February New Movie Month 2022

It’s become a tradition that we spend most of February watching new-to-us movie month. We kicked off this month with a short list of about 100 movies that we wanted to watch. Due to the long running time of a few movies (Godfather extended editions and LOTR with the kids), we have a slightly lower-than-usual number for the month, but we did watch some good ones. Here’s what we watched:

The French Dispatch - Classic quirky Wes Anderson with amazing design and characters. I loved the story about the student protest the best.

House of Gucci - Oh This was so good! Lady Gaga was amazing. The fashion, the betrayals, the over-the-top personalities. I could not get enough!

The Godfather - I’ve never actually seen it and J convinced me to watch this month. Much better than I thought it was going to be. I enjoyed it. Tom is the best character!

Bad Boys for Life - Terrible, but made partially better with cocktails.

The Godfather Part II - I didn’t think it could get more serious than the first one, but it did. I loved seeing the parallels between Michael and Vito.

tick, tick… BOOM! - Andrew Garfield is amazing in this one! He clearly did his homework to play Jonathan Larson in this adaptation of Larson’s musical and life.

The King’s Man - There was a weird tone to this movie, but we enjoyed it overall.

The Godfather Part III - I actually really enjoyed this part of the trilogy.

Jesus Christ Superstar: Live Arena Tour (2012) - Completely missed this one. Tim Minchin is really the star of this production.

Fistful of Vengeance - A “sequel” to the television shoe Wu Assassins… Not great, but a couple of good scenes.

Black Friday - Terrible horror movie, but I loved it.

Parker - Turns out we’ve actually seen this, but neither one of us could remember anything about the movie.

The Royal Wedding - Terrible. This was not funny at all.

The Orange Years - This is my childhood in documentary form! Perfect capper for our month of movies.

Next Up on the TBR pile:

February New Movie Month 2021 Part 2

It’s become a tradition that we spend most of February watching new-to-us movie month. We kicked off this month with a short list of 100 movies that we wanted to watch. Here’s what we’ve watched the second half of the month:

Lost Transmissions - Very good, but very serious movie depicting mental illness.

Mazes and Monsters - This was terrible but J made me watch it to understand the first “Dungeons and Dragons” movie.

Freaky - A delightfully fun horror movie! We loved it so much.

The Dig - An understated, but beautiful movie about a very famous (now, not then) archaeological dig.

Monster Hunter - Haha! This was terrible, but at least we got a bit of Tony Jaa artfully leaping.

Hotel Artemis - Not great. I was hoping for better gun play a la John Wick, but we didn’t really get any.

Buffaloed - Really enjoyed this one. Zoey Deutch is a delight!

Beyond the Mat - Been on our list for years. Interesting look at wrestling.

The Search for General Tso - Interesting documentary, but not the best.

Cosmic Sin - Terrible, confusing movie. We hoped it would be fun space adventure, but nope.

Next Up on the TBR pile:

February New Movie Month 2021

It’s become a tradition that we spend most of February watching new-to-us movie month. We kicked off this month with a short list of 100 movies that we wanted to watch. Here’s what we’ve watched so far:

A Tuba to Cuba - Fascinating documentary about New Orleans jazz and Cuba, history and connections. Perfect fit for our jazz study this February.

Akira - J convince me to watch it. I’m not a huge Anime fan, but I do know that this is essential viewing. Definitely a good movie.

The Commuter - Totally forgettable Liam Neeson movie full of plot holes.

Bang Bang Baby - What a strangely wonderful movie. The ending really threw me, but totally makes sense in retrospect.

Rush - Yet another car racing movie that I didn’t know I needed to watch, but really really enjoyed.

The Boy Band Con - Another fascinating documentary that got a lot darker than I thought it would.

Freaks of Nature - A super fun B horror movie. I really enjoyed this one for the entertainment value. Especially loved Patton Oswalt’s cameo.

Terminal - An Alice in Wonderland inspired thriller. We had fun deciding who each character was supposed to be. I think Simon Pegg’s character was supposed to be Lewis Carroll himself.

