I'm not sure anyone even reads this blog, but I've switched to using Letterboxd to log my film watching.
You can find me here: https://letterboxd.com/moviemaniacx/
Slacked off near the end of the year, but now awards season is getting closer so it's time to pick it back up again. Let's go.
1. Silence
2. The Cell
3. La La Land
4. Basket Case 2
5. Patriots Day
6. Basket Case 3
7. A Monster Calls
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Film Log 2016: #301-400
Let's see if I can get to 400.
Date Watched: 10/22/16
Rating: 8.5/10
#301 - The Descent [2005]
Date Watched: 10/22/16
Rating: 8.5/10
#302 - Vampires [1998]
Date Watched: 10/23/16
Rating: 9/10
Date Watched: 10/25/16
Still as haunting and eerie as I remember, with vibrant visuals that just pop. Coupled with Goblin's bombastic music, it evokes being stuck in an atmospheric nightmare.
Date Watched: 10/26/16
Date Watched: 10/27/16
Rating: 7/10
Date Watched: 10/28/16
Date Watched: 10/28/16
Date Watched: 10/28/16
Rating: 6.5/10
Date Watched: 11/8/16
Rating: 6.5/10
Date Watched: 11/10/16
Rating: 6/10
Date Watched: 11/13/16
Rating: 10/10
Date Watched: 11/14/16
Rating: 7.5/10
Date Watched: 11/16/16
Rating: 7.5/10
GOTG [2014]
Arrival [2016]
Die Hard [1988]
Kubo and the Two Strings [2016]
Punisher: War Zone [2008]
Commando [1985]
The Depraved aka Urban Explorer [2011]
The Goonies [1985]
Die Hard 2: Die Harder [1990]
Lights Out [2016]
The Magnificent Seven [2016]
DW: 12/8/16
Home Alone [1990]
DW: 12/8/16
#303 - Suspiria [1977]
Date Watched: 10/25/16
Still as haunting and eerie as I remember, with vibrant visuals that just pop. Coupled with Goblin's bombastic music, it evokes being stuck in an atmospheric nightmare.
Rating: 10/10
#304 - House On Haunted Hill [1999]
Date Watched: 10/26/16
Rating: 8/10
#305 - Ghost Ship [2002]
Date Watched: 10/27/16
Rating: 7/10
#306 - xXx [2002]
Date Watched: 10/28/16
Rating: 7/10
#307 - Trick 'r Treat [2007]
Date Watched: 10/28/16
Rating: 10/10
#308 - Halloween [1978]
Date Watched: 10/28/16
Rating: 10/10
Date Watched: 11/3/16
Rating: 6/10
Date Watched: 11/4/16
Rating: 7/10
Date Watched: 11/7/16
Rating: 7.5/10
#312 - The 5th Wave [2016]
Date Watched: 11/7/16
Starts out strong, but falls into predictable young adult territory after the first act.
Rating: 5/10
Date Watched: 11/7/16#309 - The Accountant [2016]
Rating: 6/10
#310 - X-Men: Apocalypse [2016]
Rating: 7/10
#311 - Doctor Strange [2016]
Rating: 7.5/10
#312 - The 5th Wave [2016]
Date Watched: 11/7/16
Starts out strong, but falls into predictable young adult territory after the first act.
Rating: 5/10
#313 - The Poughkeepsie Tapes [2007]
Rating: 6.5/10
#314 - Judge Dredd [1995]
Rating: 6.5/10
#315 - Jack Reacher: Never Go Back [2016]
Rating: 6/10
#316 - Liar Liar [1997]
Rating: 10/10
#317 - Hell Or High Water [2016]
Rating: 7.5/10
#318 - Ouija: Origin of Evil [2016]
Rating: 7.5/10
GOTG [2014]
Arrival [2016]
Die Hard [1988]
Kubo and the Two Strings [2016]
Punisher: War Zone [2008]
Commando [1985]
The Depraved aka Urban Explorer [2011]
The Goonies [1985]
Die Hard 2: Die Harder [1990]
Lights Out [2016]
The Magnificent Seven [2016]
DW: 12/8/16
Home Alone [1990]
DW: 12/8/16
Friday, May 6, 2016
Film Log 2016: #201-300
I've been slacking off a bit recently. Trying to watch one movie a day while also working and dealing with life, it has been tough and actually felt like a chore at times so I'm just going to be watching movies when I feel like it now. I'll still watch a lot, but I can't be hamstrung by trying to do one a day anymore. Life is flying by.
#201 - Captain America: Civil War [2016]
Date Watched: 5/4/16
Though billed as a Captain America movie, it's really Avengers 2.5 and is a marked improvement over the bloated and lifeless Age of Ultron. The cast is great as usual, with Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther being the best addition. The character isn't one-note as I feared, setting him up for big things in the future. The plot is much more coherent and the divided morals of the team, though predictable, add some dramatic weight to the story.
