Holiday Haikus: Gifts, Hope, and Snowmen

Up on the rooftop,
The deer are leaving presents.
...You’ll need a shovel.



Naughty or Nice, Nick?
Who are you to judge us all!?
Sic Semper Nympha!



A package for you.
But please don't unwrap it yet.
Not until we're done.



Roasting chestnuts, eh?
Do people really do that?
Are they out of brats?



All I need is you.
But I still want some presents.
...I'm only human.



Mom kissing Santa?
All the good men are taken.
It’s official now.



Christmas time again.
Time to be with family.
…Best of luck with that.



Snowmen are sexy.
Who doesn't love well-built men
that leave you all wet?



Gift certificates
Fulfill social requirements
And that's about it.



All I want this year.
Is for you to be happy.
With or without me.



Knows when I’m sleeping?
Is he watching us right now?
Did he bug the house?



Elves on our rooftops!
Breaking into all our homes!
Stop leaving food out!



Mistletoe or no
We should probably make out.
Right now...later too...

Movie List 2013: 96-110

The continuing list of all the movies I've watched this year.

There might be some occasional swearing, because I just love movies so much frickin' much!

* = rewatched

 

96.*

The Muppet Christmas Carol

Charles Dickens (Gonzo) and Rizzo the Rat (as himself) take us along through the classic Christmas story of crotchety meiser Scrooge's (Michael Cain) spectral journey to learn the importance of friendship, empathy, and Christmas.

Genre: Family-fun Christmas Musical


Not only would I say that this is my favorite Muppet movie, but I would also go as far as to say that it is my favorite Christmas movie. I really cannot say enough nice things about it.

The Muppets fill the roles of Dickens' story like a hand in a glove and Michael Cain portrays a perfect Scrooge. So many adaptations go at Scrooge as 1-dimensionally grumpy and cruel, as if he was nothing more than a mean old man, but Cain captures both the bitter resentment of the character and the warmth underneath.

Let's take a moment to talk about the songs. The songs are Brilliant. They are impossibly fun and incredibly catchy. People love to rely on the old classics when it comes to Christmas songs, but this movie makes its own and does Such An Amazing Job! Not only are they so catchy and fun, but they are so well done. Not to mention the visuals and cinematography are just as good. I mean, like the scene where we first see Scrooge? So well done. Sooooo well done. He comes around the corner draped in shadows, ominous and menacing. He pauses for a moment then moves across the scene, the cape of his shadowed form eclipsing the shot. The strings start to build as the song begins, already a chilling tune. Then the shot of just his feet, walking at a quick pace over the icy streets as his walking stick's thuds against the pavement match the beat of the music as the other instruments begin to build up the music. Then you've got this wonderful song describing how everyone views Scrooge, but you only get to see him in shadows, or just fleeting glimpses of him; he's a legend more than a man.

I mean, Holy Shit! It's brilliant.

As if all these things weren't enough, it's Gonzo as Charles Dickens and the story structure he creates that really puts this movie into a class of its own. I mean, Gonzo portrays Charles Dickens himself! Not as some guy reading the book (in an ornate chair with a fireplace in the background), but as a person living in the very world the story takes place in. The Muppets have always been ones to playfully use the 4th wall for laughs, but this takes it to another level. On one hand you have Gonzo the Muppet playing Charles Dickens, which establishes an almost Theatre feel, as if this was a play. But then you also have Gonzo narrating the story of the world he is living in, which gives him an almost God-like status. Then his sidekick Rizzo is along for the ride as the straight-man who doesn't believe his friend is really Charles Dickens, but Gonzo's seeming omniscience captures his curiosity and forces him to follow along to see what happens.

It is just so Weird that it's hopelessly fascinating. And it works! You just can't help but to be stuck in your seat to see where they're going with this. And they play it brilliantly. The relationship between Gonzo and Rizzo creates a perfect set-up for them to follow the action of the story, sneaking around in its fringes and subsequently taking us along for the ride. So many iterations of this story will either play it straight, or have it set up as a narrator reading the classic story, but A Muppet Christmas Carol blends these two versions together into an absolutely amazing amalgam.

I just can't properly describe how much I love this movie. It's funny, it's visually great to look at (a perfect blend of dark & silly, realistic & fantastical), it's heart warming, the songs are amazing, the characters are phenomenal, and the story structure is one-of-a-kind.

Just trust me on this one: you've got to see it.

“I do not make merry at Christmas...”

“That is certainly true.”

“And I cannot afford to make other people merry.”

“That is certainly not true.”

97.

Much Ado About Nothing

[2012]

Joss Whedon's modern adaptation of Shakespeare's comedic story of love, betrayal, and misunderstandings.

Genre: A new kind of Shakespeare.


I have a rather love/hate relationship with Shakespeare. I love a lot of what Shakespeare does—his wordplay, his timeless stories—but I have a terribly hard time putting up with his writing style, which is just a constant flow of flowery verse; every line needing to be it's own masterpiece. My brain has a hard time getting into a story's flow when it's written like that, so I just don't bother. For me that style of writing just isn't conducive to the immersive experience a great story can provide. Thus I've never seen/read the vast majority of Shakespeare's plays.

It's important to get that information out there, because I want you to understand what I mean when I say that this is the first time I've seen a production of Shakespeare that I loved. Heck, it's the first time I've seen a production of Shakespeare that I even liked. If you yourself are a lover of Shakespeare, then I don't know what this means for you. Does the fact that it appeals to a Shakespeare-dumdum like myself, mean it won't appeal to your tastes? I can't say.

