watching

Created by Nathan Bransford

Originally published May twelfth, ‘seventeen.

The Original Fall Film Challenge…

One. Any action/adventure flick. X-Men: Days of Future Past. This one was pretty nifty. Not the best of the X-films but certainly not the worst. Loved Quicksilver’s character. Loved Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique. And I really like James McAvoy as Professor X., but it was sometimes hard to follow, and I feel like some of the storyline was constructed just so the crew could show off their impressive skills at creating special effects.

Two. Any shot in Budapest, Hungary. A Good Day to Die Hard. UGH. This film franchise needs to die. I loathed this film in the beginning. Way too much of the same shit–same car chases, same chaos, same demolition… same story, really… just set in a different country. It got a little better as the film progressed, but… UGH.

Three. Any awarded an Oscar for best cinematography. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Richard Burton. Elizabeth Taylor. God, they were beautiful to watch on the screen. Not just because of their physiques… their presence was incredible. But I didn’t love this movie. I know I should. I didn’t like the other couple. You’re not supposed to like either one, really, but… I felt sorry for Burton’s and Taylor’s characters. The other ones irritated me. And it felt long overall. Maybe it was supposed to do so. I can’t quite put my finger on it. I would’ve been okay if I’d never seen this film. I really don’t know how to explain it.

Four. Any drama/biography/documentary. The Judge. I love Robert Downey, Jr. I love him in this film. And Robert Duvall is amazing here. It’s a good story, well-scripted and well-portrayed.

Five. Any awarded an Oscar for best film editing. Argo. I loathe ben Affleck. But here, he did good. And this story… it’s definitely worth watching.

Six. Any starring an actress whose last name begins with the letter G. Meet me in St. Louis (Judy Garland). I’d meant to watch this for the holiday category. I did not like it, but I LOVE the trolley song. and Judy garland’s voice… it’s so lovely.

Seven. Any starring an actor whose last name begins with the letter J. Lincoln (Tommy Lee Jones). I fell asleep so many times during this movie.

Eight. Any starring an actress whose last name begins with the letter K. Unhook the Stars (Moira Kelly). Usually I love Gena Rowlands. Usually I love Moira Kelly. Usually I love Marisa Tomei. This film is one of those rare exceptions. Don’t bother with it.

Nine. Any shot in London, England. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. So much of this film went over my head, just like the first one. But I enjoyed watching it.

Ten. Any awarded an Oscar for best original score. The Way We Were. Wow. Robert Redford was a damned fine looking man back in the day. Good God. But I could never believe that his character would go for Barbra Streisand’s character. No way, no how.

Eleven. Any adapted from any novel. This Is Where I Leave You. I liked this movie a lot, though there’s a scene here and there that I wish hadn’t been included.

Twelve. Any awarded an Oscar for best original screenplay. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. SO boring. SO, SO boring.

Thirteen. Any awarded an Oscar for best picture. Driving Miss Daisy. This movie beat out Dead Poet’s Society for best picture. That is a horrible, HORRIBLE crime.

Fourteen. Any romance or comedy. St. Vincent. LOVED the acting. Bill Murray is fantastic here. And I actually liked Melissa McCarthy, which has never happened. But the story? Meh. Not so much.

Fifteen. Any sports flick. When the Game Stands Tall. This had the potential to be a BADASS film. What an amazing story. And yes, there were definitely scenes that I found gripping. But overall, too much of the story was told with too many of the usual clichés. There are so many better sports films out there.

Sixteen. Any thriller or mystery. Lincoln Lawyer. Of the film’s I’ve seen for this challenge, I liked this one the best. I am NOT a Matthew McConaughey fan, but here, he’s impressive.

Seventeen. Any starring an actor whose last name begins with the letter U. The Newton Boys (Skeet Ulrich). Boring. Don’t bother.

Eighteen. Any shot in a country you’ve never visited. Rush (Austria). Niki Lauda’s story is wondrous, and Daniel Bruhl did a beautiful job portraying that man.

Nineteen. Any western or war film. Fury. UGH. Such a waste of time and money.

Twenty. Any from American Film Institute’s Greatest American Movies of All Time. A Streetcar Named Desire. This one’s like Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? I’m glad I watched it, I guess. Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh… but I would’ve been okay not watching it, too.

Films I’d intended but failed to view: American History X; Animal House; Brave; In Bruges; and Twenty-Eight Days.

Originally published November thirtieth, ‘fourteen.

The original bonus round…

I did not make it through the regular round, so I did not see a single one of these.

Originally published October fifteenth, ‘fourteen.

The Second Annual Fall Film Challenge…

One. Any set in New York City. The Intern. I wish they’d cast someone other than Anne Hathaway. Normally I don’t mind her. But you can’t pair her with someone like Robert de Niro. And the dude who played her husband? He basically ruined this movie for me.