Fantasy Island - Pretty forgettable horror movie full of plot holes.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - Not the biggest fan of Quentin Tarantino, but this one was really good. I loved the ending.

Willy’s Wonderland - That was so fucking weird. But I do appreciate Nic Cage’s nonsense.

Next Up on the TBR pile:

New Movie January #18-31

#18 Warcraft: The Beginning (2016) "As an Orc horde invades the planet Azeroth using a magic portal, a few human heroes and dissenting Orcs must attempt to stop the true evil behind this war." -- For a fantasy movie based on a game, this was pretty good. Don't think about it too much, just enjoy kind of movie.

#19 The Last Unicorn (1982) "A brave unicorn and a magician fight an evil king who is obsessed with attempting to capture the world's unicorns." -- J was amazed that I had never seen this movie, so we watched. Not as trippy as Wizards or The Point, but definitely weird. Not really a fan...

#20 Lego Scooby-Doo!: Haunted Hollywood (2016) "The Scooby gang try to rescue an old movie studio, which is not only threatened by developers, but a series of movie monsters too." -- Arthur's pick from last week. For a silly Lego movie, this was pretty good. And we even get character voiced by Elvira. Added bonus points for not being super annoying.

New Movie January #11-18

#11 The Adventurer: The Curse of the Midas Box (2013) "Seventeen-year-old Mariah Mundi's life is turned upside down when his parents vanish and his younger brother is kidnapped. Following a trail of clues to the darkly majestic Prince Regent Hotel, Mariah discovers a hidden realm of child-stealing monsters, deadly secrets and a long-lost artifact that grants limitless wealth - but also devastating supernatural power." -- I loved this family friendly action adventure story. It was just the fun movie I needed the other night. Apparently the movie is based on a book. I'll have to check it out.

#12 Burying the Ex (2014) "A guy's regrets over moving in with his girlfriend are compounded when she dies and comes back as a zombie." -- Such a fun little twist on the zombie trope. This was a ton of fun. Definite must-watch movie.

#13 St. Vincent (2014) "A young boy whose parents have just divorced finds an unlikely friend and mentor in the misanthropic, bawdy, hedonistic war veteran who lives next door." -- Been on my list for awhile now. Glad I finally got around to watching this one. Bill Murray is great at playing the asshole.

#14 A Royal Night Out "On V.E. Day in 1945, as peace extends across Europe, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret are allowed out to join the celebrations. It is a night full of excitement, danger and the first flutters of romance." -- A silly little movie for overnight feedings. This was a fun movie. Plus the costumes are amazing!

#15 Interstellar (2014) "A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity's survival." -- I enjoyed most of this movie. The look and sound are amazing. Very 2001-esque. I liked the premise of the movie. What I didn't like was the conclusion that someone love transcended all the obstacles. A little hooey for my tastes.

#16 Jason Bourne (2016) "The CIA's most dangerous former operative is drawn out of hiding to uncover more explosive truths about his past." -- We felt like we had to finish the series, but I must say that I was disappointed in this movie. Acting was so-so, plot was predictable, and worst of all, the shaky cam continued.

#17 Invaders from Mars (1953) "A young boy learns that space aliens are taking over the minds of earthlings." -- Part of our 100 best science fiction films. Properly cheesy scifi. J and I had a lot of laughs from the unintentional comedy. Definite must-see for scifi fans even if the film doesn't have the same impact as in the 1950s.

New Movie January #1-10

#1 The Spirit of Christmas (2015) "A woman falls in love with a man who is somewhat unavailable." -- While the premise is a bit ridiculous (he's a ghost, but not a ghost!), I really did enjoy this one. The romance was cute and the setting of the inn was gorgeous.

#2 Back to Christmas (Correcting Christmas) (2014) "A woman travels back one year in time to the Christmas before her broken engagement and tries to repair what went went wrong. She discovers that this is a challenging undertaking." -- Hmmm... the characters were pretty boring and I just want to punch the boyfriend every time he was on screen. Definitely not my favorite of the season.

