Game Change

Read this book last year. Thought it was a fascinating account of the 2008 Presidential election. I thought the framing of the story to focus on Palin was a good choice for people to watch, however, they REALLY fleshed the Palin/McCain story out and made a lot more of it than the book did.

Obviously liked the book much more, but the acting was really well done in this movie. Moore did a spectacular job as Palin, and Sarah Paulson was terrific in her role as Nicole Wallace. Woody Harrelson keeps getting better with each role I see him in. In some respects, they didn't need a McCain at all...very small role considering his role in the book and the election itself.

1:streaming, 2: home, 4: Theater -- Tally Total: 7

Movies Tally 2012

January 2012
1. No Strings Attached (streaming)
2. But I'm A Cheerleader (vcr!)
3. We Bought a Zoo (theater)

February 2012
4. The Vow (theater)
5. Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chip-wrecked (theater)

March 2012
6. Wanderlust (theater)

2011 Movies, Part II

July 2011
35. Cowboys & Aliens (theater)
36. How Do You Know (dvr)
37. Crazy Stupid Love (theater)
38. Jumping the Broom (Redbox)
39. Arthur (Redbox)

September 2011
40. Contagion (theater)
41. Dinner for Schmucks (dvr)
42. 50/50 (theater)

October 2011
43. What's Your Number? (theater)
44. Ides of March (theater)
45. I Am Number Four (dvr)

November 2011
46. Last Night (Netflix streaming)
47. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I (theater)

December 2011
48. The Descendants (theater)
49. The Family Stone (dvd)
50. Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (theater)

2011 Movies

So far, this is what I've been watching besides the numerous television shows that I am spending my time with these days...


January
1. Easy A (Redbox)
2. The Dilemma (theater)
3. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (dvr)

February
4. She's Out of My League (dvr)
5. Taken (dvr)
6. Youth In Revolt (dvr)
7. Unknown (theater)
8. The End of the Affair (dvr)
9. Up In The Air (dvr)

March
10. The Adjustment Bureau (theater)
11. Twilight: Eclipse (Redbox)
12. An Education (dvr)

April
13. Our Family Wedding (dvr)
14. Just Wright (dvr)

May
15. Thor (theater)
16. Bridesmaids (theater)
17. Burlesque (Redbox)
18. The Kids Are Alright (dvr)
19. Strictly Sexual (Hulu stream)
20. The Last Run (dvr)
21. The Good Guy (Netflix stream)
22. The Other Woman (Redbox)
23. The Romantics (Redbox)
24. The Back-up Plan (dvr)

June
25. X-Men:First Class (theater)
26. Green Lantern (drive-in)
27. Something Borrowed (drive-in)
28. Bad Teacher (theater)
29. Green Lantern (ashamed - it was a horrible movie)

July
30. Despicable Me (dvr)
31. Going the Distance (dvr)
32. Killers (Netflix stream)
33. Beastly (Redbox)
34. Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part II (theater)

Unknown

I know that I should post a movie poster featuring Liam Neeson, whom I also love, but oh well...I really liked this movie. I felt that it was well-done. However, you should probably know that I am a person who doesn't try too hard to "figure it all out." I will let the film/show/etc. tell me what it wants me to know at any given time. I think that this is probably both a good thing and a major fail.

No Strings Attached

I know I should be embarrassed to admit that I saw this movie especially considering that I could watch quality films like True Grit or The King's Speech, but sometimes it's just nice to see a movie that everything you needed to know about it was in the trailer. BTW, Portman actually seemed sexy to me in this movie. {I kinda love/hate her in general.}

Theater: 2
2011 Running Total: 3

The Dilemma

So here's the deal...I enjoy V. Vaughn & K. James. Even though, their movies aren't Oscar bait, I generally know what to expect. Unfortunately, this particular movie couldn't quite decide if it was a drama or a comedy. I wanted it to be a comedy - I think it thought it could do both and succeeded as neither. Given that it was a Ron Howard movie, I can't help but wonder if the making of this movie wasn't a lot better than the actual movie.

As a sidenote: I read that Uma Thurman was up for the Winona Ryder part - I figure that Kevin James, while an awesome person and actor (conjecture), really isn't going to be married to Uma Thurman. One always tries to imagine what might make a movie better, but imagine how much worse and miscast this movie could have been.

