Day 365- Last Day contiued

Movie: Julie and Julia
Starring: Meryl Streep, Amy Adams
Genre:Comedy, Drama, Bio-Pic,
Year: 2009
Format: DVD

Plot: After reading the cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking,   Julie Powell decides to cook her way through the large volume, and becomes obsessed with the life of Julia Child.

What do I think I learned from this film?

I decided it was only fitting to end the challenge the same way I started it. By watching the movie Julie/Julia.   The film that got me going in this direction to begin with. 

So it's a year later...

I started the year by  watching the movies at night and writing up the post to have for first thing in the morning.  It gave me a schedule and forced me to sit down for a few hours every day.
But along the way,  because of things happening in my life,  the movie was done in the morning and therefore, posted later in the day.
I was about three weeks into the challenge when I started wondering if I was in over my head and if I was going to even continue into the New Year.   But I got past that bump and kept at it. As crazy as it sounds,  I needed this.   I needed to finish something that I had started. 

A year ago, I had talked about finding your passion, another reason I wanted to do this year long challenge.

Nine weeks in, I sort of had an A-HA! moment.
I am not the type to do up New Year's resolutions, but I did for 2012. Two of the things on my "wish list" for the year were to get back to work on my scrapbook that had been sitting half done since 2008, and to get back to painting again. Something else I had not done since about 2006.
I'd realized the little sketchbook I'd been using to keep track of the movies I'd seen to that point, was more of a journal/scrapbook then just a list, with tickets I'd kept from the cinema, the lessons I felt I learned from each film and drawings I'd done that had been inspired by some of the movies.
So I ended up heading to the craft store and stocking up on art supplies and a photo album.  I turned what had been a simple list into these single mini projects.  The list had started just so that I could refer back quickly to make sure I did not  re-do a movie.

This challenge had unknowingly helped me to fulfill two of my New Year's "wishes".

Twelve weeks into the challenge I fell and broke my kneecap. Just shattered it.  I, ironically was coming home from the cinema when I slipped on some ice. It put me a full week behind on the challenge having been in the hospital.  
The challenge gave me something to focus on while I went through recovery.

This was not a cheap challenge by far.  I gave up around May trying to  keep track of everything spent over the course of the year in regards to this challenge.  From movie rentals, to the price of a popcorn etc.

Some of the movies I watched for the first time during the year, some were old favourites, and others still were movies I had in my collection that I'd watched once and didn't remember I had until I started to dig through my collection. 

I think the movies I enjoyed the most during the year were  Warrior and  Anonymous

This challenge ended up seeping into every part of my life.  I did not take in account at the beginning of this how it would affect my budget or how my family interacted with me.  As, because of my knee injury I spent a few months crashing on my mother's sofa; my movie choices were limited to what she was willing to watch with me.  That ended up being a major game changer. Not too mention that she babysat a lot, which would account for some of the kids movies I ended up seeing.
Ratings and how appropriate a movie was suddenly became something I needed to think about. 

There were many disappointments, because of my knee injury with me not getting to the cinema for all the films I had been looking forward to.
When I started this challenge, I was stuck on my sofa with a broken foot on a December afternoon in 2011. Who would have guessed that would be a foreshadow to the coming year with my knee?
I thought "how difficult is it to do something I do every day anyway? A year is nothing"  What I didn't account for were the unknowns.  Things like my health getting in the way, bad weather that caused power outages which kept me from seeing the movies and from getting online, the uninvited company who would stop by keeping me from being able to see a movie etc. All things that factored into the year going over by a few weeks.

This year was not what I was expecting it to be. But if I learned anything, is that life usually isn't what you would expect.

My official challenge is over for 2012.  But the blog is not.

You would expect to have a life lesson from something like Julie/Julia  or Eat Pray Love,  which I did. but you wouldn't expect to learn a life lesson from something like Evil Bong (okay I didn't learn anything from that but I needed an example)
The day I started this year long challenge, I really had nothing in mind other then I thought it would be cool to watch one movie a day for the year and blog about it.
But, after a few movies, I realized I actually wanted to get something out of this whole thing. I wanted to discover stuff.  Stuff about myself, new interests, new hobbies, new people. I realized in the end I really do want to find my passion.
It all ended up leading me back to a few common things.  Scrapbooking, art, and vampires.
That's when I decided I wanted to do an all vampire challenge.  Which is what I'm setting out to do in 2013.

