I decided to have this as one of my goals because we don't have cable hook-up, which is not a big deal because we wouldn't get our monies worth if we did. The other result of not having cable is that we don't see all the advertisements for new movies coming out. This is where the difficulty of choosing movies usually comes from. So if I can't choose based on what "looks good" I figured I'd watch based on what the movies are called. :)
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So here's the list, largely in part to hulu.com and netflix.com:
The italicized part is the description from the websites and then the next part are my thoughts on the movie. :)
A: And Then There Was One
The Ventola's have struggled for years to have a child. When they finally have Miranda, a beautiful baby girl, they are saddened to discover that she has AIDS.
The overall quality and such of this movie was pretty poor. After watching this and describing it to Mister, he commented that it sounded like a decent movie. So I think if it was more current and not so Lifetime Movie-ish, it could have potential to be a better watch.
B: Believe
Ben Stiles loves to play scary tricks on people. And after getting expelled from prep school, he has even more time to devote to such shenanigans. When he and his friend Katherine decide to transform spooky, abandoned Warwick House into a haunted house, he doesn't take into account that the ramshackle old place may not need his help! When a mysterious wailing ghost makes itself known, the two get sucked into the world of the supernatural and try to find the truth behind the haunting.
Not a high quality-film, but for a teeny-movie, not too bad, and I guess it had some good morals.
C: Cherry Crush
Privileged teenager Jordan Wells finds himself expelled from his prep school. Now enrolled in the local high school, he becomes helplessly blinded by the beauty of a stunning temptress from the other side of the tracks.
I was a little uncertain about this movie because I was fearful of nudity and such, yet while there was sexual references, it wasn't overbearing. Overall I enjoyed Cherry Crush.
D: Diary of a Cannibal
Horror master Ulli Lommel's depraved tale of a modern-day cannibal is inspired by a real-life case of a woman who murdered and consumed her lover in a strange act of consensual love. They met on the Internet. They fell in love. Only one of them survived to write THE DIARY OF A CANNIBAL.
One word: Weird. I was thinking this would be more of a scary movie since the description labeled it as "horror, suspense" but it was just straight up weird. Not much talking, just watching a young lady murder and eat [after grilling it up of course] her "lover". The oddest part? The movie started with Scripture and had it all through out as well.
E: End of the Spear
Worlds collide and tragedy strikes as a missionary group journeys to the heart of the Amazon Jungle in search of the Waodani, a tribe of fierce warriors completely isolated from civilization. When five of the missionaries are killed by tribesmen, their families are left husbandless and fatherless. Despite their tremendous loss, and as a testament to their faith, the families decide to remain in Ecuador and live among the Waodani as originally planned. It is a powerful tale of faith, sacrifice, courage and redemption.
I vaguely remembered the premise of this movie and thought I had watched it before, but wasn't 100% sure. Nevertheless, I watched it again and really enjoyed it in the sense that you can enjoy a plot line similar to this. This is actually a good movie--I have seen it before--that you can find on Hulu! If you haven't seen it yet, check it out! :)
F: Forever Strong
A rugby player is put up in a juvenile detention center. There he plays for the Highland Rugby team and ultimately plays against his father in the National Championships.
I feel like I lucked out once again with my "F" movie choice! This movie reminded me of Facing the Giants or another sport-related movie that has a good moral to the story... and it wasn't cheesy!
G: [The] Good Mother
What does it take to be America's best mom? For a few days every year, women come from all over the country to compete in the “Mother of the Year” pageant in the hope of becoming the reigning representative of American motherhood. Director Sarah Klein follows several moms and their families as they prepare for the competition, juggle their children's activities, organize their churches’ fundraisers, and still manage to get dinner on the table by 6. For America's best mom, that is all in a day's work and done with a smile on her face. This deceptively simple premise is the foundation for exploring what it means to be a “Mom,” and by extension a “woman,” in today's America, and how that definition has evolved over time.
This is a documentary of sorts so it has the quirkiness of documentary shooting, but it was decently interesting. I didn't even know there was such a competition, and honestly this movie picked up some of the cheesiness that was left out of Forever Strong! It's a contest, it's a competition, but it's also a peeing contest between grown women. Interestingly though, I don't recall any of the nominated mothers being working [outside the home] mothers even though they didn't say that that's a requirement. Not judging, but I think there are working mommas out there who are doing more deserving of "Mother of the Year" than some of those mom.
