date Watched: May 30, 2010

Source: Blockbuster

I sort of forgot when I saw this at Blockbuster that this movie was originally made for TV with Dean Cain. I really don’t like Dean Cain. The movie had all the commercial breaks in it; with no commercials of course, just fade out/in. It was slightly irritating. Also, as most made-for-TV movies are, it was crappy scripting, crappy acting, even with Dean Cain. Wasn’t he somebody at one point? I guess it was a case of another pretty face. Oh, he played Superman, didn’t he? That explains it. It must’ve been the tights, because it sure wasn’t the acting skill.

That aside, I also didn’t realize that this movie was made before the trial. So there’s no real conclusion. The last scene is Scott Peterson in jail. Whoopdie. I really should think things out better when I’m in Blockbuster about to spend $5 on a movie, because when I don’t, this is what happens.

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You Don’t Know Jack (2009)

Date Watched: May 29, 2010

Source: On Demand

Talk about making you think. This was a great film. Of course, I believe in people having the right to decide when it’s time to go if they’re terminally ill or no/very poor quality of life. A person is legally allowed to say “Do Not Resuscitate” and their wishes need to be followed if they code and people can actually be sued in court for trying to save a DNR if their heart stops. Why is it that someone conscious can say “I want to go” before it happens, but they can’t say “I want to go” and DECIDE when it happens? Sure, suicide isn’t the answer. But if you have an illness or ailment that means that you will absolutely without a doubt wither away to nothing, why should you be expected to do just that? If a pet is suffering, euthanasia is encouraged and considered the utmost humane way to let the pet go. Why should people be any different?

And as far as Jack Kevorkian is concerned, he cared for patients. So what if he paints pictures that are considered morbid and psychotic? Anyone who says that hasn’t done their research. All of his art has specific meanings. What the guy paints in his free time should have no bearing on his ability to serve his patients the way they want him to.

/end soapbox.

Sorry.

It was a good movie. If you don’t agree with what I said above, it’s probably not for you.

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The Invention of Lying (2009)

Date Watched: May 29, 2010

Source: On Demand

I wasn’t aware that this movie turned out to be a “possible” explanation of what we consider to be God, and it disturbed me a bit. Like I said a couple of reviews ago, I’m a realistic Christian. I’m not saying their story was realistic or anything; there’s scientific proof that it couldn’t have happened that way. But as someone who also suffers from panic/anxiety disorder… well… you see where this is going.

At any rate, I think it was a clever, yet lame, storyline. It was kind of interesting watching Ricky Gervais try to describe a lie to someone who has no clue that there’s anything but the truth. To someone who doesn’t even know what truth is. Can you explain a lie to someone without using the words “lie” or “truth” or “false” or any other synonyms/variations? Sounds harder than you’d think, doesn’t it?

Interesting concept, interesting storyline… lame movie, but it wasn’t a total waste of time. If you can get it for free (which I didn’t; blah) and you’ve got nothing better to do, you’ll get a few chuckles out of it.

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Vertigo (1958)

Date Watched: May 29, 2010

Source: Netflix Instant Play

Maybe I’ve been jaded by the later standards of psychosis and terror in films, but for me, this was pretty tame in comparison to how it’s billed. Alfred Hitchcock was the original master of terror… I get that. And I’ve seen some of his stuff that actually did give me the shivers, but this wasn’t it. It just didn’t do it for me. THE TWIST was clever but it wasn’t worth a full caps lock. It was maybe, at most, The Twist. Maybe I need to give it another try? I don’t know, but… it just didn’t do anything for me. I’ve seen psychosis, and that was pretty mild.

