A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do

Time for a non-movie, blog or vlog review:

The other night I watched the DVD of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, created by Buffy the Vampire Slayer auteur Joss Whedon and starring Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion.

I had been reading comments here and there on the Web about this online drama/musical and never got around to checking it out. But when I saw that a DVD would be released before Christmas, I had to have it.

Few pieces of entertainment have given me as much joy, excitement and heartache as Buffy, and the Once More, With Feeling musical episode was pure genius.

Dr. Horrible was a treat. It has some great music and lyrics, plenty of laughs, and as he likes to do to his fans, Joss knows how to rip your heart when you least expect it.

The Dr. Horrible site has links to a lot of the reviews.

And the production even got the attention of the American Film Institute and the People's Choice Awards (Winner of Favorite Online Sensation).

Here is Joyce Eng in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer writing for TV Guide:

Ready for another end-of-the-year retrospective catalog?

Courtesy of the list-happy folks at the American Film Institute, AFI has unveiled its Top Eight Moments of Significance in film, television and web to honor performances, trends and pretty much anything that can't be shortlisted on, say, AFI's Top 10 Films list.

Among those earning kudos are everyone from Tina Fey and Dr. Horrible to Slumdog Millionaire and the Olympics.

...

Noting the Internet as a force to be reckoned with (Hulu.com gets a shout-out), Joss Whedon's Web musical, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, starring Neil Patrick Harris, was singled out for its cult status and putting the Internet on the map as a potentially lucrative distribution outlet.

As for film, the Mumbai-set Slumdog Millionaire — which missed the Top 10 Film list because it's not an American production — was cited as 'a monument to the possibilities of cross-cultural storytelling.' ..."

So, check it out, especially if you are a fan of the Whedonverse!

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Year in Review Pt. IV

Here is my Top 10 list of movies I saw (or remember seeing), either in theaters or on DVD, in 2008.

1. Slumdog Millionaire
   This gritty film by Trainspotting director Danny Boyle takes place in the gritty reality of a Mumbai slum and in the flashy studio of a popular television show. The story centers on two brothers who take very divergent paths. It is a love story, but comes from some dark places. I loved everything about this movie. But it is only above The Dark Knight by a hair, and I could easily flip their spots.
   
2. The Dark Knight
   Heath Ledger deserves the Oscar for Best Actor or Supporting Actor and not as a sympathy vote. He was unbelievable in this role -- chilling, funny, quirky, evil.
   
3. Iron Man
   A smart, but accessible "comic book" movie, with a great performance by Robert Downey, Jr. Even my wife loved it, which says a lot.
   
4. WALL-E
   The first have of this animated gem is far superior to the second half, but it is still a very special film. Heck, it even makes a cockroach lovable.
   
5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
   A wonderful fable, with great makeup/special effects and beautiful scenery from New Orleans.
6. Hellboy II: The Golden Army
   The first pic was average, but Hellboy II rises far above because director Guillermo del Toro takes more chances and uses more and better special effects to create an amazing series of trolls, monsters and gods.
   
7. Bolt
   I got a kick out of this movie. It had me laughing more than any other movie I saw this year. The script was great and filled with inside-Hollywood bits.
   
8. Redbelt
   This David Mamet film should be seen for one reason -- Chiwetel Ejiofor.
   
9. Religulous
   Bill Maher takes on organized religions in this very funny, thought provoking film.
   
10. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
    Some New York teens have a wild night on the town.
    

Honorable mention: August Rush, Baby Mama, Charlie Wilson's War, Cloverfield, The Happening, The Invasion, Talk To Me.

And the worst ... Wanted, The Incredible Hulk.

Of course, there were many others that I wanted to see, including Tropic Thunder, Vicky Christina Barcelona, Body of Lies, Gran Torino, Milk, Quantum of Solace, Frost/Nixon, Australia, and more.

