Back to the Movies!
Mar. 8th, 2023 04:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gilda_eliseI'm not sure why I only managed one movie in January, and only just. But because of that, I made a concerted effort in February, to the point where I went through some of the DVDs that I'd bought through the years but never watched. There were some good ones, some not so good ones, and even some excellent ones.
MOVIES WATCHED IN JANUARY
Jan 31 - The Pale Blue Eye (2022)
A world-weary detective is hired to investigate the murder of a West Point cadet. Stymied by the cadets' code of silence, he enlists one of their own to help unravel the case - a young man the world would come to know as Edgar Allan Poe.
Director: Scott Cooper
Stars: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Simon McBurney, Toby Jones, Robert Duvall, Gillian Anderson
An excellent movie. I loved how it incorporated Poe’s time at West Point. Bale is at his best.
MOVIES WATCHED IN FEBRUARY
Feb 2 - Bag of Bones (2011)
After his wife's sudden death, a bestselling author returns to his cabin retreat, where he receives paranormal visitations and becomes involved in a custody battle.
Director: Mick Garris
Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Melissa George, Annabeth Gish
I watched this because I had just finished the book. What King book hasn’t been made into a movie? But they could have skipped this one. I realize that much usually has to be cut form a King book in order that the movie not be too long, but they removed too much, to the point that somethings made no sense.
Feb 4 - Superintelligence (2020)
When an all-powerful Superintelligence chooses to study average Carol Peters, the fate of the world hangs in the balance. As the A.I. decides to enslave, save or destroy humanity, it's up to Carol to prove that people are worth saving.
Director: Ben Falcone
Stars: Melissa McCarthy, James Corden, Bobby Cannavale, Jean Smart, Octavia Spencer
A cute movie, though not at all what I expected. Still, well worth watching.
Feb 8 - You People (2023)
Follows a new couple and their families, who find themselves examining modern love and family dynamics amidst clashing cultures, societal expectations and generational differences.
Director: Kenya Barris
Stars: Jonah Hill, Lauren London, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Duchovny, Elliott Gould, Rhea Perlman, Hal Linden, Richard Benjamin
Not as good as I was expecting. There weren’t as many funny parts as I imagined there’d be, considering the cast.
Feb 9 - After Shock: The Everest and Nepal Earthquake (2022)
Survivors' firsthand accounts and actual footage fuel this emotional docuseries about the deadly 2015 earthquake that shook Nepal.
Director: Olly Lambert
Stars: Sara Safari, Shahar Zakai, Arjun Bhandari
I remember hearing about the earthquake, but hadn’t realized how widespread it was. A well made documentary that delves into the people and places effected.
Feb 11 - Premonition (2007)
A depressed woman learns that her husband was killed in a car accident the previous day, then awakens the next morning to find him alive and well at home; then awakens the day after that to find that he's dead.
Director: Mennan Yapo
Stars: Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon, Amber Valletta
The potential was there, but ultimately a disappointment. The ending, especially, fell flat.
Feb 13 - Runaway Jury (2003)
A juror on the inside and a woman on the outside manipulate a court trial involving a major gun manufacturer.
Director: Gary Fleder
Stars: John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Bruce McGill
An excellent movie, with a great cast. I loved how things worked out.
Feb 15 - Superman Returns (2006)
Superman returns to Earth after spending five years in space examining his homeworld Krypton. But he finds things have changed while he was gone, and he must once again prove himself important to the world.
Director: Bryan Singer
Stars: Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Frank Langelia, Eva Marie Saint
Not a bad movie, but Routh is no Reeve. Watching it, it became so obvious what made the Reeve movies so memorable. I ended up rooting for the Marsden character.
Feb 16 - Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
In the Falangist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú
A truly excellent movie. Eerie, yet compelling, del Toro at his best. I highly recommend it. In Spanish but subtitled.
Feb 17 - The Perfect Assistant (2008)
A woman becomes obsessively infatuated with her boss, and when his wife becomes ill, she sees an opportunity to seduce him.
Director: Douglas Jackson
Stars: Josie Davis, Chris Potter, Rachel Hunter
Crazy woman tries to win over the love of her life. The plot was pretty predictable.
Feb 23 - Rush of Fear (2003)
A vacation turns into a nightmare when Alex's husband is kidnapped by ruthless diamond thieves. With no help from the local police, Alex is forced to rescue Jack herself - that is until she teams up with stranger, Sam. Together they discover the kidnapping motive: a rental car mix up that left a stolen 50-carat diamond in her possession.
Director:Walter Klenhard
Stars: Rosanna Arquette, Claudette Mink, Chris Potter, Joseph Kell
One of those “let’s have the characters do really stupid things to move the plot along.” I’d pass on this one.
Feb 24 - The Lost King (2022)
An amateur historian defies the stodgy academic establishment in her efforts to find King Richard III's remains, which were lost for over 500 years.
Director: Stephen Frears
Stars: Sally Hawkins, Shonagh Price, Helen Katamba, Steve Coogan, Harry Lloyd
A remarkable and loving retelling of Philippa Langley’s quest to find Richard III’s remains. Of course I’m bias, but I loved the movie, and was brought to tears at the end.
MOVIES WATCHED IN JANUARY
Jan 31 - The Pale Blue Eye (2022)
A world-weary detective is hired to investigate the murder of a West Point cadet. Stymied by the cadets' code of silence, he enlists one of their own to help unravel the case - a young man the world would come to know as Edgar Allan Poe.
Director: Scott Cooper
Stars: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Simon McBurney, Toby Jones, Robert Duvall, Gillian Anderson
An excellent movie. I loved how it incorporated Poe’s time at West Point. Bale is at his best.
MOVIES WATCHED IN FEBRUARY
Feb 2 - Bag of Bones (2011)
After his wife's sudden death, a bestselling author returns to his cabin retreat, where he receives paranormal visitations and becomes involved in a custody battle.
Director: Mick Garris
Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Melissa George, Annabeth Gish
I watched this because I had just finished the book. What King book hasn’t been made into a movie? But they could have skipped this one. I realize that much usually has to be cut form a King book in order that the movie not be too long, but they removed too much, to the point that somethings made no sense.
Feb 4 - Superintelligence (2020)
When an all-powerful Superintelligence chooses to study average Carol Peters, the fate of the world hangs in the balance. As the A.I. decides to enslave, save or destroy humanity, it's up to Carol to prove that people are worth saving.
Director: Ben Falcone
Stars: Melissa McCarthy, James Corden, Bobby Cannavale, Jean Smart, Octavia Spencer
A cute movie, though not at all what I expected. Still, well worth watching.
Feb 8 - You People (2023)
Follows a new couple and their families, who find themselves examining modern love and family dynamics amidst clashing cultures, societal expectations and generational differences.
Director: Kenya Barris
Stars: Jonah Hill, Lauren London, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Duchovny, Elliott Gould, Rhea Perlman, Hal Linden, Richard Benjamin
Not as good as I was expecting. There weren’t as many funny parts as I imagined there’d be, considering the cast.
Feb 9 - After Shock: The Everest and Nepal Earthquake (2022)
Survivors' firsthand accounts and actual footage fuel this emotional docuseries about the deadly 2015 earthquake that shook Nepal.
Director: Olly Lambert
Stars: Sara Safari, Shahar Zakai, Arjun Bhandari
I remember hearing about the earthquake, but hadn’t realized how widespread it was. A well made documentary that delves into the people and places effected.
Feb 11 - Premonition (2007)
A depressed woman learns that her husband was killed in a car accident the previous day, then awakens the next morning to find him alive and well at home; then awakens the day after that to find that he's dead.
Director: Mennan Yapo
Stars: Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon, Amber Valletta
The potential was there, but ultimately a disappointment. The ending, especially, fell flat.
Feb 13 - Runaway Jury (2003)
A juror on the inside and a woman on the outside manipulate a court trial involving a major gun manufacturer.
Director: Gary Fleder
Stars: John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Bruce McGill
An excellent movie, with a great cast. I loved how things worked out.
Feb 15 - Superman Returns (2006)
Superman returns to Earth after spending five years in space examining his homeworld Krypton. But he finds things have changed while he was gone, and he must once again prove himself important to the world.
Director: Bryan Singer
Stars: Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Frank Langelia, Eva Marie Saint
Not a bad movie, but Routh is no Reeve. Watching it, it became so obvious what made the Reeve movies so memorable. I ended up rooting for the Marsden character.
Feb 16 - Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
In the Falangist Spain of 1944, the bookish young stepdaughter of a sadistic army officer escapes into an eerie but captivating fantasy world.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú
A truly excellent movie. Eerie, yet compelling, del Toro at his best. I highly recommend it. In Spanish but subtitled.
Feb 17 - The Perfect Assistant (2008)
A woman becomes obsessively infatuated with her boss, and when his wife becomes ill, she sees an opportunity to seduce him.
Director: Douglas Jackson
Stars: Josie Davis, Chris Potter, Rachel Hunter
Crazy woman tries to win over the love of her life. The plot was pretty predictable.
Feb 23 - Rush of Fear (2003)
A vacation turns into a nightmare when Alex's husband is kidnapped by ruthless diamond thieves. With no help from the local police, Alex is forced to rescue Jack herself - that is until she teams up with stranger, Sam. Together they discover the kidnapping motive: a rental car mix up that left a stolen 50-carat diamond in her possession.
Director:Walter Klenhard
Stars: Rosanna Arquette, Claudette Mink, Chris Potter, Joseph Kell
One of those “let’s have the characters do really stupid things to move the plot along.” I’d pass on this one.
Feb 24 - The Lost King (2022)
An amateur historian defies the stodgy academic establishment in her efforts to find King Richard III's remains, which were lost for over 500 years.
Director: Stephen Frears
Stars: Sally Hawkins, Shonagh Price, Helen Katamba, Steve Coogan, Harry Lloyd
A remarkable and loving retelling of Philippa Langley’s quest to find Richard III’s remains. Of course I’m bias, but I loved the movie, and was brought to tears at the end.