Two. Any that features a child as the main character. Stand by Me. So good. SO, SO good. Best movie on my list. Easily. I don’t know that I’d watch it again, though. I feel like once is enough.

Three. Any Disney film. Brave. I dozed off a lot in this one–not so much that I was oblivious to the plot and all, but… ugh. the only thing I liked were the triplet’s scenes.

Four. Any mentioned in Denim in the Oscars: A Look at Jeans in Cinema. Erin Brockovich. I liked this one a LOT (except for Aaron Eckhart. Pansy). I’d watch it again.

Five. A film about a knight. Gladiator. Man, I miss Richard Harris on the screen. That man had mad skills. Connie Nielsen’s pretty good here, too. The rest of it, though… meh. Not Russell Crowe’s best work. And I definitely did not care for the story.

Six. A love story. The Duff. It’s cute. Completely unbelievable, of course. I liked the main characters quite a bit, though. I love mae Whitman, and the boy’s nice looking… for a boy. I ended up buying this one.

Seven. A movie about something miraculous. Cinderella. So bad. SO SO bad. Richard Madden was too pretty… and not anything like I imagine Prince Charming being. No. Just… no. Cate Blanchett wasn’t quite awful enough. Helena Bonham carter wasn’t quite magical enough (and usually, I LOVE her).

Eight. A film starring an actor/actress with the same first name as yours. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Meh. I have no strong feelings about this one. Didn’t love it, didn’t loathe it. Won’t watch it again.

Nine. Any film with a score of ninety percent or greater on Rotten Tomatoes. How to Train Your Dragon Two. Cute. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Toothless. I liked the first movie better, but this one was alright. I’d watch it again.

Ten. A film about a superhero. Avengers: Age of Ultron. Meh. Not nearly as good as the first. Parts of it were alright. It’s not one I’d make an effort to see again, but if I came across on one of the television’s movie channels, I might watch it again. It’s got some nice eye candy.

Eleven. A film about a personal victory. Big Eyes. I’m glad I watched it. But I’m over Amy Adams, and while Christoph Waltz typically owns despicable and loathsome, he doesn’t quite do so here–though there surely are moments of utter nastiness. It’s not a film I’d want to see again.

Twelve. Any set in a country you would most like to visit. Woman in Gold. I’m glad I watched this one, too. I can’t say the cast does a remarkable job of telling the story–even Helen Mirren–but they do well enough. I liked it. I’d watch it again.

Thirteen. A film set in a zoo. Fierce Creatures. Kevin Kline’s got skills, too, yall. I forget. It’s a pretty funny movie. Complete nonsense, of course, but I knew that going in. My older brother loved movies like this. I’m sorry I couldn’t watch it with him. I don’t know that I’d watch this again.

Films I’d intended but failed to view: American Graffiti; Amour; Black Mass; Dude, Where’s My Car; A Fish Called Wanda; Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay; Oz the Great and Powerful; Raiders of the Lost Ark; State of Play; Up; and Without Limits.

I didn’t make a bonus list for this year’s bonus round because I’d too many films from my original list yet to see.

Originally published December twelfth, ‘fifteen.

The Third Annual Fall Film Challenge…

One. About adolescence. The Outsiders. I know I should’ve loved this one. God knows it has an incredible cast, and the story’s a school-read staple. But… meh.

Two. About a character’s rebirth or rite of passage. A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. It’s a rough one. It’s well done. It’s not one I ever want to watch again.

Three. About a comic book character. Deadpool. Didn’t like it the first time I saw it. Watched it again and LOVED it.

Four. Shot or set in Washington, D.C. Jason Bourne. MEH. I’ve liked every other Bourne film. This one was shit.

Five. Set in an academic environment. Clueless. Meh.

Six. About failure. Take This Waltz. My biggest issue with this film is that its ending is like the villain who can’t die. There was a pretty perfect place to stop it, which would’ve made me like the story a hell of lot more, but no… thirty more minutes of failure. I think Michelle Williams is adorable. I liked that Seth Rogen wasn’t over the top. The other guy’s cute. I wanted to like their characters but couldn’t.

Seven. About a man vs. god or gods. The Trojan Women. Ah, the Greeks. They really knew how to wreck the human spirit. All this tragedy over a woman. All this tragedy, really, because Zeus got bored with mankind and decided they should just obliterate each other. So we’ve Katharine Hepburn, Genevieve Bujold, Vanessa Redgrave and Irene Papas, which I love. We’ve LOTS of ranting and raving, lots of scenes that feel better suited for the stage than cinema, which I don’t love. I think what I love most about this film is that some of that ranting and raving (and trust me, these chicks are completely justified for that), are some beautiful, poignant lines. Yeah, maybe some of it’s over the top. But I felt myself tearing up a number of times.