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Footloose (1984)

Date Watched: May 29, 2010

Source: Netflix Instant Play

Definitely not the best 80s movie I’ve seen, and absolutely does not live up to the John Hughes brand of 80s flicks. I’m sorry, but I just don’t see Kevin Bacon as an 80s heartthrob, even though I’m well aware that this is where it all started for him. The “six degrees of Kevin Bacon” was born with Footloose. It just wasn’t all that interesting to me. The one part I could get behind is the part at the town board meeting when the Baptist minister was corrected on his blanket interpretation of the Bible, and specific parts proving him wrong were pointed out to him. I always love a BS holy roller being put in their place by the very book they trumpet. I’m a Christian, but a realistic one.

Meh, I know a lot of people will probably think I’m insane for saying this, but I wouldn’t watch it again, and I’m glad I didn’t pay for it or waste a Netflix DVD on it.

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A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Date Watched: May 29, 2010

Source: Netflix Instant Play

For a classic, I was shocked at how bored I was. I came darned close to abandoning it. It was its status as a well-known classic that kept me watching, and I am sure glad I did. It starts out as nothing but a vulgar farce for a good deal of the beginning, and since the stuff happened that made me start this whole project, vulgar farces don’t really appeal to me anymore… much to my own surprise. I expressed my concerns to my roommate who assured me that it definitely turns around and stops being gratuitously icky, so I gave it another go. Basically, once Alex gets arrested, then it’s all interesting. And one of the most humorous things I’ve ever seen is the last scene of that film in the hospital. Alex eating the steak is EPIC. I couldn’t stop giggling. I’m not going to lie; I sort of loved listening to his narration. It was the only time I could understand what he was saying, but that’s beside the point. This was a really quality film, and I’m glad I didn’t miss out. There’s nothing I can even put in a list that wouldn’t give away some good stuff, so I won’t. I’ll just say it’s really worth the 2 ½ hours.

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Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2007)

Date Watched: May 28, 2010

Source: Netflix Instant Play

This was another movie done on a hand-held camera as the premise is that Leslie Vernon has hired a documentary crew of three to document his plan to become a serial killer a la 80s slasher classics. He goes through the story of why he wants to do it (the town thinks he’s dead and he’s seeking revenge on a town that “killed” him), how he’s going to do it, where, and who. His plan is actually rather well laid out and even more well-executed. The problem is, the female documentary crew leader gets a conscience and decides that since they know the inner workings of his plan, they’re going to stop Leslie from murdering half a dozen innocent teenagers for no good reason. Except Leslie’s a bit more cunning than crazy, and like so many movies-that-start-out-boring-as-hell, there is… THE TWIST. Ah, good old THE TWIST. You’ll have to watch to see, because I won’t tell you… moo-ah HA HA HA HA!!!

Okay, I’m done.

Seriously, I was really bored. And I could not figure out how they could possibly cheese out an 80s slasher spoof more than the Scary Movie series did, but this film was doing it in a whole new way. Until… THE TWIST! It actually got fairly interesting at that point. I admit, I uttered a small “ooh!” and maybe clapped for half a second. But really, let’s not even try to pretend this was a quality film. It was just a good execution of… THE TWIST. If you can see it for free, go for it, but I’m not sure I’d pay for it. It’s something that doesn’t totally waste 2 hours of one’s weekend.

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I Am Sam (2001)

Date Watched: May 26, 2010

Source: Netflix Instant Play

This movie ripped my heart out from the very beginning. It’s so strange for me seeing Sean Penn playing this severely developmentally disabled man, after knowing him so well as Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (which I loved). But when he’s in the delivery room with that woman, he’s so happy about his daughter, and when the woman takes off and leaves him with the baby… goodness. Sean Penn is so emotive and expressive, he literally pulls those heartstrings every time he’s on the screen, whether he has words or not. Sam is a person I would absolutely love to have in my life, and you feel right along with him when Child Protective services try to take Lucy away from him. Oh, I cried. This is honestly one of the best movies I’ve ever seen, and again, I haven’t given anything away that you don’t read on the back of the DVD box. So please, do yourself a favor, and see this movie. You’ll be a better person when it’s over, guaranteed.

Queue it on Netflix