After today there are only 3 Sundays left in the whole entire year which means I am coming close to achieving my goal and it also means there are only three Sundays At The Classics left. The film I chose for today is one that I couldn’t resist watching considering that it’s Christmas Season and I am talking about It’s A Wonderful Life. George Bailey (James Stewart) is someone who has always put others before himself, but he is also a guy who has had big dreams of doing things like travelling the world. Unfortunately for George, he has never been able to do it because he has put others including is father’s struggling business the Building & Loans ahead of his wants. One day a large sum of money goes missing and George doesn’t know what to do, but when he thinks of something bad, God sends him a Guardian Angel who is still trying to earn his wings to try and save him. The film also stars Donna Reed (From Here To Eternity) as Mary, Lionel Barrymore (Key Largo) as Mr. Potter, Thomas Mitchell (Gone With The Wind) as Uncle Billy, Henry Travers (The Invisible Man) as Clarence, Gloria Hallward (Oklahoma) as Violet, Ward Bond (The Maltese Falcon) as Bert, Frank Faylen (Funny Girl) as Ernie, and the film was directed by Frank Capra (Mr. Smith Goes To Washington).
They really were not kidding when they said that this was one of the best films of all time. James Stewart was one of the best actors of all time whether he starred in the Capra films or the Hitchcock films. He was absolutely masterful in the film as the guy who is so full of dreams and wonder that he puts all of it aside to do what is right by people in this town of Bedford Falls. One of my favorite scenes with him in the film is when he wishes that he was never born and the guardian angel Clarence grants it to him. What happens next is absolutely masterful as he goes through the town desperate to convince that it’s all a dream until he realizes that it’s reality. Donna Reed is also fantastic as Mary, his wife in the film and I can’t really complain about anyone because everyone was great. The cinematography was amazing, but there was one scene that I thought was cheesy. There’s this scene where the camera pans up to space. We see what looks like galaxies and it ends up being Joseph and I believe Jesus. They start talking to each other and that’s when they put Clarence on the job, but when they talk flashing bulbs behind the picture signify who is talking. Other than that, this is one of the best films and very inspirational because the moral is to stand up to the man no matter what because they don’t always want what’s best for everyone. Check out the film for yourself, I am going to give it an A+ for a final grade.
There are 46 days until Halloween which means there is only 15 days left until we embark on another year of Eddie’s 31 Days Of Halloween. So with that being said, I was in the mood for a horror movie and I stumbled upon this horror anthology entitled Southbound at my local Redbox. The film features five tales that follow travelers who will be haunted by their deepest and darkest secrets while they are being terrorized while traveling on a desolate desert highway. Int he film, you get two guys running away from some floating demons, a girl whose bandmates have been brainwashed by an evil cult, a man who is desperately trying to help a girl he’s hit, a man trying to save his sister that he hasn’t seen in years, and a girl who wants to spend her last weekend together with her folks before college, but realizes her dad has a dark secret. The film stars Chad Villella (Prison Break) as Mitch, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin (V/H/S) as Jack, Fabianne Therese (Starry Eyes) as Sadie, Nathalie Love (Somewhere) as Kim, Mather Zickel (The Ten) as Lucas, Tipper Newton (LOL) as Jesse, Hassie Harrison (Dementia) as Jem, Dana Gould (The Simpsons) as Raymond Kensington, Kate Beahan (The Wicker Man) as Cait, and the film was directed by Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, Patrick Horvath, and Radio Silence.
I was very surprised to see that most of the V/H/S crew (one of my favorite found footage horror flicks) worked on this movie because it doesn’t seem as smooth of film as that one was. A lot of the stories when you are watching them, do not make a lot of sense at first while others are easier to follow. The only thing that really connects all of the stories is the fact that one character from the story will cross paths with a character from the next story until you get right to the end and it all ends up connecting. One of my favorite stories from the film was the one that made the least sense to the others when you see our character from story two in story three. A man has hit her with his car and he is trying to save her at a hospital that has clearly been abandoned. He is trying to do this all with dispatch on the phone with him. The visuals you get with that story make me cringe more than the others. The film wasn’t a bad film, it had some stories that were enjoyable to watch, but it wasn’t scary in my opinion. It’s definitely a film that is trying to be different in a genre that has seen it all done before and I commend them for that. I am going to give the film an B for a final grade because some of the CGI was cool and the special effects and make up were on point.