Eight. About a man vs. himself. The Big Chill. Love the cast. Love the music. Liked the story well enough.

Nine. About an invention or an ingenuous individual. Flash of Genius. This one was SO hard for me to watch. I can’t tell you how strong the impulse was to turn it off after having seen maybe twenty minutes of it because it made me angry for so many reasons. The last twenty minutes or so were okay. Bah. The man’s plight is significant, for sure, and worthy of his efforts. but five minutes of reading about it on Wikipedia is enough of an education.

Ten. Set in a jail or prison. American History X. I’ve known I needed to see this film since its release but haven’t wanted to watch it because of how heavy I knew it would be. And I was right about that. I cried in the end. I hate how horrible we can be to each other, and this is a damned fine depiction of that.

Eleven. About a dog. Red Dog. It’s slow at the beginning, but it gets good about halfway through. I liked it.

Twelve. About loss. Truly Madly deeply. I love just about everything starring Alan Rickman, but this one not so much. It’s a great idea for a story, but the performances didn’t do much for me–even Rickman’s. I didn’t like it until the last fifteen-twenty minutes.

Thirteen. About man vs. man. Unbroken. God, it is LONG, and I’m sure this is intentional. Yes, the man’s an inspiration. Yes, his strength is superhuman. Yes, the story is remarkable and fantastic and good… every positive adjective you can find works here. But the film itself… bleh.

Fourteen. About man vs. nature. Deepwater Horizon. GOOD.

Fifteen. One that has a monster or monstrous individual. The Hobbit: the Desolation of Smaug. So the first of the Hobbit films bored the HELL out of me, and I didn’t give a rats ass about watching the rest of’m because of that, but also because it’s one book that’s been broken into three movies and that trend needs to DIE. NOW. This category, though, I don’t like monster movies. AT ALL. So I figured I’d watch this one, and I am SO GLAD I did because Luke Evans is a handsome lad. And this one’s MUCH better than its predecessor.

Sixteen. Shot or set in Pennsylvania. Flashdance. Let’s ignore the fact that A) I’m jealous as hell that any girl could have a figure like the chicks in this flick AND be so limber; B) let’s also ignore the fact that every time I saw Michael Nouri, I thought ZIVA’S DADDY. It’s ninety-five minutes long, which part of me liked because, hey, films are never so short anymore. But this one glossed over all the things that would’ve made me like it (like my writing critique group likes to say I gloss over all the things that would make them like my story more, so that’s probably why it’s in my head). She’s cute. It’s predictable as shit. I liked it, but I’ve NO desire to see it again (and I’m a girl who can watch a movie DOZENS of times, so that should tell you something).

Seventeen. About a character’s quest of some kind. The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. Better than the first Hobbit. Not as good as the second one.

Eighteen. About a character who goes from rags to riches. Joy. Good.

Nineteen. About a man. vs. society. Allied. BLECH. Don’t bother. Seriously. It’s shite.

Twenty. Originally released in the thirties. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. I liked it.

Twenty-One. About undesirable individuals or elements. Ghostbusters. Entertaining. spectacular, but more because it’s a spectacle than because it’s superb. I actually liked Melissa McCarthy, and that NEVER happens. Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones were good. Kristen Wiig is typical. Also… Chris Hemsworth. He’s pretty. :] So were the special effects.

Twenty-Two. About a voyage and return. The Martian. It’s better than I expected. I can’t say I loved it, though. It’s good. I liked Damon’s character a lot.

Twenty-Three. About wizards or witchcraft. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Good.

Twenty-Four. Originally released in the sixties. Tom Jones. Holy crap. HOLY CRAP. I could NOT WAIT for this one to be over.

Twenty-Five. About a yearning or obsession. Hugo. Pretty like a child’s storybook. The first half or so is SLOW. Wish Jude Law’d had more screen time. If you can hang through the first, the finish is good.

The third bonus round…

One. Big Stone Gap. It’s cheesy as heck — like Where the Heart Is kind of cheesy. I don’t know that I could recommend it, but I didn’t mind watching it.

Two. Concussion. I agree with Andrea, who said, Been meaning to watch this one for awhile now. It moved slowly, but interesting subject matter.

Three. Eighty-Four Charing Cross Road. Meh.

Four. Hacksaw Ridge. GREAT story. GOOD movie.

Five. Loving. SO, SO, SO GOOD. Also, watch this interview. This one, by the way, was my favorite of my selections.

Six. Remember the Titans. It’s okay.

