Hell in the Pacific - Marvin and Mifune are a fun duo. 7/10
Scarface - one of my favorites. Pacino is brilliant. 9.5/10
First Time Viewings:
Three O'Clock High (1987, Phil Joanou)
In this one a nerd get himself in hot water with a bully, who challenges him to a fight after school. I really didn't expect to like this one as much as I did, but it was a lot of fun. It's well acted, has really good cinematography, a good score from Tangerine Dream, and I liked the different directions the story went.
8/10
Who is Harry Kellerman and Why is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me? (1971, Ulu Grosbard)
This one is a pretty strange film, that didn't quite work for me. Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Harris are both really good and it has a lot of good parts, but I found the structure of it a bit confusing at times.
6.5/10
The Fisher King (1991, Terry Gilliam)
A former radio DJ, who is suicidally despondent after a terrible mistake finds redemption is a deranged homeless man. Jeff Bridges is great as the lead and Robin Williams and Mercedes Ruehl add very strong support. The film has an interesting story and it went to some interesting places. It's the main trio that really makes it special though.
7.5/10
Stronger (2017, David Gordon Green)
This one is based on the true story of Jeff Bauman who lost both legs in the Boston Marathon bombing. Jake Gyllenhaal delivers a fantastic performance and Tatiana Maslany and Miranda Richardson are also really good. The film has a nice emotional core to it, but it's the acting that makes it work so well.
7.5/10
White Men Can't Jump (1992, Ron Shelton)
This one is about to basketball hustlers, one black and one white, that team up. Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes are both really good and have strong chemistry together and Rosie Perez chips in nicely as well. The film is funny and entertaining, but also has some strong dramatic moments as well. I really enjoyed this one.
7.5/10
Mother! (2017, Darren Aronofsky)
Aronsofsky's latest effort has been met with very mixed reviews, so I was looking forward to what my take on it would be. I ended up loving it. Jennifer Lawrence is fantastic here and Javier Bardem is pretty damn good too. The film has great sound design, great set design, is well shot, but more than anything I just found it to be a fascinating and thought provoking film that had me gripped right from the start.
8.5/10
Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017, Craig S. Zahler)
Vince Vaughn stars as a former boxer, turned drug runner that lands in prison. Vaughn is really good here and the story went to some interesting places. This is one of those that I felt got better and better as it went along. The violence in the film is brutal, but it fit the story well. I liked this one a lot.
8/10
Blade (1998, Stephen Norrington)
Based on the Marvel character, this one is about a half human, half vampire, who hunts and kills vampires. Wesley Snipes is pretty badass here and the story is pretty cool. The CGI is pretty poor, but there are some nice practical effects and overall it's a pretty fun movie.
7/10
Blade II (2002, Guillermo del Toro)
I actually ended up liking this one slightly more than the first one. It's just a bit more fun in my opinion. Snipes is even more badass here, the action scenes are pretty cool, and there are some fun new characters.
7/10
Blade: Trinity (2004, David S. Goyer)
A big step down from the first two. Snipes is still pretty good and Ryan Reynolds provides some entertainment by doing his usual schtick, but the film isn't nearly as fun as he first two, has a terrible version of Dracula, and is just kind of stupid overall. It has its moments though.
5/10
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992, Chris Columbus)
This sequel to the Christmas classic is basically the same movie, just in a different location. It's entertaining, but it's just too similar to the first one and I didn't care for the stuff with the pigeon lady.
6/10
Detective Story (1951, William Wyler)
This one centers around a hard-nosed cop and takes place over the course of a single day inside the 21st precinct squad room. Kirk Douglas delivers a great performance and he's surrounded by a strong supporting cast, who play some memorable characters. I liked the story and the places it went and the film is nicely paced.
7.5/10
Repeat Viewings:
Saving Private Ryan (1998, Steven Spielberg)
Third viewing and I liked it a bit more than before. Tom Hanks is really good and the rest of the cast is pretty good too. It's well shot, has a good score, an interesting storyline, and some terrific battle sequences. It shines in the quieter moments too though.
8.5/10
Home Alone (1990, Chris Columbus)
I enjoyed this one even more this time around. It's just a fun movie with some good laughs and a good amount of heart too.
7.5/10
Movie Awards:
BEST FILM - Saving Private Ryan
BEST ACTOR - Jake Gyllenhaal (Stronger)
BEST ACTRESS - Jennifer Lawrence (Mother!)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - Javier Bardem (Mother!)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - Mercedes Ruehl (The Fisher King)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Janusz Kaminski (Saving Private Ryan)
BEST SCORE - John Williams (Home Alone)
BEST SCRIPT - Darren Aronofsky (Mother!)
BEST DIRECTOR - Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan)
