The Year of 50 Challenge – Movies #33 through #41
11/04/2011
Filed under Entertainment, Movies, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: 50/50, Dracula, Footloose, Interview with a Vampire, Paranormal Activity 3, Real Steel, The Descent, The Three Musketeers 3D, What's Your Number?, Year of 50 Challenge
#33 – Dracula
Maybe it was because I was drunk watching it with friends and we were talking really loudly through the whole movie, but I didn’t think it was that great. I would give it another go because of the distractions going on when I watched it that first time. I thought it looked horrid though. Maybe we’ll count this as movie #32.5 and it can become #33 when I watch it again.
#34 – 50/50
Joseph Gordon Levitt is probably one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. The boy is insanely talented. His brilliant performance aside, the movie is a heartbreaking depiction of the struggles young cancer patients go through. I laughed. I cried. I loved it.
#35 – What’s You Number?
It’s a corny chick flick, but I liked it. Anna Faris can make even the most cliched script funny. The highlight of the movie for me was Chris Evans. He was funny and naked. That’s enough to make most girls satisfied.
#36 – Real Steel
Hugh Jackman overacts sometimes, but I think that’s pretty much the only downside to the film. It had a solid story, great special effects, and a good score. The ending is great because it’s really satisfying, but not overdone. It’s definitely worth a watch.
#37 – The Descent
If you have a fear of enclosed spaces, caves, darkness, crazy women, falling, and/or crazy zombies humanoids, don’t watch this movie because it will scare the shit out of you. I’m scared of going into caves, so I sat on the edge of my seat through the whole movie. The ending sucked, but I still walked away from the TV with chills.
#38 – Paranormal Activity 3
First of all, I didn’t watch the first two. I think that I should have because I would have better appreciated the story. I didn’t think it would matter, but now I see I was wrong. That being said, I got really sick of just sitting around and waiting for something to happen. It was annoying. The special effects were cool in places. The ending is one of the freakiest endings to movie I’ve seen in a while. The anticipation leading up to the end probably made it that much worse. I just don’t think it makes up for how sick of waiting I was by the time the ending rolled around.
#39 – The Three Musketeers 3D
I loved the special effects and the costumes. This is the first 3D movie I’ve seen in a long time that I actually think is worth paying the extra cash to see it in 3D. Other than that, the story was a little cheesy. And Milla Jovovich’s acting was so exaggerated it kind of got on my nerves.
#40 – Interview w/ a Vampire
Without a doubt it’s one of the best movies I’ve seen in a really long time. The entire cast performed very well and the story couldn’t have been more interesting. This is what vampire stories are SUPPOSED to be like. *cough*Twilight*cough.
#41 – Footloose
I didn’t see the original. My cousin saw this remake with me and said that it followed the first one very closely. I didn’t matter to me. I had fun watching it without comparing it to it’s parent. It made me want to get up and dance! It had it’s cheesy moments, but movies like this do.
The Year of 50 Challenge – Movies #19 through #32
10/06/2011
Filed under Entertainment, Movies, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: Buried, Carriers, Children of the Corn, Columbiana, Contagion, Cowboys and Aliens, Crazy Stupid Love, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Fright Night, Insidious, Kick Ass, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, The Change Up, The Debt, Year of 50
I’m blowing through the movies a lot faster than I thought I would. I guess that’s a good thing though. It leaves me time to catch up on albums and reading material when I’m finished.
#19 – Crazy Stupid Love
This is one of the best movies I’ve seen this year. Steve Carrell’s subtle performance should be applauded. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were hilarious too. It’s just such a brilliantly written story too. And those are so hard to find these days.
#20 – The Change Up
If it weren’t for Jason Bateman, it would have been complete garbage. He was hilarious, but that’s about it.
#21 – Cowboys and Aliens
It was a lot different than I thought it would be. I expected a better story, but it wasn’t a bad film. Olivia Wilde’s character was kind of weird.
#22 – Buried
Don’t watch this film if you have anxiety issues. You’ll be hyperventilating ten minutes in. Ryan Reynolds gives an incredible performance. For a film that only takes place in a coffin, it’s really well done. The ending is frustrating. I’m not sure if it was meant to prove a point or not. If it was, then I didn’t get it.
#23 – Fright Night
What fun! It was much better than I expected. Colin and Anton were both great. I love Anton though. He’s such a promising young talent. Don’t go into this one expecting lots of horror and gore though. It’s PG13 for a reason. It’s not super scary.
#24 – Diary of Wimpy Kid
If I had been 12 I would have gone bananas for this one. I liked it now and I’m 24! It was too funny. I want to see the sequel now.
#25 – Columbiana
An intense thriller with a lot of plot holes. Zoe Saldana is a badass. We get it. However, she can’t carry a flat story.
