Sunday, March 01, 2009

February Books Completed













Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8: After These Messages We'll Be Right Back! (#20) by Jeff Loeb
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8: Harmonic Divergence (#21) by Jane Espenson
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8: Swell (#22) by Stephen S. DeKnight
Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand by Carrie Vaughn (Kitty Norville series #5)
Shakespeare's Christmas by Charlaine Harris (Lily Bard mysteries #3)

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Choke (2008)

Director - Clark Gregg
Writers - Clark Gregg, Chuck Palahniuk

Sam Rockwell - Victor Mancini
Anjelica Huston - Ida J. Mancini
Brad William Henke - Denny
Kelly Macdonald - Paige Marshall
Gillian Jacobs - Beth/Cherry Daquiri
Jonah Bobo - Young Victor
Joel Grey - Phil

Rating - R

4/5

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991)

Director - Ngai Kai Lam
Writers - Tetsuya Saruwatari, Ngai Kai Lam

Siu-Wong Fan - Riki-Oh Saiga
Mei Sheng Fan - Asst. Warden
Ka-Kui Ho - Warden Sugiyama
Yukari Ôshima - Yomi - Huang Chaun
Frankie Chin - Narumi - Hai
Tetsuro Tamba - Master Zhang Shan-Gui
Gloria Yip - Keiko (Riki's Girlfriend)
Philip Kwok - Lin Hung

Rating - NR

4/5 (for a fun movie)

Monday, February 16, 2009

Angel 2.12

Blood Money

Director - R. D. Price
Writers - Shawn Ryan, Mere Smith

Notable Guests
Sam Anderson - Holland Manners
Gerry Becker - Nathan Reed
Christian Kane - Lindsay McDonald
Julia Lee - Anne Steele
Mark Rolston - Boone
Stephanie Romanov - Lilah Morgan

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 5.15

I Was Made to Love You

Director - James A. Contner
Writer - Jane Espenson

Notable Guests
Clare Kramer - Glory
Charlie Weber - Ben
Shonda Farr - April
Adam Busch - Warren Meers
Amber Benson - Tara Mclay
Kristine Sutherland - Joyce Summers

Saturday, February 14, 2009

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

Director - Wes Anderson
Writers - Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach

Bill Murray - Steve Zissou
Owen Wilson - Ned Plimpton
Cate Blanchett - Jane Winslett-Richardson
Anjelica Huston - Eleanor Zissou
Willem Dafoe - Klaus Daimler
Jeff Goldblum - Alistair Hennessey

Rating - R

4.5/5

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 5.14

Crush

Director - Daniel Attias
Writer - David Fury

Notable Guests
Mercedes McNab - Harmony
Charlie Weber - Ben
Amber Benson - Tara Mclay
Juliet Landau - Drusilla
Kristine Sutherland - Joyce Summers

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 5.13

Blood Ties

Director - Michael Gershman
Writer - Steven S. DeKnight

Notable Guests
Clare Kramer - Glory
Charlie Weber - Ben
Amber Benson - Tara Mclay
Kristine Sutherland - Joyce Summers

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 5.12

Checkpoint

Director - Nick Marck
Writers - Douglas Petrie, Jane Espenson

Notable Guests
Clare Kramer - Glory
Charlie Weber - Ben
Amber Benson - Tara Mclay
Harris Yulin - Quentin Travers
Kristine Sutherland - Joyce Summers

Angel 2.11

Redefinition

Director - Michael Grossman
Writer - Mere Smith

Notable Guests
Julie Benz - Darla
Brigid Brannagh - Virginia Bryce
Andy Hallett - Lorne
Christian Kane - Lindsey McDonald
Juliet Landau - Drusilla
Stephanie Romanov - Lilah Morgan

Angel 2.10

Reunion

Director - James A. Contner
Writers - Tim Minear, Shawn Ryan

Notable Guests
Julie Benz - Darla
Christian Kane - Lindsay McDonald
Juliet Landau - Drusilla
Elisabeth Rohm - Kate Lockley
Stephanie Romanov - Lilah Morgan

Angel 2.9

The Trial

Director - Bruce Seth Green
Writers - Douglas Petrie, Tim Minear, David Greenwalt

Notable Guests
Julie Benz - Darla
Andy Hallett - Lorne
Christian Kane - Lindsay McDonald
Juliet Landau - Drusilla

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 5.11

Triangle

Director - Christopher Hibler
Writer - Jane Espenson

Notable Guests
Amber Benson - Tara Mclay
Kristine Sutherland - Joyce Summers

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Some Possible Changes

I think I'm going to change this somewhat to "streamline" a bit. Get rid of the film summary and just add some info like director, key actors, MPAA rating, and my rating out of 5. I'll probably go back and fix the ones for this year. I think I'll add TV shows and books as I go along as well. (For anyone who cares lol)

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Paris, Je T'aime (2006)

Directors - Olivier Assayas, Gurinder Chadha, Sylvain Chomet, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Isabel Coixet, Wes Craven, Alfonso CuarĂ³n, GĂ©rard Depardieu, Christopher Doyle, Richard LaGravenese, Vincenzo Natali, Alexander Payne, Bruno Podalydès, Walter Salles, Oliver Schmitz, Nobuhiro Suwa, Daniela Thomas, Tom Tykwer, Gus Van Sant

Steve Buscemi - The Tourist
Juliette Binoche - Suzanne
Willem Dafoe - The Cowboy
Nick Nolte - Vincent
Maggie Gyllenhaal - Liz
Bob Hoskins - Bob Leander
Elijah Wood - The Tourist
Emily Mortimer - Frances
Rufus Sewell - William
Natalie Portman - Francine
Gérard Depardieu - Cafe Owner

Rating - R

4/5

January Books Completed













Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide by Glenn Kay
The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison (Rachel Morgan series #6)
Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris (Lily Bard mysteries #1)
Shakespeare's Champion by Charlaine Harris (Lily Bard mysteries #2)

January Movie Stats

January Total = 4
2009 Total = 4

Stats:
Rent - 2
Own - 2
Theater - 0
TV - 0
Other - 0
First Viewing - 3

Favorite of the Month: Wild Zero

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Wild Zero (2000)

Director - Tetsuro Takeuchi
Writers - Satoshi Takagi, Tetsuro Takeuchi

Masashi EndĂ´ - Ace
Kwancharu Shitichai - Tobio
Makoto Inamiya - Captain
Guitar Wolf - Himself
Bass Wolf - Himself
Drum Wolf - Himself

Rating - Unrated

4/5

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Ma Mere (2004)

Director - Christophe Honoré
Writers - Georges Bataille, Christophe Honoré

Isabelle Huppert - Hélène, the Mother
Louis Garrel - Pierre, the Son
Emma de Caunes - Hansi
Joana Preiss - Réa

Rating - R

2.5/5

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Blood Simple. (1984)

Director - Joel Coen
Writers - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

John Getz - Ray
Frances McDormand - Abby
Dan Hedaya - Julian Marty
M. Emmet Walsh - Loren Visser

Rating - R

3.5/5

Saturday, January 03, 2009

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 5.10

Into the Woods

Director - Marti Noxon
Writer - Marti Noxon

Notable Guests
Bailey Chase - Graham Miller
Kristine Sutherland - Joyce Summers

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 5.9

Listening to Fear

Director - David Solomon
Writer - Rebecca Rand Kirshner

Sarah Michelle Gellar - Buffy Summers
Nicholas Brendon - Xander Harris
Alyson Hannigan - Willow Rosenberg
Emma Caulfield - Anya
Michelle Trachtenberg - Dawn Summers
James Marsters - Spike
Anthony Stewart Head - Rupert Giles

Notable Guests
Marc Blucas - Riley Finn
Charlie Weber - Ben
Amber Benson - Tara Mclay
Kristine Sutherland - Joyce Summers

Angel 2.8

The Shroud of Rahmon

Director - David Grossman
Writer - Jim Kouf

Notable Guests
Elisabeth Rohm - Kate Lockley
Tony Todd - Vyasa

Angel 2.7

Darla

Director - Tim Minear
Writer - Tim Minear

David Boreanaz - Angel/Angelus
Charisma Carpenter - Cordelia Chase
Alexis Denisof - Wesley Wyndam-Pryce
J. August Richards - Charles Gunn

Notable Guests
Julie Benz - Darla
Juliet Landau - Drusilla
Christian Kane - Lindsey McDonald
James Marsters - Spike
Mark Metcalf - The Master

Thursday, January 01, 2009

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Director - Darren Aronofsky
Writers - Hubert Selby Jr., Darren Aronofsky

Ellen Burstyn - Sara Goldfarb
Jared Leto - Harry Goldfarb
Jennifer Connelly - Marion Silver
Marlon Wayans - Tyrone C. Love
Christopher McDonald - Tappy Tibbons

Rating - Unrated

4/5

2008 Stats

Total Movies - 72

Stats:
Rent - 20
Own - 28
Theater - 9
TV - 11
Other - 2
Repeat Viewing (same year) - 1
First Viewing - 50

Favorite First Time Viewings:
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
Lady Vengeance (2005)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
Little Children (2006)
sex, lies, and videotape (1989)
Heavenly Creatures (1994)
Teeth (2007)
Onibaba (1964)
Pineapple Express (2008)
Rent (2005)
Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
All That Jazz (1979)

Movies by Decade:
20s - 0
30s - 1
40s - 1
50s - 1
60s - 2
70s - 6
80s - 10
90s - 7
00s - 41

December Stats

December Total = 1
2008 Total = 72

Stats:
Rent - 0
Own - 0
Theater - 0
TV - 1
Other - 0
First Viewing - 1

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Sydney White (2007)

Dir. Joe Nussbaum

In this quirky update on a classic fairy tale, freshman Sydney White (Amanda Bynes) pledges a once dignified sorority, only to find it has devolved into a nasty, backhanded clique. Disenchanted by the experience, Sydney takes up with a group of seven outcasts. Together with her band of merry misfits, she challenges the school's social hierarchy and looks to take down sorority president Rachel (Sara Paxton), the wicked campus villain.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

All That Jazz (1979)

Dir. Bob Fosse

Bob Fosse's autobiographical film celebrates the raunchy underbelly of show business. Successful director-choreographer Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider) is at the top of the Broadway heap. But he stands powerless as his world slowly collapses around him; his obsession with work has almost destroyed his personal life, and only his bottles of Dexedrine keep him going. Soon, it's clear Gideon will have to make a choice -- his art or his life.

Monday, December 01, 2008

November Stats

November Total = 5
2008 Total = 71

Stats:
Rent - 0
Own - 3
Theater - 2
TV - 0
Other - 0
First Viewing - 3

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Jackie Brown (1997)

Dir. Quentin Tarantino

Director Quentin Tarentino added his deft touch to nicely placed wry humor, combined that with an all-star cast (including Samuel L. Jackson, Pam Grier and Robert De Niro) and delivered the action-crime caper Jackie Brown. Jackie is a flight attendant who smuggles cash on the side. When busted and pressured to help with an investigation, she plans to play the opposing forces against each other and walk away with the dough.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Amelie (2001)

Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Impish gamine AmĂ©lie (Audrey Tautou) lives alone and works in a cafĂ©. When she finds a trove of toys hidden for 40 years behind a baseboard in her apartment, she's inspired to repatriate the items, an impulse of generosity that sparks more benevolent acts. A celebration of life, AmĂ©lie reminds us of the small wonders that abound around us … if only we paused to look.

Twilight (2008)

Dir. Catherine Hardwicke

Based on Stephenie Meyer's best-selling novel, Twilight follows the saga of Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), who moves to a small town to live with her father. At school, she meets Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a mysterious classmate who reveals himself to be a 108-year-old vampire. Despite his cautions, Bella falls in love with Edward, which endangers her life when a coven of bloodsuckers arrives to challenge Edward and his family.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Dir. Nicholas Stoller

After his TV star girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), breaks his heart, Peter (Jason Segel) wants nothing more than to enjoy his vacation in Hawaii. One problem: Sarah's vacationing at the same resort he is, and even worse, she's bringing her new beau. Produced by Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, Superbad), this hilarious comedy also stars Mila Kunis, Paul Rudd and Bill Hader.

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)

Dir. Kevin Smith

Zack (Seth Rogen) and Miri (Elizabeth Banks) have been platonic friends for years. When they both find themselves in financial hot water, they hit upon the idea of making an adult film to bring in some easy money. But when "action" is called, these two friends discover that unspoken feelings for each other may threaten the whole enterprise. Writer-director Kevin Smith helms this comic look at the line between friendship and romance.

Saturday, November 01, 2008

October Stats

October Total = 2
2008 Total = 66

Stats:
Rent - 0
Own - 2
Theater - 0
TV - 0
Other - 0
First Viewing - 0

Friday, October 31, 2008

Evil Dead (1981)

Dir. Sam Raimi

Curiosity overcomes five innocent teenagers vacationing at a cabin in the Tennessee woodlands, and their cellar-snooping unleashes spirits of the evil dead. After all his pals have become possessed, flesh-eating zombies, the one remaining teen (Bruce Campbell) tries to solve the nightmarish mystery and save his friends. Spider-Man director Sam Raimi uses impressively freaky special effects to make this low-budget horror classic.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Clerks. (1994)

Dir. Kevin Smith

Made on a shoestring budget by director Kevin Smith, this classic indie comedy won awards at both the Sundance and Cannes film festivals. Convenience and video store clerks Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) are sharp-witted, potty-mouthed … and bored out of their minds. Between serving nonstop shoppers, the overworked counter jockeys play hockey on the roof, visit a funeral home and deal with their offbeat love lives.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

September Stats

September Total = 2
2008 Total = 64

Stats:
Rent - 2
Own - 0
Theater - 0
TV - 0
Other - 0
First Viewing - 2

Friday, September 05, 2008

Rent (2005)

Dir. Chris Columbus

Members of the original 1996 Broadway cast star in Chris Columbus's adaptation of the award-winning musical set in New York's East Village. Based on Puccini's "La Boheme," the story follows a group of bohemians through life's ups and down as they face true love, broken hearts, HIV, drug addiction … and of course, paying the rent. Rosario Dawson, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Jesse L. Martin, Taye Diggs, Idina Menzel and Wilson Jermaine Heredia star.

Doomsday (2008)

Dir. Neil Marshall

When a deadly viral epidemic breaks out in present-day Britain, killing hundreds of thousands of people, the government quarantines the infected behind a walled city -- only to be confronted with a resurgence of the disease 30 years in the future. In the vein of Mad Max and 28 Days Later, this morality tale veiled as a sci-fi hypothetical features enough action, combat and suspense to keep audiences wondering, "What if?"

Monday, September 01, 2008

August Stats

August Total = 8
2008 Total = 62

Stats:
Rent - 3
Own - 0
Theater - 3
TV - 2
Other - 0
First Viewing - 7

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Head of State (2003)

Dir. Chris Rock

Washington D.C. alderman Mays Gilliam (Chris Rock) is about to lose his job when the sudden death of his party's front-runner in the presidential elections breathes new life into his political career. He's immediately pegged as the substitute and must deal with his bumbling brother and running mate, Mitch (Bernie Mac), and his social-climbing ex-girlfriend, Kim (Robin Givens), while trying to win the race.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Pineapple Express (2008)

Dir. David Gordon Green
After witnessing an underworld murder involving a corrupt cop (Rosie Perez) and a drug kingpin (Gary Cole), straitlaced pothead Dale Denton (Seth Rogen) must go on the run with his dealer (James Franco) to escape the wrath of the vengeance-minded criminals. Acclaimed indie auteur David Gordon Green directs the stoner road comedy, penned by Rogen and his Superbad co-writer, Evan Goldberg.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Vision Quest (1985)

Dir. Harold Becker

In this stirring coming-of-age story, a Spokane, Wash., high school wrestler (Matthew Modine) pursues his "vision quest" -- winning the state championship and finding true love. Advising the young man on his quest are his half-American Indian best friend (Michael Schoeffling) and a seductive, slightly older woman (Linda Fiorentino, in one of her first roles). Madonna makes her first appearance in a major film, crooning "Crazy for You" in a bar.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Hairspray (2007)

Dir. Adam Shankman


Set in 1962, this colorful adaptation of the Tony-winning musical (spawned by director John Waters' cult classic of the same name) follows ambitious teen Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky), who tries to integrate a racially divided Baltimore one watusi at a time. The film's star-studded cast includes John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Allison Janney, James Marsden and Amanda Bynes.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (2007)

Dir. Cristian Mungiu
In the last days of communism in Romania, Gabita (Laura Vasiliu), a young college student, wants to end her unplanned pregnancy. With the help of her best friend, fellow student Otilia (Anamaria Marinca), she seeks an abortion, illegal under the oppressive Ceaucescu regime. Director Cristian Mungiu's searing portrait of life under dictatorship received a slew of film festival awards as well as a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film from the Golden Globes.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

The Dark Knight (2008)

Dir. Christopher Nolan

Batman (Christian Bale) teams with Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) to continue dismantling Gotham City's criminal organizations in this sequel to Batman Begins. But a psychotic new villain known as the Joker (Heath Ledger) threatens to undo all their good work. The star-studded cast includes Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman, Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Caine and Eric Roberts.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Midnight Meat Train (2008)

Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura
Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers) stars as Leon Kauffman, an ambitious New York photographer whose reckless search for a serial killer (Vinnie Jones) known as "the Subway Butcher" leads him down a dark and dangerous path. Based on a short story by horror giant Clive Barker, this spine-tingling thriller from director Ryuhei Kitamura also stars Leslie Bibb, Brooke Shields and Tony Curran.

Friday, August 01, 2008

Rubber's Lover (1997)

Dir. Shozin Fukui
In this chilling horror film from director Shozin Fukui, a group of scientists working for a powerful corporation are attempting to uncork the psychic potential of humans. The experiments prove successful, but the results are frequently lethal for the test subjects. When the company tries to shut down the project, two desperate researchers hold a secretary hostage while they use a colleague to continue their gruesome experimentation.

July Stats

July Total = 5
2008 Total = 54

Stats:
Rent - 3
Own - 1
Theater - 0
TV - 1
Other - 0
First Viewing - 5

Saturday, July 19, 2008

The Card Player (2004)

Dir. Dario Argento

Police officer Anna Mari tries to stop a cardplaying serial killer in this chilling horror tale from Dario Argento. Anna's forced into a dangerous game with the maniac, and if she loses, she must witness the gruesome deaths of the killer's victims via webcam. With little information to go on, she teams with British officer John Brennan to uncover the murderer's identity. Liam Cunningham, Stefania Rocca and Claudio Santamaria star.

King Kong (1933)

Dir. Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack

Delivering action, adventure, chills and thrills, this precedent-setting monster movie tells a timeless tale of man vs. beast. While shooting in the jungle, filmmaker Carl Denham (Robert Armstrong) discovers an awe-inspiring marvel of nature: a 50-foot gorilla dubbed Kong. Subduing the mighty beast, the crew returns to New York with the primate, who promptly escapes, spreading mayhem and going ape for the production's leading lady (Fay Wray).

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream (2005)

Film scholar Stuart Samuels plunges into the beating rebellion of 1970s cult cinema and emerges with six influential low-budget classics that changed the way movies are made and watched. Samuels turns his critical eye to George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead, Alejandro Jodorowsky's El Topo, John Waters's Pink Flamingos, Perry Henzell's The Harder They Come, David Lynch's Eraserhead and Jim Sharman's The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Skinwalkers (2006)

Dir. James Isaac

As 12-year-old Timothy (Matthew Knight) prepares to turn 13, he's blissfully unaware that he's a half blood slated to transform -- and that his extended family of good-hearted werewolves has been protecting him since the day he was born. Elsewhere, lurking in the shadows, an evil pack of werewolves (led by Jason Behr) has been waiting for more than a decade to pounce on him and claim him as its own.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Onibaba (1964)

Dir. Kaneto Shindo

During the great war-torn upheaval in medieval Japan, a poverty-stricken mother and her daughter-in-law scratch out a desperate existence by murdering lost samurai, disposing of their bodies and selling their belongings for grain. But when a neighbor returns from the war, lust, jealousy and rage threaten to drive a wedge between the mother and daughter-in-law. It isn't long before the presence of an ominous demon mask seals the trio's fate.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

June Stats

June Total = 3
2008 Total = 49

Stats:
Rent - 2
Own - 1
Theater - 0
TV - 0
Other - 0
First Viewing - 3