Movies and Bad Bloggers

So, I gave up on doing my movie posts as Thursday Thirteens because I really don't watch that many movies! Since my last post I watched:

Godfather 1: A rewatch. I really like this trilogy. I am looking forward to seeing the sequels soon!

When Harry Met Sally: Funniest movie ever! I just adore Billy Crystal. He really is one of the funniest people alive, wouldn't you say? (A rewatch)

The Duchess: Pretty good movie, I suppose. I should admit that we watched it because the book says on the back something about a menage a trois. The cc found this idea interesting because really, I never in a million years thought he would want to watch it! (Speaking of the book, the font size is ridiculous! I honestly think I will have to read it with a magnifying glass because even though my eyes are fine up close, I find it really hard on my eyes!)

Then, I have decided to wrap-up bad bloggers and start fresh! The winners are Nymeth and Chris (Stuff as Dreams). They will both be receiving a book, but the rest is a surprise! I hope to get around to sorting that out this weekend.

So, starting over Bad Bloggers. Today I went to the library and picked up:

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher - I was waiting in line and it was on the table... It seemed like a logical book choice because I have recently watched Star Wars and When Harry Met Sally.

Where Bones Dance: An English Girlhood, An African War by Nina Newington - Same table... It looked really interesting!

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing - Volume 1: The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson - Point for Becky, I believe.

House of Many Ways by Diana Wynne-Jones - Well, I got this because it was the only book I hadn't read in a category for an award.... but, it's a sequel to a book I haven't read yet, so I think I might have to hold off on this book!

Lavinia by Ursula K Le Guin - I liked what I have read by her recently, so I figured I would try something else!

The Order of Good Cheer by Bill Gaston - Same table. It was the title... I knew that the Order of Good Cheer was from Canada's wonderful history, so I picked it up for a closer look and brought it home with me!

I was so proud that I was bringing back three books and taking three home with me, so it wouldn't affect my TBR pile, and then there was a line-up and I ended up browsing! Oh, well!

Movies Watched & Looking Forward To ... A Thursday Thirteen

Okay, so I haven't had time to watch thirteen movies in a week, but I figure I should still talk about what I have watched.

1. Resident Evil - I had seen this one before, but rewatched it with plans to watch the two sequels. That plan was not successful, yet, but we will see! Not one of my favourite movies, but there is enough action to keep viewers interested. It has a decent storyline, too. I was also happy to see the guy that played Marc Antony in the television series Rome. I am told that the female lead in this movie is very watchable, too, but that's not something that I really pay attention to!

2. Monsters vs. Aliens - Nothing too amazing. Decent cast, though. Reese Witherspoon voices the female lead. The sort of movie that you will watch once, laugh a bit, and then never have to watch again...

3. Twilight - Okay, so I finally watched Twilight. The cc had seen it before, so I figured if he had seen it, I should get around to watching it. It was okay. I was not very enthused by the casting. Bella was her usual annoying self. She got that part right! I was hoping for more Alice. I hope that they take that into consideration for future movies! The special effects were so corny, but I hear they have a different director for the next one. Let us hope that makes a difference!

4. Swing Kids - This is such a great movie! I watched it for the first time years ago, and I was determined to watch it again! Set during the second world war, it is about the youth that danced on in Germany, even though it was illegal. I had forgotten the casting, so I was very happy to find out that the main character is off of House (he plays Dr. Wilson). I was a little worried I wouldn't like this movie as much this time, but I did! There is so much going on in this movie. Oh, and Noah Wyle (from ER fame) has a small role! I had forgotten that, too. Christian Bale is the other actor that I easily recognized, but there were others.

5. Silent Running - The cc wanted to watch this one. It's an old science-fiction movie. I have to say it was really interesting. It's about saving the rainforests, essentially, before the environmental groups of this generation started to concentrate on it. The robots are cute, too.

