Day 360: It's A Wonderful Life

Directed By- Frank Capra

Writer(s)- Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Jo Swerling, Frank Capra; Based on the Book "The Greatest Gift" By Philip Van Doren Stern 

Starring- James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Henry Travers, Thomas Mitchell, Beulah Bondi, Todd Kerns, Ward Bond, Frank Faylen

Run Time- 2 hr. 10 min.

Critics Review- "Combine the characters, the story, the message, and the acting, and it's easy to see why It's a Wonderful Life isn't just a holiday favorite, but a great movie by almost any standards."- James Berardinelli "ReelViews"

Rotten Tomatoes Rating- Critics- 93% [CERTIFIED FRESH] Audience- 94%

Out of a possible 5 stars- 4 1/2 stars

[WARNING: CONTAINS MAJOR TO MINOR SPOILERS]

My Review- 

This is one of those films that you have to watch, because it is so damn good. Even though it is a bit lengthy, it is beautifully made and the meaning behind the film is in it from start to finish and I can see why it has become an instant classic throughout the years. I have seen a few movies from James Stewart, but this one has to go to the top of the list. I never really knew what this movie was about, apart from the clips and homages I have seen or heard from it particular with The Killers Christmas song "Boots" which has a sound clip from a pivotal part of the movie and now I can see why they put it into a song. When it comes to movies about Christmas or near Christmas this one has to top them all since it can be more meaningful since it has to do with family, and what happens to a man if he is about to lose everything because of one man. Stewart's character George Bailey cares more about everyone than himself and its like this throughout the whole entire movie, until the last 30 minutes. The last 30 minutes of the movie is the most powerful for the character of George Bailey, having to see what life would be like without him, made an impact, that for once he was not thinking about anybody but himself, and it changed him.That is what made the movie so great and could not have been done by anyone else but James Stewart, he can play the person who will care about everyone but himself and having to learn all that again and pull it off was really great to see on screen. This movie has held up after all these years and I believe will still hold up for years to come especially for the right message and it is told to George by his guardian angel Clarence, well two quotes actually "Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?' and "Remember no man is a failure who has friends." 

Day 359: Coffee and Cigarettes

Directed By- Jim Jarmusch

Written By- Jim Jarmusch

Starring- Roberto Benigni, Steven Wright, Steve Buscemi, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, Jack White, Meg White, Cate Blanchett, Alfred Molina, Steve Coogan RZA, GZA, Bill Murray, William Rice

Run Time- 1 hr. 36 min.

Critics Review- "A hit-or-miss movie."- Eleanor Ringel Gillespie "Atlanta Journal-Constitution"

Rotten Tomatoes Rating- Critics- 64% Audience- 74%

Out of a possible 5 stars- 2 1/2 stars 

My Review- 

Even though this was a film of short stories and the only thing connecting them was that they were either drinking coffee/tea or smoking or not smoking cigarettes it was very boring, I actually fell asleep twice watching it and had to go back to see what I missed. I think the only two segments I liked in the movie were Somewhere in California which had Iggy Pop and Tom Waits in it talking in a dinner about how they quit drinking and smoke while having an extremely awkward conversation about music and their lives at the time. The other one I found really good was another one called Cousins? that had Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan who could be potentially cousins and how Coogan is more recognizably than Molina which made for awkward moment which lead to another. Out of all eleven segments only 2 stood out which is not a good think, I did find the one with Bill Murray interesting but other than that it was not good as the other two. I think I chose the wrong Jim Jarmusch movie to watch for the first time on my list, I should have chosen another more well known movie from him. I though this movie was really boring and do not recommend watching it, unless movies that have some connection like this one will suit what you like than watch it, other than that just skip it. 

Day 358: We Were Here

Directed By David Weissman, Bill Weber

Starring- Ed Wolf, Paul Boneberg, Daniel Goldstein, Guy Clark, Eileen Glutzer

Run Time- 1 hr 27 min.

