January 3, 2008

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
Director: Fran Rubel Kuzui
Writers: Joss Whedon
Starring: Kristy Swanson as Buffy Summers and Donald Sutherland as Merrick Jamison-Smythe
Description: Buffy Summers has the lifestyle any young woman could want. Cheerleading, dating the captain of the basketball team, and copious amounts of time spent shopping with friends. She had no idea of her true calling until a mysterious man named Merrick approached her and told her that she is the Slayer; one woman called to defend the world from vampires. Reluctant to concede to the fact, Buffy soon learns that Merrick speaks the truth and so begins to take her new life seriously while trying to maintain the sense of normality her life had once been. With her best friends slowly abandoning her, Buffy finds solace in the town outcast, Pike, who knows very well the terrors that have arisen. Together, they combat the forces of the old and powerful vampire, Lothos, who has his eyes set on Buffy.
Rating:

January 2, 2008

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Writers: Steph Lady and Frank Darabont; based on the novel by Mary Shelley
Starring: Robert DeNiro as The Creature and Kenneth Branagh as Victor Frankenstein
Description: Based on Mary Shelly's novel. Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankenstein(Kenneth Brannagh). A promising young doctor who devestated by the death of his mother during child birth, becomes obsessed with bringing the dead back to life. His experiments lead to the creation of a monster(Robert De niro) which Frankenstein has put together with the remains of corpes. It's not long before Frankenstein regrets it's actions.
Rating:

January 2, 2008

Anything Else (2003)
Director: Woody Allen
Writer: Woody Allen
Starring: Jason Biggs as Jerry Falk, Christina Ricci as Amanda, and Woody Allen as David Dobel
Description: In medias res: narrator Jerry Falk, a fledgling comedy writer with an inept agent, is about to celebrate an anniversary with his girlfriend Amanda. There's trouble in paradise: she's late (and has already eaten), she's been uninterested in sex for months, and her quixotic mother is moving in with them. Jerry looks back to meeting Amanda and dumping Brooke. A constant is his friendship with another wannabe comedy writer, a 60 year old teacher named David, prone to long walks and advice filled talks. As Amanda and Jerry's relationship founders and her mom's noisy presence makes writing difficult for him, he and David plan something different. Wouldn't anything else be better?
Rating:

January 2, 2008

Once (2007)
Director: John Carney
Writer: John Carney
Starring: Glen Hansard as The Guy and Markéta Irglová as The Girl
Description: An (unnamed) Guy is a Dublin guitarist/singer-songwriter who makes a living by fixing vacuum cleaners in his Dad's Hoover repair shop by day, and singing and playing for money on the Dublin streets by night. An (unnamed) Girl is a Czech who plays piano when she gets a chance, and does odd jobs by day and takes care of her mom and her daughter by night. Guy meets Girl, and they get to know each other as the Girl helps the Guy to put together a demo disc that he can take to London in hope of landing a music contract. During the same several day period, the Guy and the Girl work through their past loves, and reveal their budding love for one another, through their songs.
Rating:

January 1, 2008

Brick (2005)
Director: Rian Johnson
Writer: Rian Johnson
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Brendan Frye, Nora Zehetner as Laura, and Lukas Haas as The Pin
Description: The lonely teenager Brendan finds his former girlfriend Emily dead in the entrance of a tunnel of sewage and recalls her phone call two days ago, when she said to him that she was in trouble. Brendan, who still loved Emily, met bad elements of his high-school trying to contact her, and when he succeeded, she told him that she was OK. He hides her body in the tunnel and decides to investigate the meaning and connection of four words, including "brick" and "pin", that Emily told him to find who killed her. Using the support of his nerd friend Brain, he successively meets the small time drug dealers Kara, Dode, Brad Bramish, Laura and Tugger, to reach the teenager powerful drug dealer The Pin. Slowly, Brendan unravels the motives why Emily was killed and plots a revenge.
Rating:

January 1, 2008

Ace in the Hole (1951)
Director: Billy Wilder
Writers: Billy Wilder, Lesser Samuels and Walter Newman
Starring: Kirk Douglas as Charles "Chuck" Tatum and Jan Sterlin as Lorraine Minosa
Description: Charles Tatum, a down-on-his-luck reporter, takes a job with a small New Mexico newspaper. The job is pretty boring until he finds a man trapped in a mine. He jumps at the chance to make a name for himself by taking over and prolonging the rescue effort, and feeding stories to major newspapers. He creates a national media sensation and milks it for all it is worth.
Rating:

Changes for 2008

From now on, the following changes will be made to all future blogs

• The "in a word..." is being deleted, it simply got too tiresome and unoriginal.
• "Co-Starring" is going to be deleted.
• "Starring" will only list names listed on movie poster--if, for whatever reason, there are no names listed on the poster, it will list only the first three names on IMDB. If there are obvious font differences, only the stars listed in larger font will be listed.
• Character names will be included, such as
  

  Charlie Chaplin as The Tramp

• Instead of simply being an "A+" a film will now be an Cool, eh?
• Also I'm going to be working on something resembling a layout, with images, etc.
  

December 31, 2007

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
Director: Amy Heckerling
Writer: Cameron Crowe
Starring: Sean Penn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Judge Reinhold
Co-Starring: Robert Romanus, Brian Backer, and Phoebe Cates
Description: Follows a group of high school students growing up in southern California, based on the real-life adventures chronicled by Cameron Crowe. Stacy Hamilton and Mark Ratner are looking for a love interest, and are helped along by their older classmates, Linda Barrett and Mike Damone, respectively. The center of the film is held by Jeff Spicoli, a perpetually stoned surfer dude who faces off with the resolute Mr. Hand, who is convinced that everyone is on dope.
Rating: B
In a word... duuuuuude.

December 31, 2007

Juno (2007)
Director: Jason Reitman
Writer: Diablo Cody
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, and Jennifer Garner
Co-Starring: Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, and J.K. Simmons
Description: Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes an unusual decision regarding her unborn child.
Rating: A
In a word... reassuring.

December 25, 2007

Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
Director: Peter Godfrey
Writer: Aileen Hamilton, Lionel Houser, and Adele Comandini
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, and Sydney Greenstreet
Co-Starring: Reginald Gardener, S.Z. Sakall, and Robert Shayne
Description: Journalist Elizabeth Lane is one of the country's most famous food writer. In her columns, she describes herself as a hard working farm woman, taking care of her children and being an excellent cook. But this is all lies. In reality she is an umarried New Yorker who can't even boil an egg. The recipes come from her good friend Felix. The owner of the magazine she works for has decided that a heroic sailor will spend his christmas on *her* farm. Miss Lane knows that her career is over if the truth comes out, but what can she do?
Rating: B+
In a word... underappreciated.

December 25, 2007

A Christmas Story (1983)
Director: Bob Clark
Writer: Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown, and Bob Clark
Starring: Melinda Dillon, Darin McGavin, and Peter Billingsley
Co-Starring: Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz, and R.D. Robb
Description: Ralphie, a young boy growing up in the '40's, dreams of owning a Red Rider BB gun. He sets out to convince the world this is the perfect gift. But along the way, he runs into opposition from his parents, his teacher, and even good 'ol Santa Claus himself.
Rating: B-
In a word... tradition?

December 25, 2007

The Gold Rush (1925)
Director: Charles Chaplin
Writer: Charles Chaplin
Starring: Charles Chaplin, Mack Swain, and Tom Murray
Co-Starring: Henry Bergman, Malcolm Waite, and Georgia Hale
Description: A lone prospector ventures into Alaska looking for gold. He gets mixed up with some burly characters and falls in love with the beautiful Georgia. He tries to win her heart with his singular charm.
Rating: B+
In a word... charming.

December 24, 2007

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Director: Frank Capra
Writer: Philip Van Doren Stern, Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra, Jo Swerling, and Michael Wilson
Starring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, and Lionel Barrymore
Co-Starring: Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers, and Beulah Bondi
Description: George Bailey has spent his entire life giving of himself to the people of Bedford Falls. He has always longed to travel but never had the opportunity in order to prevent rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town. All that prevents him from doing so is George's modest building and loan company, which was founded by his generous father. But on Christmas Eve, George's Uncle Billy loses the business's $8,000 while intending to deposit it in the bank. Potter finds the misplaced money and hides it from Billy. When the bank examiner discovers the shortage later that night, George realizes that he will be held responsible and sent to jail and the company will collapse, finally allowing Potter to take over the town. Thinking of his wife, their young children, and others he loves will be better off with him dead, he contemplates suicide. But the prayers of his loved ones result in a gentle angel named Clarence coming to earth to help George, with the promise of earning his wings. He shows George what things would have been like if he had never been born. In a nightmarish vision in which the Potter-controlled town is sunk in sex and sin, those George loves are either dead, ruined, or miserable. He realizes that he has touched many people in a positive way and that his life has truly been a wonderful one.
Rating: B+
In a word... classic...?

