Walk Out

I wanted to admit something that most people cannot, I have never walked out of a movie that I paid for. Sure I have done some theater hopping in my life and walked out of a movie because I had to make it time for another one. Or there has been a time when I was wasting time between movies and would just randomly sneak into a movie to pass the time. But never have I paid for a movie, sat down, decided it was unwatchable and left. I give credit to my dad who took us to many bad movies throughout the years, and he never walked out. He had a different way to deal with movies that had no interest to him, he would start to sleep. I will admit that this has happened to me, in fact the #1 movie I would have walked out I feel asleep during. Here are some movies that looking back on, I might have walked out on.




1) Battlefield Earth (2000) -- This is by far one of the most unwatchable movie I felt I have seen, and I would have walked out if it was not for me falling asleep. As far as I can remember this is the first movie I feel asleep during and felt like it was okay. I would have most likely walked out of the movie even though I was seeing it my dad. I do not recall talking much about the movie afterwords, we probably switched to another movie after to make for this piece of shit.



2) Bewitched (2005) -- This was more on the audience then the movie, but the movie was pretty terrible as well. I believe I took a date (an ex girlfriend of mine). The movie had promise, Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman seemed like a good comedy duo. The reason I wanted to walk out was because a member of the audience fell asleep and started to snore so loud that people started to laugh at him, including his family that was with him. Yes the logical response would have been to nudge and wake him up but they did no such thing. To add to all of this the theater was quite small and I could not hear the dialogue when this moron would snore. I was restored to actually yelling at the family, probably something mean. It was the first and only time I have done that. Eventually the guy woke up but by then I was pretty pissed off and unable to enjoy the movie anymore. From what I can recall the movie was pretty bad so it just lead to an overall terrible movie experience.


3) Spy Kids 3-D (2003) -- I went to see this with one of my best friends and his girlfriend at the time. On the way there they started to bicker a little and I could tell I was in for a long night. When we sat down I do not think anyone talked at all, ah a lover quarrel! Between that the movie I felt I would have walked out, but I usually will not walk out on a movie if others are around. I think I spent most of the movie making jokes in my head about it. To give the movie some credit I had never seen the first two Spy Kids but I still think that would not help out much.


4) Wing Commander (1999) -- A movie based off a hit video game, who would have thought this Matthew Lillard and Freddie Prize Jr. movie would be bad? I mean the director actually directed the video games, isn't a movie just the same thing? Um No! I can tell you why I went to see this movie and it was really for one reason, it was the only way (pre-internet) you could get a glimpse at the Star Wars Episode I trailer. "Sad to say, the only thing good about "Wing Commander", the latest 'movie based on a video game', is the impressive trailer for the upcoming "Star Wars" prequel, "The Phantom Menace". After that, you might as well leave, because it all goes downhill from that point on." -- Fronter.online. The movie was garbage, I should have walked out right after the trailer or snuck into another movie right after. But Episode I would be better, right?


5) Aeon Flux (2005) -- I was looking forward to this movie based off the kick ass MTV 5 minute segments. If SNL showed us anything with their movies base of skits anyone can go from a 3-5 minute segment and make it into a successful 90 minute movie...right? Exactly, this is no Pat The Movie but it ranks up close. I just hated this movie for some reason. I am sure it is not the worst movie I have seen but I guess I was just in a mood to see something better that day but I can still recall how bad I thought this movie was. I was bored to death during the movie. I am sure the only reason I didn't walk out was because I was with my dad, who probably was smart and feel asleep. Maybe one day I will give this movie another try.

My New Favorite

I recently decided to change my favorite super-hero from Spider-Man to Batman. I felt that it was time for the change because Batman is more dark and adult. I think Spider-Man is geared towards more of the teen to twenties crowd (so two years ago for me). Here are some things that weighed on my mind while making the change (and some that didn't).

Villains:

Spider-Man has some great villains, including his biggest rival the Green Goblin. You also have Lizard, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, Sandman, Rhino, Venom, and the Vulture. In my mind he has some of the best villains in the entire Marvel universe. But a lot of the bad guys seem to have been easily defeated. Electro does not strike fear into me and to be honest the Green Goblin just threw pumpkin bombs.


Batman of course has one of the best villains ever made in Joker. A personal favorite because he never took what he did too serious even if it was paralyzing Commissioner Gordon's daughter. Batman and most of his villains also have a deep rooted past. He has a long love interest in Catwoman and he was was friends with Harvey Dent before he turned into Two Face. You also have Doctor Freeze, Poison Ivy, The Riddler, The Penguin, Ra's Al Ghul, The Scarecrow, Killer Croc, and Clayface.