#3 Christmas Belle (2013) "With her California hometown in the rear-view mirror, Belle heads north on business to facilitate the estate sale of a mansion. While the job is a dream, the client, Hunter Lowell, is not. But, as the two spend more time together, his icy demeanor begins to melt. Although their relationship is budding, Belle's long-time suitor, Tony, arrives, sending mixed signals to Hunter while adding chaos to the holiday season." -- Haylie Duff isn't my favorite actress (it always seems forced), I did enjoy the romance between the two leads. And I really really really want to live on that estate.

#4 A Christmas Kiss II (2014) "At a Christmastime event, Jenna shares an impromptu, unforgettable kiss with the dashing billionaire, Cooper Montgomery. Unaware of his intentions and fearful of getting hurt in another relationship, Jenna vows to resist his charms, but begins to realize his affection is real as the two spend more time together." -- Amazingly, I think I enjoyed this sequel more than the first one. Much cuter and the characters weren't as head-smackingly stupid.

#5 Holiday Engagement (2011) "Afraid to tell her family she's been dumped, Hillary hires an actor to play her fiancé during a 4-day Thanksgiving weekend at her parents' house." -- Not a very exciting one. I watched it but really can't say that it was good or bad. It just was.

#6 Begin Again (2013) "A chance encounter between a disgraced music-business executive and a young singer-songwriter new to Manhattan turns into a promising collaboration between the two talents." -- Been in my Netflix queue for awhile... An understated film, but I really enjoyed it.

#7 Carnival of Souls (1962) "After a traumatic accident, a woman becomes drawn to a mysterious abandoned carnival." -- My mother's been begging me to see this for years now. Such a weird movie... Interesting, but weird.

#8 The Last Five Years (2014) "A struggling actress and her novelist lover each illustrate the struggle and deconstruction of their love affair." -- A bit of a mixed bag. I loved Anna Kendrick in this one and the singing was quite lovely. I could not stand the male lead. Something about him made me just want to punch him the entire movie even when the character was being sweet and sincere. So good and bad I guess...

#9 Man Up (2015) "A single woman takes the place of a stranger's blind date, which leads to her finding the perfect boyfriend." -- A refreshing take on the romantic comedy. I adore Simon Pegg and his character is a lot of fun in this movie.

#10 Daddy's Home (2015) "Brad Whitaker is a radio host trying to get his stepchildren to love him and call him Dad. But his plans turn upside down when their biological father, Dusty Mayron, returns." -- Movie night with the twins! This was laugh out loud funny. Loved it!

New Movie January #10-31

Okay so I'm lying a bit here... we got nowhere near 31 movies watched this month. We only got to 11 movies. A bit sad, but January has been a bitch. We've all been super busy, but also sick almost the entire month. Only a few movies to highlight for the last two-thirds of the month.

#10 Spy "A desk-bound CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster." -- Way funnier than it should have been. Why was it so funny? Still don't know, but we definitely enjoyed it.

#11 Taken "A retired CIA agent travels across Europe and relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been kidnapped while on a trip to Paris." -- Somehow I had never seen the first Taken, but have seen the two sequels. The first one is way more brutal than the other two. Crazy stuff! It was an enjoyable night of movie watching...

New Movie January #1-9

I love starting off my year with some great new-to-me movies. I'm not doing individual movie review posts, but opted for mini review collections.

#1 Star Wars: The Force Awakens "Three decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, a new threat arises. The First Order attempts to rule the galaxy and only a ragtag group of heroes can stop them, along with the help of the Resistance." -- Really really really enjoyed this one! So glad I got to see it!

#2 The Skeleton Twins "Having both coincidentally cheated death on the same day, estranged twins reunite with the possibility of mending their relationship." -- I really enjoyed this quirky little indie film. Wiig and Hader were great in this. Two thumbs up.

