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May 22, 2012
52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 20 - 1979 Alien So I know the fact that I haven’t seen this movie until now is a travesty, especially since I love the sequel, Aliens, and have seen it at least 10 times, but because I know the mythos so well of the series, I just had never gotten around to seeing the original for some reason.  Very very glad to have fixed that fact, especially in light of the movie Prometheus coming out in a few short weeks, which is Ridley Scott’s return to this mythology unofficially, and attempts to explain how the derelict spaceship is on LV-426 in the first place! Scott does a great job of setting up the entire crew and their role as basically space truckers/haulers way out of their depth to be taking on contact with an alien species.  The interactions that make this movie so great and really set up the stakes for the loses, which Cameron also did quite well in the sequel, are easy to get wrong or done poorly by so many other directors.  The tension, the set design of the Nostromo and the derelict ship are just great.  Very happy to have seen it and now I’m going to have to pick up a copy to own like I do of Aliens to be able to watch it again!  SEE THIS.

52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 20 - 1979

Alien


So I know the fact that I haven’t seen this movie until now is a travesty, especially since I love the sequel, Aliens, and have seen it at least 10 times, but because I know the mythos so well of the series, I just had never gotten around to seeing the original for some reason.  Very very glad to have fixed that fact, especially in light of the movie Prometheus coming out in a few short weeks, which is Ridley Scott’s return to this mythology unofficially, and attempts to explain how the derelict spaceship is on LV-426 in the first place!

Scott does a great job of setting up the entire crew and their role as basically space truckers/haulers way out of their depth to be taking on contact with an alien species.  The interactions that make this movie so great and really set up the stakes for the loses, which Cameron also did quite well in the sequel, are easy to get wrong or done poorly by so many other directors.  The tension, the set design of the Nostromo and the derelict ship are just great.  Very happy to have seen it and now I’m going to have to pick up a copy to own like I do of Aliens to be able to watch it again!  SEE THIS.

Tags: 52 weeks 52 movies Alien Ridley Scott Sigourney Weaver

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May 18, 2012
1 note
52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 19 - 1978 The Deer Hunter The movie deserved the praise and awards it received by far.  The story of a group of steel worker friends, some of who must got to Vietnam for the war, and the way that all the events that happen affect them and their relationships.  DeNiro was masterful in his portrayal of just a regular joe from the steel mill, and the cast of characters, including Walkens tremendous job in his supporting role are captivating. It’s all about the psychological experiences they all go through and how it changes them and their relationships to each other.  The movie does an excellent job setting up these people in believable ways and how they all fit together and you can believe that they have been friends for years and years and how deeply the events of the movie shape them.  A highlight for sure of the 1970’s for me.

52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 19 - 1978

The Deer Hunter

The movie deserved the praise and awards it received by far.  The story of a group of steel worker friends, some of who must got to Vietnam for the war, and the way that all the events that happen affect them and their relationships.  DeNiro was masterful in his portrayal of just a regular joe from the steel mill, and the cast of characters, including Walkens tremendous job in his supporting role are captivating.

It’s all about the psychological experiences they all go through and how it changes them and their relationships to each other.  The movie does an excellent job setting up these people in believable ways and how they all fit together and you can believe that they have been friends for years and years and how deeply the events of the movie shape them.  A highlight for sure of the 1970’s for me.

Tags: 52 weeks 52 movies Robert DeNiro Christopher Walken michael Cimino

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May 16, 2012
2 notes
52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 15 - 1974 Blazing Saddles Oh Mel Brooks.  How I want to enjoy your movies.  I remember loving Space Balls and Men in Tights when I was a kid, but seeing them now induces more cringe then joy.  They do, I will grant them, have some really great bits in them that are quite good and just make me laugh, and fall into that quotable territory for when with friends, but so much of them just fall short for me. So.  Blazing Saddles.  It certainly had it’s moments, but so much of it just didn’t make me laugh but more cringe, I just didn’t get as much laughter out of it as I’d hoped.  It certainly ranks high on best comedy lists, but I know that it won’t crack my top 10 any time soon.  Glad to have seen, but won’t be seeing it again any time soon.

