10 December 2012

300 (2006)
Film 70/50

with abs like these, who needs enemies?

I know. You're probably wondering how an ab-filled movie such as this could possibly be a first time viewing for me. After all, it has my boyfriend Gerard Butler in it. And my sister's boyfriend David Wenham in it. Plus 300 sets of Sparta's finest abs. And did I mention Gerard Butler?

02 December 2012

A Shocker on Shock Street
Book 14/50

spoiler alert: they never get to meet shockro. sorry.
First of all, a disclaimer: I've been neglectful in my reading for this challenge, and as such, am forced to take drastic measures to catch up. Since I need to read a book a day for the rest of the year, I have opted to take my sister's recommendation to read Goosebumps. So be warned. The next few weeks may find you reading some whacked out reviews of young adult books that I somehow managed to miss back in the day. This will either become the inspiration for me to go out and get a PhD in Teen Lit or lead to me shaking uncontrollably while sitting in a padded room. Either way, this should be interesting to play out. No?

Only time will tell. On to Goosebumps #35: A Shocker on Shock Street...and may God have mercy on our souls.

27 November 2012

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
Film 69/50

true: abe was a beast with an axe

I don't know why everyone is raving about Daniel Day Lewis in this movie...I mean, he was good with the axe and all, but his acting overall was a bit shallow. Perhaps if he spent more time at the theatre...

I know. There is a special place in hell for me.

26 November 2012

Battle Royale (2000)
Film 68/50

spoiler alert: the kid in the beige uniform wins it all

This movie makes The Hunger Games look like an afternoon of playing Monopoly. At least, the way my sister and I play Monopoly.

So yeah...I can see why people would think The Hunger Games series was ripping off this story. And to anyone who thinks THG series just wasn't bloody enough...well then, you need to check this one out. It has all the gory teen angst you'll love, too. And who doesn't love teen angst?

The only thing this movie lacks...Stanley Tucci. Need I say more?

No, really. Need I? Because I will. I have the time now.

24 November 2012

Prometheus (2012)
Film 67/50

mmm...prosthetic abs.

Three guesses as to what my favorite part of this movie was.

Wrapping up my marathon review writing session this morning brings us to Prometheus. I have wanted to see this movie since the previews first aired ages ago. But then I heard horrible, horrible reviews of it. And so I chose to wait and watch it at home. I have no regrets about that, but I don't think I would have been entirely unhappy seeing it on the big screen either.

Skyfall (2012)
Film 66/50

i do love techie nerds. especially with british accents.

Oh Skyfall. I did so want to love you. Of the Daniel Craig series, Casino Royale reigns supreme. You come in second, but it's not a close second.

The Avengers (2012)
Film 65/50

good morning.

I fully intended to see this movie in the theatre. And I have absolutely no good excuse for why I didn't. So that brings us to November.

Even though it was not on the big screen, I did manage to enjoy this film. Maybe I would have loved it more in a theatre or prior to hearing all the hype about it. We'll never know now. But I've finally seen it, and thus, feel complete.

And Thor still has the prettiest hair.

And I have officially decided to see any movie starring Chris Hemsworth. Who wants to see Red Dawn with me?

Looper (2012)
Film 64/50

joseph gordon-levitt does his best impersonation of bruce willis being held hostage by bruce willis. mind blown? consider yourself looped.

In case you were worried how humanity would survive once Bruce Willis was too old to star in Die Hard films anymore, have no fear. Just a few prosthetics and a dialect coach to get his "Yippie-kai-yay" just right is all that stands between Joseph Gordon-Levitt and instant action hero status.

But Looper. Let's talk about Looper.

The Ides of March (2011)
Film 63/50

have you seen the "paul ryan gosling" twitter feed yet?

Hey girl, please vote for George. 
He's not as handsome as me and could use the ego boost.

So finally got around to seeing my man Ryan in The Ides of March. Perhaps the hype around this film had built it up too much in my mind, but I really wasn't overwhelmingly in love with this one. Maybe if it had 50% more abs?

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Film 62/50

edward norton revealing the hole behind the rita hayworth poster in wes anderson's remake of "the shawshank redemption"

I very much enjoyed this movie. If you haven't seen it, and you enjoyed The Royal Tenenbaums, I recommend you check this film out. With the exception of some exceptionally cheesy CGI towards the end, I really don't have much to complain about this one. And Edward Norton is fantastic.

That is all.