#3 Vampire Academy "Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, half human-half vampire, a guardian of the Moroi, peaceful, mortal vampires living discreetly within our world. Her calling is to protect the Moroi from bloodthirsty, immortal Vampires, the Strigoi." -- I read the book series and enjoyed it. The movie was ridiculously campy and vapid. Not a fan at all.

#4 Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List "Naomi and Ely have loved each other their whole lives, even though Ely isn't exactly into girls. The institution of a "No Kiss List" has prevented the two from rifts in the past, but bonds are tested when they both fall for the same guy." -- Ugh! So stupid. I only watched about half before I gave up. It was not good at all...

#5 I Give It a Year "Newlywed couple Nat and Josh are deliriously happy despite their differences, though friends and family aren't convinced that they can last. With their first anniversary approaching and attractive alternatives in the mix, can they last?" -- I really really enjoyed this little romance.  The lead actor was bugging me the entire movie until I figured out that he was in the Cornetto Trilogy. Duh! Beyond that, I really enjoyed the characters and the storyline in this one.

#6 Europa Report "An international crew of astronauts undertakes a privately funded mission to search for life on Jupiter's fourth largest moon." --  A little late to the party, but this movie was amazing! I loved the storyline, but even more, I loved the characters. Fascinating movie about space exploration. A must see! And that ending just floored me. I just sat there for a few minutes processing everything I had watched. Loved it!

#7 Drinking Buddies "Luke and Kate are coworkers at a brewery who spend their nights drinking and flirting heavily. One weekend away together with their significant others proves who really belongs together and who doesn't." -- I feel like the tone was a bit all over the place on this one. I didn't quite feel like I got the message at the end. Decent movie, but nothing to rave about.

#8 Insurgent "Beatrice Prior must confront her inner demons and continue her fight against a powerful alliance which threatens to tear her society apart with the help from others on her side." -- Ugh. Not excited about all the changes they made to the storyline and characters.

#9 Don Jon "A New Jersey guy dedicated to his family, friends, and church, develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn and works to find happiness and intimacy with his potential true love." -- Very interesting film. J and I had a big discussion about characters and pacing because of this film. I really like it, but the trailer completely sold a different movie.

August Movie Month

My 30 day challenge was new-to-me movies. Unfortunately, my plan did not get off to a great start. I didn't watch a single movie for the first four days of the month. From there, I just lost momentum. Here are the movies that I watched during the month of August...

1. See Girl Run (2012) "A young adult woman decides to revisit her past relationships in order to find some guidance in her current life." -- Netflix told me that I would only give this movie 2 stars, but I enjoyed this quiet independent movie. It was a nice understated look a woman struggling with comparisons to her past and current relationships.

2. Lizzie Borden Took an Axe (2014) "The true story of Lizzie Borden, a young woman tried and acquitted in the 1892 murders of her father and stepmother." -- Very cheesy, but lots of fun to watch.

3. The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies (2014) "Bilbo and Company are forced to engage in a war against an array of combatants and keep the Lonely Mountain from falling into the hands of a rising darkness." -- I hadn't gotten around to actually watching the last film in the trilogy. Josh got it for me so I could watch. It wasn't amazing, but a good movie. I loved seeing Elrond and Galadriel be bad asses in the added scene.

4. Teacher of the Year (2014) "Surrounded by the eccentric faculty of Truman High School, Mitch Carter wins the California Teacher of the Year award and immediately receives a tempting offer that may force him to leave his job." -- A pretty depressing comedy. Meant to be funny, but I wasn't laughing.

5. The Boxtrolls (2014) "A young orphaned boy raised by underground cave-dwelling trash collectors tries to save his friends from an evil exterminator. Based on the children's novel 'Here Be Monsters' by Alan Snow."  -- The red hats were the best part of the movie. Arthur enjoyed watching the trolls. He loved their silly looks.

6. World War Z (2013) "United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments, and threatening to destroy humanity itself." -- Finally watched this one. Yeah not a favorite. The pacing was really weird and there was a ton of exposition. A bit of a snore really. And I loved the book!

