Death at a Funeral (*** 1/2) DVD

Wow a great film by fozzy bear, Frank OZ, probably one of his best. It was the type of comedy that i really enjoy. Check this movie out as soon as you can.

The Untouchables (***) Blu-ray

I watched his film finally on Blu-Ray i had not seen this film in years and never owned the DVD so i was excited to watch it again.

Grizzly Man (****) While Getting my Teeth Drilled

Went to the dentist and watched this film while getting a replacement filling. The dental assistant had not seen it so it was fun talking to her about it.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (***) DVD

A pretty well made doc. on Donkey Kong. Got the mullet on the one guy.... Check it out is really good and it wil make you play video games.

La Vie Ein Rose (***) DVD

Wow what a performance! An ok movie a little long both worth sitting through.

Sunshine (***) Blu-Ray

Watched the Blu ray of this again.

Sweeny Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (****) DVD

Watched this again a home. I really enjoy this film and is so worth watching a second time.

The Client (**) In School

Here are some observations I had about the film The Client. I first would note that the director Joel Schumacher had made many movies over the years. I think his body of the work has gotten better over the years. Is early movies such as Flatliners, St Elmo’s Fire and Lost Boys are early examples of his work which I din’t care musch for. Later in his career he took many risks with films like Falling Down, 8mm, Flawless, Tigerland, Veronica Guerin, and Phone Booth which are pretty good films. These films were small in nature compared to The Client, A Time to Kill, Batman Forever, Batman and Robin and The Phantom of the Opera which were more big budget films with A list actors. I feel he works better in the smaller films than the big budget films.

The Client if I were to look at this movie historically when in came out in 1994. It was a film that came out right after the success of The Firm and The Pelican Brief. So the pressure to make The Client was definitely on the filmmakers mind. John Grisham was a hot writer at the time and his movies were hot items in Hollywood. Joel having some marginally success in film was hired to do the movie. He hired Akiva Goldsmith a first time writer to write the screenplay for the film a hard task for such a hot item in Hollywood. Akiva has later moved on to write other big budget films based of books. For a first time screenwriter I feel he did a good job of taking a very famous book and translating it to the screen without getting bogged down with all the technical jargon that Grisham tends to use. I prefer more technical Jargon than the generic approach, but for the Hollywood this is fine for this film.

The cast of the movie seemed to all be perfectly cast as there parts in the film. Sometime I feel the dialogue is a little too strong to point out the characteristics of the characters from the film so it feels a little unnecessary for them to do this. For example how the state that Reggie had a drink problem or how poor the family is, how the cop fools the kid with the coke can.

When I first saw this movie in 1994 I really liked the opening scene in its creepiness of the suicide and how socking it was. Now fourteen years later I don’t feel that creepiness. I still like the music, by the brilliant Howard Shore, and the performance of Walter Olkewicz hold the mood, but I could help focusing on the performance of the two kids which I feel don’t hold up as much as I remember them. I do like the blocking and the POV shots during this sequence that helps with the tone. Other than the opening scene I feel the movie is somewhat generic in its cinematic approach to a thriller. Another thing that doesn’t hold up is the how dated the film is now. I think it is fine for the film, but having lived in the nineties I can’t help but cringe at the hair and wardrobe.

I would like to note about all the actors in the film that now has very successful television shows. So you can see how much the ensemble cast of the film had an effect on their future endeavors. Many of their performance such as Dan Castellanta, AKA Homer Simpson, as the photographer, Barry the Blade, Anthony LaPaglia and Dianne Sway Mary Louise Parker stand out to me to be pretty memorable. With all the cast members I think this film is worth watching to see all the great bits by the secondary cast.

There Will Be Blood (****) In Theatres

I saw this again tonight. Go check it out now.

Boogie Nights (*** 1/2) DVD

I'm in a real P T Anderson mood so i watched it today. I haven't it seen it in years so i was a thrill to re watch this movie. My favorite highlights are the Transformers song and the visit to Alferd Molina's house.

Juno (***) DVD

It was ok, but not great. I enjoyed the movie and the themes, but i didn't enjoy the dialogue in the first third of the film and the two Belle and Sebastian songs was one too many. I like Ellen Page, but feel her performance in Hard Candy was much better.

Magnolia (****) 42,000 feet up

I watched this on the airplane the other day. I've seen this movie many times and love it every time i watch it.

Destino (***) On a Cruise Ship in the Middle of the Gulf of Mexico

I saw the second Dail Short film finally. I t was a calaberation between Walt Disney and Dail in the 1940's and finally finished a few years ago. It is worth the watch, but i find Un Chien Andalou is much better.

