This was actually not as bad as I had thought, but you can still tell that it’s not a Pixar film. It definitely has its moments, but not too many of them. If you like animated movies, go for it.
Fuck
Genre:
Documentary (2006)
Director:
Steve Anderson
Starring:
-
Rating:
Comment:
How can 90 minutes entirely devoted to the word Fuck not be entertaining? This documentary doesn’t really offer any new insights, but it is a good deal of fun to watch nonetheless.
Quarantine
Genre:
Thriller/Horror (2008)
Director:
John Erick Dowdle
Starring:
Jennifer Carpenter, Steve Harris, Jay Hernandez
Rating:
Comment:
Had this come out before Cloverfield it would’ve been good. But it didn’t, so you can’t help the feeling that someone tried to fuse Cloverfield with Resident Evil but didn’t get it quite right. There’s nothing truly original to it.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Genre:
Action/Fantasy (2008)
Director:
Andrew Adamson
Starring:
Ben Barnes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell
Rating:
Comment:
Good, but not as good as the first one. I had the most wonderful company while watching this so I probably would’ve liked pretty much anything *wink* :-)
Thick As Thieves
Genre:
Crime (2009)
Director:
Mimi Leder
Starring:
Morgan Freeman, Antonio Banderas
Rating:
Comment:
A direct-to-DVD movie featuring Morgan Freeman? This alone should have been enough to convince me that this wasn’t going to be all that great. And it wasn’t: it’s your average bank heist movie with the expected “yeah, right…”-factor that doesn’t really have to offer anything you haven’t seen before.
Yes Man
Genre:
Comedy/Romance (2008)
Director:
Peyton Reed
Starring:
Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel
Rating:
Comment:
I like Carrey, I like Deschanel, I like Third Eye Blind and I fucking love the Eels. It promised and it delivered. Very solid entertainment.
Very cool movie about an ex soldier that returns home and takes revenge on the gang that used to pick on his retarded brother. A lot better than what this simplistic plot may suggest.
A fresh new approach to the “I can see dead people”-concept. The whole thing kinda stands and falls with Gervais, the other actors don’t really add all that much to the movie. Funny, but not great.
Murderball
Genre:
Documentary (2005)
Director:
Henry Alex Rubin
Starring:
Mark Zupan, Joe Soares
Rating:
Comment:
Guys in wheelchairs playing rugby. Next time you catch yourself pitying a paraplegic just because he can’t walk, think of this.
Punisher: War Zone
Genre:
Crime/Action (2008)
Director:
Lexi Alexander
Starring:
Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Colin Salmon
Rating:
Comment:
Sometimes I am a little masochistic: despite hating the first Punisher movie, I still sat down and saw this. No plot and mediocre acting at best, but the ongoing carnage saved it from a one-star rating :)
Speed Racer
Genre:
Action (2008)
Director:
Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Starring:
Emile Hirsch, John Goodman, Christina Ricci
Rating:
Comment:
I’m a little ashamed to admit that I enjoyed this movie, and thoroughly so. Over two hours of fast-paced, action-infused eye candy. It won’t challenge your intellect, but it sure is a blast to watch.
The Deaths Of Ian Stone
Genre:
Thriller/Horror (2007)
Director:
Dario Piana
Starring:
Mike Vogel, Jaime Murray
Rating:
Comment:
I had actually seen this one before but totally forgot about it, which usually isn’t a very good sign. But it’s a really good movie that is tons of fun to watch – monsters getting addicted to feasting on people’s fear? Count me in!
The End Of America
Genre:
Documentary (2008)
Director:
Ricki Stern
Starring:
-
Rating:
Comment:
Writer Naomi Wolf draws disturbing parallels between the developments in the US since 9/11 and what has happened in Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Some analogies are a little stretched, but it makes you think nonetheless.
Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans
Genre:
Action/Fantasy (2009)
Director:
Patrick Tatopoulos
Starring:
Michael Sheen, Bill Nighy, Rhona Mitra
Rating:
Comment:
I’m haven’t been a big fan of the Underworld series, and the latest installment isn’t too impressive either. Fine as a midweek popcorn movie, but that’s about it.
Zack And Miri Make A Porno
Genre:
Comedy/Romance (2008)
Director:
Kevin Smith
Starring:
Elizabeth Banks, Seth Rogen
Rating:
Comment:
Very funny, unique and a little edgy. The love story seemed a bit mushy towards the end, but hey. It’s Kevin Smith so you know it’s good.