52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 15 - 1974

Blazing Saddles

Oh Mel Brooks.  How I want to enjoy your movies.  I remember loving Space Balls and Men in Tights when I was a kid, but seeing them now induces more cringe then joy.  They do, I will grant them, have some really great bits in them that are quite good and just make me laugh, and fall into that quotable territory for when with friends, but so much of them just fall short for me.

So.  Blazing Saddles.  It certainly had it’s moments, but so much of it just didn’t make me laugh but more cringe, I just didn’t get as much laughter out of it as I’d hoped.  It certainly ranks high on best comedy lists, but I know that it won’t crack my top 10 any time soon.  Glad to have seen, but won’t be seeing it again any time soon.

Tags: 52 weeks 52 movies Mel Brooks Gene Wilder Blazing Saddles

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May 09, 2012
52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 16 - 1975 Rocky Horror Picture Show WTF.  Seriously.  WTF.  I’d managed to escape ever seeing this during my teenage years, and “missed out’ on going to some midnight showing somewhere for the true experience, but I’m not sure it would have helped me!  I’m no stranger to musicals, odd movies and more, but this was just weird.  It was certainly a ride I’ll admit, and was entertaining, but man, did it make very little sense.  Still all and all, it’s another one I’m glad to have ticked off my list of movies to see, and now I can truly say I’ve seen the “Time Warp”, Meatloaf at his peak, and Tim Curry in drag.  I’m good for the next 33 years if I don’t have to do so again.

52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 16 - 1975

Rocky Horror Picture Show

WTF.  Seriously.  WTF.  I’d managed to escape ever seeing this during my teenage years, and “missed out’ on going to some midnight showing somewhere for the true experience, but I’m not sure it would have helped me!  I’m no stranger to musicals, odd movies and more, but this was just weird.  It was certainly a ride I’ll admit, and was entertaining, but man, did it make very little sense.  Still all and all, it’s another one I’m glad to have ticked off my list of movies to see, and now I can truly say I’ve seen the “Time Warp”, Meatloaf at his peak, and Tim Curry in drag.  I’m good for the next 33 years if I don’t have to do so again.

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May 09, 2012
52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 18 - 1977 Slap Shot Billed as one of the top 10 sports comedies of all time, and a true hockey classic I just had to pick it up.  Plus Paul Newman is always good to watch, even when he’s not doing a challenging dramatic role.  And the movie didn’t disappoint, with the Hanson brothers stealing the show by far with their great Canadian antics and accent tics years before Strange Brew.  The story of a terrible minor league hockey team and their rise to a winning team through the use of brute force out there on the ice.  A great funny cast of characters and such.  Very much enjoyed it.  Still had to cringe at the hockey played without helmets and such!  Amazing to think that it was played that way for decades and decades.  Loved the old style hockey masks.  Fun for any Hockey fan or even if you aren’t.

52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 18 - 1977

Slap Shot

Billed as one of the top 10 sports comedies of all time, and a true hockey classic I just had to pick it up.  Plus Paul Newman is always good to watch, even when he’s not doing a challenging dramatic role.  And the movie didn’t disappoint, with the Hanson brothers stealing the show by far with their great Canadian antics and accent tics years before Strange Brew. 

The story of a terrible minor league hockey team and their rise to a winning team through the use of brute force out there on the ice.  A great funny cast of characters and such.  Very much enjoyed it.  Still had to cringe at the hockey played without helmets and such!  Amazing to think that it was played that way for decades and decades.  Loved the old style hockey masks.  Fun for any Hockey fan or even if you aren’t.

