Tag / Paranormal Activity

by admin

2014: The Year In Movies Part 2

Movie_Reel_22134 different people starred in the movies I saw last year (starring in being the first two named stars, a tradition dating back to the old Chicago Tribune TV guide), and a whopping 16 of them were in more than 1. Those 16 thespians are:

Name Films
Emily Blunt 3
Scarlett Johansson 3
Liam Neeson 3
Shailene Woodley 3
Kristen Bell 2
Lake Bell 2
Sandra Bullock 2
Bradley Cooper 2
Rob Corddry 2
Melissa McCarthy 2
Julianne Moore 2
Elizabeth Olsen 2
Chris Pratt 2
Jason Segel 2
Amanda Seyfried 2
Bruce Willis 2

Now let’s take a look at the remaining movies that I saw in 2014, following up on Tuesday’s post.

Her (2013)
Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with an operating system, and lives in a world where that isn’t considered odd.

Oculus (2014)
Karen Gillan stars in this horror tale about a mirror that makes its owners kill themselves and their loved ones.

Under The Skin (2013)
I’m sure some film buff will tell you that there was something worthwhile here, besides Scarlett Johansson’s first nude scenes, but I certainly didn’t get it.

Delivery Man (2013)
What would happen if a sperm bank oversold one man’s donations, leaving him the biological father of over 500 children?

X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014)
This adaptation of Chris Claremont’s famous storyline mixes the casts of the old films and the new ones to great effect.

Liars All (2013)
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by admin

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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by admin

The Year In Movies – Part 1

For many reasons, 2012 was an off year in movie watching for me, which may not necessarily be a bad thing.  I managed to watch only 62 movies last year, my first year under 100 since 2005 and after having averaged just over 131 movies over the past 5 years.  Many things contributed to this, chiefly my attempts to do more exercise and read more books and the insane amount of TV I’ve been watching.

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

Hatchet II (2010)
I remember thinking this was better than the first Hatchet film, but that isn’t exactly saying anything.

The Hangover Part II (2011)

Nowhere near as funny as the original, but still a worthwhile effort.

Changeling (2008)
Angelina Jolie’s search for her missing child.

Drive Angry (2011)
Nicolas Cage has some bills to pay, and schlock like this is how he plans on paying them.

Moneyball (2011)
One of the most controversial books in the world of baseball hits the silver screen, chronicling the new approach taken by the cash-strapped Oakland A’s to field a successful team.

’92 Skybox Alonzo Mourning Rookie Card (2011)
A short about a screw-up who sells his brother’s Alonzo Mourning rookie card.

Tanner Hall (2009)
A pre-Dragon Tattoo Rooney Mara stars in this school girl drama.

Cowboys & Aliens (2011)
A disappointing sci-fi romp through the old west.

The Rock-afire Explosion (2008)
A documentary looking at the house band of the former Showbiz Pizza.

The Hunger Games (2012)
My first trip to the movie theater this year was for this adaptation of one of the best books I had read the year before.

In Time (2011)
Justin Timberlake continues to impress as an actor.

The Avengers (2012)
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by jim

2011 Review – Movies Part 1

Like last year, I’m going to take a look back at the movies I saw during the previous year.  When not working, watching too much TV, going to baseball games, or reading, I managed to watch 131 new movies last year.

Natalie Portman starred in 4 films I saw for the yearly lead, with Leonardo DiCaprio coming in second with 3.

For fun, here’s a quick review of the first 50 films I saw last year and what recollection, if any, I have of them.  They are listed in the order I saw them.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
2 vacationing American girls fall in love with the same Spanish painter.

 
Night At the Museum: Battle Of The Smithsonian (2009)
I never saw the first one, but Amy Adams was enough of a draw to give this one a chance.

 

Splice (2010)
An entertaining look at what happens when scientists worry more about what they can do instead of what they should do.
 
The Kids Are All Right (2010)
The children of two lesbians go searching for their father.  My first exposure to Mia Wasikowska, who I think has a chance to be really good.

 

Bandslam (2009)
A kid obsessed with music lies about his father in order to fit in. 

 

All Good Things (2010)
Ryan Gosling kills Kirsten Dunst, and then dresses up in womens clothing. 

 

Frozen (2010)
A very engaging tale of three friends stuck on a ski lift for a week.

 

Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Tom Hanks goes looking for Leonardo DiCaprio. 

 

Inception (2010)
Leonardo DiCaprio (him again?) looks for secrets in other people’s dreams while avoiding his own.

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