The action, especially the full showdown at a German airport, allows every character to shine in their own unique ways like Ant-Man infiltrating Stark's armor to sabotage it from within. Most of the Marvel movies are too long with this one coming in at almost 2.5 hours, yet the pacing makes it briskly fly by. There's still some fat that could be trimmed, mainly misguided romantic scenes with Sharon Carter.
Though billed as a Captain America movie, it's really Avengers 2.5 and is a marked improvement over the bloated and lifeless Age of Ultron. The cast is great as usual, with Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther being the best addition. The character isn't one-note as I feared, setting him up for big things in the future. The plot is much more coherent and the divided morals of the team, though predictable, add some dramatic weight to the story.
The action, especially the full showdown at a German airport, allows every character to shine in their own unique ways like Ant-Man infiltrating Stark's armor to sabotage it from within. Most of the Marvel movies are too long with this one coming in at almost 2.5 hours, yet the pacing makes it briskly fly by. There's still some fat that could be trimmed, mainly misguided romantic scenes with Sharon Carter.
Rating: 8/10
#202 - High Rise [2016]
Date Watched: 5/5/16
After seeing Kill List, Ben Wheatley became a filmmaker to keep an eye on. While High-Rise isn't his best, the ambitious plot, unique setting and surreal tone make it worth watching for sure.
Rating: 6/10
#203 - Lucy
5/11
Date Watched: 5/12/16
Middle of the road crime drama; a poor man's The Town which is interesting considering the Affleck connection. The ensemble cast is awesome, but the return on investment is low. Everyone brings their A game and plays their roles with conviction but it all feels rather derivative. The standouts for me were Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Affleck and Woody Harrelson. The heist scenes were decent, nothing I would call amazing. Based on the red-tinged posters I expected a more colorful movie, but it's mostly browns and grays.
Rating: 6/10
#205 - Kill Bill Vol. 1
5/13
#206 - Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
5/13
#207 - Freddy vs. Jason
5/13
#208 - Borat
5/14
#209 - Drive
5/15
#210 - Bloody Moon
5/15
#211 - Minority Report [2002]
5/18/16
Fucking love this movie, it's one of Spielberg's best and one of my favorite films. Intelligent, intense and thought-provoking, with some of the most stunningly washed out visuals you will ever see in a feature film. It also espouses very interesting ideas about predestination versus fate and all that goes in between.
#212 - Insidious [2011]
Date Watched: 5/19/16
Scared the shit out of Emily. She screamed bloody murder. Very unsettling, it builds tension incredibly well. The look of the demon is terrifying.
#213 - Easy A
Date Watched: 5/20/16
Emma Stone is so cute – hot. The cast and writing are really good and remain funny.
#214 - Tropic Thunder
Date Watched: 5/21/16
What my favorite comedies I love how it sends up movies and the film industry. The cast is excellent and the soundtrack kicks ass.
#215 - Transporter: Refueled [2015]
Date Watched: 5/21/16
Kind of a retread but cool. It brings the transporters dad into the mix played by the always cool ray Stevenson. Two decent car chases and a few hot European ladies enhance the fun.
Date Watched: 5/22/16
It is like a weird relentless nightmare. It was a movie I won't soon forget because of how strange and unorthodox it was, like a nightmare. That's why it was memorable. Every time I thought I had it figured out, it would throw me a curveball. Watching so many horror movies, to see one that just said fuck it and did what it wanted was refreshing. The things that horrified me were unexpected too, like the scene with the possessed son. I found the archaic dialogue tiresome and wanted a bit more cohesion too; the pacing is definitely erratic, but it's also one of the things that made it memorable. I just find it to be a very eerie film.
#217 - Final Destination 3 [2005]
Date Watched: 5/22/16
It tries to combine the best things of parts one and two with mixed results. The roller coaster disaster at the beginning is lacking and underwhelming, but many of the following tests are entertaining and creative. Still it cannot top part two.
#218 - Guardians of the Galaxy [2014]
Date Watched: 5/22/16
Date Watched: 5/26/16
An interesting way to reboot the franchise with newer characters now that JLaw, McAvoy and the Fassbender will most likely be moving on. It doesn't take itself as seriously as some of Singer's previous entries, reminding me of the outstanding 90's animated series. I enjoyed every character especially Nightcrawler. Oscar Isaac is good as Apocalypse, harking back to megalomaniacal 90s villains.
Rating: 7/10
Date Watched: 6/2/16
About on par with the first, it reverses the gender roles and embraces a be yourself message. Most of the gags and jokes land though a few fall flat. Still plenty of gross out humor.
