Saturday, November 08, 2014

Harper (1966 ); Hit & Run (2012); Dead Snow (2009); Housebound (2014); Dead Snow 2:Red vs Dead (2014); That Guy Dick Miller (2014); X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014); The BoxTrolls (2014); Franklyn (2008); The Book of Life (2014); High Anxiety (1977)

It's just going to work out that I'm listing movies I watched in October. I last updated this blog on October 1st and haven't watched any movies yet in November (because I've been writing!) but will probably be watching a new movie tonight, so check back next month. ;) (Actually, this took me way too many hours, so maybe I need to do this weekly. Ay yi yi!

11 New Movies! (Not all "new" but actually quite a few 2014 movies here!)

Harper (1966)

Lew Harper, a cool private investigator, is hired by a wealthy California matron to locate her kidnapped husband.

Director:
Jack Smight
Writers:
William Goldman (screenplay), Ross Macdonald (novel)
Stars:
Paul Newman, Lauren Bacall, Julie Harris | See full cast and crew

WATCH TRAILER HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMD4XixVjhQ

 From my S.O's collection; watched with him.
It was a long movie. The trailer above is 3 and a half minutes long, which either says something about the movie, or about the attention span of audiences then versus now. ;) After watching the trailer, I'm like 'wuuuuuuh'? Not a great trailer at all. It seems it's banking on Paul Newman's popularity and how many females are in the movie. Like a commenter on the trailers said "Bad trailer, good movie". The movie is better than the trailer, I can say that. It's long, and winded but kept us into it. We also liked that the characters name was similar to that of our mentor Lew Hunter... who actually knew Paul Newman. So we wondered.... ;) If you have 2 hours to kill, give it a shot.
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 Hit & Run (2012)

Former getaway driver Charlie Bronson jeopardizes his Witness Protection Plan identity in order to help his girlfriend get to Los Angeles. The feds and Charlie's former gang chase them on the road.
Directors:
,
Writer:
Stars:
, , | »

 TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FyKg1w23Rc

From the collection of my S.O. and watched with him
Written and Directed and Acted in by Dax Shepard, accompanied by his wife Kristen Bell. This movie was not as dumb as the trailer made it out to be! Definitely got a good movie out of it. Way to go, team! You can tell Dax put his all into it. I will say it was a bit hard to pick up with at the beginning with the relationship with him and the incompetent Tom Arnold/cop. That seemed a bit goofy, but it allowed for more flow of comedy so I get why they did it. I really liked the more realistic portrayal of a couple that Dax and Kristen gave. Of course, probably because they are married in real life, but more realistic dialogue than that of most other films. S.O. and I were chuckling at it, that's for sure. Lot of fast cars too so there's something for everyone.
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Dead Snow (2009)

A ski vacation turns horrific for a group of medical students, as they find themselves confronted by an unimaginable menace: Nazi zombies.
Director:
Writers:
,
Stars:
, , | »
TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEQwEmeWnyI

Watched via Netflix with S.O. at the house of a friend in preparation for seeing the sequel a few days later at the Mile High Horror Film Festival.
I'm not much into blood and gore and all that, but I can appreciate a horror movie in the veins (teehee) of Shaun of the Dead, as I was told this was going to be. Well, it has a bit of laughs/preposterous-ness but was scary all the same. Vacationing in the cold seems like NO fun to me at all, I will say that. There were some cliches, but there were some creative kills too. I was wrong when it came to picking out survivors. Stay tuned for my take on the sequel. 
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Housebound (2014)

Kylie Bucknell is forced to return to the house she grew up in when the court places her on home detention. Her punishment is made all the more unbearable by the fact she has to live there with her mother Miriam - a well-intentioned blabbermouth who's convinced that the house is haunted. Kylie dismisses Miriam's superstitions as nothing more than a distraction from a life occupied by boiled vegetables & small-town gossip. However, when she too becomes privy to unsettling whispers & strange bumps in the night, she begins to wonder whether she's inherited her overactive imagination, or if the house is in fact possessed by a hostile spirit who's less than happy about the new living arrangement. Written by Luke Gerantson

Director:

Writer:
Stars:
, , | » 

 TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji8Tsuj3u0c

Watched with S.O, friends and other moviegoers at the Mile High Horror Film Festival
GREAT film from New Zealand. Comedic and scary in all the right parts. Has plenty of thrills and chills. The heroine was proactive and kicked butt and was a strong character. I usually shy from scary films, but this one we will probably buy and watch again. And again. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
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Dead Snow 2: Red Vs Dead (2014)

If the worst day of your life consisted of accidentally killing your girlfriend with an axe, chain-sawing your own arm off, and watching in horror as your closest friends were devoured by a zombified Nazi battalion, you'd have to assume that things couldn't get much worse. In Martin's case, that was only the beginning. - Written by Production

Director:
Writers:
, , 1 more credit »
Stars:
, , | » 
 
 TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4FoV9iiLmI
 
Watched with S.O, friends and other moviegoers at the Mile High Horror Film Festival
You can tell the popularity of the first film allowed the filmmakers to do more, and in this case, they wrote in Americans and made it more comedic than scary, which kind of cheapened it. It didn't have the same tone as the first and you can tell they were trying to appeal to a wider audience. That's not to say it wasn't funny. There were creative kills, more so than in the previous film. I didn't like all of it, but then again, when you think of the fact that funny horror movies get us to laugh at the grotesque ways people have probably been killed in real situations, it's kind of disturbing. So, as a stand-alone film, instead of as a sequel, it's okay, but this was a more humorous tone, so does not match the previous film well. Oh and the two pretty nerd girls... kind of lame especially since one just kept referencing Star Wars. Overkill. She could have died and I wouldn't have cared. Actually, a LOT less people died in this film than in the first one. Big difference and that elaborates how different the tone was. I did enjoy seeing Martin Starr (from Freaks and Geeks). And I think the guy who played the gay Norwegian (really, why was that even a joke?) was one of the characters from the first one (one of my companions noticed both those points but I'm too lazy to verify. Seriously writing about 15 movies takes me way too much time. Okay, I got un-lazy and found him: Stig Frode Henriksen... same actor and oh, he's a writer too. Double paycheck, anyone? ;) I'd do the same. lol)
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That Guy Dick Miller (2014)

Documentary about veteran character actor Dick Miller, whose career in and outside of Hollywood has spanned almost 200 films across six decades, featuring a diverse range of interviews with directors, co-stars, and contemporaries.

Director:
Writer:
Stars:
, , | »

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSKTIe-HRG8

Watched with S.O. and other moviegoers at the Mile High Horror Film Festival including Dick Miller's niece who was very kind!
I knew the face, but didn't know the name. Nor did I know how many films he'd been in. But this was a fun documentary and you can tell Dick has personality and presence. He can be labeled as a character actor, but that character is 'all of them'. :) It was cool to be in the same theater as his niece who was seeing the movie for the first time while her aunt and uncle were watching the premiere in Spain. I recommend this movie for anyone who likes to learn about the actors that aren't as well known, but just as talented.
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X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

The X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants.

Director:
Writers:
(screenplay), (story), 2 more credits »
Stars:
, , | » 

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK2zYHWDZKo 
 
Watched with S.O. over the course of a few days. Watching too close to bedtime isn't helpful when people get sleepy quickly after long days and overestimate their ability to watch a movie before bed. Hi, honey! :)

I've been familiar with X-Men since my childhood, but I still needed a bit of explanation to keep me set straight. I REALLY liked the diversity of characters in this script. We had mutants/actors that were from all different parts of the world and it pulled me in, made me more invested. I really like Jennifer Lawrence so it was fun to see her as Mystique. I like me some Hugh Jackman/Wolverine too. And Ian and Patrick being best buddies makes the film more fun to watch too. Oh and Peter Dinklage. Great cast and really cool movie. I'm told in the comics that Ellen Page's character Kitty is the one that actually goes back in time, so that's kind of a bummer that she got cheated out of that. But a franchise is a franchise, right? :P Cue rant about roles for women....
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A young orphaned boy raised by underground cave-dwelling trash collectors tries to save his friends from an evil exterminator. Based on the children's novel 'Here Be Monsters' by Alan Snow.
Directors:
,
Writers:
(screenplay), (screenplay), 1 more credit »
Stars:
, , | »
Watched at a small town theater with a few other people.
I wasn't expecting the small theater to show it in 3D, but it was. This film was just okay, just like the company's previous 'Coraline' and 'ParaNorman'. When I saw the trailer originally, I figured the movie was going to be predictable and I supposed it had it's moments. A lot of the voices/actors are quite cool. Was fun to hear , one of my faves since The IT Crowd. The movie was alright. It's nice to see people thinking 'outside the box' (ha ha) when it comes to making movies for kids. Instead of just fairy tales and such. I wasn't in love with it, but it was okay.
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Preest is a masked vigilante detective, searching for his nemesis on the streets of Meanwhile City, a monolithic fantasy metropolis ruthlessly governed by faith and religious fervor. Esser is a broken man, searching for his wayward son amongst the rough streets of London's homeless. Milo is a heartbroken thirty-something desperately trying to find a way back to the purity of first love. Emilia is a beautiful art student; her suicidal art projects are becoming increasingly more complex and deadly. Written by Anonymous
Director:
Writer:
Stars:
, , | » 

