2009 Movie Log

01. 01/05/09 - Frost/Nixon (2008) AMC Promenade 16 (B)
02. 01/06/09 - Slumdog Millionaire (2008) AMC Promenade 16 (B)
03. 01/07/09 - Doubt (2008) AMC Promenade 16 (B)
04. 01/08/09 - The Reader (2008) AMC Promenade 16 (C-)
05. 01/09/09 - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) AMC Promenade 16 (C)
06. 01/15/09 - Harsh Times (2005) StarzHD (D)
07. 02/25/09 - Five Easy Pieces (1970) HDNet (B)
08. 03/07/09 - Watchmen (2009) ArcLight Hollywood (B)
09. 03/14/09 - A Mighty Wind (2003) DVD (B+)
10. 03/15/09 - Rounders (1998) StarzHD (C+)
11. 03/18/09 - The Pixar Story (2007) StarzHD (B)
12. 03/21/09 - Back to the Future (1985) StarzHD (A-)
13. 03/25/09 - Back to the Future Part II (1989) StarzHD (B)
14. 03/30/09 - Back to the Future Part III (1990) StarzHD (B+)
15. 04/15/09 - The Kingdom (2007) HD-DVD (C-)
16. 04/17/09 - Into The Wild (2007) HD-DVD (B)
17. 04/22/09 - Persepolis (2007) StarzHD (B)
18. 04/29/09 - The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas (2008) DVD (C-)
19. 04/30/09 - Appaloosa (2008) DVD (D+)
20. 05/05/09 - 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (2007) DVD (A-)
21. 05/05/09 - The Constant Gardener (2004) HDNet (C+)
22. 05/06/09 - Frequency (2000) StarzHD (B-)
23. 05/07/09 - The Flight of the Red Balloon (2008) DVD (C)
24. 05/08/09 - Star Trek (2009) AMC Promenade 16 (B)
25. 05/11/09 - Doomsday (2008) Blu-ray (C)
26. 05/12/09 - The Good Shepherd (2006) HD-DVD (C)
27. 05/12/09 - Scent of a Woman (1992) HD-DVD (C-)
28. 05/13/09 - Australia (2008) Blu-ray (B-)
29. 05/14/09 - 21 (2008) Blu-ray (C+)
30. 05/18/09 - Carlito's Way (1993) HD-DVD (B-)
31. 05/18/09 - Cat People (1982) HD-DVD (C-)
32. 05/18/09 - I Am Legend (2007) Blu-ray (C-)
33. 05/19/09 - The Wrestler (2008) Blu-ray (B+)
34. 05/20/09 - Saturday Night Fever (1977) HDNet (B)
35. 05/20/09 - To Live And Die In L.A. (1985) ShowtimeHD (B)
36. 05/21/09 - 25th Hour (2002) Starz HD (B+)
37. 06/01/09 - Assault On Precinct 13 (1976) Blu-ray (B)
38. 06/03/09 - Planet Of The Apes (1968) Blu-ray (B-)
39. 06/04/09 - Let The Right One In (2008) Blu-ray (A-)
40. 06/08/09 - X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) AMC Burbank 8 (D)
41. 06/09/09 - The Brothers Bloom (2009) Laemmle Fallbrook 7 (B-)
42. 06/13/09 - Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) Blu-ray (A-)
43. 06/16/09 - Up (2009) Laemmle Fallbrook 7 (A-)
44. 06/22/09 - Terminator: Salvation (2009) AMC Promenade 16 (D+)
45. 06/30/09 - The Hangover (2009) Laemmle Fallbrook 7 (B)
46. 07/14/09 - Assault On Precinct 13 (2005) HD-DVD (C)
47. 07/14/09 - Tropic Thunder (2008) Blu-ray (B-)
48. 07/17/09 - Quantum Of Solace (2008) Blu-ray (C+)
49. 07/20/09 - Breach (2007) DVD (B)
50. 08/08/09 - The X-Files: Fight The Future (1998) Blu-ray (B)
51. 08/26/09 - Mongol (2007) Blu-ray (C+)
52. 08/29/09 - Apocalypto (2006) DVD (A-)
53. 08/31/09 - The Hurt Locker (2009) ArcLight Hollywood (B+)
54. 09/01/09 - Frenzy (1972) DVD (B+)
55. 09/02/09 - Punisher: War Zone (2008) Blu-ray (D-)
56. 09/07/09 - Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room (2005) HDNet (B)
57. 09/16/09 - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007) StarzHD (C)
58. 09/18/09 - The Ruins (2008) StarzHD (D)
59. 09/21/09 - Inglorious Basterds (2009) ArcLight Hollywood (B+)
60. 09/22/09 - District 9 (2009) UA La Canada/Flintridge (B-)
61. 09/30/09 - The Chronicles Of Riddick (2004) HD-DVD (C+)
62. 10/01/09 - The Incredible Hulk (2008) Blu-ray (B-)
63. 10/02/09 - Oldboy (2004) Blu-ray (B)
64. 10/03/09 - The King And I (1956) DVD (B)
65. 10/04/09 - Poltergeist (1982) Blu-ray (B-)
66. 10/07/09 - Legend (1985) HDNet (C)
67. 10/07/09 - The Big Red One (1980) HDNet (B)
68. 10/08/09 - The Aviator (2004) HD-DVD (C)
69. 10/12/09 - Hellraiser (1987) Blu-ray (B)
70. 10/14/09 - Predator (1987) Blu-ray (B)
71. 10/21/09 - Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) HDNet (B-)
72. 10/30/09 - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) Blu-ray (A-)
73. 11/04/09 - Halloween (1978) Blu-ray (B)
74. 11/04/09 - Valkyrie (2008) Blu-ray (C)
75. 11/04/09 - First Blood (1982) Blu-ray (A-)
76. 11/05/09 - Dawn Of The Dead (1978) Blu-ray (B)
77. 11/06/09 - Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) Blu-ray (C+)
78. 11/06/09 - The Fog (1980) HDNet (D+)
79. 11/08/09 - An American Werewolf In London (1981) Blu-ray (B)