Rating: 6.5/10
Date Watched: 6/1/16
Better than the first, it brings together a cadre of classic villains including Shredder, Bebop and Rocksteady, Baxter Stockman and, my favorite, Krang in a cartoon-inspired scheme to bring the Technodrome to Earth from Dimension X. The characters have fun and the cast is game. Tyler Perry Sherman Klumps it up rather manically. It goes into CGI overload at times, but the action is exciting for the most part. It includes fun fan service with the turtle van. There's a ton of cool vehicles, gadgets and gizmos begging to be merchandised just like the cartoon series.
Rating: 6.5/10
#222 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze [1991]
Date Watched: 6/2/16
A safer, more kid-friendly sequel that drops the dark tone of the original for brightly colored shenanigans. Though Tokka and Razar are cool, they should've just used Bebop and Rocksteady.
Rating: 6/10
#223 - Pirates of the Caribbean [2003]
Date Watched: 6/5/16
#224 - Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens [2015]
Date Watched: 6/12/16
Date Watched: 6/16/16
Terrifying and technically impressive, featuring a number of wicked long takes that deliver the scares and then some.
Rating: 8/10
Date Watched: 6/16/16
Hilarious murder mystery heavily influenced by pulpy film noir. Shane Black injects his trademark vulgar wit and humor in the script while Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling's chemistry is excellent.
Rating: 7.5/10
#227 - Hot Rod [2007]
Date Watched: 6/20/16
I disliked this movie when I first saw it in 2007 as a "pre-street" from Hollywood Video. SInce then, I've become a big fan of Brooklyn Nine-Nine so I can appreciate Andy Samberg more. It's still offbeat and listless, with some jokes just failing horribly, but it does generate a few hearty chuckles.
Rating: 5/10
Date Watched: 6/20/16
With the good reviews, I was expecting something more. This musical mockumentary is funnier than Hot Rod based on the subject matter alone: an insufferable popstar's tumultuous rise and fall lampoons modern music and the recording industry, while ending on a surprisingly sincere note.
Rating: 7/10
Date Watched: 6/23/16
I remember back in the late 1990's, there was much talk about Independence Day 2. The first film was more successful than I think anyone anticipated, so a sequel was logical. At that point, Fox could've easily produced a crappy cash grab that had the aliens returning for a rematch. However, nothing materialized. Fast forward 20 years to Resurgence, a worthy sequel that explores more of the alien species and their world while combining old and new faces to once again do battle. My favorite thing was how sci-fi things got, in terms of how the first attack changed our entire planet by adapting the alien technology and uniting the world. Seeing the alien ship from a ground level perspective was nifty, plus the emergence of an alien queen is a delightful nod to Aliens. The cast is a mixed bag. Jeff Goldblum isn't really trying but still made me laugh, Bill Pullman gives another speech, albeit less awesome than his first one. New cast members do a decent job, with Liam Hemsworth emoting the most.
Rating: 7/10
#230 - Black Rain [1989]
Date Watched: 6/27/16
Badass!
Date Watched: 6/28/16
Not as good as Blue Ruin, but a bloody battle of wits and weapons nonetheless.
Rating: 7/10
Date Watched: 6/28/16
Essentially Wedding Crashers 2.0, this vulgar comedy coasts on its cast's charisma and chemistry, but loses steam as it goes on, leading to a predictable finale.
Rating: 6/10
-
Date Watched: 6/29/16
Short and sweet ocean horror tale about a surfer being stranded and having to outwit a huge great white shark hungry for her fake boobies. I like the director and he keeps this from becoming too derivative with a few cool ideas.
Rating: 6/10
-
JULY 4TH CAMPING TRIP TO BUSCH GARDENS 7/1-7/4
Date Watched: 7/5/16
Entertainingly depraved and timely, Election Year is on par with Part 2. I enjoyed how it didn't portray the good guys as saints, who can be just as violent and sadistic as their enemies. The guillotine was a gnarly touch.
Rating: 6/10
Date Watched: 7/14/16
Decent. It wasn't the horrible trainwreck people were expecting, but it has its problems, mostly that it feels rushed and incomplete at times. It relies a little too much on stupid, random humor and a number of jokes miss the mark, but overall it's quite funny. I didn't care for Kristen Wiig or Melissa McCarthy but really enjoyed Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. I loved the new Ghostbusting weapons and technology, and the new ghosts were cool. Slimer and a few other things feel inappropriately shoehorned in. Overall, worth a watch, just keep your expectations reasonable.
Rating: 6/10
Date Watched: 7/15/16
Rating: 6.5/10
Date Watched: 7/17/16
Rating: 10/10
Date Watched: 7/19/16
Rating: 10/10
Date Watched: 7/21/16
Rating: 10/10
Date Watched: 7/21/16
Rating: 7/10
Date Watched: 7/22/16
Rating: 7.5/10
Date Watched: 7/25/16
Rating: 10/10
Date Watched: 7/27/16
Such bright colors and trippy visuals. The zombies on a plane segment and the final segment are outstanding. Lots of big tits and bloody violence.
