1. Serenity (SciFi/Fantasy): 119 minutes (2005). ★★★A good ending to the Firefly series, but as a stand-alone movie, not my favourite. I love the tv show and most of the characters and, though I may be alone in this, I'm not the hugest fan of River (even though I LOVE Summer Glau). Am a huge fan of Mal, Zoe, and Kaylee, though and Wash's death just hits me in the chest so hard. I loved him in both the series and in the movie and I think he's completely under-appreciated. It's too bad the series had to end. (Note to Fox: Please change the night of Dollhouse to something other than Friday night so it will at least have a chance to survive. ♥ Sara)
2. Walk Hard (Comedy): 120 minutes (2007). ★Was really annoyed by the whole movie until Jenna Fisher came onscreen. She's hilarious and adorable, definitely the best part of the movie. I was actually really disappointed in John C. Reilly. He was funny, but I guess he's sorta become the new Will Ferrell - he's hit or miss. Sometimes he tickles my funny bone and sometimes he just falls flat. This time, he fell flat.
3. The Jane Austen Book Club (Drama/Romance): 106 minutes (2007). ★★★★The premise of this movie is girly, but just lovely. The women in this movie are different, interesting, and beautiful. Hugh Dancy's Grigg steals the show with his science-fiction obsession and eco-friendly ways; his charm is electric. It makes me long to read more and that I wish I had more people to discuss reading with. Don't miss this funny, but touching story about a group of people brought together by Jane Austen's work.
4. The Illusionist (Drama/Mystery/Romance/Thriller): 110 minutes (2006). ★★★★This cast is phenomenal. Rufus Sewell, Paul Giamatti, and Edward Norton are always great, especially in dark movies, so the three of them together form a triumvirate of awesomeness. The story is fascinating and the costumes and sets brilliant. Artistically done and intriguing. I recommend it to anyone who likes thrillers, magic, romance, or Edward Norton.
5. Wristcutters: A Love Story (Drama/Indie/Romance/Art House): 88 minutes (2006).★★★★Beautiful, haunting story about how to find love once you've lost everything else in life - even life itself. While Zia sets off on a road trip to find his former life's love, he encounters others along the way - they learn that the afterlife isn't exactly what they thought it was.
6. The Darjeeling Limited (Adventure/Comedy/Drama/Indie/Art House): 91 minutes (2007). ★★★Funny, silly, colourful, and touching. Not much more to say - the film speaks for itself.
7. Saved! (Comedy/Drama/Satire): 92 minutes (2004). ★★★★When Mary tries to turn her gay boyfriend straight by sleeping with him, she ends up pregnant and he ends up sent to another school by his parents. Mary is left to her own devices to figure out how to navigate pregnancy in the midst of a conservative Christian school, her mother is involved with the married pastor, father of the skateboarding missionary boy. The movie addresses what it means to be a good person and what it takes to open up in religion, all while showing the faults in fanatical religious convictions. Funny and touching.
8. Definitely, Maybe (Comedy/Drama/Romance): 112 minutes (2008). ★★★★
9. Smart People (Comedy/Drama/Satire/Romance): 95 minutes (2008). ★★★
10. Coraline (Animation/Adventure/Drama/Fantasy): 100 minutes (2009). ★★★★
11. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Comedy/Romance): 105 minutes (2009). ★★★
12. Loverboy (Comedy/Romance): 98 minutes (1989). ★★★
13. A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (Indie/Drama/Crime): 98 minutes (2006). ★★★★While this film started off slow and dry, as it went on, I found myself caring more and more about the characters involved. Shia LeBeouf and Robert Downey, Jr. play young and adult versions of the same character, Dito, who returns to his roots in Astoria, New York after managing to remove himself from what he thought was a poor situation. The film expertly explores what could drive someone like Dito out of his own home only to find he must go back in order to truly make a man of himself. The ending is worth the wait through the dry and lacking beginning, if you're someone who enjoys art house cinema.
14. Bikur Ha-Tizmoret (The Band's Visit) (Comedy/Drama): 87 minutes (2007). ★★★★★A beautiful and heartwarming film. Witty, ironic, and poignant. An Egyptian band gets stuck in an unexpected place in Israel and are stranded overnight. They touch the lives of the people they impose on and are, in turn, touched by those they interact with.
