Showing posts with label 2003. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2003. Show all posts

Monday, May 09, 2011

Murder, Yes.

Another smaller project I committed to starting was watching all my unseen films on Carolee's (@leiabox) awesome ABC's of her favorite documentary films. There are 26 listed, natch, and I had only seen 8 of them. The Yes Men (2003) I plopped in and enjoyed it immensely. Kinda insane these guys were able to pull off what they did but good on 'em. 7 / 10

Back to my primary blindspot project of Flickchart Top 500 unseen, I spun Dial M for Murder (1954) - ranked 368 overall. This is also another Hitchcock I haven't seen so it also works toward my Hitchcock project that I haven't officially started. Really, really like this film. More than I expected. The suspense is palpable. 8.5 / 10

  • May New: 11
  • May Re-watch: 2
  • May '11 Total: 13
  • May '10 Total: 68
  • 2011 Total: 281

Monday, April 25, 2011

Too Faster

Still working on my Fast and Furious catch-up so the second film 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) was on deck. Surprisingly I enjoyed this one more than the original. And this is the one most people hate the most. I was reassured in my reaction when Large William left me a positive comment on my Miso check-in. I would prefer to watch this one again over the original; the John Singleton Miami vibe works. 6.5 / 10

  • April New: 30
  • April Re-watch: 8
  • April '11 Total: 38
  • April '10 Total: 68
  • 2011 Total: 267

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Force of Many

Up early this morning stumbled onto Ice T in Tara a.k.a. Hood Rat (2003), a supernatural horror film with killer rats. Not a good film by any stretch but that's watch Encore on cable is for, right?

Movie Club at the office was resigned to me & Hector since everyone was too busy. Boo. Watched Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) since H hadn't seen it. Still super enjoyable. 9/10

Picked up Jules Dassin's Brute Force (1947) from my library after the Dassin twitter chatter. Knew this seemed familiar; saw this some years ago. The prison break ending is incredibly memorable. Burt Lancaster is a stud. Definitely a film to check out. 7.5/10

  • February New: 50
  • February Re-watch: 7
  • February '11 Total: 57
  • February '10 Total: 61
  • 2011 TOTAL: 148

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Musical Chairs

The only surprise is why it took so long to make a Broadway musical from John Waters' Hairspray (1988). Seriously. 14 years after the film was released? This film was made for it.

A very slow-burn French thriller that's mostly worth the ride is Gilles Marchand's Who Killed Bambi? (2003). Doesn't quite pay-off in the end but fairly good suspense leading up to it. Sophie Quinton is rather fetching.
  • August New: 15
  • August Re-watch: 0
  • August Total: 15
  • 2010 TOTAL: 456

Friday, June 11, 2010

What Teams May Come

Walked over to Century Evanston 18 after work to absorb Joe Carnahan's take on The A-Team (2010). Gotta say that I thoroughly enjoyed this ridiculous, over-the-top exercise of excess. Sharlto Copley really made it for me. The final setpiece goes overboard but a fun film nevertheless. Nice cameos in the post-credits.

Needing something to spin while I ate dinner, I turned on Woody Harrelson's "green tour" in Go Further (2003) via NWI. Not a bad little documentary that serves as a vehicle for Harrelson to promote environmental awareness & sustainable living. Worth a watch.


Ole Rupert Pupkin a.k.a. bobfreelander recently re-watched Bad Dreams (1988) and I realized I had not seen this (even tho I have memories of seeing that VHS cover on the shelves at all the rental joints). Such a solid cast including Richard Lynch, Dean Cameron, Jennifer Rubin, et al. Overall a good nightmare thriller that was overshadowed by the NOES films (and Dreamscape, I'm sure).
  • June New: 20
  • June Re-watch: 2
  • June Total: 22
  • 2010 TOTAL: 345

Sunday, May 30, 2010

A Fantasy Inside


Now that I'm home I could finally wrap some Netflix DVDs. Finished Frazetta - Painting with Fire (2003), a heartbreaking documentary about this legendary artist that recently passed away. I know I'm not the only one who grew up idolizing Frank Frazetta but seeing this makes me appreciate his talent that much more (if it were possible). I could eulogize on and on about the impact Frazetta had on my life but I won't. I think everyone with even a passing interest in art should view this doc. I'll probably end up buying the 2-disc set.


Another overdue Netflix watch was David Schmoeller's excellent creepfest Tourist Trap (1979) featuring Chuck Connors in a delightfully creepy role as a curator for closed roadside attraction full of animatronic characters. A young Tanya Roberts co-stars and is delicious in her daisy dukes and tube top. Great watch!

Then direct on NWI I mustered enough attention to view the direct to video Lady Death - The Motion Picture (2004). I was a pseudo-fan of Lady Death during the 90s, more intrigued by the imagery than the actual comic books. She was the poster child for the "bad girl" movement in the 90s. But ever since this film was released I've only heard bad things. But in the end I actually kinda liked this low budget animated flick. It's in no way a good film but I could dig it.
  • May New: 53
  • May Re-watch: 12
  • May Total: 65
  • 2010 TOTAL: 320

Friday, April 02, 2010

Hard To Kill

April Re-Watch Film: Raging Bull (1980).

From my library: Belly of the Beast (2003), featuring Lawman Steven Seagal and his Asian body-double / stuntman. How do you know? The Asian guy isn't fat.

I'm still saddened that all of Andy Sidaris' flicks are now out of print. Surprised Netflix continues to carry them (but also rather happy to get them while it lasts). Hard Ticket to Hawaii (1987) was next on the list and it's another one that lives up to the Bullets, Bombs & Babes tagline by Sidaris. This is the flick that features the clown on the skateboard w/the blow-up doll that been getting a lot of internet play this week.
  • April New: 4
  • April Re-watch: 2
  • April Total: 6
  • 2010 TOTAL: 193

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Life Ain't So Glamorous

Mitsuru Meike's The Glamorous Life of Sachiko Hanai (2003), featuring AV idol Emi Kuroda, is definitely a curiosity piece. In a nutshell it's a sexual sci-fi comedy but that's really doing it a disservice. Let's just say that it's fucking weird and often provocative. That's not a recommendation.

And on the other hand, is the sexual thriller Donkey Punch (2008), which is actually an effective thriller evolving around a group of kids on a yacht when something goes horribly wrong during a sex act. Then it's a desperate ride to see who survives in the aftermath. Solid and worth checking out.

Monday, February 08, 2010

The Ball is Back!

Truth is Don Coscarelli's follow-up Phantasm II (1988) didn't need all the flashback sequences taken from the first film. It easily stands on its own as a worthy sequel. The make or break moment is when the 3 balls make their appearance.

From the library, I ventured into maybe one the best Batman animated features Batman - Mystery of the Batwoman (2003). Main storyline was a bit weak but the red herring Batwoman kept this flick going as I continued to guess who this mystery lady might be. Loaded with gorgeous femme fatales, this has the action and sexy back.