#26 – Carriers
TERRIBLE movie. Completely pointless. Straight to DVD for a reason. Well acted, but terrible in just about every other way.
#27 – Insidious
More funny than scary. I know a lot of people that said they were frightened by it, but I just laughed. The story had potential and it was creepy in the beginning, but it just got dumb towards the end.
#28 – The Debt
It’s a very well made film, but I had some questions in the end that never got answered. Jessica Chastain and Sam Worthington were great, but I will echo the thought that actors can’t carry a film.
#29 – Contagion
It’s a well made film. The transitions between shots and the subtlety in a lot of it is really well done. There’s ZERO story here though. They tried to develop characters throughout, but it’s not done well enough. The only characters that you even give a crap about are Matt Damon’s character and his character’s daughter. That’s not enough to keep people interested.
#30 – Kick Ass
Hit Girl was my favorite part of the movie. She was hilarious. It was a good movie. Much better than I expected.
#31 – Children of the Corn
For an 80s Stephen King based horror flick, it was actually really good! I was creeped out. You have to detach yourself from the crappy special effects though to have a good time. We’re so spoiled by good special effects, aren’t we?
#32 – Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
LOVED it. Although if you’re not really into video games, you probably won’t get the humor at all. It’s a really creative, well made film.
The Year of 50 Challenge – Movies #6 through #18
08/02/2011
Filed under Entertainment, Movies, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: Bad Teacher, bridesmaids, Captain America, friends with benefits, Grandma's Boy, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Horrible Bosses, limitless, The Book of Eli, The Fighter, The Green Lantern, The Hangover, the year of 50 challenge, Winnie the Pooh
I’ve seen a lot of films this summer. Some were great. Some were not so fantastic. Here’s a quick recap:
#6 – Limitless
Bradley Cooper is an amazingly talented actor. The cinematography and directing is spot on. There were a few questions left unanswered, but overall it was an enjoyable film.
#7 – Bridesmaids
Everyone hyped this one up a lot before I saw it. I think that made my expectations a little too high. I thought it should have been funnier. I saw it a second time and liked it a lot more. I’m not sure if you would have had much of a movie if you took out the crude humor. I love the entire cast, especially Melissa McCarthy.
#8 – The Hangover Part 2
The plot is almost exactly the same as the first. Some people didn’t like that. However, my opinion is that you shouldn’t fix what isn’t broken if you can continue to make it work! I thought it was just as funny as the first.
#9 – The Book of Eli
After the movie ended, I turned to my boyfriend and said, “I feel like I need to rethink the way I live my life.” It was a profound story with an incredible ending. The cast was amazing and the director couldn’t have molded a more perfect story. Kudos to Atticus Ross for the great score as well.
#10 – The Green Lantern
I read so many bad reviews of the film that I expected it to suck. It exceeded my expectations because it didn’t suck like they said it would. I think the story was too rushed, but that’s really my only complaint. It was entertaining.
#11 – Grandma’s Boy
It was funny. Corny, but funny. That’s really all you can say.
#12 – Bad Teacher
The dry humping scene pretty much steals the movie. Jason Segel is pretty funny too. Cameron Diaz does best in roles like this. I didn’t like the fact that you still kind of hated her by the end. Nobody really wants to see someone they hate get everything they want.
#13 – The Fighter
Talk about an amazing cast! Amy Adams and Christian Bale were both amazing. The story is a good one too. I hate that it took me so long to watch it. There definitely should have been more award recognition for this one.
#14 – Horrible Bosses
I think this is one of my favorite movies that’s come out this year. Everyone can relate to the story because everyone has had that one boss that they just couldn’t stand. The plot wasn’t predictable. Every cast member delivered tons of laughs. I think the MVP award for the film has to go to Jennifer Aniston and Charlie Day, but the rest of the crew is incredible too. If you haven’t seen it, go now.
#15 – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Another one of the best movies I’ve seen this year. Of course, I’m biased because I love the books. I just loved how true to the book it was. The action was an amazing change from Part 1. I cried several times (during Snape’s memory, while Harry was walking to the forest, when Ron was leaning over the dead body, etc.). It’s an amazing finish to an epic film series.
#16 – Winnie the Pooh
LOVED it. I laughed and giggled like a 5 year old. The chalkboard scene is my favorite!
#17 – Friends with Benefits
I didn’t see No Strings Attached, so I don’t know exactly how FWB compares. However, I do know that Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis are a hilarious pair. I laughed the whole way through. Even the serious parts at the end were great. Woody Harrelson may have stolen the show a little though. He was the best part.
#18 – Captain America
I thought the movie is good, but there were a lot of things they could have explained better. Luckily, I had my comic book savvy brother with me to explain it all. If he hadn’t been there, I never would have understood the significance of the energy cube and why Stark wanted it (among other things). Good movie though.