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Year In Review Pt. III

My "Best (Favorite) Films of 2008" list will be coming soon. Here is one from Dennis Hartley over at Hullabaloo:

• SaturdayNightAtTheMovies
  

I've only seen two of these pics. But I'm trying to see a couple more before the end of the year.

Paul Newman, RIP

Is there anyone who didn't love Paul Newman? As an actor, he was much more than a pretty face. And as a businessman and social activist his Newman's Own brand of products and the contributions to charities changed lives for the better. He was a true Movie Star and he will be missed. Plus he was married to a beautiful and talented acress, Joanne Woodward. Our thoughts and prayers are with her.
Here are my Top 10 Paul Newman movies:

• Cool Hand Luke (1967)
• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
• The Sting (1973)
• Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
• The Long, Hot Summer (1958)
• The Hustler (1961)
• Hud (1963)
• The Verdict (1982)
• Slap Shot (1977)
• Nobody's Fool (1994)
• The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

What are your's?
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It the integrity of the movie trailer in danger?

For all movie lovers, this is a hilarious take on the film industry and the age-old question, "What if the movie doesn't live up to the trailer?"


From the Onion.com.

God-awful!

Great article from the UK by Movie Critic Joe Queenan who tries to pick the worst movies of all time. So many to choose from. But he defines the standards and narrows the list to the movie that destroyed a studio and many Hollywood careers ... Heaven's Gate.

Why do all the big ugly monsters hate New York City?

I saw Cloverfield on Friday night. I had been following news about this movie since the mysterious ad campaign began last fall. So I had scanned a few reviews and checked out the Tomato Rating to see if it would be worth my time.
I have to say that I left the theater very impressed, with my pulse still racing, and a big headache. The turbulent handheld camera work was jolting at times (thus the spinning of my brain) and frustrating, but it was crucial to the nature and point-of-view of the film and it helped to ratchet up the tension. As the camera bounced and moved back-and-forth you weren't always sure what you were seeing.
Cloverfield is basically the best Godzilla movie I've ever seen, but instead of focusing on the monster or the hero (geeky scientist or steady soldier) it tells the story from the perspective of some of the tiny people running around the city trying to keep from getting stepped on by Godzilla.
As for the Cloverfield monster, it was creepy and terrifying ... and damn near indestructible. Its ability to take a punch (or a tank round for that matter) was a bit problematic, and there were some other plot holes, too. But the fast pacing didn't give me much time to think about them. Overall, the movie was creative and exciting. And short at less than 90 minutes.
I don't do thumbs up or down, stars are overused, and ripe or rotten tomatoes are already taken. Any ideas on what I should use as my unique movie rating icon?
for now I'll give it four out of five ripe thumbs.

See also: The Host, another creative monster flick that came out last year from South Korea.

Best Films of 2007

Movie lists and reviews will be regular topics on this site. I don't see nearly as many movies in the theater as I did before getting married and becoming a stepfather, but we still make time to watch DVDs together at home. I'll get things started with my ...

Top 10 Movies that I saw in 2007.

1. No Country for Old Men -- featuring the most frightening bad guy since Hannibal Lecter.
2. Juno -- filled with funny, snappy dialogue and great characters.
3. Michael Clayton -- George Clooney is getting better all the time.
4. Sicko -- After seeing this, try to keep telling yourself that America has the best healthcare system in the world.
5. Ratatouille -- great animation and a cute, well-made story.
6. Babel -- multiple characters and stories intersect in surprising ways.
7. The Queen -- another spot-on performance by Helen Mirren.
8. Pan's Labyrinth -- creepy-weird story of a young girl moving between two worlds.
9. The Bourne Ultimatum -- Not as good as the first two, but still sets a standard for action movies.
10. Into the Wild -- Sean Penn tells the true story of a troubled young man's journey to Alaska.

Honorable mention: Breach, Waitress, Amazing Grace, The Host, Shortbus, Hot Fuzz, Stardust, Sweeney Todd, and Mr. Brooks.

I recommend Rotten Tomatoes to everyone as the best movie review resource on the Web.

What films are on your list?