30 Day Movie Challenge: Day #10

Day 10. Favorite Foreign Film

Because I went to film school, I have been exposed to a lot of foreign films although I haven’t always liked them. I do find it interesting to get a sense of what other countries do with filmmaking. Even though Hollywood is seen as the frontrunner for making films, many other countries are to thank for where film has been able to go. I spent a semester abroad in Florence, Italy and took a film class where we watched exclusively Italian films. I’ve also spent some time at various film festivals where I have been exposed to foreign films from a variety of different countries.

• Cinema Paradiso (1988)–A filmmaker recalls his childhood, when he fell in love with the movies at his village’s theater and formed a deep friendship with the theater’s projectionist. I had to watch this for the first time in high school and I fell in love with it. Then when I traveled to Florence, learned more Italian and watched it again, I fell in love even more. The little kid in the movie is just adorable.

• La Vita e Bella (1997)–A Jewish man has a wonderful romance with the help of his humour, but must use that same quality to protect his son in a Nazi death camp. Roberto Benigni writes, directs and stars. This is an amazing movie…first of all it starts off as a love story with an adorkable leading man. Then out of nowhere it turns into a movie where the man and son are taken into a Nazi camp. Somehow the quirky, endearing main character is able to bring comedic relief to such a touchy and horrifying topic. I sobbed so much!

• Yojimbo (1961)–A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town. This was such a fun movie to watch. The main character basically just plays both gangs and somehow its just hilarious. Oh and the entire time I thought all of a sudden that they were going to break out into song and dance.

• 678 (2010)–Unfolds the poignant story of three women and their search for justice from the daily plight of sexual harassment in Egypt. Maybe it’s because I have a very good friend that lives in Egypt, I felt very emotional about this movie. It’s insane to think that there are still countries where assaulting women in anyway is okay. It’s great that someone is finally bringing attention to this issue though.

• M (1931)–When the police in a German city are unable to catch a child-murderer, other criminals join in the manhunt. Fritz Lang writes and directs. This is actually the first serial killer film and had set the way for suspense and thrillers to come.

Do you have a favorite foreign film??

30 Day Movie Challenge: Day #9

Day 9. Favorite Musical

I am a big Broadway brat…I think I’ve seen around 60 shows. I’ve always been a fan of musicals–acted in a few when I was little, did drama club in high school, etc. Narrowing it down to 5 favorites in this category was tough!!

• Funny Face (1957)–Fashion photographer Dick Avery, turns a Greenwich Village unknown into an international supermodel. Starring Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire and Kay Thompson. This is one of my favorite movies! I love Audrey Hepburn in everything she did but especially this movie. She’s s’wonderful and s’marvelous.

• Chicago (2002)–Murderesses Velma Kelly (a chanteuse and tease who killed her husband and sister after finding them in bed together) and Roxie Hart (who killed her boyfriend when she discovered he wasn’t going to make her a star) find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920s Chicago. Starring Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere and John C. Reilly. Everything about this movie is perfection…especially John C. Reilly singing Mr. Cellophane. Oh gosh now it’s gonna be stuck in my head for the rest of the week.

• Grease (1978)–Good girl Sandy and greaser Danny fell in love over the summer. But when they unexpectedly discover they’re now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance? Starring John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John and Stockard Channing. Seriously who doesn’t love this movie? It’s by far the best musical ever! I sing along with every song whenever I watch it. Which seems to be at least every few months! Oh and whenever I get the chills, I feel the need to sing…”I’ve got the chills they’re multiplying!”

• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)–The infamous story of Benjamin Barker, a.k.a. Sweeney Todd, who sets up a barber shop down in London which is the basis for a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett. Directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Alan Rickman. Ok so this movie is basically the cast of Harry Potter and Johnny Depp. This musical has a special place in my heart…I went to see it on Broadway for my sweet sixteenth birthday. It might be one of the best stage to movie adaptations ever! It feels like a stage production with the fake blood and all. Who knew Johnny Depp could sing?

• Annie (1982)–A young orphan girl’s adventures in finding a family that will take her. Starring Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney and Carol Burnett. Nobody can resist a little red-headed orphan girl with an adorable mutt who is overly optimistic. The music is great and Carol Burnett is the perfect villain.

What is your favorite musical?

30 Day Movie Challenge: Day #8

Day 8. Favorite Thriller

I really like thrillers…even more than horror movies. I think that what makes thrillers even scarier is that usually, these things can actually happen. I’m still waiting for a movie to actually scare me but at least I am pleasantly surprised with the plot twists and turns. I can usually predict what is gonna happen in a movie but with thrillers, I can’t.

• Rear Window (1954)–A wheelchair bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Starring Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly. I love a good Hitchcock film and I think this is his best one. His movies are more than just a movie…they are a commentary on humans. The idea of being a voyeur into someone else’s life is so erie yet so normal.

