7 posts tagged “movies”
i forgot to mention that this week's trailer park tuesday was at the new blog.
Another weekly post that will actually end up semi-weekly at best. I think it sort of speaks for itself, so I'll forgo the explanation.
Quantum of Solace:
"This man and I have some unfinished business."
What is it?: Daniel Craig is back for another kick-ass installment of the re-invigorated Bond franchise.
Why I'm Interested: Daniel Craig's first turn as Bond, with the franchise's new vision of 007 was one of my favorite movies that year, it delivered a heaping spoonful of well-executed action, along with story and character development that gave the character real life. I'd never been a Bond fan, but now I wait for the next installment with bated breath, and if the first two trailers are any indication Quantum of Solace is going to deliver the goods.
New(er) Theatrical Trailer: It can be seen in HD format but click the appropriate links here.
The Soloist:
"Are you flying that plane?"
"Nah, I'm right here."
What is it?:
Jamie Foxx plays a mentally ill homeless man with an extraordinary musical gift. Robert Downey Jr. plays a journalist who encounters Foxx's character and decides to write a story about him. The film seems to be the story of how these two lives intersect.Why I'm Interested: There is always a risk with films like this because the ground has been covered before, and there is a fine line between inspirational films about the human spirit, the remarkable power of love, and the redemptive nature of community on one side and mindless, cliche slush on the other. But, Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx are both especially talented actors who, along with a promising trailer, make this one worth the risk for me.
Trailer can be seen in HD format here.
Doubt:
"Doubt can be a bond as powerful as certainty."
What is it?: Conflict arises at a Catholic school when two nuns (Meryl Streep, Amy Adams) come to suspect a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of molesting a young boy.
Why I'm Interested: When I first heard about this one, I was intrigued by the cast, but the main premise seemed to be a bit too easy. A diatribe against the Catholic church that was basically the indie film equivalent of shooting fish in a barrell. However, after seeing this trailer... you had me at "I was not inviting a guessing game, Sister Raymond." It seems far more complex and interesting than I'd originally anticipated, and the performances look pretty fantastic. I'm definitely looking forward to this one... in a sullen, I know I'll leave the theater heavier sort of way.
Trailer can be seen in HD format here.
So, I enjoyed doing Five Things the few times I've done it, so I decide to stick with that for a while in place of the traditional Props Tuesdays. And away we go...
1. Wall-E
To put it simply, I loved it. My favorite movie so far this year.
2. In Bruges
What I expected when we rented In Bruges was a dark, comedic, hit man film with well written, well delivered, quirky, cuss-filled dialogue. What I got was all that, plus a heaping tablespoon of humanity and a reflection on the reality that violence is never comes without consequence.
Will Smith delivering the familiar July 4th fun and entertainment. No more. No less. It was just what the doctor ordered.
Currently, my favorite refreshing summer beverage. Only $1 right now at Safeway!
Plenty of complaints can be leveled, and rightly so, about various aspects of "Entourage." None of them have have kept me from enjoying the hell out of it on DVD lately.
This week's clip, after I missed last week completely, is a brand new trailer for Pixar's Wall-E, coming in June.
I don't know what your philosophy is on movies. Perhaps you are as pretentious as they come, or perhaps you enjoy the lowest possible forms of entertainment. What I do know is, this trailer makes me happy.
As per the rules of my new challenge with Waldo I'm due another post today. So as I watch the Jaguars in their attempt to knock off the still undefeated Patriots it is time to figure out what on earth to post about.
I got my grades back today for my first trimester. I was really pleased with them. I even got one A, which at Mars Hill means 97 or higher. Exciting and unexpected. Classes begin again for me on Thursday so hopefully I can use these grades as momentum to carry me forward into my new classes.
In addition to my attempt to read 50 books this year I'm also trying to watch 100 movies. It seemed I never got the chance to watch movies last year. This saddened me because film is a significant medium for me on a number of levels. It would appear however that 100 movies will be far too low as I'm already at ten for the year. The tenth came in the form of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet St. It was certainly a unique film-going experience. Adding to the novelty of it all was that throughout the film, in the back of my mind, was the reality that on Broadway it was Angela Lansbury who played the role of Helena Bonham Carter's mad, human pie making villain.
It certainly isn't for the squeamish, and it is far from the feel good fare of Juno as there is no redemption to be found throughout. Yet I still found it well worth the price of admission for its unique flare, the strong performances, the great music, and the fact that it was another perfect vehicle for Tim Burton's twisted genius.
I suppose it is a little late, but this week for Props Tuesday I wanted to put down a list of my favorite things from 2006. The lists I've created need to be referred to as 'My Favorite' lists rather than 'Best of' lists for a variety of reasons; one being that my exposure to the various movies and music of the year is seriously limited, thanks to the limited budget to enjoy such things and the equally limiting time restraints, another reason being that in reality 'Best of' lists by a single person are silly, because 'Best' implies some sort of objective value that simply isn't present when one person is discussing something as subjective as their opinions regarding films and music (as much as we like to pretend our opinions are based on some sort of fact that makes ours better than everyone else's).
Either way, I thought I'd list my favorites, and perhaps, if you feel so inclined, you can let me know what some of yours were. The lists are in NO particular order, but are numbered just for organization's sake. I also probably completely forgot something I loved in 2006, in which case I'll just point that out when it comes to mind at a later date.
My Favorite Movies Released in 2007
1. The Departed
7. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
8. V For Vendetta
9. Stranger Than Fiction
10. Blood Diamond
Honorable Mention: The Last Kiss, Dave Chappelle's Block Party, Cars, The Prestige, Charlotte's Web, Over The Hedge, The Good Shepherd, The Pursuit of Happyness, The Nativity Story
Movies I didn't see but wanted to: Babel, Children of Men, Pan's Labyrinth, Brick, The Illusionist, The Good German, Bobby, among many others...
My Favorite Albums Released in 2006
1. Oh! Gravity - Switchfoot
2. The Crane Wife - The Decemberists
4. Black Holes and Revelations - Muse
5. Begin to Hope - Regina Spektor
6. Fewer Moving Parts - David Bazan
7. Game Theory - The Roots
8. 9 - Damien Rice
9. 12 Gardens Live - Billy Joel (In no small part because I was present at one of the 12 performances)
10. The Avalanche: Outtakes & Extras from the Illinois Album - Sufjan Stevens
Best Albums that didn't count because they were new releases of the artists previously recorded material:
1. Songs for Christmas - Sufjan Stevens
2. Supersunnyspeedgraphic - Ben Folds
CD I most want to hear but haven't yet: Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards - Tom Waits
CD I want to listen to purely due to the title: I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass - Yo La Tengo
That's enough for now, perhaps next week I will do books I read (but that didn't necessarily come out) in 2006.