Seven. The Thirty-Three. It’s well-done, save for the fact that after being buried for some sixty days the men are fairly clean-shaven. That’s probably a petty thing. Of the roles I’ve seen of Antonio anderas’, this one’s probably the best so far. I enjoyed the performances of quite a few in the cast.

The Fourth Annual Fall Film Challenge…

One. Jackie. Category: Reviewed last year on slothsandmovies. Natalie Portman is a talented chick. Jackie Kennedy was a remarkable woman, and Portman plays her well. I liked the way the story’s told, but, despite all that, something’s keeping me from saying this film is amazing, and I can’t tell you what that is exactly. Just that’s it’s there. It’s really good, just shy of great. Worth seeing for the history.

Two. Room. Category: About fortitude. This movie had me bawling. That little boy is adorable, and Brie Larson is amazing. They both play their roles so, so well. I hadn’t expected to like this one as much as I did. I was wary of watching it. Borrowed it from the library and kept it for some time after its due date because I wanted to keep it; reviewed several scenes from this film on many occasions. SO GOOD. One of three that I would say is the best from my list.

Three. Gifted. Category: About temperance. LOVE this movie SO much. Chris Evans is phenomenal, best work he’s ever done. Hands down. I love the little girl’s sass and smarts. This is the best movie I’ve seen on my list.

Four. Wind River. Category: About justice. AMAZING. SO, SO incredibly good. Solid storytelling through and through. Chilling film, but so worth watching. One of the three best on my list.

Five. The Founder. Category: About pride. Before I watched this, I thought it was better suited for greed, but it turns out it works better for this category because it’s a fine example of pride going before the fall. I’ve mixed feelings about Michael Keaton’s character in this one. He’s persistent, tenacious, determined, fearless, forward-thinking, clever… such admirable characteristics, and it’s not that he doesn’t use them well. He’s not necessarily a villain. I’d say he’s more an opportunist. He doesn’t give a fuck whom he hurts. He has no conscience. I don’t want to like him. I don’t think he’s an admirable dude, and yet… the men he steamrolls, they could’ve avoided it. Had they been willing to consider his ideas, they could have profited from them, but they were so unwilling to consider any ideals but their own… they should’ve done a better job of protecting their dream, so I didn’t feel as much sympathy for them as I would’ve liked. It’s a horrible train wreck of story; its collision is impressive. Keaton does fine work. But I never want to see it again. Never want to eat at McDonald’s again, either.

Six. Footloose. Category: Starring Kevin Bacon. Okay. I have NEVER liked that song, yall. I thought it was cheesy as shit, and I assumed this movie was just as cheesy. When those opening credits rolled, I was sure my original thought was right. And then it started… I really liked this film, as predictable as it was. The casting’s great, and there are some really, really good scenes in this thing. Some of the dialogue is just perfect, like when the preacher’s wife says: You can lift a congregation up so high they have to look down to see heaven, but it’s the one-one-one where you need the work. I love Dianne Wiest, yall, but never more than in this movie. I’ve never cared much for Kevin Bacon, but after having seen this film, I can understand the world’s fascination with him.

Seven. Chef. Category: About gluttony. I dig this one. Good stuff. I live about Six hours from New Orleans and have never wanted to visit that city. Jon Favreau’s movie has tempted me to give it a look.

Eight. Their Finest. Category: Starring Jeremy Irons. It’s a good story and a pretty film, and I enjoyed it well enough. I had been happy about it, eager to tell folks I really liked it… until this one thing happened in the story (completely unnecessary, badness for the sake of badness, could’ve and should’ve been avoided, really annoyed that it wasn’t) toward the end. I had been thinking it was one I’d watch again, and maybe I will because it’s certainly got merit and shows a bit of history with which I was not familiar, but my enthusiasm for this one’s gone, and I’d really been looking forward to watching it because I love Bill Nighy. Also I’m with Michael, who said, Jeremy Irons has an amazing voice, and I would listen to him read a grocery list for Home Depot. His role is brief (and maybe a little annoying) in this film, but yeah. He does have a damned fine voice.

Nine. Spider-Man: Homecoming. Category: Starring Robert Downey, Jr. God, I love that man. He’s pretty damned awesome. and this was a pretty good flick. I’ve never really cared for Spider-Man, and all the other Spidey flicks I’ve seen haven’t ever inspired me to do so. But this guy, Tom Holland, he does alright. And Michael Keaton’s not so bad at playing the villain. But mostly, Iron Man’s presence make this movie for me.

Ten. The Wolf of Wall Street. Category: About greed. Of the films on my list, this was the one I was least interested in seeing. I loathe the subject matter. I’m not a fan of Leonardo DiCaprio and have never cared for any of his films I’ve seen. I can’t say I care for this one, but he does good work here. It’s a horrible story about utterly despicable people who choose to use their talents for ill. It’s well done, save for the fact that it’s LONG.

