Tag / Julia Stiles

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You Ought To Be In (15) Pictures

Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime.  The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since.  Given those guidelines, it is time once again to look at the now 111 actors that have starred in at least 10 films that I have seen, as of August 1.

We continue today with the eleven actors that have starred in exactly fifteen movies that I have seen, a decrease of one from three years ago.

Jason Bateman

Jason Bateman first appeared on my radar with 1987’s Teen Wolf Too.  After another film in 1992, he took the rest of the century off and didn’t reappear on my screen until 2010, when he started a streak of five films in three years, followed by another streak of seven films in five years ending in 2018.  He returned to my screen again in 2024, thanks to Carry On.

Will Ferrell

The SNL alum first streaked on to the list of film actors I’ve seen in 2003 with Old School.  Since then, his appearances have been pretty consistent, with 2012-2013 being the longest streak of him not appearing on my screen.  The most recent film of his I’ve seen was 2013’s Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, which I finally saw in 2022.

Jennifer Lawrence

The delightful Jennifer Lawrence first appeared on my screen in 2011, thanks to 2010’s Winter’s Bone.  Since then, I have seen her in at least one movie every year through 2023, tripling up in 2013, for an active streak of thirteen straight years that ended with 2023’s No Hard Feelings.

Steve Martin

The last starring role of his that I saw remains 2005’s Shopgirl, which I saw in 2009.

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds first appeared on my movie radar in 2006, when I saw him in both The Amityville Horror and Just Friends, which started a streak of five films in four years.  He had double shots in 2006, 2011, 2017, and 2019.  He returned as Deadpool in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, which was the last I saw of him.

Winona Ryder

I first became aware of Winona Ryder in the hit film Beetlejuice, but her first starring role that I saw came in 1990, when I saw the dark comedy Heathers.  My biggest Ryder year was 2000, when I saw two of her films.  After a thirteen-year absence, she returned to my screen in 2024, thanks to the sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Julia Stiles

1999’s 10 Things I Hate About You was my first exposure to Julia Stiles. She had been a steady presence since, picking up ten films between 1999 and 2008.  She managed to score multiple films in both 2001 and 2006. Things have been spotty since, with only five films over the past fifteen years, with the latest being 2022’s Orphan: First Kill, which I saw in 2023.

Charlize Theron

2000 brought Charlize Theron’s starring roles into my life in a big way, when she debuted with three films in one year.  She has been pretty consistent since, with mini-streaks in 2004-2005, 2007-2008, 2012-2013, and 2015-2016.  Her last appearances were a double shot in 2020, with 2019’s Long Shot followed by 2003’s Monster.

Vince Vaughn

Vince Vaughn splashed on to the scene in 1996’s Swingers, which I saw in 1998.  Since then, he has been fairly consistent, with me seeing a film of his either every year or every other year through the early 2010s.  Things slowed down after 2011, when I saw both Psycho and The Dilemma.  After a five-year absence, he returned to my screen in 2021, when I saw the previous year’s breakout horror hit Freaky.

Mark Wahlberg

The former leader of the Funky Bunch first moved over to movies with 1996’s Fear.  There have been four years since where I have seen multiple Wahlberg flicks, most recently in 2018.  The last film of his that I saw was the second of those 2018 flicks, 2017’s Transformers: The Last Knight.

Robin Williams

Seeing as he is no longer walking the Earth, 2008 is still both my biggest Williams year and my last time seeing his films, thanks to Jack, License To Wed, and The Night Listener.

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You Ought To Be In (15) Pictures

Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime.  The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since.  Given those guidelines, it is time once again to look at the now 107 actors that have starred in at least 10 films that I have seen, as of July 1.

We continue today with the twelve actors that have starred in exactly 15 movies that I have seen, an increase of three from 3 years ago.

Amy Adams

Amy Adams made her first appearance on my screen in 2001, when I watched the repurposed television pilot that became Cruel Intentions 2.  She returned in 2008, starting a run of eight films in four years.  After a five-year absence, she returned in 2022 with the previous year’s The Woman In The Window.