Theater: 1
Running total: 2

Sucker Punch 3.25.11

Easy A

Can we talk about this movie? I love a good teen movie even more than the next person. As a child of the 80's, Sixteen Candles was the first movie that I saw on a videotape. It goes without saying that it was the first of many. I was more than a little excited for this Easy A. Who doesn't have a little girlcrush on E. Stone? While I enjoyed some of the throwback references to movies that I hadn't thought about in awhile (I'm lookin' at you, Can't Buy Me Love), I felt that the majority of the movie was lost on me. I really didn't find it as clever as it seemed to think it was. Disappointing. Anybody else out there have the same thought? Do I need to watch it again to "get it"?

DVD: 1
Running Total: 1

2010

March
1. Alice In Wonderland

April
2. Date Night

May
3. Leap Year (iTunes)

June
4. Knight & Day
5. Toy Story 3 (3-D)
6. When In Rome (dvd)

July
7. Inception

August
8. The Expendables (XD Digital)
9. Takers

September
10. The American
11. The Switch
12. The Town (XD Digital)
13. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

October
14. Life As We Know It
15. Red
16. The Social Network

November
17. The A-Team
18. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part I (IMAX)
19. Due Date
20. Morning Glory
21. Love & Other Drugs

December
22. The Next Three Days
23. Valentine's Day (dvr)
24. Unstoppable
25. Tron: Legacy
26. Little Fockers
27. Black Swan
28. Sex & the City 2 (Blu-ray)

Been seeing some movies...

I guess I should put this together again...I really liked keeping track :-)

Be back soon.

A Long Time Coming...

My last post was in June. JUNE!?!??!?

This one is going to be a massive list. If there's any particular thoughts, I think I'll add them in another post.

The movies that I've seen so far this year are in order as follows:

January
1. Juno - Theatre: Running Total: 1
2. The L Word, Season 2 - DVD: (5 discs) Running Total: 4-9
3. The Bucket List - Theatre: 2
4. Georgia Rule - DVD: 10
5. Flight Plan - TV: Running Total: 1
6. Sydney White - DVD: 11
7. Waitress - DVD: 12
8. How To Lose Your Lover - TV: 2
9. The Medallion - DVD: 13

February
9. The Jane Austen Book Club - DVD: 14
10. Jumper - Theatre: 3
11. Michael Clayton - DVD: 15
12. Guinevere - TV: 3
13. Eight Below - TV: 4
14. No Reservations - DVD: 16
15. Feast of Love - DVD: 17
16. Hollywoodland - DVD: 18
17. Good Luck Chuck - DVD: 19
18. The L Word, Season 3 - DVD (4 discs): 20-23
19. Friday Night Lights, Season 1 - DVD (5 discs): 24-28

March
20. The Seat Filler - TV: 5
21. Dan in Real Life - DVD: 29
22. Dedication - DVD: 30
23. Enchanted - DVD: 31
24. Becoming Jane - DVD: 32
25. Melinda & Melinda - TV: 6
26. Loving Jezebel - TV: 7
27. Undiscovered - TV: 8

April
28. Hitman - DVD: 33
29. American Gangster - DVD: 34
30. Blind Dating - DVD: 35
31. Evan Almighty - DVD: 36
32. Annie Hall - TV: 8

May
33. I Could Never Be Your Woman - DVD: 37
34. Zoom - TV: 9
35. The Game Plan - DVD: 38
36. Caffeine - TV: 10
37. 27 Dresses - DVD: 39
38. The Golden Compass - DVD: 40
39. Speed Racer - Theatre: 4
40. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Theatre: 5
41. Standing Still - DVD: 41

June
42. P.S. I Love You - DVD: 42
43. The Guardian - TV: 11
44. Damage - TV: 12
45. In The Land of Women - DVD: 43
46. Tara Road - DVD: 44
47. Mr. Woodcock - DVD: 45
48. The Other Boleyn Girl - DVD: 46
49. National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets - DVD: 47
50. Fool's Gold - DVD: 48
51. The Girl Next Door - TV: 13
52. Wanted - Theatre: 6

July
53. Wall-E - Theatre: 7
54. Get Smart - Theatre: 8
55. definitely, maybe - DVD: 49
56. Mamma Mia! - Theatre: 9
57. Jack & Jill Versus the World - TV: 14
58. Sex & Death 101 - DVD: 50
59. Mad Men, Season 1 - TV OnDemand: 15
60. Drillbit Taylor - DVD: 51