Rating: 7.5/10
Date Watched: 7/27/16
A timid adaptation of what could've been an incredible horror sci-fi franchise. Terrible acting – we're talking SyFy channel level here – from almost everyone involved. Paul Anderson's ham-fisted editing and convoluted framing hamper the action.
Rating: 4/10
Date Watched: 7/30/16
This second entry gets so much shit and I don't understand why. I always found it interesting for the way it advanced the Predator technology and weapons, plus the urban concrete jungle gives it a different look and feel.
Rating: 7.5/10
Date Watched: 7/30/16
I love this movie. Creative action and a bunch of nifty sci-fi concepts make for a helluva an actioner.
Rating: 8/10
Date Watched: 7/31/16
Still awesome.
Date Watched: 8/2/16
Another fun Star Trek adventure, this time stranding the crew on a remote planet against a vengeful warlord. Impressive action sequences and cool technology as always. Justin Lin's eye for spectacle is apparent in the beautiful visuals.
Rating: 7/10
Date Watched: 8/4/16
Lots of fun. I liked every one of the characters, though a few fade into the background, not because they aren't interesting but because they don't get enough screen time. For all the lengthy Marvel movies we get, I'm surprised SS isn't longer but also happy with its quick pace.
#250 - The Great Gatsby [2013]
Date Watched: 8/7/16
#251 - The Big Lebowski [1998]
Date Watched: 8/7/16
#252 - Men In Black [1995]
Date Watched: 8/7/16
#253 - The People Under The Stairs [1991]
Date Watched: 8/15/16
Date Watched: 8/16/16
Batman is the best part about the movie, and I like the dark and violent way he takes out (and clearly kills) the bad guys.
Date Watched: 8/17/16
The best Scanners sequel we never got!" couldn't be more true. This low budget sci-fi film could easily be a direct sequel to Cronenberg's 1981 classic based on its setting and synthesizer score. The acting could be better but is forgivable considering the low budget and how much they accomplished with so little.
Date Watched: 8/21/16
I absolutely love this movie. Panned upon its release, the futuristic homage to Hellraiser, The Haunting and The Shining has since become a cult classic. It's concept is truly unique: a ship trying to travel through a wormhole comes back from a hellish alternate dimension and terrorizes a rescue/salvage crew. It showcases in gruesome detail one of my favorite horror/sci-fi concepts: people's personal fears manifesting themselves.
The cast is awesome, especially Sam Neill and Laurence Fishburne. The gore is ample, even after being heavily cut, and the production design is gorgeously macabre. This is Paul W.S. Anderson's best film, by far.
Date Watched: 8/22/16
I've gushed over this one in the past and still think it is a criminally underrated, written off as a dumb 90's Stallone actioner. It is excellent and has one of the best villains of the 90's with Snipes' Simon Phoenix.
Date Watched: 8/25/16
Eerily effective home invasion thriller that stays fresh and frightening. It has one truly disgusting memorable moment that involves a turkey baster.
Date Watched: 8/26/16
"Four cops go to hell" This Turkish horror film doesn't fully explore its creepy premise, probably due to the low budget, but has enough hellish imagery and gore to satisfy most horror lovers.
Date Watched: 8/29/16
Decent, though the payoff isn't worth the slow build-up. Still, it held my attention and even though the finale is kinda cheesy, I dug it and it made the movie better.
Date Watched: 8/30/16
Linklater strikes again! EWS may not be a bonafide classic like Dazed and Confused, but it is a damn fine "spiritual sequel" with enough heart and rambunctiousness to put a nostalgic smile on your face.
Date Watched: 8/31/16
Though everyone remembers Silence of the Lambs as Hannibal Lecter's introduction, he appeared as a supporting character in Michael Mann's stylish yet raw Manhunter five years earlier, played by Brian Cox. Now Anothony Hopkins' performance is iconic, but Cox gives the character an intelligently sinister edge. The big bad is Tom Noonan's Francis Dolerhyde, aka The Red Dragon.
The colors and the score are excellent, as to be expected.
Date Watched: 9/1/16
Think a gory, industrial version of the Twilight Zone episode "Five Characters in Search of an Exit." Taking place on Halloween, a sideshow group is captured and forced to play "31", where they must survive various psychopathic "-Heads" who are batshit insane and only wish to murder them painfully.
At this point, you should know what you're getting with Rob Zombie and his carnival freakshow style. He can create depraved characters better than anyone, and here is no exception.
I loved the score and visuals. I wished there had been more killers but that may have gotten repetitive.
Date Watched: 9/2/16
That's what I'm talking about.
Date Watched: 9/3/16
When this came out, I was in Hollywood and almost saw the premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theater but it sold out. At the time, I enjoyed it, especially the action scenes, but to me it wasn't an improvement over Parts 1-3. However, with the release of the godawful A Good Day To Die Hard, it has only gotten better by comparison. I still think the action is baller, though the semi vs. fighter jet finale stretches your disbelief too much. I love the old school muscle vs new school technology angle. The weakest part is Justin Long as a lil' bitch hacker who just whines and trashes good music. Someone should shove a pine cone up his ass.
