Movies - December 2007

December's gone in a blink. As I'm sitting back to write one last post about movies I had seen, I'm realising there's just few. No wonder. Here they are:

1. Running With Scissors (2006)
It took me almost two weeks to finish off this one. It wasn't boring, quite opposite, I found it reasonably funny, however every time I came home and decided to watch it I was too tired and I passed out within minutes.

2. Into The Wild (2007)
I have more and more respect for Sean Penn. Though knowing beforehand what was this about and how it ends, I still had a good time watching it. I guess the most difficult part of making this movie was to work out how to avoid clichés. And he managed.

3. Death At A Funeral (2007)
I wrote once — though someplace else — that I like movies that are true to their original intentions. In other words, the ones that do not pretend they're something else. This is clearly a laid-back comedy and nothing else. And as such, it's great.

4. Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007)
I was quite surprised when David Stratton noted about half a year ago that Atkinson, with this movie, is proving himself to be an accomplished disciple of silent film comedians of early 1920's. And he was right.

5. Waitress (2007)
Though lovable, I don't know exactly what to think of this. It wasn't that much of a comedy and certainly wasn't much of a romance either. Yet it was still a bit of a feel-good flick.

6. The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
Highly acclaimed dullness. Most probably, I should had seen it when I was six years old. Sorry, I missed. Yawn.

7. Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
There's no excuse for this flop by Steven Soderbergh and a bunch of his top-list friends. I believe they had fun. But what about audience? Fuck you Rusty, Danny and co. I hope there won't be Ocean's Fourteen unless you plan to make it an alternative to capital punishment.

8. Home Alone 3 (1997)
Quite funny, considering this is third installment. Mr Soderbergh, have you seen this? However, hardly teen Scarlett Johansson was strikingly lifeless in her unimportant side character.

9. Kulovy blesk (1978)
Smoljak & Svěrák classic. Hillarious. Unfortunately, if one does not understand Czech, they have no chance to enjoy this comedy par excellence.

So. For those few who used to read this monthly list, this one is the very last on DWDU. Accepting my brother's idea, it's moving to a different blog. Email me if you don't know where and you'd want to.

Movies - November 2007

I sold my 37" LCD telly. Thirtyseven is not a popular size anymore. Especially for someone who doesn't watch television at all. The plan is to buy a new one after holiday season, though haven't decided yet if it means this holiday season or maybe the following one. Or the one after.

1. Kráska v nesnázích (2006) (likeable)
2. Na krásnom modrom Dunaji (1997) (unbelievably Slovak!)
3. Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix (2007) (losing the grip)
4. Starship Troopers (1997) (predictable, yet enjoyable to an extent)
5. Skřítek (2005) (a movie I sadly missed in 2005, funny and smart)
6. The Jacket (2005) (nothing extraordinary)
7. Destricted (2006) (had its moments)
8. Mezi námi zloději (1963) (must have been outrageous at the time)
9. Death Proof (2007) (if this was a flop, I'd like to see more flops like this)
10. Ghost Dog: The Way Of A Samurai (1999) (I remember the poster I saw in winter Bratislava in 1999, and wonder/wonder!/wonder!!! why didn't I go see it?; stunning!)
11. Eastern Promises (2007) (one of top ten 2007 movies, Viggo is the man)
12. French Connection II (1975) (Gene Hackman's unforgettable heroin cold turkey in Marseilles)

I had to give it a bit of a thought to choose the movie of the month. While Eastern Promises may be one of the better ones released this year and Death Proof is also a great competitor, Jim Jarmusch made a classic in 1999; Ghost Dog is a hell of a movie and Forest Whitaker is touchingly convincing; I consider the hitman role his definite, standing Amin in The Last King Of Scotland at number two and Charlie Parker in Bird at number three. Hail to both Jim & Forest!

Movies - October 2007

I'm lazy, lazy, lazy!

Summer's all over the place and I'm hiding behind blinds not letting a single blade in. Switched off the aircon to save the planet. Therefore slowly dying myself.

Anybody to save me?

Have seen few flicks worth mentioning. Red Rock West was a surprisingly decent one, Little Fish was strong and the winner is Corbijn's Control. This guy, while spending almost 30 years in England is so remarkably Dutch. He's witty, he's smart, he's laid-back and very pro. One can almost touch his conscience. Definitely knows where he's heading and what he's doing at all times. You've heard it right. He's smart. Smarter then anybody thinks he is. Thumbs up.

Anyway, here's the list before I jump off the balcony.

1. Obsluhoval jsem anglického krále (2006) (disappointing)
2. An Officer And A Gentleman (1982) (predictable, narrow)
3. Team America: World Police (2004) (very South-parkish, huh, very trendy)
4. Little Fish (2005) (Kate, Sam and Hugo are great in this little Aussie gem)
5. Charade (1963) (a must for Audrey Hepburn admirers)
6. Knocked Up (2007) (good chill)
7. Red Rock West (1992) (Mr I-Can't-Act-Any-Better-And-Any-Different-Than-This delivers a classic)
8. Naked Lunch (1991) (lucky I fell asleep; repeatedly lucky!)
9. Conrol (2007) (Corbijn's an instant legend!)
10. 1408 (2007) (Cusack is one of few actors who are even worse than Cage. Flick's alright)
11. Crank (2006) (if you wanna get killed, Jason Statham is your man)

That's it, kids. That's it. I have to pay taxes, so excuse me while I kiss the sky.

Movies - September 2007

While softening on partying, evenings are getting longer. Window-licking local video store. Browsing through titles long forgotten and miraculously found again. Catching up on Hollywood classics and Hollywood trash and managing to go through few Czech gems, too.

1. Goya's Ghosts (2006)
2. Scarface (1983)
3. Ray (2004)
4. I Could Never Be Your Woman (2007)
5. I-See-You.Com (2006)
6. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
7. Interview (2007)
8. Love And Other Disasters (2006)
9. Underworld (2003)
10. Kingdom Of Heaven (2005)
11. In Her Shoes (2005)
12. Štěstí (2005)
13. The Mating Habits Of The Earthbound Human (1999)
14. Proč? (1987)
15. Live Free Or Die Hard (2007)
16. Rok ďábla (2002)
17. Grandhotel (2006)

The best one this month? Guess Scarface comes quite close, though just quite. Štěstí, known as Something Like Happiness outside of Czech Republic is my tick. Le cinéma par excellence.

Movies - August 2007

Judging by the number of movies I saw last month, one could guess I did nothing but stared at screen. Yeah, right. Actually, right.

1. Solyaris (1972)
2. Backbeat (1994)
3. Gattaca (1997)
4. Il deserto roso (1964)
5. Exils (2004)
6. La Môme (2007)
7. Vratné lahve (2007)
8. Dark City (1998)
9. Apocalypse Now Redux (1979/2001)
10. Blow (2001)
11. The Score (2001)
12. Once Were Warriors (1994)
13. The Simpsons Movie (2007)
14. Cashback (2006)
15. La Cité des enfants perdus (1995)
16. I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry (2007)
17. Grandma's Boy (2006)

The word of the month is creepiness. About half of the above listed flicks were creepy in one way or another. Take Cashback. I loved the short and it's no different to feature. Though critics hate it for its obsession with female parts. So what? Have anybody ever dared to shoot a scene like the one with Swedish boarder for a mainstream movie before?

Movies - July 2007

Took me a while to compile this list as I hardly put down any note last month. Guess it has something to do with winter. Though it only felt like winter for about two weeks at the beginning of the month and it's getting warmer since. Thank you very much, dear global warming.

Looking at titles, it was a pretty average month. Oddly enough, the best movies I had seen were the oldest ones, Breakfast at Tiffany's and the French Connection. It makes sense as these are classics and one might find difficult to find oldie scum.

1. Román pro ženy (2005)
2. The Number 23 (2007)
3. Smokin' Aces (2006)
4. Spun (2002)
5. Breakfast At Tiffany's (1961)
6. Enemy Of The State (1998)
7. The French Connection (1971)
8. Miami Vice (2006)
9. Proof (2005)
10. Black Snake Moan (2006)
11. A History Of Violence (2005)
12. Casino (1995)
13. The Last King Of Scotland (2006)

Have seen neither Harry Potter nor the Simpsons. One day their time will come.

Movies - June 2007

I had no time to watch movies last month. At all. Being too busy saved me from hallucinating over my existence and being unable to catch up on my favourite booze made me a sober man. And then, retox. I saw six movies over a period of 24 hours and got decently liquored twice in a week. Nothing to be too proud of.

One more thing (very Jobsy, innit?): this was the very last weekend when one could smoke in pubs in Australia. It's all over now, thought I, enjoying a very last indoor cigarette while surveying a crowd of teenage chicks in my corner joint.

1. Roming (2007)
2. Shooter (2007)
3. Code Name: The Cleaner (2007)
4. Catch And Release (2006)
5. Music And Lyrics (2007)
6. A Good Year (2006)
7. Stranger Then Fiction (2006)
8. U.S. vs. John Lennon (2006)
9. Hoří, má panenko (1967)
10. Efter brylluppet (2006)

Movies - May 2007

I got through few intercontinental flights this month, yet I didn't spend a second watching flicks over the clouds. And back on Earth? Looks like I wasted more time watching others then living my own life. Sucks. Hope it can only start slowing down from now. Though, it's winter, so I wonder.

1. 10 Items Or Less (2006)
2. Because I Said So (2007)
3. Taxi 4 (2007)
4. The Business (2005)
5. À bout de souffle (1960)
6. Bird (1988)
7. Perfect Stranger (2007)
8. Une femme est une femme (1961)
9. Nochnoy dozor (2004)
10. Paris, je t'aime (2006)
11. Employee Of The Month (2006)
12. Kouř (1991)
13. Notting Hill (1999)
14. Čtyři vraždy stačí, drahoušku (1970)
15. Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
16. Kopytem sem, kopytem tam (1988)
17. Účastníci zájezdu (2006)

Plus, I saw a great interview of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates from All Things Digital. Good for these long hours in the air. Otherwise waste of time, too.

Movies - April 2007

April was gone in a blink! There's a list, minus the usual trashy comments.

1. Sabrina (1954)
2. Boogie Nights (1997)
3. The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)
4. Rafťáci (2006)
5. Factory Girl (2006)
6. Das Leben Der Anderen (2006)
7. Alpha Dog (2006)
8. The Painted Veil (2006)
9. Paris - When It Sizzles (1964)
10. 300 (2006)
11. Bra Boys (2007)
12. A Love Song For Bobby Long (2004)
13. Half Nelson (2006)
14. Everything Is Illuminated (2005)
15. Idiocracy (2006)
16. Requiem pro panenku (1991)

Can't believe there were that many!

Movies - March 2007

I can hardly recall what was I doing two days ago, yet I'm trying to compile a list of movies I've seen some two months back anyway. A bit of a challenge; nevertheless, here it is:

1. The Good Shepherd (2006) (enjoyable)
2. An Inconvenient Truth (2006) (show-off)
3. The Aviator (2004) (too long)
4. Quand j'étais chanteur (2005) (nice)
5. The Pursuit Of Happyness (2006) (uplifting)
6. Cloud Nine (2000) (funny)
7. Musím tě svést (2002) (sharp)
8. The Illusionist (2006) (bright)
9. Swingers (1996) (you're money, baby ;-)
10. Sexmisja (1984) (legendary)
11. Tatínek (2004) (charming)
12. Hot Fuzz (2007) (witty)

Strongest month so far, meaning I was mainly bludging.

Movies - February 2007

Again, a reference list. I had to flick through a calendar to get it right, as I can't recall all. Only a handful of them, but I haven't seen anything since mid-month. Still, not bad (or too bad?), considering February is the shortest of them all.

1. Leonard Cohen I'm Your Man (2005) (charming)
2. Blood Diamond (2006) (strong)
3. Triumph des Willens (1935) (astonishing)
4. Hotel Rwanda (2004) (sad)
5. Babel (2006) (depressing, yet awesome)
6. Little Miss Sunshine (2006) (bitter-sweet)
7. Children of Men (2006) (pretty hard to dig)

Saw almost all Oscar-nominated movies what generally means I had too much time on my hands and instead of enjoying myself down on the beach I was stuck in dark pits staring at moving pictures like an idiot.

Update 08/03/2007: Good month, wasn't it?

Movies - January 2007

As usually, before I forget, there is a list; not quite complete, there were three more movies that I won't mention as they were probably seen by an extremely limited number of people... but the others are:

1. Black Dahlia (below average)
2. Scoop (below average, though everybody loves Scarlett)
3. La Doublure (funny, but pointless)
4. Apocalypto (below expectations)
5. Déjà Vu (crappy premise)
6. El Laberinto del Fauno (due on Wednesday, hopefully the best of all listed)

I gave a nonchalant miss to Perfume on the plane (though I flicked through it few times, just to double-check it's crap).

Can't recall anything else, but it looks that this wasn't a successful month. Hope there are some better ones waiting for me next month.