I was so impressed with the first film in the Harry Potter franchise that I watched yesterday that I decided to watch another. That is right, I chose Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets for today’s film. Everyone’s favorite young wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is back at home with his dreadful Aunt and Uncle once again, but a house elf named Dobby (Toby Jones) tries to prevent Harry from returning to Hogwarts Academy. Despite what Dobby said, Harry returns back to Hogwarts only to find that students are being petrified by something. Harry discovers that there is a place in the school called the Chamber of Secrets that was created by the founder Slytherin. Harry finds out that the chamber houses a monster who will kill mudbloods (impure wizards) and that it will be opened by the heir of Slytherin, but who is it? The film also stars Rupert Grint (CBGB) as Ron Weasley, Emma Watson (The Colony) as Hermione Granger, Tom Felton (Risen) as Draco Malfoy, Jason Isaacs (The Tuxedo) as Lucius Malfoy, Robbie Coltrane (From Hell) as Hagrid, Kenneth Branagh (Henry V) as Professor Lockhart, Alan Rickman (Galaxy Quest) as Professor Snape, Richard Harris (Gladiator) as Professor Dumbledore, Maggie Smith (Gosford Park) as Professor McGonagall, Shirley Henderson (Trainspotting) as Moaning Myrtle, Christian Coulson (The Hours) as Tom Marvolo Riddle, Bonnie Wright (The Sea) as Ginny Weasley, and the film was directed by Chris Columbus (The Goonies).
When you do a sequel to a film or when you do a sequel to a film that you know is a part of a bigger picture your only hope is that it’s better than the first film. That was definitely the case with Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets which I enjoyed more than the last before it. The thing that I enjoyed the most about this film is that they added a little bit of suspense to the film where you’re trying to figure out who the heir is. You’re trying to figure out who the monster is and who will he attack? That is honestly what I really loved about this film since I love thrillers. The special effects for this film were turned up a notch for this film and who doesn’t love Dobby? Dobby was honestly the comedic relief the film needed and I am glad that he was a part of the story. He has so many funny moments in the film with Harry and there is one scene that you will absolutely love. The sets were amazing as usual, but my favorite is when he entered the chamber of secrets. There is this one room where he meets the giant monster and the cool looking set which you can see in the picture in this paragraph. There is so much classic cinematography and lighting tricks in this film that are absolutely cool. One scene I noticed was the scene with Dracoy’s father Lucius who when the camera was on him, only his eyes were lit like a true villain while Harry’s who face was illuminated as e was the hero. I had a lot of fun watching this one which is why I am going to give the film an A for a final grade.
I know what you are thinking and I have to be perfectly honest with all of you in saying that I have never seen any of the films in the Harry Potter series. I figured what better time than now to see one and therefore I watched Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone for today’s film. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) has always been somewhat gifted of a child, but he doesn’t understand why. He lives a life of neglect with his awful Aunt and Uncle until a wizard from the Hogwarth’s Academy named Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) comes calling for him. It is there that Harry will understand his abilities and live out his full potential. Although while all of this is happening, he stumbles upon an evil scheme to kidnap a stone that could bring back an evil being. The film also stars Maggie Smith (Gosford Park) as Professor McGonagall, Richard Harris (Gladiator) as Professor Dumbledore, Ian Hart (Finding Neverland) as Professor Quirrell, Warwick Davis (Leprechaun) as Goblin Bank Teller, Rupert Grint (CBGB) as Ron Weasley, Emma Watson (The Colony) as Hermione Granger, Tom Felton (Risen) as Draco Malfoy, Alan Rickman (Galaxy Quest) as Professor Snape, Matthew Lewis (Me Before You) as Neville Longbottom, John Cleese (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) as Nearly Headless Nick, and the film was directed by Chris Columbus (The Goonies).
I do have to say that after watching this film, I am super excited to continue on and see the rest of the films. The idea and topic of wizards and witches may be corny to some, but this was actually a well written story that I believe that anyone with an imagination can get into. The elements of the film that make these amazing and very interesting is what you don’t see watching the film. It’s seeing the camera work and the different perspectives and how they messed with depth perception to make Hagrid look like a giant compared to other characters just by messing with the angles. The other cool element of the film is of course the special effects and all of the things they made come to life. One of my favorite scenes in the film is with the owls who are basically the postal service. Harry’s evil Uncle has been keeping him from seeing any of the letters and the amount of Owls that show up and what they do was super cool. Not to mention, fluffy the three headed dog and the little dragon were cool as well. The other scene that I loved was the big chess match that happens at the end of the film, a very cool scene indeed. A very well acted film, a well written story, and some amazing cinematography made this a very enjoyable film to watch. I will definitely be checking out some more films in the series for sure. I am going to give this one an A- for a final grade.