The Year of 50 Challenge – Movie #5 – Morning Glory
07/07/2011
Filed under Entertainment, Movies, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: diane keaton, harrison ford, morning glory, movie review, rachel mcadams, Year of 50 Challenge
I got this movie for free. Thank God for that too. If I had paid for the DVD, I would have shot myself in the face after watching it.
I can’t even begin to express how disappointed I felt with this film. One would assume that anything starring Rachel McAdams, Diane Keaton, and Harrison Ford would be a home run. It turned out to be more like a pop fly hit right over the catcher’s head.
For those of you who don’t know baseball that means it sucked pretty hard core.
The actors were great, but even the best cast can’t save a shitty script from being shitty. The story was dumb. I barely felt any rise and fall in tension throughout the film. That’s something that every story needs if it wants to stand a chance at holding the audience’s attention. This film felt less like storytelling and more like reading a whiny young woman’s diary. It was monotonous, shallow, and boring. I couldn’t figure out why a woman who kept doing annoying things to people kept getting her way. That’s not how it’s supposed to work, is it?
Don’t even get me started on the “young girl in a hurry runs through pidgeons in the park” scene at the end. I watched this movie with my cousin and that was her favorite part because it looked so stupid and cliché that it made us both laugh.
Thumbs way down for Morning Glory. My thumbs are so far down for this one that I’m thumb wrestling with the Devil. Winner gets to burn every copy of this script ever printed.
The Year of 50 Challenge – Movie #4 – Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
07/07/2011
Filed under Entertainment, Movies, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: film review, johnny depp, penelope cruz, pirates of the caribbean on stranger tides, Year of 50 Challenge
The Curse of the Black Pearl is one of my favorite movies of all time. Just like most other film series, I didn’t enjoy all of the others as much. None of them were bad per se, but none of them rocked my socks off like that first one did. I got annoyed with how cluttered and unemotional the stories could be. I found myself especially disappointed with At World’s End because it had the potential to be a really gripping and moving story with everything going on between Will and Elizabeth, but I found myself bored and not caring at all. No fault should be attributed to the actors on that one because it’s all about gaping holes in the writing.
The newest installment, On Stranger Tides, is a little better than the middle two films in the series. I think that’s partially because they had a chance to start the story over a bit. This reincarnation of Sparrow’s antics felt a lot more fun when placed with new conflicts and new characters.
I laughed a lot more in this film than with the previous two. Something that I loved about the first film was the humor in it and I’m glad to see the writers revive that with this film.
Just like the previous two movies, it still felt cluttered and slightly unemotional. If any of these films had been able to draw you into the characters emotionally the way the first film had, the clutteredness and boring parts may not have been as noticeable.
Johnny Depp is fantastic (dur). Penelope Cruz did well, but I thought her character’s story was insanely weird. In fact, there were points when I felt like shouting at the screen that she was an idiot that deserved to drink the water from the fountain of youth and die.
Overall, I give the film a thumbs up just because I enjoyed it a lot more that the two before it. It didn’t come close to how good the first one turned out to be. That’s what I keep waiting for. I guess I’ll just wait for the fifth. There WILL be a fifth by the way. They made sure of that with their silly little cliffhangers.
The Year of 50 – Movie #3 – African Cats
05/23/2011
Filed under Entertainment, Movies, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: African Cats, cheetah, Disney, documentary, lion, movie review, Year of 50 Challenge
Lions are my favorite animal. From the day I found out that Disney planned to release a documentary on African cats, I grew giddy with excitement. Who doesn’t want to watch oversized, majestic cats roam the plains and play with their cubs? Count me in!
You definitely get all the greatness you would expect from a film about lions and cheetahs. I found myself letting out tears of happiness when I saw the mommas taking care of their cubs and tears of sadness when I saw the cubs taken by hyenas. You get wrapped up in the sentimentality of the animals’ bonds with each other. That’s a great achievement for a documentary.
That being said, I’m not sure I learned all that much from it. Maybe someone who didn’t know a lot about the big cats would have gotten more out of it, but I don’t think they gave very much information even for someone who is educated about such things. I have no idea how much time lapsed from the beginning of the film to the end. They didn’t say anything about the animals other than how they hunt, guard their territory, and take care of each other. I just felt like they could have made it a little more educational.
I want to give it a thumbs up, but I don’t think it was as good as Oceans or The Last Lions. I’ll give it a sideways thumb.
The Year of 50 – Movie #2 – Thor
05/23/2011
Filed under Entertainment, Movies, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: Marvel, move review, movie, science fiction, superhero, Thor, Year of 50 Challenge
Whenever a film dives into a world where there are intergalactic peacekeepers, I am always nervous that it’s going to suck. Don’t get me wrong. Not all such films are bad. In fact, those types of films are usually amazing when done really well (I.E. Star Trek or Star Wars). However, the bad ones usually suck harder than a Hoover. I found myself sitting down to watch Thor with a lot of nervousness because of this. I just kept thinking, “Please don’t let me waste two hours of my life on a movie that makes me want to shoot myself in the face.”