Flowers in the Attic (1987)
Film 61/50

don't get too attached to piggy

This picture pretty much sums up how I felt while watching this film.

Miss me? As promised...it's November, and I'm back. And what have I for you upon my return? Yep. Flowers in the Attic. Sorry.

03 October 2012

Miss Me?

mckayla is not impressed with the presidential debate

I promise. I'll be back in November with new reviews. You can count on it...more than you can count on anything said at tonight's Presidential Debate.

09 September 2012

War Horse (2011)
Film 60/50

benedict cumberbatch doing his best to fight kaiser bill

Rule #1: Don't try to beat Kaiser Bill with swords. Especially if his guys have some serious artillery. Even if you ARE Benedict Cumberbatch.

So now I've seen all of the Best Film nominees from last year. Well, all but one (Midnight in Paris...I'm still debating whether or not I'll see you). Once again, I feel that the Academy chose wisely when it didn't pick you to take home the little golden man. While Spielberg certainly knows how to pull the heartstrings of his viewers, this film just didn't have the same power as found in some of his other war films. And while I wasn't expecting him to pull off another Schindler's List, I was hoping for a bit character development...at least from the human stars.

03 September 2012

The Bourne Legacy (2012)
Film 59/50

movie still of renner showing some guards exactly what he'll do for some little blue pills

So...remember when Jeremy Renner accidentally took Viagra thinking it was Ambien while on a 12-hour flight from London? Well, it happened at the end of July...just a few short weeks before The Bourne Legacy was released to theatres. Google it, if you don't believe me. Well, having now seen the movie, I can't believe there weren't more jokes about him taking little blue pills.

If you haven't seen this film yet, it is all about Renner searching for little blue pills. Or rather searching for a way not to depend on them for their "enhancing" features anymore. I'm not making that up. Seriously.

02 September 2012

The Grey (2011)
58/50

neeson prepares for a barroom brawl with an alpha wolf

If Jaws had been made with an alpha wolf instead of a rogue shark and Alive had been made with an oil drilling team instead of a rugby team and then the two movies had a baby, you'd get The Grey.

And that's pretty much all you need to know.

Unless, of course, you haven't seen Jaws or Alive.

26 August 2012

Underworld: Awakening (2012)
Film 57/50

clearly she's not a morning person. or morning hybrid vampire-lycan creature. whichever she prefers.

I would have thought Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman could have produced a better looking offspring than this. No?

So Underworld: Awakening. That's an hour and half of my life I'll never get back.

This movie was a waste of time. To give a lengthy review would be a further waste of my time. It was miraculous that they managed to convince Beckinsale to reprise her role. Speedman was smart to stay away (he must have read the script). And Stephen Rea...what was your excuse?

Red (2010)
Film 56/50

morgan freeman "convinces" richard dreyfuss to star in this movie by torturing him with his sacha baron cohen impersonation

I turned on my television this morning to discover that Red was just starting. Although I vaguely recall it receiving less than favorable reviews, I decided to give it a shot. And while I usually enjoy watching Bruce Willis dodge bullets (even in a role that steals every burned spy movie cliché from the get-go), it was Karl Urban that kept me watching. Sorry, old guys.

And while Red certainly has its share of explosions and CGI effects, this movie isn't really about the plot. It's about the characters. Why else would the filmmakers spend the majority of its budget on what I can only imagine to be a very costly casting bill. So let's take a look at our stars.

20 August 2012

21 Jump Street (2012)
Film 55/50

best use of doves in a film since tim burton's "mars attacks"

Confession: I have never watched a single episode of the television series 21 Jump Street. Having now seen the film, I'm pretty sure that isn't a pre-requisite, as I'm fairly confident that I was able to "get" all the important cameos/references included. Feel free to argue otherwise, Jump Street fans.

Another confession: I initially vowed to never see this film as I was convinced that there was no way in hell that the filmmakers would have been able to convince Johnny Depp to do a cameo for it. As it turns out, they somehow pulled that off. And so here I am. Watching the movie I had once refused to see.

That being said, this movie calls for a list of favorite/least favorite moments rather than a full autopsy. Let us begin.

All Good Things (2010)
Film 54/50

frank langella doing his best to convince ryan gosling not to do this movie.

Hey girl, sure we can get married. But no, we can't have kids, and no, you can't go to med school. Or I'll "disappear" you. But I still love you. Okay?

So. All Good Things...must come to an end. Including Ryan Gosling's boyish good looks according to this movie.