H: Henry Brown
When a crew of drug-dealing gang members takes the life of his only friend, Leonard (David Bradley), retired Marine and widower Harry Brown (Michael Caine) decides to take the law into his own hands -- but his old-school training might be overmatched.
If you are able to get past the very slllooooww beginning of this movie, as well as the f-bombs and detailed violence, it's not too bad. There were a couple interesting twists but I won't find myself rewatching this one.
I:
I can't for the life of me remember what I-movie I watched. It must have been riveting! ;)
J: Just Like the Son
A petty thief's mentoring of an apparent orphan takes a profound turn when he kidnaps the boy from a foster home and drives him cross-country to his sister's house in Texas.
This movie also reminded me of a Lifetime movie, but I did enjoy it. It was cute to see the giving back.
K: Knockaround Boys
The wannabe sons of mobsters go to a remote town in the Midwest, and get themselves into more trouble than anyone could anticipate.
Ugh, we didn't really enjoy this movie. It wasn't awful, but I thought it was kind of slow and not really what we like to watch. Mediocre plot and lots of choice words. After starting though we watched it to the end largely in part because of this list.
L: Legendary
A book-smart teenager joins his school's wrestling team as a way to reunite his surviving family members, who split apart after the death of his father, a college wrestling legend, 10 years ago.
Because of my "wrestling background", I was drawn to this movie and did enjoy it. There were parts that I think I may have had a greater appreciation for than others, but it was overall a movie that could be enjoyed by all. I appreciated that the ending wasn't cliche, but was still good!
M: Moulin Rouge
A poet falls for a beautiful courtesan whom a jealous duke covets in this stylish musical, with music drawn from familiar 20th century sources.
I've always wanted to watch this movie as I have heard a lot about it--and I've danced many a high school dances with friends to the theme song! I had absolutely no idea what the premise of the movie was about prior to starting the movie so it took me a bit to "get into it". It was interesting and entertaining nonetheless!
N: Nice Guy Johnny
Johnny Rizzo, is about to trade his dream job in talk radio for some snooze-ville gig that'll pay enough to please his fiancée. Enter Uncle Terry, a rascally womanizer set on turning a weekend in the Hamptons into an eye-opening fling for his nephew. Nice guy Johnny's not interested, of course, but then he meets the lovely Brooke, who challenges Johnny to make the toughest decision of is life.
If the F-bomb was left out, I would've enjoyed this movie. It wasn't a terrible movie, despite thinking it would be because of the choice words especially at the beginning of the film, but they died out a bit and I could focus more on the plot.
O: Old Dogs
Two friends and business partners find their lives turned upside down when strange circumstances lead to them being placed in the care of 7-year-old twins.
This wasn't a typical Disney movie, but I did enjoy it!
P: Princess and the Frog
A fairy tale set in Jazz Age-era New Orleans and centered on a young girl named Tiana and her fateful kiss with a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again.
I chose this movie for
Q: Quarry
An escaped criminal accepts a ride from a minister in the South African outback. The minister makes a pass at him, and the criminal accidentally kills him in the ensuing fight. After burying the body, the man completes the minister's journey, and takes on his identity at the remote outpost that was expecting him. He is a successful impostor for a while, but then some petty thieves discover his true identity, and threaten to expose him.
There's a reason this movie generated less than $3500 in US Box offices. Sadly though, there aren't too many Q-movies out there to choose from, especially on Netflix or Hulu!
R: Ready or Not
When groom-to-be Chris (Christian Oliver) winds up in Mexico without money or a way home after his rowdy Las Vegas bachelor party, he tries to make it back for the Big Day -- but not if his four buddies can help it. While Chris's best man, Marc (Seamus Dever), works hard to convince his pal to stay single, everyone's trying to outrun danger and make it to the border.
Despite the Hangover feel [which I have never seen but I have seen the female version Bridesmaids] that this movie had, I actually really liked the ending!