Eleven. The Case for Christ. Category: about prudence. Good story. Done well enough. Didn’t inspire me a lick (and I like my God movies to make me love God). Not one I want to watch again.

Twelve. Don Jon.Category: About lust. I actually liked this one and wasn’t expecting to do so. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a manwhore who has to watch porn to really get off. I thought it was going to be awful. I liked seeing his character grow. I loved that he would do Catholic penance (saying his Hail Marys and Our Fathers) while working out. That made me laugh. And I like Brie Larson in this one. She doesn’t say much, but what she says is good. It’s got some sweetness in it that I really hadn’t expected to find.

Thirteen. Bottle Shock. Category: Starring Alan Rickman. Good story. Chris Pine annoyed the crap out of me, and that’s never happened, but despite his character’s antics, the guy had a good heart. That hair though, gah. Anyway. Alan’s his usual bad self. It plods along at times, but it’s good. Yall should watch it, at least for the history.

Fourteen. Mr. Holmes. Category: Starring Ian McKellen. Didn’t love this one. Was bored through most of it. Can’t recommend it.

Fifteen. Megan Leavey. Category: About charity. Good story. The movie’s not bad, but I wanted it to be better.

Sixteen. War Room. Category: About faith. It’s not unrealistic like other religion-based films I’ve seen. I did enjoy it, more than I thought I would. There are some really good moments in this story, and I was surprised to find them. I do think it’s cheesy, but I didn’t mind it so much. It inspired me, which is what movies like this are supposed to do.

Seventeen. Elizabeth. Category: Set in a castle. Everybody wants to rule the world. I didn’t love this one; it’s not one I’d ever want to see again. But I didn’t loathe it either. I did like Geoffrey Rush, which is a rare thing for me. I wasn’t sure I was going to at first, but then… he played a pretty cool dude.

Eighteen. Creed. Category: About hope. It’s like every other Rocky flick, and I knew it would be going into it, but I kind of hoped it would be better than the rest, and it wasn’t.

Nineteen. The Big Sleep. Category: Listed on Nathan Bransford’s best hundred movies challenge. I wanted to love this one because Bogart and Bacall. It’s got some good lines and great camera work, and I did love seeing these two, but it’s hard to follow (or maybe I was too tired when I watched it). LOTS of tampering with evidence. Lots of people dying. Lots of me thinking What the fuck? Meh.

Twenty. Snow White and the Huntsman. Category: About envy. Never seen Charlize Theron overact more than in this film, and Rupert Sanders sure did love to have the camera on Kristen Stewart. There’s some cheesy moments. But the special effects are pretty nifty, and I don’t mind looking at and listening to Chris Hemsworth.

Twenty-One. Dunkirk. Category: Set in an exotic locale. Didn’t care for this. Definitely NOT the best war film ever made. Not even anywhere near the best. And for a story as badassed as this one is, it should’ve been AWESOME. The beginning was strong enough, and the conclusion was alright. The middle sucked ass. I was really disappointed in this one, and the music, if you could call it that, definitely didn’t help sway my opinion in the least.

Twenty-Two. Logan. Category: About wrath. Of the Wolverine flicks, it’s the best, I guess. Of the X-Men films, I liked it about as much as I liked the third one where Jean Grey’s on Magneto’s team. i’m not a fan.

Twenty-Three. Howards End. Category: Starring Anthony Hopkins. LOATHED this one. Too fucking long and boring. Didn’t give a shit about the characters or their plights. STUPID movie.

Twenty-Four. The Space Between Us. Category: Set in space. SO BAD. SO, SO BAD. I knew it was gonna be stupid, but I hadn’t realized the extent. Every time I thought it couldn’t possibly get more ridiculous, they’d pile on another outlandish plot device. I don’t understand why Gary Oldman would agree to be in such a pathetic excuse for a film.

Twenty-Five. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Category: Starring Val Kilmer. The only good thing is this movie was Val. STUPID story, stupid script.

Originally published September twenty-ninth, ‘seventeen.

The fourth bonus round…

I watched The Choice and Captain America: Civil War. They were decent — typical Sparks and Marvel fare.

Originally published October fifteenth, ‘seventeen.

The Fifth Annual Fall Film Challenge…

One. Tag. I LOVED this movie, yall. It was HILARIOUS. What made it awesome for me was knowing this was based on a true story. These guys have been playing tag FOREVER. Once a year, just for the month of May, the game resumes. These guys had FUN making this movie, and it shows. I’ve watched this one twice. Ed Helms starred in We’re the Millers with Jennifer Aniston who starred with Bacon in Picture Perfect.