6. Bedtime Stories - I have to admit I watched this because of the title. It just sounds like a movie that would work for me. It was good. It had its funny parts. I liked the basic idea behind it, too. I will never have to watch it again, though. I am going to be killed, but I am just not a huge Adam Sandler fan...

7. Band of Brothers Mini-Series - Not something I have watched, but something I want to watch. I finally have opportunity. I mean, there are only ten episodes and for years it has cost almost 80 bucks to watch this. I have seen parts here and there, but I largely missed the series when it was on television. I am very excited to finally watch this!

8. North & South - I mean the mini-series staring Patrick Swayze that is set during the American Civil War. When I was a kid, my parents taped this on old VHS tapes, and I would sneak them and watch them. I actually still have the old VHS tapes, but I want to watch them on DVD. Its been a few years since I have seen any of the series. I have been eyeing it since it came out on DVD, so I am happy to finally have a chance to watch! (It's another series that was really expensive to watch!)

9. The Tudors - This is a television series that I have had in my hands several times at the store, but I always put it back down. It looks good, but I don't want to start watching in the middle, so I have hopes of finally watching it straight through. I hope I enjoy it. I know lots of people that do, and we usually have similar interests!

10. North & South - Based on the Elizabeth Gaskell novel, this is a movie that Kristie from Rambling on Romance thinks everyone should watch. I am finally hoping to do so! I will have to write an actual review when the time comes, though.

11. The Godfather Trilogy - Would you believe that I can only remember watching the first movie in the trilogy? I don't think I ever watched the rest... I think this is likely going to be the next trilogy we tackle. We have to finish Resident Evil first, though.

12. The Alien Movies - Last year I watched all the Predator movies, including the Alien vs Predator one. This year, I told the cc we are going to have to watch the Alien movies because I am not sure if I have ever seen them!

13. The Star Trek movies - Thanks to the wonder that is the bargain bin at Wal-Mart, we now have all the Star Trek movies between the two of us. I predict a Star Trek marathon in the not so distant future! By the time we are finished, the new one should be out on DVD!

What about everyone else? What movies have you watched lately? Are there any that you are looking forward to? Are there any that you think I should watch before my new interest in movie watching fizzles?

Bad Bloggers, Some Aid, and a Movie Review

I never saw another butterfly : children's drawings and poems from Terezín Concentration Camp, 1942-1944 by Hana Volavková - Point for Debi

Why we suck : a feel good guide to staying fat, loud, lazy and stupid by Denis Leary - Point for Tink

Out of the pocket by Bill Konigsberg - Young adult novel education

Kin by Holly Black - Probably seen a review, but wanted to read anyway

Miki falls. Book 2, Summer by Mark Crilley - Darla D.

Poison by Chris Wooding

Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle

Maid Marion by Elsa Watson - Point for Clare

What They Always Tell Us by Martin Wilson - More Young Adult Education

Then, What Should I Read:

I have a bit of mess with the whole renew everything incident at the library...