August
61. The Dark Knight - Theatre: 10
62. 21 - DVD: 52
63. War of the Worlds, 2005 - TV: 16
64. Friday Night Lights, Season 2 - DVD (4 discs): 53-56
65. Penelope - DVD: 57
66. The TV Set - TV: 17
67. Smart People - DVD: 58

September
68. National Lampoon's Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj - TV: 18
69. The Bank Job - DVD: 59

Triple Feature

You can tell the boys have loads of fun making these movies. I liked it better than 12, but not more than 11. Being a Vegas afficionado, I found it strange that the hotel in the film does not actually exist and the CGI got on my nerves a bit. Acting was a bit over the top, but again, that sort of thing isn't the point in the Ocean's films.
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I was actually shocked that I found this one funny. I was expecting every gay joke in the book recycled, but somehow while not exactly new, it was felt fresh with these two comedians.

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Sweet, heartfelt little movie. I liked it, but I did not think that it was the best indie since Little Miss Sunshine or fill-in-your-own-multi-award-winning-Sundance-esque-movie-title. The music, however, was really wonderful and felt so alive in the film - as if it were organically coming from the actors/musicians on the spot.

2008 Tally, DVD: 1-3

2007 Numbers!

2007, Movies Tally
DVD: 64
dvr: 6
online: 4
theatre: 14

Biggest Surprise: 300
Favorite: Superbad
Want Those 2 Hours Back: The Heartbreak Kid

20on20 - 2007 Songs of KP's Year
1. This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race – Fall Out Boy
2. Believe – The Bravery
3. Lacrymosa - Evanescence
4. Paralyzer – Finger Eleven
5. Gimme More – Britney Spears
6. Stripper – Soho Dolls
7. LDN – Lily Allen
8. Me & My Imagination – Sophie Ellis-Bextor
9. Three Wishes – The Pierces
10. Young Folks – Peter Bjorn & John
11. New Year’s Prayer – Jeff Buckley, Jr.
12. Gravity – Sara Bareilles
13. Inside Your Head - Eberg
14. Glamorous – Fergie/Constance Billard Choir
15. Money – Jesca Hoop
16. Ladies & Gentlemen - Saliva
17. Lay Lady Lay – Magnet (feat. Gemma Hayes)
18. Rehab – Amy Winehouse
19. SexyBack/What Goes Around…Comes Around – Justin Timberlake
20. Ships – Umbrellas/Lost Without U – Robin Thicke

Live Free or Die Hard

Wasn't expecting much, but it was pretty well done for the genre. Suprisingly coherent plot - liked the action sequences, although, of course somewhat unbelievable as far as how often these people get banged around and still get up and fight.

2007 Tally, DVD: 64

The Heartbreak Kid

It's as if the Farrelly Brothers took all the leftover jokes from their previous movies and mashed them together. A major disappointment.

2007 Tally, dvd: 63

I Am Legend

Well done, somewhat scarier than expected sci-fi film. W.Smith did a tremendous job carrying the majority of the movie. Some of the plot points I felt could have been expanded upon (i.e. his family, how the virus started turning), but overall entertaining.

2007 Tally, Theatre: 14

Four Brothers

Semi-violent movie, but with an unexpected heart.

2007 Tally, dvr: 6

Double Feature: Evening/Lucky You

For all the famous names in the film, the acting was not as good as expected. Part of that, I guess had to do with the plot and time framing of the film. The other part of it may have had to do with the fact that it was so character heavy that all of them couldn't possibly have loads to do. It wasn't horrible, just not the Oscar bait, I'm sure the makers were hoping for.

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Father-son picture that was marketed as a love story. Good acting all around. Some of the sidebets were more interesting than the poker playing main plot. Colorful characters abound in the side-world that could have been examined more; it was a bit of a somber movie.

2007 Tally, DVD: 61 & 62

The Nanny Diaries

I read this book and it was so great until about the last 2 chapters. I am happy that they changed the ending for the movie; I found it much more fulfilling. S.Johannsson was surprising in the role of the put-upon nanny, and L.Linney made a one-note role into a really nuanced character.

2007 Tally, DVD: 60