Super 8 - Movie Review

I went and saw Super 8 this weekend.  It was really really good. Another JJ Abrams home run (and no I do not like everything he does so I'm not that biased.

It is a sci fi monster movie.  The plot is really well done making it more of a thriller kind of monster movie.  It has a really old time feel with this.  Not a lot of monster shots and there is a lot of non-monster movie time.  This is perfectly paced though, so you never go "I wish they would just get on with it." The movie is just very well written with great believable dialogue and a strong sci-fi plot with believable science.  It is set in the past and has great sets for this.  The casting is great with just great actors in all the roles.  Everyone fits their part.  The young cast making out the group of friends is perfect.

They writing is particularly good at this as they all feel like real boys you might meet.  The young cast is so excellent and the parts so well written that it is apt to remind you of Bad News Bears or Goonies.  Which is of course good.  I would really recommend it.  You don't have to be super in to sci-fi and don't worry it isn't super scary - thrilling - but not terrifying.

The Good, the Bad, the Weird

The Good, the Bad, the Weird is a Korean remake/homage to The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

Guess who is weird . . .

First, it is important to point out that The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is one of the best Westerns/movies of all time.  That's right one of the best movies of all time.  So, paying tribute to it is kind of risky.  That rubs some people the wrong way sometimes.  Whats good with the original is that its difficult to tell, which character is the Good, which is the Bad, and which is the ugly.  I mean the easier interpretation is there for you, but there is some leeway in the behavior of the characters.  It is a classic in part for its use of silence and singularly off putting but catchy theme music.  It has a lot of visual silence in it to.  It just kind of unfurls. It really is a must see.  



What I just described to you is not the part of the movie The Good the Bad and the Weird pay homage to.  It uses a flashy variety of songs and has more than a few long dialogue scenes. The character are even labeled good, bad, weird.  That being said, they somehow did make it feel like the original.  They got the humor and the sadness in it.  The Korean version is also interesting and fun in its own right.  The characters are interesting.  The fight scenes are great.  It is like gun fight/sword fights.  What's not to like about that?  I was impressed with the look of the movie too.  It is beautiful in a odd steam punk western kind of way.  The Bad in this one is also strangely anachronistic, but it all somehow works.  It is the idea of what the west would have been like in Korea while the Japanese army was in control . . . good re-visioning.  If you like action or westerns or both I would highly recommend it.  To give you a taste.



Actually, watch them both.

The Movie List(s): Part 3

This will be the last of my Big Movie List post.  Part 3 should satisfy all my movie listing needs.  At least probably.  It is possible I'll think of another one.  Or get a request or something.  We will all just have to see. 

Top 20 Classics:

20. The Birds - Scary, but in a good way.

Hitchcock, you know from the profile.

19. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - dark, but Jack is at his best.

So, cute.

18. Goodbye, Mr. Chips - a surprisingly touching story.

I'm not sure what the flowers are for.

17. Life With Father - great story and William Powell is just so fun.

Father is front and center.

16. Yours, Mine, and Ours - A great story about becoming a family.

Every child is fantastic. 

15. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - a great drama and a classic.

Sidney Poitier

14. Cheaper By the Dozen - big families are funny.

Aren't they all cute.

13. Patton - a war classic.

George Scott is great in this.

12. Bridge Over the River Kwai - another war classic with great performances

Academy awards make it good.

11. Adam's Rib - Hepburn and Tracey are always great together.  This one is particularly funny.

Fighting on the cover even.

10. Yankee Doodle Dandy - a fantastic movie with dancing.

Yes, James Cagney can dance.

9. Bringing up Baby - hilarious.

Great chemistry.

8. Lillies of the Field - Helping nuns is good for your soul.

The poster tells it all.

7. On the Town - Gene Kelly. That is all.

Frank Sinatra is so cute in this.

6. Singing in the Rain - Everything about this is right.

Donald O'Connor is the best.

5. Some Like It Hot - Cross dressing is great.

Jack Lemmon is the best.

4. Victor Victoria - I really like cross dressing apparently.

Girls pretending to be boys!

3. Auntie Mame - hilarious and surprisingly touching

Rosalind Russel is fantastic.

2. How to Marry A Millionaire - everything about this works.

Marilyn Monroe is fantastic.

1. To Sir With Love - a great teacher helps the inner city youth story.  Only the teacher is black and the kids are white.

Best teacher ever.

Top 20 Teen Movies:

20. Smoke Signals - kind of cheesy, but great.

I love Sherman Alexie, read his books too.