Inspired by a true story, this film presents a fictionalized account of Kathleen McCormack's disappearance and the role her husband (Robert Durst) allegedly played in said disappearance. Of course, in the film the characters are named Katherine McCarthy and David Marks. That doesn't change the fact that you will see Ryan Gosling dressed as the-world's-ugliest-woman-ever should you stick it out for more than half of this film.

18 August 2012

Hanna (2011)
Film 53/50

saoirse ronan would have made an excellent katniss everdeen...just sayin'

This movie makes a compelling argument for why homeschooling should be avoided at all costs. Even if your teacher is Eric Bana.

To sum up Hanna: this movie is two parts The Bourne Supremacy and one part Firestarter with just a dash of Run Lola Run. And of the four films mentioned there, I recommend Run Lola Run above the others.

11 August 2012

The Artist (2011)
Film 52/50

movie still of jean dujardin doing his best macaulay culkin impersonation

I have now seen all of the 2012 Academy Award nominated films with the exception of War Horse and Midnight in Paris. Yaaaay me.

You know what would have made this movie better? If it had been filmed in 3-D.

Actually, the way Jean Dujardin's character feels about "the talkies" is the way I feel about 3-D movies. Except I don't have nightmares about 3-D movies. Nor make a living in the film industry.

I'm not going to go into detail with this review. The movie is cute. The acting is phenomenal. Was it my favorite of last year's Oscar nominees? Sure. Would I watch it again? Eh. It felt a bit like someone taking an hour and half to get to a single punchline. And the punchline was predictable.


05 August 2012

Prom (2011)
Film 51/50

movie still of johnny depp impersonator thomas mcdonell fixing a fountain and making star decorations...you know...for kids

Bet you all thought I was done watching/reviewing movies for the year. Not when there are fine pieces of Disney filmmaking like this teen movie masterpiece to tear apart. And trust me...this one is worthy of being torn to shreds.

Oh, where to begin? There's just so much to say and/or make fun of with this movie. Let's start at the beginning!

22 July 2012

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Film 50/50

movie still where christian bale offers tips to joseph gordon-levitt on delivering newspapers at the end of the 19th century

There is so much to say. Where to begin?

Well, before I begin, let me give out a potential spoiler alert. I promise not to give away any major details regarding the end (you know...like who lives or dies...that sort of thing). But if you're anything like me, any detail is potentially a spoiler. Let's call this my way of recommending that you see this movie. I enjoyed it.

Okay. Now we can begin.

20 July 2012

Sucker Punch (2011)
Film 49/50

movie still where emily browning wears the most clothing out of all her scenes

Guess which one is about to get sucker punched? That's right...the viewer.

Okay. Usually when a movie is this bad, I go to town dissecting it scene by scene. But I really have no interest in doing that with this one. The characters are one-dimensional. The plot is superficial. The only thing going for it is that it has the look and feel of Watchmen, but that film had far superior characters and story.

I won't lie. I didn't do much research into this film prior to turning on my television last night. I recall seeing the trailers for it way back when and thinking, "Okay. I'll probably see that eventually." I then promptly forgot all about this movie.

Let's hope I can completely forget about it again now that I've seen it.

17 July 2012

In Time (2011)
Film 48/50

movie still of olivia wilde doing her best to not laugh as she delivers her "jt...i am your mother" line

So. In Time. A movie in which Olivia Wilde plays Justin Timberlake's 50-year-old mom. Record scratch! Say what?! And apparently no one looks older than twenty-five in this dystopian future except for Johnny Galecki. Go figure.

As if money weren't a great enough abstract, this movie turns time into currency. It brings an all new meaning to the term 'timeshare'...literally. And characters abuse time-themed idioms as if they were racing against the clock.

See what I did there?

16 July 2012

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Film 47/50

movie still of scene where john hurt declares every movie starring gary oldman to be a box office success

As mentioned in prior posts, I will see any movie starring Gary Oldman. Add an ensemble cast that features the likes of John Hurt, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Tom Hardy, and one would think it the recipe for the greatest movie of all time. Unfortunately, this one was a bit slow.

And I liked the book better.

Ah, well. They can't all be "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" meets the Silver Screen (the only instance I can think of where the film is equal to, if not surpasses, the quality of the text).

12 July 2012

The Muppets (2011)
Film 46/50

movie still where WALL-E drives the gang around the world in search of missing mutants...er...muppets

I watched this movie with my 3-year old niece today. It held her attention for about half of the film. She kept asking if the Walter muppet was Ernie. Clearly, I was the target demographic for this film. Not her.

