I've Been Going to the...MOOOOvies

[Strider]

Paris, je t'aime

D'yer like?

I've tried three times in the past week to see "Django Unchained", and it was sold out each time. I'm gonna try again today after the Rose Bowl...either that or I'll go to the Marx Brothers double-feature at the Cinematheque: "Duck Soup" and "Monkey Business".

Edited January 1, 2013 by Strider

[the body electric]

For the last several years I have been documenting the films I see in the theater in a given year. I saw 35 in 2012, a personal record.

My recommendations are in bold.

Happy New Year!

Mission: Impossible. Imax. Arizona Mills. 1/21/12.

Young Adult. Tempe Marketplace/13. 1/26/12.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Arizona Mills/13. 2/16/12.

Oscar-Nominated Animated Short Films. Valley Art. 2/23/12.

The Artist. Camelview/5. 2/25/12.

Being Flynn. Camelview/2. 3/22/12.

Casa De Mi Padre. Arizona Mills/10. 3/31/12.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. Camelview/2. 4/7/12.

The Hunger Games. Tempe Marketplace/10. 4/19/12.

Damsels in Distress. Camelview/5. 4/21/12.

Marley. Valley Art. 5/3/12.

The Dictator. Tempe Marketplace/11. 5/26/12.

Bernie. Camelview/2. 5/28/12.

Prometheus. Imax 3D. 6/8/12.

Bill W. Harkins Shea/14. 6/9/12.

Moonrise Kingdom. Camelview/2. 6/17/92.

Savages. Tempe Marketplace/16. 7/7/12.

Ted. Tempe Marketplace/9. 7/14/12.

Take This Waltz. Camelview/1. 7/15/12.

Beasts of the Southern Wild. Camelview/1. 8/4/12.

The Campaign. Tempe Marketplace/7. 8/11/12.

Killer Joe. Camelview/1. 9/8/12.

The Master. Tempe Marketplace/8. 9/21/12.

Celebration Day. Chandler Fashion Center/15. 10/17/12.

Smashed. Camelview/5. 11/5/12.

Flight. Tempe Marketplace/15. 11/8/12.

Lincoln. Tempe Marketplace/16. 11/19/12.

Psycho re-release. Valley Art. 11/22/12.

Hitchcock. Camelview/3. 12/1/12

Silver Linings Playbook. Tempe Marketplace/4. 12/2/12.

Argo. Tempe Marketplace/6. 12/20/12.

Hyde Park On The Hudson. Camelview/3. 12/23/12.

Rust And Bone. Camelview/4. 12/25/12.

Django Unchained. Tempe Marketplace/Cine Capri. 12/30/12.

Skyfall. Tempe Marketplace/5. 12/31/12.

Film:

1. The Master

2. Moonrise Kingdom

3. Flight

4. Silver Linings Playbook

5. Beasts of the Southern Wild

Actor (all categories):

1. Philip Seymour Hoffman/The Master

2. Denzel Washington/Flight

3. Amy Adams/The Master

4. Daniel-Day Lewis/Lincoln

5. Christoph Waltz/Django Unchained

Director:

1. Paul Thomas Anderson/The Master

2. Wes Anderson/Moonrise Kingdom

3. Robert Zemeckis/Flight

4. William Friedkin/Killer Joe

5. Quentin Tarantino/Django Unchained

In The Light since 1972.

Trampled Under Foot. My life with Led Zeppelin.

http://petedelorean.tumblr.com/

Edited January 1, 2013 by the body electric

[paul carruthers]

[Strider]

Best Nightmare of them all...apart from the first one, of course. The rest are meh.

Pete, nice list...I've still a few new ones to see (Django Unchained, Amour, Les Miserables, The Impossible) before I complete my Top 10 list.

[TypeO]

Just got back from seeing Kevin James in Here Comes The Boom.

Typical, formulaic mainstream movie, but here's why I enjoyed it:

Kevin James is probably a funnier physical comedy actor than Chris Farley.

There's no vulgar language or obscene sexual innuendo.

It's a positive message movie.

I went with my wife and 2 youngest kids (12 & 14) and I had no concerns about what they were watching.

