Better than Expected
Winner: Transformers
Given Michael Bay's legacy, my expectations for this movie were rather low. Fortunately, it wasn't bad, and almost reached the level of good. Although it was full of typical Bay crap, and the GM product placement was a tad disgusting, I still enjoyed the movie. With Mr. Bay, that is the best you can hope for.
Runner Up: Blades of Glory
I really don't have much to say about this movie, other than I was mildly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
Honorable Mention: Ratatouille
In the case of the first two movies, I went in expecting something bad, and got something enjoyable. For this movie, however, my expectations were higher, and the result was much higher. I knew that it being a Pixar movie would ensure a certain level of quality. However, the trailers left me a little ambivalent towards the movie. When I watched it, I realized how wrong the previews were. Save for one movie, this was probably my favorite of the year.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
The Belated 2007 Movie Feature Begins
Hey there sports fans! Or movie fans, to be more precise. It's that time of the year again, the time for me to do my review of the past year in movies. Some of you might (accurately) point out that the time has past for this, but I say a resounding "meh" to that.
Rather than killing a whole forest of digital trees by putting it all in one post, I figure I'll split it out into several posts throughout today and Sunday. I'll try to hit all of the movies I saw over the past year, although a few were so mediocre it might not be worth writing about them.
On to the show!
A Shark's Tale award for Worst Movie of the Year
Winner: Perfect Stranger
This was a very close race, but in the end this pile of reconstituted vomit was my least favorite movie of the year. Between the horrible acting, the ridiculous plot twist, and its poor knowledge of technology, this film was a colossal waste of time. Although I am not one to walk out of a movie before it is over, this is one of two films I saw last year where I might have considered it. Heck, if I had walked out 15 minutes early, the film might have still made some sense, and saved itself from being placed on this list.
Runner Up: Shooter
This movie could have been very good if they had made it either a taut political thriller, or an absolutely mindless action film. Unfortunately, they decided to try to do both. The result was a mess, only surpassed by the disaster above. Lousy acting, a ridiculous plot, and incredibly cartoonish characters made this film offensive to my senses. Even Ned Beatty couldn't keep this movie from tanking.
Dishonorable Mention: Lions for Lambs
I'm usually a pretty easy guy to please when it comes to movies. Therefore, it was a rare accomplishment for the two movies above to actually make me loathe them. Lions for Lambs rises to the level of merely being disappointing. I would love to see a nuanced political movie about the mess in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unfortunately, this movie does not do that. It tries to create a debate on the issue, but fails miserably at it. In the end, it reads like a 90 minute PSA about getting involved in government. Not that the idea is wrong, but it certainly isn't worth $9.00.
Movies that are probably deserving of spots on this list, but which I decided to refrain from viewing: Good Luck Chuck, Who's Your Caddy?, Norbit, Daddy Day Camp, Epic Movie, etc...
Rather than killing a whole forest of digital trees by putting it all in one post, I figure I'll split it out into several posts throughout today and Sunday. I'll try to hit all of the movies I saw over the past year, although a few were so mediocre it might not be worth writing about them.
On to the show!
A Shark's Tale award for Worst Movie of the Year
Winner: Perfect Stranger
This was a very close race, but in the end this pile of reconstituted vomit was my least favorite movie of the year. Between the horrible acting, the ridiculous plot twist, and its poor knowledge of technology, this film was a colossal waste of time. Although I am not one to walk out of a movie before it is over, this is one of two films I saw last year where I might have considered it. Heck, if I had walked out 15 minutes early, the film might have still made some sense, and saved itself from being placed on this list.
Runner Up: Shooter
This movie could have been very good if they had made it either a taut political thriller, or an absolutely mindless action film. Unfortunately, they decided to try to do both. The result was a mess, only surpassed by the disaster above. Lousy acting, a ridiculous plot, and incredibly cartoonish characters made this film offensive to my senses. Even Ned Beatty couldn't keep this movie from tanking.
Dishonorable Mention: Lions for Lambs
I'm usually a pretty easy guy to please when it comes to movies. Therefore, it was a rare accomplishment for the two movies above to actually make me loathe them. Lions for Lambs rises to the level of merely being disappointing. I would love to see a nuanced political movie about the mess in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unfortunately, this movie does not do that. It tries to create a debate on the issue, but fails miserably at it. In the end, it reads like a 90 minute PSA about getting involved in government. Not that the idea is wrong, but it certainly isn't worth $9.00.
Movies that are probably deserving of spots on this list, but which I decided to refrain from viewing: Good Luck Chuck, Who's Your Caddy?, Norbit, Daddy Day Camp, Epic Movie, etc...
Monday, February 18, 2008
The Eliminator: Song #149
Song #: 149
Song Title: "Clap for Alaska" composed by Hans Zimmer
Album: The Simpsons Movie Soundtrack
Second straight track from a movie soundtrack. Tough luck to this song. On to round 3!
Song Title: "Clap for Alaska" composed by Hans Zimmer
Album: The Simpsons Movie Soundtrack
Second straight track from a movie soundtrack. Tough luck to this song. On to round 3!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
The Eliminator: Song #150
Ed. Note: At work I am cycling through 150 songs in my iTunes collection, and throwing out the last one hit. Every time this happens, I hope to give a mention to the song thrown out.
Song #: 150
Song Title: "All I want Is You" by Barry Louis Polisar
Album: Juno Soundtrack
Tough luck to this song. On to round 2!
Song #: 150
Song Title: "All I want Is You" by Barry Louis Polisar
Album: Juno Soundtrack
Tough luck to this song. On to round 2!
Monday, February 4, 2008
19-....ummm 18-1 is good, I guess?
The descent into Bizzaro World continued yesterday as Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning led the Giants to a 17-14 victory over the hated Patriots. Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning. That is just hard to get used to.
The Evil Belichick Empire has been defeated, and in a manner similar to the way they clawed to power. By determination, luck, and a little bit of talent, the Giants beat them on a long drive capped off by an improbable score. I sat in amazement when Tyree made that catch, a historic catch even if Manning hadn't escaped a certain sack to throw it to him.
All season, I was pretty confident the Patriots were going to lose. It took the last 35 seconds of the last game for it to happen, but it did. Never in a million years did I think Eli, who often looked like a slightly better Rex Grossman, would be the one to do it. Enjoy it Giants fans, you deserve it. And to you New England fans, I'm sure the sting will be alleviated once pitchers and catchers report to Red Sox camp.
Geez, the less Manning wins the Super Bowl against the inevitable Empire? What next, you're going to tell me that a black man and a woman are the leading candidates for the Democratic nomination? Yeah, like that'll ever happen.
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