Thank goodness Thor turned out to be very entertaining! The casting is spot on. The story is captivating even if it is slightly predictable. Then again, what superhero flick isn’t a little predictable? The action sequences were really intense. Overall, you get everything you want out of a Marvel action film with the otherworldliness thrown in as an added bonus. While watching it, I never once wanted to shoot myself in the face. In fact, it is quite a lot of fun!
The other worlds turned out to be my favorite part. The visuals on the bridge were beautiful. The visuals throughout the film were stunning as well, but the bridge is my favorite part. If you’re skeptical that the special effects might be a little silly looking, don’t worry. They are really well done.
Visuals aside, I really like how the world of the Gods felt believable. I think that stories like this can go wrong when the filmmakers try too hard to make new worlds seem too esoteric or beyond our comprehension. This felt more like we were escorted back to times of monarchy in Europe some hundreds of years ago, but we were in a different part of the universe instead of different part of time. Gods ruled with honor and worked to create the best environment for their people. Because the concept is simple enough for any viewer to understand, it is easy to suspend your disbelief and buy into the rest of the more unbelievable aspects of the foreign world.
I love the way all of these “Avenger” films tie in the same characters/actors. It’s rare to see that and I really love it.
I give Thor a big thumbs up! Would it be too cheesy to say a big hammer up? Probably. I’ll refrain.
The Year of 50 – Movie #1 – Source Code
04/11/2011
Filed under Entertainment, Movies, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: entertainment, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, movies, Source Code, story, Vera Farmiga, Year of 50 Challenge
This film really surprised me. Want to know why?
Before I tell you why, side step with me for uno momento. Have you ever seen Vantage Point? It’s the movie where the president gets shot in Madrid and the story rewinds the same ten minute scene six or seven times so you can see the shooting from a different character’s vantage point. By doing this, the hope is that the audience can piece together who shot the president. Unfortunately, you get really annoyed with watching the same scene over and over. When I saw it in the theater, the entire audience would groan every time they rewound the scene.
As I walked into the auditorium to watch Source Code, I worried that watching the same 8 minutes over and over would get repetitive and annoying too.
It surprised me by how gripping it turned out to be. Never once did I find myself bored watching the film. This story succeeds where Vantage Point failed for one reason. Even though Colter Stevens (portrayed by the amazingly talented Jake Gyllenhaal) kept being thrust back into the same eight minutes in time, no trip back into those same eight minutes was the identical. Every time we were taken back to the train felt even more suspenseful than that the trip before it because we knew something very important that we didn’t know before. This allowed a lot of room for suspense to build. It also gives the audience a chance to start making guesses about what happened on the train which gave the story a little bit of a detective-thriller feel. An action, detective-type thriller with a bit of a moral point and some romance? Who wouldn’t want to see that? Without a doubt, the story exceeded my expectations. I couldn’t have been more pleased with it.
However, I do wish it had ended a little differently. There is a point close to the end of the film where I thought I could see the finale. I remember thinking how perfect it would be if they ended it where I thought they would because it gave the audience a really great message about taking control of your life and learning to appreciate it more. But then the film went on for another 10 minutes and the ending went somewhere completely different than I thought it would. It felt like the end was tailored to be a crowd-pleaser. I’m not a fan of that. I think a story’s ending should serve the purpose of the story, not the DVD sales. Maybe if you’ve seen it, you could email me and we’ll talk about it. I don’t really want to go into anymore detail though because I’m also not a fan of spoilers.
I am a fan of Jake Gyllenhaal. He has always had an eye for great stories. Even when the film doesn’t quite live up to its full potential, Jake never fails to come through with a brilliant performance. He is one of the few actors that has the ability to turn something that could suck big tit into something that’s actually fun to watch. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. That man has a long career ahead of him.
The rest of the cast performed brilliantly too. Especially Michelle Monaghan! I’ve been a fan of hers ever since I saw Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (a film that you should definitely check out if you haven’t already). She talented, beautiful, and not recognized enough for her potential (IMO). I would love to see her get more starring roles in the future. Ditto for Vera Farmiga.