Date Watched: 9/4/16
Date Watched: 9/5/16
Terrible acting and shoddy CGI, but the visuals and podrace are awesome.
Date Watched: 9/7/16
Sneak Preview
A decent reboot that does a few cool things but doesn't go balls-to-the-wall like I wanted. Love the look of the Blair Witch, a Slender Woman.
Date Watched: 9/8/16
Rating: 6.5/10
Date Watched: 9/9/16
Rating: 8.5/10
#271 - Bad Boys II [2003]
Date Watched: 9/9/16
Rating: 7.5/10
#272 - Fast Five [2011]
Date Watched: 9/10/16
Date Watched: 9/10/16
Date Watched: 9/13/16
#275 - 22 Jump Street [2014]
Date Watched: 9/13/16
#276 - Scary Movie [2000]
Date Watched: 9/14/16
Date Watched: 9/15/16
#278 - Toy Story 3 [2010]
Date Watched: 9/17/16
#279 - Alien: Resurrection [1998]
Date Watched: 9/20/16
Date Watched: 9/29/16
Date Watched: 10/1/16 (w/ Olivia)
Short and sweet, terrifying at times and beautifully animated.
Date Watched: 10/5/16
#283 - X-Men III: The Last Stand [2006]
Date Watched: 10/7/16
Date Watched: 10/8/16
Horrific, just the right amount of everything from the nightmarish monsters and gore to the character depth and religious zealotry.
Date Watched: 10/10/16
#286 - Noah [2014]
Date Watched: 10/12/16
Date Watched: 10/12/16
#288 - Hot Tub Time Machine [2010]
Date Watched: 10/13/16
#289 - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [2003]
Date Watched: 10/14/16
Date Watched: 10/14/16
Date Watched: 10/14/16
Date Watched: 10/17/16
Date Watched: 10/18/16
Date Watched: 10/18/16
#298 - Jeepers Creepers 2 [2003]
Date Watched: 10/21/16
After seeing Kill List, Ben Wheatley became a filmmaker to keep an eye on. While High-Rise isn't his best, the ambitious plot, unique setting and surreal tone make it worth watching for sure.
Rating: 6/10
#203 - Lucy
5/11
#204 - Triple 9 [2016]
Middle of the road crime drama; a poor man's The Town which is interesting considering the Affleck connection. The ensemble cast is awesome, but the return on investment is low. Everyone brings their A game and plays their roles with conviction but it all feels rather derivative. The standouts for me were Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Affleck and Woody Harrelson. The heist scenes were decent, nothing I would call amazing. Based on the red-tinged posters I expected a more colorful movie, but it's mostly browns and grays.
Rating: 6/10
#205 - Kill Bill Vol. 1
5/13
#206 - Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
5/13
#207 - Freddy vs. Jason
5/13
#208 - Borat
5/14
#209 - Drive
5/15
#210 - Bloody Moon
5/15
#211 - Minority Report [2002]
5/18/16
Fucking love this movie, it's one of Spielberg's best and one of my favorite films. Intelligent, intense and thought-provoking, with some of the most stunningly washed out visuals you will ever see in a feature film. It also espouses very interesting ideas about predestination versus fate and all that goes in between.
#212 - Insidious [2011]
Date Watched: 5/19/16
Scared the shit out of Emily. She screamed bloody murder. Very unsettling, it builds tension incredibly well. The look of the demon is terrifying.
#213 - Easy A
Date Watched: 5/20/16
Emma Stone is so cute – hot. The cast and writing are really good and remain funny.
#214 - Tropic Thunder
Date Watched: 5/21/16
What my favorite comedies I love how it sends up movies and the film industry. The cast is excellent and the soundtrack kicks ass.
#215 - Transporter: Refueled [2015]
Date Watched: 5/21/16
Kind of a retread but cool. It brings the transporters dad into the mix played by the always cool ray Stevenson. Two decent car chases and a few hot European ladies enhance the fun.
#216 - The Witch [2016]
It is like a weird relentless nightmare. It was a movie I won't soon forget because of how strange and unorthodox it was, like a nightmare. That's why it was memorable. Every time I thought I had it figured out, it would throw me a curveball. Watching so many horror movies, to see one that just said fuck it and did what it wanted was refreshing. The things that horrified me were unexpected too, like the scene with the possessed son. I found the archaic dialogue tiresome and wanted a bit more cohesion too; the pacing is definitely erratic, but it's also one of the things that made it memorable. I just find it to be a very eerie film.
#217 - Final Destination 3 [2005]
Date Watched: 5/22/16
It tries to combine the best things of parts one and two with mixed results. The roller coaster disaster at the beginning is lacking and underwhelming, but many of the following tests are entertaining and creative. Still it cannot top part two.
