365 Movies in 365 Days
I'm taking up the 365 days challenge, and hopefully I won't emerge scarred. Or deathly pale.
Day I Started: April 14, 2014
The Rules:
Side Note: If I wish to "watch ahead" by viewing two or more movies in one day, that's perfectly fair. If I miss one day, I can watch two films the next day to make up for it.
And May the odds be ever in your favor! \m/
Movies Left: [ 341 out of 365 ]
Day I Started: April 14, 2014
The Rules:
1. According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, American Film Institute, and British Film Institute, a feature film runs for 40 minutes or longer. Any film that I watch on this list MUST be at least 40 minutes.
2. I cannot watch a movie that I have already seen. (Exception: If I haven't seen the movie in a WHILE, meaning, I don't recall the plot, characters, or ending, then I may watch the film as part of the challenge.)
3. I must watch the movie from start to finish (preferably in one sitting).
4. I should post a review, whether it is a (0/10) star rating, or critical review, or a short blurb about the film (what I liked, what I didn't like, how it impacted me, etc.)
Side Note: If I wish to "watch ahead" by viewing two or more movies in one day, that's perfectly fair. If I miss one day, I can watch two films the next day to make up for it.
And May the odds be ever in your favor! \m/
Movies Left: [ 341 out of 365 ]
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- DirectorNicolas Winding RefnStarsRyan GoslingCarey MulliganBryan CranstonA mysterious Hollywood action film stuntman gets in trouble with gangsters when he tries to help his neighbor's husband rob a pawn shop while serving as his getaway driver.Date Watched: March 30, 2014
My Review: A great film the first time around, not to mention my intro film to the wonder that is Ryan Gosling. Not a wordy script, but the cinematography really makes up for it.Driver: [to Benicio] Hey, you want a toothpick?
I love the soundtrack, especially the play out of "A Real Hero" by the end. This movie was shocking to me (though probably cliche to a mafia film buff). The Driver's passion is gripping, and his romance with Irene is charming. I love their drive through the LA River, a familiar backdrop that I can see from my aunt's house in SoCal. Overall, the movie moved me, without even trying.
Re-Watch Value?: Already seen it twice! :) - DirectorMalcolm MartinStarsGordon AlexanderAntonio FargasIan FreemanAfter a lost fight, a fighter wants back in the ring, seeking revenge on the fighter who knocked him out. When he comes toe to toe with him, he'll make sure his fists do the talking.Date Watched: April 11, 2014
My Review: My intention in recording this on Comcast was to re-watch Sucker Punch (2011) with Emily Browning, directed by Zack Snyder. Unfortunately, a mistake in the TV Guide programming resulted in a recording of this, unknown low-budget flop. I only watched it to get a better idea of how UFC works. But the fights were obviously staged, not to mention the editing was awful. The sound was all over the place. The protagonist Buchinsky has no personality, described as the "strong, silent" type. He probably has 10 lines throughout the entire 92 minutes of the film. Not sure how I sat through it all. Maybe because of the British accents. And my hope that the story was actually going somewhere.
Re-Watch Value?: No Thanks! - DirectorWill GluckStarsEmma StoneAmanda BynesPenn BadgleyWhen Olive lies to her best friend about losing her virginity to one of the college boys, a girl overhears their conversation. Soon, her story spreads across the entire school like wildfire.Date Watched: April 11, 2014
My Review: This movie helped me through a paranoid time in my life when I might as well have been Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter. The dialogue is witty. Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci have a pleasant chemistry as Olive's (Stone) parents.Rosemary: Olive! There's a young man here to see you [starts speaking in a Southern accent] Rosemary: He said something about asking for your hand in marriage! Olive Penderghast: [Also speaking in a Southern accent] Oh, happy day, Mama! Oh, I thought I was gonna have to spend my dowry on booze and pills to numb the loneliness. A gentleman caller, hurray!
This is an insightful high school comedy. Future generations will turn to Easy A instead of the awful re-make of The Scarlet Letter featuring Demi Moore's British accent.
Re-Watch Value?: Yep, this is my second (or third?) viewing! - DirectorTate TaylorStarsViola DavisEmma StoneOctavia SpencerAn aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African American maids' point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.Date Watched: April 13, 2014
My Review: A historically important film on the struggles of civil rights from the "perspective of the help". It showcases Emma Stone's versatility as an actress, as she plays an aspiring journalist from Jackson, Mississippi. The director includes the Jim Crow laws and the shooting of JFK, tastefully. I haven't read the book, but I'm inclined to after watching this! The dialogue is clever, and the cast is on point! (I hate Hilly by the end, love Constantine at the start, and can't help but adore Minny's and Aibileen's gossip). I might have to watch it again with captions on, just because their Southern accents throw me off. HaHaAibileen Clark: You is kind. You is smart. You is important.
