Two Guys One Movie A Day

A New Year's Resolution is Completed with Gone with the Wind (1939)

2011-12-31T16:07:00.000-08:00

For my final movie of the year, I saved another classic for last. Today's film is the 4 hour epic Gone with the Wind. About a spoiled girl who always gets her way when the American Civil War comes to her home lands of the south. Starring Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara and Clark Gable as Rhett Butler, Gone with the Wind is one of the biggest classics in all of film history. I wasn't entirely sure what I would think of it, especially after being disappointed with Magnolia. I expected something similar in scale to Doctor Zhivago (which I liked) since that was also an old classic, but then again, this film is quite a bit older than that. To put it another way, I had some ideas of what to expect, but my expectations still weren't that high. You'll find my thoughts on this 1939 classic on the other side of the jump. And with this, I have completed my goal to watch one new movie everyday, for the whole year. Have a Happy New Year everyone!

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End it all off with "Despicable Me" (2010)

2011-12-31T14:53:00.000-08:00

A time not so long ago (January of 2011), I told myself that if I was to see any movie in 3D, it would be "Despicable Me". Sadly that isn't the case, I didn't get the chance to see it with the extra dimension. 3D televisions are too expensive and they aren't showing it at any theatres around me. Nonetheless, I still couldn't go the year without seeing this one. Hopefully I can still enjoy it without the extra visual enhancements.

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Magnolia (1999)

2011-12-30T15:23:00.000-08:00

I've heard Magnolia referred to as one of the best films of all time; a modern day classic. That's a lot of hype to go into a movie with, but with such praise, I couldn't ignore it either. I've put this film off for so long because of the huge amount of expectations I had for it, and also because it's another long movie; a running theme with these final films. This movie also has a gigantic cast that is going to be difficult just to list, let alone explain all the roles. Hit the jump to see if I was convinced of Magnolia's greatness, or if it was perhaps over hyped just a little too much.

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Force Fed Films: We Own the Night (2007)

2011-12-29T23:55:00.000-08:00

For my final entry into the Force Fed Film category, I was really sure that Puneet would finally make all his threats a reality, and make me watch House of Wax, but in the end he was merciful and instead gave me a film with one of my most hated actors, Mark Wahlberg. That movie was We Own the Night, and it also stars Joaquin Phoenix, Eva Mendes and Robert Duvall. The simple addition of Eva Mendes made me think that maybe this movie wouldn't be so bad, as I've got a bit of a thing for her. Was this movie just another Mark Wahlberg crap show, an Eva Mendes gawking party, or a serious crime drama starring Joaquin Phoenix? Hit the jump to find out.

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Force Fed Films: "A Serbian Film" (2010)

2011-12-29T20:35:00.000-08:00

I have a strange interest towards films that stretch beyond the norm. I slowly grew an appreciation for Miike Takashi after watching "Ichi the Killer". So now I'm hoping that Jim would deliver great WTF movie. Though he did warn me that this was going to be a lot more worse than just gore and killing. I thought I was ready when I saw necrophilia in another Miike Takashi movie, it really can't get worse than that, right? Well it does, and well I'll try not to be too graphic, but I ain't keeping this PG with "A Serbian Film".

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Ben-Hur (1959)

2011-12-28T22:32:00.000-08:00

Today I took the dive into one of the biggest classics that I knew of: Ben-Hur. This was one of the movies I had been intending on watching ever since I started this whole movie watching project, but I kept putting it off because it's over 3 hours long. Not only that, but 50's movies aren't known for being the most action-packed. Oh yeah, one more thing. This was yet another movie that pretty much just proved how ignorant I can be about old classics, and also why I started doing all this to start with. So what was I so unaware this time? That this was a religious film. I thought it was just about Rome, gladiators and chariot races. I got a little bit more than I bargained for. Hit the jump for my impressions.

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"Lord of the Ring: The Return of the King" (2003)

2011-12-28T07:39:00.001-08:00

To finish off the trilogy I started, which feels like ages ago, was only actually 2 months ago, I watched "The Return of the King". I've been eager to see this movie, but the time investment of putting aside 3 and a half hours for a film is a bit more difficult than I thought. Thankfully for the long Christmas break, I had a chance to catch up and finally finish off this epic trilogy. Hopefully the last movie will answer the questions the first two brought up, does Frodo destroy the ring? Is Gollum really helping the Hobbits along? Will Sauron win his final war on Middle Earth? Will Sam and Frodo finally kiss? All this and more after the break.

Never Enough Paul Newman: The Sting (1973)

2011-12-27T23:30:00.000-08:00

Today I almost went to the theater, but it all kinda fell apart and I took the opportunity to watch a movie with my friend that I've been wanting to see before the year was out. That would be 7 time Oscar winner The Sting starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. This pair was also teamed up in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and once I found out they were in another movie together, I knew I'd have to see it. The fact that it's set in the 1930s, with a gangsters and gamblers sort of theme, that just made it sound all the more intriguing. Hit the jump and see what I thought of what will likely be my final Paul Newman film of the year.

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The Final Poll: Million Dollar Baby (2004)

2011-12-26T23:00:00.000-08:00

This was the last poll of the year. It landed on "Boxing Day" up here in Canada, so I thought why not have the poll be about boxing, even though the holiday doesn't actually have anything to do with the sport at all. There just weren't enough Christmas movies that I wasn't already going to watch, or hadn't already seen, but there were plenty of boxing movies we never got around to seeing. One of those movies was the winner of the poll, Million Dollar Baby. I knew this was a popular movie, but I didn't know how popular until I looked it up and realized that it won the Oscars for Best Actress, Best Supporting Male, Best Director, and Best Picture of the Year! That would be a lot to live up to, but don't worry, I didn't find any of that out until after I watched it. Hit the jump for my thoughts on this Clint Eastwood directed, produced, and acted in film.

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Poll Position: "Million Dollar Baby"

2011-12-26T21:15:00.000-08:00

It is sad to think that it took a poll for me to watch "Million Dollar Baby". It was on my list, but it kept on being moved down. Especially after watching "Gran Torino" and "Mystic River", it kept giving more and more excuses to see this. I slowly came to the conclusion that not only did I adore Clint Eastwood as an actor, but as a director also. He has this style, both as an actor and a director, which I've never been able to put a finger on it but it has always drew me in. But yes, thankfully I am finally getting to see this, hopefully it lives up to my expectations.

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It's A Wonderful Life (1946) Merry Christmas Everybody!

2011-12-25T21:32:00.000-08:00

I've heard dozens of times that the best Christmas movie ever is It's A Wonderful Life. That combined with never having seen it myself meant it had to be the movie I watched on Christmas day. I had very little idea what the movie was really about, so when I was suddenly face to face with a movie all about the finacial struggles of a small town, and one man's desperate struggles to keep it afloat, I didn't really know what to think about it. One thing is for sure, this is a far more relavant movie for the times than I think many would realize. So did this Christmas classic warm my heart and make me believe in the spirit of the season, or simply bore me to sleep? Hit the jump for my first time thoughts on this 1946 Christmas classic!

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"Chasing Amy" (1997)

2011-12-25T11:04:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! A while back Jim forced me to watch "An Evening With Kevin Smith", after watching this I was motivated to catch up on some of his other movies. So when Netflix Canada recently got "Chasing Amy" I needed to check this out. I did like the Clerks series which I saw earlier this year, and I was hoping it to be more like that. But this is a Kevin Smith movie and I haven't found one I hated so far.