The knife of never letting go [ FIC NES ] Ness, Patrick, 1971-	4/5/2009,23:59	2
	Life as we knew it [ FIC PFE ] Pfeffer, Susan Beth, 1948-	8/5/2009,23:59	2
	Little brother [ FIC DOC ] Doctorow, Cory, 1971-	8/5/2009,23:59	2
	Wolf brother [ FIC Pav ] Paver, Michelle.	11/5/2009,23:59	2
	The disreputable history of Frankie Landau-Banks : a novel [ FIC LOC ] Lockhart, E.	11/5/2009,23:59	2
	Journey to the river sea [ FIC Ibb ] Ibbotson, Eva.	12/5/2009,23:59	2
	My swordhand is singing [ FIC SED ] Sedgwick, Marcus.	12/5/2009,23:59	2
	100 cupboards [ FIC WIL ] Wilson, Nathan D.	12/5/2009,23:59	2
	Here, there be dragons [ FIC OWE ] Owen, James A.	12/5/2009,23:59	2
	Red River [ FIC TAD ] Tademy, Lalita.	12/5/2009,23:59	2
	The amazing Maurice and his educated rodents [ FIC Pra ] Pratchett, Terry.	12/5/2009,23:59	1
	Slaughterhouse-five : or, The children's crusade : a duty-dance with death [ FIC VON ] Vonnegut, Kurt.	12/5/2009,23:59	1
	Four and twenty blackbirds [ FIC PRI ] Priest, Cherie.	12/5/2009,23:59	1
	A coalition of lions [ FIC Wei ] Wein, Elizabeth.	12/5/2009,23:59	1
	The ghost brigades [ FIC SCA ] Scalzi, John, 1969-	12/5/2009,23:59	1
	Chobits [ FIC CLA VOL. 5 ] CLAMP (Mangaka group)	12/5/2009,23:59	1
	Monkey beach [ FIC Rob ] Robinson, Eden.	12/5/2009,23:59	1
	Out stealing horses [ FIC PET ] Petterson, Per, 1952-	12/5/2009,23:59	1
	Tom's midnight garden [ FIC Pea ] Pearce, Philippa.	12/5/2009,23:59	1
	Fruits basket. Volume 5 [ 741 .5 Tak ] Takaya, Natsuki, 1973-	12/5/2009,23:59	1
	Skellig [ FIC Alm ] Almond, David, 1951-	12/5/2009,23:59	1
	Found [ FIC HAD ] Haddix, Margaret Peterson.	12/5/2009,23:59	1
	Tender morsels [ FIC LAN ] Lanagan, Margo, 1960-	12/5/2009,23:59	2
	Changeling [ FIC SHE ] Sherman, Delia.	12/5/2009,23:59	2
	The dragon's lair : the lost journals of Ven Polypheme [ FIC HAY ] Haydon, Elizabeth.	12/5/2009,23:59	2
	The last days [ FIC WES ] Westerfeld, Scott.	12/5/2009,23:59	2
	Foundling [ FIC COR ] Cornish, D. M. (David M.), 1972-	12/5/2009,23:59	2
	An anthropologist on Mars : seven paradoxical tales [ 616 .8 Sac ] Sacks, Oliver W.	12/5/2009,23:59	1

Suggestions on what I should read? Yes, that's a mess, but I am NOT typing all that out!

Lastly, I finally got around to watching Inkheart. I did quite like the book, so I was looking forward to a movie portrayal. What did I think of it? Well, I thought it was overall a pretty good movie. My biggest problem was the girl that played Meggie. She drove me crazy! She is the exact example of why I didn't read young adult novels for years. I think she overacted or something. All I know is that I couldn't stand her! Her voice drove me crazy! I honestly do not think she was a great choice for the role. Otherwise, I thought it was a fun movie! I am contemplating a reread before I move on to finish the trilogy.

A Nerdish Post

The entire time that I have been hanging around with the charming comedian, I have known a very shocking fact: He has never watched all six Star Wars movies. When he told me that, I think I looked at him like he had three heads! I love the older movies. I have watched them so many times over the years it is sinful! Now, he has seen the older ones, but he thinks probably only once or twice. He is like me, though, he is a Trekkie first. But still! Anyway, this week he has decided that it is time to watch them all. We watched the first movie on Tuesday and the second movie last night. I imagine that the third movie will probably be watched tonight.

It is absolutely amazing to watch these movies with someone that has not only not seen them before, but hasn't seen the old movies enough time to have them memorized! Not that I don't know plenty of people that haven't watched the movies before. They just wouldn't let me demonstrate the fabulousness of them! The charming comedian is, though, and it is just, well, baffling to me! It got me thinking. I grew up on the old movies. Now there are the new movies, though, so people of later generations are actually going to be able to start at movie one and end at movie six, instead of starting at movie four. I cannot even comprehend what that would be like! I mean, there is a little bit of mystery in the first three movies, but if you have watched the last three you pretty much know what is going to happen. The charming comedian obviously knows the basics, but there is still so much he doesn't know that it is fun to see this side. It is really the closest I can come to watching the movies 'the new way'.

