This is pretty off topic, but since my last post ran off and got all serious, I figured I would write about movies. Everyone enjoys movies, but I’ve never been a real big movie buff. I’m still not, but I did see three movies this weekend, probably more than any weekend I can remember. I also saw a couple others in the past weeks. I’m not a great writer, I not super big on movies, but I’m going to write about them anyways. That’s what the internet is for. Here are my thoughts.
Sunshine Cleaning (2008) – IMDB Rating: 7.1, Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 71%,
So Sarah and I stop at the groceries and randomly stop to check out Redbox. I think we’re addicted because we got two movies this past weekend and we already want more. But anyways, browsing the movies available, I saw Sunshine Cleaning. Seeing nothing more than Amy Adams and Emily Blunt, this was my choice (since there were no new movies). The movie one of those “real feeling + almost peculiar/eccentric” type dramas. It’s not terribly funny, but it does address some pretty real issues. Without going to deep into the details, Amy Adams (and her sister Emily Blunt) start a cleaning company to send her son to private school. He got kicked out for licking the walls at school. If you’re not a fan of these types of movies, I’d say pass. However, these types of movies I enjoy, not to mention the two leading ladies. Paolo Jackson’s Rating: 7.01
Wolfman – IMDB Rating: 6.3, Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 32%
Pretty big discrepancy between IMDB and RT, but I’m with RT on this one. A movie with Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro, and the agent guy from the Matrix had to be a good movie. Too bad it wasn’t. The only thing going for this movie was Emily Blunt. I really didn’t find her attractive until after this movie. The picture below proves it. Paolo Jackson’s Rating: 4.44
500 Days of Summer (2009) – IMDB Rating: 8.0, Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 86%
I actually watched this movie before Sunshine Cleaning and Wolfman, but I just decided I was including movies from before this weekend. It was mentioned above that I like those almost independent type movies, which is probably the reason I really wanted to see this movie. So much, in fact, that I paid for it, on demand cable. I even bought it on blu-ray shortly after. It’s a romantic comedy (not laugh out loud funny) about the relationship of the kid from 3rd Rock from the Sun (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and the poor man’s Katy Perry, Zooey Deschanel. Anyways, if you couldn’t tell already, I really enjoyed it, and thought the way the story was told, though not completely original, was very clever. Though not of the same genre, it still fits my mold of “real feeling + almost peculiar/eccentric” type movies that I like so much. If there is a name for those, please let me know. Paolo Jackson’s Rating: 9.0001
Up in the Air (2009) – IMDB Rating: 7.9, Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 90%
Another gap here between my two movie sites…Up in the Air is about a guy (George Clooney) who’s job is firing people. He is constantly flying from city to city, hence the title UP IN THE AIR. Of course I could try and sound like I know how to analyze movies and give multiple parallels to the title, but that’s not my job. Yet another movie that isn’t all dressed up and fancy, but more about the characters and issues at hand, I thought this movie was pretty darn good as well. With Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga along side Mr. Clooney, I think they picked a great cast. While not terribly funny, even though I was tired, I couldn’t stop watching this movie. You know it’s a good movie when you actually think about what happened in the movie after you’re done watching it. I give the slight edge to 500 Days, only because there is a pseudo-Katy Perry. Paolo Jackson’s Rating: 8.84.
She’s Out of My League (2010) – IMDB Rating: 6.7, Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 50%
Relative no names Jay Baruchel & Alice Eve star in a romantic comedy about exactly what you think. A guy dating a girl who’s out of his league. He is THAT dude. We all know one. And really, this Alice Eve girl is out of his league. There are some pretty laugh out loud, AWKWARD moments, and while it was more or less what I expected, I still really enjoyed this movie. If anyone watched Carpoolers before it got canned from ABC, She’s Out of my League co-stars Gracen’s son TJ Miller. If you don’t know him, he looks like a fat Napoleon Dynamite and he’s hilarious. In the movie you’ll hear the guys talk about themselves as a base 1-10, with additions due to jobs, cars etc. Normally, this movie would be a 6.5 in my book, since this Alice Eve girl is smokin, the movie gets +1. Hopefully we’ll see a lot more of her as she is going to be in the new Sex in the City movie which should help her cause. Did I mention she attended Oxford? Man… Paolo Jackson’s Rating: 7.50
Also See: Alice Eve in Maxim
If you’ve got this far, thanks for reading. Probably going to watch Hachi pretty soon too. Redbox is the shiz.
