marklio - Movies

9-year Anniversary (yesterday)

Mark — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:04:47 GMT

I didn't get up an anniversary post yesterday because I was busy DOING stuff for my anniversary this year. Unbeknownst to Becky, I arranged to take the day off. I sneakily got a late-morning massage appointment for her, and lined up a babysitter (thanks, Molly) so we could go see a movie in the afternoon. Everything went off without a hitch.

We went to see the latest Indiana Jones movie, which we enjoyed very much despite the somewhat less than explanatory ending. We hadn't been to the theater to see a movie since Pirates II. But, we both agreed that we aren't missing much except time alone and seeing the latest movies.

Pirate Anniversary

Mark — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 19:40:42 GMT

Today is our 7th anniversary. This year, our anniversary is during a particularly hectic time as we prepare to move to Washington. Becky's been a real trooper, putting up with all the work I'm having to do to get things ready for the move. Things are coming together though. The haze is clearing and we can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's so much fun to have such an adventure with such a good friend.

Anyway, my parents came up on Saturday and helped us with some projects to get the house ready to sell. That evening, they watched Jenna while Becky and I went to see the latest installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was a little confused about a few plot points, like why was Jack looking for the key before he found out that Davey Jones was after him? Maybe it was part of the whole compass counter-story, and him not realizing why or what he wanted. Personally, I think they rearranged the scenes so they could use the openning scene as the openning rather than where it originally was in the story. I also hadn't realized that it would be such a segue to the next movie. Unlike me, Becky saw the ending coming a mile away, which is opposite of the way it usually is.

I'm also glad we had watched the original on TV the other day rather than our DVD. The TV version had the extra "monkey scene" at the end. Much of the second movie wouldn't have made sense if I hadn't seen that extra scene. I wonder when they added it.

Kung Fu Hustle

Mark — Sat, 14 May 2005 06:15:54 GMT

We saw Kung Fu Hustle this evening with the Barneses. It's been a long time since I really enjoyed a movie that much. I really really liked it. I thought it was a masterful re-invention of a classic genre. It had just enough "plot" to get us to care a little about the characters, then it just let them go at it, while keeping a hilarious and sometimes dark sense of humor. I also appreciated that it was subtitled rather than re-dubbed. I suppose we have Crouching Tiger to thank for that. I also liked that even though they relied heavily on special effects that they also relied on subtleness (like showing the shadows of things happening rather than trying to make the actual things realistic (which they also did)). Anyway, I thought it was great. And Becky, having a black belt in Kung Fu, also found it quite enjoyable. Definitely a purchase when it arrives on DVD.

The Bourne Supremacy

Sat, 24 Jul 2004 02:48:16 GMT

We just got back from seeing The Bourne Supremacy with the Barnes. It was really good, but they went way overboard with the handheld shots. There were lots of the movie where I had to look away to keep from getting a headache. Other than that it was really awesome. I was pleasantly surprised to see the actor who played Eomer in the Lord of the Rings.

My advice is to sit toward the back of the theater unless you like motion sickness. I really think the director, Paul Greengrass, could have conveyed the same effect without so much camera shake. It was really distracting. But, really, it was awesome. I love that kind of movie.

More Interesting Previews

Sun, 18 Jan 2004 17:50:52 GMT

We went to see Big Fish last night, which was very enjoyable. It was a different movie than I was expecting, but just as good.

Once again, though, I was intrigued by a preview. It was for a new Coen brothers film “The Ladykillers”. I immediately recognized it as a remake of the 1955 version starring in one of his earliest roles...none other than...Peter Sellers. In the new version, Tom Hanks plays the role played by Alec Guiness in the original. Herbert Lom (A.K.A Chief Inspector Dreyfus) also stars in the original.

I love the Coen brothers, and to see this classic renewed will be very interesting, especially the choice of modern day actors to be cast. They've changed the screenplay enough that there's not a 1-to-1 correspondence to the original characters, but Marlon Wayans plays one of the gang members, which should lead to some interestingness.

Anyway, Big Fish was excellent. I recommend it. On another note, I saw the League of Extraordinary Gentleman, which was a very imaginative story. Not an excellent movie, but it could have been. I was thoroughly entertained. I thought it was interesting to learn from the special features than Sean Connery had turned down roles in The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings because he didn't understand them. He took the role in TLOEG because he didn't understand it either and didn't want to miss another opportunity.

I was trying to figure out who he would have played in the Matrix and LOTR.