2008 Movie Journal

DVD (all are owned unless noted with a * which means rented or borrowed)
Theatre
TV (TMN, Pay-per-View etc.)

January

Okay, here we go. I'm following Matt's system (nee Diva's), with slight alteration (and no half stars -- waaaay too complicated for me).

Zip.ca Rental
DVD
Theatre (location, in Toronto unless otherwise stated)
Other (explanation)

Newly viewed
Previously viewed

***** Fantastic
**** Pretty Darn Good
*** Decent Enough
** Moderately Acceptable
* Not Good At All
0 Paycheck (2003)

January
01 -- Steal This Film! Part 1 (online) -- **
03 -- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Cumberland 4) -- ***
03 -- Charlie Wilson's War (Silvercity Yonge & Eglinton) -- ***
05 -- Messenger of Death (Charles Bronson) -- *
05 -- Three Kings -- *****
08 -- There Will Be Blood (The Varsity) -- ****
09 -- Steal This Film! Part 2 (online) -- **
10 -- Murphy's Law (Charles Bronson) -- **
11 -- Harold and Kumar go to White Castle -- ***
14 -- Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai -- ***
15 -- The Orphanage (The Varsity) -- ***

...

DVD (owned/borrowed)
Theatre
T.V. Channel
Screening
Newly viewed
Previously viewed

***** Loved it
**** Really Liked it
*** Liked it
** It's OK
* Hated it

OK. Since the next one is likely to be the last movie I'll (re)watch in a movie theater in 2008:
1/1 -- Casino Royale (2006) -- *****

ADDED:

2/1 -- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) -- ***

Contrary to what happened with the previous two, I liked this better in the theater (as in ****, talk about opening day hype) but has gone a notch down. The bullshit Calypso subplot; the endless treasons; the neverending first 1 1/2 hour... Now my mind is clear, and at least in Dead Man's Chest we had the Pelegostos Island episode to liven things up.

2/1 -- Batman Begins (2005) -- ****

I'm with Nick here, third act or not, this is easily the best thing we've had about the character... until hopefully The Dark Knight. Had forgotten how great is some of the stuff involving The Scarecrow and Arkham. Caine and Freeman are, simply put, stellar.

Wow, updating this since Jan.5th. Hopefully I can be back on these boards for good SOON!

5/1 -- Double Indemnity (1944) -- *****

After three days at the in-laws enduring a TV Shit-a-thon, I finally could put to practice my New Year's tradition: rewatch a very great classic. And boy, Billy Wilder never misses. The script, the lighting, the ALWAYS great Fred McMurray, all in all the best noir ever put to film. My only "but", I never understood what was so great in Babs Stanwyck performance.

7/1 -- The Great Dictator (1939) -- ****

One of these DVDs I owned but hadn't checked its extras yet. Amazing how this film could've been made before the shit really hit the fan. So hilarious, but so... sad. The missing star is just because I never felt both narratives (Hynkel & The Barber's) converge easily, but it's certainly a true masterpiece. And Jack Oakie as Mussolini is awesome too.

11/1 -- I Am Legend (2007) -- ***

Yep, my first theatrical venture in 2008 so far and yep, I hadn't seen it yet. What a wonderful movie this is, great atmosphere, great Will Smith turn... until the appearance of Alice Braga and son. Then it's anticlimax city and a major downer like no other. What-the-fuck...

13/1 -- The Jacket (2005) -- **

Had never seen this and approached with cautious optimism, then with major interest (despite Keira Knightley's weak part), then with "Holy shit, Dan Craig!" excitement... and then with "WTF? Adrien Brody's mysterious-horrible-foreboding death-no one wants to talk about is he accidentally slips in the ice and cracks his head?!" Overall, maybe an interesting movie to discuss, but not to try to make much sense of it.