#218 - Guardians of the Galaxy [2014]
Date Watched: 5/22/16
#219 - X-Men: Apocalypse [2016]
An interesting way to reboot the franchise with newer characters now that JLaw, McAvoy and the Fassbender will most likely be moving on. It doesn't take itself as seriously as some of Singer's previous entries, reminding me of the outstanding 90's animated series. I enjoyed every character especially Nightcrawler. Oscar Isaac is good as Apocalypse, harking back to megalomaniacal 90s villains.
Rating: 7/10
#220 - Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising [2016]
About on par with the first, it reverses the gender roles and embraces a be yourself message. Most of the gags and jokes land though a few fall flat. Still plenty of gross out humor.
Rating: 6.5/10
#221 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows [2016]
Better than the first, it brings together a cadre of classic villains including Shredder, Bebop and Rocksteady, Baxter Stockman and, my favorite, Krang in a cartoon-inspired scheme to bring the Technodrome to Earth from Dimension X. The characters have fun and the cast is game. Tyler Perry Sherman Klumps it up rather manically. It goes into CGI overload at times, but the action is exciting for the most part. It includes fun fan service with the turtle van. There's a ton of cool vehicles, gadgets and gizmos begging to be merchandised just like the cartoon series.
Rating: 6.5/10
#222 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze [1991]
Date Watched: 6/2/16
A safer, more kid-friendly sequel that drops the dark tone of the original for brightly colored shenanigans. Though Tokka and Razar are cool, they should've just used Bebop and Rocksteady.
Rating: 6/10
#223 - Pirates of the Caribbean [2003]
Date Watched: 6/5/16
#224 - Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens [2015]
Date Watched: 6/12/16
#225 - The Conjuring 2 [2016]
Terrifying and technically impressive, featuring a number of wicked long takes that deliver the scares and then some.
Rating: 8/10
#226 - The Nice Guys [2016]
Hilarious murder mystery heavily influenced by pulpy film noir. Shane Black injects his trademark vulgar wit and humor in the script while Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling's chemistry is excellent.
Rating: 7.5/10
#227 - Hot Rod [2007]
Date Watched: 6/20/16
I disliked this movie when I first saw it in 2007 as a "pre-street" from Hollywood Video. SInce then, I've become a big fan of Brooklyn Nine-Nine so I can appreciate Andy Samberg more. It's still offbeat and listless, with some jokes just failing horribly, but it does generate a few hearty chuckles.
Rating: 5/10
#228 - Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping [2016]
With the good reviews, I was expecting something more. This musical mockumentary is funnier than Hot Rod based on the subject matter alone: an insufferable popstar's tumultuous rise and fall lampoons modern music and the recording industry, while ending on a surprisingly sincere note.
Rating: 7/10
#229 - Independence Day: Resurgence [2016]
I remember back in the late 1990's, there was much talk about Independence Day 2. The first film was more successful than I think anyone anticipated, so a sequel was logical. At that point, Fox could've easily produced a crappy cash grab that had the aliens returning for a rematch. However, nothing materialized. Fast forward 20 years to Resurgence, a worthy sequel that explores more of the alien species and their world while combining old and new faces to once again do battle. My favorite thing was how sci-fi things got, in terms of how the first attack changed our entire planet by adapting the alien technology and uniting the world. Seeing the alien ship from a ground level perspective was nifty, plus the emergence of an alien queen is a delightful nod to Aliens. The cast is a mixed bag. Jeff Goldblum isn't really trying but still made me laugh, Bill Pullman gives another speech, albeit less awesome than his first one. New cast members do a decent job, with Liam Hemsworth emoting the most.
Rating: 7/10
#230 - Black Rain [1989]
Date Watched: 6/27/16
Badass!
#231 - Green Room [2016]
Not as good as Blue Ruin, but a bloody battle of wits and weapons nonetheless.
Rating: 7/10
#232 - Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates [2016]
Essentially Wedding Crashers 2.0, this vulgar comedy coasts on its cast's charisma and chemistry, but loses steam as it goes on, leading to a predictable finale.
Rating: 6/10
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#233 - The Shallows [2016]
Short and sweet ocean horror tale about a surfer being stranded and having to outwit a huge great white shark hungry for her fake boobies. I like the director and he keeps this from becoming too derivative with a few cool ideas.
Rating: 6/10
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JULY 4TH CAMPING TRIP TO BUSCH GARDENS 7/1-7/4
#234 - The Purge: Election Year [2016]
Entertainingly depraved and timely, Election Year is on par with Part 2. I enjoyed how it didn't portray the good guys as saints, who can be just as violent and sadistic as their enemies. The guillotine was a gnarly touch.