NMJ #25: John Wick

Title: John Wick

Year Released/Rating: 2014 R

Starring: Keanu Reeves; Michael Nyqvist; Alfie Allen

Directed By: Chad Stahelski; David Leitch

Written By: Derek Kolstad

Genre: Action

Star Rating:  5/5 stars

Where I Got It: Server

Trivia:

• According to Keanu Reeves, he did 90% of his own stunts in the film.
• The security guard who waves Wick onto the airport runway is reading "Shibumi" by Trevanian, a 1970s thriller, also about a retired master assassin dragged back into the game. The story Viggo tells about how Wick killed three men "with a pencil" might also be a reference to Shibumi, whose hero kills with everyday objects.
• Keanu's fifth time playing a role named John.
• The tattoo on John Wick' s back translates to "Fortune helps him who is strong."

Summary: An ex-hitman comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him.

Review:

 This has been on my radar for awhile now... so glad we downloaded it. What a great action revenge flick. The action sequences were amazing: choreographed perfectly, shot great. No shaky cam here. John Wick was a great character. Loved him! And all the supporting players were fun especially Perkins. Definite must see for action fans.

Best Bits: 

• Viggo Tarasov: I heard you struck my son today. Aureilo: Yes, sir, I did. Viggo Tarasov: May I ask why? Aureilo: Well, sir, he stole John Wick's car and, uh, killed his dog. Viggo Tarasov: [pause] Oh.
• Viggo Tarasov: In a bar, I once saw him kill three men... with a pencil.
• Viggo Tarasov: They know you're coming. John Wick: Of course... But it won't matter.
• Francis: Are you here on business, sir? John Wick: Afraid so, Francis. [pause] Why don't you take the night off? Francis: Thank you, sir.

NMJ #22-24: Ascension

Title: Ascension

Year Released/Rating: 2014

Starring: Tricia Helfer; Gil Bellows, Brian Van Holt; Brandon Bell

Directed By: Stephen Williams; Mairzee Almas; Nick Copus; Robert Lierberman; Vincenzo Natali

Written By: Adrian Cruz; Melody Fox; Philip Levens

Genre: Science Fiction

Star Rating:  4/5 stars

Where I Got It: Server

Trivia: 

• Ryan Robbins and Tricia Helfer appeared in the very first scene of "Battlestar Galactica" as the Armistice Officer and Cylon "Number Six" respectively.
• Major character is named "James Toback" and is frequently called by his full name rather than first name like the other characters; presumably this is the series writers' in-joke homage to writer/director James Toback, whose classic Paramount film THE GAMBLER has been recently remade starring Mark Wahlberg.

Summary: A young woman's murder causes the subjects of a century-long mission to populate a new world to question the true nature of the project as they approach the point of no return.

Review:

Decent little miniseries from Syfy. J and I called most of the twists, but I still enjoyed it. They could have kept the big reveal until the second night, but whatever I was still okay. Viondra was definitely the best character in the series. Love her so much!

NMJ #21: Cavedigger

Title: Cavedigger

Year Released/Rating: 2013

Directed By: Jeffrey Karoff

Genre: Documentary

Star Rating:  3/5 stars

Where I Got It: Server

Summary: In this OSCAR® NOMINATED documentary short, artist Ra Paulette digs other-worldly, sculptural caves using nothing but hand tools. But, as patrons cut off his projects due to lack of funds or artistic differences, Paulette's frustration mounts. This penetrating portrait examines the cost of Paulette's obsession and tracks him as he rejects commissions for his own 10-year Magnum Opus.

Review:

An interesting little short, but ultimately I was not a fan of the person being documented. Paulette's art cannot be denied. The caves are amazing both in their beauty and technicality. But his attitude toward his friends and wife really bugged me. Really not a fan of him...

NMJ #20: Craigslist Joe

Title: Craigslist Joe

Year Released/Rating: 2012

Directed By: Joseph Garner

Genre: Documentary

Star Rating:  4/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Summary: In a time when America's economy was crumbling and sense of community was in question, one guy left everything behind to see if he could survive solely on the support and goodwill of the 21st century's new town square: Craigslist.