Tags: 52 weeks 52 years slap shot paul newman

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April 30, 2012
52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 17 - 1976 Network So yes, I know I missed a couple weeks (1974 and 1975) but both of those will be on their way shortly.  I stepped up to 1976 to keep up and watched Network.  I know I’ve heard the catchphrase from this movie dozens of times (“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this any more!”) and was happy to get a chance to watch it and it was great!  Faye Dunaway is just stunning as usual, and the funny part of the message of the movie hasn’t changed in 35 years since this movie came out.  The networks will do anything for ratings and eyeballs on the screen, and that TV is rotting your brain.  Good to know the more things change, the more they stay the same.  Brilliantly done all around, and I wished I had seen this earlier.  I loved the TV rants, the meeting with the corporate owner (a Ted Turner-esque owner of a lot of communications companies) and just the cleverness of the script and the abilities of the actors to pull it all off.  See it.  It has aged really well, and could be updated for today easily, through probably not done as well due to the strength of this cast. 

52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 17 - 1976

Network


So yes, I know I missed a couple weeks (1974 and 1975) but both of those will be on their way shortly.  I stepped up to 1976 to keep up and watched Network.  I know I’ve heard the catchphrase from this movie dozens of times (“I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take this any more!”) and was happy to get a chance to watch it and it was great!  Faye Dunaway is just stunning as usual, and the funny part of the message of the movie hasn’t changed in 35 years since this movie came out.  The networks will do anything for ratings and eyeballs on the screen, and that TV is rotting your brain.  Good to know the more things change, the more they stay the same. 

Brilliantly done all around, and I wished I had seen this earlier.  I loved the TV rants, the meeting with the corporate owner (a Ted Turner-esque owner of a lot of communications companies) and just the cleverness of the script and the abilities of the actors to pull it all off.  See it.  It has aged really well, and could be updated for today easily, through probably not done as well due to the strength of this cast. 

Tags: 52 weeks 52 movies network faye dunaway robert duval

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April 06, 2012
52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 14 - 1973 The Sting Another Robert Redford movie this week, but wow, what fun this was!  I love Paul Newman in pretty much anything and then the addition of Robert Shaw to this rounded out a great cast and a really fun con-artist/heist movie.  Sure the twists and the resolution seems pretty easy to pick out to a modern audience, but with these style of movies it’s about the journey and they take you for a fun ride in the 1930’s.  The setup being a con-man wanting to get back at a big time numbers guy who killed the con-man’s partner after they score a big accidental con.  Loved the Scott Joplin sound track, being a fan of his piano pieces from when I was a kid learning to plunk them out at piano lessons, and the great feel of the time period was great.  Fan of heist movies?  See it!  Not?  See it anyways.

52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 14 - 1973

The Sting

Another Robert Redford movie this week, but wow, what fun this was!  I love Paul Newman in pretty much anything and then the addition of Robert Shaw to this rounded out a great cast and a really fun con-artist/heist movie.  Sure the twists and the resolution seems pretty easy to pick out to a modern audience, but with these style of movies it’s about the journey and they take you for a fun ride in the 1930’s. 

The setup being a con-man wanting to get back at a big time numbers guy who killed the con-man’s partner after they score a big accidental con.  Loved the Scott Joplin sound track, being a fan of his piano pieces from when I was a kid learning to plunk them out at piano lessons, and the great feel of the time period was great.  Fan of heist movies?  See it!  Not?  See it anyways.

Tags: 52 weeks 52 movies The Sting Robert Redford Paul Newman Robert Shaw

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April 05, 2012
52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 13 - 1972 Jeremiah Johnson A bit of Robert Redford action with him playing the mountain man Jeremiah Johnson.  The good tough story, with some basis on an actual person (Liver Eating Johnson, what a nice guy!), of a man who wants to leave the world behind and live his live in the mountains, yet finds himself continually forced into situations that he’d not choose himself and his moral sense won’t let him avoid, including caring for a boy, an Indian gift wife and a vengeful Indians as well! Beautifully shot, and lovely in its care of showing the mountain ranges and hard land he lived on, as well as how he eked out existent trapping and ranging far and wide I was impressed with the movie.  It’s a role I wouldn’t have placed Robert Redford in at all, but he played it well and I very much enjoyed it. 