So, now, what do I think of the movies? I still hate the new movies. Compared to the classics, they are not even in the same class. I actually was telling the charming comedian that with the exception of watching bits and pieces when they aired on television, I have probably only watched the new movies once at the theatres and then once when they came out on DVD. (I am so sure on this fact that when the first movie skipped I knew exactly who to blame!) So, I don't have them memorized like I do the older ones (and even that is probably slipping because I haven't watched them in a couple years). Nothing has changed with the passing of time, though. Jar Jar Binks still drives me insane, I still don't like either actor that plays Anakin, I really don't understand the purpose of Samuel L. Jackson (though, I do like him generally), I still think they were too concerned with special effects and lots of things look very fake, etc, etc. The worst thing of all is I love Yoda's fight scene, and since I got like no sleep the night before... Guess who slept through it! Any other time the charming comedian wakes me up, but not this time, and this time I actually wanted to watch the movie!

Anyway, even though I still don't like the new movies, I have to say that it is really fun to watch them with someone that has never seen them before. I also have quite demonstrated my nerdish qualities when I would pause the movie to tell him a random piece of trivia. What does he think of the movies? So far he doesn't like them because they make fun of Star Trek. Funny, huh, that is exactly why for years I wouldn't admit to liking them. I have got passed it, though. I don't mind. He so graciously told me last night that I can get him tickets to see the new Star Trek movie for his birthday! I never saw Nemisis in theatres, so it was Inserrection the last time I saw a Star Trek movie in theatres. I am very excited! The movie better not suck, is all I can say. The charming comedian is a way bigger fan of the Original series than I am, so it will be interesting to see what each of us thinks.

Next up, we are going to be watching The Lord of the Rings. He's seen those, but we have never watched them together. Plus, he has never read the books, while I think Tolkien is a literary god. It should be an interesting experience!

Movie Review: Silence of the Lambs

In this multiple Oscar-winning thriller, Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a top student at the FBI's training academy whose shrewd analyses of serial killers lands her a special assignment: the FBI is investigating a vicious murderer nicknamed Buffalo Bill, who kills young women and then removes the skin from their bodies. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into this case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out. Lecter does indeed know something of Buffalo Bill, but his information comes with a price: in exchange for telling what he knows, he wants to be housed in a more comfortable facility. More important, he wants to speak with Clarice about her past. He skillfully digs into her psyche, forcing her to reveal her innermost traumas and putting her in a position of vulnerability when she can least afford to be weak. The film mingles the horrors of criminal acts with the psychological horrors of Lecter's slow-motion interrogation of Clarice and of her memories that emerge from it.

This movie was probably still relatively new when I watched it last, so I found that I only had a hazy recollection about how the story was going to play out. Thrillers are not really my type of movie, but I have been known watch a few here and there. Anthony Hopkins plays a good Hannibal Lecter. In many ways, he really makes the movie. Jodie Foster is good in this movie too, but she is an actress that I can take or leave. I do think she plays Clarice very well, though. This is a good series. I have seen at least one of the sequels, but I honestly cannot remember which one anymore.

Movie Review: Alien vs. Predator and Alien vs. Predator: Requiem

Since I had watched the first two movies in the quartet, I figured it only made sense to watch the rest. Am I a little bit cultured because I have finally watched them now, do you think?

"It may be our planet, but it’s their war!" The deadliest creatures from the scariest sci-fi movies ever made face off for the first time on film. The incredible adventure begins when the discovery of an ancient pyramid buried in Antarctica sends a team of scientists and adventurers to the frozen continent. There, they make an even more terrifying discovery: two alien races engaged in the ultimate battle. Whoever wins...we lose.