19. Harry Potter (the Later ones) - I know cliche, but I love Ron . . . And Sirius Black . . .

My favorite!

18. Tammy and the Bachelor - dorky and splendid.

There is a whole series, but I like this one best.

17. Can't Hardly Wait - Angsty and delightful

Look at that 90s goodness

16. Pump Up the Volume - teenage DJs are hot.

The picture shows up that he's like super deep . . .

15. 16 Candles - embarrassing, awkward, hilarious.

Its Molly Ringwald so of course there is some ugly pink clothing.

14. Can't Buy Me Love(original) - sweet with a stupid story.

Nice to see they pull that the they dress kind of funny so are horrible unpopular even though they are gorgeous craziness with boys too.

13. Lost Boys - where teen vampire movies peaked.

Kefier doesn't sparkle . . .

12. Better Off Dead -trying to kill yourself can be funny.

John Cusack . . . I just like you so much.

11. Pretty In Pink - Molly Ringwald is the best teen ever.

The ugly pink dress to end all ugly pink dresses lives in this movie.

10. 10 Things I Hate About You - Taming of the shrew at its best.

At least they don't pretend she isn't pretty.

9. Beach Blanket Bingo - classic teen drama

Yes it is as cheesy as this poster makes it look.

8. A Knights Tale - teen medieval angst.

Heath's face sells this by itself.

7. The Breakfast Club - everyone can get along, ever the jocks and the dweebies.  Jed Nelson, yum.

Cool kids scowl.

6. Heathers - awful, dark, and so funny.

look at those mean girls

5. The Karate Kid - this one teaches you life lessons too.

look at that intensity

4. Say Anything - Lloyd Dobbler.

look how fun this is

3. Empire Records - the best record store ever.  Damn the MAN save the Empire.

don't they look fun

2. Gidget - She just a girl who wants to surf.

Look at me I'm Sandra Dee.

1. Ferris Buller's Day Off - some days are just good.

if that outfit doesn't make the movie look fun I'm not sure what would

Top 20 Family:

20. Doctor Doolittle - I already mentioned how I want to talk to animals.

It looks even creeper in Japanese . . .

19. Little Monsters - odd concept but good.

Howie is so fun.

18. The Jungle Book (live action) - I love it. Though I don't have the I wan'na be like you song in it.

Look real animals.

17. Kindergarten Cop - What does your daddy do?

Look how small the kids look . . .

16. Honey I Shrunk the Kids - added science bonus.

this poster really sums up the movie

15. Sleeping Beauty - a great cartoon.

classic disney

14. ET - a bit scary for the little ones.

Aliens light up!

13. Mulan - a tough disney girl.

less classic Disney

12. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - a ridiculously fabulous concept.  I've worn out copies.

I prefer the suits over the 3d animation

11. Big - for the more grown up family.

Tom Hanks face says it all apparently . . .

10. Hocus Pocus - Halloween fun.

Fun with witches! Lightening is magic right?

9. Shrek - once again not for the tiny ones, but so funny.

Ogres are fun

8. Goonies - Hey You Guys!

Goonies never say die!

7. American Tale - touching and great for the whole family.

Even the mice are starting over

6. The Witches - scary and weird and awesome.

Roald Dahl is the best, read the book.  Read all the books.

5. Iron Will - an inspiring one.

A boy and his dog . . .

4. How To Train Your Dragon - dragons are cute and vikings are fun.

A boy an his dragon

3. Ponyo - great visuals.

You can't tell but the best part of this movie is the sea.

2. The Sandlot - great story about growing up and baseball . . . which I don't really even like

It just feels like a classic

1. Brave Little Toaster

Appliances on the road . . .

 Top 10 Nobody Has Ever Heard of:

10. The Quest - actually a good story.

Van Damme's eyes say watch me.

9. Jumping Jack Flash - 80s classic

See, its fun . . . whoopi is jumping

8. Run Lola Run - innovative and captivating

Currently my hair is this color, really.

7. Snow White (with Sigorny Weaver in it) - creepy and different.

Fairy tales should be scary or at least creepy . . .

6. Equilibrium - an unusual sci-fi

It is not Matrixy like this poster looks.

5. The Big Hit - More hitman who don't like their jobs.

Guns are the real stars . . .

4. Plunckett and Macleane - It takes great liberties with history.

Robert Carlyle is the best!

3. Crossworlds - Rutger Hauer.

Its not all in red, don't worry!

2. The Adventure of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension - the best cult classic ever.

Where ever you go, there you are . . .

1. The Professional - Touching story of a hitman and a little girl.

I'm not sure why we need to see up his very large nose . . .