15. Caffeine (Comedy): 92 minutes (2006). ★★★Sardonic and semi-dark comedy. Funny in a pretentious sort-of way. If you'd like to see Katherine Heigl in a good role, watch this. Far superior to the "Knocked Up" Katherine Heigl. Mena Suvari and Katherine Heigl both do surprisingly good British accents and Breckin Meyer is adorable, as always. It's been far too long since I'd seen him in anything! Recommended for those who like indie and obscure films.
16. Slumdog Millionaire (Crime/Drama/Romance/Foreign/Independent): 120 minutes (2008). ★★★★★Absolutely the most uplifting movie I've seen this year. It was beautiful, touching, with moments of laughter that sparkled through the muddy slums of Mumbai. I was most thoroughly impressed with youngest actors and actress - they literally blew me away. It was a heartwarming film and I recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind being a little broken down, only to be completely uplifted afterward. The music was the perfect backdrop and I can't wait to get the soundtrack. I hope everyone I know sees this movie.
This movie was extremely well done. It was almost pane for pane from the graphic novel. Jeffrey Dean Morgan was the perfect combination of disgusting and charming as the Comedian and I felt badly for him in the end... he was just another human being just like anyone else. His constant cigar-smoking was just a little too hot for me to handle, even though I knew I was supposed to be completely revolted by him.
To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from Malin Akerman, but her portrayal of Laurie was wonderful, even if I thought she was honestly a little too visually stunning (Laurie wasn't quite that hot in the comic). Her struggle with leaving Jon/Dr. Manhattan and finding her own place in the world was not only believable, but wonderfully acted.
Rorschach creeped me the fuck out. As he should have. He was creepy and his gruff, gravelly, grating voice was exactly what I imagined him to sound like in the comic, as if he was truly narrating his journal. As Kovacs, Jackie Earle Haley was perfectly unsettling.
Billy Crudup did well as Jon, but, of course, most of the movie he was in blue makeup as Doc Manhattan and was hardly recognizable. Which actually worked to his advantage, if I might add. He was harder to understand in this than in the novel, though. I wish they would have added just a bit more of his backstory about the watch and how he views time... Having read the novel first, I understand how important that was to his character and it would have done wonders for his character development had they left that bit in. Overall, though, it was well-done.
Words cannot express how much love I have for Nite Owl in both Hollis and Dan's incarnations, so I admit I was a little biased in those characters. However, they both were beautifully done. I understand why it was done, but I do wish they had used a bit more from Hollis Mason's book in the movie. They mention it and reference it a few times, but there wasn't nearly as much depth.
I also admit that I missed the random news vendor and the people who visited him because it marked a lot of time passing and was an interesting perspective to include in the story... I did, however, appreciate that they made cameos. I was tickled pink when Eleanor Clift faced off against Pat Buchanan because I'm a political junkie and I think they both did fabulous jobs with their brief impersonations.
Overall, I was very impressed by the soundtrack, visual effects, stunts, and overall feel of time passing. Though the chronology was scattered, as in the novel, it was obvious which pieces fit where and made it easier to follow (in my opinion) than the written version. Well, I don't want to give EVERYTHING away, so the rest, you all will have to see for yourselves...
P.S. There was lots of (blue) peen. Which actually was great because it's in the book that way and I felt really showed the evolution of Jon's character well. He's become so out-of-touch with people that he either doesn't notice others' discomfort around his nakedness or doesn't care and it shows. Again, well done with the details (it even moves realistically as he walks... not that I was looking or anything x_x).
Hilarious. Paul Rudd and Jason Segel were hilarious. Rashida Jones absolutely adorable. Words cannot express how much I love Paul Rudd and Jason Segel together. "I Love You, Man" was classic.
Eh. It was cute. Patrick Dempsey was kind-of an idiot. But a cute idiot, nonetheless. The storyline was exactly the same as My Best Friend's Wedding, only the genders were reversed and they get together at the end. I was unimpressed.
Movies To See
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chasethestars
chasethestars