Just as prophesied Slumdog Millionaire scooped the Oscars. Not that it took much of a prophet to predict that. I’d say that winning eight of the ten categories it was nominated in is a pretty good yield:
Best Picture
Best Directing
Best Song
Best Score
Best Film Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Cinematography
Best Adapted Screenplay
If you haven’t seen it yet, go do so now. It’s still worth it even though now it’s totally mainstream and a lot less cool than before.
Usually my movie recommendations just end up in the Monthly Movie Roundup (alongside my cinematic caveats), but I would like to single out Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire for two reasons. For one, it is a truly great movie with a fresh cast that tells a fantastic story that inspires a sense of wonder, and I did not want to let this movie go under amidst the other MMR entries.
Secondly – and more importantly – it has an outstanding soundtrack, an amazing blend of traditional Indian music and modern electronic dance elements. The opener O… Saya immediately takes you hostage and sends your mind on a journey through soundscapes so magnificent, yet unfamiliar to our western ears. Other highlights are the incredibly catchy Paper Planes (which you might have come across on the radio), the more traditional sounding Ringa Ringa and most definitely the breathtakingly beautiful Latika’s Theme.
I do not believe that Academy Awards are necessarily a reliable indicator for the quality of a movie, but in this case the ten Oscar nominations (including one for Best Score and two (!) for Best Song) are well deserved and I’d be very surprised not to see Slumdog Millionaire win a good portion of them. Jai Ho!
Nothing too fancy, but very solid and it will definitely make for a mighty fine evening (if you don’t mind looking at Zellweger’s scrunched up face).
Crash
Genre:
Drama/Crime (2004)
Director:
Paul Haggis
Starring:
Don Cheadle, Matt Dillon, Brendan Fraser, Sandra Bullock
Rating:
Comment:
Excellent movie with an incredible cast and a great plot that never quite turns the way you expect it to. Fantastic.
How To Lose Friends & Alienate People
Genre:
Comedy (2008)
Director:
Robert B. Weide
Starring:
Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges, Gillian Anderson
Rating:
Comment:
The movie starts out great and hooks you right away, but unfortunately it loses a lot of steam about half way through and sags into mediocrity. Funny, but the weak ending kinda ruins everything.
Step Brothers
Genre:
Comedy (2008)
Director:
Adam McKay
Starring:
Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly
Rating:
Comment:
Not the funniest thing Farrell has ever done, but if you like his kind of humor you should be okay. Decent.
Superbad
Genre:
Comedy (2007)
Director:
Greg Mottola
Starring:
Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Seth Rogen
Rating:
Comment:
A couple of teenagers’ adventure to buy alcohol may cut it as a story in the States, but in Germany where the drinking age is 16… sorry, no. Without Seth Rogan this would’ve been completely unbearable.
The Oxford Murders
Genre:
Crime/Thriller (2008)
Director:
Ãlex de la Iglesia
Starring:
Elijah Wood, John Hurt, Leonor Watling
Rating:
Comment:
Meh. It’s okay if you’re not bothered by all the superficial math mumbo-jumbo or constantly expect Gollum to show up. So-so.
Tropic Thunder
Genre:
Comedy (2008)
Director:
Ben Stiller
Starring:
Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Nick Nolte
Rating:
Comment:
It got great reviews but I didn’t like it at all. Then again, I’m not much of a Ben Stiller fan anyway. Your mileage may vary.
Vals Im Bashir
Genre:
Animated/Documentary (2008)
Director:
Ari Folman
Starring:
Ari Folman (Voice), Ronny Dayag (Voice)
Rating:
Comment:
One of the most incredible movies I have ever come across, and the ending hits you like a brick wall. A definite must-see.
WALL·E
Genre:
Comedy/Animated (2008)
Director:
Andrew Stanton
Starring:
Ben Burtt (Voice), Elissa Knight (Voice)
Rating:
Comment:
Less talk, more fun. A cute piece of rusty junk and a sexy flying iPod make a surprisingly good humankind-saving couple. Everybody say Awwwwwwww!
You Don't Mess With The Zohan
Genre:
Comedy (2008)
Director:
Dennis Dugan
Starring:
Adam Sandler, John Turturro, Emmanuelle Chriqui
Rating:
Comment:
I generally enjoy stupid movies, but this one… not so much. It had its moments but overall I wasn’t too taken by it. Disco, disco!
This is a blog on software, music, movies, irreligion and other things I enjoy blathering about.
It is updated every time someone named Tjorben wins the spanish lottery.
