Finding Nemo

In 2003, I wrote, "I do love me some Pixar but this film was no Monster’s Inc. or Toy Story 2. Were my expectations too high for this film? Perhaps. Did I enjoy it despite my unreal expectations? Definitely. The animation was really amazing, but the script was a little lacking compared to the other Pixar gems. As Sujan pointed out, "The best Pixar films are the ones with toys or monsters." File this one a notch above Bugs Life."

What in the world was I thinking?  This movie is great! I compared it to A Bugs Life? I don't think I've even seen that movie! Albert Brooks cracked me up. The Dory character was hilarious even if Otis and Sam don't quite get her arc. They do love that they calls him Elmo at one point though.

The sharks who don't want to eat fish, the fish tank escape, the surfer dude sea turtles, the Nemo story being passed from fish to fish to seagull, the dentist, the scary little girl ... everything about this movie is fun.

I'm glad to rectify at age 40 what I put on the record when I was 30. Older and wiser. 

Directed by Andrew Stanton
2003
DVD

Brave

When we visited at Chris and Mary's lake house back in the winter, there was a showing of this film. I took a nap.

For some reason, I wasn't that interested in this movie. But I was wrong. I should not doubt Pixar unless there is a Nascar theme. I'm not sure what I thought was going to be mediocre about this film but it is really good. Perhaps it seemed like a pretty pedestrian story line to me? But there's always room for witches and magic potions and moms turning into bears, right? And one of the things I was struck by while watching this with the boys is that they don't know anything about witches and magic potions as plot devices. It is a brave new world.

I still wouldn't rank this as one of my favorite Pixar films ever but that's mostly about its competition than anything else. I'm glad I was wrong about this movie.

Directed by Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, and Steve Purcell
Blu-ray
2012

Cabin Boy

Sean has been talking up this movie for years. I can't believe that I didn't see this when it was originally out. And I also can't believe I somehow made it five years of knowing Sean before I watched it with him.

So ... after all the hype I really wasn't sure what to expect. And I must admit I was kind of both underwhelmed and overwhelmed by this movie. Underwhelmed because it really isn't that good. Overwhelmed because, holy crap, this movie is weird. Every single moment of it is bizarre.  Chris Elliott as a young lad. David Letterman is predictably terribly amazing. Andy Richter is great and bad at the same time. The sets look like they were made by bored fourth graders.

The whole thing had a bit of a Joe Versus the Volcano vibe to it. And I've got to admit - I have a feeling that if I watched this for a second time (perhaps under the influence) I would change my mind on the feeling of being underwhelmed. Hats off, Gardner!

Directed by Adam Resnick
1994
DVD

Spring Breakers

It's mid May and this remains the only 2013 release I've seen so far this year. And that's fine with me. Because what else can come close to this film? I can honestly say I've never seen anything quite like it. I heard one reviewer refer to it as a Jean Luc Godard film set during Spring Break at Daytona Beach. I think that is a pretty good description.

 I want to know more about the making of this film - did the young starlets know what they were getting themselves into? How did the average high schooler respond to seeing this at the mall on Opening Weekend when they had no idea what the movie was really about? Alex, Jim, and I saw this while I was in Austin. We spent the rest of the day referencing James Franco lines from the film. Even after I flew back to NY, we kept up the "Spring breaaaaaaaak" correspondence.

The whole movie is worth seeing for it's insanity but the James Franco monologue is one of the best of the century. The century I say! Memorize it and impress me the next time you see me. I can't find the clip but the long trailer gives you a clue. Not work safe by the way.

I hadn't seen a Harmony Korine film since watching Gummo on DVD back in my Cumberland St. days of the late 90's. I might need to catch up on what he's been up to. This movie is amazing!!!

Directed by Harmony Korine
2013
Slaughter Lane Alamo

The Avengers

Since I've started the new label "I gave up," I've been racking my brain trying to think of some other movies I've given up on in the past year or so. This one just came back to me.

I gave it maybe 20 minutes and couldn't get past how bored I was and how annoying Captain America was. I know that this makes me an insufferable film snob so pardon me while I go brush up on my Farsi. 

Directed by Josh Whedon
2012
Blu-ray

Prometheus

This almost became filed under the I gave up label.  But I just couldn't give it up. I loved how it looked. I have seen all of the other non Alien vs. Predator movies in the series so I felt like I needed to keep watching.

But this really isn't that good. I can't even remember much about it and I only saw it a couple of weeks ago. I think there was a pale attempt at having an interesting robot, right? And what else?

Oh yeah, there was an explosion and some scary stuff. That one scene with the thing and the lasers and the baby alien - that was a good scene. Yeah.

I'm sure I would have liked this more if I had seen it in IMAX 3D like I had originally intended. Since I didn't, I can't be too excited about it.

Directed by Ridley Scott
2012
HBO

To Rome With Love

This started off really well. But then it got a bit silly and it kind of lost me.

I liked:
- Woody Allen's subdued acting compared to his more manic usual style.
- The beauty of Rome
- The scenario with Penelope Cruz as a prostitute needing to pretend to be a well behaved fiance.
- Alec Baldwin's wisdom
-  Alessandro Tiberi's Woody Allen impersonation - it's funny because he's Italian!
- The absurdity of the opera singer who can only sound good when singing in the shower and what it leads to. 

I was lukewarm on :
- The Roberto Benigni story line.
- The Jesse Eisenberg - Ellen Page - Greta Gerwig storyline especially when Alec Baldwin wasn't part of it.
- The Italian actor and his wooing ways scenes didn't quite work for me.
- It was twenty minutes too long, one of the story lines could have been cut.
-  Allen is so old now that it seems wrong that he's playing Allison Pill's dad - he should be her grandfather. Oh well - at least he's not dating her.

Overall, I'm glad I saw this. It was entertaining enough. And it makes me realize that maybe I should see all of Allen's recent movies rather than just the really good ones that come out every three or four years. Lightweight but enjoyable.

Directed by Woody Allen
2012
Blu-ray

The Five Year Engagement

I liked Forgetting Sarah Marshall for what it was. I liked this enough for what it was trying to be. But not enough to actually watch the whole thing. I think I made it 50 minutes in when I realized I still had 70 minutes left and I decided to bail.

I listened to an interview with director Nicholas Stoller on Elvis Mitchell after giving up and almost decided to rerecord but I decided against it. I have better things to do with my time with my 70 minutes - like write snarky reviews of movies.

Directed by Nicholas Stoller
2012
HBO

The Central Park Five

There was nothing wrong with this that more disposable time on my end wouldn't have cured. I'm interested in the topic. I liked that Ken Burns finally decided to to make a documentary in a non Ken Burns like fashion. The footage of 1980s New York was great.

But after 30 minutes with another 90 minutes in front of me, I realized that I probably was more interested in an eight page New Yorker piece (there's got to be one, right) on the topic than a two hour doc. Sorry Ken. 

Directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon
2012
PBS

Sleepwalk with Me

A good This American Life piece does not a good movie make. Sujan and I gave it 15 minutes.

Directed by Mike Birbiglia and Seth Barrish
2012
Netflix Streaming