I am once again using this time to knock off some films off my must see list and today’s film is one that has always peaked my interest since I watched Last Action Hero (if you’ve seen it then you know what I am talking about). The film that I chose for today is The Seventh Seal which was written and directed by Ingmar Bergman (Persona). The film follows a knight by the name of Antonius Block (Max von Sydow) who returns to his native country after ten years of being in the crusades. When he returns things are much different as the country has been struck by the dreadful plague. One day on the beach, he has a chance encounter with Death (Bengt Ekerot) and he challenges Death to a chess match. If he wins, he lives and if he dies then Death can have him. The film also stars Nils Poppe (Private Bom) as Jos, 
First I just want to say that I thought the film was beautiful shot with great scenic shots and very rich textures. I thought the film was very well acted and it had a very good story. I know Max von Sydow would become a cinematic legend here in the states, but I just wanted to say that the MVP to me was his squire in the film Gunnar Björnstrand who had some amazing lines and scenes that just stole the show in my opinion. I thought the film was going to be this long drowned out film about a chess match, but it was much more than that as these two men who have just spent ten years of their lives fighting for God are looking for the answers as to whether he is there, does he exist, and if so does he listen to their prayers? You see them walk around in this land that has been drastically changed for the worse due to the plague and you see how unexcited to live people are until they are confronted with death. One of my favorite scenes in the film has to be the one where Jöns has been told a story about people who whip themselves hoping to be cured of this plague and then when Jos is trying to cheer people up, here comes this group of travelers carrying crosses while some look sick and are being whipped. A very powerful scene as the monk preaches of death and doom to everyone like life is hopeless. I really liked this film a lot and I am probably going to check out a lot more of Bergman’s work in he future. I am going to give the film an A for a final grade.
I have found that over the years some of the best new comedies on the web are those that are down independently because Hollywood is too afraid to take chances. That is definitely the case with today’s film which is called Premature. John Karna (Scream: The TV Series) plays high school senior Rob Crabbe, a kid who has had his whole life planned out for him including his parents wishes for him to go to Georgetown. Well one faithful day, the day of his Georgetown meeting, things go terribly wrong for Rob. Every time Rob has a orgasm, he is forced to relive the same day and the same tortures from that day over and over again until he can correct the wrong that is forcing him to do this. The film also stars Craig Roberts (22 Jump Street) as Stanley, Katie Findlay (The Carrie Diaries) as Gabrielle, Carlson Young (Scream: The TV Series) as Angela Yearwood, Alan Tudyk (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story) as Jack Roth, Brian Huskey (Bob’s Burgers) as Principal Hansen, Zoe Myers (Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues) as Lisa, Adam Riegler (The Way Way Back) as Arthur, Christen Orr (The Unwanted) as Sally, and the film was directed by Dan Beers (FCU: Fact Checkers Unit).
Yesterday when I said I was searching for the right comedy to watch, this was the one that I wished I watched. I can summarize the film with just two words and that is Groundhog Day. The film is the teen sex comedy remake of that film and just like in Groundhog Day where Bill Murray has to relive the same day again, every time this kid premature ejaculate’s in the wrong situation, he wakes up to start the day all over again. However, do not think that just because I said the words Teen sex comedy that it’s a stupid movie with too much hormones because this is actually a very funny and a very well written film. It’s a fun film to watch because we were all there at one point or another where there is so much pressure on a teenager whether it be losing your virginity, getting into college, or dealing with bullies. High school can be a lot of stress and I remember it well. Just like the film Groundhog Day, he has those moments at first when he is confused and is trying to figure out what is going on, then he takes advantage of it, and then it turns to depression because it just keeps happening with no end in sight. One of my favorite sequences in the film is when he is in a good mood and he just doesn’t care what happens. He messes with his hot teacher, the hall monitor, and a lot more in the film. The film is available to watch on Netflix right now and I suggest this on on your queue. I am going to give the film an A- for a final grade because that is how much I loved it, the acting is great, and what more could you ask for?
For today’s film, I probably chose the most controversial film of the year so far and I say controversial for all the hate it received on Youtube. The film I am talking about is the remake/reboot of the most legendary 80’s series Ghostbusters. Things in Manhattan seem pretty normal until a paranormal invasion happens at a local historical building that calls on paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) and Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) along with nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon). After the occurrences that strangely keep happening around the city, they decide to form a team to battle the ghosts which could be connected to someone who is trying to bring them back to cleanse the world. The film also stars Leslie Jones (Saturday Night Live) as Patty Tolan, Zach Woods (The Other Guys) as Tour Guide, Ed Begley Jr. (This Is Spinal Tap) as Ed Mulgrave, Charles Dance (Last Action Hero) as Harold Filmore, Steve Higgins (The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon) as Dean, Neil Casey (Inside Amy Schumer) as Rowan North, Chris Hemsworth (Thor: The Dark World) as Kevin, Cecily Strong (The Boss) as Jennifer Lynch, Andy Garcia (The Untouchables) as Mayor Bradley, Michael Kenneth Williams (Boardwalk Empire) as Agent Hawkins, Karan Soni (Deadpool) as Benny, and the film was directed by Paul Feig (The Heat).
