Rocky Balboa (2006)

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16 years after the franchise was last on the screen, this one pops up.

Take a good look at that picture, he is 60 years old.

Yes 60.

Stunning.  Amazing.

A sappy story line that i only watch when i want to cry.

And yet he wraps up all the loose ends.

I love it too.  I am not angry at Stallone for dipping into the Rocky well again.

Better than III or IV

Of course i am totally a sap.  This one is made to choke you up.

Like a great visit with a n old friend.

Rocky V (1990)

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As we all must learn in life, all of our actions have equal reactions. 

Rocky gets hit over and over = Brain damage.

Now what???

Join Rocky on a great come back movie that reconnects us to the Rocky of the first movie.

Love this one.

A must see.  Redemption for Stallone.

Rocky IV (1985)

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This part of the series is terribly stuck in 1985 and the Cold war.

Not a transferable movies to 2013.

Watch it once and call it a day.

Otherwise skip it.

Rocky III (1982)

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Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
1983	Nominated	Oscar	Best Music, Original Song Jim Peterik Frankie Sullivan For the song "Eye of the Tiger"

This one made you leave the theatre pumped and wanting to jump in a ring.

As far as I am concerned, and I am a big Rocky fan, this is not the strongest of the series.

I adore this character, but even Rocky should have more going on in his noodle than this depicts.

A good Sunday afternoon flick, no thought, just movie.

Rocky II (1979)

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No awards this time.

This movie, the rematch movie is a deeper look into the life of Rocky as he torn between the struggles we all have when fortune falls upon us. 

Who hasn't got credit or cash and done stupid things.  Well Rocky is no different.

The eternal every-day man he is the symbol for all of us.....never give up.

Even if you keep loosing.

Rocky (1976)

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Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
1977	Won	Oscar	Best Director John G. Avildsen
			Best Film Editing Richard Halsey Scott Conrad
			Best Picture Irwin Winkler Robert Chartoff
	Nominated	Oscar	Best Actor in a Leading Role Sylvester Stallone Sylvester Stallone becomes the third person to be nominated for both acting and writing in the same year, following Charles Chaplin for The Great Dictator (1940) and Orson Welles for Citizen Kane (1941).
			Best Actor in a Supporting Role Burgess Meredith
			Best Actor in a Supporting Role Burt Young
			Best Actress in a Leading Role Talia Shire
			Best Music, Original Song Bill Conti (music) Carol Connors (lyrics) Ayn Robbins (lyrics) For the song "Gonna Fly Now"
			Best Sound Harry W. Tetrick William L. McCaughey Lyle J. Burbridge Bud Alper
			Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen Sylvester Stallone

Where do I begin? 

All the haters can leave my blog.  This is my favourite series.

ROCKY is a great and dark look into a career too brutal for most to stomach.

Stallone is fantastic in this film.  Yes Film.

A must see.

Go on, stop reading this blog, and go get a copy.

Epic. 

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

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Such a good little flick.

When you want your brain to turn off and just enjoy a campy film grab this.

Among my firends i would say it is like Zombieland.....just a good flick.

Dont expect a complicated story line.

Boy meets girl, but all the same its a hoot.

Watch it once and trust me.  Just good fun.

Trouble in Paradise (1932)

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OK, sat down last night to watch this and was stunned at what i found.

just over an hour.  fast moving.  no big names.

having said all that it caught our attention from the start.

SPOILERS

con man meets his match in a pickpockets femme fatale and hysteria ensues.

Add in a rich monely woman they can pray on and the stage is set.

I was happily surprised.

Good little movie.

Not sure i would go out of my way to watch it again, but if i was flipping by on the TV and hit it i would totally stay.

Thoughts?

The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

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OK, like the Godfather trilogy, this could be skipped.

Too much hitting you in the side of the head with Good and Evil

Too much symbolism of God and Jesus and the Devil

I struggled to watch it the first time in the theatre.....may never waste that kind of time again.