Source Code gets a thumbs up from me. It’s one I’d definitely like to own!
| Rank | Rating | Title | Votes |
| 1. | 9.2 | The Shawshank Redemption (1994) | 580,956 |
| 2. | 9.2 | The Godfather (1972) | 450,899 |
| 3. | 9.0 | The Godfather: Part II (1974) | 274,580 |
| 4. | 8.9 | The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) | 183,231 |
| 5. | 8.9 | Pulp Fiction (1994) | 462,467 |
| 6. | 8.9 | Schindler’s List (1993) | 307,406 |
| 7. | 8.9 | 12 Angry Men (1957) | 137,653 |
| 8. | 8.8 | Inception (2010) | 332,186 |
| 9. | 8.8 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) | 240,488 |
| 10. | 8.8 | The Dark Knight (2008) | 518,852 |
| 11. | 8.8 | Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) | 304,632 |
| 12. | 8.8 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) | 403,232 |
| 13. | 8.8 | Seven Samurai (1954) | 106,787 |
| 14. | 8.7 | Fight Club (1999) | 428,846 |
| 15. | 8.7 | Goodfellas (1990) | 255,133 |
| 16. | 8.7 | Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) | 348,070 |
| 17. | 8.7 | Casablanca (1942) | 182,065 |
| 18. | 8.7 | City of God (2002) | 188,002 |
| 19. | 8.7 | The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) | 425,983 |
| 20. | 8.7 | Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) | 84,266 |
| 21. | 8.7 | Rear Window (1954) | 131,080 |
| 22. | 8.7 | Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) | 264,603 |
| 23. | 8.7 | The Matrix (1999) | 422,190 |
| 24. | 8.7 | Psycho (1960) | 159,447 |
| 25. | 8.7 | The Usual Suspects (1995) | 291,975 |
| 26. | 8.7 | The Silence of the Lambs (1991) | 274,720 |
| 27. | 8.6 | Se7en (1995) | 314,422 |
| 28. | 8.6 | It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) | 112,783 |
| 29. | 8.6 | Memento (2000) | 306,831 |
| 30. | 8.6 | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) | 360,887 |
| 31. | 8.6 | Sunset Blvd. (1950) | 61,168 |
| 32. | 8.6 | Forrest Gump (1994) | 341,404 |
| 33. | 8.6 | Toy Story 3 (2010) | 121,437 |
| 34. | 8.6 | Leon: The Professional (1994) | 227,535 |
| 35. | 8.6 | Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) | 168,161 |
| 36. | 8.6 | Apocalypse Now (1979) | 189,393 |
| 37. | 8.6 | Citizen Kane (1941) | 148,915 |
| 38. | 8.5 | American History X (1998) | 252,377 |
| 39. | 8.5 | North by Northwest (1959) | 101,973 |
| 40. | 8.5 | American Beauty (1999) | 321,222 |
| 41. | 8.5 | Taxi Driver (1976) | 174,875 |
| 42. | 8.5 | Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) | 263,618 |
| 43. | 8.5 | Saving Private Ryan (1998) | 298,412 |
| 44. | 8.5 | Alien (1979) | 198,406 |
| 45. | 8.5 | Vertigo (1958) | 100,788 |
| 46. | 8.5 | Amélie (2001) | 202,618 |
| 47. | 8.5 | Spirited Away (2001) | 115,895 |
| 48. | 8.5 | The Shining (1980) | 198,820 |
| 49. | 8.5 | WALL·E (2008) | 210,606 |
| 50. | 8.5 | Paths of Glory (1957) | 49,878 |
| 51. | 8.5 | The Pianist (2002) | 152,077 |
| 52. | 8.5 | City Lights (1931) | 31,988 |
| 53. | 8.5 | Lawrence of Arabia (1962) | 86,149 |
| 54. | 8.5 | Double Indemnity (1944) | 41,337 |
| 55. | 8.5 | M (1931) | 44,209 |
| 56. | 8.5 | A Clockwork Orange (1971) | 212,990 |
| 57. | 8.5 | The Lives of Others (2006) | 85,945 |
| 58. | 8.4 | The Departed (2006) | 295,601 |
| 59. | 8.4 | To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) | 89,928 |
| 60. | 8.4 | Aliens (1986) | 185,215 |
| 61. | 8.4 | Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) | 244,639 |
| 62. | 8.4 | Requiem for a Dream (2000) | 207,835 |
| 63. | 8.4 | Das Boot (1981) | 75,948 |
| 64. | 8.4 | Reservoir Dogs (1992) | 233,888 |
| 65. | 8.4 | The Third Man (1949) | 55,224 |
| 66. | 8.4 | Modern Times (1936) | 40,606 |
| 67. | 8.4 | L.A. Confidential (1997) | 178,320 |
| 68. | 8.4 | Chinatown (1974) | 86,514 |
| 69. | 8.4 | Life is Beautiful (1997) | 122,785 |
| 70. | 8.4 | Back to the Future (1985) | 228,133 |
| 71. | 8.4 | Black Swan (2010) | 112,080 |
| 72. | 8.4 | The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) | 36,438 |