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Have a Merry Christmas with Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

2011-12-24T22:02:00.000-08:00

Today, being Christmas Eve, seemed like the perfect day to remedy my error a few days ago. I had mistakenly watched the remake of the 1947 Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street, when I had meant to watch the original. I don't think I'm the only one who might make that mistake though. Even talking to a friend the other day that I was going to watch this film, he assumed I meant the 1994 remake, and advised me against it. When I clarified that I'd be watching the original, he gave me permission to go ahead, haha. So did this Christmas classic set the perfect tone for the big day tomorrow? Hit the jump to find out!

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One Last Nick Cage Movie: Matchstick Men (2003)

2011-12-23T22:24:00.000-08:00

For the longest time I had a particular Nicolas Cage movie in the back of my head, and it was this mystery movie that I originally thought would be Adaptation, but that turned out to be a different film. Finally I found out that the movie I had been thinking of all this time was Matchstick Men. I always remembered seeing a trailer of Cage having all these nervous ticks and twitches, and trying to be a con artist at the same time. I finally found it, and so I decided to watch that instead of a dusty old drama, because dammit, I can do whatever I want, and I've wanted to see this movie for a loooong time. Hit the jump to find my thoughts on this long anticipated movie of mine.

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Force Fed Films: Rebel Without A Cause (1955)

2011-12-22T23:30:00.000-08:00

The movie Puneet made me watch today was James Dean's Rebel Without A Cause. I've never seen a James Dean movie as far as I know, but it makes sense as he wasn't in very many due to his unfortunate early demise. I wasn't sure what to expect from this film. Is it famous just because it was one of his few films, or because it was actually good? I remember hearing that he had a massive amount of fans, but I think that was basically because he was one of those "heart throb" guys back in the day. Kinda like the Beatles I think, but on a smaller scale. Anyways, you'll find my thoughts after the jump.

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Force Fed Films: "Gremlins" (1984)

2011-12-22T20:21:00.001-08:00

To say "Gremlins" is a Christmas movie is like saying "Die Hard" is a Christmas movie. Although the two have nothing to do with the holiday itself, both movies take place during the holiday. I would like to say that Jim was shocked that I hadn't seen "Gremlins", but over the year he has probably grown accustomed to me not seeing some of these big name movies. So as the big 25th draws nearer and nearer, it would be only be fitting that I start watching Christmas movies. So lets start this right with my thoughts on "Gremlins".

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How to Steal a Million (1966)

2011-12-21T21:48:00.000-08:00

I found How to Steal a Million one day while looking up great comedy pairings. I was actually looking up Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, but among the comedy pairs was Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole. That was months ago, but today was finally the day that this film called out to me louder than the others (also because a lot of the other movies I have to watch are 4+ hours long!). I'd only ever seen Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, so I was eager to see her in another film. Likewise, I haven't seen O'Toole in many rolls besides Lawrence of Arabia, so that was also a draw. Hit the jump to find out if this is possibly something you might also want to seek out.

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Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

2011-12-20T23:30:00.000-08:00

I had planned on watching Miracle on 34th Street ever since the beginning. I really wanted to see all those classic old Christmas movies that I had never gotten around to seeing, and that was my plan today. I had a moment of confusion when I looked up this movie when the first one that I pulled up was the 1994 remake, as I had thought it was an old black and white movie. I shrugged my shoulders and figured I was just confusing it with some thing else. That's how I ended up watching what I moments ago found out with my own eyes that this was a remake, and the original was from 1947. Well, too late now. So how was the 1994 remake of Miracle on 34th Street without having ever seen the original? Hit the jump for this little bit of an experiment!

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Poll Position: "Air Force One" (1997)

2011-12-20T17:33:00.000-08:00

I'm sort of late with this one but excuse my tardiness. Similarly to Jim I did have some high expectations going into watching "Air Force One" but what really hooked me was when I was 12, I actually saw a short clip of this before that really drew me in. It was just a scene with Harrison Ford cappin' some fools with his AK47 or some kind of assault rifle. Nevertheless, I always got the feeling the movie was going to be like Speed II but on a plane. And being a nineties action movie, it can't be all that bad?

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Poll Position: Air Force One (1997)

2011-12-19T21:46:00.000-08:00

I would also just like to say that this marks my 365th movie of the year. That's right, I've watched 1 year's worth of movies before the year is even over! That's mostly because there were a few days where I watched 2 movies in 1 day, but we're not done yet. There's still 12 more days to go, and I plan on accomplishing my 2011 New Year's Resolution of watching a new movie everyday for a full year!

Last week's Harrison Ford poll was quickly and decisively won with a bunch of votes for Air Force One, and after that hardly any more votes came in to try to challenge it. I was actually kinda happy with this result, because I have always thought I should see Air Force One, if just because it has Harrison Ford in it. My thoughts after the jump, but I warn you, there are SPOILERS in here.

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Now Playing: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)

2011-12-18T23:51:00.000-08:00

While I hadn't really intended on seeing Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, it seems that was always my fate. After hearing so many... less than great reports about Sherlock, I had pretty much put it out of my mind. Unsure on what movie I would see today while hanging out with a friend, we were contacted by other friends that were going to go see it, and asked if we would all like to meet up. Since I had no other decent options in mind, and not one to turn down friends, I decided to give it a fair shot. You've already heard Puneet's thoughts, but how did I feel about it? Find out on the other side of the break.

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This is a "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol"

2011-12-18T20:27:00.000-08:00

I'm a nineties kid, I lived about three months in the 80's and missed out on a lot of cool action movies. Thankfully the 90's had it share of great action movies such as Speed and Mission Impossible but I like to think that the 90's were all about the sequels: T2, Die Hard 2, etc. One thing I did not miss out on was Mission Impossible, the epic combination of espionage, spy gadgets and Tom Cruise (before his crazy days) was something that I loved. Kind of explains why I was so excited to see the fourth movie of the sequel comes out. I got together with Septicor and we watched this amazing movie in Ultra AVX, amazing.

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Now Playing: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

2011-12-17T23:00:00.000-08:00

Before I started this whole project of watching a movie every day, I had already started wanting to catch up on movies that I had missed out on. Because of this, last year I burned through quite a few titles that I had missed, Mission: Impossible 3 being one of them. It had shocked me with how great it was, and so when I heard there was going to be a fourth film, I was very excited. Today I got the chance to check out Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol with a friend. While I didn't get to see it in IMAX, I did see it in Cineplex Ultra AVX, which is sort of an IMAXlight. So should you head out to see the latest Mission: Impossible film? Hit the jump and find out!

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Now Playing: "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows"

2011-12-17T12:34:00.000-08:00

When "Sherlock Holmes" came out two years ago, I was extremely excited to see Arthur Doyles creation come to life. Although it did have it's flaw and I really didn't think think that the Holmes I saw on screen is who I pictured him as reading him in the books. The movie itself was pleasant with the mystery and of course the solution. I was ever so much more excited when I heard the news of the second movie, though faintly feeling a bit unsure if the movie would hold up to the first. Nonetheless, off I was to the theatre to see Downey Jr. cross dress and Law posses a mustache in "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows".
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Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

2011-12-16T23:24:00.000-08:00

Another western today. I just can't help it. They're awesome! I think this was recommended to me by someone months and months ago. I think we even put it on a poll, but it never won, so I've taken matters into my own hands and watched Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Paul Newman has been one of those actors that before this year I had never seen him in a single thing. That changed quite a bit and I've now seen several of his movies, many of them very good. I had pretty high hopes for this film simply because he was in it. Find out if I was let down, or justified in my hopes on the other side of the jump!