After seeing this movie, though, I feel that perhaps film is much more suited for Shakespeare than theatre. All the Shakespeare plays I've seen have put such a heavy focus on the words that the actors are just second-string. But in Whedon's version the visuals and the acting bare equal weight with the words. Take the humor for example. I always remember English teachers having to explain to the class why a passage was funny (and as we all know a joke that you have to explain isn't a very funny one). Yet, this movie shows us the humor.  They put it into their inflections, and faces, and blocking, and even prat falls. One of the things The Simpsons was always so brilliant at was creating jokes that worked on multiple levels, so that you'd be laughing even if you didn't get the reference. Even if you're not entirely sure what a line means, Whedon still gets the essence of it across in other ways. I mean, heck, my favorite line was " By this day she's a fair lady." In most people's hands it would just be a regular line, but Alexis Denisof's delivery is hilarious and wonderful.

I don't really know what else to say. If you've got no love for Shakespeare you probably won't care for it. If you're a big fan I'd recommend seeing it just for the sake of seeing Whedon's unique portrayal. And if you're like me—and have always had some mixed feelings about Shakespeare—I'd suggest you give it a shot, because I enjoyed it so much I'd like to own it. Considering how I felt about Shakespeare beforehand that's really saying something.

I really hope Whedon tries his hands at some of Shakespeare's others plays in the future.

“There is a kind of merry war betwixt Senor Benedick and her. They never meet, but there is a a skirmish of wit between them.”

98.

My Man Godfrey

A ditsy young socialite hires a homeless vagrant to be her family's butler.

Genre: 30's Screwball Comedy


It's a movie from the 1930's about a rich woman who hires a bum to be her butler. I mean, I obviously had to see this thing. Especially since it was playing at the theater where I work and was thus free. Interesting(?) fact: I saw both this and Much Ado About Nothing on my birthday.

I don't really know what to say.  It was goofy, funny, silly, there's some very clever bits of dialogue, it certainly ended on different note than I was expecting, and I had a great time watching it. It's a little all over the place at times, but still fun (especially if you like old comedies).

“All you need to start an asylum is an empty room and the right kind of people. ”

99.*

Big Business

Two sets of identical twins get bungled, and the unmatched pairs go home to different families: one to wealthy business owners and the other to small town farmers. Yet things go topsy-turvy when the grown twins meet up unexpectedly.

Genre: 80's buddy comedy using a twins-separated at birth set-up


I read an article online that was talking about The Heat and how female buddy comedies have become a very rare commodity. Much to my discredit I had never really noticed, but it's true! Me and my friend Rusty decided to spend the day watching a couple of them.

I don't know why, but I have distinct memories of watching this one for the first time at my uncle's house when I was a kid. It's nothing too far from your usual "Twins separated at birth" gag, but it's fun. I mean, it's starring Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin! How can you not enjoy those two?

I don't know what else to say really. It's a fun movie. "Twins-separated-at-birth buddy comedy starring Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin" pretty much sums it up perfectly. If that sounds amusing to you, then you should definitely check it out sometime.

You might also get some laughs at seeing a very young Seth Green playing a role in the movie.

“Don't worry, it will only take one little prick.”

“That's what got me into this trouble in the first place!”

100.

Outrageous Fortune

Two wannabe actresses find out they've been dating the same man, but when he suddenly goes missing they team up to find him and get to the bottom of his infidelity.

Genre: Female buddy comedy from the 80's


This one isn't quite as enjoyable as Big Business, mostly because the set-up is kind of messed up. I mean, these two women find out that the man they've been dating has been cheating on them and is involved in some super shady shit and they still want him back! I mean, it's not until late in the movie that they finally get to the "Well, to hell with this asshole!" mindset they should have come to almost immediately. Oh! Plus the cops/agents in this movie don't announce themselves! They just start chasing ladies with their guns out! Of COURSE they're going to run from you, you idiots! Also did I mention there's a lot of stereotypes going on in this movie?

That stuff aside, Shelly Long and Bette Midler are an enjoyable duo. Apparently they didn't work well together off-set (for instance they threw a hissy fit over who would get first billing), but on screen they're a fun pair. However, the best part of this movie—by far—is when George Carlin shows up.

In summary: It's not the greatest movie around. It has it's moments though. I probably won't seek it out again, but if someone else wanted to watch it I'd be down for that. If nothing else you get to see George Carlin in a dress, and that's nothing to turn your nose up at.

“You defiled a Christmas tree?”

“No one SAW!”

101.

The Heat

A boisterous cop and an uptight FBI agent team up to track down a drug dealer in the streets of Boston.

Genre: Buddy-cop comedy


I loved this movie! It only came out this year and I've already seen it multiple times.

I don't really know what to say about it. It's really funny. It's so funny that I keep watching it and it has me laughing every time. What more of a recommendation can you give a comedy? Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy are a fantastic duo.

Oh, plus just look at some of the other actors in this thing: Jane Curtin (SNL, 3rd Rock From the Sun), Marlon Wayans (The Wayans Bros., The Ladykillers), Kaitlin Olson (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Tony Hale (Arrested Development), and Thomas Wilson (Biff from Back to the Future)!

“Jesus, what are those?”

“Stop it, they're my Spanx. They hold everything together.”

“Why, what's gonna come popping out?”

“Nothing, it just keeps everything where it's supposed to be. Like...”

“Shit, like medically?”

102.*

Muppet Treasure Island

The Muppets take on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story of Treasure Island when Gonzo, Rizzo, and Jim Hawkins discover a treasure map and set sail for adventure.

