A Post, but not a Good One

Hello everybody! I just wanted to add this post in for a couple of reasons. One to thank you all a whole freaking bunch again because Ramblings of a Cinephile has just passed 2000 views. Thank you guys so much. It means a lot to me that you keep coming back and reading my posts and that you guys actually like them. I literally cried in a corner today out of happiness. Literally? No not literally, that's pathetic, jeez. (I'm saving all my corner cries for when Amy and Rory leave Doctor Who midseason. that will be a truly sad day.) But anyway thank you guys so much. Anyway to reward you I'm going to warn you about Resident Evil: Retribution. Pretty soon my review will show up on SidewalkOnline and I'll link over to it when that happens (it's happened), but in the meantime, just take my brief word for it, don't see it. it's not worth it, no matter your expectations, it will not meet them.
Ok. That's it. Thank you for your patronage. I'm gonna go play Borderlands 2 now.

Movies That Will Probably be Good but Have Yet to Come Out - Part 3, or The Final Installment

The Hobbit – December 14

This film should not require an explanation as to why I am excited or think it will be good. But I’ll give one anyway. Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings Trilogy was one of the most impressive projects creatively, narratologically, and technically that Hollywood has produced in recent memory. It was not only an extremely entertaining example of the epic Hollywood blockbuster that our society so craves, but also an exceedingly well-told story across three films. The most recent installment in the franchise, Return of the King, is tied with Titanic and Ben-Hur for the most Oscar wins of any film. I can’t help but expect Jackson to produce (and write and direct) something amazing for Tolkein’s prequel to Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit. Additionally, this is the first major studio film to be shot in 48 fps and I am curious to see what sort of effect that will have on the medium. Also Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) plays a dragon and Watson (Martin Freeman) plays Bilbo. Should be a fun ride.

Les Miserables – December 14

If you haven’t seen the Liam Neeson adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel yet, stop reading this and go watch it.

I’ll wait.

Done? It was pretty awesome right? Well that same story has also been adapted into a Broadway Musical that is widely regarded as one of the best musicals ever made. And that musical has been adapted into this film. It has a crazy cast, many with Broadway musical backgrounds: Hugh Jackman as the ex-criminal Jean Valjean, Russel Crowe as Inspector Javert, Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, Helena Bonham Carter as Madame Thenardier, Sacha Baron Cohen as Thernardier, and Anne Hathaway as Fantine. Ho. Ly. Crap. And then, on top of all of that, Tom Hooper directed it. You may know him as the director of 2010 best picture/best director winner The King’s Speech. If you don’t, stop reading this and go watch it. The rest of this list will still be here when you get back. (Quick bit of trivia regarding this movie, all of the musical numbers are recorded on set, not in a studio.)

This is 40 – December 21

Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up was one of the most surprising movies I’ve ever seen. Not because it was particularly plot twisty, but because it wasn’t just a raunchy sex comedy like I expected. I mean, it was a raunchy sex comedy, but there was a lot more to it, such as realistic, sympathetic characters dealing with life’s harsh realities and learning to accept responsibility for one’s actions. This is 40 follows the lives of a few of the characters from Knocked Up, Pete (Paul Rudd), Debbie (Leslie Mann), and Jason (Jason Segel) in particular. Since Knocked Up, Apatow has proven himself a talented modern story teller time and time again and I look forward to his return these character’s lives in what will hopefully be an equally touching and hilarious film as Knocked Up was.

Django Unchained – December 28

I like Quentin Tarantino. A lot. He’s clever, intelligent, hilarious, and knows how to direct actors in such a way as to get a completely unnatural and yet totally believable performance every time he steps behind the camera. Django Unchained features some of Tarntino’s favorite actors returning, both Samuel LMF Jackson and Christoph Waltz are back, and some exciting new comers, Jamie Foxx is premiering in the Tarantinoverse in this film and, whom I personally am most excited for performance-wise in this film, Leonardo DiCaprio who, based on some of his previous roles, seems to me to have been born to be directed by Tarantino and should have been introduced to the verse a long time ago. This film looks like it’ll be a killer good time and I will definitely have a review of it over on SidewalkOnline come this December.

BONUS! Seven Psychopaths - October 12

Ok not really a “bonus” so much as I missed this one in an earlier post so I figured I’d tag it on here. But this movie looks hilarious and has, again, a stellar cast: Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Tom Waits, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, and Woody Harrelson. It’s the first project writer/director Martin McDonagh has worked on since 2008’s In Bruges, which was brilliantly and sadistically hilarious. If you haven’t seen In Bruges you should. Seven Psychopaths revolves around the accidental kidnapping of a gangster’s Shih Tzu, and every aspect of it looks hilarious. Just watch the trailer.