Edge: Batman


Costume:

Spidey has the classic red and blue costume, with those two big white eyes. You know for sure it is Spider-Man when you see the costume. It is one of the best superhero costumes of all time. He also has those cool webs always around him, which look badass.


Batman is equally as classic and well known. You have the darker colors (best in sneaking around Gotham) but the classic bat emblem with the yellow back, to let the bad guys know that yep, this is batman and you are screwed. The cape and cowl are just as iconic.

Edge: Spider-Man (very very close)

Supporting Characters:


Batman has his loyal butler Alfred to help him get through the day. He has had three Robin's assist him over the years. One is now Nightwing, one was killed by the Joker but has recently been resurrected as a villain, and the latest has sort of gone off on his own. Batman also have Commissioner Gordon and his daughter (and former Batgirl now turned helper Oracle) Barbra Gordon.



Spidey has his wife and love Mary Jane, who is hot! He also has (or until recently) had Aunt May as his rock. He has had his own tragedy in the loss of Gwen Stacy. His best friend Harry Osborne's dad Norman was also the Green Goblin.

Edge: Push


Movies:

The Spiderman movies were lead by director Sam Raimi, who made the movies fun and did not forget the roots of the comics. Tobey Mcguire was an excellent choice to play Peter Parker. The first movie sort of paved the way this comic book movie film revival. The first Spiderman movie does not hold up as well as, repeat viewings I have had made me ponder why I thought it so good in the first place. The second and far superior movie Spiderman 2, was much better. Spiderman gets a great villain in Doctor Octopus played by Alfred Molina (who gives the villain heart). They have some very memorable sequences and the action is stepped up over the first film, it is often on top lists of comic book movies and deserves to be. Spiderman 3 was problematic from the start. It seemed that Raimi was forced to use the Venom character without wanting too. Venom and Sandman were both villains and they also decided to give Harry Osborne his own costume and also Peter would have a new love interest. If it seems like a lot for one movie, it was. The movie was a commerical success but most fanboys have not forgotten the bitter taste from Spiderman 3, it could have been something special if they just used one villain instead of 3! They are currently filming a Spiderman reebot movie.


Batman has also had his share of movies. Batman and Batman Returns were both directed by Tim Burton and show the darker side of Batman. The Joker is played by Jack Nicholson and Batman was played by Michael Keaton of all people. The Burton films strayed towards the darker edgier side of Batman and both worked very well. I felt Batman Returns was underrated, and they handled having two villains very well (Catwoman and The Penguin). The third film Batman Forever showcased a new director (Joel Schumacher) and a new Batman (Val Kilmer). They sort of threw a lot at the audience, besides having two villains in The Riddler and Two Face they threw in Robin and giving Bruce Wayned a love interest (Nicole Kidman). The movie was pretty fun and enertaining at the time. It does not hold up as well and you can see how it would all go bad in the follow up film Batman and Robin. This time the movie went for all camp and not substance, what resulted was the worst Batman ever imagined. Doctor Freeze was played as a huge joke with one liner for everything by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Uma Thurman phoned her performance as Poison Ivy (although she did have some good sex appeal. George Clooney took of the role of Batman but with little dialogue to work with could do nothing. We are also introduced to Batgirl played by Alicia Silverstone, I think it would be one of the last big roles in her career and with good reason. Batman and Robin became the joke of what a comic book should never be.


With no where left to go the Batman movie was also rebooted. In 2005 Christopher Nolan was up the task and released Batman Begins, starting over with a real world take on Batman (Christian Bale). The film was a huge critical and commercial success. I thought the movie was very well done and I enjoy it but it also does not hold up as well as I was hoping, but still a quality piece of film making. Three years later Nolan thrilled audiences and this blogger with what I consider my favorite comic book movie of all time, The Dark Knight. Once again the Joker is the main villain, played by Heath Ledger (who we all know passed away before the movie was finished) who gives a masterful performance, in fact he would win an Oscar for it. It is hard to explain why I love this movie but I just do, its such a fresh take on characters that have been around for so long. I just love the Joker vs. Batman, Bale stepped it up on this one. You can really feel the tension and the movie is just draw droopingly beautiful and tragic.

