Fearless Oscar Picks and Unknown

   

                                 The Oscars were on ABC: Sunday, Feb. 27th
Mikes Fearless Oscar Picks      I got 8 out of 10 correct

Actor In a Supporting Role:  Christian Bale, The Fighter   

Actress In a Supporting Role:  Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Writing (Adapted Screenplay):  Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

Writing (Original Screenplay):  David Seidler, The King's Speech

Cinematography:  Roger Deakins, True Grit

Animated Feature Film:  Toy Story 3

Actor In A Leading Role:  Colin Firth, The King's Speech

Actress In A Leading Role:  Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Directing:  David Fincher, The Social Network

Best Picture:   The King's Speech

My View:  This weeks film is Unknown.  Liam Neeson plays a researcher arriving in Berlin for a scientific conference with his wife (played by the beautiful January Jones).  He is alone in a Taxi when it crashes, causing injuries so bad that he is in a coma for 4 days.  When he awakens from the coma, he discovers that someone has taken on his identity, and no one, not even his wife, believes who he says he is.  He goes on a quest, with help of the taxi driver who saved him (played by Diane Kruger), to prove who he is and somehow get his life back.  Good car chases, exciting fights, and lots of plot twists, make this film an enjoyable action flick.   Just leave your brain at the door, and you will have fun with this one.  My Rating:  Bargain Matinee   Unknown Info

The 50(a movie from my best/worst films of all time list):
#49 Worst Film:
Weekend at Bernies II  (1993)  a sequel to the 1989 film, Bernie (who died in the first film) is revived by a voodoo spell to find the money that Bernie had stolen from the Cartel.  Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman, reprise their roles from the first movie and go the Virgin Islands to find Bernies money and clear their name. Can you smell Bernie's decomposing body from here?  This movie can be summed up by the tag line "Bernie's back...and he's still dead!".  Weekend at Bernie's II Info

Forgotten Film:  Valley Girl (1983).    Surprisingly good film about two people falling in love, despite the fact that the girl (played wonderfully by Deborah Foreman) is a typical, mall shopping, "Gag me with a Spoon" girl from the "Valley" and the boy (Nicolas Cage in his first leading man role) is from the Punk Rocker world of the L. A. club scene.   Despite the scorn of both their parents and friends, they find love can survive their clashing worlds.  Great sound track and one of the few films of the 80's that showed what the Punk scene was really like.  Valley Girl Info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  
Due Date (2010)  Buddy film that tries to be another Planes, Trains and Automobiles but fails to capture any of the humor and fun of that John Hughes film.  Due to a series of events, Robert Downey Jr., a father-to-be trying to get back to his expectant wife for the birth of his first child, is forced to hitch a ride with an out of work, druggie actor played by Zach Galfianakis.  There isn't any chemistry between the two men and Robert Downey Jr.s mad at the world act is just tiring to watch.  My Rating:  Cable
Due Date Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Barney's Version:  "Dental assistance for Mr. Hoffman"

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Win Win
A wonderful looking film, staring Paul Giamatti as a sad sack family man who moonlights as a high school wrestling coach.  He takes a troubled young athlete under his wing, trying to turn the kid's life around.
Trailer for Win Win

Until Next Time!

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Just Go With It

My View:  Just Go With It  (2011) What the heck is Jennifer Aniston and Nicole Kidman doing slumming in this Adam Sandler comedy?   Did they just buy another house that has to be paid for?  Did they lose big in Vegas?  This movie is as if Sandler and his buddies decided, "Let's make a movie in Hawaii", took all of two hours to write the script, threw every plot twist they could come up against a wall and left in the scenes that stuck.  Sandler plays a jilted plastic surgeon who meets the woman of his dreams (played by Sports Ill. swimsuit model, Brooklyn Decker) but has to come up with lie upon lie to keep her.  Aniston plays his office manager who goes along with Sandler's lies, posing as his soon to be ex-wife.  Why anyone in this movie continues with the lies is beyond me.  Aniston and Kidman are absolutely wasted in their roles, and Nick Swardson, as Sandler's best buddy, make this film almost unwatchable.    My Rating:   Cable