Rating: 6/10
#235 - Ghostbusters [2016]
Decent. It wasn't the horrible trainwreck people were expecting, but it has its problems, mostly that it feels rushed and incomplete at times. It relies a little too much on stupid, random humor and a number of jokes miss the mark, but overall it's quite funny. I didn't care for Kristen Wiig or Melissa McCarthy but really enjoyed Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. I loved the new Ghostbusting weapons and technology, and the new ghosts were cool. Slimer and a few other things feel inappropriately shoehorned in. Overall, worth a watch, just keep your expectations reasonable.
Rating: 6/10
#236 - Ghosts of Mars [2001]
Rating: 6.5/10
#237 - Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure [1989]
Rating: 10/10
#238 - Terminator 2: Judgment Day [1991]
Rating: 10/10
#239 - Predator [1987]
Rating: 10/10
#240 - Hook [1991]
Rating: 7/10
#241 - Hellboy [2004]
Rating: 7.5/10
#242 - Total Recall [1990]
Rating: 10/10
#243 - Heavy Metal [1981]
Such bright colors and trippy visuals. The zombies on a plane segment and the final segment are outstanding. Lots of big tits and bloody violence.
Rating: 7.5/10
#244 - AVP: Alien vs. Predator [2004]
A timid adaptation of what could've been an incredible horror sci-fi franchise. Terrible acting – we're talking SyFy channel level here – from almost everyone involved. Paul Anderson's ham-fisted editing and convoluted framing hamper the action.
Rating: 4/10
#245 - Predator 2 [1990]
This second entry gets so much shit and I don't understand why. I always found it interesting for the way it advanced the Predator technology and weapons, plus the urban concrete jungle gives it a different look and feel.
Rating: 7.5/10
#246 - Hardcore Henry [2016]
I love this movie. Creative action and a bunch of nifty sci-fi concepts make for a helluva an actioner.
Rating: 8/10
#247 - Predators [2010]
Still awesome.
#248 - Star Trek Beyond [2016]
Another fun Star Trek adventure, this time stranding the crew on a remote planet against a vengeful warlord. Impressive action sequences and cool technology as always. Justin Lin's eye for spectacle is apparent in the beautiful visuals.
Rating: 7/10
#249 - Suicide Squad [2016]
Lots of fun. I liked every one of the characters, though a few fade into the background, not because they aren't interesting but because they don't get enough screen time. For all the lengthy Marvel movies we get, I'm surprised SS isn't longer but also happy with its quick pace.
Rating: 7.5/10
Date Watched: 8/7/16
#251 - The Big Lebowski [1998]
Date Watched: 8/7/16
#252 - Men In Black [1995]
Date Watched: 8/7/16
#253 - The People Under The Stairs [1991]
Date Watched: 8/15/16
#254 - Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice [2016]
Batman is the best part about the movie, and I like the dark and violent way he takes out (and clearly kills) the bad guys.
#255 - The Mind's Eye [2016]
The best Scanners sequel we never got!" couldn't be more true. This low budget sci-fi film could easily be a direct sequel to Cronenberg's 1981 classic based on its setting and synthesizer score. The acting could be better but is forgivable considering the low budget and how much they accomplished with so little.
Rating: 7.5/10
#256 - Event Horizon [1997]
I absolutely love this movie. Panned upon its release, the futuristic homage to Hellraiser, The Haunting and The Shining has since become a cult classic. It's concept is truly unique: a ship trying to travel through a wormhole comes back from a hellish alternate dimension and terrorizes a rescue/salvage crew. It showcases in gruesome detail one of my favorite horror/sci-fi concepts: people's personal fears manifesting themselves.
The cast is awesome, especially Sam Neill and Laurence Fishburne. The gore is ample, even after being heavily cut, and the production design is gorgeously macabre. This is Paul W.S. Anderson's best film, by far.
Rating: 10/10
#257 - Demolition Man [1993]
I've gushed over this one in the past and still think it is a criminally underrated, written off as a dumb 90's Stallone actioner. It is excellent and has one of the best villains of the 90's with Snipes' Simon Phoenix.
Rating: 10/10
#258 - Don't Breathe [2016]
Eerily effective home invasion thriller that stays fresh and frightening. It has one truly disgusting memorable moment that involves a turkey baster.
Rating: 7.5/10
#259 - Baskin [2015]
"Four cops go to hell" This Turkish horror film doesn't fully explore its creepy premise, probably due to the low budget, but has enough hellish imagery and gore to satisfy most horror lovers.
Rating: 6.5/10
#260 - They're Watching [2016]
Decent, though the payoff isn't worth the slow build-up. Still, it held my attention and even though the finale is kinda cheesy, I dug it and it made the movie better.
Rating: 6.5/10
#261 - Everybody Wants Some!! [2016]
Linklater strikes again! EWS may not be a bonafide classic like Dazed and Confused, but it is a damn fine "spiritual sequel" with enough heart and rambunctiousness to put a nostalgic smile on your face.