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"The Hustler" (1961)

2011-12-16T22:03:00.001-08:00

Earlier this month I got to see "Rounders", a movie about gambling, poker and the intensity behind it. Our long time reader, Septicor, recommended that I see "The Hustler". I really wasn't going to let a Paul Newman movie pass by me so easily. Luckily enough the movie popped up as Netflix suggested that I should also watch it. Now I know the rating scale on Netflix might not be super accurate, but it said I would rate this a 3.7/5. Not a bad mark at all. Than again, it thought "The Happening" was a 3/5 for me, so what does it know? Maybe it knows I like Marky Mark, this could be a problem.

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Force Fed Films: Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

2011-12-15T22:01:00.000-08:00

Puneet decided that to get me in the festive spirit, he would make me watch Christmas with the Kranks. I'm not entirely sure why I've never ended up seeing this at some point. I'm sure it's aired on TV somewhere every year, and Tim Allen certainly has a lot of Christmas movies under his belt. It has a cast of some great actors, so even though it looks like a pretty mediocre movie, I'm still kinda surprised I just haven't stumbled across it at some point. Will this movie get you in the Christmas spirit? I'll give my thoughts after the jump.

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Force Fed Films: "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993)

2011-12-15T21:01:00.000-08:00

I think "The Nightmare Before Christmas" has been on Jim's list of movies that Puneet-needs-to-watch-before-the-year-ends for a while now. And it is only appropriate that he forces this movie onto me only ten days before Christmas. Jim isn't the only one that has been harping on me to see this movie. A good friend of mine is disgusted that I've never even tried to see this. Both of them have praised this movie on the catchy songs, the unique styling and fun animations. Only recently have I seen musicals in a new light, before I've immediately tossed them away as being too 'girly' for my taste. I got to keep my up manly image as an internet tough guy, you know? Sadly this means I had pretty high expectations going into this movie, while being fearful that nostalgia might be why this movie lingers in my friends' mind why this movie is so great.

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Akira Kurosawa's YOJIMBO (1961)

2011-12-14T22:14:00.000-08:00

Today I decided I wanted a little more samurai in my life. The easiest way to accomplish that was to watch Akira Kurosawa'a Yojimbo. I didn't know much about the film, but I'm familiar with the word "yojimbo" which translates to "bodyguard". I figured it would be about a samurai protecting someone, and probably there would be some sword slashing action scenes. I'm also well aware how famous and popular this particular film is, so that's also why I chose to watch it. It was also Akira Kurosawa who directed Seven Samuri which I quite enjoyed back in May. I had some high hopes for this one, and I was confident that it would hold up, since Seven Samurai did just fine, and it is even older. More after the jump.

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North by Northwest (1959)

2011-12-13T23:16:00.000-08:00

Today I knocked another old film off my list by watching North by Northwest. This is a spy thriller about an advertising exec who gets all mixed up in Cold War spy business when he's mistaken for a secret agent by the enemies. This film was rated extremely highly on IMDB so I figured I had to see it. It also has that scene of Carey Grant running away from an airplane that is so recognizable, and I just had to know the circumstances. The plane is coming fast, so if you want to know my thoughts, you'll have to jump for it!

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Poll Position: "Memoirs of a Geisha" (2005)

2011-12-12T16:45:00.000-08:00

At first I had no idea that "Memoirs of a Geisha" was a romance movie, but after I quickly looked up what this movie was all about, I was slightly intrigued. I'll admit that I know almost nothing about geishas. I thought they were just dressed up escorts, but little do I know it's more than that. They are artists, musicians and beautiful dancers. Just everything about the geisha is pure and beautiful, if the movie comes anywhere as close to the beauty that these geishas process. I cannot see how this movie can be a bad one.

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Poll Position: Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

2011-12-12T16:28:00.000-08:00

Last week's poll looked at a lot of different romance movies. While Date Night was an early favorite, Memoirs of a Geisha came out ahead and took the poll in the last days of voting. I've actually been wanting to see this film for a long time, so I'm glad it won in the end. I didn't know if this would be an English language movie or if it would be spoken in Japanese with English subtitles, but it turned out to be an interesting hybrid of the two. I'll get more in depth on this fascinating love story set in a changing culture on the other side of the jump.

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The Magnificent Seven (1960)

2011-12-11T20:56:00.001-08:00

I've really grown to like westerns over this past year, and there's still a few I want to see. Whether or not they'll all be during this year, I'm not sure, but I'm sure I'll check them out at some point. I really feel like my eyes have been opened to this particular genre, and I hope we get more of them in the future. Tonight I decided to watch The Magnificent Seven which is a straight up remake of Seven Samurai, only retooled slightly to fit a wild west setting. A lot of people complain about English remakes these days, but it's not a new practice. Was it worth watching this western re-imagining of a classic Japanese film? Hit the jump to find out!

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Discovering "The French Connection"

2011-12-11T12:58:00.001-08:00

It has been a while since I've tackled my list of 'Must See Car Chase Movies'. So I return to it with "The French Connection" staring the young Gene Hackman. Now I am a sucker for 70's crime movies, they deliver a certain feeling that no other decade of movies. From my experiences, they always have this grit and toughness that usually get over stylized in modern day movies. And the best part is that they always accompany a car chase, good or bad. It was part of the strict guidelines that made a crime movie, as important as having an actual crime take place in the movie.
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Spending Time In Bruges (2008)

2011-12-10T22:32:00.001-08:00

I still have a number of old classic movies I should get to, but when you have friends coming over, you have to go for something a little more modern. I had several choices prepared when they showed up, and the choice was made to watch In Bruges. They've told me plenty of times that I should see it, so it makes sense that would be the one they didn't mind seeing. I knew nothing about this movie though, so if you're the same as me, hit the jump to find out what the big deal is. If you already know about In Bruges, then you'll get to see me give all the reasons why I thought it was so great right after the jump!

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Land of the Lost (2009)

2011-12-09T20:15:00.001-08:00

I was going to watch another important, classical, old movie today, but I was so out of it and about to fall asleep that I knew I'd never make it through one. I needed something fun, goofy, and not at all serious. It just so happens that for almost the full year of this blog I've had Will Ferrell's Land of the Lost sitting here for just such an occasion. I fully expected to hate this movie, but I didn't have anything else that would fit the bill, and I still needed to watch a movie. My hands were tied. I was honestly expecting 10,000 BC level of terrible, but then again, I'm not one of the many haters of Will Ferrell. He's made plenty of movies that I've liked. Could it be possible this movie wouldn't be as bad as I thought? Hit the jump to find out!

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Force Fed Films: Magnum Force (1973)

2011-12-08T20:21:00.001-08:00

Since I watched Dirty Harry not too long ago, it meant Puneet could finally recommend its sequel, and one of his favorite Clint Eastwood movies to me, Magnum Force. I was warned that it wasn't as good as Dirty Harry, but that it was still a good Clint Eastwood movie. Hopefully armed with sufficient knowledge to prepare me for the film, I dove in. One thing I could say before I even saw it, if they used the "Do you feel lucky, punk?" line in the film, it would only seem lame and forced due to the popularity of the line in first film. So did they use it and get lame, or does Magnum Force stand up for itself? Hit the jump to find out.

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Force Fed Films: "Moulin Rouge!'