| 73. | 8.4 | The Prestige (2006) | 238,557 |
| 74. | 8.4 | Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) | 167,839 |
| 75. | 8.4 | Raging Bull (1980) | 99,054 |
| 76. | 8.4 | Cinema Paradiso (1988) | 51,089 |
| 77. | 8.3 | Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) | 173,939 |
| 78. | 8.3 | Singin’ in the Rain (1952) | 60,679 |
| 79. | 8.3 | Rashomon (1950) | 43,146 |
| 80. | 8.3 | The Green Mile (1999) | 225,680 |
| 81. | 8.3 | Some Like It Hot (1959) | 73,924 |
| 82. | 8.3 | Once Upon a Time in America (1984) | 80,382 |
| 83. | 8.3 | The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) | 64,209 |
| 84. | 8.3 | Amadeus (1984) | 107,265 |
| 85. | 8.3 | All About Eve (1950) | 38,044 |
| 86. | 8.3 | The Great Dictator (1940) | 41,862 |
| 87. | 8.3 | Bicycle Thieves (1948) | 31,147 |
| 88. | 8.3 | Full Metal Jacket (1987) | 168,920 |
| 89. | 8.3 | 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) | 174,640 |
| 90. | 8.3 | Braveheart (1995) | 265,319 |
| 91. | 8.3 | Inglourious Basterds (2009) | 216,975 |
| 92. | 8.3 | The Apartment (1960) | 40,497 |
| 93. | 8.3 | Downfall (2004) | 92,781 |
| 94. | 8.3 | Metropolis (1927) | 44,462 |
| 95. | 8.3 | Gladiator (2000) | 311,972 |
| 96. | 8.3 | Up (2009) | 139,913 |
| 97. | 8.3 | Gran Torino (2008) | 153,304 |
| 98. | 8.3 | The Sting (1973) | 72,434 |
| 99. | 8.3 | Unforgiven (1992) | 110,076 |
| 100. | 8.3 | Oldboy (2003) | 110,724 |
| 101. | 8.3 | The Elephant Man (1980) | 64,861 |
| 102. | 8.3 | Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) | 36,348 |
| 103. | 8.3 | The Maltese Falcon (1941) | 55,811 |
| 104. | 8.3 | The King’s Speech (2010) | 68,737 |
| 105. | 8.3 | On the Waterfront (1954) | 45,185 |
| 106. | 8.3 | Rebecca (1940) | 38,541 |
| 107. | 8.3 | Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) | 230,015 |
| 108. | 8.3 | Sin City (2005) | 279,775 |
| 109. | 8.3 | Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) | 187,079 |
| 110. | 8.3 | Die Hard (1988) | 201,046 |
| 111. | 8.3 | The Great Escape (1963) | 68,286 |
| 112. | 8.3 | Princess Mononoke (1997) | 73,115 |
| 113. | 8.3 | The Seventh Seal (1957) | 41,189 |
| 114. | 8.3 | Batman Begins (2005) | 297,556 |
| 115. | 8.2 | Jaws (1975) | 152,161 |
| 116. | 8.2 | Blade Runner (1982) | 200,563 |
| 117. | 8.2 | Hotel Rwanda (2004) | 102,709 |
| 118. | 8.2 | Fargo (1996) | 179,294 |
| 119. | 8.2 | The General (1926) | 22,215 |
| 120. | 8.2 | Heat (1995) | 159,829 |
| 121. | 8.2 | No Country for Old Men (2007) | 222,345 |
| 122. | 8.2 | For a Few Dollars More (1965) | 50,813 |
| 123. | 8.2 | A Separation (2011) | 6,786 |
| 124. | 8.2 | Yojimbo (1961) | 32,195 |
| 125. | 8.2 | Slumdog Millionaire (2008) | 202,810 |
| 126. | 8.2 | Touch of Evil (1958) | 35,449 |
| 127. | 8.2 | The Wizard of Oz (1939) | 113,479 |
| 128. | 8.2 | Ran (1985) | 37,493 |
| 129. | 8.2 | Grave of the Fireflies (1988) | 39,439 |
| 130. | 8.2 | Witness for the Prosecution (1957) | 20,228 |
| 131. | 8.2 | Wild Strawberries (1957) | 23,855 |
| 132. | 8.2 | Snatch. (2000) | 194,938 |
| 133. | 8.2 | The Sixth Sense (1999) | 263,377 |
| 134. | 8.2 | The Deer Hunter (1978) | 96,629 |
| 135. | 8.2 | The Big Lebowski (1998) | 198,606 |
| 136. | 8.2 | The Lion King (1994) | 158,587 |
| 137. | 8.2 | Annie Hall (1977) | 71,820 |
| 138. | 8.2 | Cool Hand Luke (1967) | 50,172 |
| 139. | 8.2 | Strangers on a Train (1951) | 38,080 |
| 140. | 8.2 | Donnie Darko (2001) | 232,727 |
| 141. | 8.2 | It Happened One Night (1934) | 27,634 |
| 142. | 8.2 | High Noon (1952) | 37,298 |
| 143. | 8.2 | Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) | 257,376 |
| 144. | 8.2 | District 9 (2009) | 180,467 |
| 145. | 8.2 | Platoon (1986) | 119,871 |
| 146. | 8.2 | Toy Story (1995) | 174,408 |
| 147. | 8.2 | Into the Wild (2007) | 118,670 |
| 148. | 8.1 | There Will Be Blood (2007) | 146,239 |
| 149. | 8.1 | Million Dollar Baby (2004) | 159,564 |