2008 Concert Log

01. 02/19/08 - Iron Maiden (Forum) A
02. 05/14/08 - Metallica/Scars On Broadway (Wiltern) A+
03. 05/16/08 - Metallica/Scars On Broadway/Apocalyptica/Flobots (KFMA Radio Day, Pima County Fairgrounds, Tucson AZ) A-
04. 05/31/08 - Demon Hunter (Glass House) B
05. 07/13/08 - Slipknot/Disturbed/DragonForce/Machine Head/Five Finger Death Punch (Rockstar Mayhem Tour, Devore CA) B+
06. 07/16/08 - Darksun (Whisky) B
07. 08/05/08 - Cavalera Conspiracy (House Of Blues Sunset Strip) B+
08. 10/24/08 - Snot (The Glasshouse) B
09. 11/20/08 - Five Finger Death Punch/In This Moment (B+)
10. 12/12/08 - Metallica/Lamb of God/The Sword (Citizens Bank Arena, Ontario CA) B+
11. 12/17/08 - Metallica/Machine Head/The Sword (Forum) A
12. 12/18/08 - Metallica/Machine Head/The Sword (Forum) B+

Film Review: Casper (1995) C-

Date Viewed: 2/1/08
Venue: HDNet

When someone refers to a movie as "eh, just a kid's movie" in a derogatory tone, they're talking about Casper, a loud, special-effects laden comedy aimed at kids that isn't very interested in making a lot of sense or thinking things through.

Based on the famous cartoon show, our story follows lonely Casper, the friendly ghost, as he suffers his three bullying ghost uncles in an abandoned mansion in New England. The property is inherited by a snooty rich bitch (Cathy Moriarty), who believes there to be treasure (yes, treasure) in the mansion's walls, and will stop at nothing to drive the scary ghosts out. She hires ghost 'expert' Dr. Harvey (Bill Pullman. Was he in every movie between 1994-1996?) to help the ghosts 'move on.' Dr. Harvey moves in with his pubescent daughter Kat (a developing Christina Ricci) and while Harvey works on taming the mischievous uncle ghosts, Kat befriends lonesome Casper (well voiced by Malachi Pearson). Of course our intrepid family winds up siding with the ghosts against snooty rich bitch, and conflict ensues. However, the story really stumbles when trying to resolve this conflict, disregarding it's own 'rules' about the ghosts as soon as it can invent them.

While the comedy in Casper falls too broadly to be consistently funny (there's some gross, semi-crude humor, and Dan Akroyd has an embarrassing Ray Stantz Ghostbuster cameo, for goodnessakes), some of the overall adolescent themes of fitting-in and loneliness are well played. And those successful themes make some of the sloppy story points a bit more palpable.

Casper is a movie a kid with less discriminating tastes would eat up. It's outlandish, the sets and effects are great (imagine Who Framed Roger Rabbit? done seven years better), the comedy is big and in-your-face, and really its main characters are kids (Ricci and the Casper the ghost) themselves. As an adult, however, it's impossible to overlook lame humor and shoddy storytelling.

Film Review: The Right Stuff (1983) B-

Date Viewed: 2/1/08
Venue: HDNet

Test pilots are the center of 1983's The Right Stuff, director Phillip Kaufman's lengthy exploration of the origins of America's space program. The film follows the professional and private lives of the seven men (and the legendary Chuck Yeager to boot) who were chosen to be America's first astronauts.

The film begins with Yeager (Sam Shepherd) breaking the sound barrier over the Mojave Desert. A few years later, the Soviets initiate the space race with the launch of Sputnik, and Washington sends recruiters (Harry Shearer and a young Jeff Goldblum) to the desert in search of future astronauts.

After rejecting Yeager (Washington was only interested in 'college-educated' pilots), the recruiters snag Air Force pilots Gus Grisson (a grizzly Fred Ward) and cocky Gordon Cooper (Dennis Quaid) to join clean-cut John Glen (Ed Harris) and joker Alan Shepard (Scott Glenn), among others.

The men find themselves poked, prodded, and studied extensively (and ushered around by poorly-dubbed orderly Anthony Munoz of NFL and disgusting sports injury fame) before the final seven are chosen and eventually, one-by-one, launched into space.

This is a sprawling, ambitious film that drips director Kaufman's love of the material, but the narrative is staggeringly off-balance. By dividing our time between our pilots, Yeager's continuing non-space-related flights, and some Washington behind-the-scenes machinations, we never settle on whose story this is supposed to be.

Despite having nothing to do with the space program, our scenes with Yeager's ongoing exploits in breaking speed and altitude records are the thematic heart of the film, expressing the test pilot obsession with pushing the envelope (and hinting at the notion that he was really the pilot with 'the right stuff'). And the Washington scenes would be fine if this were a more straightforward look at the history of our space program. But by trying to balance all three, we don't get a lot of depth with the pilots, the Washington bits feel rushed, and Yeager feels extraneous. There are also several instances of characters saying they're going to do something in lieu of actually seeing them do something, further evidence of extreme story compression.

Even with the overstuffed (even for a three-hour plus runtime) narrative, there are things to enjoy. Ed Harris and Fred Ward are great, and the pilots stories are very honest overall, not shying away from some of their skirt-chasing, chest-thumping, uber-macho ways. The spaceflight scenes themselves are well done, with appropriate weight and drama.

The Right Stuff is a frustrating mess of a movie. I respect the stories represented and the efforts of the filmakers, but there is strength in simplicity, and I wish further effort had been made to streamline the story and keep the audience involved.

Film Review: Reality Bites (1994) C

Date Viewed: 1/11/08
Venue: HDNet

Let me just go on record here: I hate Generation X. I hate the whining, the complaining, the blaming of parents, the lazy questioning of authority, the constant references to Schoolhouse Rock, all of it. Born in '77, I fall right on the hazy dividing line between Generations X and Y, meaning I am a man without country. However, growing up and being a teenager in the early 90s meant succumbing to Generation X. The movies (Reality Bites, Singles), the music (Nirvana), the fashion (flannel), and even the unfocused malaise.

Which brings us to 1994's Reality Bites, starring Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Steve Zahn, Ben Stiller (who also directed), and Janeane Garofalo (barf), a group of recent college grads who must find themselves and their purpose in the big bad real world. Ryder plays Lelaina, a free-spirit who's embarrassed by her father's wealth, Hawke is Troy, resident bad boy with no plans in life, only angry philosophical platitudes. And Stiller is the conforming yuppie who has effectively 'sold-out.'

Reality Bites tries to pass itself off as a comedic love story for the 90s, as LeLaina has a flirtatious relationship with the smoldering Troy, but winds up dating Michael (Stiller) for much of the movie. The problem with this are twofold, one, the comedy simply isn't that strong (as if it doesn't go far enough, see Clerks, or hell, even "Beavis & Butt-Head" for fearless Gen-X comedy), and the love story fails because LeLaina is such a enormously passive character. Troy is the only interesting character here, and he vanishes for much of the movie.

Bites does a much better job painting an overall vibe for Gen-X (besides all the normal Gen-X stereotypes, we get a (barfily) promiscous character who's major purpose in the film is to GET TESTED FOR AIDS, and a "Real World"-esque show) than it does telling a story, but even still it falls flat by not going far enough. Maybe worth it just for the trip down memory lane, but otherwise...yawn.

Film Review: Hotel Rwanda (2004) B+

Date Viewed: 1/25/08
Venue: Universal HD

Hotel Rwanda tells the true tale of luxury-hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle), who takes in over a thousand Tutsi refugees during their bloody struggle with Hutu militias. As the film begins Paul is simply a good family man who is very good at his job, effortlessly catering to the needs of the visiting (and local) rich and powerful. As tension between Hutus and Tutsis rise, Paul sincerely believes things will blow over, he is above such seemingly arbitrary labels (he is Hutu and his wife Tutsi). When a neighbor Tutsi is beaten and taken in by a Hutu militia on suspicion of spying, Paul elects to stay with his family rather than help the man, putting his family first.

Things go to hell quickly as Hutu militias overrun the country, hunting down and brutally exterminating the Tutsis. U.N. Peacekeeper troops drop off dozens, then hundreds of Tutsi refugees at the hotel. Instead of ostensibly saving his own Hutu skin and staying out of things, Paul takes the refugees in, using his connections and influence to ensure their safety. A macabre juxtaposition occurs as violence breaks out throughout the city (with Tutsis slaughtered in the streets, fires everywhere, and constant gunfire), yet its almost business as usual inside the hotel; piano music in the lounge, casual dining, very surreal. Eventually, Western military forces do show up, but only to evacuate the white European and American guests. Practically abandoned, Paul must stand his ground time and time again using his guile and connections to keep the Hutu militias away from the hotel and his 'guests' and family. Interestingly, Paul has enough connections to get out safely with his family, but when faced with the fates of over a thousand people, he continually elects to stay until they are all evacuated.

Don Cheadle gives an extraordinary performance as a man desperately trying to keep it all together in the worst of times, and he's truly what keeps this film together. Nick Nolte is hit-or-miss as a frustrated and ultimately ineffective U.N. commander, he goes from zero to over-acting in 2.6 seconds. And Joaquin Phoenix is also around as an ambitious reporter, who's really only around to spout exposition.

Hotel Rwanda is a very good film, no doubt about it. Between Cheadle's performance and pure strength of the material, there's a lot to like (again, I feel weird saying 'like' in the context of a genocide film). But the story feels only serviceable and straight-forward. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but perhaps the subject matter deserved a little something extra. Still, a powerful testament to events that were (and still are) sadly overlooked by the Western world.

2007 Movie Log Analysis

Now we're into 2008 it's time to look back and do a little breakdown on the movies I watched in 2007.

192 movies total, 156 (81%) of them films I had never seen before.

Only 8 of them were seen in a theater. That's an all-time low in my adult life.

38 (20%) were viewed on HD-DVD.

40 (21%) were recorded off cable.

104 (54%) were rentals (from either Netflix or Blockbuster Online).

I watched a staggering 45 films (23%) in January.

What does it all mean? Not much except that I'm a big nerd for charting out my movie watching.

2008 Video Game Log

01/02/08 - Rock Band (360)
01/04/08 - Super Paper Mario (Wii)
01/04/08 - Rock Band (360)
01/05/08 - Rock Band (360)
01/05/08 - Madden NFL 07 (360)
01/07/08 - Rock Band (360)
01/10/08 - Rock Band (360)
01/12/08 - Rock Band (360)
01/19/08 - Super Paper Mario (Wii)
02/04/08 - Madden NFL 07 (360)
02/08/08 - Madden NFL 07 (360)
02/08/08 - Rock Band (360)
02/12/08 - Madden NFL 07 (360)
02/13/08 - Madden NFL 07 (360)
02/15/08 - Rock Band (360)
02/16/08 - Rock Band (360)

2008 Movie Log

001. 01/03/08 - Rocky (1976) HDNet (A)
002. 01/03/08 - Rocky II (1979) HDNet (B)
003. 01/04/08 - Rocky III (1982) HDNet (B-)
004. 01/05/08 - A River Runs Through It (1992) HDNet (B)
005. 01/07/08 - The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (2005) HDNet (B)
006. 01/09/08 - Family Plot (1976) HDNet (C)
007. 01/10/08 - Topaz (1969) HDNet (C-)
008. 01/11/08 - Reality Bites (1994) HDNet (C)
009. 01/25/08 - Hotel Rwanda (2004) Universal HD (B+)
010. 02/01/08 - The Right Stuff (1983) HDNet (B-)
011. 02/01/08 - Casper (1995) HDNet (C)
012. 02/02/08 - Robocop (1987) Universal HD (A+)
013. 02/05/08 - Dragonslayer (1981) HDNet (D)
014. 02/06/08 - Point Of No Return (1993) HDNet (D)
015. 02/06/08 - Soylent Green (1973) HDNet (C-)
016. 02/06/08 - Kramer Vs. Kramer (1979) HDNet (B+)
017. 02/07/08 - The Quick And The Dead (1995) HDNet (C)
018. 02/07/08 - The Jerk (1979) Universal HD (B)
019. 02/08/08 - Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) HDNet (B)
020. 02/08/08 - The Fisher King (1991) HDNet (B+)
021. 02/09/08 - The Karate Kid Part II (1986) HDNet (B)
022. 02/12/08 - Dirty Harry (1971) Universal HD (B-)
023. 02/14/08 - The China Syndrome (1979) HDNet (B)
024. 02/18/08 - Run Ronnie Run (2002) HDNet (B-)
025. 02/18/08 - Doom (2005) HD-DVD (C)
026. 02/19/08 - Seabiscuit (2003) HD-DVD (B)
027. 02/20/08 - Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgandy (2004) HD-DVD (B-)
028. 02/21/08 - Hidalgo (2004) HDNet (B+)
029. 02/21/08 - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) HD-DVD (C+)
030. 02/25/08 - Sunshine (2007) DVD (B+)
031. 03/01/08 - Across The Universe (2007) DVD (B)
032. 03/01/08 - Underworld (2003) DVD (C-)
033. 03/02/08 - The Guns Of Navarone (1961) HDNet (C)
034. 03/08/08 - Ghostbusters (1984) HDNet (A+)
035. 03/10/08 - Shoot 'Em Up (2007) DVD (C+)
036. 03/11/08 - 3:10 To Yuma (2007) DVD (B)
037. 03/18/08 - Shooter (2007) HD-DVD (D)
038. 03/19/08 - Zodiac (2007) HD-DVD (A-)
039. 04/01/08 - The King Of Kong (2007) DVD (B)
040. 04/02/08 - Once (2007) DVD (B+)
041. 04/05/08 - Beowulf (2007) HD-DVD (B+)
042. 04/06/08 - American Gangster (2007) HD-DVD (B-)
043. 04/11/08 - Disturbia (2007) HD-DVD (B-)
044. 04/16/08 - The Host (2006) HD-DVD (B-)
045. 04/21/08 - Michael Clayton (2007) HD-DVD (B)
046. 04/23/08 - Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) HDNet (B+)
047. 04/24/08 - The Bourne Identity (2002) HD-DVD (B-)
048. 05/01/08 - Iron Man (2008) ArcLight Hollywood (B+)
049. 05/10/08 - Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981) DVD (A+)
050. 05/12/08 - The Bourne Supremacy (2004) HD-DVD (B)
051. 05/12/08 - The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) HD-DVD (B+)
052. 05/18/08 - Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom (1984) DVD (B+)
053. 05/22/08 - Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2008) ArcLight Hollywood (C+)
054. 05/25/08 - The Mist (2007) DVD (C+)
055. 05/26/08 - There Will Be Blood (2007) DVD (C)
056. 05/27/08 - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (2007) DVD (B-)
057. 06/03/08 - Alpha Dog (2006) HD-DVD (B)
058. 06/09/08 - Speed Racer (2008) Mann Chinese 6 (B-)
059. 06/11/08 - Cloverfield (2008) DVD (A-)
060. 06/12/08 - The TV Set (2006) DVD (B)
061. 06/12/08 - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) HDNet (C)
062. 06/13/08 - Auto Focus (2002) HDNet (B)
063. 06/14/08 - One Crazy Summer (1986) HDNet (C+)
064. 06/16/08 - La Vie En Rose (2007) DVD (B-)
065. 06/17/08 - The Darjeeling Limited (2007) DVD (B-)
066. 06/19/08 - Rocky IV (1985) DVD (B)
067. 06/19/08 - Rocky V (1990) DVD (D-)
068. 06/28/08 - WALL-E (2008) ArcLight Sherman Oaks (A-)
069. 07/10/08 - Rescue Dawn (2006) DVD (B-)
070. 07/10/08 - Ghost Rider (2007) DVD (D-)
071. 07/11/08 - Gone Baby Gone (2007) DVD (A)
072. 07/12/08 - Batman Begins (2005) DVD (B+)
073. 07/12/08 - Batman (1989) DVD (B+)
074. 07/15/08 - Wanted (2008) ArcLight Hollywood (C)
075. 07/17/08 - Pitch Black (2000) HD-DVD (C-)
076. 07/18/08 - The Dark Knight (2008) ArcLight Hollywood (A)
077. 07/21/08 - Rio Bravo (1959) HDNet (B)
078. 07/21/08 - Batman Returns (1992) DVD (B)
079. 07/22/08 - Gallipoli (1981) HDNet (B)
080. 07/26/08 - Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) DVD (A+)
081. 07/28/08 - Mean Streets (1973) HDNet (B)
082. 07/29/08 - Network (1976) HDNet (A-)
083. 08/03/08 - THX 1138 (1971) HDNet (B)
084. 08/26/08 - Deliverance (1972) HDNet (B+)
085. 09/08/08 - Giant (1956) HDNet (B)
086. 09/08/08 - Point Blank (1967) HDNet (C+)
087. 09/17/08 - City Of God (2002) HDNet (A-)
088. 09/17/08 - The Fog Of War (2004) HDNet (B)
089. 09/22/08 - King Arthur (2004) HDNet (C-)
090. 09/23/08 - Cinema Paradiso (1988) HDNet (B+)
091. 09/24/08 - Wait Until Dark (1967) HDNet (B)
092. 09/25/08 - The Color Of Money (1986) HDNet (C+)
093. 10/06/08 - Airport (1970) HDNet (C+)
094. 10/07/08 - The Color Purple (1985) HDNet (B)
095. 10/09/08 - Knocked Up (2007) HD-DVD (C+)
096. 10/09/08 - The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (2007) HD-DVD (B-)
097. 10/10/08 - Rocky Balboa (2006) DVD (B)
098. 10/13/08 - Charlie Wilson's War (2007) DVD (B)
099. 10/13/08 - In Bruges (2008) DVD (B)
100. 10/14/08 - The French Connection (1971) DVD (B)
101. 10/14/08 - Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone (2001) DVD (B)
102. 10/15/08 - Harry Potter & The Chamber Of Secrets (2002) HD-DVD (B-)
103. 10/20/08 - Harry Potter & The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004) HD-DVD (A-)
104. 10/21/08 - Harry Potter & The Goblet Of Fire (2005) HD-DVD (B+)