I had a really great summer seeing lots of movies that I should have seen years ago. Thanks to everyone for recommending movies, seeing movies with me, and commenting on them here. Feel free to keep commenting (e-mail or IM them to me).
Movies from summer 2005:
West Side Story (9/9/05): Incredible! What an amazing musical. The bright colors turned every shot of the film into a piece of art, the choreography was excellent, and the music was unforgettable. The story always makes me mad, though, when I see this or or Romeo and Juliet (the play upon which this is based). I just find it so hard to believe that Tony and Maria / Romeo and Juliet can instantly fall in love just by seeing each other once. The rest of the story is just so sad--a tragedy. But it's a classic, and it's very well done.
The Matrix (9/9/05): I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. I actually really, really enjoyed it. The action scenes were great, especially with the heavily parodied slow-motion-in-the-air moves--yeah, I wish I could do that. And the touch of romance was just what the film needed (marry me, Keanu!). I'm glad I saw this one.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (9/8/05): Though I'm not all that interested in war, this movie (an anti-war satire) had its funny moments. ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room.")
Citizen Kane (9/7/05): Eh...it was alright. At least now I can say that I've seen it.
Edward Scissorhands (9/6/05): Johnny Depp, again? Alright, fine, he's an amazing actor. He did an exceptional job playing a "stranger in a strange land" type of character, and we can all identify with the alienation he felt. The movie had a sort of Pleasantville feel to it, with a uniform and perfect community interrupted by something different. The shrubbery was quite intriguing, too.
Psycho (9/5/05): The shower scene, the music, the plot twists, the suspense--it's gotta be Hitchcock. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time during this classic thriller, and that music will forever haunt me (especially in the shower...oh, no!). I really enjoyed this one.
The 40-Year-Old Virgin (9/3/05): The actual title of the movie doesn't have the two hyphens that I placed in there (I've seen it in some places with one hyphen after "year," and in some places with zero hyphens), but I won't allow something so poorly punctuated on my website. The movie, however, was quite funny. More than I expected.
Seth says: "Steve Carell is a bona fide star! One of the rare current movies to feature intellectual thoughts about sex. Not that humping pies isn't cinematic art, but the movie succeeds on a much higher level than just its "laugh-to-length" ratio. The movie was genuinely acted and very well written. It wasn't quite up there with Wedding Crashers, but still a very good comedy."When Harry Met Sally (8/30/05): Okay, okay, all you people that told me that I needed to see this movie ASAP--you were right. It was great. I loved it. Added to my list of people I want to marry (see Finding Neverland) is Billy Crystal. This was a great romantic comedy that was actually a comedy (have you ever noticed that many romantic comedies aren't that funny?). I highly recommend it.
Christie says: "This was such a good movie. I really want to be Sally when I'm watching it. Even with the bad stuff that she goes through, it is sooo worth it to end up with Harry in such a cute way."
Finding Neverland (8/29/05): I believe in fairies! And I definitely don't want to grow up. This movie was an interesting perspective on the Peter Pan story, and very enjoyable to watch. I'm sort of beginning to finally have respect for Johnny Depp, too. He has played such a wide range of characters, and I guess he's pretty good at them. And I almost want to marry the little kid who played Peter (Freddie Highmore), who, I just realized, was Charlie from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This movie stressed imagination, which is a great message for kids and adults alike, unless you're imagining that you're doing your homework but it's not actually getting done. Great movie.
Seth says: "Yeah, okay, it was good. Academy Award-nominated good? Pshh. Cute movie, above average acting, but PLEASE! Movies like this shouldn't get Oscar noms. It was worth watching, but highly overrated."
Bowling for Columbine (8/13/05): As my dad says, this movie is just one man's opinion; I just happen to agree with that opinion. The movie was very well-made, and it was very clear what Michael Moore felt. I did feel that some of his surprise interviews were a little unfair, but for the most part, the movie was okay. It was pretty powerful, and really gives you a lot to think about.