Edge: Batman


Powers:

Spiderman was bitten by a radioactive spider that granted him all the powers of a spider, he can stick to walls and is agile and has double the strength of a normal human. He also posses a spider sense of when trouble is going to happen that warns him (by far the coolest and most useful power). In the movies he has the ability to spin webs from his wrists but in the comics he created his own web shooters. Peter Parker is also a brilliant scientist although they rarely use this aspect of him anymore.


Batman is a genius and a masterful detective and in the top physical shape of a human. He is also handsome, but that is hard to tell with the mask on.

Edge: Spider-Man


Gadgets:

Spiderman created his own web shooters, which is pretty cool and shows off his nerdy scientific side. The webs are a pretty remarkable seeings as they can take Peter Parkers weight and let him swing around on them. They have also been used to lift very heavy objects as well as a useful tool for tying up bad guys.

Batman unlike Spiderman has a ton of money so he can afford to have the best gadgets. He has the Batmobile which is iconic and always badass. He also has the bat-plane and the utility belt which always has some useful tools to take down bad guys or be used for detective work. Since he has no actual powers, Batman must rely more on his gadgets to get by.


Edge: Batman


The list could go on and on but both heroes are great in their own ways, I am still giving the edge to my new hero Batman who holds a slight 3-2 advantage over Spidey.

Spring Training Power Poll

I said I would try to keep this up so here it goes. Since catchers and pitchers are reporting February 14th (Valentine's Day...bummer) I wanted to update the power poll. Lots of this has to do with big free agent signings and team improving in areas on concern. I will most likely do another poll right before the season starts as well. But here is something to wet you appetite until baseball season begins.

2011 Spring Training Power Poll:

1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Boston Red Sox
3. San Francisco Giants
4. New York Yankees
5. Atlanta Braves
6. Texas Rangers
7. Minnesota Twins
8. Cincinnati Reds
9. Chicago White Sox
10. St. Louis Cardinals
11. Detroit Tigers
12. Colorado Rockies
13. Milwaukee Brewers
14. Oakland A's
15. Tampa Bay Rays
16. Baltimore Orioles
17. Los Angeles Angels
18. San Diego Padres
19. Toronto Blue Jays
20. Florida Marlins
21. Los Angeles Dodgers
22. Chicago Cubs
23. New York Mets
24. Cleveland Indians
25. Washington Nationals
26. Houston Astros
27. Arizona Diamond Backs
28. Seattle Mariners
29. Kansas City Royals
30. Pittsburgh Pirates

2011 Movies To See

As 2010 comes to an end we reflect back on all the good movies we saw and if you are like me you are never too far from thinking of what will be the next movie that makes you love movies even more. I have compiled my list of movies that I am looking forward to seeing in 2011. Of course these are just based of a few online lists, or directors and actors I follow. Who knew in 2010 movies like The King's Speech or Black Swan would be such good movies, and that is why this is list in considered incomplete at this time. I did a similar list last year and I know my top two movies of last year appeared on that list, here is hoping it will happen again.



Your Highness - A fantasy/comedy movie starring Natalie Portman, James Franco, Zooey Deschanel, and Danny McBride ( who also co-wrote the script), count me in! It is also being directed by Pineapple Express director David Gordon Green. I figure this movie will be much different than most, but in a good way. Out April 8th.


Hangover 2 - All that is known is that all the original guys are back and this time they are traveling to Bangkok for Stu's wedding. If it is anything like the first one then I will happy. I am also happy to report that Ken Jeong is listed on imdb as returning as Mr. Chow. Out May 26th.


Super 8 - This one is about some sort of alien encounter, I think.. Either way it's being directed by J.J. Abrams (Lost, Star Trek) and being produced by Steve Spielberg which seems like more than enough for me to be excited about this. Out June 10.


Sherlock Holmes 2 - The first one was so good and since the cast and director Guy Ritchie are returning I see no reason to not look forward to seeing Holmes and Watson face the mysterious Professor Moriatry. The movie is scheduled for a late release so not much is known about the plot or anything else. Out December 16th.



Green Lantern - I have been more skeptical of comic book movies of late but this one has some potential. I like Ryan Reynolds, the dude is pretty hilarious and not a bad actor. I think if anyone has to play the Green Lantern it might as well be him. I also like that it's being directed by Martin Campbell (Golden Eye, Casino Royale). We will see if I am right on this one. Out June 17th.


Captain America: The First Avenger - Another comic book movie makes my list! This time we get another Marvel comics hero, one I am wondering why it took so long to come out with a movie in the first place. Since there is no preview I cannot say how the movie looks. I do mostly like Chris Evans as Cap, he is similar to Ryan Reynolds but Cap was never much of a joker. This one could be bad or could be good, we will see! Out July 22nd.




Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - I have watched all the other ones so of course I am interested in seeing how it all ends. I think the movies have all been pretty good to this point and I expect an epic ending between Harry and Voldemort. Out July 15th.



Cowboys & Aliens - The title alone is unique, but it also happens to be directed by John Favreau (Iron Man films) and stars the sexy Olivia Wilde (TRON: Legacy) as well as Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Sam Rockwell, and Paul Dano. The first preview didn't suck me in as much as I was hoping but I see good potential with this one. Out July 29th.




Contagion - I just heard of this movie and I already am dying to see it, ha ha get it? Anyway the movie is directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Marion Cotillard, and Kate Winslet to name a few. If that wasn't enough to get you excited the movie is about a deadly disease and a team of doctors contracted to deal with the outbreak. Out October 21.


Tree of Life - This one got me with the preview. I know the movie is about how your parents can affect your future life choices. Brad Pitt plays the dad and Sean Penn plays his son in the future. I think this looks like a breathtaking piece of cinema from Terrence Malick. Out May 27th.






Moneyball - Brad Pitt (again!) plays Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane as he tries to put together a baseball club on a budget, by using computer-generated analysis. Sounds fun! It also stars Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Robin Wright. I am a huge sports fan and eagerly look forward to this story. Out September 23rd.


Red State - I am mostly looking forward to this because it is written and directed by Kevin Smith, it is his first try at a horror movie. Not a lot is known about the film, which seems odd since Mr. Smith twitters 200 times a day. Out March.


The Green Hornet and Paul were both on my list of movies I was eager to see in 2010 but are now coming out in 2011. Green Hornet opens this Friday (January 14th) and Paul will open March 18th.

Top Ten Films of 2010

Making a best of last year list is always a hard thing for me to do (mostly). Some movies do not hold up over time and others can become favorite of mine later on with repeat viewings. I found 2010 a hard year to have a list of 10 movies of the year, in fact I would say there was only 7 or so movies I would consider my favorites of 2010. Sure movies like Iron Man 2 are nice quality entertainment but they just don't fit on what I consider to my top movies.

My rational for choosing the movies on this list were how they effected me when I was seeing them. I believe that if a movie can take hold of you during the time you are watching it and have an immediate effect on you in some way then that is a top movie. I was trying to see what movies made me feel not only for the characters on the screen but could relate to me. Most of the movies on this list also had great production value. Great acting is found in most of them as is a director or producer who had an idea and oversaw every aspect of the movie making it true to their vision.

I know that went on for a while but I just wanted to get out my process, now please enjoy one man's opinions on what he found to be the class of the 2010 movies (that I saw, I am sure there are tons more I could add if only had the time to see every movie that was released in 2010).



10. Best Worst Movie

Director - Micheal Stephenson

Best Worst movie is a documentary about how Troll 2 has becomes the worst movie ever made. Troll 2 has recently began to take on a cult following and the movie shows the main actor from Troll 2 George Hardy and how he embraces his new found fame. As a fan of cult movies this one really appealed to me. I found in fascinating how a movie so bad becomes a cult classic. George Hardy is also a very personable man and watching him interact with his new fame is a joy to watch. I also like how the movie is a love note to bad cinema and how no matter how bad or a good movie is, someone is bound to like it in some way.



9. Exit Through the Gift Shop

Director - Banksy

By this point I am sure you are asking, are you only going to do documentaries this year? This will be the last one on the list, but after you see this movie I think you will understand why it made my list. The movie is about Thierry Guetta a man who likes to film everything that happens in his life. One day he gets into the world of street art (aka grafitti) and starts to film people who make art, but do so in public places. He films all of this with no idea that it will lead into this documentary. Later he meets and befriends the elusive street art legend Banksy. Guetta follows Banksy and they become friends but later on Guetta decides to become his own artist. I really enjoyed being introduced into this world, I have always long admired the street art but seeing how these artists work and create was something that I have never seen before in a movie. Seeing Guetta go from a guy with a camera to putting on his own show in L.A. is riveting, and the ending of the movie leaves the viewer to decide if all had just seen was real or all just another trick from the mastermind of Banksy.



8. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Director - Edgar Wright

Pure fun and eye candy mixed with good story based off a comic book and you get a darn good movie. I am normally an avid comic book fan and in years past you would see a lot of comic book movies on my best of list. Just because there are more comic book movies out than ever before doesn't mean they are always good, I found Scott Pilgrim to be best of the comic book movies released in 2010. The movie is about love and how you have to fight for love, in this instance Scott instantly falls for Ramona and to be with her he has to defeat her 7 evil ex's (like I said, a comic book). You get some good battles and a lot of good comedy which is aimed at guys like me who love 8-bit video games . The movie is very quick and funny, I could watch it a few more times and most likely get jokes I missed the first time, but the jokes why silly are not stupid. The cast is also very good. Overall if you read the comic books ( I have) and watched this movie you would not feel cheated, they took the time and were smart with adapting this, good show!



7. The Fighter

Director - David O. Russell

The Fighter is based off a true story of Mickey and Dicky, two brothers who are bonded by boxing. Mickey (Mark Wahlberg) is a boxer who is trained by his brother Dicky (Christian Bale) who happens to be a former boxer but has turned to drugs. The movie is about the redemption of both men, both in different ways. I found the acting to be top notch throughout the film. I normally dislike Whalberg but found his subdued performance to really work in the film. Christian Bale on the other hand is superb as the drug addict brother. Bale is sure to get some award love from the performance, and I will let you know its warranted. Amy Adams and Melissa Leo are the women who want different things for Mickey and are willing to fight for him, they both give great supporting roles that are vital to the overall conflict of Mickey and DIcky. You also get some good boxing and a story that is not afraid to get dark but also leaves you feeling good about the outcome. I really felt the bond between the brothers and how sometimes you love your family but you have to do what is best for yourself. I can see this being on some best of sports movies list in the future as well, it is really that good.



6. The Social Network

Director - David Fincher

Fincher has long been a favorite director of mine and he gives just another great production here. Jesse Eisenberg give an amazing performance as Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook. A movie about Facebook could have easily gone wrong but with Fincher working off a great Aaron Sorkin script you get a movie that is very well done. Zuckerberg is portrayed as a made genius who gets upset when he gets dumped and decides to get back at his ex by becoming someone who is important. The look and music of the film are just top notch, they really made sure to get the look just right. Besides Eisenberg you get good performances out of Andrew Garfield, who plays Zuckerbergs only real friend who ends up getting hurt by the creation they made together. If I was able to see the movie again I am sure if could have found itself higher on my list and why I did enjoy the movie I was more taken in by certain aspects and not as effected by the movie as others were, still this is great cinema.




5. The King's Speech

Director - Tom Hooper

Easily one of the best true story movies I saw in 2010, The King's Speech happens to be a great story of two men and has what I consider the ensemble acting cast of the last year. You have Colin Firth as King George VI who stammers and seeks the help of Lionel Logue played brilliantly by Geoffrey Rush. I could see both men easily win an Oscar for their performances in the movie. I still have to mention a great supporting role from Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen, she gives heart and compassion to what the men are doing. The movie has its share of laughs (placed in perfect times) yet is also dramatic in the right spots. Tom Hooper is sure to become a household name after directing this movie masterfully. If you like historical movies you also get that thrown into the film, I loved learning about the history of King George VI and found myself wanting to learn more about the real life people after the credits rolled. Firth and Rush really make this movie a must see and their acting works so well together, I really cannot praise the acting in this movie enough.



4. The Town

Director - Ben Affleck

Mr. Affleck is slowly becoming a favorite director of mine, his last film Gone Baby Gone made my top films of 2007 and now his latest film The Town easily makes my list as a top movie of 2010. At one point this movie was much higher on my list but like I said in the intro I have only had the pleasure of seeing The Town once in 2010. Affleck spins a cinematic web about the city of Charlestown, which happens to be renowned for churning out a higher number of robberies then any other place in the United States. Affleck also stars as Doug MacRay a bank robber who is great at what he does. I really do not want to go too much into the story because I fear I could ruin something but needless to say it is a very impressive story and has to do with Doug trying to get out of the robbery business, but of course that is never as easy it would seem. Jeremy Renner gives what could be the best supporting role I saw last year as James, a life long friend of Doug's who has different opinions about loyalty. The movie mixes love, action, and drama in very unique way that I thought really hit on everything it was trying to accomplish. The bank robber scenes are done in a realistic style and they include some great heist scenes, especially the last heist which happens to take place at a historical landmark (at least for me it is). The Town is a great movie and I am glad to see that Affleck produced an even better film after his Gone Baby Gone, I eagerly await to see what he can do next, either way I consider myself to be a supporter.