| 150. | 8.1 | Notorious (1946) | 34,223 |
| 151. | 8.1 | Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) | 63,281 |
| 152. | 8.1 | Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) | 12,936 |
| 153. | 8.1 | Gone with the Wind (1939) | 87,217 |
| 154. | 8.1 | Trainspotting (1996) | 166,509 |
| 155. | 8.1 | Scarface (1983) | 170,185 |
| 156. | 8.1 | The Gold Rush (1925) | 23,760 |
| 157. | 8.1 | The Grapes of Wrath (1940) | 25,799 |
| 158. | 8.1 | Groundhog Day (1993) | 152,207 |
| 159. | 8.1 | Ben-Hur (1959) | 64,446 |
| 160. | 8.1 | The Big Sleep (1946) | 31,434 |
| 161. | 8.1 | The Manchurian Candidate (1962) | 37,286 |
| 162. | 8.1 | Amores Perros (2000) | 67,582 |
| 163. | 8.1 | The Graduate (1967) | 85,679 |
| 164. | 8.1 | Avatar (2009) | 308,752 |
| 165. | 8.1 | Life of Brian (1979) | 104,006 |
| 166. | 8.1 | The Wrestler (2008) | 110,094 |
| 167. | 8.1 | The Kid (1921) | 16,909 |
| 168. | 8.1 | Finding Nemo (2003) | 187,629 |
| 169. | 8.1 | Ikiru (1952) | 18,018 |
| 170. | 8.1 | The Terminator (1984) | 198,505 |
| 171. | 8.1 | The Wages of Fear (1953) | 15,811 |
| 172. | 8.1 | The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) | 165,716 |
| 173. | 8.1 | Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) | 140,856 |
| 174. | 8.1 | The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) | 18,920 |
| 175. | 8.1 | The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) | 28,350 |
| 176. | 8.1 | Casino (1995) | 121,165 |
| 177. | 8.1 | The Thing (1982) | 88,551 |
| 178. | 8.1 | Stand by Me (1986) | 98,974 |
| 179. | 8.1 | Twelve Monkeys (1995) | 186,400 |
| 180. | 8.1 | V for Vendetta (2006) | 252,852 |
| 181. | 8.1 | How to Train Your Dragon (2010) | 67,815 |
| 182. | 8.1 | Dog Day Afternoon (1975) | 66,013 |
| 183. | 8.1 | Diabolique (1955) | 16,589 |
| 184. | 8.1 | Gandhi (1982) | 56,714 |
| 185. | 8.1 | Ratatouille (2007) | 151,102 |
| 186. | 8.1 | My Neighbor Totoro (1988) | 36,359 |
| 187. | 8.1 | Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) | 16,049 |
| 188. | 8.1 | 8½ (1963) | 32,865 |
| 189. | 8.1 | The Social Network (2010) | 110,127 |
| 190. | 8.1 | The Night of the Hunter (1955) | 28,346 |
| 191. | 8.1 | The Princess Bride (1987) | 132,107 |
| 192. | 8.0 | Star Trek (2009) | 154,002 |
| 193. | 8.0 | Good Will Hunting (1997) | 169,035 |
| 194. | 8.0 | The Hustler (1961) | 27,792 |
| 195. | 8.0 | The 400 Blows (1959) | 26,680 |
| 196. | 8.0 | The Killing (1956) | 27,329 |
| 197. | 8.0 | Network (1976) | 38,226 |
| 198. | 8.0 | The Battle of Algiers (1966) | 15,554 |
| 199. | 8.0 | La Strada (1954) | 19,629 |
| 200. | 8.0 | The Incredibles (2004) | 178,254 |
| 201. | 8.0 | Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) | 22,372 |
| 202. | 8.0 | The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) | 35,927 |
| 203. | 8.0 | The Exorcist (1973) | 116,469 |
| 204. | 8.0 | A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) | 37,229 |
| 205. | 8.0 | The Wild Bunch (1969) | 34,079 |
| 206. | 8.0 | Dial M for Murder (1954) | 33,873 |
| 207. | 8.0 | In Bruges (2008) | 113,190 |
| 208. | 8.0 | Stalag 17 (1953) | 22,368 |
| 209. | 8.0 | Persona (1966) | 18,108 |
| 210. | 8.0 | Mary and Max (2009) | 19,589 |
| 211. | 8.0 | The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) | 12,229 |
| 212. | 8.0 | All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) | 23,735 |
| 213. | 8.0 | Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) | 14,469 |
| 214. | 8.0 | Rocky (1976) | 111,578 |
| 215. | 8.0 | Fanny and Alexander (1982) | 16,098 |
| 216. | 8.0 | Let the Right One In (2008) | 70,376 |
| 217. | 8.0 | Ed Wood (1994) | 80,632 |
| 218. | 8.0 | Children of Men (2006) | 175,401 |
| 219. | 8.0 | Big Fish (2003) | 156,625 |
| 220. | 8.0 | Magnolia (1999) | 130,404 |
| 221. | 8.0 | Barry Lyndon (1975) | 43,440 |
| 222. | 8.0 | Mystic River (2003) | 133,510 |
| 223. | 8.0 | Manhattan (1979) | 42,457 |