S: Selling God
This documentary combines black comedy and serious historical research to examine how the marketing of fundamentalist Christianity has evolved over the years, including televangelism, megachurches and the post-Sept. 11 battle for moral superiority.
For parts of this documentary, I found myself nodding and acknowledging the construed Christianity that we see in America. On the other hand, there were definitely parts that were exaggerated. Informative and entertaining nonetheless.
T: Twelve
High school dropout White Mike (Chace Crawford) is living large as a dealer of weed and an Ecstasy-like pill called Twelve to rich teens in New York's Upper East Side. But Mike's luck turns fast when his cousin is killed and his best friend is arrested for the crime. Based on 17-year-old Nick McDonell's acclaimed 2002 novel, this gripping drama also stars Emma Roberts, Rory Culkin, Kiefer Sutherland and 50 Cent. This was an enjoyable movie. I found the "lifestories" of the various characters to be captivating and empathizing with their lives. The reality that this is some's reality was equally as captivating.
U: Unhitched
Struggling writer Olly (Stuart Townsend) agrees to serve as best man at his college pal's wedding even though he hasn't seen his friend in years. But Olly falls for the beautiful, charming young bride (Amy Smart) while realizing his old buddy (Steve John Shepherd) doesn't deserve her. So Olly and his roommate, Murray (Seth Green), cook up a convoluted plan to sabotage the ceremony at any cost. Stefan Schwartz directs this outrageous romantic comedy.
I found myself shaking my head not wanting certain scenes to occur out of the love and appreciation of what marriage should be, but in the end I enjoyed this movie. It's one that I wouldn't have mind spending $1.07 at RedBox for! :)
V: Vacation with Derek
Derek and Casey are back and continue their hilarious sibling rivalry during a family vacation to visit their grandmother at her beautiful lakefront lodge. Things heat up with Casey when she meets Jesse, a handsome young dancer.
Vacation with Derek reminded me of a made for tv kind of ABC Family movie. And just as those movies are, it was decently good and decently predictable. I'm pretty confident thought that the main moral of the movie had nothing to do with the description Netflix gave it!
W: Winning Season
Searching for a coach for his hapless girls' basketball team, school principal Terry (Rob Corddry) turns to his friend, Bill (Sam Rockwell), a divorced, drunken dishwasher who isn't even involved in his own daughter's life. But Bill's life changes as he bonds with the team. He develops a special connection with team captain Abbie (Emma Roberts), and while the girls start winning, Bill and his players still have a lot to overcome off the court.
This was a typical sports kind of movie, but as "those" movies are, it was pretty enjoyable.
X: XXX
Xander Cage is an extreme sports athlete recruited by the government on a special mission.
This is the last movie that I watched for my goal and the only one I watched out of order because I really struggled to find a movie that started with X on Netflix, Hulu, or RedBox. Thanks to the Facebook world's suggestions I found this movie. So for this movie, lots of violence and a bit too much skin for my preference, but overall I liked it! For as difficult as it was to find an X movie, it sure was a lot better than some of the other letters! :)
Y: You Kill Me
After alcoholic hit man Frank (Ben Kingsley) botches an assignment, he leaves the Polish mob family he works for to clean up the mess and relocates to San Francisco, where he dries out, gets a job at a mortuary and falls in love with Laurel (Téa Leoni). But when a rival gang threatens the family, he returns to take care of business -- with Laurel in tow. Philip Baker Hall and Dennis Farina co-star in director John Dahl's quirky crime comedy.
This was an odd movie. At times I had to remind myself what the movie was supposed to be about. There were some good themes threaded throughout and then you'd have a scene where you'd shake your head wondering what just happened.
Z: Zombieland
A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, and a gun-toting tough guy trying to find the Last Twinkie and a pair of sisters trying to get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America.
About 5 minutes into this movie, I looked at Chris and said, "This is weird." With about 5 minutes left of the movie, Chris looked at me and said, "That was weird." That pretty much sums up the movie but considering how incredibly "weird" the movie was, it actually wasn't a bad movie!
And there you have it. A to Z of movies. I enjoyed the concept of accomplishing this task, but I think from here on out, I'll choose my movies based on preference and content!
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