The 50(A movie from my best/worst films of all time list):  
 #50 Best Film:
Schindler’s List  (1993):  Multiple Oscar winning film that, through the wonderful use of black and white,  depicts a factory in Poland that is manned by a Jewish workforce under the occupation of the Nazis.  Liam Neeson plays the owner of the factory that gets more and more involved with the health and welfare of his workers, sacrificing his good standing with the Nazis and his financial status.  Beautifully directed by Steven Spielberg, this movie lives up to its tag-linem "Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire".  Schindler's List info

Forgotten Film:  Starting Over (1979)  This is how a romantic comedy is done, with a wonderful script by James L Brooks and a restrained performance by Burt Reynolds (who, sadly, was overlooked for a Best Actor nod that year).  Reynolds plays a divorced man who is trying to start his life over.  Jill Clayburgh plays his love interest and Candice Bergen steals every scene she is in as Reynolds ex-wife who decides that maybe what they had together was worth fighting for.   Will Burt go with his new love or go back to his old life?  Starting Over info

In Case You Missed It (A Film Just Released on DVD):  Let Me In (2010)   Creepy, bloody horror film about a troubled young boy named, Owen (played by Kodi Smit-McPhee) who befriends a mysterious girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) who has just moved into his apartment building.  People begin dying, Vampires may be involved and Owen must decide if this new friendship is worth risking his life for.  Moretz makes this remake of the Swedish film Let The Right One In worth seeing.   Let Me In info   My Rating:  Bargain Matinee

Weird Credits:   From the credits of Just Go With It:  "Miss Kidmans Dancing Double"

Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Beginners
Ewan McGregor plays a man trying to find love, and discovers that his father is not only gay, but is also dying.  Beginners Trailer

Until Next Time!

The Company Men

My View:   This weeks film is The Company Men, a film staring Ben Affleck, about a mid 30's salesman who loses his job in this tough economy.  This is a very disappointing film,  considering its cast (Tommy Lee Jones, Maria Bello, Chris Cooper) but this film's topic has already been done and was accomplished much better by the film Up In The Air.  Most of the cast sleepwalks through this film with the exception of Rosemarie DeWitt, who plays Affleck's too good to be true, stand-by-your-man wife.    My Rating:    Cable

The 50(A movie from my best/worst films of all time list):  
 #50 Worst Film:
Endless Love (1981)    Brooke Shields loses her virginity while her mother tenderly looks on.  To win her back, Shields jilted teenage lover, played by the dull Martin Hewitt, sets fire to her family's home and as a result, gets put in the loony bin.  Will their love conquer insanity and her parents?  Do we care?

Forgotten Film:   My Bodyguard (1980)          
Chris Makepeace plays a kid going to a new school, trying to fit in and gets on the wrong side with the school bully.  He decides to hire a bodyguard played by Adam Baldwin, the meanest, toughest guy in the school.  A friendship ensues with both learning about life and each other.  Great supporting cast, including Martin Mull and Ruth Gordon,  helps make this film standout from some of the other coming of age films of the 80's.  My Bodyguard info

In Case You Missed It (a film just released on DVD):   Life As We Know It (2010) A predictable romantic comedy that isn’t funny enough to warrant its almost 2 hours in length.  I liked Josh Duhamel character as the irresponsible playboy much more than Katherine Heigl’s uptight bakery owner.  I did enjoy seeing all the Atlanta locations in the movie such as Piedmont Park and Philips Arena.    My Rating:  Cable

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Town:   Strength Trainer Liaisons 


Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:   Cedar Rapids
Ed Helms and John C. Reilly create havoc at an insurance conference.

Until Next Time!

First Entry

A number of people have suggested that I start up a blog about movies, so here it goes.  This blog will contain the following:

1).  My View:  A short review of the last film(s) that I have seen.
                         I will rate them on the following scale from best to worst;

•                          I would pay to see it again
•                          Full Price
•                          Bargain Matinee
•                          Cable
•                          You would have to pay me to see it again

2).  The 50:  A film from my Best or Worst 50 Films of all time lists.

3).  Forgotten Film:  A short review of a film that has been overlooked.
      These are films that I think you should consider putting in your Queue.

4). In Case You Missed It:  A short review of a movie that has just come out on DVD.

5).  Weird Credits:   I look for strange or unusual credits at the end of movies.

6).  Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You:  Films that I am looking forward to seeing.