Genre: Family-friendly Adventure Comedy


If I had to rank my favorite Muppet movies I'd say this one is my...3rd favorite. Once again the Muppets prove that they are just so good at fitting into the roles of classic literature. Plus Tim Curry as Long John Silver?! Yes, please!

Overall the movie's a whole lot of fun, but I've gotta admit they go a little off the rails a little bit at times. For instance they kind of shoehorn a reason to for Ms. Piggy to show up. It's a weird element to add to the story, but I like Ms. Piggy so I guess I can't really complain.

Also, I am compelled to point out that the kid that plays Hawkins has a frighteningly high singing voice. It is just so weird to hear to coming out of his mouth. It's just so high!

ALSO Billy Connolly has a little role in the movie! And I want it on the record that I'm a big fan of Billy Connolly.

“Terrific. Captured by crazed wild pigs and sacrificed hideously before a pagan altar.”

“Are we lucky or what?”

103.

Now You See Me

A group of magicians team up and to use their skills to pull off grand heists during their performances.

Genre: Jazz hands mystery thriller?


Jeez, I'm so far behind on this movie list it's not even funny.

I remember that I ended up doing a ton of biking the day I saw this. I biked from my house to my job at the library, then I biked all the way across Minneapolis to get to the theater I work at (so I could see it for free), then I biked back home so I could take a quick shower before then biking back over to the north side of town for a date, and then biking back home once again.

But as for the movie? Uhhh...not nearly as clever as it thought it was. I saw through a lot of the would-be surprises and the ending was rather silly...actually, it was very silly. I liked the characters, but in my opinion the plot was all flash no substance. It just came off as being extremely full of itself.

I don't know. It's a movie, I enjoyed myself well enough, but I have no real interest in ever seeing it again.

“First rule of magic: always be the smartest person in the room.”

104.

Being Elmo:

A Puppeteer's Journey

A documentary about Kevin Clash, the man behind Elmo.

Genre: Documentary


It's a documentary about Elmo. I don't really know what else I can say about it. It's interesting seeing behind-the-scene muppets stuff and it was streaming on Netflix so I figured, "Why not?"

It was interesting. My only complaint is that they paint this guy as being some perfect kind of person and that struck me as biased. It was all too clean. No one's life is that clean.

...whoah...yeah, if you take a second to look at his wikipedia page you'll see I was right about that. Jeez. That makes the whole thing super weird.

Anyways, I lied earlier! I have another complaint and it is that they claim it's narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, but she barely says anything, so calling her a Narrator seems a bit of a stretch.

105.*

The Secret World of Arrietty

Based on Mary Norton's fantasy novel The Borrowers, Arrietty and her family of tiny borrowers live under the floor and in the walls of a house, surviving by borrowing things from the humans who live there. But everything changes when a new human comes to stay at the house and Arrietty's lust for adventure gets herself and her family into trouble.

Genre: Animated adventure


When you see a Studio Ghibli movie you're pretty much guaranteed for a visual treat. Oh, and I should mention that while Miyazaki didn't actually direct this one, he did write the screenplay.

I really like this movie, but my trouble comes from not being able to properly explain what it is exactly that I like so much about it. I mean, the plot is a very basic by-the-book sort of thing and in some movies that works against them, but in this one...it works. The focus of the movie isn't on the plot, but on the characters and their world. It's one of the most immersive movies I've seen. It's just a joy to look at and see this world of ours from a different perspective. I don't know! It just draws me in! Plus, much like My Neighbor Totoro, I find it to be a very relaxing movie to watch.

Oh! And the English voice acting is actually pretty good in this one. Which is nice to see, especially after the dubbing train-wreck that was Ponyo.

So, yeah. Even though I'm no good at explaining what it is exactly about this movie that captivates me, who cares! It's definitely become one of my favorite Ghibli movies.

“My mother used to tell me stories about the little people that lived under the floors.”

106.

Pacific Rim

In a post apocalyptic world beset upon by giant monsters from a dimensional rift in the ocean, a giant robot pilot has to use a giant robot to help another giant robot save the world.

Genre: Giant Monsters vs Giant Robots type action.


I'm probably going to get some flak for this, but who cares! This movie is very stupid. And I've heard all the "It's cool and fun! It's supposed to be a little stupid!" lines before. I love many stupid things, but this isn't the right kind of stupid. This is trying to be Cool and missing the mark and landing fully in stupid. I mean, if you're going to go mecha you just gotta go for it. You can't be putzing around trying to make it sound like it makes any kind of sense. No one is ever going to build robots that big. It's just not going to happen. Engineering aspects aside, it would be an absurd waste of materials, research, and technology.

There's even one part of the movie that they say that all the monsters have the same base DNA or something. Guess what would be more efficient against that than a robot the size of a fucking building? A frigging biological weapon! In the decade or whatever it took you to develop this robot tech, you could have been putting tons of research and funding into bio weapons, and really fucked up those Kaiju. And what, no one thinks to try and figure out how to plug that dimensional hole until now? Kinda seems like that might be a bigger priority.

Also can we talk about the casting here? There's essentially 1 female character (who is also the only real Asian character) and she's the love interest. What's more their romance is staggeringly forced. It was no legs on it whatsoever. Oh, and right now someone out there is saying "what about that one Russian pilot? She was a woman. And that set of Chinese triplets? They were Asian." And yes, they're right, those characters existed, but guess what? They basically had no lines! They were just background characters who don't matter in the end. Essentially you've got 1 black man, 1 asian woman, and a shit-ton of white dudes saving the world. It's 2013! Can we please, PLEASE, get some diversity in movies? A big chunk of this movie takes place in Hong Kong! What the hell!