Review:

It started out a bit cheesy and weird. But as the month passed, I became more invested in Joe's connections. I loved seeing all the weird and wonderful people he met through Craigslist. The documentary renewed my faith in the human race. People are willing to help if you just ask. After watching, I had to check out our local Craigslist page. I didn't find anyone to help today, but I'll remind myself to periodically check...

NMJ #19: Mansome

Title: Mansome

Year Released/Rating: 2012

Directed By: Morgan Spurlock

Written By: Jeremy Chilnick, Morgan Spurlock

Genre: Documentary

Star Rating:  4/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Summary: A documentary that explores the question: In the age of manscaping, metrosexuals, and grooming products galore - what does it mean to be a man?

Review:

An interesting little documentary about men and grooming. While the documentary doesn't have any large breakthroughs, it was fun. I enjoyed it. That's about it. Nothing too exciting...

NMJ #16-18: Prohibition

Title: Prohibtion

Year Released/Rating: 2011

Directed By: Ken Burns

Genre: Documentary

Star Rating:  5/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Summary: The story of the American activist struggle against the influence of alcohol, climaxing in the failed early 20th century nationwide era when it was banned.

Review:

For the past three nights, we've been watching this great documentary. One of my goals is to watch all the Ken Burns documentaries. I've watched a fair amount, but never this particular one. I do love me some U.S. History. Even though I have a fair amount of knowledge about the time before, during, and after Prohibition, I learned a lot watching the documentary. Very enjoyable few nights of TV viewing.

NMJ #15: We're the Millers

Title: We're the Millers

Year Released/Rating: 2013 R

Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts

Directed By: Rawson Marshall Thurber

Written By: Bob Fisher, Steve Faber, Sean Anders, John Morris

Genre: Comedy

Star Rating:  3/5 stars

Where I Got It: Server

Trivia:

• The cast played a prank on Jennifer Aniston by playing the Friends (1994) theme song ("I'll Be There For You" by The Rembrandts) instead of TLC's "Waterfalls" during a take. This was the last clip used in the bloopers.
• Make-up artists made a prosthetic replica of Will Poulter's genitalia for the tarantula bite.
• It can be assumed that David named his family the Millers after his apartment complex, 200 Miller Street Apartments, located on N. Miller Street.

Summary: A veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.

Review:

Just one of those movies we've had on the server for awhile. Not good, not bad, just a middle of the road comedy. I'll admit that there were a few scenes that I laughed out loud. But most of the movie was so-so. And the feel-good message was a bit forced in parts.

Best Bits: 

• Rose O'Reilly: You're making $500,000 and giving me only $30,000? Casey Mathis: $30,000? I'm only getting $1,000! Kenny Rossmore: You guys are getting paid?
• Scottie P.: You know what I'm sayin? David Clark: Well, I'm awake and I speak English, so yeah, I know what you're saying.
• Todd - Strip Club Owner: Hey, Rose, I know you're [air-quotes] "technically" on break, but I need a lap dance. Table five. Just don't get too close. The guy has two hook-hands. Rose O'Reilly: [sighs] How did we let that guy back in here? Todd - Strip Club Owner: I don't know. He must've picked the locks. [Chuckles]
• Rose O'Reilly: You're not a neighbor. You're a drug dealer. Whose apartment smells like cheese and feet. David Clark: Mm. Yeah, it's a candle I got from Anthropologie. 'Cheesy Feet' is what they call it. It's a best-seller.