Jamie Lee Curtis

My first experience with the former teenage scream queen was likely one of the first two Halloween films, the franchise that is responsible for nearly 47% of the films on this list.  After a seven-year lull, she returned with the latest reboot/continuation of the Halloween franchise, culminating in 2022’s Halloween Ends.

Will Ferrell

The SNL alum first streaked on to the list of film actors I’ve seen in 2003 with Old School.  Since then, his appearances have been pretty consistent, with 2012-2013 being the longest streak of him not appearing on my screen.  The most recent film of his I’ve seen was 2013’s Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, which I finally saw last year.

Anne Hathaway

Like most of America, I first saw Anne Hathaway on the silver screen back in 2003 in The Princess Diaries.  In the intervening years, she had been a steadfast presence on my movie (or television) screen, including three films in 2005 and four in 2009.  Things have slowed a bit this decade, with her latest appearance being 2019’s The Hustle, which I saw in 2020.

Angelina Jolie

Her last appearance on my screen is still in 2012, when I saw her in Changeling.

Steve Martin

The last starring role of his that I saw remains 2005’s Shopgirl, which I saw in 2009.

Julia Stiles Continue reading →

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You Ought To Be In (14) Pictures

Movie_Reel_22

Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime.  The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since.  So, given those guidelines, and thanks to a corona virus inspired uptick to my movie watching this year, it is time to look at the 100 actors that have starred in at least 10 films that I have seen, as of July 1.

Today, we continue with the 10 actors that have starred in 14 movies that I have seen, an increase of 3 at this level from 3 years ago.

Jason Bateman

Jason Bateman probably first appeared on my radar with 1987’s Teen Wolf Too.  After another film in 1992, he took the rest of the century off and didn’t reappear on my screen until 2010, when he started a streak of 5 films in 3 years, followed by another streak of 7 films in 5 years, culminating in 2018 Game Night.

Will Ferrell

The SNL alum first streaked on to the list of film actors I’ve seen in 2003 with Old School.  Since then, his appearances have been pretty consistent, with 2012-2013 being the longest streak of him not appearing on my screen.  The most recent film of his I’ve seen was 2005’s Bewitched, which I saw earlier this year.

Morgan Freeman

The first film I saw starring Morgan Freeman was the Kevin Costner vehicle Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.  Starting in 2000, he put together a 6 year streak that covered 8 films.  My biggest Freeman years were 2000, 2005, and 2008, when I saw him in 2 films.  After a 5 year layoff, he returned this year in 2019’s Angel Has Fallen.

Winona Ryder

The last films of hers that I saw is still 2002’s Mr. Deeds, which I finally got around to watching in 2011.

Adam Sandler

2011’s Just Go With It, which I saw in 2013, is still my most current exposure to Sandler’s work.

Christian Slater

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You Ought To Be In (13) Pictures

Movie_Reel_22

Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime.  The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since.  So, given those guidelines, it is time to look at all of the actors that have starred in at least 10 films that I have seen, as of July 1st.

Today, we continue with the 8 actors that have starred in 13 movies that I have seen, 3 more than what there were 3 years ago.

Amy Adams

A 3 spot jump for Adams, thanks to films in 2014, 2016, and earlier this year with 2016’s Arrival.

Morgan Freeman

2014’s Lucy, which I saw in 2015, enabled Freeman to move up one slot.

Anne Hathaway

A 2 spot jump for Hathaway, who added films in 2015 and 2016, where The Intern was her most recent starring role.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt had a 4 year streak come to an end in 2013, when I saw World War Z.

Natalie Portman

My last experience with Portman’s work remains 2013’s Thor: The Dark World.

Julia Stiles Continue reading →

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You Ought To Be In (11) Pictures

Movie_Reel_22Many years ago, using the weekly TV guide that came with the Sunday Chicago Tribune, I started keeping track of all of the movies I had seen over the course of my lifetime.  The guide would list the two main stars for each movie, and that is a tradition that I’ve carried on in my database ever since.  So, given those guidelines, it is time to look at all of the actors that have starred in at least 10 films that I have seen, as of May 30th.