Two. Still Alice. This was beautiful. BEAUTIFUL. Julianne Moore is amazing. My paternal grandparents suffered Alzheimer’s. I expect my father will do so as well. Her portrayal is pretty spot on, and the supporting cast does a good job, as well. My only complaint is that I expected this one to make me cry, and it did not. Julianne Moore starred with Bacon in Crazy Stupid Love.

Three. Life Itself. This one’s my favorite on my list, so far. It’s PACKED with conflict, yall, and the cast — everyone of’m — does a phenomenal job relaying how that conflict affects them. Oscar Isaac is INCREDIBLE. I’ve watched this one twice. HOLY FUCK THIS WAS GOOD. Definitely NOT a date movie, but DAMN Dan Fogelman knows how to write a script… someone on Twitter said she’d walked out after the first forty minutes because it was excruciating… it’s NOT an easy film to watch, and the beginning isn’t great by any stretch… but the last forty minutes are EXCEPTIONAL. Yall, the more I watch this, the more I LOVE it. Oscar Isaac starred in Inside Llewyn Davis with John Goodman who starred with Bacon in Patriots Day.

Four. The Bookshop. This one packs a punch, too, and I didn’t think that it would. To be honest, I was kind of bored through the first half, and then all the sudden there’s this power — a kind of quiet rage. I really hadn’t expected that, and I love that something so simple could be THAT powerful. Love Bill Nighy here. Might be my favorite of his performances. Love Patricia Clarkson. Might be her best work, but my God her character’s repulsive and vindictive. Clarkson starred in Playing by Heart with Jay Mohr who starred with Bacon in Picture Perfect.

Five. Destination Wedding. Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder had a damned fine time making this one, I think. Their characters aren’t very likable, and yet I loved them. I’ve watched this one three times. This one made me laugh a lot. I had a feeling it would, and I’m glad it did. It’s VERY focused on the two characters and dialogue HEAVY, which I didn’t mind. They are unhappy people with biting wit, and it does get to be a bit much, but right about the time you think oh God… there’s just enough sentiment, just enough goodness in them to get you to the end. After the first viewing, I wasn’t sure that I would want to watch it again, and yet, I missed these characters. Winona Ryder starred in Edward Scissorhands with Johnny Depp who starred with Bacon in Black Mass.

Six. Darkest Hour. This one was good. There’s a couple of instances where the story’s a bit overdramatic; there’s a couple of instances of cinematography for the sake of a pretty picture. But it’s good. Yall should watch it. I got a little teary-eyed in this one, which I hadn’t expected. God love Winston Churchill. We need more men like him in the world. God love Gary Oldman for playing him so well. Oldman starred with Bacon in Murder in the First.

Seven. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I liked this one. Pretty film, pretty story. Mathew Goode starred in Watchmen with Billy Crudup who starred with Bacon in Sleepers.

Eight. Sleeping with Other People. NOT a fan of Jason Sudeikis, but I didn’t mind him in this movie. Liked the story well enough. It had some moments that i felt were pretty strong. Amanda Peet starred in Playing by Heart with Jay Mohr who starred with Bacon in Picture Perfect.

Nine. Love, Simon. This was good. I liked it. Love Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel. I thought the cast did a pretty good job with this one. Good stuff. Jennifer Garner starred in Thirteen Going on Thirty with Judy Greer who starred in Love Happens with Jennifer Aniston who starred with Bacon in Picture Perfect.

Ten. Operation Finale. Hell of a story, this one. Everyone should watch it. AMAZING. WATCH THIS NOW. Oscar Isaac is my hero. Melanie Laurent starred in Inglorious Basterds with Brad Pitt who starred with Bacon in Sleepers.

Eleven. Hired Gun. This one made me not like Billy Joel, but it made me see Alice Cooper in a very positive way, which I appreciated. I enjoyed learning more about how the music industry works. I decided to watch this because my dad was a musician in high school and college — he played with the Winters brothers — and I sometimes wonder what life would’ve been like had he chosen to follow the musical path. This made me feel sorry for musicians, actually. I no longer like Billy Joel or Richard Patrick. Jason Newsted looks like an idiot. I saw Neal Schon, Aaron Lewis and Mike Mushok in the credits… would’ve been interesting to see their clips. Loved seeing Pink. loved listening to Rudy Sarzo, Kenny Aronoff and Alice Cooper talk. Jon Bon Jovi starred in New Year’s Eve with Robert Deniro who starred with Bacon in Sleepers.

Twelve. Stronger. So I watched Patriots Day, which was a really good look at the first responders and law enforcement agencies who worked to save those affected by the Boston bombers. I wanted to watch this one because it kind of focused on one person and how the event affected him and those close to him. It was difficult to watch, but the ending impressed me quite a bit. Jake Gyllenhaal starred in A Dangerous Woman with Debra Winger who starred in Terms of Endearment with Jack Nicholson who starred with Bacon in A Few Good Men.

