Watched in 2008
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- DirectorFlorian Henckel von DonnersmarckStarsUlrich MüheMartina GedeckSebastian KochIn 1984 East Berlin, an agent of the secret police conducting surveillance on a writer and his lover finds himself becoming increasingly absorbed by their lives.The more I think about this movie, the more I appreciate it. A subtle but powerful tale of life under an oppressive regime, but also the finer points of humanity. It made me want to learn more about this era in East Germany's history. Maybe runs a little long, but the ending is worth the wait.
- DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsTommy Lee JonesJavier BardemJosh BrolinViolence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong and over two million dollars in cash near the Rio Grande.Totally unique and gripping western that sucks you right in, despite its often silent soundtrack. In turns it's one of the most violent and one of the funniest movies of the year, in its own subtle way, of course. Will be excellent for re-watching.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsJohnny DeppChristina RicciMiranda RichardsonIchabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of three people; the culprit is legendary apparition The Headless Horseman.It falls apart toward the end, but Depp's character and performance are enjoyable.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsUma ThurmanDavid CarradineDaryl HannahAfter waking from a four-year coma, a former assassin wreaks vengeance on the team of assassins who betrayed her.I just re-watched this, and liked it better than the first time. It looks amazing, beautiful despite almost constant violence, and so stylish. The snow scene is breath-taking. The exaggerated violence was not a shock this time; it was a caricature, and I was able to appreciate the dance of it all. Also has one of my all-time favourite soundtracks.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsUma ThurmanDavid CarradineMichael MadsenThe Bride continues her quest of vengeance against her former boss and lover Bill, the reclusive bouncer Budd, and the treacherous, one-eyed Elle.I'm surprised, but I don't think I liked this one as much as Vol. 1. Normally my tastes are in favour of the characters/dialogue over the action, but I just thought the look and soundtrack of Vol. 2 didn't compare. That's not to say it wasn't good. Carradine was the stand-out as Bill.
- DirectorJohn CarneyStarsGlen HansardMarkéta IrglováHugh WalshA modern-day musical about a busker and an immigrant and their eventful week in Dublin, as they write, rehearse and record songs that tell their love story.A truly beautiful and touching film about friendship, love, choices and music. Simultaneously tragic and uplifting.
- DirectorKen LoachStarsCillian MurphyPádraic DelaneyLiam CunninghamAgainst the backdrop of the Irish War of Independence, two brothers fight a guerrilla war against British forces.The second half of this film is better than the first, but too much of it was too slow. For a film about war, it really lacked tension.
- DirectorArthur HillerStarsRichard PryorGene WilderJoan SeveranceDave is deaf, and Wally is blind. They witness a murder, but it was Dave who was looking at her, and Wally who was listening.Pryor and Wilder make a great duo in this slapstick comedy. One is deaf, one is blind, they unwittingly get involved in a caper, hilarity ensues. Has some laugh-out-loud moments but maybe not quite enough of them. The very 80's soundtrack works against the film.
- DirectorDavid Mickey EvansStarsTom GuiryMike VitarArt LaFleurIn the summer of 1962, a new kid in town is taken under the wing of a young baseball prodigy and his rowdy team, resulting in many adventures.One of my favourite movies from my childhood, and is actually still likeable and funny in adulthood. What is this "kids" business; when I grew up this was just called "The Sandlot".
- DirectorLen WisemanStarsBruce WillisJustin LongTimothy OlyphantJohn McClane and a young hacker join forces to take down master cyber-terrorist Thomas Gabriel in Washington D.C.Totally not my genre; I always get bored with all the shooting and extended action scenes. This has some entertaining moments (all of them over-the-top and implausible) and a few laughs, but I drifted off a couple times, and I'm not in a hurry to re-watch.
- DirectorMike WhiteStarsMolly ShannonJohn C. ReillyPeter SarsgaardA secretary's life changes in unexpected ways after her dog dies.I really loved this film. Purposely absurd, so sad and funny. Not just about grief and recovery, but different types of people and their obsessions and how they all interact and try to understand one another.
- DirectorTerry ZwigoffStarsSteve BuscemiThora BirchScarlett JohanssonTwo eccentric best friends graduate high school and respond to a man's romance-seeking newspaper ad as a gag, only to find their lives becoming increasingly complicated.This movie reminds me of my best friend and myself in high school, though I think we were nicer. It's a hilarious and almost perfect story of people changing and growing apart. One of my all-time top 5.
- DirectorPaul W.S. AndersonStarsMilla JovovichMichelle RodriguezRyan McCluskeyA special military unit fights a powerful, out-of-control supercomputer and hundreds of scientists who have mutated into flesh-eating creatures after a laboratory accident.Totally worthless. Bad script, terrible acting. Not exciting, suspenseful or scary at all.
- DirectorAndrew O'ConnorStarsRobert WebbDavid MitchellSarah HadlandA pair of rivaling stage magicians are forced to confront their falling out over a guillotine mishap when they compete in a magic competition.Nothing amazing, but mostly enjoyable for what it is - silly men being silly.
- DirectorDavid SchwimmerStarsSimon PeggThandiwe NewtonHank AzariaFive years after jilting his pregnant fiancée on their wedding day, out-of-shape Dennis decides to run a marathon to win her back.Simon Pegg and Dylan Moran really make this otherwise run-of-the-mill comedy. "That was the second-most disgusting fluid I've ever had in my eye!"
- DirectorJoe LynchStarsErica LeerhsenHenry RollinsTexas BattleA group of reality show contestants find themselves fighting for their survival against a family of hideously deformed inbred cannibals who plan to ruthlessly butcher them all.I watched this just to see Henry Rollins, and it turned out to be decent, if brainless and unoriginal. Inbred mutant cannibal family hunts down group of attractive 20-somethings. I don't watch these types of films very often and don't expect much of them; this one was okay and had some funny gore.