52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 13 - 1972

Jeremiah Johnson

A bit of Robert Redford action with him playing the mountain man Jeremiah Johnson.  The good tough story, with some basis on an actual person (Liver Eating Johnson, what a nice guy!), of a man who wants to leave the world behind and live his live in the mountains, yet finds himself continually forced into situations that he’d not choose himself and his moral sense won’t let him avoid, including caring for a boy, an Indian gift wife and a vengeful Indians as well!

Beautifully shot, and lovely in its care of showing the mountain ranges and hard land he lived on, as well as how he eked out existent trapping and ranging far and wide I was impressed with the movie.  It’s a role I wouldn’t have placed Robert Redford in at all, but he played it well and I very much enjoyed it. 

Tags: 52 weeks 52 movies Jeremiah Johnson Robert redford

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March 28, 2012
4 notes
52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 12 (Part 2) - 1971 Dirty Harry How have I never seen this movie!? It wasn’t until this project I even had seen an Eastwood movie, and now with two under my belt I’m enjoying this guy!  Harry Callhoun aka Dirty Harry with his Magnum and his banter with the perps was just great.  I think I enjoyed the whole setup of this to The French Connection and just the way Dirty Harry handled things was great, along with his connection to his partners and the fellow cops.  Some truly iconic images and lines from the movie.  I know everyone’s heard the whole “Well do ya, punk!?” thing many many times, but things like the image of him standing on a railroad bridge towards the end or just his way of taking out the bank robbers early on. I love getting to see between both of this last weeks movies where so many of those jokes, memes, tropes and more come from.  They are deep seated in these classic cop movies and I’m happy that I took the ride.  Anyone know if any of the 4 sequels are any good?  I’m good with not seeing them and just imagining that Harry went off to kick some ass somewhere else, but if one is worth watching I’m in!

52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 12 (Part 2) - 1971

Dirty Harry


How have I never seen this movie!? It wasn’t until this project I even had seen an Eastwood movie, and now with two under my belt I’m enjoying this guy!  Harry Callhoun aka Dirty Harry with his Magnum and his banter with the perps was just great.  I think I enjoyed the whole setup of this to The French Connection and just the way Dirty Harry handled things was great, along with his connection to his partners and the fellow cops.  Some truly iconic images and lines from the movie.  I know everyone’s heard the whole “Well do ya, punk!?” thing many many times, but things like the image of him standing on a railroad bridge towards the end or just his way of taking out the bank robbers early on.

I love getting to see between both of this last weeks movies where so many of those jokes, memes, tropes and more come from.  They are deep seated in these classic cop movies and I’m happy that I took the ride.  Anyone know if any of the 4 sequels are any good?  I’m good with not seeing them and just imagining that Harry went off to kick some ass somewhere else, but if one is worth watching I’m in!

Tags: 52 weeks 52 movies Dirty Harry Clint Eastwood eastwood

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March 26, 2012
52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 12 (Part 1) - 1971 The French Connection Oh yes, this week was a double feature of classic cop thrillers.  First up was The French Connection, starting Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider.  What a great trip this one was.  Good action, great rapport between Popeye Doyle and his partner Russo.  Great use of the city of NY and the chase scenes on the subway were worth the price of admission. Random trivia - Popeye’s Fried Chicken was named in honor of this character, and not the old animated classic according to the IMDB trivia, which I found funny. All in all it was refreshing to see one of the classics where all of the tropes and familiar things come from.

52 Weeks - 52 Years of Movies - Week 12 (Part 1) - 1971

The French Connection


Oh yes, this week was a double feature of classic cop thrillers.  First up was The French Connection, starting Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider.  What a great trip this one was.  Good action, great rapport between Popeye Doyle and his partner Russo.  Great use of the city of NY and the chase scenes on the subway were worth the price of admission.

Random trivia - Popeye’s Fried Chicken was named in honor of this character, and not the old animated classic according to the IMDB trivia, which I found funny.

All in all it was refreshing to see one of the classics where all of the tropes and familiar things come from.

Tags: 52 weeks 52 movies the french connection Gene Hackman Roy Scheider