Thursday, March 21, 2013

Still Alive

Once again, I have fallen off the face of the blogging world because I am lazy writer.  Let me keep it boring today and simply catch up on where I am with my movie progress.  Last post, at the beginning of February, I was just finishing up the Cs so now we can finally move on to the Ds.  Well, we'll actually be starting with another C movie that I recently bought so that gets reviewed first before I can officially be on the Ds.  Here we go.

Movie Review #63: Cobra

You're the disease, I'm the cure

Outside of the Rocky and Rambo movies, I consider Cobra to be one of Stallone's best films.  It's just eighty something minutes of Stallone kicking ass in some great action scenes.  The fact that the movie focuses on a killer cult also adds some coolness to the movie as it feels like a cop/serial killer movie but with the Stallone touches.  It is a winning combination for a movie that I never get tired of watching.  The one liners are great in this film.  It was as if Stallone and Arnold were competing in their respective movies over who could have the best lines.  This movie had some of the best.  7.5 cheeseburgers out of 10!



Movie Review #64: The Dark Knight

And...here...we...go.

I saw The Dark Knight almost right after it came out at the theaters and liked it a lot.  I, like most people, was in awe of  Heath Ledger's performance.  It is simply amazing and upon repeat viewings, I still feel the same way.  Between this and Brokeback, it is truly tragic that he is no longer here and making movies.  But despite really liking the film, I started to despise the film soon after because I was sick of all the talk about how it was one of the best movies of all time.  It isn't.  It's a great film, but it doesn't belong at the top of the mountain that many people put it.  But now, years later and with the hype gone from it, I can sit and enjoy the film again.  It truly is a great film.  A lot of the greatness is attributed to Ledger's performance, but it isn't the only great thing in this film.  It is really a great story and I am glad I can enjoy it again.  8.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers!


Movie Review #65: The DaVinci Code

You are the secret

Like a lot of people about a decade ago, I had to read The DaVinci code to see what all the fuss was about and ended up LOVING it.  The fact that they were making a movie out of a book I loved so much was very exciting.  And then the film came out.  I believe we saw the movie at the first showing on opening day.  What followed was two plus hours of disappointment.  The film wasn't really that bad, but as a huge fan of the book, they changed some things that I totally didn't agree with it.  Now, almost a decade later, some of that disappointment has gone down because frankly, I don't remember much about the book or what was changed.  Now I can just watch the movie and enjoy it for what it is. It's a fun story with a cool mystery.  I am sure it still is nothing compared to the book, but on its own, it is still enjoyable.  7 out of 10 cheeseburgers!


Movie Review #66: Dawn of the Dead (2004)

When there is no more room in hell the dead will walk the Earth

This movie is probably in the top 5 of number of times Jess and I have seen a movie together.  I mean, we used to watch this ALL THE TIME.  Can't think of what to watch, hey, let's just watch Dawn of the Dead again.  I am not sure what got us to go see this film in the theaters since neither of us are big fans of the original.  But we did go see it and we have been hooked on this film ever since.  Zombies are fun, but this movie makes then even more fun.  It has awesome characters, great suspense, a fun storyline, an appropriate amount of humor, and some great gore.  As a horror film, I am not sure it can get any better.  In fact, just writing about it makes me want to watch it again, it is that addictive.  8.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers!


Movie Review #67: The Day After Tomorrow

To England!  To Mankind!  To Manchester United!

I'm a sucker for a good disaster film.  Hell, I am a sucker for a decent disaster film and that is what this movie is.  The storyline is fairly out there, the characters are pretty cliche, the acting isn't all great, and some of the special effects are goofy as hell! But it entertains.  It's a B movie with an A movie budget and it works for those who can turn off their brain for a couple of hours.  Plus, Emmy Rossum is hot.  6.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers.



Movie Review #68: Death Proof

I'm afraid you're going to have to start getting scared... immediately. 

Tarantino can do no wrong!  Ok, he can do no wrong as long as we don't count this movie.  Part of the Grindhouse collaboration with Robert Rodriguez, this film just isn't up to par with the rest of his works.  I know he was trying to do something different with this film, but I just don't feel it works that well.  I know Tarantino writes great and his conversations between characters, where two people are just sitting there and talking, are often highlights of his films, but in this film, he just overdid it.  The first hour of the 90 minute film is just a bunch of talking, often about REALLY pointless things.  I can take it to an extent, but in the case, it seems as if he was just writing to write.  It isn't cool.  Some of the stuff is ok, but in the end, I felt empty.  The final action scene is REALLY fun and saves the movie, but other than that, I find it just average and perhaps only tolerate because it IS Tarantino and the film does have sprinkles of his genius.  But it isn't as good as one would expect.  5 out of 10 cheeseburgers!


Movie Review #69: Death Race

You wanted a monster?  Well, you've got one.

I never saw the original Death Race, but I really liked this remake.  It's kind of like watching an R Rated Mario Kart.  Cars racing that get weapons from the track and you try to eliminate your competitors with said weapons.  What is not to like?  Jason Statham is as bad ass as usual and the movie is absolutely action packed.  This is a film for people with a short attention span because it never lets up.  There are really not enough good R Rated action films like this anymore.  Statham really is the successor to Arnold and Sly's action throne.  7.5 out of 10 cheeseburgers

Whew, caught up!  As long as I don't get too lazy and I don't have too man movies to write about, I have an actual post planned for next post!  Fingers crossed!

4 comments:

Mom said...

Dawn of the Dead and Death Proof are the only movies I have not seen out of this review. I love Cobra. DaVinci Code I didn't care for as much as the second one. Heath Ledger was fantastic and he made the movie great.
Glad to have you back.

Tara said...

I never get tired of watching "The Day After Tomorrow". It was on last night (so was "From Dusk till Dawn" and I watched that too).

So many of Dennis Quaid's lines made me roll my eyes.

laura b. said...

I think it is nice, the pleasure that revisiting some of these movies years later can give...when the hype is off.

My fave out of these is definitely Dawn of the Dead.

Jessbacca said...

The story about your mom going to see Cobra while pregnant with your sister always makes me laugh.
I haven't seen The Dark Knight since we saw it in theaters. All I remember is being disappointed with the scenes Heath Ledger wasn't in and just wanting him to come back on the screen. He was that good.
I haven't seen The Davinci Code since theaters either. I bet, like you, I'd be ok with it now since enough time has passed, but I remember being so pissed off at Ron Howard for taking the easy way out and changing the story so as not to piss anyone off.
Dawn of the Dead. LOVE IT! Remember at the theaters, when the Richard Cheese version of Down With the Sickness came on, we couldn't stop smiling and giggling?!
Jake Gyllenhaal is hot too. I love end of the world movies.
I haven't seen Death Proof since theaters, where we saw it at the drive-ins, with crappy sound and an even crappier picture, which really kind of ruined the movie for me.
Jason Statham is hot too. Super hot.