3. Black Swan

Director - Daren Aronofsky

Black Swan totally captivated me during its 108 minutes. Natalie Portman really gives a tour de force performance as the ballerina Nina who wants nothing more then to be perfect in her role of Swan Lake. Nina is egged on by her director Thomas (Vincet Cassel) to let down her guard and let herself feel the part of the Black Swan. Nina's life is very complicated, she tries to give all her focus on the role but her mother is domineering and controlling of Nina. Lily (Mila Kunis) plays another ballerina who befriends Nina and opens her eyes to the outside world, but is she helping Nina or trying to take her focus away? I will not say too much else but this movie really gets darker as it progresses and I found it to just amazing. Nina lets down her guard and starts to change, but her transformation is more then she is aware. The movie is very tense and you will start to question many things that you see, asking yourself if that really just happened or was it all in Nina's head? If Portman did not give the performance she did I could see this being just another movie, thankfully she had a lot to work with and gives one of the best female performances I saw in 2010. Cassel steals any scene he is in as the director who mixes passion with art, Barbara Hershey gives a very disturbing performance as Nina's mother who tries to keep her daughter perfect, and of course the beautiful Mila Kunis shines as the rebel Lily, it was great to see her expand into a more dramatic role. But without Aronofksky this movie would not work. He is already a much heralded director and shows why with Black Swan. I am sure this movie is not for everyone but I thought it was the perfect mix of great acting, directing, and tense story that made Black Swan a great movie.



2. Inception

Director - Christopher Nolan

What can be said about this movie that has not already been uttered? In case you have not heard of or seen Inception it is a masterpiece by Christopher Nolan the guy who also did my favorite comic book movie of all time (The Dark Knight). The movie is visually breathtaking, they shot a lot of the film on location (as much as they could) and you have a great list of actors who all totally give spot on performances. Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joesph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, and new comer Tom Hardy are the gang who plan to go into a man's dream and implant an idea, because as the movie says an idea is the most resilient parasite.

The reason I fully enjoyed Inception is because it is very layered and it attempts to take on a massive subject, and does so with great resolve. The dream world has to be set up perfect to make sense and they really make sure that you will understand how we can interact in the dream world. Nolan really made sure everything in perfect order for the movie to work. The rotating hotel hallway is a favorite scene of mine, just amazing visuals. When you get a movie like Inception you get not only good acting and story but amazing visuals and an ending that is totally up the view of what to make of it. I recommend you see this movie more than once, it will take a few viewings to really get everything going on in the world of Inception.



1. Toy Story 3

Director - Lee Unkrich

I have had Pixar movies on my best of lists many times before and every year they seemed to slowly move up on my lists, this year Pixar and Toy Story 3 has landed as my favorite movie of 2010. I also can clearly say that it was never really a contest, no other movie had a bigger emotional effect on me last year.

We are now at the time were animation and voice work can be just as effective as live acting. Toy Story 3 is about letting go of what you once loved and moving on. Andy the boy from the first two movies is off to college, and is now too old to play with his toys. The toys (Woody, Buzz, Ham, and all the rest) are just toys and longed to be with played with. The toys somehow end up being wrongly donated to a day-care, from then on the movie becomes an escape film. The toys want to find their way home to be with the boy who once loved them so. The animation is some of the best you will see, Pixar really outdoes themselves with each new movie and Toy Story 3 hold true to this. Voice acting remains amazing as well. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusak, Don Rickles, John Ratzenberger and new comers Ned Beatty and Michael Keaton are all just absolutely perfect in their roles. Unkrich was co-director of Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., and Finding Nemo was ready for his first solo gig and shines in giving the characters heart and soul.

I wish I could go into more detail about the movie it has to be seen. Two scenes in particular had a huge emotional toll on me. One has to do with putting the toys in peril and in that scene I really thought the toys would be lost forever and I just couldn't deal with it. The final scene in the movie was very emotional for me. I guess I have always been into my toys and growing up and moving on was never easy for me. I have given up my toys but it goes deeper then that, giving up your toys means giving up your youth in a sense. I am now a man of 31 and toys are no longer things I play with, but when I did have toys in my life and was a child it was the best time in my life. I played out huge stories with my toys but no longer have the time or will to do so. Andy growing up is representative of what we all have to go through one day, the fun and games stop and we give up idols we once cherished. Yes this movie made me think of all of this and I will be thankful for that forever. Thank you Toy Story 3 for showing me I was not the only one who had to grow up and move on.