NMJ #14: The Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug

Title: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Year Released/Rating: 2013 PG-13

Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage

Directed By: Peter Jackson

Written By: J.R.R. Tolkien, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro

Genre: Fantasy, Action

Star Rating:  5/5 stars

Where I Got It: Server

Trivia:

• The insult Thorin screams in Dwarvish at Thranduil in Khuzdul basically translates as "I dump my feces on your head."
• The only time Legolas blinks is when he realizes he has been wounded. This is in keeping with the character, as the only time Legolas blinks in the Lord of the Rings trilogy is when he is strongly surprised.
• Orlando Bloom is two years older than Lee Pace who plays his father, King Thranduil.
• Thranduil's sudden scars reflect a little-emphasized facet of J.R.R. Tolkien's lore: elves' "Fëa" (a metaphysical concept analogous translatable as "soul") occasionally influences the "Hröa" (the fleshly, physical body), particularly under moments of extreme stress. This can manifest as extreme physical changes that reflect the mind's state, in this case deep war scars.
• Bilbo steals the keys to the prison from an Elf addressed as Elros. Elros is also the name of Elrond's brother. The two brothers had both human and Elvish ancestry on both their mother's and father's side, and as such were perfectly half-Elf and half-Man. While Elrond chose to be an immortal Elf, Elros chose to become a mortal man. He thus became the progenitor of the Numenorian race, and an ancestor of Aragorn.
• A pair of Megaloceros giganteus (Irish elk) antlers flanks the Elf king's throne.
• This film is features the first occurrence of seeing the character Legolas bleed on screen.

Summary:

 The dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. Bilbo Baggins is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring.

Review:

Yes I realize that I am super behind in watching this one. I finally got around to it. And boy was it good. I really love the interaction between Bilbo and Smaug. The last 30 minutes is really the best part of the film. I can't wait to see how it ends.

Best Bits: 

• Legolas: [Looking at two pictures in a locket that he has confiscated from Gloin. The picture on the left has a long thick beard] Who is this? Your brother? Gloin: That is my wife! Legolas: [Looking at the infant in the other picture] And who is this horrid creature? A goblin mutant? Gloin: That is my wee lad, Gimli!
• Kili: Aren't you going to search me? I could have anything down my trousers. Tauriel: Or nothing.
• [Smaug is smothered with a deluge of molten gold]mSmaug: [rises up] Revenge? REVENGE? I will show you revenge! [takes flight towards Lake Town] I am fire! I am... death!
• [observes a carving of the Arkenstone] Bilbo Baggins: What's that? Balin: That is the Arkenstone. Bilbo Baggins: And what is it? Thorin Oakenshield: That, Master Burglar, is why you are here.

NMJ #12-13: Cat 8

Title: Cat 8

Year Released/Rating: 2013

Starring: Matthew Modine, Maxim Roy, Ted Whittall

Directed By: Kevin Fair

Written By: Donald Martin

Genre: Action

Star Rating:  3/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Summary: A research program abandoned by the best solar physicist when the Pentagon wanted to put it to military use has been resumed by his former deputy. Her incompetence and the Defense secretary's haste cause it to be tested too soon, stirring unprecedented solar flares, ultimately a plasma causing disasters on all continents. Only the genius can think of a way out, only to be victimized by the secretary, who needs to cover up. Even when it turns out the earth's core has stopped spinning, spelling an unimaginable seismic apocalypse, the genius must still evade special forces to stay free and save the world again.

Review:

Interesting idea, but not great tv movie at all.  But I do love my disaster porn. So I guess it was a good two afternoons watching...

NMJ #11: I, Frankenstein

Title: I, Frankenstein

Year Released/Rating: 2014 PG-13

Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Bill Nighy, Miranda Otto

Directed By: Stuart Beattie

Written By: Stuart Beattie, Kevin Grevioux

Genre: Action, Fantasy

Star Rating:  2/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Trivia:

• This film acknowledges Frankenstein's Monster as "Adam" making it one of the very few screen adaptations to call him this name.
• There are three instances of "Adam" in the novel, all by the creation, all in third-party reference: "Remember that I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel..." (Chapter 10) "Like Adam, I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence..." (Chapter 15) "I remembered Adam's supplication to his Creator. But where was mine?" (Chapter 15)

Summary: Frankenstein's creature finds himself caught in an all-out, centuries old war between two immortal clans.

Review: 

This popped up on Netflix. I thought it might be fun to watch while sorting craft supplies. I was wrong. This was bad. