Ray (2004)

I will admit, this was a lazy cop-out of a choice to watch. I didn't have anything else to watch and I found it on cable. I am really getting lazy here, I know... So..."Ray"....I liked it. I still don't think it should have been nominated last year, I thought there were better movies that were ignored. I certainly thought that "Walk the Line" was better this year, then "Ray" as well...but hey, I am just the movie freak, not an academy member, right? Okay, so back to "Ray"...I thought Jamie Foxx was awesome, and even though I didn't want him to win, necessarily. I thought his performance was just amazing. If I didn't know better, I would swear that some of that was actually old footage of Ray Charles, it was like he was channeling him. Absolutely terrific. I thought his life was interesting, and I thought his music was awesome. I just think the movie itself was just okay. Good, but nothing special...it just reminded me again how sad I am about "Walk the Line", now that was something special.

Fargo (1996)

Fargo....Fargo is fun. I don't care how gross people think much of it is...Fargo is just fun to me. I love so many things about it. I loved watching it again after all these years. I love the accents, I love the crazy comedy of errors the thing turns out to be. I fell in love with William H Macy after watching Fargo, and I still love him to this day. I am pretty sure either this is where I fell in love with Steve Buscemi, or else it was the reason I went to see Fargo...I can hardly remember its been so long. But I really thought Fargo was one of the best. Call it a cult classic if you will, but I think it was just good in general. I don't think you have to like strange independant movies to enjoy the humor and creativity in Fargo. The acting was superb. I thought the screenplay was awesome. I still love the wood chipper scene, as nasty as it is. I remember so many lines that Bubs and I used to repeat on a daily basis because they were so amusing. I enjoyed watching it all over again.

March of the Penguins (2005)

It took me several weeks to finish this movie, I started it a few weeks ago, and didn't get a chance to finish it, so I finally pulled it out again today. This movie was nominated for Best Documentary feature. I thought it was absolutely amazing. The story, the cinematography, the beautiful, amazing animals. I truly loved this movie. It was sadder than I thought it was going to be, even though I had heard several times that it was sad. Its always hard to watch that kind of "survival of the fittest" kind of things. I am not sure, however, if I really believe that this was better than Murderball. So far, if it was up to me, Murderball would win the award in this category. Sometimes March of the Penguins, just seemed like a Discovery channel special...interesting, but not interesting enough. I enjoyed it, and will end up buying it, and I really thought it was awesome.

Murderball (2005)

For my first Oscar nominated movie of the month, I chose Murderball. It is nominated in the Best Documentary Feature category. I was very anxious to see this when it was out at the movies, and now I am so sorry I never made it. This movie was incredible. I really love documentaries these days anyways, but this one was really powerful and inspiring. I was so in awe of these incredible guys, and I found every single story interesting. I even enjoyed watching footage of the actual Rugby games. I couldn't believe the things these guys were accomplishing even though they were confined to those wheelchairs. I had no clue that the Paralympics even existed, but I am very interested in them now. What an awesome way to show that these athletes are still able to do so many things. It was a very inspirational movie, I would like to actually own it so I can watch all the special features, I am so interested in these guys now. I will definetly be recommending this one to everyone I know.

The Constant Gardener (2005)

This movie really got to me. I knew I was going to like it, even though I truly didn't know what it was about. I like Ralph Fiennes, even if he creeps me out these days. I thought this movie, though confusing to me at times, is a really important movie. I think its time we really took a look at how important the drug companies really are in this country (and clearly other countries as well) I think about this all the time, especially regarding the vaccination debate. But this movie really brought it to my attention even more...what a dangerous problem we really have with the Pharmaceutical companies, and how much influence and control they have. It was scary, and very real to me, and it made me think for a long time after watching it. The acting was superb, Rachel Weisz was awesome, and I would not be sad if she won an Oscar for this one! Good stuff...

And the nominees are....

a bit surprising I think!! I was up bright and early, like every year for as long as I can remember..to watch the annoucement of the Oscar nominees. Its my second favorite day of the year for that reason!! I was a little sad, that Walk the Line didn't get nominated, and I truly thought that it would and that it deserved to. However, I was thrilled that Crash was nominated, excited and surprised about Terrence Howard for Hustle and Flow, and of course..not surprised but out of my mind with excitement that Joaquin Phoenix got nominated. Nice to see Matt Dillon make the list...also happy about Steven Spielberg, even thought I haven't seen Munich yet, I look forward to doing so.
So here is how its going to go, since its my damn movie project, and it's my blog so I can do whatever I want.. I am changing the rules. For the month of February, its Oscar month. (even though the awards are in March) I can see repeats or movies I have already seen, as long as they either have been nominated this year for an Oscar, or in a previous year. It can also be a movie that I haven't seen, that hasn't been nominated, as long as one of the current nominees is in it. For example, I have never seen "The Patriot" but I could watch it for the project because Heath Ledger is in it, and he was nominated this year. This only applies for current nominees. So I think thats it for the February rules change. So if the above rules don't apply to a movie I can't blog about it (I can of course, still see a movie that's not nominated, it just won't count!)I realize that its hard during awards season, at least for me, to think about anything else, and I decided its not worth it to try! I got a few movies already waiting for me for this week, and think this will be a detour thats worthwhile. So I am ready to go!

Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

I really liked this movie. It was a refreshing change from the last "horror" movie I attempted to watch..."The Skeleton Key" (see previous post). I though this one was very well done. It was haunting in all the right ways, yet it wasn't far fetched, so that when it was over, I found myself questioning my beliefs on the subject of evil/the devil etc...I loved that the special effects weren't so ridiculous, that to me made it much more believable. And of course, I can't discuss this movie without bringing up the always amazing Laura Linney, the sole reason I rented this in the first place. I also am always impressed with Tom Wilkinson who played the priest. He does such an amazing job of covering up his accent and making you believe he truly is the character he is playing. This character reminded me of his character in "In the Bedroom" in the sense that it was a very understated performance...you didn't have to see too much emotion or reaction out of him to know that he was desperately grief stricken over the situation, but wanted the truth to show through the drama of the story. I love that about him as an actor. I also was pleasantly suprised to see that a large portion of this movie was really a courtroom drama, which I didn't know before I saw it, also surprised to see Campbell Scott, always one of my favorites for unknown reasons...I always used to say it was becuase of his chin, but I am starting to think it may actually go deeper than that. Bubs didn't want to rent this, he thought it looked boring, and he may have gotten bored during some of the court parts, but in the end, I know he liked it too because we were still talking about posession the next day, so it obviously got to him in some slight way. I thought it reminded me of some of the classic horror movies of the 70's. It didn't need to rely on a ton of blood and gore to get its point across, and I found it very haunting and interesting.

Off The Map (2003)

I have been looking at this one for awhile at the library, and kept on passing it by. I have a love/hate relationship with Joan Allen, so I resist seeing her movies until someone forces me to. This time, I just finally decided it was worth a shot when I noticed that Campbell Scott directed it. I like him more than I don't like her, so I checked it out. Wow. I loved it. I loved everything about it. It was quiet and sweet. The little girl was incredible, and actually so was Joan Allen. I loved the quirkiness of the characters. I loved the pull of this interesting family to the outsider, the IRS guy that comes out to the desert to find them. I found myself wanting more long after this movie was over. Totally worth renting.

Lords of Dogtown (2005)

I was wandering through the video store, trying to figure out what I really wanted to see, and this movie kind of jumped out at me. We had watched the documentary last year on one of the movie channels, and when this was released, I wanted to see it, but I never made it out to check it out. I really liked it. I thought it had kind of a slow start, but I love movies about skateboarding. I thought this was interesting, and filmed cool, and had a wonderful cast. Heath Ledger is really starting to impress me. His role in this was really different, he did a great job, and I think that he really is underappreciated. At first I wasn't sure how I felt about him, and even in this, I thought he was talking kind of goofy, maybe its to cover his accent, etc...then I watched some of the bonus features and saw the real Skip, the character he was playing, and the dude talked just like him. It was amazing. He is really versatile and I think I am going to have to go back and start watching some of his older movies, since I avoided them for so long, maybe I was really missing out. The kid (guy, not sure how old he really is) that played Stacy Peralta, was awesome too, I am anxious to see him in another movie, I thought he did a great job. I forgot to see if the actors did all their own skating or not, but either way, I never would have guessed it if they didn't. I thought this was a great movie, glad it found me.

Skeleton Key (2005)

I can think of only one word, and I don't think its really even a word, to describe this movie.....BLECH. I hated it. I thought though the acting was alright...I mean, I can never seem to get enough of Peter Sarsgaard (have no clue if thats spelled right), and I can actually say I like Kate Hudson....but this movie was just, I don't know...nothing to me. I didn't predict the ending, which was nice for a change. But I also thought it was just not interesting, not exciting, and certainly not scary. From watching the previews, I expected to be scared, I expected to be creeped out by images that I saw in the previews that made it look pretty horrifying to me. All the images in the preview were completely understated in the movie. I didn't even find myself jumping at sudden (supposedly) terrifying moments. It was no better than one of those TV movies of the week, With the exception of the acting of course. I am very happy I waited until I had a free rental for this one. I am also finding movies to be too dark lately. Half of the time, I can't even figure out whats going on on screen because its so dark, its all just shadows to me. Several times I paused the DVD to try to figure out what the heck she was doing, or what something was....I have noticed it a lot lately and its becoming annoying. What is wrong with using some decent lighting. I don't think that having something that dark makes it scarier, in fact sometimes it makes things less scary since I don't even know what the heck is going on. Its a bad trend in my opinion.

War of the Worlds (2005)

Honestly, I wanted to see this at the movies. Even with all the crazy Tom Cruise hype, I still wanted to see it. Its not my usual kind of movie, but I do like Steven Speilburg, and do my best to try to support his filmmaking (not like he needs it...) but this one just never happened. I couldn't find anyone that wanted to see it with me, and I didn't think I could sit through a movie like this by myself. I found it wildly entertaining. I wish I had made Ian leave the room before I watched it, because I don't think it was really meant for a 6 year old to watch. He got a bit freaked out, and I can see why. Had I seen it when I was a child, I wouldn't have slept for weeks. Heck, I probably would have ended up in therapy. "Red Dawn" did that to me, I can just imagine what this movie would have done to me back then. I liked seeing Tom Cruise play a part that wasn't such a "nice" guy. I thought the effects were awesome, and I thought the movie was very exciting. I wish I had seen it on the big screen, it would have been much better there I would think.

Happy Endings (2005)

This is my second attempt at watching this, I had to return it once without watching it. When I checked it out this time, the employee at the video store told me that he thought it was good. I love when the employees have actually heard of, or seen movies like this, it always gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. I thought this movie was awesome. I really like Maggie Gyllenhall, she does seem to gravitate towards similar characters, but I still like her anyway. It was very interesting seeing Tom Arnold in a role like this, and surprisingly pulled it off. I was amused when someone on screen was watching TV and one of the movies on the TIVO list was "Secretary", I thought that was a cute trick! I thought this movie was entertaining and interesting, I loved the side bar type comments during the movie, I thought that was fun and original. I did think it was a bit long, but I didn't really get bored.

Walk the Line (2005)

I cheated. I seriously feel guilty about it, but I feel like I had a valid excuse for seeing a repeat. I had to do a make up movie for a friend? Um....the mother in law was here when I got home and I couldn't take over the TV to watch a new DVD because everything I had rented was inappropriate for her?? um....I liked it so much even the second time that I thought I at least owed the movie a write up? Okay, lets go with that last one. Also I will watch two movies tonight to make up for it, so its not really cheating if I make it up later right? I hope. Okay, I loved Walk The Line...Everybody that knows me already knows this, because I can't stop babbling about it every chance I get. I have a deep passionate love for Joaquin Phoenix. I have had this crush for a very long time now, and it gets worse every year, every single film. I knew there was no way I would hate this movie. Reese Witherspoon doesn't even bother me that much most of the time. I loved every minute of this movie. To me, a movie is truly magic when it transports you to a different time, or place. Every single stager performance in this movie, took me right out of the theater and on to that stage. I could feel that music in my toes, making my heart beat harder than I ever could imagine it could. I really felt like I was "there". I thought they really portrayed the love and magic that Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash had for each other. This movie reminded me of my childhood, reminded me of how big a part music played in our lives. How music was just drilled into our heads, we never could have escaped it, there is no way we ever could have grown up without a complete love and obsession for music. I thank my parents for that, especially my father for his obsession with The Beatles, or Elvis. I love music, I love movies about music. This movie really worked for me. on every single level. I know I will end up seeing it at least one more time during this Oscar season, or I hope to see it at least once more, because movies about music....I can never get enough.

Bad News Bears (2005)

I wanted to like this movie. I really, really did. I loved the original. Its such a huge part of my childhood. I could probably recite it from memory if I tried hard enough. The preview made this one look the same. I love Billy Bob Thornton so I really thought this was going to be a good one. The reviews seemed good, I had heard decent things, so my expectations were pretty high I guess. I hated it. I really hated it. They changed way too much for me. I didn't like any of the changes, didn't like any of the actors in the movie, even though I usually do. I just thought it was bad. I regret bothering with it...

The Perfect Man (2005)

See, I told you it was cheesy movie week for me!!! Well, I realize that was last week, but I finally got around to watching this. I love Chris Noth, so that was how I got sucked in to renting it. I thought it was a sweet movie. Nothing special of course, but I thought it was good. I like Hilary Duff for the most part, she seems to have a good attitude, and that is so rare these days in young actresses. Heather Locklear never seems to age, and she always looks so beautiful. I thought it was predictible for the most part, but enjoyable nonetheless...There was a line in there that I really really liked too, enough to write it down in my quote book. "Love is friendship on fire" I thought it was an excellent quote and though it didn't really fit the movie in my opinion, it was a beautiful sentiment. All in all a decent film that I was happy I spent the afternoon watching.

Rumor Has It (2005)

Though the actual experience of going to see this, was tainted by having to go see it with people I hardly know as my friend was called away just before we went inside. I still enjoyed it. I expected it to suck, which always helps, because then my expectations are low and the movie usually ends up exceeding them. I don't know that it was a spectacular movie, but it was an entertaining one. I have always detested Kevin Costner, but lately he has actually been growing on me. Last year with "The Upside of Anger" and now this, he seems to be actually choosing roles that aren't such a huge stretch for him. I think Jennifer Aniston is a great comedic actress that gets a bad rap because of the media drama surrounding her all the time. I thought everyone was great in this movie. I thought Shirley MacLaine had a much better role in the other movie I saw her in this year "In Her Shoes", but I still enjoyed her. But the main course for me, was Mark Ruffalo, who I would watch if he were standing still and reading from the phone book. I love this man, I wish he were in every single movie I see. I think he is underrated and underappreciated, and I can't wait for someone to actually notice his amazing talents and start tossing him the starring roles!

Melinda and Melinda (2004)

I seriously love Woody Allen. Everybody that knows me, knows it borders on obsession, my love for this man. I try really hard to see his movies at the theater, but sometimes around here its impossible. They just don't last long enough for me anymore. This one I don't even remember if it was even playing at all, so I had a feeling I would have to wait. What a bummer too. This was an awesome movie. One of my favorites of the more recent Woody Allen movies. Sometimes I wonder if I fell in love with Woody Allen because of New York, or if I fell in love with New York because of Woody Allen, but somehow it seems to go hand in hand for me...the two of them. This one had some great shots of the city as usual. Radha Mitchell was fascinating in this movie. She was really impressive playing the same basic character, in two different stories. I loved the premise of this movie, it was so original and fresh. I loved Will Farrell, playing himself but a more muted version...its always nice seeing Chloe Sevigny as well, she doesn't get nearly enough credit for her work. I think she is awesome. This was a good one, I wish though that there would be more bonus features on his DVDs, I would love a directors commentary especially on a film like this one. This movie reminded me a bit of "Deconstructing Harry" in its creativity and originality. I am looking forward to seeing Match Point this week sometime, at least that one is in wide release for a change.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005?)

okay...I got bored. I liked some of this movie. I liked the plot, I found it original. I actually liked the acting, though they both kind of get on my nerves usually, and of course, who can ignore the media drama that went along with this movies release, the divorce, blah, blah, blah. However, there was just too much "chasing" around in this movie for me. It started kind of slow, started to suck me in, and then turned me off with the constant running, chasing, blowing things up stuff. It was just another "Mission Impossible" type thing for me. I didn't hate it, but I certainly wasn't sorry I missed it at the theater, and more than likely, wouldn't see it again.

Yellow Brick Road (2005)

"good things seem to come from the possibilities" I think that quote truly sums up this sweet, touching documentary. Its about a group of mentally and physically disabled (I don't even know if this phrase is politically correct, but seeing as I am a parent of an um...Cognitively delayed child...An annoying phrase to me...I prefer the latter for now, we'll see how I feel the older she gets)that put on a performance of "The Wizard of Oz". I loved it. It was so easy to fall in love with these awesome kids. It was truly inspirational to see how much of their hearts and souls were poured into their work on the play. To see them glow as they took their bows at the end and remember how much harder they had to work to get to that satisfying end was very touching to me. I may be coming at this movie from a slightly biased angle because of Chloe, but I found it amazing. I know that since she was born and diagnosed with Down Syndrome, it has opened my mind to the endless possibilities that she has in front of her, regardless of how society views her because of her "disability". Watching a movie like this reminds me that she does have a chance out there. I am super glad that I found this movie to remind me. I will be buying this one if I can find it, so that I always have it on hand, for times when society shoves its close mindedness down my throat, I can view it again to make me feel better, that she will have chances like this when she grows up, as long as change regarding people with disabilities continues to happen. I have hope.

Kicking and Screaming (2005)

I am kind of glad now, that I didn't try to squeeze this in to try to see it at the movies. I thought it was entertaining, sort of...I thought Will Farrell was funny as usual, but the character was kind of annoying. I found all the characters kind of annoying. There were very few laugh out loud moments, and I felt it was definetly aimed towards younger kids. Ian seemed kind of bored too while we attempted to watch it together, and eventually he drifted on to his room to do something else. Its pretty much my week of the cheesy movies though, so I guess I can't expect too much out of them. I thought my brain could use a break...