This movie had a lot going for it: it's got giant robots, it's got really cool monsters, it's got Charlie Day, Idris Elba, and Ron Perlman! (Ron Perlman, by the way, was the best part of this movie by far and he should have gotten so much more screentime.) Of all the characters I only really like Charlie Day and Perlman's. Okay, I like Rinko's character a lot at first, but they kind of ruined all the great stuff about her as the story progressed. I usually love Elba, but his character in this was just so boringly stereotypical.

In the end, it was really fun seeing giant monsters and robots on the big screen. I could probably be talked into seeing again just because I like monsters. But it is far from being a good movie. Visually interesting movie? Definitely. It reminds me of Tron: Legacy, in that I'd much rather look at an art book from the movie than watch the movie again.

Oh yeah, if you see it be sure to stay for an extra after-credits scene.

“We always thought alien life would come from the stars, but it came from deep beneath the sea; a portal between dimensions in the Pacific Ocean.”

107.*

A Prairie Home Companion

An old-fashioned live radio show is putting on its final show before being shutdown.

Genre: Dramatic comedy.


I once heard a coworker talking about how he was going to do a Robert Altman marathon and watch all his movies, "Except A Prairie Home Companion, of course."

Excuse me?

What a ridiculous thing to say. Altman's direction really shines in this movie and to cast it off seems insulting to such a renowned director. I'm no expert on film making, but Roger Ebert is able to better express this into words (he not only gave the film 4/4 stars, but also put it on his Great Movies list). This movie is amazing and I keep coming back to it again and again.

Perhaps it's one of those movies where you either get it or you don't. I get it and I love it. There's just something distinctly Minnesotan about it for me. It's unusually funny, quietly beautiful, and makes you read between the lines.

It does things differently than the vast majority of movies out there. It's an exploration of Endings. There are no ticking countdowns and no last minute saves, because it's about what happens when things die. Finding the beauty in death is what Winter's all about here and to see a movie subtly tackle those ideas so skillfully is just a real pleasure.

“We come from people who brought us up to believe that life is a struggle, and if you should feel really happy, be patient: this will pass.”

108.*

Mulan

When her elderly father is called to war, Mulan steal his sword and armor, dresses as a man, and joins the army in his place. Now she must not only worry about her secret getting out, but also surviving against a ruthless invading army.

Genre: Disney animation


First of all my roommates all watched this together when I was at work. Not cool, you guys. Not cool at all.

Anyways, you know what? Mulan is much better than I remembered it being. I never thought it was bad or anything, but in my memory Eddie Murphy was a lot worse than he actually was. I rather like him actually. He's a million times better than Disney's usual animal comic-relief sidekicks.

When Mulan came along Disney had been in a pretty big slump. I mean the three Disney movies before this one were: Pocahontas, Hunchback of Notredame, and Hercules. Mulan definitely blows those out of the water. Speaking of which, it's also a ton better than Tarzan which came right after.

For one thing the songs were back at Disney standards. They're a little more comedic and don't try to be as sweeping and epic as the classics, but they're super catchy and fit their scenes perfectly. Heck, "I'll Make a Man out of You" is probably the last Disney movie to have wormed it's way into my memory banks like only a Disney song can.

Plus, you've gotta love that Mulan for how it turned a complete 180 on the whole Disney Princess idea. This film was the first to not only star a female protagonist, but have her be self-reliant, not just in words, but in actions as well. She loves her family deeply, but nonetheless follows her own path in life. Not because of some man, but because of who she is. She's resiliant and rises to the challenges set before her through hard work and determination. She's the one rescuing her "prince" in this movie, and not the other way around.

Sure, I could critique some the film's depictions of Asia, but when it comes right down to it, the things it does right vastly outnumber any qualms I could come up with. When I first saw it I wasn't overly impressed, but it's grows on me more and more as time goes by and now it's a favorite Disney movie of mine.

“I've heard a great deal about you, Fa Mulan. You stole your father's armor, ran away from home, impersonated a soldier, deceived your commanding officer, dishonored the Chinese Army, destroyed my palace, and... you have saved us all. ”

109.*

Hellboy

A young FBI agent named John Myers gets transferred to the Beaureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. More spefically he gets assigned to look out for the B.P.R.D.'s top agent: a demon who was raised as a man, named Hellboy. When the sorcerer who's responsible for Hellboy's entrance to Earth returns with plans to bring about the end of the world, John's assignment starts to look like a much bigger mission than he was ever expecting.

Genre: Light-hearted Paranormal action


What can I say? It's a movie based on a comic by Mike Mignola wherein Ron Perlman plays a man-demon working as a paranormal investigator. There is no way I could not get a kick out of that. I mean, really. If any of that sounds up your alley then you should watch it. If you like Lovecraftian horror, comics, monsters, paranormal action and comedy, or any of the above; then you should watch it.

“My uncle used to say that we like people for their qualities but we love them for their defects.”

110.*

Alien: Resurrection

Centuries after her death, Ripley is cloned by scientists fascinated by the alien creatures. However, they underestimated them. Now it's up to Ripley and a team of space mercenaries to take the aliens out.

Genre: Space...fantasy?


This movie...I just...I don't even know where to begin. It's an interesting movie and there's a lot of memorable stuff going on in it, but it doesn't fit into the Alien franchise at all. It's like...a  weird space-fantasy version of Aliens? I don't know.

Anything I could say has already been said better by Joey Comeau, so really I'd just recommend you read his review if you're interested.