I have to say, I was a bit captivated by this movie when I found out it took place in a pyramid 2000 feet underground in Antartica. Not only that, but it shows signs of several different types of ancient civilizations and how they constructed their pyramids. The theory in the movie is that this an example of the very first civilization before they broke up into the individual societies that are more well-known today. I could care less that this the movie where the Aliens and the Predators face-off! But, at its core, that is what the movie is about! It wasn't a terrible movie, but it was not something that blew me away.

Then, there was Alien vs. Predator: Requiem. I cannot find a description easily online and I am not typing out the back of the box! The short reply? I hated this movie! Movies use darkness as an effect, fine. This movie is almost entirely in darkness, which resulted in me not knowing what was going on for most of the movie. People would die and I would have no idea who they were. A 'creature' would appear and I wouldn't know if it was an Alien or a Predator. I spent more time trying to see through the darkness than anything else. In the end, I just found it annoying! The first movie wasn't the best thing ever, but it was way better than this movie!

Movie Review: Predator 1 and 2

I have decided to try and review movies this year. I find that I get tired of only reviewing books all the time. I am all about the variety! I don't watch that many movies, really, but I do watch a few here and there. The other night when I was at the store, the charming comedian bought Predator 1 and Predator 2. I had never seen them before, and since they are science-fiction, I decided that during the Sci-Fi Experience was the perfect time to watch them for the first time!

The ultimate hunter meets the ultimate adversary…in the ultimate Collector’s Edition DVD! Arnold Schwarzenegger wages an all-out war against an unseen enemy, a force more powerful and deadly than any on Earth—because the Predator is not of this Earth. Now, you can explore the depths of the Predator jungle with this all-new 2-disc set packed with over 5 hours of out-of-this-world extras, including an in-depth documentary, director’s commentary, never-before-seen bonus footage, revealing featurettes and more!

It took me three tries to watch this movie in its entirety! It was the last movie that the charming comedian put in on New Year's Eve, and after it got to a certain hour I just had to go to bed, so I left him to finish it on his own. So, then, I had to watch the second half of it the next night so that I could watch the second movie with him. I kept dozing off during the last part of it, and while he kept waking me up, I missed a lot. Last night, I finally managed to stay awake to see the last half an hour of it. Poor guy, though, he had to watch the ending three times! I was surprised how much I missed. I knew I was dozing off, but I thought it was only for a moment or two.

Anyway, this was an interesting movie. I had of course heard of it before, and I think I might have seen it way back when it was still relatively new, because there were scenes that seemed familiar to me. I am just not a huge fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger and he is a central character to the movie. Actually, near the end he is like the only character in the movie. There were also a lot of things that didn't really work all that well for me. Since I was half-asleep, though, I might not have really got everything that was going on. One of these days I will have to watch the movie from beginning to end when I am actually awake!

After finally finishing the first movie last night, I moved on to the second one. I think I stayed awake for the whole thing, but you never know with me! I am just not used to day shifts.

This electrifying action sequel unleashes the deadly invisible Predator in
another jungle -- the urban jungle of Los Angeles. Danny Glover stars as a
lieutenant who mistakenly concludes that mangled bodies found by the police are
the work of feuding gangs. Instead, he finds himself confronting a savage alien
who has come from a distant world to hunt humans for sport. Gary Busey and Ruben
Blades co-star in this suspense-packed, high-tech thriller.

I was saying this morning to the charming comedian how I liked this movie better, and he said that he liked the first one better. I have to admit that I don't know if my half-asleep attempts at watching these movies are valid, but I liked this one better. I really liked the ending. The charming comedian figured that I would. He knows my tastes rather well! So, I don't think he was surprised I liked this one better. That would mean that maybe I was awake enough to make an informed opinion. I was really surprised with the cast in this movie. I liked it way better than the first movies cast. It's a shame that the actor that played the Predator died after this movie was released. He makes an awesome one, I think.

Sometime this month, probably tomorrow night, I will likely get to watch the next in the series! I should be more awake for it, too. It will be interesting to see if the new Predator is anywhere as good as the original one.