Hope you enjoyed the list. As I said before this is just my own personal list, you may have your own ideas and picks and that is what makes movie going so cool. Here's to 2010! Now bring on more cool movies in 2011.

Final NFL Power Poll

1. (-) New England Patriots (14-2)
2. (-) Atlanta Falcons (13-3)
3. (-) Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
4. (-) Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
5. (8) New York Jets (11-5)
6. (7) New Orleans Saints (11-5)
7. (5) Chicago Bears (11-5)
8. (6) Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)
9. (11) Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
10. (-) Green Bay Packers (10-6)
11. (9) Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)
12. (-) New York Giants (10-6)
13. (14) San Diego Chargers (9-7)
14. (13) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6)
15. (16) Oakland Raiders (8-8)
16. (15) Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8)
17. (20) Seattle Seahawks (7-9)
18. (-) Miami Dolphins (7-9)
19. (21) Dallas Cowboys (6-10)
20. (17) St Louis Rams (7-9)
21. (24) Houston Texans (6-10)
22. (25) Detroit Lions (6-10)
23. (19) Washington Redskins (6-10)
24. (23) Tennessee Titans (6-10)
25. (28) Minnesota Vikings (6-10)
26. (29) San Francisco 49ers (6-10)
27. (26) Buffalo Bills (4-12)
28. (22) Cleveland Browns (5-11)
29. (27) Cincinnati Bengals (4-12)
30. (-) Arizona Cardinals (5-11)
31. (-) Denver Broncos (4-12)
32. (32) Carolina Panthers (2-14)

Movie Log 2010

I know you all really want to see every movie that I saw in 2010, so here you go...