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08Nj6a8U2uk

Bought on a whim for a discount while in Denver at 2nd & Charles. Watched with my S.O.
This is one of those head-scratchers, as you try to figure out what the hell is going on. Seems like a comic book for sure (not an insult, just a descriptor of tone and graphics and locations). If you like to know what's going on at all times, this is not the movie for you. It was okay. I don't remember hearing about it back in 2008. 
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The Book of Life (2014)

From producer Guillermo del Toro and director Jorge Gutierrez comes an animated comedy with a unique visual style. THE BOOK OF LIFE is the journey of Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure that spans three fantastical worlds where he must face his greatest fears. Rich with a fresh take on pop music favorites, THE BOOK OF LIFE encourages us to celebrate the past while looking forward to the future. Written by 20th Century Fox

Director:
Writers:
(screenplay),
Stars:
, , | » 

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBw5YScs8iQ

Watched at a small town movie theater in 3D for $2. Win!
I studied Spanish for most of my life and am big into more diversity in representation, so I was intrigued to see it. The beginning/framework of the movie threw me off, but it eventually made sense. Things I didn't care for: the phallic noses of characters, that the female had a neck and waist of approximately the same size. I wasn't sure about the use of pop culture songs; I lean more towards not really liking that aspect, but I guess they did it for inclusion? I did like that the female was smart and independent and was able to fight. Although it did bother me at times that she laughed off Joaquin's machismo and still liked him. The film was colorful and I could tell that there were a lot of people involved that are proud of their Spanish-Speaking heritage/cultures and were excited to bring it to the screen. Some of the stuff was a little stereotypical for me, like being really excited about 'churros' but I guess some characters need a schtick and it gets laughter from some people (aka kids in the theater). Although I more or less enjoyed the movie, I found myself watching it critically, waiting for some great insult or injustice to the representation of Mexico and its people and history. But I guess I don't do that for ALL films that take place in the U.S., so maybe I was just trying to be protective of something I care about. But, judging by the wide array of hispanohablantes (spanish speakers) involved in the film, I guess we came out okay. :)
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High Anxiety (1977)

Mel Brooks' parody of Alfred Hitchcock films.

Director:
Writers:
, , 2 more credits »
Stars:
, , | »

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsJE8sYoe0E

New addition to S.O.'s collection after his mom was recalling it to us. Watched with S.O.
Even though I'd not seen all of Alfred Hitchcock's movies, I was still able to pick up on some homages. I am a fan of absurdist comedy, and this fits the bill. If you don't like Mel Brooks' silly style, you may as well stay away from this one. Do you like how the synopsis doesn't even pretend the film is actually about something? (It actually has a plot, I promise).
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Movies I watched in October that I'd seen before:
-Megamind (2010): Got S.O. to watch this with me and he really enjoyed it. He still quotes it, which makes me happy. I wanted to prove to him that he can like 'kid's movies' too... ;)
-The 'Burbs (1989): Got S.O. to watch it and he really enjoyed it. One of my favorite movies. (And it had Dick Miller in it.)
-The Addams Family (1991): Had to watch to get into the Halloween Spirit! (And needed something to distract me as I cleaned the blinds with a toothbrush. Yes, seriously.)
-Hocus Pocus (1993): Same as above :)

Okay, that's a wrap! Tell me what you thought about the films or if you're going to watch/avoid something based on my coverage.... Until next time! (Which is hopefully sooner than later!)
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