2011-12-08T17:05:00.001-08:00

I never actually knew what "Moulin Rouge!" was about, just that it was a musical and a drama. When these two things collide, I am not all that passionate about it. I just assumed after watching the music video for Lady Marmalade it was a toss away movie. Thankfully, Jim forced me to watch it. Because I fear I might have missed this movie if he hadn't. And there was no way in hell I would have checked this out by my own will.

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

2011-12-07T20:12:00.001-08:00

I started off the year having seen very few westerns in my life. One title that kept surfacing or being recommended to me was Once Upon a Time in the West. Directed by Sergio Leone, the same director of The Good, The Bad, The Ugly and Fistful of Dollars, I was expecting to really like this western. How could I not, I've mostly liked all the films I've seen of his, only having overall minor complaints, like the casting of one role in The Good, The Bad, The Ugly. At any rate, I had high hopes and expectations. While that can lead to some big disappointments, it can also be amazing when they're met, or even surpassed! So which was the case here for me? Hit the jump to find out if it was the former or the latter!

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Thelma & Louise (1991)

2011-12-06T19:22:00.001-08:00

I have had Thelma & Louise sitting here, just waiting to be watched for... I don't know how long. I've heard a lot about it and have heard that people have even done essays based on its themes and yes, I even know the ending. But I've never experienced it for myself. Beyond some basic facts, I don't know the details. All I have in my head is a vision of a shadow, but not the person. I may be able to see their silhouettes in the fog, but I don't know who they are. Well I'm quickly running out of time, and there are a few movies I wanted to make sure I see before the year is out and this was one of them. So was it as crazy and wild as I had originally thought? My thoughts after the jump.

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"Rounders" (1998)

2011-12-06T18:57:00.001-08:00

Earlier this week Jim tweeted to me that we have more Brian Cox movies on the blog than Matt Damon movies. This made me realize that I haven't seen a Matt Damon movie recently, this made me sad. So to counteract that immediate feeling of depression, I looked up in my library for any Damon movie. And now we are here, a copy of "Rounders" landed in my hands. To my surprise Edward Norton, another actor I enjoy, shares the cover with Damon on this movie. Actually there is a handful amount of notable actors in this movie.

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Poll Position: "Gamer" (2009)

2011-12-05T20:02:00.001-08:00

It's amazing how many not so great movies we could fit on a poll. "Gamer" won our sci-fi action movie last week. I guess this is considered to be the least bad movie? After watching it, I highly doubt this was the best movie from the pickings, as slim as they were. Though a small little gem that hides in the movie is that Gerard Butler is the main protagonist. It might be the only thing I looked forward to in the movie. But before I continue to babble on about mindless nothings, lets get into the mind of "Gamer".
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Poll Position: Gamer (2009)

2011-12-05T16:34:00.001-08:00

Last week we put together a poll for action movies that are considered... less than great. For most of the week it was a back-and-forth fight between Jumper and Babylon A.D. but all of a sudden on the last day Gamer pulled ahead and took the win. I've actually heard mixed things about Gamer, so even when I lowered my expectations, I was still hoping for a fun movie. After all, Gerard Butler is a pretty good action star as far as I'm concerned and has a pretty good history of films under his belt. So did I at least get a fun action movie? Or was it just a disappointment? My thoughts after the jump.

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"X2" (2003)

2011-12-04T18:59:00.001-08:00

After watching the first "X-Men" more than 2 months ago, I decided it would be only fair to see the second one. Since someone has been on my butt to finally see it. I wasn't ever scared to see "X2", I just kept forgetting to watch it. The first movie did so many things right that it only got me even more excited to see X2. And now with the year coming to a close, I really need to finish off the series I've started while trying to catch up with all the classics I haven't seen. I honestly don't think I am going to make it but there is no harm in trying.

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Reader Recommendation: The Wages of Fear (1953)

2011-12-04T14:58:00.001-08:00

Back in October we got an email recommendation from Pedro F. Pardo. One of the films he suggested was The Wages of Fear which sounded like it could be really intense. It also caught my eye because it was an old 50s movie that I have never once heard of. This could very well be a nice little hidden gem that I would otherwise never have heard of if it wasn't for Pedro's recommendation, so I was excited to watch it. I finally got a chance to watch it (sorry for the wait Pedro), and that just leaves me to tell you about this French/Spanish/English/German/Italian/Russian speaking film you've probably never heard about. Is it worth the tracking down you'll have to do to see it? Find out after the jump!

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"The Chronicles of Riddick" (2004)

2011-12-03T23:59:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks back I got the chance to see "Pitch Black", which had it's pluses and minuses. But overall it was just a 'meh' of a movie. But that said, I still loved Vin Diseal's character, Riddick. He was the main attraction of the last movie and to see more movies with that character in it would be neat. However, I still didn't have much expectations going in, with the last one being so average and usually the sequels being as good as the first movie. Hopefully this movie can prove me wrong and be as good (and really hoping that it's better) than the first movie. This is my look into "The Chronicles of Riddick"

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The Kevin Bacon Connection: Sleepers (1996)

2011-12-03T21:05:00.001-08:00

So for anyone who has been curious what "pattern" I've been talking about for the past few reviews, it's that each movie shared an actor with the one before it. The first 3 were simply coincidence. If I hadn't decided to watch Fargo and Zodiac in that order, then it wouldn't have matched up with Jarhead, which Puneet picked for me. It was only once I watched Zodiac that I realized that they linked up like that, and so I decided to see if I could do the "Six Steps to Kevin Bacon" game. I essentially was trying to link Jarhead to Kevin Bacon, but with only 3 steps left to me since the first 3 had already happened by chance. Luck has it that I was able to make the link with only 2 more movies, Great Expectations being the connecting link to today's film, Sleepers. Yay for me! With that out of the way, how about I actually talk about the movie I watched today, and not all the ones I've watched already? Sounds good to me!

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Great Expectations (1998)

2011-12-02T22:19:00.001-08:00

I wasn't planning on watching this movie... ever, to be honest. But after yesterday's viewing of Jarhead, I noticed a bit of a theme with the past 3 films, so I decided to go with it. We'll see if anyone can pick up on it as well!

So this is an adaptation of the classic book of the same name, but besides the title, Great Expectations only shares some basic themes. That is to say, it's not exactly the same as the book. For one thing, it's been modernized a bit to give it a bit of a new twist. This spin on the classic story starrs Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert De Niro, Anne Bancroft, and Chris Cooper.

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Force Fed Film: Jarhead (2005)

2011-12-01T21:18:00.001-08:00

Today Puneet surprised me with the movie Jarhead. This was a huge movie when it came out, but for whatever reason I just never went to see it. Thinking back on my younger self, I can imagine the trailer wouldn't have had much action in it, and being more of a drama, and me not being a war buff, I let it pass by. As years have gone by, once in a while I remember about this film, and think to myself "I really should see that one." I would always seem to forget about it before I could get my hands on it though. Thankfully it popped into Puneet's mind for this week's movie, and so you can expect my thoughts on this biographical film of former marine Anthony Sworfford, and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, right after the jump.

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Forced Fed Films: Transformers 2 (2009)

2011-12-01T21:12:00.001-08:00

I've been very vocal with Jim about my interest, or lack there, of seeing the second instalment of the Transformers series. The main reason I never wanted to see the second one was the fact that the first movie did not impress me all that much. It felt like a bunch of mindless shaky cam action woven in with sub-par acting. And I've never really been a Michael Bay fan, which is weird because I love action movies in general. Just his style of explosions, sexy girls and more explosions just felt like a cheap thrill. Here are my thoughts on "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen".

