Archive for the Movies Category

(About 100) Movies watched in 2010

So I've been neglecting my little blog, one of the reasons is that I've been very busy and besides I wanted to upgrade the underlying system that supports the blog (Linux and Django). Finally after only a year and a half I got around to moving to a new Virtual Private Server, updating and configuring a new Django, moving over the old posts etc.

I had an empty "movies" section, so let's go with a quick reviews of movies I've watched "recently"(for about the last year or so) to get this section started.

Depending on my mood at the time I could have classified some movies a section up or down:

Very Good films

Toy Story 3 (2010)
This is one of the best movies of all times, period. I laughed hard and I got strange watery things in my eyes in the final scene. If you are an adult and are not moved in that scene, check for your heart/soul.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et le Papillon) (2007)
Everybody should watch this one, especially if you complaint too much this will make you reconsider. Interesting to compare the story of this man with the story of the man in The Sea Inside, both based on real people.

Deliverance (1972)
Never had a chance to watch this one, a master piece. Skip the hard scene if it bothers you.

Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)
I saw an Iwo Jima documentary before this movie and I was surprised at how well the movie reflected what the witnesses were telling.

The Lives of Others (Das Leben der Anderen) (2006)
Excellent. We also need to be reminded of what we have and what is like to live under a totalitarian regime.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
I don't like to watch Nazi-related movies, someone talked me into this one and I don't regret it.

Gran Torino (2008)
What? second Clint Eastwood movie up here? yes

The Machinist (2004)
Strange is good

The Reader (2008)
Somehow Nazis made an appearance in this list for the second time, weird.

Milk (2008)
Excellent

District 9 (2009)
New take on aliens and the relationship with us plus good action

Decent, pretty good movies

The Thirteenth Floor: Special Edition (1999)
This altered reality science-fiction movie was eclipsed by another parallel-reality movie released in 1999, you may have heard of it: "The Matrix". I never got around seeing it and video stores don't carry it so it took me a while but it's a pretty good movie.

The Constant Gardener (2005)
(In Larry David's voice) Pretty, pretty good

The Motorcycle Diaries (Diarios de motocicleta) (2004)
Good movie but Che was certainly well treated here, I mean criticizing the nuns for treating the patients with gloves is fine but he left and kept on his adventure trip and who was left taking care of them?

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Good but let's hold the fireworks

Nothing But the Truth (2008)
Liked it but painful to watch at times due to sympathy with the main character

Invictus (2009)
Good, enjoyable movie

Shutter Island (2010)
Entertaining, decent story

True romance (1993)
OK movie.

Inception (2010)
Good, could have been better. (spoiler: I was waiting at the end for the main character to wake up from everything and see his wife).

Oldboy (Oldeuboi) (2004)
OK, this movie is not for everybody, as it has some pretty hard scenes; I had to skip a couple of them because I didn't have the stomach for it. Anyways is a pretty interesting and different movie.

Equilibrium (2002)
Action movie in a dystopian world.

Rashomon (1950)
Interesting Japanese movie from the 50's, you have to be a bit patience since it's slow for what we are used to.

Kick-Ass (2010)
Pretty neat anti-hero superhero movie.

The Bucket List (2007)
A bit cliche but enjoyed this one

Extraordinary Measures (2010)
Feel-good enjoyable movie.

The Blind Side (2009)
Another feel-good enjoyable movie.

Into the Wild (2007)
Based on a "back to the wild" real story

There Will Be Blood (2007)
Good but expected more than just basing the movie on this actor and everything leading to the last scene.

Donnie Darko (Director's Cut) (2004)
Interesting but not deserving the cult following

World's Greatest Dad (2009)
Liked the turn that the movie makes

Unbreakable (2000)
Decent story

The Road (2009)
Good movie but heart-breaking.

A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004)
Good narrative

Imaginary Heroes (2004)
Another interesting story not the standard Hollywood abc.

Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Enjoyed this classic.

The Burning Plain (2009)
Another non-standard good story

American History X (1998)
Didn't seem pretty realistic but good

Timecrimes (Los Cronocrímenes) (2007)
Surprisingly decent time-travelling movie from Spain

Thank You for Smoking (2006)
Good

The Kite Runner (2007)
Liked it although I'm not sure if they're pushing ideas/agenda.

