Into the Wild -- watch and let me know what you think
"And so it turned out that only a life similar to the life of those around us, merging with it without a ripple, is genuine life, and that an unshared happiness is not happiness..."
"Happiness only real when shared."
Doll Doll came up Sunday to watch Zeke while Katherine and I had a movie and dinner date...This is one of the best film's I've seen in awhile...If you get a chance this is a must see...great in every way...
Ellen Page stars as Juno (also the film’s title), a whip-smart teen confronting an unplanned pregnancy by her classmate Bleeker (Michael Cera). With the help of her hot best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby), Juno finds her unborn child a “perfect” set of parents: an affluent suburban couple, Mark and Vanessa (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner), longing to adopt. Luckily, Juno has the total support of her parents (JK Simmons and Allison Janney) as she faces some tough decisions, flirts with adulthood and ultimately figures out where she belongs.
We just got back from seeing Into The Wild...Most powerful movie I've ever seen...You must go see this movie...Eddie Vedder does an amazing job with the soundtrack...Much respect for Sean Penn...Every human should see this film...
"The Core of a Man's Soul Is His Experiences"
"And so it turned out that only a life similar to the life of those around us, merging with it without a ripple, is genuine life, and that an unshared happiness is not happiness..."
"Happiness only real when shared."
10. Night of the Living Dead
George A. Romero's 1968 film, Night of the Living Dead, is the ultimate zombie movie. The film tells what happens when the dead come to life, and begin attacking the living and feeding on their flesh. This seminal horror film spawned a number of sequels (some official, others unofficial) and dozens of knock-offs.
9. Frankenstein
Based on the Mary Shelley novel about a mad scientist who reanimates dead tissue, this is a lasting film that helped to define the horror genre early on. Featuring Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster, it is a masterpiece of mood. The characterization of the monster makes him utterly human, making for a rare sympathetic character in horror cinema. Who can forget the famous line "It's alive!" or the monster throwing a young girl into the pond when he runs out of flower petals?
8. Evil Dead 2
Sam Raimi's sequel to the low-budget splatterfest The Evil Dead surpasses its predecessor by leaps and bounds, if only because its humor is intentional rather than inadvertent. But more than merely leavening the gore with a heaping dose of gags, Raimi attacks horror convention with surgical precision, eviscerating a decade of slasher-movie clichés (much less otherworldly terrors) and employs inventive, frenetic camerawork to create an all-new template that few if any could decipher, much less put to proper use. Bruce Campbell, meanwhile, proves to be the most game – not to mention shameless – leading man in the history of the movies, offering one relentless, self-deprecating sight gag after another; but together they craft a new vision of horror that transcends the limitations of box office or budget with creativity and enthusiasm. We guarantee this is the most fun you will ever have being frightened.
7. An American Werewolf in London
An American Werewolf in London, the 1981 film from director John Landis, stars David Naughton, Griffin Dunne and Jenny Agutter as two American tourists in London who are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists. The movie is a favorite among horror fans for its meshing of straight-up scares with intentionally funny and ironic moments.
6. Poltergeist
Family-friendly director Steven Spielberg teamed up with cult horror director Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) for this creepy 1982 haunted house flick. Directed by Hooper, and co-written by Spielberg, Michael Grais & Mark Victor, Poltergeist contains a great mix of creepy moments and special effects to create a very smart and entertaining horror movie. An excellent example of the film's spooky tone is the scene in which 5-year-old Carole Anne (Heather O'Rourke) declares "They're here..." (which was also the focus of the film's one-sheet).
5. Halloween
The film that gave birth to the modern American slasher film. Unfortunately, it also gave birth to some pretty poor imitators and an endless string of '80s horror sequels that could never live up to their originals. But that's besides the point. Director John Carpenter made a star and scream queen out of Jamie Lee Curtis and crafted a frightening scare-fest that helped boyfriends get closer to their girlfriends in theaters and living rooms to this day. It remains the best work Carpenter ever did, and that score is positively unforgettable and creepy. Maybe best of all, the film created an iconic boogeyman out of a repainted Captain Kirk mask. I know I always found Shatner pretty scary.
4. Jaws
The production of Jaws hit several snags, and the animatronic shark that was created for the movie failed, resulting in the haunting snippets of the shark and the implied terror it was causing. This resulted in a tight, suspenseful film that more than stands the test of time. Filled with classic moments (the opening death, the exchange of scar stories) and lines ("We're going to need a bigger boat"), Jaws is both dramatic and chilling, and is responsible for a couple generations' worth of irrational fear of the water. Among Steven Spielberg's early works, this is the crowning achievement, and one of the most terrifying and well-cast pieces of horror cinema around. -CC
3. Rosemary's Baby
Featuring a young and vibrant Mia Farrow (Woody Allen's longtime wife), Rosemary's Baby is the horrifying account of a woman who believes she has been impregnated by Satan himself. Trapped in an apartment building with overzealous neighbors and boxed in by a demanding husband, this is almost more of a psychological thriller than horror film. Directed by Roman Polanski before his exile from America, it stands with Chinatown as one of his great contributions to cinema.