Seth says: "Ah, Bowling for Columbine, the Citizen Kane of documentaries (not that Citizen Kane was that enjoyable). Between this fine flick and Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore has proved that even during a time of political oppression, good research and strong opinions can influence the masses. The interviews were very well edited, and the man knew his shit. The Columbine massacre had after-effects that only Moore was able to elicit. Kudos, Michael."
Wedding Crashers (8/9/05): Very funny! I was hesitant to see this movie at first, but after hearing glowing recommendations from both people who only like stupid movies and from actually intelligent people, I decided to see it. I wasn't exactly falling out of my chair with tears in my eyes from laughter, as some friends described it, but it was quite humorous.
Seth says: "Laugh-out-loud hilarious. Not quite up there with Anchorman or American Pie, but still one of the best comedies of 2005. Vince Vaughn steals the show, although Owen Wilson was great as well. My dad claims that this story is based on him, since he used to crash weddings in the late '60s and early '70s in downtown Chicago. 'But Dad, you know, the whole point of the movie is that these guys try to score chicks,' I told him. 'Oh, no, that's not what I was in it for. Free food and open bars every Saturday night,' he says. Good movie.
Bad News Bears (7/31/05): I really like movies like this, the little-kids-playing-sports movies like Rookie of the Year, Angels in the Outfield, The Mighty Ducks, The Sandlot, etc. It sort of reminded me of my career as a softball player (in first, second, third, and fourth grade, I must add). It was really cute.
All the President's Men (7/26/05): If I wasn't already interested in journalism, this movie probably would have converted me. It was so exciting watching Woodward and Bernstein make phone calls and hold interviews and frantically collect information, especially because I did a lot of similar reporting (okay, fine, to a much lesser degree) during my tenure at West Word. This movie really explains what happened at Watergate, and at a newspaper. It's a movie that really makes journalism shine. As Oscar Wilde said (I just found this quote relevant), "In America, the president reigns for four years, and journalism governs forever and ever."
The Big Lebowski (7/25/05): "I don't roll on Shabbos." I love it. Even though I could have done without the excessive amounts of profanity and bowling, this movie was funny and entertaining.
Jon says: "It's one of my all-time favorites."
Nathan says: "This film is fantastic, once again showing the genius of the Coen Brothers. All of the most important elements are wrapped up into one fantastic film: superb music, [Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello contrasted by the Gipsy Kings and Carter Burwell] amazing cinematography, [Example: The ‘mock-pollack’ scene or the dream sequence] and a constantly twisting plot intertwined with various themes, most of which show the cowboy to be right all along – There is nobody quite like the Dude."
Paul says: "No joke, I saw this movie in the theater with my friend Jesus. It was my first theater R rated movie so it will always have a special place in my heart. I'm a big bowling fan, and this easily outranks Kingpin in terms of bowling movies."
The Princess Bride (7/24/05): "You killed my father. Prepare to die." Odd and slightly humorous. Especially good if you like swordfights.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (7/23/05): A very typical '80s teen movie. It was cute and funny, and it's always good to watch a movie that you and your friends can talk through and still understand the movie.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (7/19/05): The first movie I've seen in a theatre in a while. It was a nice modern spin on the classic Gene Wilder film. Johnny Depp sort of creeps me out, though. I just don't see how Willy Wonka and Captain Jack Sparrow could be played by the same person. It was witty and humorous. Though the Oompa Loompa songs were cute, however, I definitely missed the "Oompa Loompa, doopedy doo, I've got another problem for you..."
Seth says: "This flick is not your typical remake; instead, it's a radical new take on Roald Dahl's classic novel. Johnny Depp shines as Willy Wonka, and is able to create a Wonka persona far different from Gene Wilder's portrayal of Wonka in the 70's version. The special effects are great, especially having one man, Deep Roy, playing hundreds of Oompa Loompas. It's a fun movie that isn't short of weirdness and is sure to delight anybody looking for a nice summer popcorn film."
Stevenovick says: "An absolutely incredible movie! Ignoring the plot, the set, scenery, special effects, and music all fit into the 'magical' theme. A fun movie to see!"
***Wicked (7/14/05): NOTE: This is not a movie. This is a musical. I am putting the review here, though, so I don't have to make a "The Musical List" website for just this one musical. This was incredible. I'm so glad I finally got to see it. Ana Gasteyer of Northwestern (and SNL) was incredible in the lead role, and everyone else was very good also. The costumes and lighting were great. I've been singing the songs constantly since I got the soundtrack a few months ago, though I don't exactly have the proper range to, well, sound any good. Though the audience seemed predominantly female, many of my male friends have expressed how much they enjoyed the show. I recommend this play to everyone.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (7/13/05): Borrrrrrrring. Zzzzzzz. Tanya wanted to stop the movie after the first 10 minutes, but I didn't want to stop it, just in case it got interesting. And besides, stopping a movie is like cheating. By the end, though, we cheated, and fast-forwarded through the last 15 minutes. The movie was sdfkl;sjlfkshslfkjsd--[Editor's note: Lia could not complete this review because she fell asleep at the keyboard thinking about how boring this movie was.]
Seth says: "If you want a creative, fresh, and original movie, the Coen Brothers are sure to give it to you. They are at their finest in O Brother. The allusions to The Odyssey are amusing, but what really carries the movie is the ingenious script and solid acting. The music, in itself, is worthy of a thumb up. As for the movie as a whole? Just fantastic."
The Graduate (7/11/05): I liked this one a lot. It was funny, and all of us "graduates" (yes, even high school graduates) can relate to that "I don't know what I am going to do with my life" feeling. I liked the three Simon and Garfunkel songs that were repeated over and over and over again throughout the movie; I would have liked them better if they were played maybe one less time, but oh well. Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson...
Seth says: "Ah, Benjamin, why didn't you just stick with plastics? Even though Mrs. Robinson is only seven years older than him in real life, the story was perfect."
Nathan says: "An interesting side note is that my brother is named after Benjamin Braddock, as my mom loved the film, and loved the name. Also, the reason they play the same songs over and over is that S&G were commissioned to write for the film a full soundtrack, but they got lazy and wrote only Mrs. Robinson. As a result, Mike Nichols, in a stroke of creative genius decided to repeat the song a lot. Perhaps too much."
Lauren says: "The Graduate is definitely an American classic. This movie is incredible because it portrays perfectly the awkardness of young adulthood alongside a [great] soundtrack...I mean Simon and Garfunkel are the [best]. Besides...it poses the question...if an extremely good looking older person seduced you...would you go for it? I think we all know the answer here."
Donnie Darko (7/9/05): This movie had been described to me as "really weird." Indeed, it was.
Reuben says: "Definitely one of the weirdest movies I've seen, but also one of my favorites. It's deep and insightful, and I notice new things each time I watch it. After careful research (asking four people), however, it seems to be mainly a guy movie."
Jon says: "It's really only popular because it's campy, it's '80s, and because it makes people feel smart. There's really not that much under the surface. The cinematography is blasé, the effects are terrible, and the dialogue is vapid."
Nathan says: "Fantastic film, primarily because it offers an interesting plot, while disguising it in a veil of a “science fiction comic book” style film. Perhaps the entire film’s point can be wrapped up in the theme of submission to power. Donnie manipulates elements (as evidenced by the burning of Jim Cunningham’s house, and the flooding of his school,) but must ultimately perish in the destruction caused by a much more fantastic source of power, the ‘storm’ which must either destroy Donnie or the Earth. But more important than the whole theme to me is the small “LifeLine” scene in which Donnie’s teacher draws a line on a board and forces Donnie to place scenarios at one end of a spectrum – Perhaps the proper answer for the scenarios is anger, as he cannot comprehend such an asinine exercise."
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (7/1/05): A great sci-fi movie that was the first, according to my dad, to tell the world that aliens can be friendly. I liked the music. Very intriguing.
The Maltese Falcon (6/24/05): A Humphrey Bogart classic. It was suspenseful and entertaining, and the dialogue was very well written. It was a good movie, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I probably should have.
Seth says: "It put me to sleep."
The Phantom of the Opera (6/23/05): Loved it. The music was incredible--I don't think I'll ever get those songs out of my head (and the sad part is that I don't remember any of the words, so I have to sing "da da da da da da..."). The costumes, the singing, the dancing, the scenery, the score--really really great. I love these musical-movies.
Seth says: "Mediocre. The music was awesome, but the movie was sort of stale."
The Notebook (6/22/05): A really good movie (if you like gushy romantic love stories, that is). If I was the kind of person who cried during movies, I would have cried here. It was very cute. Boys--again, don't bother seeing it, but girls, you'll love it.
Election (6/20/05): Odd movie. Cleverly written. Very witty.
The Terminal (6/16/05): For some reason, I was expecting this movie to be a comedy. It wasn't. I was disappointed. It was still good, it just would have been a lot better if it was funny. It was cute, but there's something about Tom Hanks's accent that bothered me. And the whole premise of the movie--the international problems that caused Hanks to stay in the airport for months--I didn't buy it.
Benji says: "It actually did happen. Google it, there's some dude in France who lives in an airport. My sister made me look it up. It's hilarious."
Ghostbusters (6/14/05): I'm glad I finally saw this. It was funny and entertaining. Of course, I love the theme song ("Who ya gonna call?"). This is one of those movies that makes sci-fi interesting to the non-sci-fi fan. And the marshmallow man at the end? Brilliant.
Seth says: "Was it really that funny? I found it sort of dated."
Michael says: "Best movie EVER."
Groundhog Day (6/10/05): I liked this one. It was funny, and it had a nice message (it sort of reminded me of Dead Poets Society's "Carpe Diem"). Everyone would enjoy this movie.
Tanya says: "It was good, but after a while, you're like, 'End, please!'"
Napoleon Dynamite (6/8/05): Why the flip did I see this movie? Gohhhsshh. I knew it would be stupid, but I needed to see it so that I could properly function in society. It surpassed my expectations of stupidity. As was the case with Zoolander that I saw a few weeks ago, I knew all the funny lines going into the movie. I assumed that the other lines in the movie would be just as funny, but no, those few lines ("a liger," "I like your sleeves," "I'll do what I want, gohhssh," etc.) were the only ones worth mentioning. Well, I'm glad I saw that movie, because now I can scratch it off my life's to-do list.
Tanya says: "I laughed really hard maybe three times, and the rest of the time I was sitting, staring at the screen. I didn't think it was that funny. It was way too hyped up."
Paul says: "By far, people enjoy talking about this movie more than they could possibly enjoy sitting through it a second time. It's rare that a movie becomes quotable when it is just plain ridiculous, and not very funny."
Love Story (6/5/05): Not a very good movie at all. The whole movie was overly dramatic, especially with the silly recurring theme song. "Love means never having to say you're sorry." What in the world does that even mean? And with an opening line like "What can you say about a twenty-five-year-old girl who died?" I was in constant suspense. Hmm, I wonder when she'll die, I first thought, or how. Soon into the movie, however, my thoughts turned to "Dammit [a word used frequently in the film], won't she die already?"
Dead Poets Society (6/2/05): Wow. This movie was incredible. Deep and thought-provoking. I love the message. It's the kind of movie that changes your outlook on life.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (6/2/05): Awww. Made us laugh, made us cry. If you're a girl, you'll love this movie. If not, I wish you the best of luck in viewing this film.
Julia says: "Augh...I can't believe that you found this schmaltz-fest enjoyable. The story was okay (I guess...) but the DIALOGUE was atrocious ("The pants already worked their magic, they brought me to you"). While every tween (and her mom) in the theater was sobbing, I was laughing hysterically. I thought the movie would be cute and was looking forward to seeing some of my favorite TV actors (Alexis Bledel, Bradley Whitford), but even they weren't enough to save this stinker."
My Fair Lady (5/29/05): Very cute. A little long, but still fun. I can't get those songs out of my head. "I could have danced...all night..."
Dodgeball (5/27/05): Funny, but in the stupid kind of way. And sorry, Ben Stiller, though many other people in the world think you're funny, I don't.