I will say that it's not my favorite of the franchise. It's also not my least favorite. There's a lot of stuff I liked about this movie. My 2 biggest problems with it are these:

1. The final alien creature is so stupid looking! It's got this weird wiggly nose thing? Ugh. It is just so stupid! It looks like something someone made as a joke.

2. These people are frighteningly stupid. I was yelling at the screen through a lot of it. I mean, they're fighting for their lives and yet they keep taking really, really stupid chances. For instance: Hauling around a wheelchair bound guy on your back while a pack of vicious aliens are after you? Noble? Yeah, but also pretty damn stupid. Especially when it comes time to climb a huge ladder. Also, maybe I'm heartless, but if you find some dude who's got an alien parasite in his chest, who could at any moment pop out a killer monster, you should probably kill him. And by Probably I really mean Definitely. At the very least leave him to die on his own. Sure you might be able to save him, but really!? You're fighting for your lives! You probably won't survive and he is not helping your odds one bit! Sure, once again it's a very noble act, but also really fucking stupid!

I can't imagine anyone watching this if they haven't watched the other ones. If you're like me and you're a fan of the Alien movies then OF COURSE you should see this. If you haven't seen the other movies then this one will probably be Super bizarre for you.


Fun Fact: In the movie Sigourney Weaver makes a behind-the-back half-court basketball shot and she really did it! Not only that, but she did so on her first take! Ron Perlman was so amazed that he broke character and nearly ruined it.

“Hey, Ripley. I heard you, like, ran into these things before?”

“That's right.”

“Wow, man. So, like, what did you do?”

“I died. ”

 

Postcards: Deep Blue Sea

I love Deep Blue Sea. How could anyone not like a movie where LL Cool J, Samuel L. Jackson, and Thomas Jane fight super intelligent killer sharks!? It's just not possible.

Movie List 2013: 81-95

The continuing list of all the movies I've watched this year.

There might be some occasional swearing, because I just love movies so much frickin' much!

* = rewatched

? = I probably have seen it before, but honestly can't really remember

81.

Species

An alien signal sends us genetic blueprints for a human/alien hybrid, but the resulting creation breaks free from the scientists who created it. Now the creature—in the form of a usually topless woman—is fueled by a need to breed. The government puts together a team of various experts in order to hunt her down.

Genre: Sci-Fi for Teen Boys


This is another one of those movies that I keep hearing references to and decided to see what it was all about. I was expecting it to be like Mimic meets Splice. But it was more like...Splice meets...Aliens 3? I dunno, I'm not sure how to describe it.

The beginning of the movie is by far the most interesting. The fascinating thing about the creature is that she's been raised in a lab with minimal contact with anyone. She looks human and she's only seen other humans, but she slowly begins to realize that she's different somehow. Now that's compelling! The story of a little girl who's on the run from people very people who created her? Who's trying to figure out who and what she is? That's a great story and it could work in a number of ways. She could be the main character, or it could be just like it is with her being the antagonist. I mean, the antagonist being a little girl? A profoundly dangerous little girl who can't help it? I'm loving it. Someone please make a Splice+Hanna, or possibly a Splice+Looper.

Yet, of course, soon after she escapes she goes into an alien cocoon and emerges as a stark naked 20-something woman. At this point the film begins its gradual descent into just a monster flick for teenage-boys. They deal a little bit with the creature's ignorance and curiosity about these new feelings she's having, but mostly they just use them as an excuse to steer her into action scenes and reasons to be topless. Which is a pity, because if they really wanted to go down this path they could have made it an interesting sci-fi look at sexuality. I mean this half-human is going through all these changes and has all these new urges and she's kind of scared and excited and confused all at once. Run with that! But alas! They just touch on these things briefly and then twist them into excuses for actions scenes and explosions and whatnot.

Spoiler alert: Nipple tentacles? Say what!?!

82.

Sign Painters

A documentary about sign painters.

Genre: Documentary


I saw this was playing at the local microcinema and was intrigued. I proceeded to watch the trailer and then I obviously had to see it. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it surpassed my expectations! It was really interesting. It was very well made and it really makes you think about something you might have never thought about before. Makes you look at the world a little differently. I mean, what more could you want from a documentary? I highly recommend it.

83.

Rear Window

A photojournalist is stuck in full leg casts after an accident. Since it's difficult for him to get out-and-about he spends his time looking out his window into the courtyard to spy on the neighbors. Unfortunately he starts seeing things he shouldn't and his mind starts trying to create stories to explain them. But are his theories based in reality or are they just the products of his unhealthy obsession?

Genre: Thriller


I've always meant to watch this one and have just never gotten around to it. Until now! Although, admittedly, it's strange to watch it now because so many things have referenced / made homages to it  [The most noteworthy being The Simpsons' brilliant episode "Bart of Darkness."] that I basically knew the story already.

First of all, this movie says it stars "James Stewart." Really? You can't outrun the "Jimmy", Mr. Stewart. You're not fooling anyone.

Second of all, I had a lot of trouble relating to this guy. He spends a lot of time moping about how his girlfriend is too perfect. Ugh! Don't you hate that? When you have a beautiful, intelligent woman who both adores you and has tons of cash? Gross, right? There is literally a scene where said beautiful woman is trying to make out with him and he's all like, "Not now! I'm trying to spy on the neighbors." WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Make out with your sexy girlfriend, you jag!

Okay, I realize that I'm hung up on that aspect and that the movie isn't really about that, but still!