Fitzcarraldo (1982)
Interesting story

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
some originality

Julie & Julia (2009)
nice story and characters

Primer (2004)
Very complicated time-travelling movie, we'll need to watch next time with a diagram

Knowing (2009)
Entertaining story.

Watchmen (2009)
good, another "different superheroes" movie

Under the Same Moon (La misma luna) (2008)
meh plus

Ray (2004)
Enjoyed it

Michael Clayton (2007)
Pretty good thriller

The Illusionist (2006)
Good magician movie

The Prestige (2006)
Even better magician movie.

Babel (2006)
Very good story

OK, Meh to pretty bad

James Bond 22: Quantum of Solace (2008)
Not as good as Casino Royale (best Bond movie, it seems the "first" movie done recently is the best, same as for Batman) but decent action movie

Wanted (2008)
Some good action with Angelina

Revolutionary Road (2008)
Semi-interesting story

Flyboys (2006)
OK WWI pilot movie

Bon Cop, Bad Cop (2006)
Decent but not very good

Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
Entertaining heist/gangster movie

Iron Man 2 (2010)
OK standard superhero movie

The Postman (1997)
Entertaining at times

The Book of Eli (2010)
Another OK post-apocalyptic world movie

Sherlock Holmes (2009)
OK

Australia (2008)
Meh plus

Fire (1996)
I think I fell asleep on this one.

Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas (1998)
I guess I didn't get this one, as much as I tried to like it there's only so much one can take of Johny Depp moving like that (same as Captain whatever in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies).

THX 1138 (Director's Cut) (1971)
I wanted to like this one but nowadays it has little to offer, slow as hell.

Robin Hood (2010)
Meh

Death at a Funeral (2010)
Meh, didn't find it funny

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
Semi-decent action/adventure movie for kids but long and forgettable for me

Cooking with Stella (2010)
Disappointed with this movie that started out very promisingly but then mid-way it changed the course of the story and became weak and predictable.

Cop Out (2010)
Bruce Willis trying to be funny, meh

Coach (2010)
Forgettable

Flirting With Disaster (1996)
Meh, funny at times

Edge of Darkness (2010)
standard abc police thriller

The Red Baron (Der Rote Baron) (2010)
Meh

The Wolfman (2010)
Pretty bad

Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Meh, what a wasted opportunity. Even good vs evil final fight is included shh.

A Man and a Woman (1966)
yawn

Echelon Conspiracy (2009)
Meh thriller

Two Lovers (2009)
Meh plus, watch if you like Gwyneth Paltrow

Tkaronto (2008)
yawn

Duplicity (2009)
Another forgettable movie with a plot we've seen many times

American Psycho (2000)
It's an OK movie, I don't get why there's so much love for it.

The Code (2009)
Meh, another heist movie, I betrayed you ha ha - No! I knew it and I betrayed you and I get away with it, they all seem the same.

The International (2009)
Meh, pretty standard conspiracy movie

Fracture (2007)
A "perfect crime" / "I can get away from it" little movie, nothing special

In Bruges (2008)
Decent, can be boring as intended

Inkheart (2009)
Pretty decent movie for kids, although it's tooo long

Passchendaele (2008)
Decent movie but for all the budget something's missing, it just doesn't get there

Burn After Reading (2008)
This was pretty bad, is this supposed to be funny?

Four Brothers (2005)
OK drama movie

The Wrestler (2008)
Movie was fine, I don't get what people see so great about it. One of the most promising things developing the story was the relationship of the main character with his estranged daughter and the movie dedicates like two scenes with father and daughter.

Inside Man (2006)
Another semi-standard heist movie, slightly better than the average one

Bombon (2004)
Meh

Match Point (2005)
OK movie and no, Scarlett Johansson is not enough reason to watch this. Funny enough, Woody Allen decided to make almost the same movie with:

Cassandra's Dream (2007)
Good interpretation blah blah but this should have been made into a 30 min tv episode or something, not a full movie, and did I mention is so similar to "Match Point" made two years before by the same guy, you know, the one that married his step-daughter?

I want my time or my eyes back

Horsemen (2009)
Probably one of the worst movies I've seen in a long time, I mean it was pretty clear that the murderer was his son right? (there, I saved you and hour and a half of your time).

Tony Manero (2008)
I'm all for Chilean movies but there are things that cannot been unseen.