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Poll Position Part 3: Zodiac (2007)

2011-11-30T21:20:00.001-08:00

I've saved my most anticipated movie 'till last. The main interest I had for this movie was the fact that Robert Downey Jr. was in it. Though I don't think he can act every role, but the obnoxious hard-ass role he does very well. Having never actually heard about the "Zodiac" killings before, besides the references in "Dirty Harry", I was sure that the mystery would unravel very well. With high expectations and low knowledge about the story, I'm sure I won't be too disapointed.
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Putting the Clues together in ZODIAC (2007)

2011-11-30T20:42:00.001-08:00

The final "winner" of the crime poll from last week is finally here. Zodiac is the film that inspired the story of Dirty Harry, and it's even shown in this movie. I was a little worried that I would be bored by this movie if it felt like I had seen the story before. After all, that's kind of what happened with Serpico and American Gangster for me. I only knew the most minor details about the story in Zodiac, but I had no idea at all who was starring in it. It was certainly a surprise to see Robert Downey Jr. and Jake Gyllenhaal pop up on screen. It also has Mark Ruffalo, who will be in Avengers next year with R.D.J. but that's beside the point. What we really want to know is if this 157 minute long movie bored, or captivated me? Find out after the jump.

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Something's Going on in Fargo

2011-11-29T22:58:00.001-08:00

Today I decided to tackle the Coen Brothers movie Fargo (1996) from our tied trio of poll winners. Puneet took a look at it yesterday, and you can find his take on it here. I haven't read his review, but I got an impression from him today that he seemed to like it. I've also heard of this film quite a bit. It seems to be the movie everyone refers back to when a new Coen Brothers movie comes out. I always forget the string of great movies they've made, but it's vast and filled with unique and fun flicks. They can also turn on a dime when going from funny to grizzly serious. I kinda had my hopes up, but at the same time I was playing it safe with my expectations. So did I love it, or did I hate it? Find out right after the jump.

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Poll Position Part 2: Serpico (1973)

2011-11-29T18:58:00.001-08:00

Day two of watching all the tied movies, today I watched "Serpico" (Jim's review is over here) a biographical movie based on a NY cop who is to legit to quit. Al Pacino plays Frank Serpico, and this is made aware quite obviously. I have my doubts, I honestly cannot think that Al Pacino can pull off a serious role. I see him as an over the top gangster or cop from New York. It is hard for me to really take him seriously. Hopefully that is the only thing that detracts me from enjoying this film.

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Serpico (1973)

2011-11-28T21:38:00.001-08:00

So the highly unlikely finally happened, and there was a 3-way tie in the poll for today. Unsure exactly what to do, I've just resigned myself to the fact that I won't get to choose what I watch at all this week, and I'll watch all 3 for the next few days. I randomly chose Serpico to start with. It stars Al Pacino, and this is a real life story. It reminded me of American Gangster, but in truth I bet the corrupt cop plot-line was inspired by the story of Serpico. Can a biographical film from the 70s still find a place to entertain and inspire? My thoughts after the jump.

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Poll Position Part 1: Fargo (1996)

2011-11-28T19:52:00.001-08:00

We got ourselves a three way tie here; Fargo, Zodiac and Serpico. Interestingly enough, this is the first time we've had a three way tie. So it should be a new experience watching a whole weeks worth of movies without any choices. Today I kicked it off with "Fargo" for the reason that Steve Buscemi is in this and the Coen brothers directed this. Same guys that directed "No Country For Old Man" and "The Big Lebowski". Two great movies by all accounts. But before I get too off topic let me share you the fun I had with "Fargo".

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Now Playing: Hugo (2011)

2011-11-27T19:11:00.001-08:00

Today I was fortunate enough to catch a movie with a film reviewer and writer I greatly admire. You may remember him as the guest writer we had here in the summer, @2DReviews! I left the choice up to him about what we should see, and after all the great critical buzz surrounding it, he couldn't help but want to see Martin Scorsese's new film Hugo. I was of course more than happy to go along because, as I said, this film has been getting some great marks all over the place and I'd heard it had possibly the best use of 3D yet in a movie! That's a pretty bold claim, but I loved it in Avatar and so I was curious to see how Hugo did it. So was this the fun family adventure film that we were hoping to see? You might be surprised.

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Lured in with "Hard Candy" (2005)

2011-11-27T14:40:00.001-08:00

"Why don't you have a seat over there?". These are the words dreaded by every pedophile caught by the police and their trusty sidekick Chris Hansen. Now I don't think I'm the only one that enjoyed NBC's "To Catch a Predator". And I'm not entirely sure if this was the show that sparked the idea in David Slade's movie. But it is really hard not to make that initial connection. Interestingly enough, "Hard Candy" is one of Ellen Page's earlier work, and I am slowly becoming fond of her work.
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Childhood Revisited: The Muppets (2011)

2011-11-26T22:07:00.001-08:00

Let me just start this by saying that I loved the Muppets! When I was a kid, I used to watch The Muppet Show every night it was on, which I think was every night! Even though I used to watch them so much, I never ended up seeing any of the Muppet's movies. In fact, I haven't seen a production by the Muppets (aside from little internet viral videos) in ages! All of these things meant I was all at once excited to see The Muppets and also terrified. What if the movie didn't live up to my childhood memories? What if it was just plain bad? I'm sure a lot of people are thinking and feeling the same way. Well, I risked my fond memories and went to the theater, alone no less, because none of my friends could be bothered to go. My thoughts on the Muppets' return after the jump!

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If You Haven't Seen a Ghost... Look Closer. Lake Mungo (2008)

2011-11-25T23:38:00.000-08:00

Today I had a few friends over, and since they expect to be entertained, I figured I shouldn't put on some old movie. Not everyone appreciates them like I might. So I reached back into my Trick-or-Treat bag to find a movie I never managed to get to back in October: Lake Mungo. This is an Australian ghost story that may sound a bit like Paranormal Activity from a brief description, but while it shares some similar bullet points, it's not really like that movie at all. All will be explained after the jump.

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Now Playing: "The Muppets" (2011)

2011-11-25T22:05:00.001-08:00

I initially thought it was safe to assume that mostpeople knew about "The Muppets" and their television shows and movies. And I madean ass of myself because a friend I took to the movies had no idea about theMuppets at all! Weird kid he is. But then again, I haven’t seen a lot of theMuppets either; I was more of a Sesame Street and Arthur kind of kid growingup. The last Muppets movie I saw was “Muppets from Space” when I was earlyteens and that never really lived up. Thankfully a new movie was coming out andseeing the enormous cameo guest list, it was an automatic must see from me. Nowhow much did I love this movie, find out after the jump!

Force Fed (turkey) Films: "Beetlejuice" (1988)

2011-11-24T21:00:00.001-08:00

Happy Turkeyday to our readers to the south, a month toolate if you ask me but I don’t make the holidays, I just drink through them. “Beetlejuice”is one of those movies that I haven’t seen that I probably should have. It doeshave a cult following and has a special place in the hearts of the people whoadore this movie. I was actually slightly surprised to see a star studded cast,and even more delighted to see my celebrity crush Catherin O’Hara. Beautiful,funny, red headed and Canadian, four things I love in a women, and I guess myturkey. Nevertheless, let’s not drool too soon over the food and get on withthe show.

Force Fed Films: (500) Days of Summer (2009)

2011-11-24T19:16:00.001-08:00

How do you talk about a movie that ends up affecting you in a very personal way without getting personal about it? That's the problem I'm having with (500) Days of Summer. I'm not sure what suddenly made Puneet think of this movie when coming up with something for me to watch this week, but I certainly remember all the buzz surrounding it. That was back before Inception made me not hate Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I'd also have to say I had a very wrong impression about this movie. I thought it was going to be all highschool sappy falling in love. Actually it's a very grown up look at relationships. A few of my thoughts after the jump.

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Can't see much in "Pitch Black" (2000)

2011-11-23T20:22:00.001-08:00

If you haven’t figured out yet, I am a bit of a fan ofthe Fast and Furious series. And before Vin Diesel was laying down wads of cashbefore races and streaks of rubber, there was “Pitch Black”. And I stand bysaying that Diesel is a good actor, it’s just a shame that he gets not a lot ofroles that aren’t part of the FnF series. And the roles he does get aren’t thatamazing, for example “The Pacifier”. And a good friend of mine told me to checkout “Pitch Black” because it is just Toretto in space with a gun and nightvision. That sounds like something I might like.
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Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

2011-11-23T19:14:00.001-08:00

Ever since Elizabeth Taylor passed away earlier this year, I've had this movie sitting and waiting. When she passed away there was plenty of talk about her, and what movie she was most remembered for. More often than not, that movie was Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. I don't think I've ever seen her in a movie at all before watching this, but the strong dramatic nature of the film has kept me away this whole time, thinking it would be yet another aging film that just doesn't live up after so many years. Ever since my decision to knock out more classics lately, it was only a matter of time before I pressed play on this one. So what makes this the movie everyone remembers Elizabeth Taylor for? What makes this such a highly rated film? All that on the other side of the jump.

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On the Waterfront (1954)

2011-11-22T19:35:00.001-08:00

I know Marlon Brando is a famous actor of times long past, but I haven't seen very many movies with him in them. I saw A Streetcar Named Desire back in March, and I've seen a few others like Godfather and Apocalypse Now. I thought I should see some more from when he was younger though, so I choose to watch On the Waterfront. It was rated very highly, and the name was slightly familiar, but to be honest I didn't know much about this one going into it. I'm sure any film fans, or big movie buffs will shake their heads at me for that. So this is a film about corruption, mobs, romance, and standing up for what's right. It's got a little bit of everything. Lets just hope its still fun to watch!

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Poll Position: "Righteous Kill" (2008)

2011-11-21T20:59:00.001-08:00

I have been waiting for a movie like this for a longtime. We have both De Niro and Al Pacino in one movie, two actors that haveplayed their fair shares of New York residing cops or criminals. Even though I’mnot the biggest Pacino fan, I could totally see him working in perfect tangentwith De Niro. Both have that crazy attitude with the tough guy appearance. Butnow that they are getting old, this might be too little too late. These are my wonderful thoughts on "Righteous Kill".
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Poll Position: Righteous Kill (2008)

2011-11-21T20:07:00.001-08:00

The winner of this week's poll was Righteous Kill starring not only Al Pacino, the subject of the poll, but also the great Robert De Niro for an all star team-up! I remember seeing the trailer for this in the theater years ago, but I never ended up seeing it. I thought it looked amazing, especially to see two powerhouses like De Niro and Pacino team up in one movie. It seemed to come and go very fast, and I've never really heard anyone talk much about it. That's probably not a good sign. Being that this is a mystery, everything hinges on how that aspect plays out. Should you even bother seeking out Righteous Kill? Hit the jump to find out!

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2010: The Year We Make Contact (1984)

2011-11-20T18:09:00.001-08:00

After a few days of random movie choices, I returned back to my endeavour to see more classic movies. A long time ago, nearly at the beginning of the year, we watched 2001: A Space Odyssey. I decided I should watch the sequel before I ran out of days. 2010: The Year We Made Contact isn't directed by Kubrick like the first film was, instead it was directed by Peter Hyams. Most of the movies Hyams is known for directing are action movies. My main complaint with 2001 was its very slow pacing and lack of anything happening. Hopefully this new directer can inject some swiftness into the story.

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Did Someone Order More Van Damme?

2011-11-19T21:16:00.001-08:00

One of the last times I hung out with my friends, they really wanted to watch one of the Van Damme movies that I have, but I diverted the choice away from it to watch The Wicker Man. Today the pressure was too much, so I caved and we watched The Order (2001). To be honest, I didn't really have to cave, because I figured it would be a funny over-the-top Van Damme movie. The main question we had was "Which member of his family gets kidnapped this time that he has to save?" After a quick blurb about the movie, it turned out that his dear old archaeologist father was the one who was going to be in need of rescue. Ah well, JCVD may be predictable, but at least he is reliable.

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Never go against a "Raging Bull". (1980)

2011-11-19T11:33:00.001-08:00

Another movie with De Niro and Pesci? Why not? “Raging Bull” is a film directed by Martin Scorsese which retells the life ofmiddleweight boxer Jake LaMotta (De Niro). Initially I thought it would be likea “Rocky” movie, a few fights with some melodramatic scenes intertwined. Andthen I watched it and boy was I wrong. Gratefully the movie is more than just “ADRIAN!”and more a fusion between “Goodfellas” and “The Wrestler“.

Carriers (2009)

2011-11-18T23:01:00.001-08:00

As is usually the case when I stop over at a friend's place, I never know what kind of movie I'm going to end up seeing. A lot of the more classic movies that I really should see have usually been seen by at least one of my friends, so as a group you usually never pick something someone has already seen. Because of this, and the fact that my buddy Jed has that wonderful thing called Netflix, we usually end up finding some totally random movie we've never heard about. Today that turned out to be Carriers starring Chris Pine of Star Trek fame. There's even an unplanned link to The Prestige from yesterday. If you're curious what this piece of film is all about, all you have to do is take a short hop to the other side of the jump!

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Force Fed Films: "The Prestige" (2006)

2011-11-17T21:15:00.001-08:00

As Jim watches a rather ‘special’ movie this week, I didhave a reason for forcing to watch it. Oh wait, no I didn’t. Though I think Jimwas a little too kind to me getting me to watch “The Prestige”. As he soelegantly summarized it up for me, it’s basically Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) battling Batman (Christian Bale) in war with magic. Now the first thing Ithought of was cartoon Batman and cartoon Wolverine duking it out with capesand top hats. That was not the case here, slightly disappointed by that but heywhat can you do? After the jump, (insert exploding smoke bomb here) we take a wonderfullook into “The Prestige”.
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Force Fed Films: The Happening (2008)

2011-11-17T19:24:00.001-08:00

I must have offended him at some point, because this week Puneet gave me The Happening to watch. He had already seen it himself, by his own free will, because he has some sick and twisted opinion that Mark Wahlberg is something similar to a capable actor. The truth is he more often gasps his way, blindly stumbling through most scenes he's in. Sure some movies are better than others, but that's not saying much. If it hasn't become clear, I dislike Mr. Wahlberg, and as the saying goes, "If you don't like it, don't watch it" and that's usually what I do. Unfortunately this is the aptly named "Force Fed Film" of the week, and so I didn't have the choice. The best I can hope for is some kind of horrendous train wreck of a film which becomes so bad, it's good. Hit the jump to see if I was even that lucky.