• Double Jeopardy (1999)–A woman framed for her husband’s murder suspects he is still alive; as she has already been tried for the crime, she can’t be re-prosecuted if she finds and kills him. Starring Ashley Judd and Tommy Lee Jones. Ashley Judd kicks butt in this movie!

• The Uninvited (2009)–Anna Rydell returns home to her sister (and best friend) Alex after a stint in a mental hospital, though her recovery is jeopardized thanks to her cruel stepmother, aloof father and the presence of a ghost in their home. Starring Emily Browning, Arielle Kebbel and Elizabeth Banks. Seriously so surprising!! I didn’t put all the pieces together until the plot was starting to unfold. Great twists!!

• Identity (2003)–Stranded at a desolate Nevada motel during a nasty rainstorm, ten strangers become acquainted with each other when they realize that they’re being killed off one by one. Starring John Cusack, Ray Liotta and Amanda Peet. This movies keeps you on your toes. Constantly trying to figure out who the killer is becomes exhausting.

• What Lies Beneath (2000)–The wife of a university research scientist believes that her lakeside Vermont home is haunted by a ghost-or that she’s losing her mind. Starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer. I used to watch this movie all the time. It was the first thriller that made me love this genre!

What is your favorite thriller??

30 Day Movie Challenge: Day #7

Day 7. Favorite Animated Feature

I know I’m 22 years old, but sometimes I wish I was still 5. I’m obsessed with Disney movies…always have been. I would love to work in animation at some point in my life.

• Up (2009)–By tying thousands of balloons to his home, 78-year-old Carl sets out to fulfill his lifelong dream to see the wilds of South America. Russell, a wilderness explorer 70 years younger, inadvertently becomes a stowaway. This is my favorite Pixar film–the characters are so real that you forget that they are animated. But the best part of this movie is that they can tell one of the best love stories with almost no words. It gets me every time.

• Monsters, Inc. (2001)–Monsters generate their city’s power by scaring children, but they are terribly afraid themselves of being contaminated by children, so when one enters Monstropolis, top scarer Sulley finds his wold disrupted. Seriously I think this is one of the best stories Pixar has come up with! So simple yet amazing!! Whenever I hear Billy Crystal’s voice I picture Mike Wazowski!!

• Anastasia (1997)–The only surviving child of the Russian Royal Family hooks up with two con men while the undead Rasputin seeks her death. Starring Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Christopher Lloyd, Hank Azaria, Bernadette Peters, Kirsten Dunst and Angela Lansbury. Besides having the best cast for an animated movie, it also has some of the best music. I still have some of the songs on my playlists! I’m in love with this movie!! Oh and I call my dog Barok because she looks like him! Haha

• Lady and the Tramp (1955)–The romantic tale of a sheltered uptown Cocker Spaniel dog and a streetwise downtown Mutt. This is by far my all time favorite Disney movie. I love dogs!! I’ve always wanted someone to get me a Lady for Christmas like Jim Dear got Darling.

• The Little Mermaid (1989)–A mermaid princess makes a faustian bargain with an unscrupulous seahag in order to meet a human prince on land. Ariel is my favorite Disney princess and Ursula may be my favorite Disney character ever…well after Eeyore.

What are your favorite animated films??

30 Day Movie Challenge: Day #6

Day 6. Favorite Horror

This is the perfect category for this month. Every October, I watch 31 Halloween/horror films because I just love Halloween. I’m in the middle of this month’s list but you can see last year’s list here. I absolutely love slasher movies but most movies in the horror genre don’t really scare me so I had a hard time picking a few favorites.

• Wrong Turn (2003)–Six people find themselves trapped in the woods of West Virginia, hunted down by cannibalistic mountain men grossly disfigured through generations of in-breeding. Stars Eliza Dushku, Jeremy Sisto and Emmanuelle Chiqui. This has to be my favorite slasher film and I’m not really sure why. I just love it!

• Zombieland (2009)–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 o get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America. Stars Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Woody Harrelson and Abigail Breslin. The greatest zombie movie! There is a great sense of comedy while their entire world is being destroyed by zombies.

• Scream (1996)–A killer known as “ghost face” begins killing off teenagers, and as the body count beings rising, one girl and her friends find themselves contemplating the rules of horror films as they find themselves living in a real-life one. Directed by Wes Craven and stars Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette and a slew of other name actors. This movie is complete genius! Making fun of the horror genre while still being a horror movie…EPIC!! I should also point out that all four Scream movies are included in this but the first one is still the best. My favorite scene of any movie is in this one: Jamie Kennedy is sitting on the couch watching Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween yelling at Jamie to turn around because the killer is behind her. This makes you, as the viewer, yell our to Jamie Kennedy for him to turn around because the killer is behind him. It’s just so clever!