Re-Watch Value?: Definitely (with closed captioning turned ON) ;) - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsLeonardo DiCaprioTom HanksChristopher WalkenBarely 17 yet, Frank is a skilled forger who has passed as a doctor, lawyer and pilot. FBI agent Carl becomes obsessed with tracking down the con man, who only revels in the pursuit.Date Watched: April 13, 2014
My Review: Pilot, doctor, lawyer, Leo DiCaprio really can do it all! This movie almost makes me want to "try this at home" and see if I can get away with cashing fake checks and traveling the world high-class. The story is clever, the acting is natural. Hanks is entertaining, and Walken believable. It is a very watchable movie - something for rainy nights, with a nice glass of wine.Frank Abagnale Jr.: Ah, people only know what you tell them, Carl.
Re-Watch Value?: Yes, in the right mood. - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom HanksCatherine Zeta-JonesChi McBrideAn Eastern European tourist unexpectedly finds himself stranded in JFK airport, and must take up temporary residence there.Date Watched: April 13, 2014
My Review: Not the best Steven Spielberg film I've seen, but it's really cute! Tom Hanks is delightful. It's a refreshing, feel-good movie that speaks to the resilience of man. Remind me never to get stuck in an airport, lest I spend weeks eating nothing but saltine crackers and mustard. Take-Home Lesson: Friendships are formed in the least likely situations.
Re-Watch Value?: Maybe in a couple of years. - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKaren AllenPaul FreemanIn 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.Date Watched: April 14, 2014
My Review: I can't believe this is the FIRST time I have seen this movie! So many rip-offs and parodies are making sense now (i.e. the "Top Men" ending scene with the boxes in the warehouse was used in an episode of Family Guy). This was a fast-paced, riveting adventure that kept my eyes glued to the screen for the whole viewing. Snakes, Spiders, and Nazis, Oh my! I'd love to visit Disneyland and ride the Indiana Jones Adventure now that I know the whole story! George Lucas and Steven Spielberg should definitely stick together.
Re-Watch Value? Oh Yes. With Friends. - DirectorMike FlanaganStarsKaren GillanBrenton ThwaitesKatee SackhoffA recently released inmate from a mental asylum learns from his sister that the murders he was convicted of committing were actually orchestrated by a supernatural entity, the Lasser Glass mirror.Date Watched: April 22, 2014
My Review: From the producers of Paranormal Activity and Insidious, this movie shares the same psychological approach to its scares. It doesn't rely on jump-scares (pop-ups) for horror, rather the twisting mind-game that the mirror plays on the two protagonists. They begin to lose touch with reality, and the flip-flopping between past and present is beautifully done in the cinematography. The ending had me depressed, since there was no feel-good reassurance that the protagonists had actually done something right. However, this leaves the movie open to sequels.
Re-Watch Value? Sure, once I forget the storyline. - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsDanny GloverWhoopi GoldbergOprah WinfreyA tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry.Date Watched: April 23, 2014
My Review: Never have I been so internally frustrated at the actions (or lack-of) of a protagonist in a story. Honestly I wanted to slap Celie (Goldberg) out of her timid compliance, hand her a skillet to really cook something up for Albert (Glover), and wrench her from that hell-hole of a house. In other words, a great story. Celie's slow development only gives insight to the torture she feels as a slave in Al's house. Can't help but wonder what I would have done if I were in her shoes.
Re-Watch Value?: Later in life - DirectorJames MangoldStarsWinona RyderAngelina JolieClea DuVallA directionless teenager, Susanna, is rushed to Claymoore, a mental institution, after a supposed suicide attempt. There, she befriends a group of troubled women who deeply influence her life.Date Watched: April 23, 2014
My Review: Finally I was able to watch Girl, Interrupted uninterrupted! The movie raised more questions than it answered. I'm left wondering what a sociopath is, how borderline personality disorder really manifests, and if anything medically has really changed since the dark days of the 60s asylums. Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie's performances undermine the melodramatic story. If anything, this is the girl-version of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. A couple of good scenes, nothing life-changing.