| 224. | 8.0 | The Truman Show (1998) | 178,468 |
| 225. | 8.0 | Rosemary’s Baby (1968) | 57,284 |
| 226. | 8.0 | The Celebration (1998) | 29,316 |
| 227. | 8.0 | Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) | 203,383 |
| 228. | 8.0 | Patton (1970) | 42,801 |
| 229. | 8.0 | Roman Holiday (1953) | 34,698 |
| 230. | 8.0 | Infernal Affairs (2002) | 39,228 |
| 231. | 8.0 | Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) | 52,386 |
| 232. | 8.0 | Nights of Cabiria (1957) | 12,268 |
| 233. | 8.0 | Sherlock Jr. (1924) | 8,377 |
| 234. | 8.0 | His Girl Friday (1940) | 22,613 |
| 235. | 8.0 | Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) | 260,438 |
| 236. | 8.0 | Duck Soup (1933) | 29,073 |
| 237. | 8.0 | Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) | 64,428 |
| 238. | 8.0 | The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) | 24,810 |
| 239. | 8.0 | The Philadelphia Story (1940) | 29,881 |
| 240. | 8.0 | Harvey (1950) | 25,500 |
| 241. | 8.0 | Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) | 32,399 |
| 242. | 8.0 | Rope (1948) | 35,532 |
| 243. | 8.0 | Sleuth (1972) | 19,434 |
| 244. | 8.0 | Three Colors: Red (1994) | 26,688 |
| 245. | 8.0 | Monsters, Inc. (2001) | 133,965 |
| 246. | 8.0 | Beauty and the Beast (1991) | 78,284 |
| 247. | 8.0 | In the Mood for Love (2000) | 28,117 |
| 248. | 8.0 | Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring (2003) | 20,797 |
| 249. | 8.0 | King Kong (1933) | 42,335 |
| 250. | 8.0 | Rain Man (1988) | 116,225 |
The Year of 50 Challenge
I really want to start blogging more often. However, I have been struck with a severe case of writer’s block. I like to write about my experiences and pop culture, but lately I’ve been slacking on having new experiences that I can share. I’m also slacking on getting engaged with today’s pop culture.
I think I may have come up with a way to change that.
I keep seeing all of these different “challenges” that blogs invite you to do as a way to give you something to write about. For example, the 100 day photo challenge that I just completed on Facebook. Post a picture every day for 100 days. It gives you a chance to reminisce and tell stories while others get the opportunity to learn more about you. Simple and fun! And this is just an example of many of the “challenges” that the internet welcomes bloggers to attempt.
Some of them are just a little unrealistic though. I saw one today that was “500 Movies in a Year”. I’m not saying that this isn’t doable, but I work in a movie theater and even I don’t think I could pull it off. Even if short films count, it’s still kind of an unrealistic goal for anyone who isn’t irrationally obsessed with movies or hates their social life.
SO…I’m going to create a challenge for myself. It’s going to be one that I think I can tackle without wanting to shoot myself in the face. At first, I leaned toward doing something simply related to movies because that’s my true passion. Then I remembered that I had umpteen books sitting around that I haven’t read yet. Watching a ton of movies wouldn’t allow me time to read them. I am also constantly listening to music, and I am not one of those people that can read while music is on. How do I manage to find the time to watch a ton of movies, read all of my books, AND listen to tons of awesome new music?
Easy squeezy. Create a challenge that encompasses all three.
It’s called “The Year of 50 Challenge”. Starting today, I have one year to watch 50 new movies, read 50 new books, and listen to 50 new albums. I think this is a very fair number. The only two rules are 1) that I have to blog about my experience and 2) I can’t read, watch, or listen to a book, movie, or album that I’ve read, seen, or heard before. If you want to do this on your blog too, feel free. It’s about time someone made a challenge that was actually doable!
Check back to see how my progress is coming along.