Thirteen. Before I Fall. I liked this one. Good story. Predictable, but good. Interesting. This one was a hard one for me to watch, and I pegged the ending. But I liked it. Jennifer Beals starred in Four Rooms with Marisa Tomei who starred with Bacon in Crazy Stupid Love.

Fourteen. How to Make an American Quilt. I wanted this one to be better. SO much better. I didn’t much care for this one. For such a STRONG cast and decent amount of conflict, this movie is WEAK. Samantha Mathis starred in Pump Up the Volume with Christian Slater who starred with Bacon in Murder in the First.

Fifteen. Outside Providence. This one was alright. I wish Alec Baldwin had been in it more. Not bad. Not one I’d want to watch again. Richard Jenkins starred in Eat Pray Love with Julia Roberts who starred with Bacon in Flatliners.

Sixteen. The Miracle Season. Meh. I didn’t care much for this one, either. So I’m the girl who looked at the main photo on IMDB’s site for this film and thought West, Texas. Like the volleyball team there came back to win a championship after the town suffered a tragedy. It’s Iowa City West… and they lost a player. It’s a good story, but the execution’s typical, predictable, formulaic schmaltz. I loved the credits. Would’ve liked the film better if it had had as much heart as that player had. Helen Hunt starred in As Good as It Gets with Jack Nicholson who starred with Bacon in A Few Good Men.

Seventeen. Deadpool Two. Didn’t like this one nearly as much as the first. Not sure they should’ve made a second one, actually. All the things that made the first one so good were absent from the sequel. Brad Pitt starred with Bacon in Sleepers.

Eighteen. Unbroken: Path to Redemption. I picked this one because I watched the first part of this story last year and wanted to see the continuation of it. The sequel’s MUCH more well-done than the original. But there’s no reason why these two films couldn’t have been one. Gary Cole starred in Darkness Falls with Shawn Ashmore who starred in X-Men: Days of Future Past with Hugh Jackman who starred with Bacon in X-Men: First Class.

Nineteen. Why Him. Meh. I thought I was going to love this one. The trailer CRACKED ME UP. The movie did not. I did like Megan Mullaly in it, though, and i’ve never cared much for her work before so it was really nice that I could appreciate it here. It’s funny. Just not as funny as I wanted it to be. James Franco starred in Alien Covenant with Billy Crudup who starred with Bacon in Sleepers.

Twenty. Every Day. This one SUCKED. It was such a STUPID, STUPID story. Don’t waste your time. SO, SO, SO, VERY, VERY, VERY B A D. DO NOT watch this shit. Maria Bello starred in Coyote Ugly with John Goodman who starred with Bacon in Patriot’s Day.

Originally published September twenty-seventh, ‘eighteen.

Twenty-One. Haunted Mansion. This was not a film I’d selected. I’d spent an evening with my younger brother, his children, his wife, her sister and niece. We had an outdoor movie night, swimming and soaking in a hot tub. The ghosts make this movie. Eddie Murphy does NOT. It was this or Hocus Pocus, and I’d already seen the latter, so… I voted for this one. I think I would’ve preferred to watch Hocus Pocus again. It wasn’t awful. But it wasn’t awesome, either. The kids enjoyed it. Terence Ttamp starred in Valkyrie with Tom Cruise who starred with Bacon in A Few Good Men.

Twenty-Two. Before the Flood. Watched this one to learn about some work I’m doing. It’s interesting enough. I can’t STAND Leonardo DiCrapio. He was in The Departed with Jack Nicholson who starred in A Few Good Men with Bacon.

Twenty-Three. Easy A. I love Emma Stone, and she’s her typical, cute self here. It’s an interesting story, and I enjoyed it. It can be pretty ridiculous at times, but then almost immediately following the silly, there comes a scene that is really sweet. I like it. I’d watch it again. It’s the only movie of the five mentioned here about which I can say that. Emma Stone starred with Bacon in Crazy Stupid Love.

Twenty-Four. John Wick. I do love Keanu Reeves and Ian McShane. This movie is all special effects and gratuitous violence for the sake of those things. Not a fan. I thought the story was stupid — the film another excuse for special effects and techno music.The only good thing about it was Ian McShane and Willem Dafoe. I’d planned on watching the sequel. That’s not happening now. Keanu Reeves starred in Something’s Gotta Give with Jack Nicholson who starred with Bacon in A Few Good Men.

Twenty-Five. Peter Rabbit. Another flick the kids picked. I was really glad when it was over. Yall, this movie was SO, SO stupid. The only good thing I can say about it is that the end comes quickly. Rose Byrne starred with Bacon in X-Men: First Class.

