MY WEEK IN FILM

So instead of coming to the blog every single time I watch a movie and writing a review of that movie, thus spending two and sometimes three seperate occasions a day sitting here typing, I've decided to do a weekly breakdown of the films that I watch during the week, every Sunday night. I'll showcase a list of the films that I watched in that week, the best movie, the worst and reasons for why I they are such and then a jumble at the end of what I thought of the rest. Sound good? Good!

6/30/2008 through 7/6/2008
-Before the Devil Knows You're Dead 2007 - Sidney Lumet
-Cassandra's Dream 2007 - Woody Allen
-One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 1975 - Milos Forman
-Hot Fuzz 2007 - Edgar Wright
-Zelig 1983 - Woody Allen
-The Purple Rose of Cairo 1985 - Woody Allen
-Boys Don't Cry 1999 - Kimberly Peirce
-The Prophecy 1995 - Gregory Widen

THE BEST
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST
I can't even begin to count the number of so called "classics" that I have watched that, for my money, simply did not live up to the hype. So I pop in Cuckoo's Nest the other night, expecting something grand, as I've heard nothing short of extraordinary things about this film, and I was not disapointed. You got Randall MacMurphy (Nicholson) being sent to a mental institution from the local prison farm, to be evaluated. The head's of the loony bin think he's faking it to get a lighter ride and he pretty much is. But while there, he meets and makes friends with a marvelous cast of insane characters, including Brad Dourif, Christopher Lloyd and Danny DeVito. It all makes for an incredibly fun movie and just a flat out great film. I would advise everyone to go and rent this, if you haven't seen it or if you have, pop it in again.

THE WORST
ZELIG
It pains me to say this, but yes, a Woody Allen movie was the worst expierence I had this week in front of my television. I just could not get into this one at all. And what's more surprising is that Woody himself was actually in this, which is usually a guaranteed hit in my eyes. Zelig is a mockumentary of Leonard Zelig, a man with a rare disorder, that transforms him into the race or type of person that he is around at any given time. For example, if he is in the presence of an african american, he turns black. In the presence of an obese man, then he himself begins to gain weight. I found it very un-funny and dull. I'm usually chomping at the bit to see a new Woody movie that I haven't yet, but this one left me very bored and very unpleased. What's even more surprising is that I go to IMDB and see that it's rated like in the seven range. WHAT??? I do not get the appeal. Hands down worst movie of the week.

THE REST
Hot Fuzz would have to come in second behind Cuckoo's Nest. I found it very funny and am amazed at how Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg can take a genre and make a great film out of that genre and spoof it at the same time. Not as good as Shaun of the Dead, but a good film nonetheless.

In other Woody news, Cassandra's Dream was an average thriller, but no Match Point and the Purple Rose of Cairo was a very fun film. Jeff Daniels and Mia Farrow were brilliant together in this film, where we learn that no matter what happens in life, there's always a good movie there to fall back on and start smiling again.

My wife suckered me into watching Boys Don't Cry, and while Hilary Swank played a very convincing young man and Chloe Sevigny turned out a great performance, I still wasn't astounded by this glorified Lifetime movie.

The Prophecy scared me as a youngster, but this time around I was able to keep my fears in check for this very un-scary movie. I really love Christopher Walken in this one as he is funny and bad ass at the same time. Eric Stoltz and Elias Koteas are pretty good to, as an angel and a cop, respectively. However, this isn't one that I'd be rumaging through the Wal-Mart bins to get my hands on, but wouldn't be surprised to find myself catching half way through on cable and finishing it off.

AND...we've already discussed Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, in an earlier post.

So all in all not a bad week. A perfect ten for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and a very big thumbs up for Hot Fuzz. And I'm three films closer to being able to say I've seen everything Woody, but after Zelig, not sure how happy I'll be to say that. Just kidding....Woody rocks my world.

See ya on the flip side.

Andrew
7/6/2008