The movie itself is very well done and it's shot in a really interesting way. They had a huge set for the courtyard where you can see all the various neighbors going about their business all the time. It's something you'd never see nowadays and it was very visually interesting. Kind of like something you'd expect to see in a play.

The premise is pretty great too. As a mystery it's an interesting twist. Here's this guy and he has all this circumstantial evidence, but he can't actually investigate anything by himself. Plus on a deeper level it raises some interesting questions about life in the city and about privacy.

84.*

Shaun of the Dead

A lovable pair of losers try to survive a zombie outbreak.

Genre: Zombie Comedy


Oh, what can one even say about a movie like Shaun of the Dead? I usually don't have to, because all my friends have seen it. Thus I've never had to hone the skill of selling it to someone who hasn't.

I could see someone never giving this movie a try because they might not like horror movies. On it's surface I could easily see someone thinking this is either a scary movie or just a movie for zombie-nerds and thus not for them. But it's not! Sure there are zombies in it. And yes, there are a lot of little references to classic zombie movies, but all the references are such lovingly subtle nods that you won't even realize there's anything you're missing.

At its heart it's a comedy. What's more it's a brilliant comedy. It's a comedy about a loser in a dead-end job who's life is a bit of a mess. A loser whose best friend is an even bigger loser. These two unlikely guys are thrust into an impossible situation that requires cunning, smarts, physical agility: all the things they have none of. Come on, that sounds like a situation rife with comedy, right?

We can't all be like Die Hard's John McClane. If shit went down it's fair to say that most of us are going to stumble around trying to live up to the ideals we see in movies and then just utterly fail. And that's what makes Shaun of the Dead so endearing and so hilarious. We can see ourselves in these characters who are entirely out of their league and just trying their best. Hell, we all feel that way sometimes.

So if you're that person who's never bothered to see it because you don't like horror and zombies, I think you should reconsider. Yes, there are one or two moments that might gross you out a bit, but they're extremely brief. I've shown the movie to a number of people who don't like horror movies at all and they've all loved it. It's just a truly an outstanding comedy.

85.*

The Emperor's New Groove

A selfish emperor's advisor tries to poison him and take the throne. However, she accidentally transforms him into a llama. Shennanigans!

Genre: Animated comedy


I have a soft spot for the Disney movies that break out of the Disney mold. It's not a musical, the character designs are much more stylized, and even the humor is different. Most Disney movies have lots of funny parts and jokes, but at their heart they're still tales of romance or adventure. The Emperor's New Groove, however, is definitely a comedy. And it's hilarious!

I love it. The characters are all so much fun and their voice actors are fantastic! I mean look at the main lineup: John Goodman, David Spade, Eartha Kitt, and Patrick Warburton. Umm...Yes, please.

It's animated, it's silly, and it's just a lot of fun.

86.*

Going Postal

Notorious conman Moist von Lipwig is apprehended and given a choice by the city's Patrician: either he can hang for his crimes or...become the new Postmaster for the city's delapatated Post Office?

Genre: Fantasy/Comedy book adaptation


This is a tough one to talk about, because it's based on a book I love. And the maddening thing about it is that it both gets so many things right, but it also gets so many things wrong! What? WHAT?

[Warning: If you haven't read the book then I'm not even going to talk to you right now. Who watches Discworld movies without having read the books? Seriously. Go read a book you bum.]

Okay, so first of all the casting is amazing. Especially Adora and Moist who are just perfect.

My main problem is this:

In the movie Moist is said to be directly responsible for not only Adora's father losing control of his company, but also her smoking addiction. This is just way too much of a TV coincidence. "What? The drama going on at home just happens to be a direct parallel to the drama going on at work? Again? What are the odds?" And the cigarette thing? Talk about over-the-top. They even have a flashback scene where her family is all in trouble because of losing the company and she goes to the store and reaches for some chocolate, but then decides to have a pack of smokes instead. ACK! Someone perform the Heimlich, because that piece of cheese is lodged in my throat.

However, I do like how the movie put Adora much more front and center than the book did.

Also, the movie gives Ankh-Morpork a weird Victorian London vibe that I don't really care for, because it's very different from the older era fantasy feel I get from the books. But that's a minor quibble, so, whatever.

But...yeah, I dunno. If you like the book I think you should definitely watch the movie. Would someone who has never read Going Postal or perhaps hasn't read any of Terry Pratchett's brilliant Discworld books like the movie? I honestly have no idea. Make your significant other watch it with you and find out, I guess?

87.*

The Brave Little Toaster

A group of abandoned appliances go on a journey to find their old master.

Genre: Animated kids movie


When it's your best friend's birthday and he wants to watch all The Brave Little Toaster movies with his friends, then gosh-darn-it, that's what's going to happen.

Oddly my memories of this movie only included the 2nd half. I always seem to forget the whole part where the appliances journey through the woods to get to the city in search of their master. Which reflects poorly on me, because apparently that is a large part of the movie.

It's kind of a creepy movie though, right? I mean the idea of all your toys being alive is bad enough, but if all your appliances are alive? That's just spooky. You couldn't throw anything out without being a murderer!

Also, I know I shouldn't be thinking too much about a cartoon like this, but how come sometimes they need electricity and sometimes they don't? Kirby needs it to move, but the others can waddle/hop around all they want?

Like any old animated movie from a non-Disney studio it's an interesting movie. What's more a lot of the original Pixar people worked on it and while it certainly isn't Pixar quality, you can kind of see things brewing in it.

88.*

The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars

A motley crew of appliances journey to Mars in order to save their master's baby after it gets abducted by Martians.

Genre: Low budget direct-to-video sequel


Okay, no one agrees with me about this, but this is the best of the 3. And I'll tell you why!

#1 The songs are much better. They're catchier and they're performed by people who can actually sing. (The last part there kind of makes a big difference).

and #2 It's absolutely ridiculous! They get to MARS by popping microwave popcorn in a laundry basket strapped to a ceiling fan. I can't stress that enough: A ceiling fan powered by a microwave popping popcorn and fastened to a laundry basket with rope is their vehicle to Mars! WHAT?! The whole thing is so absolutely and thoroughly absurd that I can't help but to love it. It's so dumb it's immediately memorable. It's like something a little kid would come up with. And the hearing aid's origin story? Hahaha.

Priceless.

89.?

The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue

A veterinary student's appliances try to save their master's animals from being sold to a lab by his treacherous assistant. Oh, and they also try to recover his thesis, because a computer glitch deleted it and he was dumb enough not to have a backup.

Genre: The worst kind of animated sequel


Okay this is where things get weird. Chronologically this is actually the second movie. But I always thought it was the 3rd one! Because it was released 3rd! WHAT? What makes this even weirder is that Goes to Mars has references to this movie by means of a rat and super computer who are characters introduced in this one! Are you as confused by this as I am?

Anyways, worst of the 3! By far. Not even close. The songs are stupid, the plot is stupid, every single one of the characters is stupid. And not stupid in a good way like Goes to Mars! No. Stupid in a painful way. The kind of way that makes you want to slap everyone.

Also, I'm sorry to go back to this nitpicking thing, but how come Radio dies when he takes out his tube? Lampy doesn't die when his bulb is removed. The other appliances don't die when they're unplugged. The first movie had cars with no engines in the junkyard who weren't dead. The lifeforce of these beings boggles my brain a bit. There are no rules!

90.

Goodfellas

The story of Henry Hill's life with the mob.

Genre: Mob story


My friend Hannah said this was her favorite movie, so I watched it!

I usually don't really go in for mob movies. Truth be told I've never even seen any of The Godfather movies. "Gasp," says the readers. But what can I say? The mob really doesn't interest me all that much. And despite that I enjoyed this one!

I don't know what to say. Not being a fan of the genre I'm kind of left without much of anything to compare it to. It's well shot, it's well acted, it's very well paced, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm especially impressed with the unusual way the story is put together. If you see one mob movie this year: make it Goodfellas. Why not? It's rated Grade-A Hannah's choice, after all.

91.*

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

(1990)

An evil organization of hoodlum ninja thieves is causing trouble in New York City and the only ones who can stop them are a reporter, a sports-equipment enthusiast, and a family of mutated turtle ninjas led by their mutated rat father.

Genre: 90s Action/Adventure Comedy


Oh, this movie. I had this movie on VHS as a kid and I watched it a lot. It's so good!

Also, did you know that a young Sam Rockwell is in this movie?! I never realized this until now.

Once again, I feel weird telling you about a movie like this. I'm sure its target audience has already seen it. But what if you haven't? I'm a big turtles fan so I'm rather biased, but I'll try to tell what makes it great.

While the movie is for kids and has plenty of humor, the story is taken seriously. The premise is rather silly, but the actual story is very well-told. What's more, it gets surprisingly dark. When I was a kid this movie always stood out in my mind because of that. I don't want to spoil anything, but there's a part of the movie where the turtle's lose! And it's their rise from defeat that always made the story stand out in my mind. The cartoons and comics and everything were great, but this movie managed to give the franchise so much heart and emotion.

Plus the turtles themselves were done by Jim Hensen's Creature Shop and are extremely well-done. The practical effects give the story so much more oomph and really let you connect to the characters more. The whole thing just has this perfect balance between fantastically silly & realistically interesting.

92.*

Notting Hill

A famous American movie actress falls for a dopey British bookseller.

Genre: Romantic Comedy


What can I say? This is a favorite rom-com of mine. I know, I know! Its premise sounds woefully like the set-up to an incredibly generic rom-com and its trailer makes it seem the same way. BUT IT'S NOT! I mean, sure, it is a romantic comedy and you know how it's gonna end at the start, but how it gets you there is delightful.

#1 The character's are so wonderfully fleshed out. Even the exaggerated characters seem believable. Special props go to Hugh Grant's character who is delightfully unassuming.

#2 The writing is top notch. It was written by Richard Curtis who wrote for Mr. Bean as well as the romance Love Actually. So if you imagine those two things put together you've got a good idea of what to expect.

#3 Dylan Moran (Bernard from Black Books & David from Shaun of the Dead) is in a scene where he plays a man who puts a book down his pants. I feel I should mention that because I know people who've seen this movie just because of that. Heck, I can't quite remember, but my first memory of this movie was seeing it when my friend Sonja wanted to watch it for that very reason. So that very well could be why I saw it to begin with.

#4 The humor is very down-to-Earth in its setup. One of the things that made Mr. Bean so great was that the humor wasn't imposed on the scenes like it would be in something like...The Marx Brothers or The 3 Stooges. There's no string of one-liners for the sake of one-liners. No bumbling slapstick. Mr Bean's humor came out of the situation. They'd set Mr. Bean loose in a situation and they'd find the humor in it; this movie is very similar.