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Final Showdown: "Army of Darkness" (1992)

2011-11-16T21:40:00.001-08:00

So I finally got a chance to see "Army of Darkness" to finish off off the "Evil Dead" series. If you couldn't tell by now, I'm a huge lover of the series. It's like the movies were made just for me, I really never had any serious complaints. Many of our readers have told me that AoD was their favourite of the series. I couldn't possibly think of any way the movie can get better. But I do know how much I liked to be proved wrong, hint it's not a lot. After the jump we travel back in time with Ash as he saves the world, yet again.
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Dirty Harry asks "Do You Feel Lucky?" (1971)

2011-11-16T20:13:00.001-08:00

After I saw October fly by and still not getting to see all the movies I wanted to in that horror themed month, I started realizing how quickly the days go by and how few days I have left to watch a new movie per day. It's made me rethink what I want to spend those days on, and I want to try to focus much more on movies I should have seen long ago. Today that meant I put on Dirty Harry to watch for the first time. I've had this movie on my list of shame all year long, and it's gotten to the point that the end of the year is in sight and I still haven't seen it! I told myself "this ends now!" I had a lot of expectations, and I was honestly worried this 1971 film could have aged too much and not lived up to what I had hoped for. My thoughts after finally seeing the movie after the jump.

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Tom & Meg, Yet Again: Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

2011-11-15T21:02:00.001-08:00

There was one more rom-com I had heard of many times and had never seen. Sleepless in Seattle is yet another Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan movie where the who fall hopelessly in love. Well, kind of. I'll get to that in the body. As a recap for those who haven't read my previous Tom & Meg reviews, I thought Joe versus the Volcano was nice, but I really liked You've Got Mail. Meg Ryan was also in When Harry Met Sally, but that wasn't with Tom, but it was another rom-com I liked her in, and it's very similar in tone to this kind of thing. So have I become tired of Meg falling for Tom and Tom falling for Meg? Or does this rightfully hold its title as a great rom-com?

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Poll Position: Stalingrad (1993)

2011-11-14T21:09:00.000-08:00

In honour of the troops that gave their lives for us and Canadian Remembrance Day, last week's poll was war themed. The winning movie was actually one we only put on at the last second, and it ended up winning by a landslide. Last week when I watched All Quiet on the Western Front, I felt it was interesting to see the war from the other side. Stalingrad does it again, but now we're on the other side, geographically, of the German's fight, heading into Russia. Does this German language film have the strong impact that other war films have? Can it make you feel for the troops on the other side? Hit the jump to find out.

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Poll Position: A Brief History Lesson About "Stalingrad" (1993)

2011-11-14T20:10:00.001-08:00

Remembrance Day (or Veterans Day for our readers in thesouth) was last week and to stay with the theme, we decided to do a war themedmovie. War filled with sad and disgraceful moments in human history, but we can’tforget about all the sacrifices our soldiers did for our country. The least wecan do is learn about the wars, hopefully enough to never to repeat the stupidmistakes we’ve made. You’ve picked “Stalingrad” last week and a movie I’ve beentold punches as powerful a punch as “Schneider’s List”. But the two are polaropposites in what it sets off to do. After the jump I get down in the trencheswith the Germans.

Catching Some Waves with Point Break (1991)

2011-11-13T17:23:00.001-08:00

I find that as I watch more and more movies, more and more crop up that I want to see. When I started this whole year long daily movie quest, I remember people saying that they couldn't even think of 300 movies to watch. One of the movies that I noticed pop up on my radar a few times, most notably in Hot Fuzz, was the film Point Break. This seems to keep coming up in the oddest places, and it became a movie I wanted to see to know what the heck it was about. I had a good feeling about it since it starred Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze, and Gary Busey. Seemed like a good combo. Enough talk, lets get out there and hang ten!

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"The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers"

2011-11-13T13:40:00.001-08:00

To continue on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I saw “TheTwo Towers”. After watching “The Fellowship”, I was told that not only was itthe worst of the three (but still amazing), but it’s the movie with the leastamount of action. This got me excited for the next two movies. As long as they keepme hooked as the first one, I can’t find a reason to complain. After the jump Idive into Middle Earth once more.
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The Return of Nic Cage! The Wicker Man (2006)

2011-11-12T19:49:00.001-08:00

At the beginning of the year, I had been making it a point to watch a lot of the Nicolas Cage movies, both good and bad. I'm not sure why, but I just like him, even when he's at his worst. Especially when he's at his worst! The crazier the better I say! Today I took a step back into that realm by watching The Wicker Man. This is a remake to a 1973 film of the same name, but I've never seen that one. Similar to Vampire's Kiss, I had seen a fair number of clips of Cage going crazy in this film. I was most curious what the context was of punching a woman while in a bear suit? I'd heard people say this movie was bad, but I was looking for a "so bad it's good" film. So did I find it? You'll find out on the other side of the jump!

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"Faster" (2010)

2011-11-11T21:20:00.001-08:00

“Faster” is Dwayne Johnson’s first real action moviesince “Doom”. I think I can speak for a majority when I say; thank god The Rockis doing action movies again. Lucky for him, it won’t be hard to match the barthat was set by “Doom”. With all those family/comedy movie that he has donerecently, I was slowly losing respect for him. He is one of the few actors outthere that can play a role of a badass that we think about from the past. Bigmuscle man with that tough guy presence. More on the movie after the jump.

Now Playing: Puss in Boots 3D (2011)

2011-11-11T20:02:00.001-08:00

I was really tired today, and really wasn't in the mood to watch a movie at all. Then an awesome girl gave me a great idea. If the movie is really fun, it would combat my lack of interest, and hopefully wash the sour taste left in my mouth after seeing Immortals. I didn't have any "fun" movies at home, but I knew of one that was in the theaters still, and that was of course Puss in Boots 3D. I only saw the first 2 Shrek movies, and that was really enough, but I always thought Puss in Boots was an awesome character. Now it was time to see if he could support a movie entirely on his own! Find out after the jump!

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Now Playing: Immortals (2011)

2011-11-10T22:25:00.001-08:00

Last week I had the good fortune to score some free passes to the Toronto Premiere of Immortals. I was a big fan of the movie 300 and really liked the super stylized look of the Spartans and their enemies. While this movie has no connection to 300 with any of the actors or writers or the director, it still seems to remind everyone directly of it. So today I traveled to the city of Toronto to see Immortals the day before its release, absolutely free, hoping for another 300. Did I get what I was looking for? Or was I left with something more akin to the horrendous Clash of the Titans?

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Force Fed Films: "Jason and the Argonauts" (1963)

2011-11-10T19:38:00.001-08:00

This week Jim forced me to watch “Jason and the Argonauts”,a movie about the Greek mythology with Jason and his Argonauts (pretty self-explanatory).Jim seemed to have fond memories with a lot of these older movies that dealwith Greek mythology. And knowing (or not) that I enjoy mythology it seemedthat it would be a perfect fit for me to see this. I was rather excited becauseI have seen a few clips of this movie previously and the special effects weresuper amazing, especially for its time. But before I dive too deeply into themovie let me tell you a bit about the myth.

Force Fed Films: Van Helsing (2004)

2011-11-09T21:35:00.000-08:00

Today I was given Van Helsing to watch starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale. I remember passing this one up simply because it looked really bad in the trailers. The CG monsters they showed in the trailers just didn't look good. In fact I don't think any one I know saw it in the theaters. I'll admit though, on paper it does sound good. The world's greatest monster killer, Van Helsing, hunting down Dracula, the Wolfman, and Frankenstein's monster all at once along with a collection of other creatures of the night. But does it stand up in practice? Perhaps with sufficiently lowered expectations it'll be alright. One can only hope. Hit the jump to see what I unearthed on these undead!

