Book + Movie List

Adaptation
Mike Gadd dvd rental 06 October 2003

I couldn't have enjoyed this movie any more. It picks up in the middle of the best scene from "Being John Malkovich" and continues with a nice mix of 'meta-ness' as Kristen puts it. Excellent camera work and too-lifelike car accidents. I tried explaining to a friend how the movie went and got lost in my story. Certainly not for everyone.

Behind Enemy Lines
Mike Gadd DVD rental 20 October 2002

Sure wish I had seen this on the big screen. Great action scenes and slow motion bombs and bullets flying.

Born Romantic
A Bennett DVD Rental 18 October 2002

Not as awful as "Dance with Me," not as good as the gently wonderful meditation that was "Shall We Dance," and, as always, light years away from the genius that is "Strictly Ballroom." One in a continuing series of mis-represented British films, the actual film was unrecognizeable from the box's packaging and description of content. Have yet to decide if that was a good thing.

Collateral
Mike Gadd dvd rental 05 January 2005

Michael Mann with another visual spectacle. A city drama done right. Nobody does it better. Tom Cruise didn't ruin it either, even with the goofy gray hair.

Eternal Sunshine on the Spotless Mind
Mike Gadd dvd rental 09 August 2005

This! This! This is what I want! I'm going to skip a return to Life Aquatic and instead dive into this one again. Jim Carrey in serious actor mode in another Charlie Kaufman film that's hard to describe to your friends. What a treat this was all the way through. Not a bad ending either.

Happy Accidents
A Bennett DVD rental 01 January 2003

I spent so much of this enchanting film in knots over what I dreaded the ending to be. And then it wasn't as I had dreaded, so I was just left with enchantment. And happy thoughts where Vincent D'Onofrio is concerned. Which is not a bad trade-off, let me tell you. To share the plot would be to spoil the viewing, but I will say: not, exactly, your typical romantic comedy--too many lively discussions of quantum physics for that. :) And an Anthony Michael Hall cameo.

Haunted Mansion
Mike Gadd dvd rental 14 January 2005

Eddie Murphy doing the silly dad routine. Special effects weren't too bad. A little creepy at times.

Heist
Julie Gephart DVD Rental 16 November 2002

This would have been an interesting enough short film, but as it was, I found the pacing to be excruciatingly slow. How many times can I watch Gene Hackman put on a different uniform... and belt... and hat... and toolkit... and pick up his coffee... all at exactly the pace that an old man would move in real life.

Hero
Mike Gadd dvd rental 04 January 2005

The Chinese certainly know how to make a beautiful movie. Not always easy to follow, but at least it looks good. I have a hard time appreciating the need for all the peter pan flying around. How is that supposed to fit into the movie? The fighting is amazing enough without having everyone bounce off of treetops and skipping across the lake.

Joy Ride
Julie Gephart DVD Rental 16 November 2002

This film was fine and average for what it aimed to be, which was a brainless scary movie. It certainly wasn't the most scary movie ever, and I did have to put up with looking at the loathsome Leelee Sobieski, but there were some witty lines and a scary trucker, and that's good enough.

Kill Bill: Volume One
Julie Gephart DVD rental 07 July 2004

Once we got to Japan, this had to be the most beautiful violence I’ve ever seen. However, it was not one of my better ideas to watch during dinner.

Life Aquatic with Steve Zassou
Mike Gadd dvd rental 08 August 2005

I don't know what happened. Maybe I was hoping for a sequel to 'Lost in Translation'. Everything I heard going in was just what I was looking for. Even as I read the user comments on imdb I'm wondering if I need to see it again. It just didn't do anything for me. Sure, I remember Jacques Cousteau and the red hat. I heard the David Bowie songs in Portuguese. Cate Blanchett is a fine actress. Bill Murray can deadpan. 1+1+1+1 didn't equal a good movie for me. I did enjoy the cross-section of the ship as they walked through it. There were a couple of lines that made me smile. Maybe I'll enjoy my other rental more.

Lost in Translation
Mike Gadd DVD rental 19 June 2004

I'm still looking for someone I know who saw this movie and liked it as much as I did. 'Where was the plot?' and 'Nothing happened!' was their comments. They missed the point entirely. Bill Murray was wonderful here and the direction and writing were on target. The subtle, wry humor was right down my alley, too. Loved the scene in the hospital waiting room where Bill is trying to pass the time communicating with the tiny old person next to him and the two women sitting behind them are trying deperately not to burst out laughing as they eavedrop on the attempted conversation.

Minority Report
Mike Gadd dvd rental 01 June 2003

A full movie experience. Fun to watch and certainly one to get the brain juices working. There's issues with the whole idea of changing the future after seeing what's coming. Short Tom Cruise sees something bad that's going to happen 36 hours into his future so he runs around trying to stop it from occuring. He's told that he has kicked off a series of events that will lead to this event. Now, if he hadn't seen what the future held then he wouldn't have been running around trying to stop it. Would it have still happened? Who knows. I really enjoyed the eye scanning spiders.

Something's Gotta Give
Mike Gadd Dvd rental 27 July 2004

Not a bad movie overall. Certainly well acted though the wailing got old after a while. It seemed that Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton's faces were distorted using claymation at times. Something not quite right at watching old people make out either.

The Day After Tomorrow
Mike Gadd DVD rental 30 October 2004

Not near as bad as I thought it would be. I was expecting 'Volcano' and got something a little better. It might be a better movie with the sound turned off.

The Italian Job
A Bennett DVD rental for 2004 "Marky-thon" 04 January 2004

Sort of disposeable, date-type film. Probably more car chases than I care to pay attention to (some with boats, but it's all the same). The female role was handled well, and I will remain a sucker for the training/preparation for a big heist sequences. A sin, though, that not only was Marky Mark's upper body imprisoned in clothing throughout, but he and Charlize Theron didn't even get to share any love moments. A chase and chaste film, sans even kissing. Wah.

Tomb Raider 2: The Cradle of Life
A Bennett DVD rental, Bothell, WA 04 July 2004

[Viewer’s Note: I have never seen film 1.] Directed by ‘Speed’s Jan De Bont, and sharing a lot of that film’s structure, the first half or so of this film was pretty much fun. Attractive leads, pretty locations, potential romantic chemistry. Fights. In fact, at the act break I had expected the film to wrap up, rather than (like ‘Speed’ post-saving the bus) take off on an entirely brand new course of action. Had it ended there I could have been quite happy. Couldn’t have explained the plot, sure, but was feeling entertained. Instead, part two’s only positive addition was an appearance by Djimon Hounsou. JulieG’s review kind of shocked me, I thought she was equally enjoying herself. Perhaps it was my desire to have director’s commentary off during the DVD’s deleted scenes that sent her review south. Bonus star just for use of at least three Highlander: The Series alumni.

Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
Julie Gephart DVD Rental 04 July 2004

They had me convinced that this movie was going to be much, much better than the first one. Unfortunately, the action was not as great, but that loss was at least partially balanced by the removal of the weepy father story and the insertion of a love scene. Oh, and the ridiculous Big Fake Breasts that starred in the first movie were also gone, so there’s another improvement. Wait, and the male co-star this time was actually somewhat appealing… hey, maybe this was a better movie. Still, if you can’t spend a couple of hours being fascinated just by looking at Angelina Jolie, it would be hard to enjoy this movie. Those eleven people probably just shouldn’t bother seeing it.