Critics Review- "The most gripping war movie you'll ever see this year, We Were Here tells first-hand the story of how AIDS attacked San Francisco, killing more than 15,000. Whole peer groups were happy, healthy, and then dead in months."- Stephen Cole "Globe and Mail"

Rotten Tomatoes Rating- Critics- 100% [CERTIFIED FRESH] Audience- 86%

Out of a possible 5 stars- 5 stars

My Review-

This has to be one of the most moving documentaries I have seen on this list, it also sort of reminded me of the film And the Band Played On. What made this documentary so moving is that they interviewed people who lived through AIDS in San Francisco, who lost friends, many of them and still found the time to help out others and open business to help people who were HIV positive or had AIDS. It was hard to watch at times upon hearing the men and women talk about their experiences and having to remember the people they lost is a hard think to do. I have learned about AIDS and HIV in the past from various movies, and in school, but to hear it first hand from people that were is just heartbreaking. It is amazing how the people in the documentary were able to do so much, even when some them were losing friends or found themselves HIV positive. What I also found interesting is that one of them worked with Harvey Milk, even before he was running for mayor of San Francisco and to see that even before the virus broke out they were trying to make a difference was really interesting. There is not much I want to give away about this, because I would like everyone to watch this, since it is very interesting to watch especially from first hand accounts. I suggest that this should be seen by everyone, and see how good this documentary is, and how it shows up something that we have never seen before from that time when HIV and AIDS took the lives of friends and loved ones of the people above.

Day 357: Flight

Directed By- Robert Zemeicks

Written By- John Gatins

Starring- Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood, Melissa Leo, Kelly, Reilly, Brian Geraghty

Run Time- 2 hr. 18 min.

Critics Review- "A story about the question of redemption--not just whether the protagonist-in-crisis can be redeemed, but whether we want him to be redeemed, at least in the manner that is mot likely to result in true justice."- James Kendrick "Q Network Film Desk"

Rotten Tomatoes Rating- Critics- 77% [CERTIFIED FRESH] Audience- 78%

Out of a possible 5 stars- 3 1/2 stars

[MILD SPOILERS AHEAD]

My Review-

This movie is not what you expect you would be by just looking at the trailer. Just by looking at this trailer you would think it would be about why the plane failed and how it had to be landed, with the other story line about Denzel's character being a drinker. It's that among part of it, but mainly dealing with alcoholism and trying to be redeemable after events such as the one that took place in the film. While the film is some what like what you would see the trailer, it did not give away what it was really about, and that was a good thing. By seeing that the film was really about, we see a different side to Denzel's acting and some thing you may not have seen him do before. The film also has really good actors in it to help move the story in different directions, one actor who was the highlight of the movie was none other than John Goodman, who must have been in the movie all of 10 minutes and he made his scenes the best part of the whole movie. When you get to see what the movie is really about it is up to whoever is watching to see how Denzel's character ends up, regardless if he saved a lot of people(mentioned in the trailer). Even though parts of the movie were unpredictable or predictable it was still pretty enjoyable watch, even though the highlight of the movie was him flying the plane upside down. Do not get me wrong, this was an enjoyable movie, I just thought at times Denzel was really good and than at other times he was not that great. He almost gives an Oscar worthy performance in this film, but in reality he has done a lot better in other films than he did in this one. I would still recommend people to watch this movie, for there is one thing I really loved about the movie and that was the music. The music was used really well in the film most of it coming from The Rolling Stones, but the music was cut so well with the scenes and fit perfectly with what was going on in specific scenes that it had me in awh at times. So yes if you want to see a possibly great movie in the near future from Zemeicks then this is it, and plus it has John Goodman and Denzel (even though its not quite his best work). By the end of the film it is up to the viewer to see, if the main character has learned his lesson or if he was redeemed himself.

Day 356: The Last Starfighter

Directed By- Nick Castle

Written By- Jonathan R. Betuel

Starring- Lance Guest, Robert Preston, Catherine Mary Stewart, Dan O'Herlihy, Norman Snow

Run Time- 1 hr. 40 min.

Critics Review- "This is all pretty lame material. The Last Starfighter is a well-made movie. The special effect are competent. The acting is good...but the final spark was missing, the final burst of inspiration that might have pulled all these concepts and inspirations and retreads together into a good movie."- Roger Ebert "Chicago Sun-Times"

Rotten Tomatoes Rating- Critics- 75% Audience- 65%

Out of a possible 5 stars- 2 1/2 stars

My Review-

I kind of do not know where to start with this movie, it seemed like it would be a good movie, but it was just okay. I found myself bored for a majority of the movie. It seemed like it would be a cool concept if Tron had not been released already, it seemed like they wanted to make this movie since Tron was a big success. they thought this one would be too, but I think that Tron is WAY better than this movie. I do agree with Ebert, the special effects were okay for the time it was released, and that was about it. The ending was really cheesy and seemed like that would not really happen. I was kind of glad when the movie was over since one of the best characters in the movie was the beta robot pretending to be the main character and his interaction with his little brother. Other than that it was hard to pay attention to the movie.

