Change Your Image
Fd-Up-Squirrel
The Little Mermaid
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Brokeback Mountain
Gladiator
Fight Club
TIm Burton's Corpse Bride
Alexander
Edward Scissorhands
Moulin Rouge
Election
Go
Chicago
Worst Movies I've ever seen:
The Next Best Thing
Very Bad Things
The Grudge
feardotcome
School of Rock
Soul Plane
Hostel
The Polar Express
Movies I'll Never Watch:
all 6 Star Wars Movies (never saw-never will)
Swept Away
An Unfinished Life
The Hulk
Fantastic Four
Big Momma's House 2
The Health Inspector
TV
I watch a lot of silly stuff - there's already WAAAAAAAY too much stupid drama in the world today - I really don't want to waste my time watching someone whine about their lives- and I'm 99% against Reality TV- with Very few exceptions, also- I don't exactly watch these shows regularly (except South Park, The Simpsons and American Idol)- I basically watch them when I remember - I don't like being a slave to the TV
The Simpsons (fan since the beginning!)
Futurama
South Park
Drawn Together
The Daily Show
Date My Mom (Cheesy - but fun)
American Idol
War At Home
Lost
Spongebob Squarepants
Fairly OddParents
Kim Possible
CNN Headline News
The Soup
Best Week Ever
Web Junk 20
That 70's Show
48 Hours Mystery (great to watch when you're home sick)
CSI (the original one - the rest kinda suck- it's all overkill)
Ab Fab (on the rare instance I can find it)
Invader Zim - dark- totally screwed up - and so damn funny!
House (It's always intrigued me with it's promos - so I finally watched and was completely amazed - it's funny, it's smart, it's harsh- it's good!)
Favorite Music:
Mariah Carey
Queen
Christina Aguilera
Joss Stone
P!NK
Bond
Kelly Clarkson
Jennifer Pena
Rachmaninov
Danny Elfman
Hans Zimmer
Anastacia
Rossa
Lara Fabian
Tina Arena
Josh Groban
Michael Buble
Madonna (gee, I guess this means I'm free to post on that board now MooMoo)
Favorite Actors
Geoffrey Rush
Keira Knightly
Nicole Kidman
Heath Ledger
Anne Hathaway
Brad Pitt
Meryl Streep
Angelina Jolie
Nathan Lane
Reese Witherspoon
Will Ferrel (he never ceases to amaze me - There is nothing he won't do for a laugh - even if he's the only one laughing- Even in his worse movie's he's good)
Julianne Moore
Idols:
James Dean - a tortured soul- when he died at 25 - he'd only made three movies- and had already sealed his legacy as a legend. He had this tough devil may care exterior, but he seemed to be infested with self doubt, insecurities and a yearning for meaning (to what I dont' know)- his photographs are mysterious- he always looks so mysterious and lost. His love of acting and his conviction for hte art is almost painful just thinking of what he could have accomplished in just a few more years.
Mariah Carey- She's almost awe-inspiring. Her life has really inspired me in my life- she's come so far and suffered through so much - yet always comes out with a smile and uses those ordeals she's faced to push herself further- she doesn't let anything take her down- she's amazing!
Angelina Jolie- tabloid drama aside - I like her confidence and conviction. She's such a deep and intelligent woman- I don't always agree with her beliefs and actions - But I have deep respect for the way she lives her life.
Lance Armstrong: What's to say? People in situations far less worse situations would have given up when faced with such an overwhelming amount of cancer, but Lance not only persevered over AMAZINGLY TOUGH and nearly impossible odds to be completely cancer free, and then go on to win the Tour de France a record 7 times. There are so many in American History that people claim as heroes just because they can jump high, or run fast, or play a game better than someone else, but Lance not only played the game better, the path leading to the game was an amazing achievement of persoanl strength and determination
Guilty Pleasures (Movies):
Glitter
Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion
The Birdcage (Give me my Pirin Tablets darling!)
Dodgeball
Harold and Kumar go to Whitecastle
SPiceWorld - some movies are funny, some movies are so dumbn they're funny, SpiceWorld is just dumb- but it's not so pretnetious that it doesn't know that- I have a huge respect for movies that know that they are bad and dumb from the get go- it's almost worth watching)
Movies I plan to see/or would like to:
Superman Returns
Strangers with Candy
The Notorious Bettie Page
The Devil Wears Prada
Nightmare Before Christmas 3D (October)
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Last Movie I Watched (in a theater):
Da Vinci Code: First half C second A
Over the Hedge: A-
Silent Hill: A-
Pirates of the Caribbean DMC: A-
Jackass Number Two: B+
Happy Feet: B-
Movies on DVD
Aeon Flux: B-
Hostel: D-
Fun with Dick and Jane - B
Talledega Nights: A
Over the Hedge: A
Last Good CD I heard:
Christina Aguilera - Back to Basics: Christina has really blossomed as an artist over the last 8 years- showcasing her powerhouse vocals on "Reflection" and then bumping and grinding her way onto the music scene with her debut album, Christina was pretty much just tossed aside by critics as a one hit wonder, another blonde Britney clone. But Christina kept pushing, and after the phenomenal "Stripped" album almost four years ago, she's, once again, proven herself to be, not just another Diva, not the next Britney or Mariah or Madonna, But the ONE and ONLY Christina Aguilera!
Throwback tracks like "Candy Man" and "Nasty Naughty Boy" are reminscent of classic songs like "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"- while other tracks sound like old Jazz Standards even though they're completely new tracks. When the idea of a "Concept" album comes up, it's usually a pretty scary thing, but Christina does what very few artists have been able to - conquer it. The album is an amazing piece of work, and it's hard to imagine that even the clueless, tired, and always predictible Grammy Voters could not give this album the credit it deserves!
My Score A+
Reviews
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)
Enjoyable for what it is
I avoided this movie based solely on it's lackluster performance and some pretty hateful reviews. I finally decided to see just how bad it was and I actually enjoyed it.
Not sure what most reviewers were expecting, but it has its moments.
First and foremost... it drags the same "Female Lead finds she's the savior, doubts herself, finds her confidence, puts on armor/uniform and leads the charge" storyline we've seen a few dozen times over the years.
It loosely follows the classic "Nutcracker" story, so if you're expecting a faithful adaptation.. don't. The cast has its moments, not always the best.. the incredible sets and worlds are shamefully under utilized.. and the fact that Tchaikovsky's gorgeous music is only sprinkled through the score are a shame.
On the upside, what little we DO see of the worlds is incredibly gorgeous, vibrant, and vivid. The costumes are just as incredible.
It's not The Wizard of Oz, but comparable to the live action Alice in Wonderland... and seriously better than "Through the Looking Glass"
Aladdin (2019)
Better than expected, but ...
I was dreading the idea of watching this.. one of my favorite movies of all time wasn't looking to be making the transition to live action worth my while... the film proved me wrong.. but it did do something previous remakes didn't.. make me question why it was necessary
The bad: Will Smith's Genie has his moments.. but definitely not when he's singing... but he's not too far behind the leads.. Aladdin is flat and can barely reach the notes and although Naomi Scott shines the brightest, her vocals just can't reach the quality of the Score..
The Good: Visually incredible.. lavish sets, gorgeous costumes, and special effects bring the magic to life. The story tweaks work well, the cast, aside from singing, do a fantastic job of bringing the classic characters to life
But outside of the incredible score, upgraded to an epic degree by Alan Menken.. very little of the movie really justifies why it needed to be made. This could be said about the remakes that preceded.. but they offered enough to keep me from questioning their existence. I still look forward to coming remakes, but they do need to start finding their own identity.
The Mummy (2017)
A fun movie lost in a desperate attempt to create yet, another, movie universe.
I get it, movie studios are desperate to build the type of cinematic universe Marvel has.. bix office numbers are nice, but I miss going to see a movie that's just it's own.
This movie has the makings of great action movie. It never takes itself too seriously, leaves time for jokes, action heavy and a surprisingly great story.. that could've left itself open for a sequal.. but from the beginning the "Dark Universe" is being shoved down your throat with Dr. Jekyll front and center. It doesn't even try to sneak him in.. and even if he was just an accent it may hf ave worked, but a major scene in the movie requires a direct confrontation with his alter ego.
All that aside, it sours a really great adventure movie.. almost like Indiana Jones Lite. A great cast, a few jokes, and some pretty impressive effects, even a nod or two to the 90s remake.
It was such an enjoyable movie soured by blatant crises promotion and greed.
Queen of the Damned (2002)
Read the book.. avoid the movie.
After well over a decade, I decided to give this movie another chance.
And I swear, as much as I hated it then, it was just a pathetic mess this time around.
If you've read the books.. prepare to be sorely disappointed.
Lazy writing, basic cable grade special effects, and lackluster acting made this painful to revisit. Even more so when you realize this was Aaliyah's final performance.. and although hers is one of the better performances, it's not enough to make this watchable. Even Twilight managed to feign a plot... it's a shame that the superior book ended up being an inferior film to that rotting pile of ridiculousness.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018)
Twisted, Dark, and Fun!
I wasn't fully prepared for the severity of this show, I knew it was supposed to be dark, but within 10 minutes of the opening credits there's a woman laying in a pool of her own blood. Ghost children, hanging corpses, ritualistic sacrifice, cannibalism, murder, and even Satan! What makes it fun is that the satan worshipping aspect of the show is played off like any other religion would be in any other show..except with ritualistic cannibalism.
The characters are all fun, unique, and are well developed.. each dealing with their own struggles and hardships and pain. Sabrina herself is complex and struggles with some of the traditions of her existence.
At times, the stories do resonate political: feminism, protest, sexual identity, and racism are a few of the issues that weave in and out of the story, but each have their specific roles in the furthering of the story itself and the development of the characters. But, I do imagine they will tingle the nerves of some with brittle constitutions.
There is a strange focus effect in many scenes, where backgrounds are intentionally fuzzy and out of focus.. I imagine it's intended to force the focus of the viewer, but it can be a bit distracting at times.
Overall, I absolutely loved it.. and "I'll just watch one episode" turned into a 10 hr binge of the entire series and wishing there was more!
The Little Matchgirl (2006)
Gorgeous retelling - surprisingly from Disney! Get your Tissues!
Originally created as part of Disney's "Fantasia 2000" it was more than likely booted because the film already contained another work by Hans Christian Anderson, but it may be safe to assume that it may have also had a lot to do with the fact that this piece does contain the original ending (which, oddly enough, "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" which ended up in Fantasia 2000, has a very different ending).
With Disney's decision to change the ending to "The Little Mermaid" it does come as a surprise that they managed to keep "The Little Match Girl" in tact, and it's rumored that there was some bit of fighting to keep the ending.
The piece takes place in Russia, and follows a little girl with no shoes running through the streets of St. Petersburg trying to sell matches. She's cold, and appears to have no family, and despite that her feet are merely covered by rags, everyone is either too worried about themselves, or just sickened by the idea of dealing with this little urchin. As it grows darker and colder, and as the snow starts falling harder and wind starts picking up, she seeks refuge in an alley and starts lighting her matches to stay warm, and with each match, imagines herself in warm place, with familiar faces.
It's a completely sad and emotional piece,a nd will surely bring a tear to your eye. It's both strange and lucky that it's available on the 2006 Platinum Edition of "The Little Mermaid". At only 7 minutes, it's a completely powerful and beautiful piece- beautifully animated (the animation ranks up there with Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, and Pocahontas) and beautifully scored! This is a must see (but keep that Klennex box close)
Gigli (2003)
Makes Glitter look like - well- ANYTHING that has ever won Best Picture..
WOW- First off, I have to be completely honest with you, I didn't actually watch the entire film, and I do not feel like a coward for doing so, for it very well may have started my life. This movie goes wrong in so many ways. First off, let's face it, Ben Affleck isn't exactly what you'd call a "Good" actor, the only really fun thing about Ben is that he's able to make fun of himself in Kevin Smith movies- except for Jersey Girl- but that's something else completely. Lucky for Ben, he ends up being paired with an actor that usually can carry the movie, and cover the Affleck, and even make a Ben Affleck Movie slightly more interesting- well - even Charlize Theron couldn't save Reindeer Games - but I'm straying again. Jennifer Lopez is pretty much the same. She is a better actress than she is a singer, and that's not saying much, but two bad leads and a horrible story make for an unbearable viewing experience.
It's hard to explain where the movie starts to go wrong (besides casting)- but after about 10 minutes of watching this piece of crap, you'll wonder why you haven't turned off the TV. What's sadder is that the movie seems to try desperately to get the viewer to cling unwilling through a totally useless tag-a-long with Turret's syndrome- which is only funny if your eight (a la Deuce Bigelow)- and Lopez's Lesbian turns Straight (or Bi is you like) is pathetic! But the fun doesn't stop there, there isn't one thing that can be said about this movie - seriously - even the title causes many problems- that should be a sign - but that didn't stop me.
My Advice? If you decide to watch this movie - do it out of morbid curiosity, it's not even worth making fun of - just terrible.
Gladiator (2000)
One of the greatest films ever made.
From the actors, to the settings, to the cinematography, to the score, every step of the way through this amazing epic is a monument to what films should be. Hans Zimmer's emotionally driven score helps drive the story of Maximus (Crowe) through his glory as a General to his decent to a slave to his rise as a much loved Gladiator. The emperor is dying, and instead of giving the glory of Rome to his son (Joaquin Phoenix) he feels that Rome's light would be better carried by Maximus. But when the emperor tells his son, he kills his father, assumes the throne (since no one else had been told of the emperor's plan) and has Maximus' family slaughtered and his home burned, and even attempts to have Maximes killed off. Maximus escapes to his home and finds no reason to live, but is taken in as a slave and sold to be a Gladiator. With nothing to lose, and the vindication of his dead wife and son, Maximus defy's the Emporer and becomes more loved again, which only angers the new Ceaser even more, making him even more jealous.
It's epic by all means, and is one of the greatest films in the history of films. Russel Crowe's performance is emotionally breathtaking from the delivery of his lines, to his ability to let emotion pour into his character like so few actors ever have. Gladiator is hardly unmatched in history, and will be hard to even come close to equaling in the future.
The Little Mermaid (1989)
The beginning of a new age, the end of a legacy...
Disney's Classic retelling of the Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tale is not only one of the greatest animated films in history, but one of the greatest films period. But this movie is also bittersweet when taking into consideration that it was the last Hand painted animated film to come out of Disney (films from that point on were colored using computers)- but it ushered Disney into it's second Golden Age. In the 80's, besides going through many changes in business, and technology (VHS was big business for Disney films)- Disney was struggling with it's animated films. In 1989, with the release of "The Little Mermaid" Disney pulled out the highest grossing animated film to date, and started a new era of Disney Masterpieces from Beauty and the Beast to Aladdin to the Lion King and on through the end of the 90's But the animation, the characters, and Oscar winning music, Disney created one of the most unforgettable and most loved Disney films ranking with Cinderella and Snow White. Although the moral of this version can be misinterpreted, it is meant to convey the classic Disney message of not giving up on your dreams, it follows Ariel, a 16 year old Mermaid Princess obsessed with the human world, and dreams of one day being on land. One fateful day, Ariel saves the life of a handsome prince from a shipwreck and is determined to get her heart's desire. When the sea witch, Ursula is more than happy to help, Ariel, so happy to be able to have her dream lived out, is unaware of Ursula's true intentions, and trades her voice for legs, and sets out to win her prince.
Although the story strays a bit from the original story, opting for a less tragic ending, the film still (after 15 years) brings back that childish happiness I felt when I first saw the movie (having seen the original story, I was more than pleased to have a Happy ending.
I can't wait to have children of my own and be able to see their faces as they discover this movie for the first time.
The Next Best Thing (2000)
Unbearable
It's important to note that when I decided to watch this movie for the first and only time, I had high expectations. Although Madonna is usually always bashed by one or all critics in every movie she's done, but often, what critics think, and what I think of a movie are usually on different ends of the spectrum. I wish I could say the same for this "Movie" The concept was a unique one, which helped drive my curiosity enough to want to see this film: A Woman and her Gay Best friend get drunk one night, do what a drunk couple does best, she gets pregnant, and a dramatic comedy unfolds with the ordeals faced by a gay man and his baby mama. Unfortunately, between the movie's script (both the story itself and the writing) mixed with a wide variety of Actors, ranging from not that good to not that bad make for a very uncomfortable journey into an inter-sexual family. All goes well until Abbie (Madonna) meets Ben Cooper (Benjamin Bratt.) As Abbie and Ben decide to move their relationship to next level along with Abbie's son, Robert (Rupert Everett) is forced out of the picture. determined not to let Abbie's sudden backstabbing lightly, the former friends engage in an ugly court battle over their son. As the plot fumbles along, the story gets uncomfortable and tediously strenuous, and leaves the viewer confused and unfulfilled.
It's no surprise that Rupert Everett gives the best performance in the movie- and no surprise that Madonna doesn't. Although playing a yoga instructor, single mother, and best friend to Rupert Everett ( which at the time was very coincidentally what Madonna was - into yoga, a single mother,and best friend to Rupert Everett)- the role hardly comes naturally and often seems forced and unconvincing. Unfortunately it's not her worst acting, but not her best. Not worth a full viewing.
The Swan Princess (1994)
Love Disney or Hate Em- another reason they stay on top-
It's hard to see an animated feature and not compare it to some of Disney's Best. Hey Disney did pioneer the concept, perfected it, and did what not many companies could do: Do it well.
This movie didn't do it well, although Richard Rich (the Director) did once work for Disney, he directed "Fox and the Hound" and "The Black Cauldron"- with the latter being one of Disney's bigger disappointments. Ten years later, he directed "The Swan Princess" even after Disney tried to convince him to stop production as they were planning to release a version of their own, but when he wouldn't scrap his, they scrapped theirs, and in 1994, Disney had it's biggest box office gross ever with the Lion King, The Swan Princess brought in about 9 Million in the US (Disney re-releasing The Lion King at the same time was a little dirty on Disney's part- but it may have saved a lot of parents from having to sit through a bland Disney Wannabe)
The Animation is the films best asset, Brightly colored, smooth, no gimmicks or massive special effects. The characters on the other hand, could've used a little retooling, they lack much, if any existed, of a personality. Princess Odette, in an attempt to put her in the head strong, faith in herself Disney Heroines of the early 90's, fails to do so. When Princess Odette and Prince Derrick meet as adults, they are completely smittne with each other, he tells her she's beautiful, to which she asks "Is Beauty all the That Matters?" and he asks "What Else is there?" We are supposed to believe that this is no ordinary Princess, she's smart, sophisticated, and yearns for more than just being a beautiful face, which would be alright except that up to that point, they couldn't stand each other, and then when placed in a room together, they stare at each other, and are in love- so didn't she just fall in love with what she saw? They never really seemed to be into each other's personalities before, so doesn't that just leave Aesthitcs? True, the Prince's response isn't exactly, well good doesn't begin to cover it, the Princess is being hypocritical.
The story isn't the worst, but has a few plot holes, one of which would make the ending completely unnecessary, but would leave out the generic fairy tale battle between the prince and a large creature.
The only other saving grace are Odette's Animal friends - Speed the Turtle, Jean Bob the Frog (John Cleese with a cheesy French Accent), and Puffin- the Puffin(?). Jean bob's ongoing attempts to get a kiss form Odette to break his spell (he believes he is actually a Prince that was turned into a frog) are actually interesting- too bad the rest of the movie isn't.
The saddest thing about the whole movie is it's blatant ripping off of a Disney Score. The songs throughout the movie are often very similar to the songs in Beauty and the Beast, but unlike Beauty and the Beast, the songs aren't exactly catchy, let alone good. The only decent piece of Music is the love song "Far Longer Than Forever" sung by Prince Derrick and Odette (whose singing voice is also that of Anastasia's, Kiara in Disney's Lion King II, and Princess Jasmine in the 2nd and 3rd Aladdin Films) but even it doesn't compare to anything from the Disney Songbook- the Title of the song itself has a cheeseboard romance sound to it. This one would've been much better as a straight to video release, and compared to some of Disney's Straight to Video flicks does help it look slightly better, but only slightly
Overall, kids will enjoy it, the Animation is Beautiful and Lush, but Parents may want to leave the room.
My recommendation, pop in Beauty and the Beast or the Little Mermaid- Head strong Princesses, people under magic spells that change their appearance, great music that you don't mind getting stuck in your head, Well Developed Stories, Well Developed Characters.
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
The Best Film Adaptation to date- C'mon Hollywood!
Honestly, When I was about 3 or Four was when Alice first hit Video- sometime in the early 80's- and it was, by far, my favorite movie. Although, having bought it last year as the two disc special edition- I realized that it didn't feel as magical as it did when I was younger, but it is, in my humble opinion, although flawed, the best film adaptation. Flawed? Well, I don't understand why Walt would "Condense" the two books- being a pioneer, in not just animation, but in film all together (thank him for foreign dubbing, original soundtracks, and surround sound) it seems odd that Walt, although firm in his principles (Unlike the Disney half A$$ed approach to their animation in the last 6 or 7 years)- he was ever the businessman, and two movies could have faired well (back then the straight to video watered down make the money but don't spend too much on them sequels and prequels)- Which also make one wonder with all the crappy sequels Disney comes up with- why not make a sequel that actually exists? Aside from that, the movie still maintains the imagination of Lewis Carroll's original work, through the fantasy, and even a little darkness, and Beaumont's voice work as Alice is still the only one to talk to herself and still sound sincere, rather than crazy or forced like all the others (one that stands out is the Fiona Fullerton Alice who left me annoyed. The songs are tolerable, not as catchy as most Disney fare, and although the film seems, at times, like an acid trip, it's responsible for how we see Alice today (another ability attributed to Disney- name any Disney character based on literature or fable, and chances are you'll see the Disney one- Snow White- Blue and Yellow Dress? And the Classic Pooh always gets overshadowed by Disney's Winnie, and pre Disney, the Little Mermaid generally had Blonde Hair, and a blue tale, bet you saw a fiery little redhead with purple shells and green fins.) With the advancement in technology and the amazing ability to do almost ANYTHING in movies nowadays, why hasn't anyone created the next great Alice in Wonderland? Overall, It's Diney, it's a classic, and if you're going to watch an Alice movie- stick with this one.
The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Dreadfully Boring, but visually stunning
When I first saw the trailer for Evita and the name "Madonna" popped up, I groaned, but after watching it, I was quite impressed, My first impression of Moulin Rouge was Nauseating, yet slightly curious, and I loved it- same with Chicago. Now, the trailer for "Phantom" was actually interesting, it looked amazing, colorful, amazing choreography. Upon watching the movie, I was bored out of my mind. Almost every song in the first half of the movie sounded like one long continuation of the same song, the song "Phantom of the Opera" would have sounded almost bearable had it not been for the cheesy rock backing track, while the flashback sequences were cheap looking, and some of the singing was, well, bad. Emmy Rossum was stunning though, her voice was unbelievable, and Minnie Driver's performance as Carlotta was a bit of a lift. Other than Rossum's Performance, the only saving Grace is the Settings and Visual Effects, at the beginning of the movie during the Opera's "transformation" I was amazed, it was beautiful. The vibrant colors, ornate sets- amazing. While the music is boring, overblown, and monotonous - it's all the same song, just badly remixed, which is one problem I had with "Evita" and it seems one of the problems with any Andrew Lloyd Weber Musical. I did find it odd that the Phantom had a wide array of masks that would cover very little of his face, yet when his scars are revealed, they take up almost the entire side of his face!
My Advice, RENT the movie, don't buy it, turn on the mute, and put on a CD of your favorite Music (preferably from another musical, or Classical Inspired)