• The Cabin in the Woods (2011)–Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin in the woods, where they get more han they bargained for. Together, they must discover the truth behind the cabin in the woods. Written and produced by the fantastic Joss Whedon. Starring Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemswoth, Jesse Williams, Fran Kranz, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Amy Acker and Tom Lenk. I had no idea what this movie was really about but I kept hearing wonderful things so I figured I’d give it a try. OMG! I was surprised by how much I liked it! And I love how Joss Whedon works with a lot of the same people over and over again. Even Andrew from Buffy the Vampire Slayer was in this movie!

• Sleepy Hollow (1999)–Ichabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of 3 people with the culprit being the legendary apparition, the Headless Horseman. Directed by Tim Burton and Stars Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci and Miranda Richardson. Anything with the Tim & Johnny bromance is amazing! Tim Burton has a wonderful eye for weirdness and I love it! So dark but yet so witty.

What are some of your favorite horror movies??

30 Day Movie Challenge: Day #5

Day 5. Favorite Action

I think that action films are some of the most entertaining films ever made. There is never a dull moment–always someone beating someone else up, some sort of chase scene or what not. I mean the plot lines aren’t usually too strong (sometimes they even suck) but with all the action scenes, it doesn’t really matter. These are my favorite movies to see in the theater.

• XXX (2002)–Xander Cage is an extreme sports athlete recruited by the government on a special mission. Starring Vin Diesel. I’m obsessed with this movie…I think I was actually the only girl in the whole theater when I saw this! Haha. So entertaining!

• Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)–Video game adventurer Lara Croft comes to life in a movie where she races against time and villains to recover powerful ancient artifacts. Starring Angelina Jolie, Jon Voight and Iain Glen. I loved the video game when I was little and Angelina Jolie was the spitting image of the girl. She was made to play this role! Yay for badass women!!

• The Italian Job (2003)–After being betrayed and left for dead in Italy, Charlie Croker and his team plan an elaborate gold heist against their former ally. Starring Donald Sutherland, Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, Seth Green and Mos Def. Because of this movie, I’ve always wanted to drive a mini cooper like a crazy person!

• Wanted (2008)–A frustrated office worker learns that he is the son of a professional assassin, and that he shares his father’s superhuman killing abilities. Starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. Ok so Angelina Jolie is the queen of action. SPOILER ALERT! This movie has the best ending ever…when Jolie kills them all and when McAvoy kills Freeman. OMG!

• Taken (2008)–A retired CIA agent travels across Europe and relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who was kidnapped on a trip to Paris to be sold into prostitution. Stars Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen. Liam Neeson is so badass! But I hate watching Maggie Grace run in this movie…she looks stupid!

What are your favorite action movies?

30 Day Movie Challenge: Day #4

Day 4. Favorite Drama

• We Bought a Zoo (2011)–Set in Southern California, a father moves his young family to the countryside to renovate and re-open a struggling zoo. Cameron Crowe directs. Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson star. I’m a sucker for a good family film, through in some animals and a cute kid and I’m gonna love it!

• Beyond Borders (2003)–An epic tale of the turbulent romance between two star-crossed lovers set against the backdrop of the world’s most dangerous hot spots. Stars Clive Owen and Angelina Jolie. Not only does this movie have a tortured love story, it also focuses on the issues that surround Cambodia. It’s a touching story that really shows Jolie as more than just an action star.

• The Departed (2006)–Two men from opposite sides of the law are undercover within the Massachusetts State Police and the Irish mafia, but violence and bloodshed boil when discoveries are made, and the moles are dispatched to find out their enemy’s identities. Martin Scorsese directs a star studded cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Vera Farmiga and Alec Baldwin. Everything about this movie is fantastic!

• Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998)–The “real” story of Cinderella. A refreshing new take on the classic fairy tale. Stars Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston and Dougray Scott. I think this is my favorite version of Cinderella. I love the wardrobe for the movie!

• The Breakfast Club (1985)–Five high school students, all different stereotypes, meet in detention, where they pour their hearts out to each other, and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought. John Hughes writes and directs. Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson and Molly Ringwald star. By far the best teenage/coming-of-age story! Still relevant and always will be!!

What are your favorite dramas??

30 Day Movie Challenge: Day #3

Day 3. Favorite Comedy

I can easily say that comedy is my favorite genre of film. As much as I think other genres create better quality movies, there is nothing like being completely entertained for a couple of hours.

• Wedding Crashers (2005)–John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey, a pair of committed womanizers who sneak into weddings to take advantage of the romantic tinge in the air, find themselves at odds with one another when John meets and falls for Claire Cleary. Stars Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Rachel McAdams. I absolutely love this movie!! It is a favorite of my entire family…it’s always on our tv. I quote it all the time. “Mom! The meatloaf! Fuck!”