I am going to warn you that from here on going forward that there may or may not be spoilers contained in this part of the article. So I am setting up a spoiler alert warning and do not continue if you do not want to know. There are going to be a lot of differences of opinions when it comes to this film with some that claim they hated it and some that claim they liked or loved it. You ultimately have to make that decision for yourself, but I am on the side of I loved it. It’s not better than the original Ghostbusters movie, but it was so much fun to watch.I had so many laughs through out the whole film especially with Chris Hemsworth who plays Kevin, a hunky guy who is a complete and utter idiot. Chris does a great job playing one of the comedic reliefs of the film. I thought that Melissa McCarthy would be my favorite Ghostbuster in the film, but that award goes to Kate McKinnon who plays the outrageous and weird Jillian Holtsmann. She was one of the best parts of this film and provided me with a lot of laughs as well. The ghosts were really cool, but the CGI in the film reminded me a lot of the first Scooby Doo film that came out. It’s like they used the same technology as that film to create their ghosts. One of my favorite things about this film is the various cameos in the film from all the original cast members of Ghostbusters except for Rick Moranis (who says that he is not retired) and Harold Ramis (who passed away in 2014).
There are times in the film where it seems more like a horror film because some off the scenes with the ghosts can be spooky as hell. One of my favorite sequences in the film has to be the fight scene between the Ghostbusters and all the ghosts in the city. It’s your typical action like sequence, but it’s very cool and bad ass. I also thought that I would be opposed to seeing the ghost from the logo as an actual ghost in the film, but I actually enjoyed it. Besides the original cast members of the original films, there are also references to the original film that made me happy that they at least recognized it. I am going to leave you guys with one statement regarding the film and take it for what it is and form your own opinion. I really enjoyed the film, had a lot of fun watching it, and I would be open to a sequel if it came up. Like I said, is it better than the originals, obviously no, but it is it’s own film.
I was scrolling through the HBOGO catalog looking for a film that I wanted to watch and I landed o a film that I have been meaning to watch for quite some time now. The film I chose for today is a mockumentary called What We Do In The Shadows. The film follows four vampires Vladislav (Jemaine Clement), Viago (Taika Waititi), Deacon (Jonny Brugh), and Petyr (Ben Fransham) who live together in a house in the modern world. The friends are being followed around by a camera crew as they learn to adapt in the world, but soon things will change for them. You see a hipster named Nick (Cori Gonzalez-Macuer) gets bitten and he makes things difficult for the friends as new challenges present themselves daily. The film also stars Stu Rutherford (Eagle Vs Shark) as Stu, Jackie van Beek (Just Like The Others) as Jackie, Elena Stejko (Rain) as Pauline Ivanovich – The Beast, Chelsie Preston Crayford (The Mystery Of A Hanson Cab) as Josephine, Rhys Darby (Flight Of The Conchords) as Anton – Werewolf, Cohen Holloway (Good For Nothing) as Dion- werewolf, Jason Hoyte (The Insatiable Moon) as Julian, and the film was directed by both Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi.
I wanted to start off by saying that I thought the film was hilarious at times as the crew provided plenty of laughs. The film is funny because sometimes the most ridiculous can just be funny and that is cool. There were scenes where the guys were so out of place in society that it was hilarious to watch. Seeing the way they interact with each other on screen is another funny part especially the vampire fights. I supposed if you love Flight Of The Conchords, then you know what to expect and you’ll probably love it too. One of my favorite vampires in the film was played by Jemaine Clement, there was just something so outrageous about his look that made him both funny and cool. I especially love the segment when he talks about the beast which believe me you will learn about it. One of my other favorite interactions came with the human known as Stu, those are some classic scenes because the guys just love him. If you are a fan of mockumentaries, horror comedies, or films that don’t take themselves too serious then you’ll love this one because it’s fun to watch. It also pokes friendly fun at all of your favorite horror genres from vampires, zombies, and werewolves. I enjoyed it a lot and like I said above, it’s available on HBOGO as we speak. I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade.