As I was both "late to the game" and pleased in general with this film, I will keep this review brief. It was a sweet tribute to The Muppet Show (which I fondly recall as being the preferred method for determining my bedtime back when I was my niece's age). It had great references to both classic Muppet moments (from the show and various movies) and Sesame Street. It made nice use of cameos. It had some great jokes about movie gimmicks like using maps to illustrate change of location or that flowers in your suit pocket would probably get crushed after performing an impromptu song and dance routine.

10 July 2012

Something Borrowed (2011)
Film 45/50

movie still where kate hudson remembers having sex with matthew mcconaughey in "how to lose a guy in 10 days"

Dialogue spoken during the scene pictured above:
KATE: What's this remind you of?
GINNIFER: Mmm...tastes like vanilla.
KATE: Uh-huh. Senior trip...
GINNIFER: Paris. That café!
KATE: Yeah!
GINNIFER: I love this coffee.
KATE: I loved that waiter. Remember?
TOGETHER: Jean-Luc!
No, wait. That's the dialogue from everyone's favorite General Foods International Coffees commercial. My bad. But for the record, that commercial is better than this movie. Want to know why? Read on.

08 July 2012

Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990)
Film 44/50

movie still where bruce willis gets his "die hard" on

Would you believe me if I told you I had never seen Die Hard 2 before this morning? I know! Me Neither! But here we are.

Somehow I'd seen Die Hard and Die Hard: With a Vengeance AND Live Free or Die Hard but skipped over the second installment of this soon-to-be quintology (which may even turn into a sextology...assuming that is indeed the term for a series of six and not going to result in some very disappointed Google searches). It was thanks to a recent conversation regarding the theme of "Christmas" movies that brought this missing link to light for me. Someone mentioned it taking place at an airport, and since I had no recollection of seeing John McClane duke it out against terrorists under a plane, I felt the need to remedy this oversight on my part. And so concludes "The Story of My Life Prior to Seeing Die Hard 2."

Onward to the review.

07 July 2012

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Book 13/50

tinker, talior, soldier, spy book cover
I'm glad I read this before seeing the movie (and I still have yet to see it). Granted, this is pure speculation, but I don't think this book would be as entertaining/suspenseful had it followed the film. If I had known (for certain) who the mole was going into this, this book would probably not have held my interest for long.

So if you haven't seen the film, check this one out. I won't spoil anything on this one. Just know that most of the "action" takes place in flashbacks, which unfortunately takes much of the suspense out of those sequences. But there are some great characters being portrayed here: George Smiley, Jim Prideaux, and Karla.

I'll definitely check out the other George Smiley books...particularly the others from the Karla trilogy. As well as the Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy movie (and the BBC miniseries with Alec Guinness if I can track it down).

28 June 2012

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
Film 43/50

movie still where sawyer tries to escape from freckles the assassin

It's a Mission: Impossible movie. And as much as I don't want to watch a Tom Cruise film, I can't say no to the likes of J.J. Abrams, Brad Bird, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Josh Halloway, and the return of Cold War politics.

Unfortunately, I found it lacking. Sure, it had all the fun gadgets (particularly enjoyed the hallway screen scene and the facial recognition contact lens), but it was missing the super-psycho bad guy that we had with Philip Seymour Hoffman in the third installment. Don't get me wrong. Michael Nyqvist was far more impressive in this film than I found him in the Dragon Tattoo series. But he just wasn't as deliciously scary. And after enjoying Hoffman's performance in M:i:III, this was a bit of a let down.

24 June 2012

Return to the Blue Lagoon: The Awakening

movie still where brenton thwaites wonders how long he has to stand there with his shirt off before someone asks him to take his pants off too
Be warned, this is not my typical post. I am not reviewing a book or a movie. Instead, I am reviewing the traffic that my Blue Lagoon: The Awakening review has received, and the search threads that have lead to said traffic. The same is true for my sister's review. Clearly, this film has touched the lives of many, leaving the majority of viewers with unanswered questions. Many, many questions. Disturbing questions.

Please allow me to address each of these questions for you those of you still scratching your heads over a week later.

Onward to the search keywords!

Brave (2012)
Film 42/50

animation frame where merida shoots an arrow...bravely?

Meet Merida. The newest Disney princess. She's got amazing red hair and a fiery personality to match. Unfortunately, she stars in a film called Brave that has more to do with the concept of fate than bravery. Had this movie been titled Fate instead, this might have been a very different review.

Beautiful Boy (2010)
Film 41/50

movie still where michael sheen gets really sad looking

I didn't love this movie. But I also didn't hate it. I simply felt like a voyeur, nosing my way into the private and personal grief of these mourning parents.

This film reminded me of Rabbit Hole. But with a school shooting instead of a car accident. And instead of dealing solely with the loss of their son, the parents find themselves burdened by the facts surrounding their son's death: he was the shooter responsible for the deaths of several faculty and students.

I won't go into great detail with this review. Not because I don't want to "spoil" anything for you, but rather because I felt no emotional connection with the main characters or the plot. If anything, I just wanted to give these two their privacy. I would have turned the movie off, but I'm a fan of Michael Sheen and didn't want to give up on his performance.

22 June 2012

Shark Night 3D (2011)
Film 40/50

movie still of cast before the sharks arrive

I admit it. I have a problem. I can't not watch a movie with "shark" in its title. I just can't. Is there a support group for people like me?

And this one was a gem, too. Please don't mistake me. It's a horrible, horrible movie. In the grand scheme of shark movies, it is definitely no Jaws. But it's not as horrendous as the direct-to-video masterpiece Raging Sharks, starring the delightful Corin Nemec AND Corbin Bernsen. Yes, I watched that movie. I told you I had a problem. I've also seen Shark Attack with Casper Van Dien. And of course, there's Deep Blue Sea (which I will watch every time I come across it while channel surfing...thank you, TNT). But Shark Night doesn't hold a candle to Deep Blue Sea. How could it? The biggest name Shark Night could manage was Donal Logue. You are NO Thomas Jane, Donal Logue.

But this film certainly puts a new spin on the "shark movie" genre. I almost don't want to spoil it for you, it's that unique. But the movie's so bad, I'm going to. Consider that your spoiler warning for the day. Let us continue.

20 June 2012

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
Film 39/50

montage of movie still abs...yummy

The only thing more impressive than Chris Evans' abs in this movie are his pecs.

Seriously. Were those CGI? If so, they were FAR more convincing than the hack job done stitching Evans' head to a 90 pound body. I'm pretty sure his head appeared at least three different sizes in comparison to his torso/surroundings in the car ride to Brooklyn scene alone.

But honestly, I enjoyed this film for what it was: an introduction to Captain America and a set up for The Avengers. And now that I've finally managed the living room screenings of both Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor, I feel properly prepared to see The Avengers in the theatre.

The Psychopath Test
Book 12/50

the psychopath text book cover
A few weeks ago, my sister's fiancé posted this video about Lord of the Flies, in which he discusses sociopaths/psychopaths as one of the vocabulary terms connected to Golding's novel. In this video, he recommends Jon Ronson's The Psychopath Test to individuals interested in learning more. "It's a really entertaining read; it's not very long...and you should totally check it out. It's very much worth reading." I was instantly sold.

For the record, he was 100% accurate in his description of the book. So thank you very much, Tim Calvin, for both recommending and lending to me this book.

And I couldn't put it down. Ronson is a master of anecdotal humor. His chapters are informative and entertaining, providing readers with insight into society's fascination with psychiatry and mental illness.

17 June 2012

Blue Lagoon: The Awakening (2012)

movie still where denise richards doesn't get nearly angry enough at her daughter's teachers...seriously

First, a disclaimer: I am NOT including this film among my 50/50 collection. This film was watched and reviewed PURELY for the benefit and entertainment of one Lauren Elizabeth Fidler. I can only hope that others will benefit/be entertained as well. But I make no guarantees. It is a Lifetime for Women made-for-TV movie.

On to the review. Be warned, there are spoilers. If you care.

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
Film 38/50

movie still where chalize theron reads the fine print in her contract

I wanted this movie to be worse/funnier than it was. This review would be longer that way. Instead, you get this:

I went into the theatre with the full intent of rooting for Charlize Theron to take out Kristen Stewart (and for about a third of the film that was the case). But by the end, I was just hoping Chris Hemsworth would just take an axe to the lot of them. Then, he and I could ride off into the sunset and drink lots and lots of mead together. Now that would have been a great movie!

15 June 2012

Fifty Shades of Grey
Book 11/50

fifty shades of grey book cover
I don't know what you're all talking about...this book is tame.

Just kidding! For the record, I'm nowhere near being done with it yet.

So I've decided to run this review a bit differently than my past ones. Instead of waiting until I've completed reading the book, I'm going to review it in stages. As I start this post, I am currently on page 70. I should also probably warn you that this book is far from tame, and as such, my review of it may also be less than conservative.

Consider yourself warned.

Now on to the journey that is Fifty Shades of Grey...

09 June 2012

Thor (2011)
Film 37/50

movie still of thor and thor's brother (aka..."the one that isn't thor")

So...Thor. He's the blond one in this photo, just in case you couldn't guess.

For those of you who have read my posts in the past, yes. I'm going into full detail with this one. If you don't want the spoilers, stop reading here. Otherwise, click on the "read more" link below.

Now, let us commence. I'm taking a hammer to this one.

05 June 2012

The Descendants (2011)
Film 36/50

movie still with george clooney peeking over some lawn

Yes, I've lost a little momentum with my movie screenings. I blame my thesis project. Sick of hearing that old chestnut yet? Yeah, me too.

But I finally got around to seeing The Descendants. I knew going into it that this was not going to be a happy-go-lucky-sort-of-film. And if you don't know that going into it, you will most likely find yourself severely disappointed in this film. Be prepared for some seriously serious drama.

27 May 2012

Battleship (2012)
Film 35/50

movie still where alexander skarsgård points to me and says "you sank my battleship."

My sister and I have been excited to see this movie since its release date was first announced as being the same week as her birthday. Plus, it has everything a Birthday Movie should have: references to a classic Hasbro game, an 8-foot tall Swedish God trying his best to convince us all he is related to Taylor Kitsch, Lieutenant Tim Riggins with a haircut, some lady named Rihanna, aliens, and the most awesome video conference call ever.

But let's properly digest this one, as it is truly deserving.

24 May 2012

Devil (2010)
Film 34/50

movie still with chris messina getting his walkie-talkie on

I know I should be working on my thesis project, but I saw this was on the other night and needed a break desperately. And so, Devil becomes Film #34.

First of all, I love Chris Messina. Have ever since seeing him star as Claire Fisher's boyfriend in the last few episodes of Six Feet Under. That combined with strangers killing each other off in a haunted elevator was enough to "force" me away from my thesis for eighty minutes.

22 May 2012

Just Checking In...

random photo of kid doodling at his or her desk
I've been focusing on my thesis work for the past couple of weeks (hence my complete lack of updates in both books and movies). While I could probably include some of my thesis reading as part of my 50/50 work, I'd rather keep my studies separate from the fun.

But I promise to be back with a review of What is the What or The Descendants shortly. Or perhaps Battleship...

02 May 2012

Hugo (2011)
Film 33/50

movie still of hugo looking longingly out of his clock window...must be thursday

I want to live inside a Parisian clock.

This movie has it all: style, mood, Ben Kingsley, trains, clocks, mermaids, robots, orphans, Alec Baldwin/Jack Donaghy's teenage nemesis, heart-shaped keys, love, romance, dogs, pretty smelling flowers, accordion music, the magic of filmmaking, and Jude Law. Something for everyone!

29 April 2012

The Book Thief
Book 10/50

the book thief book coverIf you haven't read The Book Thief, you should. The characters are drawn brilliantly. The style is refreshing. The story is addictive. The narrator is unique. There is little about this book that I didn't appreciate (the font for the pagination was a bit hard to read, but that's getting picky).

As with movies I enjoy, books I love are equally as difficult to review. I do not want to spoil the experience of reading this one for anyone.

But I will tell you that I pretty much cried non-stop for the last 50 or so pages of this book. I recommend you have a box of tissues ready.

24 April 2012

Attack the Block (2011)
Film 32/50

movie still with britain's answer to "the goonies"

Conversation with my friend Hoffmann while standing in line for The Room shortly before midnight last Saturday night...
HOFFMANN: Have you seen Attack the Block?
ME: No, what's it about?
HOFFMANN: It's about...well, I'm not going to tell you. Just watch it.
And so I did.

And I was glad he didn't give me much more than that to go on, too.

However, for those of you who'd like to learn a little more about the film prior to watching, read on. And to those of you who have seen it already, I'd be curious to hear your opinions on this film.

22 April 2012

The Room (2003)
Film 31/50

"you're tearing me apart, movie-still-of-tommy-wiseau-yelling-at-lisa!"

At first, I debated whether or not to list The Room among my fifty-fifty films, as this experience was more like a live comedy act than a film screening. But then I remembered that it's only April. At this rate, I'll make my fifty movies by the end of June. And so The Room becomes Film #31.