223. Wild at Heart -- B
222. The King's Speech -- A-
221. True Grit (2010) -- B+
220. Die Hard -- A-
219. Elf -- B
218. Hell Ride -- B-
217. Exit Through the Gift Shop -- B+
216. The Keep -- C-
215. It's A Wonderful Life -- A
214. TRON: Legacy -- B-
213. Christmas Vacation -- B+
212. Solitary Man -- B-
211. 127 Hours -- B+
210. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back -- B
209. Winnebago Man -- B
208. TRON -- C+
207. Goonies -- A-
206. Calvin Marshall -- C
205. The Princess and the Frog -- B-
204. Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics -- C+
203. A Perfect Getaway -- B-
202. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 -- B
201. Best Worst Movie -- B+
200. Back to the Future -- A
199. Cobra -- B
198. Unstoppable -- C
197. Lost Boys: The Thirst - C-
196. I Am Sam -- A-
195. Batman: Under the Red Hood -- C-
194. L.A. Story -- B+
193. Major League -- A-
192. Due Date -- C
191. I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell -- B-
190. Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film -- B-
189. The Fly -- A-
188. Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers -- C
187. Army Of Darkness -- B+
186. New Years Evil -- B
185. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers -- D
184. It's Kind of a Funny Story -- B
183. The Hebrew Hammer -- C-
182. Maniac -- A-
181. The Human Centipede: First Sequence -- C-
180. Masters of Horror - Family -- C+
179. Creepshow -- B
178. Jack-Ass 3-D -- C+
177. Halloween 4 -- C+
176. Chopping Mall -- D+
175. Day of the Dead -- B
174. ThanksKilling -- D+
173. Death Proof -- C+
172. The Video Dead -- B-
171. Planet Terror -- B-
170. City of the Living Dead -- B
169. Frankenstein -- A
168. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan -- D
167. Dracula -- B
166. An American Werewolf In London -- B+
165. The Funhouse -- C
164. The Social Network -- B+
163. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning -- C
162. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter -- C+
161. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time: C-
160. Sherlock Holmes -- B+
159. Billy Madison -- B+
158. Glory Daze -- B-
157. Devil -- C
156. Bitch Slap -- C+
155. Waiting -- B
154. The Town -- A-
153. Resident Evil: Afterlife -- B-
152. Jaws 2 -- C
151. Kick-Ass -- B
150. Benny & Joon -- B
149. The Dead Pool -- B
148. Hang 'Em High -- B+
147. Close Encounters of the Third Kind -- A-
146. The Sure Thing -- B-
145. Machete -- B
144. The Other Guys -- B-
143. Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever-- D-
142. Operation: Endgame -- C+
141. The Expendables -- B
140. The Losers -- B
139. Finding Neverland -- B
138. Piranha 3D -- B-
137. The Ghost Writer -- B-
136. Cheerleaders Beach Party -- F
135. Jaws -- A+
134. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World -- B+
133. Sudden Impact -- B
132. I'm Reed Fish -- C-
131. Mac and Me -- D
130. Dinner for Schmucks -- C+
129. Pirate Radio -- B+
128. The Pianist -- A
127. Law Abiding Citizen -- B
126. Hot Tub Time Machine -- B-
125. Ink -- B
124. His Name Was Jason -- C+
123. Ratatouille - A-
122. Cop Out-- B- (2)
121. Inception -- A- (2)
120. Rambo: First Blood Part II -- B-
119. Despicable Me -- B
118. Predators -- C+
117. Toy Story 2 -- A
116. Monsters, Inc. -- A-
115. The Road -- B
114. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen -- B
113. Return to Sleepaway Camp -- D+
112. Driving Miss Daisy -- B
111. Stan Helsing -- F
110. The Rainmaker -- B-
109. Cashback -- A
108. She's Out Of My League -- C+
107. Julie & Julia -- B
106. Commando -- C
105. Deep End -- B+
104. Knight and Day -- C
103. Role Models -- B
102. Toy Story -- A
101. Down Periscope -- C+
100. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus -- C+
99. Pushing Tin -- B-
98. Toy Story 3 -- A
97. The Enforcer -- C+
96. Living In Oblivion -- C
95. A-Team -- C
94. The Fourth Kind -- D
93. Legion -- C
92. Phantasm -- C
91. Get Him to the Greek -- B (2)
90. Daybreakers -- C+
89. Gamer -- C
88. Easy Rider -- B
87. PCU -- B-
86. Double Indemnity -- A
85. Club Dread -- C+
84. Lion King 1 1/2 -- C+
83. The Man from Earth -- B
82. King Of California -- B-
81. How To Train Your Dragon -- B
80. MacGruber -- C
79. Leaving Las Vegas -- A-
78. Slammin Salmon -- B
77. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon -- B
76. Drive Thru -- D
75. King Kong (1933) -- A-
74. The Big Lebowski -- B+
73. Women In Trouble -- B-
72. Whatever Works -- B
71. Ninja Assassin -- B
70. Dead Snow -- C
69. 27 Dresses -- D+
68. Iron Man 2 -- B (2)
67. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World! -- C
66. Severance -- B-
65. My Left Foot -- B
64. To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar -- C
63. Jackie Brown -- B
62. Necrosis -- C+
61. For A Few Dollars More -- A
60. First Blood -- A-
59. A Fistful Of Dollars -- A
58. Hard Ticket to Hawaii -- D+
57. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly -- A+
56. Big Fan -- C
55. The Men Who Stare at Goats -- C-
54. Kick-Ass -- B
53. Troll 2 -- F
52. The Room -- B
51. The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans -- B
50. Amelie -- A
49. Avatar -- B
48. Vertigo -- A
47. Invention Of Lying -- B
46. Forgetting Sarah Marshall -- B
45. Clash of the Titans (3-D) -- C
44. Pineapple Express -- A-
43. Good Will Hunting -- A
42. The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day -- C+
41. Gremlins -- A
40. North by Northwest -- A+
39. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past -- D+
38. Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire -- A-
37. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street -- A-
36. Green Zone -- C
35. The Crazies -- B-
34. Glory -- A
33. Alice In Wonderland(3-D) -- B-
32. My Name Is Bruce -- B-
31. G.I. Jane: C
30. Jennifer's Body -- D
29. (500) Days of Summer -- B+
28. Shutter Island -- B+
27. Zombieland -- B+
26. Moon -- A-
25. World's Greatest Dad -- B-
24. Fanboys -- B+
23. The Wolfman -- C+
22. Crazy Heart -- A-
21. Sundown: Vampire In Retreat -- B+
20. I'll Believe You -- C-
19. The Rookie -- B-
18. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang -- A-
17. Adam -- C+
16. Up -- A
15. Freedom Writers -- C+
14. Born Into Brothels -- B-
13. Sherlock Holmes -- B+
12. Sugar -- C
11. The Proposal -- C+
10. The Book Of Eli -- B-
8. The Lovely Bones -- B+
7. Lost In Translation -- A
6. Life as a House -- A-
5. The Girl Next Door -- A-
4. Invictus -- B
3. Face/Off -- A-
2. Is Anybody There? -- C-
1. Up In The Air -- A-

PS- I think this is the most movies I had ever seen in one year ever.