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Poll Position: Mystic River (2003)

2011-11-08T22:30:00.000-08:00

Ooh, looks like I get to be the one to use the weird version of the movie poster this time! While the poster isn't really recognizable, it's still for Mystic River as that's what I watched today. Our lovely Kevin Bacon poll tied, so I'm catching up by also watching this film, which Puneet watched yesterday. Kevin Bacon actually takes a leading roll this time around, unlike in Frost/Nixon so it seemed to fit a little bit better considering that was the point after all. I remember this movie making a big splash (pardon the pun) when it came out, but I was younger and didn't care about dramas back then. I was curious to see this, but still had my reservations that it might be boring. My thoughts after the jump.

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Poll Position: "Mystic River"

2011-11-07T21:32:00.000-08:00

Last week we had another tie for our delicious BaconPoll. Jim saw "Frost/Nixon" earlier today, and so I decided to check out “MysticRiver”. A movie packed to the brim with a talented cast. And better yet, thewhole cast puts on that goofy New England accent that I adore. Nevertheless, I hadto try my best to take this movie seriously for it is a dark crime/dramamovies.

Poll Position: Frost/Nixon (2008)

2011-11-07T17:30:00.000-08:00

Last week's poll was a bit of an odd one. We decided to choose movies based on the man that everyone is only a few connections away from, Kevin Bacon. Oddly though, his best known movies that we also hadn't seen weren't necessarily starring him, as is the case with Frost/Nixon. Bacon plays the role of Nixon's right hand man, always looking out for his best interests. But the movie itself is really all about David Frost and Richard Nixon, and the interviews they had together. I had heard about this film before, and I'd heard good things. That had me looking forward to watching this particular movie. But did that raise my expectations too high? Hit the jump to find out if I enjoyed what I saw, or was bored to sleep.

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All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

2011-11-06T23:14:00.000-08:00

Today I chose to watch one of the most classic war movies I think I've ever heard of, All Quiet on the Western Front. I didn't know too much about it, other than what IMDB had to say about it in the brief plot summary. I knew it wasn't going to be a happy movie, or even a fun action movie. Beyond that I didn't have much idea what to expect, so it was a bit of a surprise to me that this whole movie is from the perspective of the German soldiers of the first World War. It ended up being a very interesting new take on it for me. For my thoughts on the film, just hit the jump link, and I'll see you on the other side.

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"Boyz N The Hood" (1991)

2011-11-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

The trailer for GTA5 was just released not so longago. So I decided to celebrate this bywatching a movie that influenced Rockstar when they made San Andreas, myfavourite game from the series. So I’ll be watching “Boyz N the Hood” today,and hopefully “Menace II Society” at a future date. Thankfully, the two moviesare different enough to offer variety. And this is Cuba Gooding Jr.’s debutmovie, so it’ll be nice to see how he performs on the big stage for the firsttime.

Now Playing: The Three Musketeers in 3D (2011)

2011-11-05T23:53:00.000-07:00

Today some friends stopped by who wanted to go see The Three Musketeers in 3D directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. Its main starring roles are filled by some slightly lesser known, but refreshing faces Matthew Macfadyen, Luke Evans and Logan Lerman. But it also has some more recognizable faces in Ray Stevenson, Orlando Bloom, and Milla Jovovich. It's no surprise to see Jovovich here though, considering she's married to the director, and appears in nearly every movie he makes as the leading lady. Ever hear of Resident Evil? Guess who directed it... But this is about those famous Musketeers! Is it worth the cash to see it in the theater? What about the 3D? All that and more right after the jump!

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Inferno/Desert Heat (1999)

2011-11-04T22:51:00.000-07:00

Today I had a couple of friends over, and when they didn't want to watch some old classic movie, I had to break into some of my stash of old DVDs I had borrowed from my parents. This includes about 6 Van Damme movies, including Inferno. Although, to be honest, the DVD I have says Desert Heat on the box, but that's not the title it seems to go by on IMDB and other places. As far as titles for movies go, this odd mix-up is one of the strangest I've seen. Even the IMDB page, while calling in Inferno, shows only half the box of Desert Heat, and then half of the box of The Order which is another Van Damme movie. I just don't understand. Hopefully the movie makes more sense than this. Hit the jump to find out!

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Force Fed Films: Metropia (2009)

2011-11-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

Today Puneet decided to use my as a guinea pig and told me to watch Metropia which was recommended by @scoobydiesel a little while back. It seemed to have a very weird, but interesting animation style which made it stand out. Such an odd looking movie could be anything, so I really didn't know what to expect, especially since the cover shows his head opening up and a little dude sitting inside it! I really didn't know anything about this movie other than a few screenshots, and I didn't even recognize any of the actor's names. If this strange looking movie intrigues you, I'll give you the insider story on what I found right after the jump!

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Force Fed Films: "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings"

2011-11-03T20:24:00.000-07:00

For this week’s force fed films, Jim had to literallyforce me to watch “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”. Therewas nothing that ever has enticed me to watch any of the LOTR films, eventhough I was surrounded by friends who have loved the series. There issomething that has always thrown me off from the trilogy. I wouldn’t go as faras to say I hated it, but I would have rather grinded my head against a cheesegrader for three hours than conceive of watching this. But I did, for tworeasons. Because it is Thursday so I have to and I guess it is one of those ‘mustsee’ movies I should see, even if I don’t want to.

He Became a Better Man, by Being a Woman: Tootsie (1982)

2011-11-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

I've always seen shots of Tootsie and always thought to myself, "I bet that's a weird movie." But it seemed like something fun and lighthearted for me to watch, which is exactly what I needed today. As weird as it seems, Dustin Hoffman stars in this movie as an actor who can't get any work, so he dresses up as a woman. Think Mrs. Doubtfire, but set in the 80s, and without the kids. I was curious, and a little worried, how an 80s film would portray a cross-dresser, and how negative it might be towards gay and lesbian people. Hoping for the best, I pressed play. If you're curious on what I found, just click that little link below!

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Joe versus the Volcano (1990)

2011-11-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

I've had my eye on Joe versus the Volcano for quite some time. I've put it in various polls out of curiosity of it's public perception, but despite my own interest, it never ended up winning. So today I said "Enough!" and put it on for myself as my first movie stepping out from under my dark cloud of horror films, and into the sunshine again. I wanted a fun and funny movie, and I figured this would be just what I needed. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were also both in You've Got Mail together, which I really liked. After realizing they were paired up again in this, a quick search revealed they're also in Sleepless in Seattle, so expect that somewhere down the line too. But this is actually their first pairing, so it must have been special. Hit the jump to see if that's what I found.

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Poll Position: "What Lies Beneath" (2000)

2011-10-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

When I initially saw the trailer for “What Lies Beneath”,I was partly turned off. It screamed boring thriller at me with a played outstory of happy couple suffers unholy bad luck. But nevertheless the movieneeded to be watched. Thankfully enough two amazing cast members were staringin this movie; Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer. Though I am starting todoubt even a great pair of performers can save this severely boring lookingmovie. More on this after the break.

Happy "Halloween"! (1978)

2011-10-31T20:49:00.000-07:00

If you're at all curious why I watched the poll winner a day earlier than normal, here's your answer! Of course, never having seen John Carpenter's Halloween before, I had to save it until the actual day itself! Thus, our Halloween Movie Marathon comes to an end. I got a lot of classic horror movies I've never seen before finally taken off my list of shame, and it seems kind of ironic that I end with a film that basically started the entire "slasher" genre, having come before all others of it's kind. This is also the film debut of Jamie Lee Curtis, which caught me by surprise. Hit the jump for my thoughts on this classic slasher flick!

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