• Bridesmaids (2011)–Competition between the maid of honor and a bridesmaid, over who is the bride’s best friend, threatens to upend the life of an out-of-work pastry chef. Kristen Wiig writes and stars along side Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper and Melissa McCarthy. I love the girl power and I still can’t believe that it’s taken this long for people to see that women are funny.

• Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)–A group of misfits enter a Las Vegas dodgeball tournament in order to save their cherished local gym from the onslaught of a corporate health fitness chain. Stars Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Christine Taylor. Any combination of the guys in the frat pack (Vince, Ben, Will, Owen, Jack) is a formula for a funny movie.

• Get Smart (2008)–Maxwell Smart, analyst for the secret spy agency CONTROL, alongside the experienced Agent 99, must prevent KAOS, an enemy agency from Russia, from bringing disaster to America. Stars Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway and Alan Arkin. There is a good amount of action yet there is comedy at every beat.

• Elf (2003)–After inadvertently wreaking havoc on the elf community due to his ungainly size, a man raised as an elf at the North Pole is sent to the U.S. in search of his true identity. Directed by Jon Favreau and stars Will Ferrell, James Caan and Bob Newhart. This is by far the best Christmas movie ever made but it doesn’t need to be the holiday season to watch this movie. Will Ferrell is one of the funniest actors.

What are you favorite comedies??

30 Day Movie Challenge: Day #2

Day 2. Least Favorite Film

I have to admit that it’s really hard for me to see a movie that I don’t like. I mean there are definitely some bad movies out there but I can usually tell if a movie is going to be bad, yet entertaining and then I can’t be disappointed when it turns out to be the case. Some of the worst movies are the best ones to watch when you need a good pick-me-up. I guess there have been a handful of movies that I didn’t like at all–even a few that I had to walk out of the theater for. Here are a few that I just don’t like.

• The Tree of Life (2011)–The story of a family in Waco Texas in 1956. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence and struggles with his parents conflicting philosophies. Terrence Malick writes and directs while Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain star. Besides the fact that there are beyond stunning scenes to look at in the movie, the above log line for the movie is complete bullshit. There was no plot in this movie and it made no sense. There was a whole 30 minutes of footage that showed how the Earth was formed. This was totally not worth my time.

• Gigli (2003)–The violent story about how a criminal lesbian, a tough-guy hit-man with a heart of gold, and a retarded man came to be best friends through a hostage. This Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez flop doesn’t need anymore explanation. By far the worst movie ever made.

• The Bounty Hunter (2010)–A bounty hunter learns that his next target is his ex-wife, a reporter working on a murder cover-up. Soon after their reunion, the always-at-odds duo find themselves on a run-for-their-lives adventure. I usually like the cheesy Jennifer Aniston rom-coms but this one is just riddled with ridiculousness.

• Joe Dirt (2001)–David Spade stars as Joe Dirt, an idiot who works as an oil weller who is on the search for his parents who abandoned him when he was a baby at the grand canyon. Yes it is as stupid as it sounds.

• Sleeping Beauty (2011)–A haunting portrait of Lucy, a young university student drawn into a mysterious hidden world of unspoken desires. Although Emily Browning shows her talent as an actress, I don’t think I’ve ever been more disturbed in a movie. I guess I assumed it was a live action of the beloved Disney fairytale and boy was I wrong. The things that happen in this movie were so graphic and violent that it just made me feel so uncomfortable.

Are there any movies that you dislike??

30 Day Movie Challenge: Day #1

Day 1. Favorite Film

Because I am a huge movie buff, I dread the question, “What is your favorite movie?” There are too many movies to pick from and it usually comes down to what kind of mood I’m in or what was the last movie that I watched that I absolutely loved. Going to school for film, I realized that I had to come up with a go to answer. After going through my very big movie collection I have come up with a top five favorite movies. Many have been longtime favorites while others just recently made the list. These are in no particular order.

• Some Like it Hot (1959)–When two musicians witness a mob hit, they flee the state in an all female band disguised as women, but further complications set in. Billy Wilder writes and directs while Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon star.

• Charlie Bartlett (2007)–A rich kid becomes the self-appointed psychiatrist to the student body of his new high school. Stars Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey Jr. and Kat Dennings.

• Saved! (2004)–When a girl attending a Christian high school becomes pregnant, she finds herself ostracized and demonized, as all her former friends turn on her. Stars Jena Malone, Mandy Moore and Macaulay Culkin.

• The Avengers (2012)–Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki and his army. Joss Whedon writes and directs while Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston star.

• Sweet Home Alabama (2002)–A young woman with a Southern background runs away from her husband in Alabama and reinvents herself as a New York socialite. Stars Reese Witherspoon, Patrick Dempsey and Josh Lucas.

What are some of your favorite movies??