Today, we continue with the 11 actors that have starred in 11 movies that I have seen.

Jim Carrey

I first encountered the rubber faced comedian in his breakout film, 1994’s Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.  For a while there, Carrey became one of the biggest stars in the world.  I took in 2 films featuring him in 1997, 1999, and again in 2008.  Then, a funny thing happened and Jim Carrey wasn’t much of a star anymore.  The last film I saw him in was back 2009, when I saw the previous year’s Yes Man.

Michael Douglas

Michael Douglas made his first impression upon my movie-going consciousness with 1989’s War of the Roses.  My big Douglas year was 1995, when I saw him in Basic Instinct, Disclosure, and 1978’s Coma.  Things have been quiet for Douglas here in the 21st century, with the last film of his that I’ve seen, The Sentinel, was in 2006.

Woody Harrelson

In 1992, I headed to the theaters to see White Men Can’t Jump, where I first encountered Woody Harrelson in film. 7 of Harrelson’s films came between 1992 and 2000, after which there was a long lull.  Harrelson came back in to my world in 2008, then added 2 more in 2010.  2011 was the last time I saw one of his films, 2009’s Defendor.

Anne Hathaway

Like most of America, I first saw Anne Hathaway back in 2003 in The Princess Diaries.  In the intervening 11 years, she has been a steadfast presence on my movie (or television) screen, including 3 films in 2005 and 4 in 2009.  In 2011, I saw my last starring vehicle starring Hathaway, 2010’s Love And Other Drugs.

Katherine Heigl

Katherine Heigl burst on to the scene in 1994’s My Father, The Hero, which I took in the following year.  She dropped off my radar, went through puberty, and came back in 1999.  After achieving television stardom, she leaped back to the big screen in a big way in the mid-2000s, including 4 films in 3 years between 2006 and 2008.  The last time I saw a Heigl starring vehicle was 2011, when I took in both Life As We Know It and Killers.

Helen Hunt Continue reading →

by jim

Post Mortem – Dexter

dexterLast summer, Showtime announced that the then-upcoming eighth season of Dexter would be its last.  I remember watching the pilot episode of Dexter and not really enjoying it, and I didn’t come back until season 5, when Julia Stiles joined on for a season long arc.  Just watching those final four seasons, I could see that it was time to bring things to a close.

The last season had some potential going for it, but things went horribly awry.  At the end of season 7, Deb had made the choice of whether she was going to protect Dexter or turn him in.  Season 8 started with her dealing with the effects of that choice, until the convoluted plot made her get over it in time to have Dexter mercy kill her, dump her body in the ocean, and then fake his own death.  Don’t worry if it doesn’t make a lot of sense, it didn’t at the time either.

One of these days, I may go back and watch the first 4 seasons of Dexter.  After the ending, though, I don’t know if I would even want to.

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2013: The Year In Movies

2013 was again an off year in movie watching for me.  I managed to watch only 61 movies last year, one less than 2012 and my second consecutive year under 100.  Again, many things contributed to this, chiefly the insane amount of TV I’ve been watching and the awful amount of time I spend either at work or getting to and from work.

Here’s a look back at the first 50 movies I did manage to watch last year and what recollection, if any, I have of them. The films are listed in the order I saw them.

The Wedding Planner (2001)
A Jennifer Lopez throwback to start off the year.

Red Riding Hood (2011)
This was not a good movie.

Safe House (2012)
This also was not a good movie. I’m not getting the year started right.

Les Misérables (2012)
A work outing is the only reason I saw this film.

American Reunion (2012)
Sometimes you can go home again. And sometimes you shouldn’t.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows (2011)
Robert Downey Jr. returns as the great British detective.

Young Adult (2011)
Charlize Theron and Patton Oswalt team up for this strong tale.

Compliance (2012)
I streamed this disturbing picture on the iPad.

For A Good Time, Call… (2012)
A surprisingly good comedy.

Apollo 18 (2011)
Not good at all.

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