- DirectorShane MeadowsStarsPaddy ConsidineGary StretchToby KebbellA disaffected soldier returns to his hometown to get even with the thugs who brutalized his mentally-challenged brother years ago.A confronting, intense and powerful tale of retribution set in a lawless and amoral rural England.
- DirectorAndrew CurrieStarsKesun LoderBilly ConnollyCarrie-Anne MossIn an Earthly world resembling the 1950s, a cloud of space radiation has shrouded the planet, resulting in the dead becoming zombies that desire live human flesh. A company called Zomcon has been able to control the zombie population. Zombies can be temporarily neutralized by being shot, but can only be permanently neutralized by their brain being destroyed. Their ultimate disposal is through cremation, or burial, the latter which requires decapitation with the head being buried separately from the body. Conversely, Zomcon has created the domestication collar, when activated and placed on a zombie makes the zombie controllable, and thus an eternally productive creature within society. Because all dead initially become zombies, the elderly are viewed negatively and suspectly. And all people, adult or child, learn to shoot to kill to protect society. Zomcon is the go to organization for all things zombie. In the town of Willard, the Robinsons - father Bill (Dylan Baker), mother Helen (Carrie-Anne Moss), and adolescent son Timmy (Kesun Loder) - are one family who don't own a zombie as a domestic, since Bill is afraid of zombies, as, when he was a child, he had to shoot his own zombie father, who tried to eat him. Bill has thus become fascinated with funerals to see zombies put away permanently. But Helen feels pressured to get a zombie when Zomcon's new head of security in Willard, the officious Jonathan Bottoms (Henry Czerny), moves into the neighborhood with his family. Never having had to deal with a zombie directly, Timmy is initially wary of their zombie. But as a lonely child who has no friends and is often bullied, Timmy eventually befriends their zombie, who he names Fido (Sir Billy Connolly), as he treats the zombie much like a faithful pet dog. Timmy protects Fido at all cost, even after Fido, due to no fault of its own, is implicated in some deaths, which creates a mini-wave of loose zombies unknown to Zomcon. But Fido may play a larger role within the family as a companion for Helen, who is largely neglected by Bill, since he sees human affection as ultimately resulting in such difficult issues as what happened between him and his own father. With Timmy and Helen treating Fido with kindness, Fido, in turn, may prove that not all zombies, even when without their domestication collar, are out to kill anyone and everyone in their path.I'm being generous in my scoring because I think this was fun and original. I liked the first half better than the second, loved the introduction with the 50s propaganda film. Has some truly funny and clever moments, but didn't quite deliver all the way through. I didn't even recognise Billy Connolly!
- DirectorJean-Baptiste AndreaStarsDavid SchwimmerSimon PeggAlice EveA frustrated, unemployed professor joins forces with a scammer and a friend of his in a blackmailing scheme.A dark comedy that sends up twisty caper thrillers. The thriller part of it is not as successful as the comedy part, but I loved Simon Pegg (and pretty much the whole cast) pulling off the American accent.
- DirectorWolfgang BeckerStarsDaniel BrühlKatrin SassChulpan KhamatovaIn 1990, to protect his fragile mother from a fatal shock after a long coma, a young man must keep her from learning that her beloved nation of East Germany as she knew it has disappeared.I liked the idea behind this movie, and I don't really have any reason to dislike it, but I didn't love it. Just didn't hit me like I would have liked. But it had some good little comedic moments and delivered an interesting spin on the East/West Germany issue.
- DirectorRobert RodriguezStarsRose McGowanFreddy RodríguezJosh BrolinAfter an experimental bio-weapon is released, turning thousands into zombie-like creatures, it's up to a rag-tag group of survivors to stop the infected and those behind its release.It dragged a little bit around the middle, but was otherwise fantastic gritty entertainment. Full of melodrama, disgusting fake gore and some truly hilarious moments. Ridiculous fun. I was pleasantly surprised. "I will eat your brain. And gain your knowledge."
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsKurt RussellZoë BellRosario DawsonTwo separate sets of voluptuous women are stalked at different times by a scarred stuntman who uses his "death proof" cars to execute his murderous plans.I'm surprised by how much I liked this. It was purely entertaining from start to finish. People are complaining about all the dialogue, but I thought it was a perfect blend of characterization and action. I don't want to give anything away, but you have to love the way things turn around for the villain of the film. Great soundtrack, and I loved picking up on some of the references to other Tarantino films. One of his best.
- DirectorTom DiCilloStarsSteve BuscemiMichael PittAlison LohmanAn offbeat drama focused on a homeless youth, a pop music siren and a member of the paparazzi.We don't see many movies take on the subject of the paparazzi/tabloids, so that was interesting in itself. Steve Buscemi was really good and Michael Pitt was charismatic, but I think the film lost its momentum halfway through. Not bad, but not that great either.
- DirectorBrian DannellyStarsJena MaloneMandy MooreMacaulay CulkinWhen a girl attending a Christian high school becomes pregnant, all of her former friends turn on her and she is ostracized and demonized.You gotta love the crack at fundamentalists. I gotta, anyway. It's pretty successful in its satire of religious hypocrites, and pretty funny, too.
- DirectorRolf de HeerPeter DjigirrStarsCrusoe KurddalJamie GulpililRichard BirrinbirrinIn Australia's Northern Territory, a man tells us a story of his people and his land. It's about an older man, Minygululu, who has three wives and realizes that his younger brother Dayindi may try to steal away the youngest wife.Artfully done and completely original with engaging characters. A little slow, and I was tired when I watched it. But it's refreshing to watch something like this that explores a culture that is starting to disappear.