14/1 -- Cloverfield (2008) -- ****

My first in-office screening this year, so I don't know if to cathegorize this as I have. All in all, an incredible, fantastic movie, waaaay above expectations and an experience I'm willing to share again with a full paying audience if only to see their reactions at the tunnel scene or the last bit in Central Park. Really, really anticipating how the CHUD boards are gonna handle this, and apart from Nick's on the spot piece of yesterday, I'm really willing to side on Harry Knowles review... if only for once.

Netflix
DVD (owned/borrowed)
Theatre
T.V. Channel
Newly viewed
Previously viewed

***** Would marry it
**** Wants to date it
*** Wants to sleep with it
** Would sleep with it
* Will not hold hands with it


January 1st - -The Bourne Ultimatum (MMVII)-- ***.5
January 1st - -Juno (MMVII)- -**** (Initial viewing...could drop a peg upon a second viewing)
January 2nd- -The Simpsons Movie (MMVII)- -****
January 2nd - -Unplugged In New York(MDCCCCLXXXXIII)-- ***** (Should this count?)
January 3rd - -Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (MMVII)- -****
January 4th - -The Reaping (MMVII)- -**
January 5th - -Matchstick Men(MMIII)-- ***
January 6th - -Citizen Kane(MCMXLI)- -*****
January 8th - -Super Bad (MMVII)- -***.5 (as with most comedies I will probably like it more upon subsequent viewings)
January 9th - -Tree's Lounge(MCMXCVI) [FILMHD]***
January 10th- -Invincible(MMVI) I know fetuses whom have enjoyed abortions more than I enjoyed this piece of shit

So I have a record of my past lists:
My 2004 Movie Journal l My 2005 Movie Journal l My 2006 Movie Journal i My 2007 Movie Journal


Netflix
DVD (owned/borrowed)
Theatre
T.V. Channel
Newly viewed
Previously viewed

***** Loved it
**** Really Liked it
*** Liked it
** It's OK
* Hated it

January
1/1 -- So Goes the Nation (IFC) ****
1/1 -- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (Comedy Central) ***1/2
1/1 -- Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (AMC 42nd St) ****
1/2 -- Once *****
1/4 -- Human Traffic ***
1/5 -- Children of Men (HBO) *****
1/5 -- Eddie Murphy Delirious ***** Best stand-up ever!
1/7 -- Lost: Season 2: Disc 1 (Eps 1 & 2) *****
1/10 -- Lost: Season 2: Disc 1 (Eps 3 & 4) *****
1/11 -- Lost: Season 2: Disc 2 (Eps 5-8) *****
1/11 -- Lost: Season 2: Disc 3 (Eps 9 & 10) *****
1/13 -- Lost: Season 2: Disc 3 (Eps 11 & 12) *****
1/17 -- Lost: Season 2: Disc 4 (Eps 13-16) *****
1/18 -- Cloverfield (Battery Park City) ****

Jan. 1
La Vie En Rose: ***
The Bucket List: **
Die Hard 2: ***.5

Jan. 2
Gone Baby Gone: ***.5
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story: ****

Jan. 3
The Kite Runner: *
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: *****
Starting Out in the Evening: **
The Savages: **

Jan. 4
Dont Look Back: *****

Goal, this year as always, is 365 movies.

Seen Before
Never Before Seen

DVD
TV
Theater

January:

1/1: Once (DVD)
1/1: Seven Chances (DVD)
1/1: Stardust (DVD)
1/2: Jonathan Livingston Seagull (DVD)
1/3: The Barkleys of Broadway (DVD)
1/4: The Apartment (DVD)
1/5: Hail the Conquering Hero (DVD)
1/7: Hot Shots: Part Deux (DVD)
1/8: The Navigator (DVD)
1/8: A Day at the Races (DVD)
1/8: The Toast of New Orleans (DVD)
1/10: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Movie (DVD)
1/11: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (DVD)
1/11: Three Ages (DVD)
1/11: Atonement (Theater - AMC Mayfair 18)
1/15: The Ex (DVD)
1/15: There Will Be Blood (Theater - Landmark Oriental)
1/16: The Baxter (DVD)
1/17: The Ten (DVD)

Applies only to unedited films watched from beginning to end. Credits do not count, though. However, catching "most" of a movie when it's on cable does not count. Date is the date in which the majority of the film was watched, if I start watching a three hour film at 11 pm, then the film will go under the date after midnight.

***** - Amazing. Day of release DVD purchase.
**** - Very good. Definite DVD purchase.
*** - Pretty good. Might buy it on DVD.
** - Doesn't totally suck. Would watch it on cable and/or is forgettable.
* - Fuck this movie.

Previously Seen
Initial Viewing

Date - Film - Writer/Director - Year of Release - Format - (If in Theatre or Network, Name of Theatre/Network) - (Special conditions like commentary if applicable) - Rating

1.1 - Kiss Kiss Bang Bang- Shane Black - 2005 - DVD - *****
1.2 - Juno - Diablo Cody/Jason Reitman - 2007 - Theatre - AMC Galleria - ****
1.2 - We Are Marshall - Jamie Linden/McG - 2006 - DVD - *
1.3 - In A Lonely Place - Edmund H. North, based on Dorothy Hughes's novel/Nicholas Ray - 1950 - DVD - ****
1.4 - Miller's Crossing - Joel and Ethan Coen/Joel Coen - 1990 - DVR - Fox Movie Channel - *****
1.5 - Domino - Richard Kelly/Tony Scott - 2005 - DVD - **
1.6 - Die Hard - Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza/John McTiernan - 1988 - DVD - *****
1.8 - Out of the Past - Daniel Mainwaring, based on his novel/Jacques Tourneur - 1947 - DVD - *****
1.9 - Die Hard 2: Die Harder - Steven E. de Souza and Doug Richardson/Renny Harlin - 1990 - DVD - ****
1.9 - Nightmare Alley - Jules Furthman, based on William Lindsay Gresham's novel/Edmund Gouling - 1947 - DVD - ***
1.10 - Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door - Daniel Farrands & Phillip Nutman, based on Jack Ketchum's novel/Gregory M. Wilson - 2007 - DVD - **
1.11 - Juno - Diablo Cody/Jason Reitman - 2007 - Theatre - Lowes 12 - ****
1.11 - National Treasure: Book of Secrets - The Wibberlys/Jon Turtletaub - 2007 - Theatre - Lowes 12 - *
1.12 - Red Rock West - John & Rick Dahl/John Dahl - 1994 - DVD - ****
1.12 - WarGames - Walter F. Parkes & Lawrence Lasker/John Badham - 1983 - DVR - Turner Movie Classics - ****
1.14 - Out of Sight - Scott Frank, based on Elmore Leonard's novel/Steven Soderbergh - 1998 - DVD - *****
1.15 - The Shadow - David Koepp/Russell Mulcahy - 1994 - DVD - full-screen - ***
1.15 - Searching for Bobby Fischer - Steven Zaillian, based on Fred Waitzkin's book - 1993 - DVD - *****
1.15 - Laura - Jay Dratler and Samuel Hoffenstein and Elizabeth Reinhardt, based on Vera Caspary's novel/Otto Preminger - 1944 - DVD - *****
1.15 - River's Edge - Neil Jimenez/Tim Hunter - 1986 - DVD - **
1.17 - Red River - Borden Chase and Charles Schnee/Howard Hawks - 1948 - DVD - *****
1.18 - CSA: The Confederate States of America - Kevin Wilmott - 2004 - DVR - Independent Film Channel - ***

Running Total: 22 (21)

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang -- Last film I watched in '07. Yes, a talking monkey.

Netflix
DVD (owned/borrowed)
Theatre
T.V. Channel
Newly viewed
Previously viewed

***** Loved it
**** Really Liked it
*** Liked it
** It's OK
* Hated it


1/1 -- Superbad (2007 | Commentary) -- *****
1/2 -- Fargo (1996) -- *****
1/3 -- Knocked Up (2007)-- ****.5
1/3 -- The Last Waltz (1978) -- ****
1/4 -- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) -- ****
1/4 -- The Last Waltz (1978) -- ****.5
1/8 -- Juno (2007) -- ***
1/10 -- The Wizard (1989) -- **
1/11 -- Mad Max (1979) --***
1/11 -- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) -- *****
1/11 -- The Last Waltz (1978) -- ****.5
1/12 -- Show Boat (1951) -- ****
1/12 -- The Princess and the Pirate (1944) -- **.5
1/14 -- The Road Warrior (1981) --***.5
1/15 -- WarGames (1983) -- **.5
1/15 -- The Fountain (2006 | Commentary) -- *****
1/17 -- Run Lola Run (1998) -- ****
1/18 -- Cloverfield (2008) -- ***

DVD (owned/borrowed)
Theatre
T.V. Channel
Newly viewed
Previously viewed

***** Loved it
**** Really Liked it
*** Liked it
** It's OK
* Hated it

1/1 Adventures of Robin Hood -- *****
1/1 Titanic -- ***
1/2. The 25th Hour -- ****
1/3 The Burning - ***
1/4 Enchanted -- ***
1/5 Michael Clayton -- *****
1/5 Shock Treatment -- ***
1/6 Boogie Nights -- ****
1/10 Zodiac - *****
1/12 Superbad - *****
1/14 I Walked With A Zombie - ***

January

1/1: Letter From an Unknown Woman (2004)
1/2: The Last Starfighter (1984)
1/4: Ninotchka (1939)
1/11: The Scarecrow (1920)
1/11: Number, Please? (1920)
1/12: The Kid (1921)
1/19: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Did Nick remove the time limit on post editing so that we can actually keep these up-to-date?

This morning alone, within less than a minute of posting something, I went back to edit and add a reply to another person's post and I did not have the ability to do so. Also, opened several threads in new tabs (which I do quite frequently) and was not even signed in.

WTF?!

I'll borrow the coding as well. I may leave off the ratings though, we'll see. This is great, I really enjoyed this when it worked last time, so hopefully we can keep this going.

Netflix
DVD (owned/borrowed)
Theatre
T.V. Channel
Newly viewed
Previously viewed

***** Loved it
**** Really Liked it
*** Liked it
** It's OK
* Hated it

Last movie seen in 2007 - Stardust ****
01/02 - For Your Consideration ***
01/04 - I Am Legend ***
01/08 - Little Miss Sunshine ***
01/12 - South Park Imaginationland Trilogy (DVR) *****
01/14 - Dragon Wars: D-War **
01/15 - Sunshine ****
01/16 - Shoot 'Em Up ***

Netflix
DVD (owned/borrowed)
Theatre
T.V. Channel
Newly viewed
Previously viewed

***** I Came
**** I Approve
*** I Don't Not Dislike
** I Sad
* I Kill

1/3
Ghost In The Shell: Solid State Society--****

1/4
Bug (2007)--****

1/5
Once--*****

1/6
Boogie Nights--****
Bill Cosby: Himself--****

1/7
Snatch--****

1/8
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street--****

1/10
Juno--*****

1/14
Back To The Future--****

1/16
An Evening With Kevin Smith--****

1/17
There Will Be Blood--*****

1/18
Cloverfield--****

Netflix
DVD (owned/borrowed)
Theatre
T.V. Channel
Newly viewed
Previously viewed

***** Loved it.
**** Really liked it.
*** Liked it.
** It's OK.
* Disliked.

Jan(uary) Brady

01/01 - Juno: *****. Ellen Page is a hero. So good in everything. Ever since Trailer Park Boys. Cera. Bateman. Garner. Love everything about it.
01/01 - Black Book: ** (Though, ***** for Houten)
01/02 - Hitman: **. Where's the color for saw it in the dollar theater? Nick warned against. Saw it with Sweeney. Blame him. Biggest fault was that it was boring. Chose over the other $ offering We Own the Night. Was most likely a mistake.
01/06 - The Savages: ***1/2. Maybe will earn that other half star the more I think about it. Performances are great. Linney is really pretty in this. Hoffman's nursing home rant is amazing. Gbenga Akinnagbe (Chris Parlow from The Wire) is in this. Made me happy. Great final shot.
01/08 - The Thing: *****. Carpenter's greatest flick. Great to see it on the big screen, even though some people in the audience tried to laugh at it like it was camp instead of treating it like royalty.
01/10 - 25th Hour: *****. Just so dang good. Although, this time through, I noticed some edits I didn't like. But still - a 5-star flick for little ol me.
01/12 - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: ****. Great soundtrack that, I guess, isn't having a physical release. What in the? Sadness. Love the Joe Strummer song. Movie. Cool shots throughout. Good perf by future Bond villain.
01/12 - The Orphanage ***. I'm a phan. Seemed a little scattered, but some really effective stuff in it.

I'll leave mine fairly simple, as I ran into trouble last time i did this with running out of space.

01/03 - Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
01/05 - 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
01/12 - The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
01/13 - Smiley Face

Home Video (owned/borrowed)
Theatre
T.V. Channel
Newly viewed
Previously viewed

I'm not going to bother rating them as I find it quite difficult to keep all ratings up to date.

1/1 - Charlie Wilson's War - Carmike 12
1/3 - The Adams Family (1991)
1/5 - No Country for Old Men - Studio on the Square
1/6 - Atonement - Studio on the Square
1/8 - Annie Hall
1/8 - The Mist - Malco Majestic 20
1/9 - Zodiac (Director's Cut)
1/9 - Back to the Future: Part II
1/9 - 3:10 to Yuma
1/10 - Sweeny Todd - The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
1/12 - Annie Get Your Gun (1950)

DVD (owned)
DVD (borrowed/rented)
Theater
TV channel

Newly viewed
Previously viewed

***** Close to perfect
**** Had a great time
*** Not too shabby
** Ehhh, sort of sucked
* Feces at 24 frames a second

1/2 - High Fidelity ****
1/2 - The Fountain ****1/2
1/3 - Memories (1995) ***1/2
1/3 - Akira *****
1/4 - Collateral ****
1/5 - Gladiator ***1/2 (weird to watch this after PotC 1, the scores are sooo much alike in parts)
1/7 - Crank *** (love the insanity, HATE the way it was shot/edited)
1/8 - Rescue Dawn ***1/2
1/8 - Pan's Labyrinth ****1/2
1/9 - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End ***1/2 (liked this a lot more the second time)
1/9 - Live Free or Die Hard (unrated) **1/2
1/10 - Ratatouille ****1/2
1/11 - Barton Fink ****1/2
1/11 - Transformers ***1/2
1/12 - THX-1138 ****1/2
1/14 - Kill Bill Vol. 1 ***1/2
1/14 - Kill Bill Vol. 2 ****
1/14 - Futurama: Bender's Big Score ***1/2
1/15 - Blade Runner (final cut) *****
1/16 - Hackers ** (A one star movie, but Angelina is in her prime)
1/16 - Empire of the Sun ****
1/17 - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ****1/2

As always (almost), I'm in. Listing films I haven't seen in their entirety before.
Cinema
DVD/HD DVD
TV/VCR

01/05 -Blade Runner: The Final Cut
01/06 - Invisible Target
01/10 - Friday Night Lights
01/10 - Bikini Blood Bath
01/14 - American Gangster
01/15 - Juno
01/16 - Dragon Wars (Motherfucker! What a fucking waste of time and money. Worst film I'll see all year)
01/17 - Beowulf
01/18 - Extras: Christmas Special
01/19 - Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner

~.:Movies I Viewed in 2008:.~ (my magnum opus)

1/5- Zeitgeist, The Golden Compass
1/7- Gone Baby Gone, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
1/8- Shoot 'Em Up
1/9- Ratatouille
1/10- No Country for Old Men
1/12- The Untouchables, Paprika
1/13- Accepted
1/14- Juno, Oldboy

I'll add all that fancy colour stuff when it isn't 2am.

Jan 1:
Die Hard
Die Hard 3
Die Hard 4.0

Jan 5:
There Will Be Blood

Jan 12:
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Knocked Up

Jan 16:
Cloverfield

Wow ... that isn't a great start. I did watch the entire first season of Friday Night Lights in there though. And I got Rockband.

This year I'm going to attempt to watch at least one movie a day, whether it be in the theater, or on DVD and Blu-Ray.

I have too many DVDs that I've yet to watch, so this year I plan to rectify that.

This time I'll put everything in one list noting with a T or D or B if it was a theatrical, DVD, or Blu-ray viewing.

Reviewed titles will be noted in rbold.

01/01/08 - D - Hot Fuzz
01/01/08 - B - Resident Evil: Extinction
01/02/08 - B - Shoot 'Em Up
01/03/08 - D - White Tiger
01/04/08 - T - The Orphanage
01/05/08 - D - Crazy Love
01/05/08 - D - Once
01/06/08 - D - Flash Gordon
01/06/08 - D - A Woman Under The Influence
01/06/08 - D - Shadows
01/06/08 - D - Crime Wave
01/06/08 - D - Decoy
01/07/08 - D - Manhattan
01/07/08 - B - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
01/08/08 - D - Forbidden Planet
01/09/08 - D - Pulp
01/10/08 - D - Underworld (1996)
01/10/08 - D - Meet The Robinsons
01/11/08 - D - Shortbus
01/11/08 - T - The Great Debaters
01/12/08 - D - Reign On Me
01/12/08 - D - Little Children
01/12/08 - D - Wounded
01/12/08 - D - Crash (1995/II)
01/12/08 - D - Zodiac: The Director's Cut (Commentary 2)
01/13/08 - D - Zodiac: The Director's Cut (Commentary 1)
01/13/08 - D - Eraserhead
01/13/08 - D - Who's That Knocking At My Door

I'm running this somewhere else, so I'll probably just update it here every couple weeks.

The Raimi/Coen one? Import? Bootleg?
I have it on VHS, but it seems all parties involved have disowned that sucker. Too bad too, since it's not totally shitty, although the lead actor is.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046878/
The Raimi movie is one word, and I'd love to see it and wish someone would release it.

Oh okay, had to ask if maybe a DVD release slipped under my radar.

Color Coding:
Theater
DVD (rented)
DVD/VHS (owned)
DVD (owned/rented by family/friend)
Cable/DVR
Airplane
(entries in Bold Italics indicate a first-time viewing)

JANUARY

1.8, 1:9: Hot Fuzz (w/ Wright/Pegg commentary)
1.9, 1:10: Rescue Dawn
1.13: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street [2007]
1.13: A Mighty Heart
1.15: The Family Stone

Sticky, please.

Sticky, please.

Can we not edit our old posts anymore?

Some threads, like this one, are just fucked. I'm just happy it's still here. I'm going to start a (possibly temporary)new one.

Netflix
DVD (owned/borrowed)
Theatre
T.V. Channel
Blockbuster
Newly viewed
Previously viewed

***** Loved it
**** Really Liked it
*** Liked it
** It's OK
* Hated it

01/01 - Goodfellas - ****
01/01 - Blade Runner: The Final Cut - ****
01/03 - Yojimbo - *****
01/05 - The Adventures of Robin Hood - *****
The Seven Samurai - *****
01/11 - There Will Be Blood - *****
01/12 - 3:10 to Yuma - ****
01/20 - The Fountain - ****
3:10 to Yuma
01/21 - Cloverfield - ***.5

Damn. I was hoping this one wasn't fucked.