It's funny and entertaining, if a bit predictable.

Henry Winkler plays a slightly offbeat music teacher, has a number of touching lines, and comes off very sincere.

Good, family fun.

[planted]

D'yer like?

I've tried three times in the past week to see "Django Unchained", and it was sold out each time. I'm gonna try again today after the Rose Bowl...either that or I'll go to the Marx Brothers double-feature at the Cinematheque: "Duck Soup" and "Monkey Business".

Hello there Strider,

I did like it but I didn't realize how exhausted I was til I was 15 min into the movie, so I need to see it again!

I am planning on seeing at Les Mis this weekend with a gal pal.

[Cletus]

the boy in the striped pajamas

[Strider]

the boy in the striped pajamas

There's a nice cheerful movie. Still, it's a good one, sad though it may be.

Slogged my way through "Les Misérables" earlier tonight. Started dozing halfway through...was an effort to stay awake to the end. A typical Cameron Mackintosh elephantine musical that fetishizes the poor...especially poor little blonde children. "Master of the House" is the only memorable, hummable song. The other well-known song...the one that shall not be named...has long been ruined for me through overuse. Anne Hathaway makes a game attempt but in the end succumbs to histrionics.

Very disappointing...especially if you love the Victor Hugo book.

So...I've knocked off 6 new movies this past week and in order of preference, I rank them thus:

1. Django Unchained

2. Zero Dark Thirty

3. Silver Linings Playbook

4. The Hobbit

5. The Guilt Trip

6. Les Misérables

[Ady]

[Strider]

^^^

I was wondering when you would get back to your Bond-a-thon, Ady. "Moonraker" is the last of the good Roger Moore-Bonds. It's a large dry spell from here to Daniel Craig's "Casino Royale". Good luck.

[Ady]

^^^

I was wondering when you would get back to your Bond-a-thon, Ady.

One a week, Strider. I think I'll watch "Octopussy" and the unofficial "Never Say Never Again" in the same week though as they came out the same year.

"Moonraker" is the last of the good Roger Moore-Bonds. It's a large dry spell from here to Daniel Craig's "Casino Royale". Good luck.

I've often seen "Moonraker" ranked as one of the worst. I think they're all entertaining in their own way.

[the body electric]

1. Django Unchained

2. Zero Dark Thirty

3. Silver Linings Playbook

4. The Hobbit

5. The Guilt Trip

6. Les Misérables

Wow! Zero Dark Thirty isn't showing here yet. What did you like about it? Can't wait to see it.

Did you enjoy "What Is And What Should Never Be" from Silver Linings?

In The Light since 1972.

Trampled Under Foot. My life with Led Zeppelin.

http://petedelorean.tumblr.com/

Edited January 4, 2013 by the body electric

[Black Dawg]

Burgess Meredith was a master in this classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL-SxArNcGk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[Cletus]

There's a nice cheerful movie. Still, it's a good one, sad though it may be.

Yeah,

perhaps one of the biggest downer endings to a film I've ever seen

[Black Dawg]

A little gorey. Spoiler alert the Yanks win unlike in the movie Gallipoli, where the Anzac forces perish. Better generals maybe?

[joe (Liverpool)]

One a week, Strider. I think I'll watch "Octopussy" and the unofficial "Never Say Never Again" in the same week though as they came out the same year.

I've often seen "Moonraker" ranked as one of the worst. I think they're all entertaining in their own way.

Sky movies have re-introduced the 007 channel, you may enjoy it Ady!

Edited January 6, 2013 by joe (Liverpool)

[Ady]

Sky movies have re-introduced the 007 channel, you may enjoy it Ady!

Sky is where I've been watching them. Either on the 007 channel or Sky Movies On Demand where they're available to download until September.

[planted]

Saw Les Mis last night with 2 gal pals.

It was slow, and Hathaway can't sing. Sorry.

It was embarrassing to hear people having to explain the story to their dates who are unfamiliar, AND, I could not believe the sobbing from the audience. It wasn't THAT good.

I love Helena Bonham Carter though!