This past year, despite my injury (two surgeries, seven months of physio therapy, and almost nine months sharing an apartment with my mother) despite the lack of a social life, I still had some fun with this challenge. (I think it helped keep me from going totally mad during the whole thing.)
And I'm sure a few of my readers checked in to see if I was honestly going to finish.  There were times when I wasn't sure I would. But very glad I did.
And I also know, that there are a few readers (mostly in the wrestling industry -big kiss-) who checked in to this blog simply because it was a ridiculous challenge.  I think that was another part of why I actually had fun doing this.  I was not working for any magazines or newspapers as a movie reviewer, it was done for fun.

As I said, my official challenge of one movie a day for the year in 2012 is over, but the blog is not.  The plan as I type this, is to continue the blog as I watch movies, as the movie club progresses (keeping my fingers crossed on that one) and diving head first into the vampire challenge I have planned for 2013. (more on that after tomorrow)

And as I realize this post is about as long as the last five I've done combined, I will say stay tuned, Happy New Year, and stay safe. 

What that movie inspired me to do #6

The movie Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, was a movie that came into my life when I was at a major turning point.
I had just gone through an extremely rough year personally, and when I watched that movie, I fell in love with the scrapbook. Which I know hundreds of others out there who saw the film also did.
In that year, 2002-03; I worked on my first serious scrapbook.  I've been scrapbooking off and on since I was a kid, but that was the first time I sat down and said "I'm going to do this"

Here all these years later, I've begun to get back into the habit of it.

These are some of the results from this year's movie challenge via my scrapbook.

This was my Alice in Wonderland  (Days 162 and 164) inspired page. I've posted this before on another blog and over on one of the scrapbook communities I'm part of.

 This is my Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas page. It's more of a drawing then a typical "scrapbook design" page. The red is showing up pink in this picture, because my webcam is crap.

I suppose, in a way, blogs are scrapbooks themselves.

So, I thought I would share a couple of my side projects from the year's challenge.  You never know what a movie will inspire you to do.

Day 365

movie: X-Men Origins:Wolverine
starring: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber
genre: Sci-Fi, Action,
year: 2009
format: DVD

plot: We learn about Wolverine's past, from his discovering his ability, to learning he has a brother, to how he was given the adamantium skeleton. Which he uses to destroy the military based corporation that has been killing mutants for their abilities.

Based on the Marvel comics. Film number  4 in the X-Men franchise, and film 1 in the Wolverine sub-series.

I think the character of Wolverine is so loved because he's the sort of character that is more human then human but is still superhuman.
This film, like a lot of superhero stories, is based on the Frankenstein factor.  Experiments gone wrong, or totally successful depending on your point of view.

This is Wolverine's story, but it's also Sabretooth's as well.  I would love to see Schreiber have his own film in the series.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Everyone has a dark and light side to them. Everyone is capable of letting go of the controlled "human side",  it's how you proceed towards the more primal side that defines your character. If you're willing to work with your more natural instincts or fight against it, thus creating a monstrous part of yourself.

Day 364

movie: The Pink Panther 2
starring: Steve Martin, Andy Garcia
genre: Comedy, Crime
year: 2009
format: DVD

plot: A few of the worlds national treasures have been stolen by a master thief called the Tornado, and a group of detectives from around the world are called together to find them.  Top of the list is Inspector Clouseau

This is one of those films that you can sit back and waste time with.  It's got a small thread of an idea, but I really don't think it managed to pull it off proper.   It is however, extremely camp which makes it one of those it's so bad it's funny films.

Steve Martin is the master of the modern age of physical comedy and that's just what he serves up in this god awful laugh fest.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Alfred Molina looks hot even in a pink tutu.

Day 363

movie: Jawbreaker
starring: Rose McGowa, Julie Benz
genre: Comedy, Crime,
year: 1999
format: online

plot: A group of girls kidnap their friend on her birthday, only the jawbreaker they use to keep her quiet gets stuck in her throat killing her. They make a pact with another student to keep it all silent but the truth has a way of making itself heard.

Some would say this is a mild rip off of Heathers.   I can see the elements in it. 
This movie is hard to really place in a solid category.  It's dark humour has lent it to cult status, but at the same time, the core of it is a serious story about jealousy.

Most of the actresses went on to make a name for themselves in the horror genre, most notable Benz for her role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel tv shows.