Originally published October twenty-seventh, ‘eighteen.

The fifth bonus round…

Once again, I lost my film-viewing mojo. I worked on a bonus list but didn’t post it because I didn’t love it. I actually watched four films, not three, but damned if I can remember what the fourth one was (so that’s a rave review, right?), and of course I didn’t log them in the Facebook group (because I didn’t post the list, so I figured why post in the group). So…

One. Sing. Yall, I can’t STAND Matthew McConaughey, but he was PERFECT for this movie. He did GOOD. I liked his character. I liked the story. STRONG cast. The first half is MUCH better than the second. The end was disappointing. Had the first half been as weak as the second, I NEVER would’ve made it through the movie. It was cute. Not one I’d want to see again. Starring Jason Pace… as in Pace Picante Sauce.

Two. The First Time. Found this one on Netflix. I didn’t love the beginning, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn it off — maybe because I liked the characters. The story was kind of weak, though. The ending was okay. not one I’d want to see again, but I wouldn’t turn it off it were on. Starring Halston Sage… as in the spice.

Three. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Yall, I am SO, SO over Johnny Depp, and I can’t tell you how much it pains me to say this because I’ve been in awe of his skills and work for much of my adult life. But now when I see him on screen… ugh. Jude Law, though. I still love him. I LOVE, LOVE him as Dumbledore. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE J.K. Rowling for giving us such glorious magic. This one was GOOD. I liked it better than the first. I’d watch it again and again. Starring Thea Lamb… as in the animal.

Originally published December twenty-eighth, ‘eighteen.

The Sixth Annual Fall Film Challenge…

I did not watch a single film.

Originally published August twenty-third, ‘nineteen.

Six years ago, I began hosting a fall film challenge in which participants dared to watch, ultimately, as many as fifty movies in a three-month period. Some succeeded. Each year’s challenge included a regular round of twenty-five flicks and a bonus round of another twenty-five flicks. Categories were different for each round. The rules…

Begins one minute past twelve a.m. September first / concludes midnight November thirtieth. You may NOT use a film you have already seen, even in part (excluding trailers), for this challenge. All films MUST be new to you. Each film chosen for the challenge may be used ONLY ONCE, i.e. a film used for the best cinematography category may not be used for the best picture one as well. All films selected for the challenge MUST have a page on the Internet Movie Database. Films can be viewed in the theater or at home, but all films must have (had) a theatrical release; made for television movies are not eligible for the challenge.

The first five people to complete the challenge prior to November thirtieth will each receive a Redbox gift card valued at ten dollars. The one person to accumulate the most points will receive an Amazon gift card valued at fifty dollars. Each film is valued at ten points, yielding a total points of two hundred fifty. Details of a bonus round will be revealed October fifteenth. 

To participate, you must be a member of The Fall Film Challenge Facebook group. Once you have joined and chosen your films to fit the below categories, post your list to the group’s page or email it to quirkypickings at icloud dot com so that I may add your selections to a master list. Only those who have submitted lists to me are eligible for the prizes. 

The original categories…

Originally published August eleventh, ‘fourteen.

Bonus round categories…

Originally published October fifteenth, ‘fourteen.

The Second Annual Fall Film Challenge…

Originally published July thirty-first, ‘fifteen.

The second bonus round…

Originally published October fourteenth, ‘fifteen.

The Third Annual Fall Film Challenge…

The third bonus round… pick twenty-five films based on books or actual events.

Originally published October fifteenth, ‘sixteen.

The Fourth Annual Fall Film Challenge…

Originally published July twenty-seventh, ‘seventeen.

The fourth bonus round…

Originally published October fifteenth, ‘seventeen.

The Fifth Annual Fall Film Challenge…

Originally published July thirty-first, ‘eighteen.

The fifth bonus round…

Choose one film for each of the following actors:

If you notice, the last names of these actors sort of have something in common: Bacon, Bean, Berry, Brie, Crowe, Graham, Guiness, Hamm, Lemon — kind of like something edible. You can make substitutions to the list, so long as the actor’s last name is in that vein — Lucy Pickles, for example — but they must be approved by me. If you have seen one film by each actor listed above, you can watch other films by those actors for extra credit. Each movie is valued at ten points.

Originally published October fourteenth, ‘eighteen.

This is a serious journey, not a hobbit walking party.

Peregrin Took, portrayed by Billy Boyd — by J.R.R Tolkien in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

The Sixth Annual Fall Film Challenge…

This year, we celebrate the cast of Tolkien’s tales. Choose one film for each actor.

The sixth bonus round…

Choose twenty-five films that have been based on science-fiction/fantasy novels.

Originally published July thirty-first, ‘nineteen.