Name change

I did a minor change to the name of my blog.  

I didn't want people to think I was an one dimensional person and all I ever do is watch movies.  I watch TV too!  : >  I like books alot too.  Don't like to read them.  I listen to them on my iPod. I joined a club at www.audible.com where I can download two books a month.  I listen to them when I drive or walking the dog.  Lucy gets her exercise when I get a good book going.  

Please feel free to leave suggestions for books you have read that I might like.  

2010 movies

I saw 60 movies in 2010.  That is above average total for me.  My work was slow so I had more time on my hands to go.

Usually when I do my top ten lists my #1 movie is an easy pick.  In 2008 that movie was Avatar.  I saw many movies I liked but none that knocked my socks off.  My top list could be rearranged in any order and work fine with me.  When I rank my movies I don't necessarily place by which is the BEST movie. Best script or effects.  I rank by how much I'd want to see that movie again.  Some great movies like Inception might rate higher but I can't bring myself to watch it again.  Good movie but very long.

If you have a top ten or even a top five feel free to post it in the comment section.  Agree or disagree with my ratings?  Post it.  I can take it.

Top ten movies of 2010

1-            True Grit

A very good movie not just Western.  Maybe not my normal #1 movie but still very good.  Acting was first rate. Little girl stole the show.

2-            The Social Network

This is a good movie on how Facebook got started.  The script is witty and well written. Entertaining even if you don’t do the Facebook thing.

3-            The Kings Speech

Just a wonderful film. Not usually my type of movie but very glad I saw it.  Didn’t want it to end.

4-            Karate Kid

A good remake of a classic.  Jackie Chan is perfect as the old kung fu master.  Interesting placing it in China.

5-            The Town

Ben Affleck is building a good resume of movies.  Lots of action on the mean streets of Boston.

6-            Knight and Day

This movie deserved much better at the box office.  I think Tom Cruise’s antics are hurting him.  He and Cameron Diaz  are both good and the action is great.  Good rental if you haven’t seen it.

7-            127 Hours

I think many avoided this movie about a young man while hiking along gets his arm caught under a bolder and after nearly five days (127 hrs) has to cut his arm off or die because it would be gory.  It is not.  Everything is tastefully done.  Good movie.

8-            Salt

Another movie that deserved better at box office.  I think most are as sick of Angelina Jolie as I am. Yet this movie is well worth watching. Probably better on a big screen but good rental too.

9-            Inception

This is a good movie that made my head hurt.  I had to quit trying to follow everything and just absorb it.  Visuals are incredible.

10-        How to Train Your Dragon

There were some good animated films in 2010 and this was the best.   Funny and nicely animated. 

Honorable Mention

1-            Shutter Island

Interesting that it was an hour after I left the theater before I realized what really happened. 

2-            Clash of the Titans

Didn’t see the 3D version.  Action was good. Good remake of a movie I liked back in the 80s.

3-            The Fighter

Good story telling of a real boxer in Boston and his rise from poverty.

4-            Megamind/ Despicable Me/Tangled

All three are good animated films you don’t need to be a kid to enjoy.

5-            The Expendables

Okay the guys are 63 years old and the plot is paper thin.  Still lots of butt kicking and fun to watch.

6-            Burlesque

If you like the singing and dancing movies this is a good one.  

Worst Ten movies of 2010

Worst ten

1-            The Other Guys

This movie was just stupid from start to finish.  Like scratching on a chalkboard for me.

2-            The American

George Clooney sitting in a hotel room looking sad and frustrated.  Marketed as an action thriller but it has almost no action nor is it thrilling.

3-            Hot Tub Time Machine

Some people LOVED this movie.  I don’t get it.  Not funny at all. 

4-            Legion

Seems God is tired of our crap and is sending evil angels down to kill everyone. One angel decides to stand up to God and the evil angels by somehow saving a pregnant waitress.  Believe it or not it’s even more stupid than it sounds.

5-            Robin Hood

Was hoping for another Gladiator.  Nope. This one was slow and boring. Action seemed like a very low budget film.

6-            Grown Ups

There was maybe five good jokes in this movie and they played them over and over and over. 

7-            She’s Out of My League

Just wasn’t funny and they decided to drop F-bombs right and left. 

8-            Resident Evil 3D

This movie just made no sense.  Even for a video game.

9-            Going the Distance

Had a good cast with Drew Barrymore and Justin Long.  No chemistry.  Bad movie.

10-        Piranha 3D

I know, I’m as shocked as you are that this wasn’t a great movie!

Should have been better

1-            Faster

2-            A- Team

3-            Red

4-            The Bounty Hunter

5-            Tron

The Kings Speech

Rating 8 out of 10

I know what you are thinking here.  Either I have never heard of this movie or I bet it's boring.  That's probably what I would be thinking.  I don't usually go for the old England movies dealing with Kings and Queens and those that talk funny.  I have in the past thought Colin Firth was an over-actor but have been impressed with Geoffrey Rush.

The movie takes place in the 1930s when the King of England is dying.  The oldest son is unfit to be king as he marries an American woman who is twice divorced.  This leaves his younger brother who has had a dreadful stammer since childhood. This is at a time when radio is becoming popular and being able to atleast give a speech is a must.  He tries everyone until he is referred to Lionel Logue (Rush) who is off beat in his methods and not intimidated in the least by the Dukes title or position.

The movie quickly becomes a buddy film as the two become friends.  Many funny parts as the Duke is not used to being talked to in such a way. Your heart aches for him as he stutters thru his attempts at speeches and the embarrassment he and his family feels.

This builds to the first speech he must give as king is declaring war on Germany and Hitler.  The country is in great need of a leader they can get behind.  At the end of the movie people in my packed theater cheered.  I was right there with them.

This movie isn't playing on 3000 screens like many of the big name movies, but is well worth the search.  I predict either Firth or Rush will win the Oscar.

top ten on the way

I have one more movie I want to see before finalizing my top ten/ worst ten list.  Hopefully it ends up on the Top list.

Silence of the Lambs- Behind the scenes

I love those shows on E and others that show the behind the scenes on big movies and tv shows.  I saw a show on one of my favorite old films Silence of the Lambs.  It's hard to picture anyone else playing Hannibal Lecter other than Anthony Hopkins or someone else playing Clarice Starling than Jodie Foster.

The first person to buy the rights to the Thomas Harris book of the same name was Gene Hackman.  He turned it into a movie with intent of playing Hannibal himself.  Deep into casting Hackman's daughter talked him out of the part saying it would be too dark for him and hurt his career.  Some of the actors that were offered the part and turned it down were Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Patrick Stewart (bald guy from X-Men movies) and even Louis Gossett Jr.  No one wanted to play the evil Lecter.

The director saw Anthony Hopkins in the Elephant Man nine years before and wanted him to play the part.  The problem was he had several big flops in between and had given up on acting in the US (doing plays in London).  The producers wanted Jodie Foster for Clarice but the director didn't think she could handle it.  He instead wanted Michelle Pfeiffer and then Meg Ryan for the part.  Needing to get the production started they compromised with Hopkins and Foster.

Interesting...