This movie really nails it for me, on how brutal high school can get. The competition, specially between women can get very close to the way it's portrayed here. The need to be the queen of the scene, can bring out the devil in some people. That's why there are so many movies on the topic of mean girls.

what do i think i learned from this film?
It's movies like this that remind me why I choose not to have any female friends

Day 362

movie: The Addams Family
starring: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia
genre: Comedy,
year: 1991
format: DVD

plot: A con artist decides to steal the Addams's money by hiring an imposter to pretend to be Fester, Gomez's long lost brother, but nothing goes according to plan.

Classic. What can I say, other then it has become a cult classic in the last 21 years.
Christopher Lloyd I  think really makes this one.  He's officially played everything there is to play, and many of them strange characters. I know I don't think of any other actor when I think of the character.

This movie is almost hard to pin down as far as what it's all about.  Seems like it's got a bit of everything, from being comfortable with yourself, to always trusting your gut, to never letting your family heritage down.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Most of the time, your family can forgive you anything...most of the time

Day 361

movie:Wimbledon
starring:Paul Bettany, Kristen Dunst
genre: Drama, Romance, Sports
year: 2004
format: online

plot: A tennis pro who is in his 30's decides to do one last championship game, and ends up falling in love with a female player

I don't think I've ever watched tennis in  my life before, nor have I ever seen a movie about tennis before.  I found it more interesting then baseball.

This is a movie about refinding yourself. Like many of the starting over after a heartbreak movies, the lead character is faced with the reality of his choices. I did like the fact that this was about a man experiencing the heartbreak and lack of direction.  Normally these films are geared to women. 
Bettany has a way of making everything he plays seem real, even when he's an arch angel on the war path (Legion)

what do i think i learned from this film?
You never know what you have left in you till you try. Love and passion are like a comet, appearing  out of nowhere and strikes you just when you lest expect it. Cold and hot at the same time.

Day 360

movie: Trouble with the Curve (aka Back in the Game)
starring: Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams
genre: Drama, Sports
year: 2012
format: Shaw Video On Demand

plot: A baseball scout's contract is about to end, and if he wants to have it renewed, he needs to sign the next big thing. Only he's starting to go blind, so his daughter goes with him on a week long scouting trip.

You sort of have an idea right off what's going to happen here. Father and Daughter who don't really get along are forced to do so. Daughter meets another baseball player and ends up in a relationship with him, while struggling with the job she is suppose to be doing that she took time away from to help her dad.

I don't know a thing about baseball, and no this movie did not make me want to learn anything about the sport.
It was a cute movie, and one of the better ones I've seen over the years about baseball. This is Amy Adams movie all the way. And if you watch this back to back with Julie/Julia, you can see why she's becoming someone to hold the lead.

what do i think i learned from this film?
People will disappoint you no matter what. The question is, will you disappoint yourself?

Day 359

movie: Premium Rush
starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon
genre: Action, Crime
year: 2012
format: Shaw Video On Demand

plot: A bike delivery guy is given a mysterious envelope to take to China Town and is chased all over New York by a cop who wants the envelope.

This was different.  I like different.
The main character is introduced and then you're taken back two hours to introduce the bad guy which then brings you back to the first time slot where their stories intertwine, then you are taken back about two hours again to be introduced to the other two characters all leading up to the point where their stories intertwine.

Confused?  I make it sound more complicated then the actual story is. 

what do i think i learned from this film?
Don't get mixed up with gambling.

Day 358

movie: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
starring: Andy Serkis, James Franco
genre: Sci-fi, Drama
year:2011
format: Online

plot: A scientist finds a newborn ape in his lab, who has been genetically enhanced. Raising it like his own son for 8 years, Cesar is removed from their home after an accident. Soon, Cesar's intelligence evolves to the point he is able to teach the other apes who are being held captive, and leads them in an uprising.

I was expecting a solid sci-fi action flick. What I got was a heartwarming drama.  I ended up with a crying headache.

This is suppose to be the first in a series of rebooted Planet of the Apes films.   It was extremely well written, and kept me glued to the screen.  I have to admit, I sat there wondering for most of it how much was digital and how much was puppets/man in a suit?  I was surprised in a good way to learn that the apes were actually all done by motion capture and that it was 97% "men in suites".   You're drawn in by them so much, you forget that you are watching a "digital" movie.

All I really have to say is, I can not wait for the next installment of the series.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Humanity is what you make of it.