[Strider]

Wow! Zero Dark Thirty isn't showing here yet. What did you like about it? Can't wait to see it.

Did you enjoy "What Is And What Should Never Be" from Silver Linings?

Sorry to leave you hanging, Pete...I've been immersed in all the Foreign Film nominee screenings this week.

'Immersed' is a good way to describe what I like about "Zero Dark Thirty"...like Kathryn Bigelow's previous "Hurt Locker", you feel immersed in the character's world completely. In fact, after the opening credits(which use recorded calls from the Twin Towers on 9/11 to haunting effect), you are immediately thrust into a tense opening scene.

You'll need to pay attention...this movie doesn't allow you to ease into the story. It's taut, intense, and it doesn't stop to pander or explain terminology. As one who is former military, I probably have an edge on regular civilians in following what's going on, but as long as you're of average intelligence and remain alert you shouldn't have any trouble.

Basically, if you liked "Hurt Locker", you should also like "Zero Dark Thirty". As usual with most controversies, "Zero Dark Thirty" proves that all those politicians and media griping about the movie were talking out of their ass. It was craven political grandstanding on their part.

Kathryn Bigelow leaves the politics out of "Zero Dark Thirty"...just as she did in "Hurt Locker". She is intetested in the men and women on the ground...the foot soldiers who do the hard work; whether it is on the battlefield or in the labyrinth of the CIA.

In fact, along with 'immersion', another word that signifies the tenor of ZDT is 'Tradecraft'. The methods used by those in the intelligence and terrorist worlds to either detect or avoid detection. In some ways, ZDT is a more visceral version of "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy".

I assume everyone already knows the basic story of ZDT...the hunt to find Osama bin Laden. Rest assured, knowing the outcome already doesn't prevent you from feeling the suspense and thrill of the movie.

Jessica Chastain is incredible as Maya, the one in charge of the search. Jason Clarke, Mark Strong, Jennifer Ehle, James Gandolfini, Kyle Chandler, Mark Duplass provide great support.

No, it is not 100% accurate...no movie about war and the military and spying can truly be 100% accurate. You have to telescope thousands and thousands of hours into a two-hour film...it's impossible to really show people what it's like. But Kathryn Bigelow does the best job of any current director of coming close to making it feel like you are there.

Be advised...there are some waterboarding scenes and other methods used by the interregators at the CIA Black sites...there are some scenes that are unsettling. But Kathryn presents them in a way where she allows you to decide...she's not interested in political propaganda and telling you how to feel.

Easily one of the best movies of the year...I see this morning it got some Oscar noms. It's been out here in LA for almost a month, but I think it opens in most of the country this Friday Jan. 11.

Put it on your must-see list, along with "Django Unchained", "Skyfall", "Rust and Bone", "Kon-Tiki".

Oh, I saw Michael Hanake's "Amour" last night. DEVASTATING. Utterly devastating. Which means he'll probably lose again in the Best Foreign Film category.

For action fans, I can recommend "Looper" and amazingly enough, "Jack Reacher"...I never read the books, but Tom Cruise is pretty good. Of course, the best action movie out there is still the new James Bond "Skyfall". And "Django Unchained"! Fuck off Al Sharpton and Spike Lee!

Yes, I got a kick out of "What Is and What Should Never Be" being used in "Silver Linings Playbook". Wished I liked the movie more...it was good at times but at times it was typical "movie illness" cliché. Plus, you have to spend two hours with Philadelphia Eagles fans.

That's all for now...more to come after seeing the last two Foreign Film nominees this week.

Edited January 10, 2013 by Strider

[fishhead]

Saw Django Unchained.

Liked it very much and found it interesting that the story followed the Hero's Journey somewhat. I'm gonna check out some of QT's interviews for reference to it...

http://www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/smc/journey/ref/summary.html

[redrum]

Just watched this....

Gonna watch 'Angel On My Shoulder' with Paul Muni.

[Black Dawg]

Takes you back to the big 80's. Remember Tawny Kitain, the chick who rolled across the hood in some David Coverdale video?

[Ady]

[Ady]

[redrum]

This is a good one. Anne Baxter is a beauty. :^)