A lot of Romantic Comedies will set-up some elaborate joke for the sake of laughs even though it's incredibly staged. Like...oh, I dunno. Like the bit in Fever Pitch where they go to a baseball game and a foul ball hits Drew Barrymore in the face? Or...the bits in How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days where Kate Hudson is going over the top to try and drive Matthew McConaughey away? Notting Hill, however, has jokes like...Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts are taking an evening stroll and see a pretty little park in a gated community, so on a whim she suggests they hop the fence and check it out. Hugh Grant's character, however, is woefully not the physical sort, but wants to impress her and while attempting to scale the fence he slips back down and goes "Whoopsidaisies!" And she playfully ribs him for it.

"What did you you say?"

"Nothing."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"You said 'Whoopsidaisies.'"

"I don't think so. No one says 'whoopsidaisies' do they? Unless they're..."

"There is no unless. No one has said 'whoopsidaisies' for fifty years and even then it was only little girls with blonde ringlets."

"Exactly. Here we go again.
[he slips down the fence again]

"Whoopsidaisies!

"...It's a disease I've got. It's a clinical thing. I'm taking pills and having injections. It won't last long."

I mean look at that! I can see that happening. I mean you try to impress someone and you end up failing in front of them instead, and you're so embarrassed that your brain farts and you say something ridiculous? Umm, yeah, we've all been there right? And then someone playfully ribs you about it? Exactly. You try again, because maybe a victory will end your shame, but you screw up again and you say that exact same stupid thing because it's in your head now! Yes. That's how it goes. It's both hilarious and relatable.


What can I say here? You're just gonna have to take my word for it. Or don't. Whatever! The premise might be exaggerated, but the interactions and beats between the characters is very true to life. The best romances are the ones you can relate to aren't they? There are so many memorable moments and the jokes are funny and seem like real dialogue.

93.

The Hunger Games

In the country of Paneem a randomly selected boy and girl from each of the 12 districts must take part in televised battle to the death. After her sister is chosen to take part, Katniss Everdeen volunteers in order to take her place.

Genre: uhhh...Young Adult distopian romance?


As a lot of my friends know, I have some issues with this franchise. It comes down to the fact that I think the story they're telling is interesting and worth telling, but that it tries too hard to be something its not.

Admittedly the movie fixes a couple of the problems I had with the book and I think the actors in it all did a good job. The problem I have with the movie is that it kinds of points out how ridiculous it all is? I mean, let's not kid around here, this story isn't new. Ever hear about Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery?" How about the Japanese cult classic Battle Royale? "The Lottery" deals with issues of conformity and an indictment of small town thinking that breeds it. Battle Royale, however, embraces the violence of it all. Dealing with how different people would handle the situations. Some embrace it, others seek to team up, others try to stay out of it, and so on. And what I'm getting at here, is that I'm not sure what The Hunger Games is bringing to the table.

I say the first book has merit because it's the only one that comes close to being about something. It's not quite about a cruel government and fiendish upper class taking advantage of the poor. It's not quite an indictment of the media. It's not quite a romance. It's not quite an action/adventure. It's kind of a lot of things, but it tries to be everything and ends up not succeeding at being anything.

I dunno. I'm admittedly rather harsh on it. But that's just because there's a lot there that I liked, so it bothers me all the more when it doesn't live up to its potential. In my mind The Hunger Games should have been about familial love. The core of the story should be about a sister who is willing to go to any lengths (no matter how horrific) in order to save her sister. But as the story goes on it loses sight of that. It starts being about dreamy boys, and snobby rich kids. It's becomes a full-fledged high school melodrama played on a larger scale.

Oh no! I got partnered up with the quiet kid next door for this project. What! Now he's hanging out with the rich cool kids who are mean to everyone. And don't get me started on adults!

Just. Ugh. No. Why did you go down this road? WHY?!

94.*

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Sarah Conner has been put in an insane asylum for claiming that a robot from the future came back in time to kill her so that her son John (who's now living with foster parents) would never be born and thus could never lead the future human resistance against the robots. As crazy as that sounds...she's telling the truth. And she'd better get out of there soon, because the robots have sent back another assassin to kill her son and John's gonna need all the help he can get.

Genre: Action with a Sci-Fi edge


Ooooh, who's got two thumbs and got to see this on the big screen? Yeah, that's right. This guy! Gotta love midnight movie series, amiright?

Anyways, I love Terminator 2!

Unlike the first one where Sarah Conner is a total damsel in distress, in this one she's a total badass. She becomes a really interesting character in this one, because she's tough and capable and intelligent, but she's also seen to have real emotions (and you rarely see that in action stars, don't you think?).

It also deals with some interesting questions: Can the future be changed or is it set in stone? Is it right to punish someone for something they haven't done? What makes humanity worth saving? On top of all that it's just a great action movie. A robotic killing machine is the role Arnold Schwarzengger was born to play.

95.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Deformed bell-ringer Quasimodo falls in love with a beautiful gypsy woman who sees him for his inner beauty. However, she just likes him as a friend and would rather smooch the dude who's both nice AND good-looking. Oh, and some stuff about Quasimodo's sexually frustrated caretaker who keeps trying to burn people alive.

Genre: Disney


Disney...you make some amazing movies, but damn...you make some really terrible ones too.

I mean, honestly, it's trying to have a message about the importance of inner beauty and being true to yourself and it just fails miserably. Quasimodo doesn't get the girl, the man who raised him dies horrifically after trying to kill said girl (dick or not he was still the only father he ever knew), Paris is lit in flames...do I need to go on? This is a kind of fucked-up movie. You can slap all the doofy gargoyles and happy songs you want on this sow, but it doesn't cover up the smell.

Much like Pocahontas Hunchback has one shining moment. For Pocahontas it was "Colors of the Wind" and for Hunchback it's "Hellfire." So, yeah..that one part was pretty good. The rest? Not so much.