Day 357

movie: Hope Springs
starring: Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones
genre: Drama
year: 2012
format: Shaw Video On Demand

plot: A middle aged couple decide they need to have therapy after their 31 year marriage becomes troubled.

This was difficult to sit through at moments.  The conversation was frank but handled tastefully.  I was really expecting more of a film along the lines of Heartburn or The Hours, but instead this was a more realistic approach to the topic of lost intimacy.

Tommy Lee Jones steals the film with his portrayal of a man who seems like a lost little puppy who just wants to be forgotten in the corner. His character is so comfortable in the cocoon he's built for himself that he fails to understand that his "perfect situation" is far from perfect for his wife.
He brings this beautifully real sense of awkwardness to the relationship and makes you believe that he feels out of his depth with the woman who "could have had her pick of men but picked him" scenes.

The rating on this was a PG-13, and you wont see anything worse then what you would on a typical soap opera, but the topical discussion should be given a more serious parental warning.

what do i think I learned from this film?
Sex is the second major form of communication besides talking, and when we loose sight of how to be connected on that level, we loose our ability to communicate in general with our mate.

Day 356

movie: The Fast and the Furious
starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker
genre: Action, Crime
year: 2001
format: Shaw Video On Demand

plot: An undercover cop joins forces with a drag racer to find out who is behind a recent bought of truck hijackings

Okay, this is the first movie in the series.  The one I thought I had rented way back earlier in the year (Day 59) when I had actually seen part 4.
And to be honest, I can't really tell the films apart. The titles are confusing.

I kept waiting for something big to happen in this, but there wasn't much more then driving around with a few shoot em up scenes.  One of the major movies that helped to start the wave of driving around with a few shoot em up scenes in the movie- genre. 

what do i think i learned from this film?
I don't think I learned anything from this movie other then Vin Diesel is still hot.

Day 355

movie: Pitch Perfect
starring: Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin
genre: Music
year: 2012
format: Shaw Video On Demand

plot: A college dj is talked into joining an A cappella group, and finds herself at the national finals.

This is based on the non fiction book.

Basically, this is a vocal version of popular dance off movies. And I have to say, it was better then I was expecting.  This managed to mix romantic comedy along with the music, which I wasn't sure would blend well enough to keep the flow of it going, but it did.

There was an unintentional joke - lest I think it was unintentional- with the line about the lead Beca becoming a Bella. As the musical group is called the Barden Bellas, and the lead actor Anna Kendrick played the best friend in the first 4 Twilight movies.

I have to say, as cute as this film was, I'm not too sure I'd be able to sit through more then one more like this.  I can see this becoming a new sub-genre, which would turn me off completely from the whole thing.

what do i think i learned from this film?
I had no idea that there were real competitions of this, that there were serious communities and groups that did A cappella competitions.

Day 354

movie: Morning Glory
starring: Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford
genre: Drama
year: 2010
format: online

plot: A young television producer is fired from her job, and soon finds herself taking a job on a morning show, which is failing in the ratings. Her only chance to save the show is to get a former late night news anchor to work for them.

This is a love story, but not in the typical sense.  Which I loved. 
The lead character is forced to deal with an older co-worker who develop a work relationship that mirrors a typical romance.  But I liked the fact they gave the characters relationships with other people, leaving their "relationship" strictly work.  She woos him for the job and after a "break up", he wins her back with a news segment.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Your dream and goal will come to you if you believe in it and work for it, it just might not come in the package you think it will.

Day 353

movie: My Life in Ruins
starring: Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss
genre: Comedy, Romance
year: 2009
format: online

plot: A history professor is forced to be a tour guide while living in Greece. On her last tour, she finds that she is being sabotaged by one of her co-workers, and starts up a romance with her new bus driver.

This is one of those it is better then it sounds, but not as good as the trailer made it seem.

It's a "starting over" movie that just always seems to be geared to us women over 30. It's sweet, but ten minutes into it you get the "been here seen this movie"  feel. 
I can not say I hated it, but I can not say I really liked it either.

What makes this film laughable, is the pick-pocket grandma.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Relax, have an ice cream, have a dance.

My Top 5 Best and Worst of 2012

We're nearing the end of the year, and everyone is talking about the top movies that either made their hit lists or miss lists.

So, I think I'll add my lot to the pot.