Do you agree? Disagree? Did I miss anything? There aren't anymore installments. This is it. If there is anything I missed or you just have something to say, whether pertaining to this post or not, please comment in the comment section right below this. Seriously. It's right down there. I need your comments. I'm so lonely in my apartment with five other people...

Movies that Will Probably be Good but Have Yet to Come Out this Year Part 2

Hello again internet friends! Sorry I’ve taken so long with the second installment to MTWPbGbHYtCOTY (Movies that will probably be good but have yet to come out this year), I’ve been on vacation in Seattle for PAX this last week and chose not to post because video games. I’ll probably share my experience with you on this blog or in a video to my sister (you can get to our channel through the side projects tab) including my impressions of upcoming games (or maybe I’ll share that on 1up, I haven’t decided yet) like which my favorite game at PAX was (hint: it’s The Last of Us). Wow, that sentence was a grammar disaster: way too many asides.  Also Ice cream is good. I share that with you because I’m eating some right now…as in while I’m writing this. Probably not while you’re reading this. Ok. Back to the post at hand. Here is the second installment of MTWPbGbHYtCOTY. Oh and if you didn't read the first installment here it is.

The Man with the Iron Fists – November 2

Why, you ask, would I include in this list a movie directed by RZA (of… some sort of fame. I don’t have time to research every hip hop musician turned filmmaker, here’s his Wikipedia page you go read up on him) and written by RZA and Eli Roth (of Hostel and Inglourious Basterds fame, him I know off the top of my head)? Because it will be awesome. Ok to be fair it probably won’t be good, but it will have crazy bloody action violence, cause that’s what we’ve come to expect from any movie Eli Roth is even remotely involved with. And this one stars Russel Crowe (Gladiator), Lucy Liu (Kill Bill), and Pam Grier (way too many blaxploitation films to count) and is about martial arts. This will probably not be good. For all the reasons I just listed I want to see it. But it will be a damn fun ride.

Skyfall – November 9

Ok, so Quantum of Solace wasn’t great. But Casino Royale certainly was. And the director attached to Skyfall is fantastic (Sam Mendes). And while he hasn’t worked on the sort of action fair we normally attribute to the 007 series, his previous work suggests that he will inject some emotional development into Craig’s new Bond, which is a believable character wracked by previous issues that necessitate some sort of emotional difficulty that I believe Sam Mendes will be able to give this series. Also the Bond movies are cool and I want to see how BenWishaw does as Q.

Lincoln – November -16

This film chronicles the life of one of our most interesting president during one of the most interesting periods during his term: the period when Lincoln fought for the abolishment of slavery. And while this period of time is in all probability not as romantic as we make it out to be, it should still be interesting to see how the masters of historical and biographical films handle this story. With Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List) directing, DanielDay-Lewis (My Left Foot) starring as Lincoln (its supporting cast features Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy lee Jones, and Sally Field the supporting cast isn’t anything to sneeze at either), and Tony Kushner (Munich) writing, the film promises to be another biographical gem.

(Note: for some reason this movie doesn't have a trailer yet. If you find one can you please put it in the comments? I'd really like to see it)

Edit: I just added the trailer. More evidence of awesome.

Rise of the Guardians – November 21

I like the cast of this movie (Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Isla Fisher, Chris Pine, and Jude Law). The director has never directed a feature length film, animated or otherwise, and the writer has never written a…erm..what I would call a good film. But I like the premise of this film and I like the cast. And in general I like Dreamworks animations. So yeah. But the premise is basically that Earth gets attacked and all the Holiday mascots have to protect the earth. And Hugh Jackman plays the Easter Bunny. So that should be entertaining.

Hyde Park on Hudson – December 7

To be honest, when I went through my list of exciting upcoming films the second time through I realized I only had fourteen films in the list and so I needed to add one. I picked this one. Mostly cause BillMurray’s in it. And I really like Bill Murray. And since he picks his own scripts without the influence of an agent he tends to pick good scriptsand it looks like he's giving the performance of his life in this film. Additionally, the director has previously worked on Morning Glory and Notting Hill, which was the first chick flik I legitimately enjoyed. Anyway, I don’t really know if this will be good, but I like and respect Bill Murray enough to give it a chance.

Do you agree? Disagree? Did I forget anything? Am I a complete moron for expecting Rise of the Guardians to be good? Probably. But if you have anything to add please do so in the comments. I'd love to hear from you guys!