Day 355: Pitch Perfect

Directed By- Jason Moore

Written By- Kay Cannon; Based on the Book By- Mickey Rapkin

Starring- Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Skylar Astin, Anna Camp, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Adam DeVine, Alexis Knapp, Ben Platt, Elizabeh Banks

Run Time- 1 hr. 52 min.

Critics Review- "Hugely enjoyable comedy that hits all the right notes, thanks to a razor-sharp script , impressively staged musical numbers and a pair of brilliant comic performances from Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson."- Matthew Turner "ViewLondon"

Rotten Tomatoes- 80% [CERTIFIED FRESH] Audience- 85%

Out of a possible 5 stars- 4 stars

My Review-

First off I knew by watching the trailer for this movie it would be funny, but I did not know it be as funny as it was. It seems sometimes that most movies like this are made just because of the show Glee, but this was made off a back based off just what happens behind the scenes at competitions for this one, and just off that came a really funny movie. This movie was almost like a band of misfits trying to make it and they had the right people to pull it off led by Anna Kendrick and a very funny Rebel Wilson, Wilson basically made the movie very funny along with everyone else but she stood out the most. However there was one person who I never really heard of that made some of the scenes she was in awkward yet funny, because she was so quiet, and that was Hana Mae Lee, who made her character Lily surprising when we found out what she actually did in the movie on the side. The song choices for the movie were really good instead of using past songs they used songs that were smash hits today, and even though I do not like some of them they are better as cover songs. I love how there were some movie references even though it was a really small amount it made the movie even better. There were also just some small scenes with some actors that made some bit parts very funny and made some scenes hard to forget. Even though the movie started off really slow and was only funny here and there once it hit what the movie was really about it did not slow down. The movie also had some really memorable lines that are hard to forget. The thing that made this movie very good was that it was surprising to see some actors that I knew of and never knowing that they could sing until this movie came out. I can see why this movie was a surprise hit, and it deserves to be, because it sneaks up on you and you don't see it coming and how funny it was going to be until half way through the movie. If you're looking for a movie that is a surprise hit this is a movie for you and well if you like movies that also have singing in them.

Day 354: Cool Hand Luke

Directed By- Stuart Roseberg

Writer(s)- Donn Pearce, Frank Pierson; Based on the Book of the same name By- Donn Pearce

Starring- Paul Newman, George Kennedy, J.D. Cannon, Harry Dean Stanton, Dennis Hopper, Strother Martin

Run Time- 2 hr. 7 min. 

Critics Review- "A caustically witty look at the American South and its still-surviving chain gangs, with Newman in fine sardonic form as the boss-baiter who refuses to submit and becomes a hero to his fellow-prisoners."- Tom Milne "Time Out"

Rotten Tomatoes Review- Critics- 100% [CERTIFIED FRESH] Audience- 93%

Out of a possible 5 stars- 5 stars

My Review- 

I have always liked Paul Newman as an actor, out of the movies I have seen with him and here is no different. Newman was cool as fuck in this movie, well his nickname was Cool Hand Luke, because he was. The time that this movie was set was when chain gangs still existed and how you would have to get accepted by the prisoners get respect, and he did just that by being cool and sort of being himself. I was surprised at how many actors I knew of were in this movie, well it was like 3 actors, but it was still cool; Dennis Hopper, even though his part was small along with Harry Dean Stanton, and George Kennedy who won a well deserved Academy Award for this film as sort of the main one in chain gang who took Luke as his own and followed anything that he did. I like when the author's of books will write or contribute to the screenplay if his/her book is being made into a movie, so nothing important will be taken away from the book and it will be kept in tact. I was kind of surprised that Newman did not win an Oscar for this film since he owned every scene that he was in and it is never surprising on how well he does in a film, especially with one as important as this one. I think this movie was important because it was on of those films where one person did not listen to as what they called was the "establishment" or the one who was in charge and gave hope for everyone else, seeing that they could be an inspiration without knowing it. The main theme for the movie was also really good, it was nice and subtle because it was not overwhelming and it only came in when it was needed and seemed like it perfectly fit the movie. I would have liked if they showed Strother Martin's character "The Captain" a lot more, since he was like the warden of the prison he was not used a lot, when I thought they could have had a lot of him throughout the film dealing with Paul Newman's Luke. Seeing how this movie is in the National Film Registry for preservation this a movie not to be missed and should be seen to see why it was chosen for preservation and why when the film came out it was so important, I really liked it and hope if who ever watches it does as well.