Rating: 8.5/10
#262 - Manhunter [1986]
Though everyone remembers Silence of the Lambs as Hannibal Lecter's introduction, he appeared as a supporting character in Michael Mann's stylish yet raw Manhunter five years earlier, played by Brian Cox. Now Anothony Hopkins' performance is iconic, but Cox gives the character an intelligently sinister edge. The big bad is Tom Noonan's Francis Dolerhyde, aka The Red Dragon.
The colors and the score are excellent, as to be expected.
Rating: 8.5/10
#263 - 31 [2016]
Think a gory, industrial version of the Twilight Zone episode "Five Characters in Search of an Exit." Taking place on Halloween, a sideshow group is captured and forced to play "31", where they must survive various psychopathic "-Heads" who are batshit insane and only wish to murder them painfully.
At this point, you should know what you're getting with Rob Zombie and his carnival freakshow style. He can create depraved characters better than anyone, and here is no exception.
I loved the score and visuals. I wished there had been more killers but that may have gotten repetitive.
Rating: 6.5/10
#264 - Everybody Wants Some!! [2016]
That's what I'm talking about.
Rating: 9/10
#265 - Live Free or Die Hard [2007]
When this came out, I was in Hollywood and almost saw the premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theater but it sold out. At the time, I enjoyed it, especially the action scenes, but to me it wasn't an improvement over Parts 1-3. However, with the release of the godawful A Good Day To Die Hard, it has only gotten better by comparison. I still think the action is baller, though the semi vs. fighter jet finale stretches your disbelief too much. I love the old school muscle vs new school technology angle. The weakest part is Justin Long as a lil' bitch hacker who just whines and trashes good music. Someone should shove a pine cone up his ass.
Rating: 7/10
#266 - Under Siege 2 [1992]
Rating: 7/10
#267 - Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace [1999]
Terrible acting and shoddy CGI, but the visuals and podrace are awesome.
Rating: 5/10
#268 - Blair Witch [2016]
Sneak Preview
A decent reboot that does a few cool things but doesn't go balls-to-the-wall like I wanted. Love the look of the Blair Witch, a Slender Woman.
Rating: 6.5/10
#269 - Jason Bourne [2016]
Rating: 6.5/10
#270 - The Other Guys [2010]
Rating: 8.5/10
#271 - Bad Boys II [2003]
Date Watched: 9/9/16
Rating: 7.5/10
#272 - Fast Five [2011]
Date Watched: 9/10/16
Rating: 9/10
#273 - He Never Died [2016]
Rating: 6.5/10
#274 - The Return of Godzilla [1984]
Rating: 7/10
Date Watched: 9/13/16
Rating: 8.5/10
Date Watched: 9/14/16
Rating: 7/10
#277 - The Neon Demon [2016]
Rating: 6/10
Date Watched: 9/17/16
Rating: 10/10
Date Watched: 9/20/16
Rating: 7/10
#280 - Train To Busan [2016]
Rating: 8/10
#281 - The Land Before Time [1988]
Short and sweet, terrifying at times and beautifully animated.
Rating: 8.5/10
#282 - Phantasm: Ravager [2016]
Rating: 6.5/10
Date Watched: 10/7/16
Rating: 5/10
#284 - The Mist [2007]
Horrific, just the right amount of everything from the nightmarish monsters and gore to the character depth and religious zealotry.
Rating: 10/10
#285 - Escape From New York [1981]
Rating: 10/10
Date Watched: 10/12/16
Rating: 8/10
#287 - Hatchet [2006]
Rating: 6/10
Date Watched: 10/13/16
Rating: 6.5/10
Date Watched: 10/14/16
Rating: 7.5/10
#290 - Walk The Line [2005]
Rating: 7.5/10
#291 - Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood [1988]
Rating: 7/10
#292 - Swiss Army Man [2016]
Rating: 7/10
#293 - Shin Godzilla [2016]
Rating: 8/10
#294 - Deadpool [2016]
Rating: 8.5/10
#295 - World War Z [2013]
Date Watched: 10/19/16
#295 - World War Z [2013]
Date Watched: 10/19/16
Rating: 8.5/10
#296 - The Cabin In The Woods [2012]
Date Watched: 10/20/16
#296 - The Cabin In The Woods [2012]
Date Watched: 10/20/16
Rating: 10/10
#297 - Digging Up The Marrow
Date Watched: 10/21/16
#297 - Digging Up The Marrow
Date Watched: 10/21/16
Rating: 7/10
#298 - Jeepers Creepers 2 [2003]
Date Watched: 10/21/16
Rating: 8/10
#299 - Jeepers Creepers [2001]
Date Watched: 10/21/16
#299 - Jeepers Creepers [2001]
Date Watched: 10/21/16
Rating: 8.5/10
#300 - The Bourne Ultimatum [2007]
Date Watched: 10/23/16
#300 - The Bourne Ultimatum [2007]
Date Watched: 10/23/16
Rating: 7.5/10
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