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

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Part two, with the most EPIC car chase scene ever.....EVER....kicks the french connections ass.

A total must see.

If the 99% of us want to push back on the 1%

Lets just say the series should of ended here.....but sadly it didn't.

Car chases, and Neo falls deeper down the rabbit hole than in the first movie.

Like Alice in Wonderland Neo follows the rabbit in the first movie and keeps chasing that rabbit in the second one.

The Matrix (1999)

IMDB LINK

Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
2000	Won	Oscar	Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing Dane A. Davis
			Best Effects, Visual Effects John Gaeta Janek Sirrs Steve Courtley Jon Thum
			Best Film Editing Zach Staenberg
			Best Sound John T. Reitz Gregg Rudloff David E. Campbell David Lee

I have literally seen this series more times than i can count.

Like all trilogies, only 2 are worth seeing.

This movie peels back the illusions that all of us have int he first world of FREE WILL

And it tells you that if you get up ever day and go to work it is all an illusion.

Life is just a series of meaningless events.

Or is it?

Thoughts?

A total must see. 

Spring Breakers (2012)

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James Franco, is lost in this role.

You stop thinking of him as Franco.

What a dark look into American culture, guns, money, drugs and sexualization of women in culture.

And yet, unlike a big budget Hollywood flick, this movie has no product placement, no slogan, and no slogan.

Having said that, the directorial choice to shoot it during actual spring break means families all over America get to share the collective shame of their kids partying and living in excess for a week.

Second directorial choice was to repeat text over and over as they re shoot the same scene from different angles.

It was an experience. 

Not to say i would watch it again, but it was definitely an experience.

Really want to know your thoughts on this???

Evil Dead (2013)

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OMFG......I maybe watched 15 or 20% of this movie.  Literally.  The rest i heard as i kept my jacket over my face.

This movie is F&*%ed up.  AVOID

Scary, messed up, bloody, creepy, scary, demons, horrific......Most Fed up movie i have ever seen.

Yentl (1983)

IMDB LINK

	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
1984	Won	Oscar	Best Music, Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score Michel Legrand (music) Alan Bergman (lyrics) Marilyn Bergman (lyrics)
	Nominated	Oscar	Best Actress in a Supporting Role Amy Irving
			Best Art Direction-Set Decoration Roy Walker Leslie Tomkins Tessa Davies
			Best Music, Original Song Michel Legrand (music) Alan Bergman (lyrics) Marilyn Bergman (lyrics) For the song "Papa, Can You Hear Me?".
			Best Music, Original Song Michel Legrand (music) Alan Bergman (lyrics) Marilyn Bergman (lyrics) For the song "The Way He Makes Me Feel".

Perfect for the 13 year old girl in all of us who feels misunderstood and wants to break free.

Otherwise, and i am a HUGE Streisand fan, this is just Meh.

When it came out i was the right age.  I adored it.  I loved every second of it.

Now, 30 years later, I am amused mildly.

A must see once, but otherwise not a big hit.

Babs made history with being a female director/lead which today seems almost normal.

some things stand up to the test of time, this sadly, and i mean that, does not. 

Braveheart (1995)

IMDB LINK

Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
1996	Won	Oscar	Best Cinematography John Toll
			Best Director Mel Gibson
			Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing Lon Bender Per Hallberg
			Best Makeup Peter Frampton Paul Pattison Lois Burwell
			Best Picture Mel Gibson Alan Ladd Jr. Bruce Davey
	Nominated	Oscar	Best Costume Design Charles Knode
			Best Film Editing Steven Rosenblum
			Best Music, Original Dramatic Score James Horner
			Best Sound Andy Nelson Scott Millan Anna Behlmer Brian Simmons
			Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen Randall Wallace

Well I must admit, this was better the second time, and i hardly ever say that.

The first time i watched it i felt it was a lord of the rings knock off, less the ring.

This time i was moved by his story.

Though for the record i still feel after the first battle seen it could end.

Although a great movie and an award winner, i do feel it could of used a bit more editing.

I like a story that clips along and this thing does not.  3 hours is a long time to devote to an OK actor doing an OK Scottish accent. 

Great story, mediocre everything else.

Mel pulls it off because his supporting cast is freaking amazing.

Thoughts? 

Bad Santa (2003)

IMDB LINK

Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
2004	Nominated	Golden Globe	Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical Billy Bob Thornton

I call this one my guilty pleasure.

I know i am not suppose to laugh at it.

I know i am not suppose to look forward to it each holiday season.

And yet i do.

This movie holds a warm spot in my inner 14 year old heart.

Let me be clear, this is in NO WAY appropriate for kids, for those that are offended by foul language or poor taste.

This is a must see for the rest of us who can easily access our inner 14 yr old.

Shhhh, lock the doors and laugh your ass off.

American History X (1998)

IMDB

Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
1999	Nominated	Oscar	Best Actor in a Leading Role Edward Norton

If you have not fell in love with the acting skills of Ed Norton, plan a weekend of films that will move you and amaze you.

This look into American bigotry and the ugliness that is the white supremacy movement.

Ed Norton transforms himself into this role is such a convincing way that you feel awkward at times, as if you are peering in at personal moments that should not be shared.

His struggle to overcome his own bigotry and be a leader in his family is mind blowing.

I own this movie and watch it every few years, i literally cant watch it too frequently, its too raw.

Thoughts?

A Better Life (2011)

IMDB LINK

Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
2012	Nominated	Oscar	Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Demián Bichir

This is a deeply touching and gritty look into the life of those in the USA that have no power, no respect, and no green card.

I was so moved by this movie, i made all that i know watch it.

This is a great movie, a must see in my opinion.

And if your heart does not break while they are in that scene in the truck, your dead inside.

Go see this, rent it off ITunes, and make sure the director and actors know you paid for it.

Its that good, pay to watch.

Comments?

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

IMDB LINK

Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
1969	Won	Oscar	Best Actress in a Supporting Role Ruth Gordon
	Nominated	Oscar	Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Roman Polanski

Although I did nor rewatch this this week, my Wife and Daughter watched it for the first time.

The reviews were, Long and really well acted.

Mia is very convincing.  The viewer is torn between Mia is nuts and Mia is being F-ed with by these evil doers.

My daughter thoughts, either way Mia is nuts.

Thoughts and Comments?

It's a Gift (1934)

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Not an award winning flick, just a scary peek into one mans marriage.

All the same go watch it and enjoy his napping scene.

50/50 (2011)

IMDB LINK

Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
2012	Nominated	Golden Globe	Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
			Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical Joseph Gordon-Levitt

OK, this is one of those movies i wanted to watch about as much as i wanted to see a dentist.

Having said that I was surprised.  Now let me be clear, the reasons i did not want to see it, was it just looked like every other buddy movie i had ever seen.  Act one something stupid is conceived by two guys, Act two it seems to be working and then ends in tragedy, and Act three all is resolved and the buddyhood is protected.

OK, fair you will find all that.....you will also find a soulful look at Cancer.  Maybe because it laughs at a taboo subject, maybe cuz it was well crafted, maybe cuz i had a weak moment, i laughed out loud, i wept at our human frailty and i celebrated in his third act.

A good little flick.  Not epic or a must see, but a good little flick all the same. 

Thoughts?

Murder by Death (1976)

IMDB LINK

Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
1977	Nominated	Golden Globe	Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture - Male Truman Capote

OMG. This is is one of my favorites. Do you remember it from back in the 1970's?

So inappropriate and yet too funny.

Stands the test of time.

If you are in a silly mood and want to turn your political correctness off, turn this flick on, sit back and giggle.

Comments or thoughts???