Top Worst 2012

1. Sexual Chronicles of a French Family  (Day 333)

2.ParaNorman (Day 332)

3.  The Campaign (Day 316)

4. The Hunger Games (Day 244)

5. Wraith of the Titans (212)

I have to say, ParaNorman was the lest of the worst on this list. There were a few more films that just made me want to turn off the movie, but I want to keep the lists to 5 each side

Top Best of 2012

1. Batman 3 The Dark Knight Rises (Day 339)

2. Twilight Saga 5 Breaking Dawn part 2 (Day 325)

3. Amazing Spider-Man (Day 315)

4. Hotel Transylvania (Day 288)

5. This Means War (Day 79)

I have to say, the surprise film for me on this list is actually Amazing Spider-Man. I had heard so much negative on it, that I wasn't sure it would be of interest to me, but it is by far my favourite Spiderman. 

Day 352

movie: Total Recall (remake)
starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale
genre: Sci-fi, Action
year: 2012
format: Shaw Video On Demand

plot: A factory worker has a recurring dream that he is a spy, and goes to a place that can alter dreams and memories, only to find out that his dreams are not just dreams.

This is based on the 1990 movie which was based on the book "We Can Remember It for you Wholesale" by Philip K. Dick

I've never seen the original 1990 version, so I can't compare the two. Which might be good for me, given I really liked the remake.  Farrell plays the lead character of Quaid as clueless but does it without coming across as boring. Beckinsale makes the movie.  She might have started off doing romantic roles but she owns the action genre now.

(talked about the vampire connection on my vampire blog here)

what do i think i learned from this film?
Sometimes our minds are not what they seem. Follow your instincts over everything else.

Day 351

movie: Fred Claus
starring: Paul Giamatti, Vince Vaughn
genre; Comedy
year: 2007
format; TV EDIT

plot: Santa's older brother Fred ends up spending a few weeks at the North Pole, to pay off a debt. Meanwhile, Santa is having issues with a corporate executive who wants to shut down the whole thing.

Okay, I have to admit, I love Paul Giamatti, and he was the only reason I sat through this movie.  That and it was on tv so it was a free movie.

This movie was actually better then it sounded.  Vaughn was funny, and given everything I've seen him in before has been rude and vulgar, this was actually funny. Semi-clean, but then again as I said it was a tv edit.
I liked the idea of exploring the rest of the family of someone famous.  Really liked the scene with the support group for brothers of celebrities.  Stephen Baldwin was a crack up.  You don't think about how the rest of the people in the life of a famous person deals with stuff, and this movie extreme as it is, gives you a small taste of how it might affect them.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Nothing is ever completely black and white no matter what you might think about the situation. No one can ever be totally nice all the time.

Day 350

movie: Men In Black 3
starring: Will Smith, Josh Brolin
genre: Sci-Fi
year: 2012
format: Shaw Video On Demand

plot: Agent J. is affected by a time disturbance and is the only one who realizes that Agent K. is missing. He needs to travel back in time to 1969 and fix the mistake that was made in order to save the world

It's been over a decade since the second movie in the series was released, and to be honest, I don't remember anything about the first two movies.  Maybe it was a mind eraser probe? 

I loved Josh Brolin in this.  I was skeptical on if this film was going to be any good, as because of how long it's been between films, but Brolin was worth it! He captures the character that Tommy Lee Jones created to perfection, while still adding his own touches to it.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Everyone has a moment, touching or harsh that makes them become the people they are currently.

Day 349

movie: Santa Buddies
starring: Christopher Lloyd, George Wendt
genre: Family
year:2009
format: TV EDIT

plot: The magical icicle that powers the North Pole is melting because people have stopped believing in Christmas.  Santa's dog, is the only one who can make people believe again as he travels around with a group of dogs to help save a small town.

Another talking dog movie.  Why is it, whenever I'm babysitting I get stuck watching talking dog movies? 

This is one of those its so silly but it must be cute because it's got animals in it.  Short on story but then again, it's for kids. I feel sorry for the dogs in this, as they all had to wear stupid costumes.

what do i think i learned from this film?
According to my 6 year old cousin "it's all done with computer you can't make a dog really fly or anything unless you hang on to it and jump off of something that's really really high and land like that. But it's safer with a computer no one gets hurt when you do it all with computer."

Day 348

movie: Star Trek the Motion Picture
starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy
genre: Sci-fi, Drama
year: 1979
format: online

plot: Kirk takes command of the Enterprise in order to help stop a machine based threat from destroying Earth. But after one of his crew is taken and replaced by a robot, another makes the ultimate sacrifice.

You can pretty much say, this was the beginning of the Borg that would show up throughout all the other series and films.
Two characters who were introduced in this film only to end up dying as they become part of the machine.  It's creepy and brilliant all at the same time.

We're talking 1979 here. The story is confusing and thin, while the effects are comical now, they were the best in the world at that time. The downfall of the film is the amount of effects that were used.
There are these scenes of rich dialogue that though were sparse, showed the fact the film was character driven. Then you're given these long pieces of effects for the sake of the effects which I found broke the story for me. I would rather be carried away by a really great scene of witty dialogue then by effects. 

There has been so much said good, bad, mediocre about the first ST movie, that I'll keep my post fairly short.  BUT, I did like the idea that there needed to be a duel element of "god and goddess" to create something new. One of the final scenes had the crew talking about a new lifeform, which could not have happened if the male and female crew members hadn't agreed to give themselves over to the machine.
This gives the seemingly odd comment by the character of Ilia when she's introduced in the beginning about her vow of celibacy a purpose. Total foreshadowing for her role in things.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Resistance is futile.

Day 347

movie: Mona Lisa Smile
starring: Julia Roberts, Ginnifer Goodwin
genre: Drama
year: 2003
format: DVD

plot: Follows the lives of a female art professor and her students at an all girls college in the 1950's, and how they each deal with the conservative issues of the time.

This is a film that asks what would you do if you're life ended up being less then you expected?
It's almost a foreshadow for Roberts as it gives many of the similar questions as Eat Pray Love.

The art almost becomes a character in itself, and forces the characters to reevaluate their personal views on how they are living their lives. And what they are willing to put up with from their families.

The romantic issues that all the characters go through, from the free giving characters to the traditional married ones, to the almost nun like character; in the end are all how the women deal with their fears.  One of the teachers fears being alone and heartbroken to the point of hiding where as another character fears the rejection and what people will think of her to the point of belittling a classmate.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Are you living your life for you, or are you living the life everyone expects you to be?

Day 346

movie: Dinner with Friends
starring: Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette
genre: Drama, Food
year: 2001
format: DVD

plot: Two couples discover the truth about the marriage of one of them over a late night dinner.

This at first glance, seems like a sweet little foodie film, but after about the first ten minutes, you realize the food is more of a backdrop then anything else.

It's also based on a stage play.  Which you feel within seconds of the set up.
Rich in dialogue, the story shows how one couple's lives overlaps with the second couple's.  As the first couple reveal their affairs and their break up, the second couple start to wonder how things will affect them. 

what do i think i learned from this film?
There is a fine line between lust and disgust. Lies no matter how small can destroy people's faith in the world around them.

Day 345

movie: Prophecy 5 The Forsaken
starring: Tony Todd, John Light
genre: Fantasy, Thriller
year: 2005
format: DVD

plot: Allison, is given the job of protecting the book that contains the name of the anti-christ from both sides of Archangels in the war between heaven and hell from getting it.

This is the fifth installment in the Prophecy films, and if you have not seen the others, it won't make any sense.   Which is unfortunate. I like movies that can be seen as a stand alone, even if it is part of a series.  And usually by the time you get this far into a franchise the stories start to become self contained, but this one is clearly part of something.

We're introduced to a whole new cast of characters in part four, creating a new arch and a new set of plot rules. And if you missed part 4, then you end up loosing the connection to the lead character and why she's doing what she's doing.  

what do i think i learned from this film?
Sometimes the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one

Day 344

movie: Prophecy 2
starring: Christopher Walken, Jennifer Beals
genre: Thriller,
year: 1998
format: DVD

plot: Archangel Danyael comes to earth with the intent to have a child with a woman.  The child will be a Nephilim, to help with the war between the Angels.  Gabriel, has been released from hell in order to stop it from happening.

 I love movies that follow a heaven vs hell plot. This is the second of 5 movies in the Prophecy series. And, the one that I believe is where the series should have started. 

Walken brings enough dry humour to the role of  Gabriel, to make you wonder sometimes if all his lines were improvised?
It's never explained why the Beals character is chosen to be the mother, or if it's a random thing. That's one plot hole I would have liked to have filled in.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Just because you think you know what side you're on, doesn't mean you really do.

Day 343

movie: Shopgirl
starring: Steve Martin, Claire Danes
genre: Drama, Romance
year: 2005
format; DVD

plot: A young woman working in the glove department of a store, is torn between the older man who seduces her and the younger man who seems to be too much of a mess.