Sweeny Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (****) In Theatres

I really liked this film. The music was surprisley pleasant and ad i really didn't no much about the story so i think that helped me enjoy the film. So go check it out. It is easily the best Burton film since Ed Wood.

Zodiac (*** 3/4) HD-DVD

Great Movie and an amazing HD-DVD disc. The video quality is once again amazing and the special features are incredible. The feature length documentary on the real case is one of the best features i've ever seen a movie have included in a special edition. Buy this disc on DVD or HD-DVD now you wouldn't be disappointed.

3:10 to Yuma (****) Blu-Ray

I got this today on Blu-ray and it is one of the best Blu-rays in this short year thus far. There are some great special features, also profile 1.1 disc, and the movies sound and video quality are top tier quality. I highly recommend this disc and film.

The Bucket List (**) DVD

The movie is too short. only 90 mins, and tries to hard to be both a comedy and a drama. Sure Morgan Freeman and Jack are good , but they are both obviously taking a paycheck here. I would not recommend this movie to anyone.

Resident Evil: Extinction (**) Blu-Ray

My only comment is it is better then the first two.

My Top Ten Favorite Movies of the Year 2007 (Now top 20)

#1- No Country for Old Men


( After 5 times watching this film I realized this may be the Coen Bros best film. I love so many scenes in this film and the rewatchablity is so strong, more so than their other films I believe)


#2- Hot Fuzz

(I have watched this movie so many times i cant keep count. I am in love with Simon Pegg and Edger Wright. After watching their TV show Spaced and this film i cannot wait to see what they will do next. I have watched the HD DVD and all 18 hours of special features and still wanted more.)


#3- The Simpsons Movie / Futurama: Bender's Big Score

(Once again i have watched both films a bunch of times and they seem to get better and better after each viewing. I kinda like Bender's Big score a bit better than the Simpsons, but i have waited many years for the movie and was extremely satisfied.)



#4- 3:10 To Yuma

(God one of the best westerns this year and maybe ever. I love Bloody westerns and it has two of my favorite actors in it so whats not to love)


#5- There Will Be Blood

(This is a movie i cannot wait to watch another 10 times. PTA is becoming such a interesting director and i await his next film. The dude is only 37 and in my opioin has made two or three or even four masterpieces already)



#6- Eastern Promises

(Silly me i left tis off my initial list of Top ten. I forgot about this film last night. I watched this twice and enjoyed David Cronenberg's gangster film. Viggo fight in the bathroom is totally amazing)

#7- Black Snake Moan

(I love this film, it has some great moments in it. It one of the movies you cannot believe got made, but it did. For the directors second effort after the great Hustle and Flow i expect great thing from him in the years to come.)



#8- Rescue Dawn

(Werner Herzog's remake of his own film with one of the great actors Christian Bale. Love the documentary and this movie is a great companion piece to his earlier film. I think you need to watch both films to appreciate this movie , but overall i'm glad Herzog remade this film again)


#9-Ratatouille

(Good this movie gets better every time you watch it. It is easily the best animated effort this year. God bless Pikar for having the balls to make this film. Pikar i hope will allow Brad Bird to do another film very soon)


#10-Zodiac

(I really liked this film. Though not as good as Fincher's other films I still think it is a worthy addition to his "Thriller films." I cannot wait to get the director cut HD-DVD with all the special features)

#11-Surf's Up
#12- Once
#13-Grindhouse
#14- Beowulf
#15- Superbad
#16- Sunshine
#17- Severence
#18- Before the Devil Knows Your Dead
#19-Harry Potter and thew Order of the Phoenix
#20-300



(There is still a few movies i need to watch so the list i'm sure will be updated a bit.)

Let me know what you think and what is your top Ten (20) films of 2007.

Atonement (***) DVD

I think if English Patient and Cold Mountian didn't exist i would enjoy this film more. Overall worth the watch if you enjoy romantic epics. I liked the score alot. Also there is one long shot in the middle of the film which was really nice, but seem out of place from this film.

Charlie Wilson's War (***) DVD

The Great Debaters (***) DVD

The only comment i have about this film is that it has the same ending as Mighty Ducks 3.

There Will Be Blood (****) In Theatres

What a performance by Daniel Day Lewis. It is one of the best you ever see an actor have. I love the style of the film. It is a pure mixture of Terrence Malick and Citizen Kane with a bit of the Gangster films thrown throughout it. The ending is something i 'm sure people will discuss for many years. I believe the movie 10 years from now will be seen as a classic.

Blades of Glory (** 1/2) HD-DVD

Really not that bad as you may think. Check it out. There are a few great moments.