Back in the Movie Saddle Again

I went to see Star Wars this past week. I completely had passed on watching Star Wars Episodes I, II and III. The reviews had been horrible and I just stopped going to the movie theaters the last few years.  Nothing enticed me to pay the ever-increasing exorbitant ticket amounts. This year, living on an air mattress in the middle of downtown San Francisco got me  back into the movie groove of things. I started watching movies at midnight every night.

I must have watched Dirty Dancing over ten times this past year. I know, I know. It is a guilty pleasure.  I watched endless action movies and came to appreciate Tom Cruise. His movies are great at midnight. Maybe too great as I then would stay up watching them.  I also came to understand why it is that Adam Sandler is often noted for being one of the most overpaid actors considering the dribble that he acts in. Sadly, I watched too many of his films this past year.  Tell me one thing: who are the producers who think they should fund Adam Sandler movies?  Oh yes, I also watched way too many Katherine Heigl movies. I had no idea she had acted in that many things besides Gray’s Anatomy. She should have stuck with television and kept her mouth shut.

What I have found out about me this year is that I like really bad movies. I am generally a film snob. I studied film. I can teach a course on film history. Yet I like bad movies. Although, I draw the line at Jack and Jill. There are some things that are just too bad and no one should be subjected to them. I have also found that action movies are great to stop your mind from racing at night; especially when you have had three jobs in one year. Romantic comedies keep your eyes rolling continuously and thus help you maintain a straight face at work. Watching Tom Cruise movies makes you realize you cannot take great skill for granted. Lastly, John Cusack movies are making me feel old.

All in all, I felt ok about Star Wars. I didn’t love it. I didn’t hate it. I am more of a Harrison Ford fan and this latest movie made me sad. Does he have any other films coming out soon?

Anyway, the 69 films below are the ones that I watched late at night or on planes that helped me get back in the movie saddle. I can’t wait for Independence Day, Star Trek and Batman vs Superman to come out in 2016.