For today’s film, i wanted to try a new service that I just started using in Crackle and so I looked on their list of films they have and Heavy Metal was one of those films. Heavy Metal was always one of those films that I knew the soundtrack very well, but had never seen the movie. Heavy Metal is an anthology film that divides into several stories all being connected by a common story which in this film’s case is the Loc-Nar, a dangerous and powerful sphere weapon. A little girl is trapped in her house after her astronaut father brings home the orb. The orb kills him and forces the girl to listen to several tales of evil and greed while she sits in agony as she has no choice. The film stars Don Francks (I’m Not There.) as Grimaldi, Co-Pilot, and Barbarian, Caroline Semple as the girl, Richard Romanus (Point Of No Return) as Harry, John Candy (Uncle Buck) as Dan, Den, and Robot, Marilyn Lightstone (Dennis The Menace) as Queen, Jackie Burroughs (The Dead Zone) as Katherine, August Schellenberg (Free Willy) as Norl and Tararak, Eugene Levy (American Pie) as Captain Stern, Vlasta Vrana (Secret Window) as Barbarian Leader, and the film was directed by Gerald Potterton (The Railrodder).
One thing is definitely for certain when it comes to the film that I watched today and that is that the soundtrack is absolutely amazing. The soundtrack features everyone from Stevie Nicks, Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Devo, Cheap Trick and so many more. That is definitely one of the most appealing parts of the film besides the actual film itself. The film is divided into ten segments with the intro and epilogue as part of those. My favorite parts of the film are definitely Harry Canyon, Den, Captain Stern, and Taarna. Harry Canyon follows a taxi driver who thinks he is helping a girl in trouble while Den is about an 18 year old dweeb who gets sucked into another world and he is transformed into a strong warrior. Captain Stern follows a captain who is apparently a scumbag while Taarna is about a warrior woman who is the last of her kind that is called for vengeance. I am trying my hardest not to spoil anything in the film for you guys because you should see it for yourselves. The film is very sexual as it features a lot of naked cartoon woman so don’t think that this film is suitable for your kids cause it isn’t. Every segment seems to feature different types of animation with some being very simplistic and 80’s looking to some that are just remarkable and refreshing. No matter what, all of the stories in the film are well written and John Candy does an amazing job alongside guys like Eugene Levy and the late Harold Ramis. I really enjoyed the film and if you enjoy 80’s music along with 80’s cult classic animated films then check this one out. I am going to give the film an A- for a final grade.
I figured since Alice Through The Looking Glass is going to come out this year that I better watch the first film Alice In Wonderland so that I have an idea of what I am getting into. For Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska), she has been having dreams and visions of a land where animals talk, but for her she is always told they are dreams. That is until one day when she is about to be courted for marriage, she sees a rabbit with clothing on and she decides to follow it where she falls into a rabbit hole. Upon arriving in the magical world of Underland, she finds out that it has been held captive by the evil Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) and it is up to Alice to save Underland, the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), and slay the Jabberwocky. The film also stars Johnny Depp (Edward Scissorhands) as Hatter, Crispin Glover (Back To The Future) as Stayne-Knave Of Hearts, Matt Lucas (Shaun Of The Dead) as Tweedle Dee/Dum, Michael Sheen (Underworld) as White Rabbit, Stephen Fry (Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows) as Cheshire Cat, Alan Rickman (Galaxy Quest) as Blue Caterpillar, Barbara Windsor (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as Dormouse, Timothy Spall (Rock Star) as Bayard, and the film was directed by Tim Burton (Batman 1989).
One thing is for sure, this has to be about the billionth time that Burton has worked with Johnny Depp. It’s sort of like Martin Scorsese and Robert DeNiro back in the day and all of the great director/actor combinations. The same thing rings true as well with Helena Bonham Carter, but she’s married to Burton so it’s expected. The one thing I can say about all of them is that they were absolutely brilliant in the film. I actually didn’t mind Depp’s portrayal of the Mad Hatter (unlike his portrayal as Willy Wonka which I hated) because he nailed this role. He was both witty and crazy all wrapped in one and his performance was on point. The other thing I loved about the film was all of the visual aesthetics involved. The film was visually stunning to look at from the sets and the looks of the creatures. I know that a lot of it was filmed with a green screen and some animation, but the visuals is what kept me glued to the screen. The world of Underland is visually amazing even though it’s dark and desolate due to the fact that the Red Queen has taken over. It’s kind of sad to watch this film and hear Alan Rickman’s voice knowing that he is gone, but we know his voice is in the next film. and I cannot wait to check that out. My only hope is that the next one is a good as this one. With that being said, I am going to give the film an A- for a final grade.
365moviesin365dayschallenge 