Re-Watch Value? Eh. - DirectorAndy TennantStarsDrew BarrymoreAnjelica HustonDougray ScottThe Brothers Grimm arrive at the home of a wealthy Grande Dame who speaks of the many legends surrounding the fable of the cinder girl before telling the "true" story of her ancestor.Date Watched: April 24, 2014
- DirectorMcGStarsDrew BarrymoreLucy LiuCameron DiazThe Angels investigate a series of murders which occur after the theft of a witness protection profile database.Date Watched: April 24, 2014
- DirectorGus Van SantStarsSean PennJosh BrolinEmile HirschThe story of American gay activist Harvey Milk, who fought for gay rights and was elected as California's first openly gay official.Date Watched: April 25, 2014
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioJonah HillMargot RobbieBased on the true story of Jordan Belfort, from his rise to a wealthy stock-broker living the high life to his fall involving crime, corruption and the federal government.Date Watched: April 26, 2014
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKate CapshawKe Huy QuanIn 1935, Indiana Jones is tasked by Indian villagers with reclaiming a rock stolen from them by a secret cult beneath the catacombs of an ancient palace.Date Watched: April 27, 2014
- DirectorRob ReinerStarsJack NicholsonMorgan FreemanSean HayesTwo terminally ill men escape from a cancer ward and head off on a road trip with a wish list of to-dos before they die.Date Watched: April 28, 2014
My Review: With a name like "The Bucket List", I expected it to be a moving and inspirational tale of two men's journey to transcend death with a joyous life. Moving? Not really. It had its moments. I would have been just fine skipping the 97 minutes for a couple of best scenes on Youtube. Inspirational? After it ended, it inspired me to get off the couch for a while. Nice to see Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman interacting, I guess. Otherwise, there's no big finish -- no crescendo -- Edward's (Nicholson) epiphany feels forced.
Re-Watch Value? Nope - DirectorRichard EyreStarsJudi DenchJim BroadbentKate WinsletTrue story of the lifelong romance between novelist Iris Murdoch and her husband John Bayley, from their student days through her battle with Alzheimer's disease.Date Watched: April 28, 2014
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsWilliam HoldenGloria SwansonErich von StroheimA screenwriter develops a dangerous relationship with a faded film star determined to make a triumphant return.Date Watched: April 30, 2014
- DirectorHerbert RossStarsShirley MacLaineOlympia DukakisSally FieldA young beautician, newly arrived in a small Louisiana town, finds work at the local salon, where a small group of women share a close bond of friendship, and welcome her into the fold.Date Watched: May 1, 2014
- DirectorMarc WebbStarsAndrew GarfieldEmma StoneJamie FoxxWhen New York is put under siege by Oscorp, it is up to Spider-Man to save the city he swore to protect as well as his loved ones.Date Watched: May 4, 2014
- DirectorPeter WeirStarsRobin WilliamsRobert Sean LeonardEthan HawkeMaverick teacher John Keating returns in 1959 to the prestigious New England boys' boarding school where he was once a star student, using poetry to embolden his pupils to new heights of self-expression.Date Watched: May 5, 2014
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordCate BlanchettShia LaBeoufIndiana Jones becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.Date Watched: May 8, 2014
- DirectorMel GibsonStarsGerardo TaracenaRaoul Max TrujilloDalia HernándezAs the Mayan kingdom faces its decline, a young man is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression.Date Watched: May 12, 2014
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.Date Watched: May 13, 2014
- DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsJodie FosterAnthony HopkinsScott GlennA young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.Date Watched: May 13, 2014
- DirectorFrancis LawrenceStarsRobert PattinsonReese WitherspoonChristoph WaltzJacob takes a job as an animal caretaker in a traveling circus. There he meets Marlena, a beautiful circus performer. Their shared compassion for a special elephant Rosie leads to love, but Marlena's cruel husband stands in their way.Date Watched: May 14, 2014
- DirectorKathryn BigelowStarsJessica ChastainJoel EdgertonChris PrattA chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L.s Team 6 in May 2011.Date Watched: May 15, 2014
- DirectorStephen NorringtonStarsWesley SnipesStephen DorffKris KristoffersonA half-vampire, half-mortal man becomes a protector of the mortal race, while slaying evil vampires.Date Watched: May 21, 2014
- DirectorRon HowardStarsDon AmecheWilford BrimleyHume CronynWhen a group of trespassing seniors swim in a pool containing alien cocoons, they find themselves energized with youthful vigor.Date Watched: May 21, 2014
- DirectorAng LeeStarsJake GyllenhaalHeath LedgerMichelle WilliamsEnnis and Jack are two shepherds who develop a sexual and emotional relationship. Their relationship becomes complicated when both of them get married to their respective girlfriends.Date Watched: May 23, 2014
- DirectorLee DanielsStarsForest WhitakerOprah WinfreyJohn CusackAs Cecil Gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the White House, the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events affect this man's life, family, and American society.Date Watched: May 27, 2014
- DirectorDave BullockStarsDavid BoreanazMiguel FerrerNeil Patrick HarrisIn the 1950s, a new generation of superheroes must join forces with the community's active veterans and a hostile US government to fight a menace to Earth.Date Watched: May 29, 2014
- DirectorAtom EgoyanStarsJulianne MooreAmanda SeyfriedLiam NeesonSuspecting her husband of infidelity, gynecologist Dr. Catherine Stewart hires an escort named Chloe in order to test his faithfulness. Soon, the relationships between all three intensify.
- DirectorRobert StrombergStarsAngelina JolieElle FanningSharlto CopleyA vengeful fairy is driven to curse an infant princess, only to discover that the child could be the one person who can restore peace to their troubled land.