1. Someone Like You:  No not the Adele song. Instead this is a supposed romantic comedy with Ashley Judd, Greg Kinnear, Hugh Jackman. Problem is none of the characters was really likable.  On a score of 1 (low) to 10(high) likelihood to make you fall asleep, it is about a 6.
2. The Interpreter: A Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman movie. Two great actors with no chemistry and slightly convoluted plot.  Took me two nights to get through it.
3. Blended: OMG. This could be the worse Adam Sandler movie but I have yet to watch Jack and Jill. Note that Sandler is quoted as having once said “I’m not particularly talented. I’m not particularly good-looking. And yet I’m a multimillionaire.”
4. Wedding Singer: Adam Sandler’s funniest movie in my opinion.
5. Dirty Dancing: No one puts baby in the corner. EVER.
6. Two Night Stand: I think the actress competed on America’s next Top Model.
7. The Life Aquatic: I love bIll Murray. But I couldn’t get through this movie. Scores a ten in the sleep factor.
8. Leap Year:  An Irish romantic comedy. Not much more to it.
9. Going Clear: I can’t remember it.  Oh wait. Its about Scientology. Helps explain Tom Cruise a bit.  Watch MI-2 afterwards.
10. Captain America: I don’t get the hype.
11. Mission Impossible 2: Action-packed!
12. Mission Impossible 3 (M:I-3): Action-packed!
13. Prime: Stars Uma Thurman-There’s a song about her, isn’t there?
14. Wedding Daze: really, really bad (pretentious) film.
15. We’re the Millers: I didn’t think it was possible but I liked this Jennifer Aniston film.  I laughed out loud many times in my lonely San Francisco floor
16. Lucy: I like Scarlett Johansson. This movie, not so much.
17. The Amazing Spiderman: Which reboot was this one? I liked it well enough. But doesn’t Andrew Garfield just seem too much of a baby?
18. The Amazing Spiderman 2: Aimless film despite the big death (spoiler alert)
19. Star Trek: The Future Begins:  I really liked this reboot.
20. Thor: Fell asleep within 10 minutes.  Was Natalie Portman in this
21. Runaway Bride: Silly Julia Roberts and Richard Gere film. They should have left it at Pretty Woman.
22. Knocked Up: Was my second time watching it. Liked it better the first time. Doesn’t age well.
23. San Andreas: Watched this on the plane while heading back to San Francisco. Not a good film to watch during turbulence.
24. I Spy: Extremely silly film that I tried watching twice. Each time I fell asleep.
25. Return to Me: An old David Duchovny film about a heart transplant. It was maudlin and senseless. Fast forward through it.
26. Veronica Mars: I have watched this film many times.Marshmallows.
27. Love’s Kitchen: Tepid film about finding love in a new kitchen.
28. Cutting Edge: So horribly bad its a great drinking game movie.
29. Must Love Dogs: John Cusack grows up. Can we go back to the ’80s?
30. Picture perfect:  Another forgettable Jennifer Aniston film.
31. Singles: I watched this movie ten years ago and loved it. This time around? Not so much. A grunge movie just doesn’t hold up.
32. Night at the Museum: I finally saw this movie and it was funnier than I thought. The sequel-not so much.
33. Jerry McGuire: Show me the money. Doesn’t get old.
34. The Break Up: Wow. What a bitter film Jennifer Aniston was in.
35. Guardians of the Galaxy: I fell asleep 30 minutes in.
36. Sex Tape: The movie wasn’t bad and I had expected it to be. Win.
37. 21 Jump Street: One of the worst movies I have ever seen. If Johnny Depp were dead he’d be turning in his grave. He probably is still anyway.
38. Xmen: Days of Future Past: I liked it. I will catch the new one in the movie theatres, I think.
39. Inside Out: My son and I lived that movie. Only difference, we decided to leave San Francisco and go to Los Angeles.
40. Tomorrowland: I didn’t get it. George Clooney: stop doing Science fiction.
41. Book of Life: Weird animated film. Its supposedly based on Mexican culture.
42. Life as We Know It. Another Katherine Heigl movie that involves baby adoption. Admittedly, I liked it.
43.  but he is mean: I barely remember this film. I think it has Ashton Kutcher and either Katherine Heigl or Cameron Diaz.
44. The Ugly Truth: I think this was also a Katherine Heigl movie where she was shrill. I am sure it was another derivative film.
45. One for the Money: Nothing to say about it.  No scratch that. OMG, its another Katherine Heigl film. This one she has a Jersey accent.
46. Scooby Doo: The Sarah Michelle Geller movie. I wish Daphne could be more like Buffy. Now that would be cool.
47. Catch and Release: Jennifer Garner has an acting career. Who remembered? Maybe now that she is divorcing Ben, she will get some better acting parts?
48. Her: I fell asleep about 15 minutes in and I like Joaquin Phoenix.
49. Just Friends: Ryan Reynolds was fat. Now he is not but he is mean.
50. Friends with Benefits: A Justin Timberlake movie. Not bad.
51. Miami Vice: I fell asleep about 15 minutes in. Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx are no Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas. Some things are best left as originals.
52. The Avengers (2012): I actually liked it. Yah!
53. Avengers: Age of Ultron. I Saw the sequel before I saw the first one. I was a bit lost.
54. Iron Man: I finally saw this one as well and about time.
55. Straight Outta Compton: Made me sad. So many people still live that poverty. Also, the movie could have highlighted the HIV/AIDS storyline a bit more.
56. Trainwreck: Somewhat funny. But I still don’t get all the hoopla around Amy Schumer.
57. Just Go with It: Stars Adam Sandler Jennifer Aniston and for some reason I have watched it twice this past year. Nicole Kidman does funnily play against type.
58. Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol: I will say it again. Tom Cruise is a good action hero. How wild was it to see the Kremlin destroyed.
59. Mission Impossible 5: Rogue Nation.  They kind of neutered Jeremy Renner. Not too sure how I feel about that.
60. Fantastic Four (2015): Wow. This was really crappy.
61. The Descendants: A disney film about the children of the evil characters. Interesting concept.
62. John Wick: Keanu Reeves was awesome. He brooded and shot guns throughout the film.
63. The Equalizer: I tried to watch this. Didn’t get past 20 minutes.
64. Jack Reacher: Another Tom Cruise movie where he is a sniper of sorts. I don’t see that really.
65. Edge of Tomorrow: Live, Die, Repeat: This is actually a really good Tom Cruise movie. I recommend it.
66. Knight and Day: Ok. At this point I do believe I have watched every Tom Cruise film there is. No real chemistry with Cameron Diaz.  Some cool action sequences.
67. Oblivion: One of the few Tom Cruise movies I really didn’t care for. Turned it off after 20 minutes.
68. The Hangover III: I couldn’t get past the first 20 minutes and I really liked the first one.
69. R.I.P.D.: This movie apparently didn’t go straight to video.  Eek!