This is based on a short story originally written by Steve Martin.

We follow the lives of the three characters as they try to figure out what and who they really want in their lives.  The Danes character, first meets the younger guy in a laundry which is one of the most intimate places you can yet one of the most coldest.  Her first impressions of him lead her to think that he's not really relationship material, but she keeps him sort of in the background.
Meanwhile, she meets the Martin character at work, and is dazzled by this older wealthy man who seems put together but is really an emotional shell.  She ends up becoming to him, what the younger man is to her.

This story is about how we connect or refuse to connect to people in our lives.  The ones we see as plastic and disposable and the ones that we consider treasures.

There is a scene where both men are shown at home in their kitchens eating take away and watching a game.  Two sides of the same coin.  I like how this paralleled.  

what do i think i learned from this film?
Sometimes what you really want and need is right in front of you but not the way you would expect

Day 342

movie: Wuthering Heights
starring: Tom Hardy, Charlotte Riley
genre: Drama, Romance
year: 2009
format: online

plot: Heathcliff  is taken in by a wealthy man, raised alongside his two children. As they grow up, the daughter falls in love with him but they are kept apart by the older brother. Soon, Heathcliff driven by a broken heart, plots revenge on everyone that helped to keep them apart.

Based on the classic novel of the same name.

This is also a made for tv movie. 

I was swept away by the story.  This is one of those stories that everyone knows, but might not be aware that you know. 
I've never read the novel, never seen an adaptation of it before, but the story is one that's been told so often in other things - like soap operas- that I knew it on a subconscious level.

I had one thought while watching this,  when does pure love turn into unspeakable cruelty? 

There is a bit of  a taste of what Pride and Prejudice lends to.  The idea that no matter how much the character of Cathy loved Heathcliff, she was too prideful to allow herself to be just his wife. She wanted to be more and make a larger name for herself.
You see how  Heathcliff's purity becomes obsession for what is owed him, and how he lets it turn him into what he hates the most.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Real passion has a way of devouring a pure soul until either they become expressive in a creative way or in a destructive one, leveling everything in their path that inspired them.

Day 341

movie: Bronson
starring: Tom Hardy, Matt King,
genre: Bio-pic, Comedy
year: 2008
format: online

plot: Following the 34 years that Charlie Bronson was in prison in Britain for petty theft. 

This is based on a true story.

If you've paid any attention to anything I've said over time, you know I love Tom Hardy.  I had stayed away from this originally because I'm not real big on prison stories, but everyone has told me that it's his best work ever.
I went into this film thinking it was going to be like an episode of OZ, but was surprised to see it wasn't. 

The violence is there, but not in the way you would expect. It's not gory or extreme just for shock value.  It is there to help get the message across. I found the violent outbursts of "f***-off" to be more brutal at times then the actual fighting scenes. The raw emotion that Hardy manages to tap into when you lest expect it, rattles you.

I know the trailer for this called it the Clockwork Orange for the 21st century. And I can see that clearly, but there are moments when I kept comparing this to Rocky Horror Picture Show; mostly because of the scenes with the stage and audience.  It just seemed to have that flow for me.

And to address the nudity.  Yes it's there.  Hardy's character spends a lot of time completely naked in many of his fight scenes. But it's never sexual. It's always an extension of the battle he's about to partake in. Those scenes ironically, have him with is shoes on and his hands tapped up like a boxer. It's like the alpha in a pack showing that he's ready to do what needs to be done.

what do i think i learned from this film?
The system may have failed Mr. Bronson, but he seemed to understand that he could make the best of it without loosing his morals.

quote of the day Dec 6th

 I decided for today's quote, to go back twenty years and pull out something from Bram Stoker's Dracula...


Lucy -"I love him I love him!  Oh Mina, it's so wonderful, I decided. I love him and I've said yes."

Mina-" Don't tell me, the Texan with the big  knife"

Lucy " Oh no, to my dear number three, Lord Arthur Holmwood. Lord and Lady Holmwood"


from the scene when the two girls are in the garden just before Dracula's spell reaches them.

Day 340

movie: Hungry for Change
starring: Kris Carr, Frank Ferrante
genre: Documentary
year: 2012
format: online

plot: Following the lives of a variety of people, as they discover how much processed foods are really affecting their lives

This is another one of those food documentaries designed to educate how much hidden sugars are really in things.

what do i think i learned from this film?
I was shocked to see how aspartame is hidden in so many foods.