December 24, 2007

Jumanji (1995)
Director: Joe Johnston
Writer: Chris Van Allsburg, Greg Taylor, Jim Strain, and Jonathan Hensleigh
Starring: Robin Wiliams, Jonathan Hyde, and Kirsten Dunst
Co-Starring: Bradley Pierce, Bonnie Hunt, and Bebe Neuwirth
Description: When young Alan Parrish discovers a mysterious board game, he doesn't realize its unimaginable powers until he is magically transported--before the startled eyes of his friend Sarah--into the untamed jungles of Jumanji! There he remains for 26 years until he is freed from the game's spell by two unsuspecting children. Now a grown man, Alan reunites with Sarah and, together with Judy and Peter, tries to outwit the game's powerful forces.
Rating: B-
In a word... corny.

December 21, 2007

A Christmas Carol (1938)
Director: Edwin L. Marin
Writer: Charles Dickens and Hugo Butler
Starring: Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, and Kathleen Lockhart
Co-Starring: Terry Kilburn, Barry MacKay, and Lynne Carver
Description: The timeworn Dickens' story about the old merchant Scrooge and how his own disappointments in life shape his view that both life and men are not worthy of his notice or concern. He displays no charity to mankind generally, and in particular, to his employee Bob Cratchett and his unfortunate son, Tiny Tim. But the dessicated gent is about to get his comeuppance when he imagines he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.
Rating: B+
In a word... suprising.

October 14, 2007

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978)
Director: Oh hell, does it really matter?
Writer: We're all dying in the end anyway.
Starring: A bunch of fuckers who can't act or sing.
Co-Starring: A bunch more fuckers who can't act or sing. And Aerosmith, but they're not enough to make up for the utter shittery.
Description: Just... . Seriously.
Rating: F-, and I don't give a shit if there's no such thing, there is now. This movie (because as sure as God's green earth this is NOT a film) is THAT bad.
In a word... _______________________. That's right, a huge FUCKING BLANK SPACE.

In-Depth Review!
I have only ever turned off two movies in my life. One was the Star Wars Christmas Special (and I'm not sure if that even counts) and the other was this.

October 14, 2007

The Shining (1980)*
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Writer: Stanley Kubrick, Diane Johnson, and Stephen King
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, and Danny Lloyd
Co-Starring: Scatman Crothers, Barry Nelson, and Phillip Stone
Description: Jack Torrance gets a job as the custodian of the Overlook Hotel, in the mountains of Colorado. The place is closed down during winter, Torrance and his family will be the only occupants of the hotel for a long while. When the snow storms block the Torrance family in the hotel, Jack's son Danny, who has some clairvoyance and telepathy powers, discovers that the hotel is haunted and that the spirits are slowly driving Jack crazy. When Jack meets the ghost of Mr. Grady, the former custodian of the hotel who murdered his wife and his two daughters, things begin to get really nasty.
Rating: A+
In a word... masterpiece.

Note: I watched this at the Music Box Massacre 3, at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago.

October 14, 2007

The Demonology of Desire (2007) [Short]
Director: Rodrigo Gudiño
Writer: Rodrigo Gudiño
Starring: Bianca Rusu and Tudor Plopeanu
Co-Starring: Jewelia Fisico
Description: Late one night, Ramona makes a powerful wish. The following day, her prayer is miraculously answered when she meets Eric, a boy with no idea of the dark, fantastical depths that a boyhood crush can lead him. Equal parts fatal fable, romantic thriller and art-core horror, THE DEMONOLOGY OF DESIRE is a love story... with a caustic heart.
Rating: B-
In a word... wtf?

Note: I watched this at the Music Box Massacre 3, at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago.
Note 2: This is a short, and therefore will not be eligible for best or worst movie of the month, and won 't be taken in account when counting total films watched at the end of the month.

October 14, 2007

Deathdream (1974)
Director: Bob Clark
Writer: Alan Ormsby
Starring: John Marley, Lynn Carlin, and Richard Backus
Co-Starring: Henderson Forsythe, Anya Ormsby, and Jane Daly
Description: A young Soldier is killed in the line of duty in Vietnam. That same night, the soldier returns home, brought back by his Mother's wishes that he "Don't Die"! Upon his Return, Andy sits in his room, refusing to see his friends or family, venturing out only at night. The Vampiric horror is secondary to the terror that comes from the disintegration of a typical American family.
Rating: C
In a word... interesting.

Note: I watched this at the Music Box Massacre 3, at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago.

October 14, 2007

It's Alive (1974)
Director: Larry Cohen
Writer: Larry Cohen
Starring: John P. Ryan, Sharon Farrell, and James Dixon
Co-Starring: William Wellman Jr., Shamus Locke, and Andrew Duggan
Description: The Davies expecting a baby which turns out to be a monster with the nasty habit to kill when it's scared. And it's easily scared...
Rating: D+
In a word... ugh.

Note: I watched this at the Music Box Massacre 3, at the Music Box Theatre in Chicago.