Movie Time - January 2011

I’ve watched a buttload of movies for far this year. This due in equal parts to the fact that I just finished all five seasons of Dexter and need a break from intense serialized storytelling, and that it’s frakking cold outside. I thought I would chronicle my movie escapades for Future Josh to look back upon should he have any hazy memories of his earlier impressions of movies. Also, it might also aid my legions of readers in avoiding a dud or in seeing a movie that they might not otherwise have given a chance. So, in no particular order, here is January’s movielist.

True Grit - “Jeff Bridges is as hard as tempered steel.”--Marc, circa 2004. This movie was freaking awesome. It made me want to change the way I speak, but my attempt at using old timey vernacular wore out it’s welcome when I realized I was just adding the phrase “I reckon” before or after everything I said, I reckon.

I’m Still Here - It’s like watching a well-executed train wreck, except you aren’t sure if the wreck is a stunt or for real. Joaquin Phoenix is really good in this movie, but Edward James Olmos takes the cake. Spoiler warning: there’s dong aplenty in this film.

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men - Directed by Jon Krasinski from The Office, I was a little weary of this one, considering the movies he’s chosen to star in (i.e. Leathernecks and Away We Go). But, the Will Arnett connection intrigued me enough to give it a shot. This movie isn’t out and out funny, but it is does illicit some hearty chuckles and it is interesting. Good to watch with a ladyfriend, if only to be able to comment on how little you are like the ‘hideous men.’

The Sting - This movie bugged the crap out of me. Here’s how it went: our grifter heroes detail their entire plan for taking a big score from some mob boss, and then, they enact their plan. Seriously, you could just watch the first 30 minutes and know how the whole movie plays out. A real bore that somehow won best picture.

2012 - To be honest, I still haven’t made it through this movie. I had to stop watching it when I ran out of beer. Needs more Will Smith.

Predators - This is a pretty decent action movie. Better than either of the AVP movies, but not up to the level of the Arnold or Danny Glover versions. I was a little skeptical of Adrian Brody as a leading man bad ass, and I still am, but he’s decent enough in this movie. I couldn’t get over his half-Gob, half-Bale Batman rasp though. Worth a watch.

The Blind Side - I don’t see what all the buzz was about. This was just your generic inspirational sports story. Sandra Bullock was good, but best actress good? This was probably the Academy making up for snubbing her stellar performance in the timeless internet thriller, The Net. Instead of this, watch Cool Runnings, or if you can find it, The Air Up There.

Hopscotch - It’s on Netflix instant and it has Walter Matthau as a scheming ex-CIA agent scheming against his former CIA boss. Turns out I like him much more when he’s scheming against Jack Lemmon. Not a bad movie, but not great either.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - This is one of those movies. You know those movies: the long biopic with tender moments and personal triumphs. It’ll make you feel good and feel like crap. Aside from the whole aging backward thing this didn’t really bring anything new to the table. Good movie, but meh.

In the Line of Fire - Clint Eastwood was still old as crap in the early nineties. He was badass then too.

The Machinist - Christain Bale plays an insomniac skeleton in a movie that conjures comparisons to Memento and Fight Club. Not up to either one of those movies for greatness, but cool nonetheless. Plus it’s got Michael Ironside, who, you guessed it, loses a limb. Poor Rictor, see you at the party indeed. The amputee party that is.

The Road - I read the book in anticipation for this Viggo Mortenson apocalyptic tale and for some reason never got around to seeing the movie. I wasn’t crazy about the book, it was a little too monotone. A hundred synonyms for grey. I feel this is one of the few times that the movie surpasses the book. Some beautiful imagery, bleak as all hell, but beautiful nonetheless. Viggo is great, but when isn’t he? I think he and Christian Bale must have gone on the same skeleton diet. Winter viewing only.