2. The Exorcist
Faithfully based on William Peter Blatty's 1971 best-selling novel of the same name, The Exorcist tells a story of a young girl (Linda Blair) who's possessed by demons. Masterfully directed by William Friedkin (previously known for The French Connection), the film features horrifying and sensational scenes, some nauseating special effects (pea soup, anyone?), and great acting (12-year-old Blair steals the show, while Jason Miller and Max von Sydow also turn in wonderful performances, as the preists attempting to exorcise the demons). The film's creepy title tune, "Tubular Bells," became a #1 single on the Billboard charts, and The Exorcist went on to win two Academy Awards (for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sound) and another eight nominations, including Best Picture.
1. The Shining
An absolute masterpiece of atmosphere and tension, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining isn't merely the top choice on IGN's list of horror movies, but my personal genre favorite: Jack Nicholson comes unhinged – perhaps permanently – as the failed novelist and hotel manager who succumbs to madness after spending a long winter cooped up in the creepy confines of the Overlook Hotel, and offers one of cinema's most indelible portraits of suspense ever created. Unlike so many others on this list, Kubrick's film is surprisingly light on gory action; the first time I watched it I had to stop it halfway through, and nothing of note had yet happened. But once it shifts into high gear, racheting anticipation with multiple storylines including Jack's wife, child, and a helpful hotel employee played by Scatman Crothers, there's no suppressing its irresistible, nail-biting allure: from the dismembered twins to the disguised, canoodling partygoers in Room 237, The Shining offers frights that last long after the film is finished. -TG
My personal favorite...(How did it not make the Top 10 List -- Johnny Depp is born)
Directed by Sean Pean...Believe it or not...I have read this book...Can't wait for the movie...based on the true life story of Chris McCandless...opens Sept. 21 and Oct. 5th Everywhere...
The story is a reconstruction of the last year of Chris McCandless's life, based on conversations with his family and people he met on his way to Alaska. Chris finished college and disappeared (as far as his family could tell), on his personal odyssey. He planned to make his way to Alaska, live there on as close to nothing as possible for as long as possible.
by Jon Krakauer
Going to Columbus tonight to watch the new Halloween remake with Andrew...Big Horror Movie Fans...Can't Wait...
09/13/07 Update:
The movie last night was OK...I thought the beginning was very cool...insight to Michael Myers as a kid...interesting story line...Movie got worse as it went along...about 15 minutes too long...A few brutal scenes...
I give it 2.5 stars out of 5
So, Katherine and I watched Alpha Dog OnDemand Sat. Night and really enjoyed it. Warning though, very intense story...Adult Language and Content...Very Acurately based on true story...Watch It...
The Real Story Behind the Movie
By Roger Friedman
Filmmaker Michael Moore's brilliant and uplifting new documentary, "Sicko," deals with the failings of the U.S. healthcare system, both real and perceived. But this time around, the controversial documentarian seems to be letting the subject matter do the talking, and in the process shows a new maturity.
Unlike many of his previous films ("Roger and Me," "Bowling for Columbine," "Fahrenheit 9-11"), "Sicko" works because in this one there are no confrontations. Moore smartly lets very articulate average Americans tell their personal horror stories at the hands of insurance companies. The film never talks down or baits the audience.
"This film is a call to action," Moore said at a press conference on Saturday. "It's also not a partisan film."
Indeed, in "Sicko," Moore criticizes both Democrats and Republicans for their inaction and in some cases their willingness to be bribed by pharmaceutical companies and insurance carriers.
In a key moment in the film, Moore takes a group of patients by boat to the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba because of its outstanding medical care. When they can't get into the U.S. naval base, Moore proceeds onto Havana where the patients are treated well and cheaply.
This has caused a great deal of controversy, with the federal government launching an investigation into the trip, which officials say was in violation of the trade and commerce embargo against the Communist country.
"This administration flaunts the law, flaunts the constitution," Moore said at the press conference, explaining the flap over the trip to Cuba.
Moore now claims the U.S. government says his Cuban footage may be illegal, and Moore said he made a second master copy of "Sicko" and had it shipped it to France immediately just in case of potential government issues.
Do you care about Health Insurance?
Here's what the Top 2008 Presidential Candidates think:
