End of the year and into 2014

Obviously in October, I came to realize the difficulty of watching the movies and blogging about them.  Time was not in my favor.  So I figured I would continue with the viewings and blog in 2014.  With that being said, I did miss the mark by a few movies, watching 320 in 2013 including 309 that I had previously missed.  "Schindler's List" finished out the year (maybe not an upbeat movie to end the year, but I also watched "Sophie's Choice" on Christmas Ever).  I hit the milestones with classic picks, choosing "2001: A Space Odyssey" as movie #200 and "Apocalypse Now" as movie #300. 
Most of the bad choices came as a result of films released this year.  "A Good Day to Die Hard" and "After Earth" were bad, but I would go with "Getaway" as the worst, new movie of this year.  There were also a few classics that I didn't understand the appeal, like "Breakfast at Tiffany's".  To balance that, I discovered a few, previously unknown gems; some by recommendation, others by pure luck.
I think the biggest disappointment was not missing the projected number, but the number of films I still want to see.  Watching one film would lead to a couple others that I hadn't seen and I probably could have continued this for several more years.  Here's hoping that I'll maintain the blog until I'm finished, posting all 320 entries.  Thanks everyone for reading.

Movie #135- "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982)

I am not a Star Trek fan.  A statement such as that could be easily be misinterpreted.  Some could take that meaning I hate Star Trek.  Not the case; I just never really got into Star Trek.  I can't really explain the reasoning behind it other than Star Trek wasn't readily available during my formative years.
The original series was cancelled when I was five years old, so I have no recollection of it.  I remember my father occasionally watching the syndicated versions of the program on a Saturday afternoon, but it never really captured my attention.  "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" came out when I was in high school.  By then, my sci-fi interests were limited to Star Wars and the Doctor Who series, especially the Tom Baker years, which appeared Sunday nights on the local PBS station.  When "Star Trek: The Next Generation" arrived, I was into my twenties and didn't hang with any fans of the show.
My knowledge with the Star Trek universe could be termed casual at best.  I know the characters from the original series and beyond that, I know very little.  I saw "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" when it came out in theaters, along with a fan of the series, and "Star Trek: First Contact" during an evening of adult beverages.
In reading message board postings about this film, it appears to be one of the most liked and highly regarded of the series.  As an outsider, I get that.  "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" seems to highlight the strengths, and a few of the weaknesses, of the series.  Khan is a great villain, a man not only pursuing power and domination but also having a personal vendetta as a driving force.  Using another character from the original show allows for the mythology of Star Trek to continue.  You wish more scenes occurred containing the standoff between Kirk and Khan.
However, you do have to content with the acting of William Shatner.  As a person, he fascinates me.  I was a fan of his interview program "Raw Nerve" and own a copy of his album "Has Been."  There's just something about his acting that I've never been able to take seriously.  Maybe the impersonations of his style over the years and the parodies of his yelling of "Khan!" play a factor.  Or possibility it is the rhythm of his line readings (the costumes in this film also don't help).  As someone late to the game, I guess this is just something accepted, even appreciated, by the fans.
Overall, I enjoyed "Star Trek II".  It isn't going to turn me into a rabid fan, but I may be more likely to watch another film from the series as part of this project.  Figuring out which one may be the tough part, although I'm familiar with the even/odd rule.

Rating: 7/10
Movies I've previously seen: 7
First time viewings: 128

October Update

The month of October really derailed this project and guaranteed I won't finish with the full 365 movies viewed.  Only 2 blog entries and maybe 25 movies watched, I feel even further behind.  It looks like I'll hit about 330 movies watched and will probably continue the blogging portion into 2014.  Still, watching over 300 new movies in a year isn't bad.  I'm surprised that I was able to commit to this project this far.

Movie #134- "Identity Thief" (2013)

The trailer for "Identity Thief" pretty much gives you all the information you need to know along with a fair portion of the laughs.  What this movie boils down to is that it's a take on the buddy comedy featuring two contrasting personalities, forced to travel across the country in a car because (surprise) air travel gets ruled out.  If the awkwardness of the situation doesn't provide enough humor or challenge for the characters, the stakes are mysteriously upped by adding another criminal element chasing our two heroes.  I really didn't think that urgency added anything to the film except inflate the running time.
You've seen this movie before, in several different variations.  Using technology, and the ability of identity theft, may be the lone difference in a fairly standard genre.  Melissa McCarthy is becoming the "go-to" for loud, brash, foul-mouthed female characters while Jason Bateman does his normal guy pushed to the limit routine.  The casting of these two actors doesn't come as a surprise, although both have done better work with these characters in other projects.    A few mild laughs occur, but there are several other superior examples of this particular comedy.

Rating: 5/10
Movies I've previously seen: 7
First time viewings: 127

Movie #133- "Repo Man" (1984)

In true disclosure, the rating listed below may not be an actual representation of "Repo Man" (not to be confused with the 2010 Jude Law film "Repo Men).  I have seen "Repo Man" multiple times as I would rate it as one of my all time favorites.  Not only is it a film that I enjoy immensely, it's also a film that played an integral part of my college years.  I honestly don't remember the first time I saw it, whether it was in the theater or on VHS (I remember seeing the trailer in theaters), but the story, visuals, and music had an impact.  Several of my friends were into the punk scene.  I listened to the music (the Dead Kennedys were my band of choice), hung out with them, but didn't fully commit to the lifestyle.  I originally hadn't planned on watching "Repo Man" as part of this project.  However, when the Criterion edition was released this year, I bought yet another copy of the film to view the new, restored digital transfer.  And yes, I continue to love this film.
First, you have the plot:  a crazy mash-up of aliens, punks, government conspiracy, television evangelists, generic food products, and of course, competing agencies that repossess automobiles.  Strange life philosophies and codes are shared.  Lines are tossed off that appear as quick visual jokes later.  Pop culture references make for quirky dialogue.  The punk lifestyle is displayed in a realistic, non-Hollywood fashion.  Weirdness just permeates the screen.
As to the acting, Emilio Estevez made "Repo Man" just before he hit it big with "The Breakfast Club" and became part of the "Brat Pack".  He's actually quite convincing as punk/repo man Otto, a bored suburban kid only interested in the now.  Harry Dean Stanton is the veteran, tricking Otto into his first job, then teaching him the rules and code of the repo man.  Also a special nod to Zander Schloss, bassist for the Circle Jerks, in the role Kevin, a guy who seems to be an outcast in a world of outcasts.  Since I mentioned that band, the soundtrack is filled with West Coast punk, including the Circle Jerks, Black Flag, and Fear along with the title tune from Iggy Pop and a great rendition of Jonathan Richman's "Pablo Picasso."
While Emilio Estevez may seem like a strange link in a world of punk, possibly the oddest credit goes to Executive Producer Michael Nesmith.  That would be former member of the Monkees Michael Nesmith, who was somewhat of a video pioneer in the early 1980s (he was also the EP on "Tapeheads", another hidden gem from the decade).
I probably could have written endlessly about "Repo Man" and the simple joy it brings to me every time I watch it.  A real slice of the 80s without the commercial BS.
  
 
Rating: 10/10
Movies I've previously seen: 7
First time viewings: 126

Movie #132- "Iron Man 3" (2013)

Sequels are usually a mixed bag.  The audience gets wrapped up in a character or group of characters and we wish their exploits would continue.  In comedy, it's a new misadventure.  In horror, the killer keeps killing.  In the world of action heroes, new villains to vanquish.  Hollywood gladly takes advantage of the situation, if the box office is willing, and gives us exactly what we crave.  I shouldn't say exactly because often these movies fail to live up to not only the first film, but also to our expectations.  I can think of just a few sequels that were equal to or better than the original.  It gets even tougher with the second sequel.  In some cases, it's an attempt to escape the sins committed with the first sequel.
I loved "Iron Man".  It would easily fit in the top five action hero movies I've seen in the last 20 years.  Robert Downey Jr.brought something fresh to the genre.  Whereas Batman was dark and dour (I loved "The Dark Knight" as well) and Spiderman was a little too sincere (didn't need a Spiderman reboot), Iron Man fit the current Facebook culture.  Tony Stark wanted the attention.  He was smarmy, brash, witty, and filled with braggadocio.  But he was also intelligent enough to back up his swagger.  Stark brought a sense of joy to "Iron Man".
Then came "Iron Man 2".  I wouldn't rate it a bad movie, however it was a giant step down.  Stark was still Stark, not only fighting the bad guys, but the government as well.  Unfortunately, Mickey Rourke's Ivan Vanko was underwritten and too much of the film seemed like a plug for the upcoming "The Avengers".  A simple case of sensory overload.
So that brings us to "Iron Man 3".  While I feel they tried to correct the errors of the previous film, there is still plenty of excess to wallow in.  The action scenes are bigger, more things explode, and at times, in the final action sequence, it's difficult to keep track what's going on.  The writers try to humanize Stark more by providing him some needed help from an unlikely source and Ben Kingsley is marvelous as the Mandarin, which leads to a nice twist.
"Iron Man 3" is a step up from the previous film, yet continues to fall short of "Iron Man."  In fact, I'd place this entry closer to "Iron Man 2" in terms of quality than the original.
  
Rating: 7/10
Movies I've previously seen: 6
First time viewings: 126

Movie #131- "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension" (1984)

"The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai" turned out to be a box office failure in 1984, but that lack of success would later morph into cult status.  Watching this film, that piece of information doesn't really come as a surprise.  In fact, this is the first film that I've probably watched this year that seemed to be attempting just that... cult fame.  I vaguely remember it arriving in theaters (I want to say it had a fair promotional push), though it obviously didn't pique my curiosity enough as it made the "First time viewings" category.
My biggest issue with "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai" is that it's trying too hard... way too hard.  Peter Weller assumes the role of Banzai, a scientist, surgeon, musician, and probably sushi chef in his spare time.  The guy is brilliant, well-traveled, has a fan club along with a comic book, and easily woos a crowd with song.  There isn't anything the guy can't do, making him too perfect.  Banzai has a crew basically to add extra flare and give Banzai people to converse with because a film with just inner monologue would have been boring.
However, I don't want to totally take the film down as it offers some inventive ideas.  Naming all the aliens John, with a strange variety of last names, and have them mangle common English phrases is amusing.  Having John Lithgow as the crazy alien leading the attack is equally as inspired, although I wish he had more screen time.  In the end, with Banzai's perfection, there really isn't any tension leading to the final outcome.  The 80s production values could add or subtract points, depending on your viewpoint.
It is interesting to note the movie promotes a sequel during the closing credits.  Due to a poor box office and a studio bankruptcy, that didn't happen.  It would have been intriguing to see the direction of the story since the characters had been established.  Otherwise, a fair attempt at making a cult classic.

Rating: 5/10
Movies I've previously seen: 6
First time viewings: 125