Day 339

movie: Batman The Dark Knight Rises
starring: Christian Bale, Tom Hardy
genre: Action
year: 2012
format: DVD

plot: It's 8 years since Batman stopped fighting crime, and now Wayne Enterprises is bankrupt. Meanwhile, Bane; a masked criminal has taken the city hostage forcing Batman to return for one more battle.

This is the conclusion of the story arch of the Dark Knight movies. But with it, we get the introduction of Catwoman and another character; whom I thought would be taking up the role in the coming series - I am hoping there is a  new series-

What you learn about the character of Bane, makes you realize that not everything is as it appears, and that in the end everyone is truly on an even playing field.
And compared to the last movie -The Dark Knight- where the Dent's face was shown in all it's grotesque glory, Bane stays behind his mask and is more subtle.

I have one complaint, the way they designed the voice of Bane was difficult to understand.

what do I think I learned from this film?
This is a story about faith in yourself and what drives us to believe what we believe.  The successes and failures that collect up within us to help form our core values, as well as knowing when to push beyond the limits we've set for ourselves. The place myths have in keeping the fabric of community and society together is truly a thread. 
Where as the first film in the series- Batman Begins- is about facing your fears and letting them go, this was about knowing when your fear is your strength and when it's your weakness.

Day 338

movie: Demonic Toys
starring: Tracy Scoggins,Daniel Cerny
genre: Horror, Sci-fi
year: 1992
format: DVD

plot: A cop chases a suspect into a warehouse, only to find out that a demonic presence has taken over the toys and has intentions of possessing her unborn baby.

This is one of those straight to video movies that starts off really seeming more like a cop drama, then switches gears into a typical satanic ritual film. 
The acting is actual better then expected, this might be due to the fact this was during the age of soap stars who did B-movies. Compared to some of the stuff that has come out in the last few years in the name of B-movie-dom, this stands head and shoulders above.
The dolls are creepy, and witty with their one liners.  

what do i think i learned from this film?
Dolls are creepy.

Day 337

movie: He' Just Not that Into you
starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Justin Long
genre: comedy
year: 2009
format: DVD

plot: A group of female friends find themselves rethinking everything that they have learned about men and relationships

This is based on the self-help book of the same name.   I have to say, I love this movie, really hate the book.

Much of what is shown in the film is common sense, even though we normally don't pay attention to it.  It does breakdown the myths that every woman is told over the years about men's behavour 
What I liked was that there is a flip side to this.  As one female character is going through the whole situation, the guy she originally likes ends up going through the whole situation with another girl.  It shows that sometimes it's a cause "she's just not that into you"

what do i think i learned from this film?
It's not always us women who don't see the forest for the trees, sometimes guys get there maps wrong too

Day 336

movie:Threesome
starring: Josh Charles, Lara Flynn Boyle
genre: Drama, Comedy
year: 1994
format: online

plot: Alex, a woman is mistakenly added to a men's dorm room, and falls quickly for both her roommates. One of which is straight and one who is gay.

This is said to be a semi-autobiographical story by the writer/director.

This is one of those films that debuted a few years before the big rush of bad raunch-comedy that has become so connected to college movies.  And thank god it did.  There is a real story here that if this film had been made even four years later, would have fallen victim to the raunch-comedy.

The sub-stories run from finding yourself, to finding friendship where you didn't think it could be, to the idea that a lot of people simply can't handle the notion that someone around them/that they care about could be anything other then what they wish they could.

This film is all about the sex.  Even though the actual sex scenes are limited, the topic is pretty much the only one expressed.  It's almost like a escape route for the characters whenever anything serious is about to happen.

what do i think i learned from this film?
You can't change who you are, nor can you change anyone else to fit your idea of them.

Day 335

movie: Labor Pains
starring:Lindsay Lohan, Luke Kirby
genre: Comedy
year:2009
format: online

plot: At the threat of loosing her job, a secretary lies about being pregnant in order to not be fired. Soon, she is dressing the part and acting as if the baby is real

This at first seems like a cringe worthy idea, but after the first few minutes, you settle into it.  It's a cute, though sometimes twisted look at how pregnancy changes the way people view things.
I have to say, the few movies I've seen Lohan in she's surprised me at her acting ability.  You hear so much about everything but her career you forget she can actually act.

what do i think i learned from this film?
Don't take anything lightly