Posts Tagged ‘movie list’

More divisive than the Health-Care debate, more controversial than immigration reform, more polarizing than the red state/blue state divide is…the relationship moviegoers have with M. Night Shyamalan. Few filmmakers in history provoke such strong emotions by the mere mention of their name – go ahead, try it, ask anyone what their thoughts are on Shyamalan and you’re bound to receive a passionate – and wholly unique – response. That’s right: unique. Love him or hate him, his work provokes passionate opinions, which is far more than can be said about most filmmakers nowadays; whereas directing has become largely generic, Shyamalan is, if nothing else, a true original.

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Can you believe it’s already April? It feels like New Year’s was just last week, but we’re already a quarter of the way through the year. The summer blockbusters are only a month away, and the misery that was March is behind us. April is shaping up to be a decent month theatrically, with a few okay but not stellar releases hitting theaters. If you’re in the mood for horror, The Ruins and Prom Night arrive soon, and there is something for almost every genre, from action (Street Kings) to family film (Nim’s Island) to comedy (Baby Mama). But there are only five movies I really want to see this month, and those movies are:

1. Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo
   Yes, Harold and Kumar is number one my list. Why would I choose such a stupid, idiotic, pot-filled movie like this as my number one film to see? Why, because the original Harold and Kumar is one of the best stupid movies ever made. I don’t even know how to describe it, but it is absolutely hilarious, and I’m not even the kind of person who enjoys idiotic movies. Yes, I know that comedy sequels are rarely as good as the originals, but I’m holding out hope that this one should at least entertain me for an hour and a half.
2. Leatherheads
   Another comedy? Yes! Comedy is my least favorite genre, believe it or not (I prefer depressing, depressing, depressing!), but the George Clooney-directed picture is my second choice for April. Unlike Harold and Kumar, though, this one is a little more of a drama-sports-comedy, as it is set several decades ago before the NFL was around. The movie promises some entertaining sports action, some witty dialogue (the exchange between Renee Zellweger and Clooney that’s shown in the previews is priceless) and John Krasinski (“The Office”) finally in a potentially good movie. Leatherheads isn’t going to blow anyone away, but it looks like it has just the right chemistry to appeal to audiences and critics alike. Too bad I don’t like Zellweger much at all.
3. Forbidden Kingdom, The
   A couple years, I was enamored with Asian kung fu movies such as this. Honestly, the genre couldn’t go wrong. Even before that, I loved Jackie Chan movies and liked Jet Li movies. That is then; this is now. These Asian films are starting to look all the same, and with titles such as “The Forbidden Kingdom”, it’s hard to keep them all straight. The movie itself doesn’t even look all that great, but it does offer one thing that fans have been craving for years: the teaming of Jackie Chan and Jet Li. And no, not just a teaming: while it appears as though they are both good guys, they do get their fair share of fighting each other… this is every fan’s dying wish. For this alone, I will go see The Forbidden Kingdom.
4. 88 Minutes
   Another actor I’ve grown tired of over the years is Al Pacino, who, as many people believe, has grown comfortable playing the same role over and over again in varied plots. That being said, I still respect him as an actor and I never underestimate him. Even when he chooses bad movies, the movies are often not that bad, and when he picks decent movies, they tend to be on the better side of decent. 88 Minutes appears to be a rather formulaic thriller with a countdown gimmick, but that’s enough to get me into theaters. The movie doesn’t look great, but it looks like it could be entertaining, and in the month of April, that’s all I ask for.
5. Pathology
   While I tried to keep this list to wide releases, I had to mention Pathology on here. Who knows if the movie will be any good, but judging from the red band trailer, which offered up lots of gratuitous sex, nudity and gore, I am more than just a little intrigued. My thinking is rather shallow here, but I’m okay with it. Anytime a movie can work lots of nudity into an otherwise adult horror-thriller, I’ll be there checking things out (supervising and chaperoning, you know).
6. Deception
   I just watched a movie trailer for this thriller, and while I can’t say it blew me away, I’m certainly intrigued. At the very least, the movie stars Hugh Jackman and Ewan McGregor, two actors you should never take too lightly, as well as a bunch of beautiful women who all participate in a sex group. Of course, the secrets of the sex group boil over into some kind of murder or betrayal case, and we’re left with a naughty sex thriller. These movies generally end up being really good or really bad, and only time will tell which category this one falls into.

Comedies can win Oscars, or at least Golden Globes. Foreign films get their own category. So, aside from family films, the one genre that never gets much recognition other than through box office dollars is the action movie genre. Action films have become blurred with thrillers recently, as Hollywood has leaned more toward serious, realistic action-thrillers over kick-ass explosion-filled extravaganzas. This list includes some of those, but 2007 saw the reemergence of some bad ass action films.

And no, Spider-Man 3 is not on the list. Here are the top ten action movies of 2007:

1. Transformers (2007)
   The top five action movies of 2007 are pretty close to one another, and the top three are almost interchangeable. But there’s no denying that the film with the biggest impact over the summer was an explosive action film that had fan boys salivating and even regular audience members blown away by spectacular visual effects and a finale that all but destroys Los Angeles. The movie was plagued with some annoying dialogue and other screenplay issues, but Michael Bay’s action sequences overcame those flaws to make Transformers the best action movie of 2007.
2. 300 (2007)
   Coming in a very close second place is 300, a movie from Dawn of the Dead director Zach Snyder. 300 could have been a complete disaster, but Snyder made the movie a visual feast. Some people complained that the movie had a lot more talking than fighting, but I found it to have the perfect balance of politics, drama, visuals and action. 300 is by far and away the most visually original picture of 2007, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Visual Effects Oscar gets handed out – on the one hand, Transfomers offered seamless visuals; on the other, 300 was one long special effect that defied expectations and made the film the biggest hit of the first four months of the year.
3. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
   The smartest action film in the top three, the third Bourne film places third simply because I thought The Bourne Supremacy was slightly better. The Bourne Ultimatum felt a bit like it was re-treading on the second film’s originality only with a less interesting plot, but I only say that because Supremacy is one of my all-time favorite action films. Ultimatum is still a great action movie, and continues to prove that Matt Damon can be an action hero, and a damn intimidating one to boot.
4. Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
   Despite going way too over the top at times (the fighter jet blowing up a billion dollars worth of highway, for instance), the fourth Die Hard movie was everything fans were expecting and waiting for. People had all but given up on the chance that they would indeed make a fourth movie, but Bruce Willis brought his rugged John McClain back to theaters one more time. The movie is one long action sequence, and while it is hit a bit by the fact that it is rated PG-13, it is still a pretty brutal thrill ride. At the very least, it was refreshing to return to the action films of old, where tough guys did tough things.
5. No Country for Old Men (2007)
   Who knew that a major Best Picture contender would end up on a Top Ten list for Best Action Movie? Regardless, No Country for Old Men, from the Coen Brothers, is one of the most exciting movies I’ve seen in a long time. Not your typical action film, the Coen Brothers fill their film with an impending sense of dread, and give us one of the scariest and most ruthless villains ever witnessed on the silver screen. Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t end the way most of us would have liked – otherwise, this film could have been a lot higher on this list.
6. Shooter (2007)
   Items six through ten aren’t nearly as good as items one through five, but are still good entries for those looking for mindless entertainment. Shooter is a pretty mindless film that tries to cover some idiocies with a political assassination and conspiracy storyline, which, for the most part, works well enough. Mark Wahlberg does a good job in the lead, and Shooter offers plenty of action and intrigue. It’s not a great movie, but it’s still better than most action movies we get these days.
7. 28 Weeks Later (2007)
   Okay, so 28 Weeks Later is technically a horror movie, or at the very least a zombie movie, but as far as excitement goes, it’s a great little film. The movie didn’t receive very good reviews nor box office revenues, but this zombie sequel is exciting and suspenseful from the first minute to the last. The opening sequence is great, and the film is full of exciting moments.
8. Vacancy (2007)
   It’s been a while since I last saw this thriller, but I had to put it on the list anyway. It’s not an action movie per se, but it is action-packed, so I think it deserves a place. Starring the unlikely combination of Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale as a nearly divorced couple, Vacancy is about two people who find themselves trapped at the hotel from Hell. The movie is exciting from beginning to the end, minus the last two minutes, which are just dreadful. Still, I hadn’t sat on the edge of my seat like this in a long time.
9. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
   I wasn’t crazy about the ending of this one either, but there’s no denying that 3:10 to Yuma is still a thoroughly entertaining film. Starring the great combination of Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, the western remake offers a complicated and disturbing villain (Crowe), some good action scenes and several other exciting moments. If anyone still thinks that westerns are out of date, 3:10 to Yuma is just one of many recent westerns that proves them wrong.
10. The Kingdom (2007)
    This one wasn’t as good as I was hoping it would be, but The Kingdom has some great action, especially toward the end. Somehow this movie, which featured some pretty spectacular trailers and a quality cast, flopped in theaters despite having everything that action audiences require. The shortcoming of the film is that the screenplay isn’t nearly as good as it should have been, given the material.

Other movies that almost made the list: Planet Terror, Death Proof and Smokin’ Aces. The two Grindhouse films were both thoroughly entertaining and offered some good action, while Smokin’ Aces was entertaining but not quite as action packed as I was hoping for.

Why wasn’t Spider-Man 3 on the list? Because it just wasn’t that good of a movie. Harry Potter? Not nearly as good as the other movies (and not really an action movie). Pirates of the Caribbean? That movie just sucked. Fantastic Four 2? Enough said.

The Top Ten Movies of 2007 List, as selected by me, Erik Samdahl, is here! As I said all year, 2007 was a terrific 365 days for film, as there were more quality movies than the last two or three years combined. I usually scrape to put a Top Ten List together, but this year I had nearly twenty candidates that I would feel happy about mentioning here. Beyond those twenty candidates, there were several others that were still well done, including some great action movies, quality thrillers and some of the funniest comedies in a long while. Still, in such a competitive year, these films below really stood out. These are the creme of the crop, the best of the best, the must-see films of 2007…

11. Ratatouille (UPDATED: I moved this to #11)

I normally don’t place animated films in my Top Ten, but Pixar came along, delivered a comeback after the horrible movie Cars and provided audiences with the best animated picture in years. Ratatouille is the perfect example of why Pixar is better than any other animated comedy; unlike the other companies, they actually try (and normally succeed) to do something unique. They don’t rely on modern day satires, spoofs and references, and instead go about creating memorable, high quality stories. Ratatouille is a well-written, witty and entertaining animated picture, and a sure lock for this year’s Oscar in the category. On top of that, the visual effects are simply stunning; the Pixar team really outdid themselves this time.

10. I’m Not There

I had trouble deciding where to place I’m Not There on this Top Ten List. I found I’m Not There pretty confusing at times and didn’t find it as entertaining as some of the other pictures on the list. That being said, the movie is easily the most ambitious film of the year. Writer/director Todd Haynes really deserves props for managing to pull this feat off, as his movie stars not one but six actors (including Richard Gere, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Cate Blanchett and even some little black kid) as Bob Dylan. To make things even more confusing, each actor represents a metaphorical stage in Dylan’s life and career, and if you’re like me and don’t know a thing about Dylan, you’ll be lost. Still, for Haynes to actually develop a coherent film out of this chaos is absolutely amazing, and he makes it look easy.

9. Lars and the Real Girl

I normally don’t place feel-good movies on my top ten lists as I generally tend to lean toward serious dramas, but I have two on here this year. Lars and the Real Girl stars Ryan Gosling as a socially awkward young man who finally gets a girlfriend – unfortunately, his girlfriend is a life-size sex doll. To help Lars get over his psychological issues, the townspeople decide to pretend that his girlfriend is real. The movie features some great comedic performances, and, in general, the movie is quite funny; it’s also sweet, touching and sad all at once.

8. Charlie Wilson’s War

Funny and politically charged, this movie based on the screenplay from “West Wing” creator Aaron Sorkin stars Tom Hanks as a womanizing, cocaine-snorting U.S. Representative who decides to covertly fight the Russians by funding Afghanistan militants. It doesn’t sound like a comedy at first glance, but the movie is at times quite hilarious. Hanks is the best we’ve seen him in years, but Philip Seymour Hoffman is the scene-stealer. Charlie Wilson’s War isn’t for everyone, but for those who like a little dose of politics with their comedy, this one is a must-see.

7. Once (UPDATED: I added this movie to the list on 1/23/2008)

I forgot to add Once to this Top Ten List because based it on a list of movie reviews I had done for 2007. However, I hadn’t yet written a review for Once, a film I had already intended to put on the list. Hence, I forgot. Once is an incredibly simply but mesmerizing film. The song, which is nominated for an Oscar (it better win!), is simply astounding, and pretty much makes the film. Regardless, the chemistry between the two leads is terrific.

6. No Country for Old Men

And now come the heavy hitters. No Country for Old Men is still a front runner for Best Picture, as it has already picked up several awards over the last month and a half. The movie, easily the best Cohen Brothers film in years, is a dark and depressing action-drama about a man (James Brolin) who discovers a bunch of drug money and finds that by taking it he has unleashed the wrath of one of the nastiest, most psychotic assassins in the history of cinema. Javier Bardem is absolutely stunning as the madman killer. Still, as good as the movie is, I feel it was slightly over-hyped; the ending left a lot of audiences wanting more, and in all honesty, it isn’t a very satisfying conclusion to such an exciting, suspense-filled film. Nevertheless, No Country for Old Men leaves you on the edge of your seat the entire time, and that’s worth something.

5. Juno

The other feel-good movie of the year, Juno is tearing it up at the box office and has critics singing praise with its excellent screenplay and terrific acting from young star Ellen Page. The screenplay, from writer Diablo Cody, is one of the top candidates to win Best Screenplay, and Page has an outside chance at winning Best Actress. The dialogue is what makes this movie – about a pregnant 16-year old girl who decides to give away her baby – so good, as its sharp wit flies so fast that’s it hard to keep up with all of it. Juno also has its sweet side to it, which will delight the female members of the audience.

4. Zodiac

David Fincher’s Zodiac may long be forgotten as the film was released way back in March, but those of you who saw this picture hopefully realized that Fincher has developed quite a masterpiece. While the movie, based on the real Zodiac serial killer investigation, isn’t your typical crime thriller, Fincher somehow managed to make a suspenseful drama out of a three-hour, dialogue-driven screenplay. Not everyone loved Zodiac, but it is one of the best serial killer films in a long time.

3. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Few people have seen this Brad Pitt/Casey Affleck drama, and even fewer would probably place this film in their top ten list, but The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is an amazingly engrossing and deep drama. The film is nearly three hours long and features almost no action, which may surprise people expecting an action-western, but for those of you who know better, the picture is an impressive character study of two drastically different men. Brad Pitt is stunning as the outlaw James, even if you don’t realize how good he is for most of the movie. Casey Affleck, however, is absolutely captivating, and delivers the best performance of his career, knocking off his previous best – from Gone Baby Gone, which just missed out on making this top ten list. Needless to say, 2007 was a good year for the younger Affleck brother, and Jesse James is an excellent movie, highlighted by a shockingly good final half hour.

2. There Will Be Blood

The top two films of 2007 really set themselves apart from the rest. There Will Be Blood, Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece, is a bold and powerful examination of one man’s rise and fall. The movie is excellent, but Daniel Day-Lewis delivers his best performance ever – and that’s saying a lot. Day-Lewis transforms himself into a mesmerizing character who hates everyone and is greedy beyond belief. Like I say in my movie review, if he doesn’t win an Oscar, I will turn my back on the awards show forever.

1. Atonement

While There Will Be Blood was amazing, it will not appeal to everyone. Atonement, on the other hand, is a bit more mainstream, but thanks to incredible direction from Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice), Atonement is the best movie of 2007. Its widespread appeal is not the reason Atonement is the best movie of 2007; the movie is simply captivating from beginning to end. A near-thriller to begin with, the film turns into a war romance in the second half, but the film carries more than a few punches that catch you off guard. Wright does a marvelous job of crafting a story that makes you optimistic and then crushes your emotions, and then starts all over and does it again. Atonement is a sad movie, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t great.

Why did I choose Atonement over There Will Be Blood? It was a close decision, but I felt There Will Be Blood dragged in a few small sections while Atonement did not; there were a few parts where Blood seemed to lose focus, whereas Atonement is just a bit more consistent. There Will Be Blood has better acting, but Atonement pulls at your emotions slightly more. Still, it was a tough decision, but I stand by it.

Stay tuned for other top ten lists over the coming weeks!

OK, as of writing this post it’s late on January 11th. The month is almost halfway over, and only now am I writing my The Top Movies to See in January 2008 article. Thankfully, it is January, and very few new movies come out in the beginning of the year – and the ones that do, you don’t want to see.

Keep in mind that this list is for movies officially released in January 2008, and does not include limited releases that came out in December 2007 or earlier and are only now opening wide. For those, see this December 2007 movies list.

Unfortunately, there are only two movies being released in January, 2008 that I actually want to see, and those are:

1. Cloverfield
   All I can say here is: Duh. Probably one of the most hyped films featuring no big name stars or based on an established franchise, the marketing team for Cloverfield has to be praised for creating more Internet buzz than even Snakes on a Plane. Of course, that film never lived up to its buzz in terms of box office success, but Cloverfield has a few things going for it that Snakes on a Plane didn’t:
   • It looks good.
   • It is a monster movie, but no one knows what the monster looks like. Ooh… mystery. Suspense. Excitement!
   • It isn’t called Snakes on a Plane, which means it will attract normal audiences.
   • There will have been no major theatrical releases, except for expansions, for nearly a month.
   • It looks good. Did I say that already?
2. Rambo
   People are utterly divided on this one. There is the camp that laugh and mock the fact that Sylvestor Stallone is trying to resurrect his other successful franchise to reclaim a career he once had; and then there’s the camp that has seen the previews for Rambo and are uber-excited for an ultra-bloody and non-stop action movie. I am, needless to say, in the latter group, and am excited to see Stallone kick ass once more in the role that made him an action hero. Oh, and Rocky Balboa wasn’t half bad, either.
3. Cassandra’s Dream
   While Woody Allen continues to have a lot of hits and misses, one of my favorite films in recent memory is Allen’s Match Point, and Cassandra’s Dream has a similar feel to it. A crime drama about two ordinary men who agree to murder someone for cash they desperately need, the movie could be 2008′s In the Bedroom, though no one expects it to be that good. Still, this one looks interesting.
4. Untraceable
   The techno-thriller genre is not my favorite, especially ones that feature killer websites. Hollywood’s attempts to make thrillers based on Internet-themed stories have historically failed badly, and so I’m hesitant about Diane Lane’s new movie Untraceable. That being said, the movie trailer is well constructed and has an interesting concept, though it will be interesting to see how the ultra-hacker/killer is played out. So this one could go either way, but it looks like a fun ride.
5. Teeth
   Wow. Have you watched the movie trailer for this film? This one looks weird – whether it’s any good remains to be seen. It appears to be about a girl who has deadly teeth in her… female region. That’s only a guess, but there’s “something not right down there”, and the movie’s title is Teeth, and this gives me enough info that tells me I want to see more, though I am guessing a penis or two gets bitten off in the process. Um, yeah.
6. First Sunday
   I’ve grown to never underestimate Ice Cube; not only does he generally make pretty good movies, but his movies make a lot of money, too. However, First Sunday doesn’t look like a winner. He doesn’t have the family thing going for this movie, and on the flip side, there doesn’t be much edge to this flick – at least compared to Friday. And since this movie is clearly aimed at the exact same audience, the previews for First Sunday make me want to just head on over to Blockbuster and rent another Ice Cube movie instead. Furthermore, Tracy Morgan co-stars; while Morgan is funny, he’s only tolerable in small doses – I can’t imagine sitting through an hour and a half movie with him.
7. Mad Money
   This movie doesn’t look terrible, but it doesn’t look all that good, either. Starring Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes, Mad Money is about three ordinary women who steal a lot of money. Unfortunately, while the concept is decent enough, the previews just aren’t that funny and look more like the “women-defying-their-own-characters” genre, which is not surprising since it’s from the people behind Thelma and Louise. Mad Money may serve as good counter programming for the more male-oriented movies of January, but it’s not going to pull in many men… at least by choice.
8. 27 Dresses
   One of the film most likely to make some money this month, 27 Dresses has everything one needs to make a successful chick flick: a good-looking, popular cast, a storyline that every single woman dreads (attending 26 weddings that aren’t yours) and your standard romantic fluff. There are some funny moments in the movie trailer, but overall you can tell exactly what’s going to happen from the previews. From a guy’s perspective, that’s enough to not see the movie unless I’m on a date.
9. One Missed Call
   This forgettable horror movie somehow made $12+ million last weekend, probably because there was nothing else new to see (come on, people, what about all the award contenders out in theaters right now?). One Missed Call looks like a lame Japanese techno-horror movie without the Japanese influence; J-horror remakes are bad enough, let alone ones that American writers came up with independently. There’s nothing even remotely interesting about this movie other than the very catchy movie poster.
10. How She Move
    Your typical dance move for the winter of 2008, How She Move looks about as unique as a grilled cheese sandwich. I am really getting sick of these dance movies, yet they continue to make money. Why? I don’t know. Are these films really filling a gap for a demand that can’t be filled by higher quality films?
11. VeggieTales: The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything
    This movie is about a bunch of vegetables. Christian-themed vegetables. Need I say more? Still, I’d rather see this one than any of the Uwe Boll movies.
12. Meet the Spartans
    2008′s first stupid spoof comedy, Meet the Spartans has all the intelligent makings of classics that came before it. Really, this genre grew old long ago, and this spoof on 300 looks no different. Watch this one come and go quickly.
13. In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
    God, I just know some people are going to be tricked into going to see this movie. With enhanced production values and an almost-decent cast (Jason Statham, Leelee Sobieski, Ray Liotta and more), In the Name of the King looks like your typical, B-grade fantasy action picture. Don’t be fooled! The movie is directed by Uwe Boll, and will suck as always. Don’t even think about it. Don’t. Please, please don’t.
14. Seed
    This film is still slated for January 25th, but I have to imagine it’s going to get pushed back or sent direct to DVD. The world can’t handle two Uwe Boll movies in one month, and the studio hasn’t even released a movie trailer for it yet. Is it that bad that marketing refuses to make a trailer?

As you can see, there aren’t a lot of great new films to choose from. Beyond Cloverfield and Rambo, there’s nothing with much weight, and those two are canceled out by two different Uwe Boll movies. Again, I haven’t listed here movies that are expanding wide, such as The Bucket List, Atonement (excellent movie!), The Orphanage and so on and so forth.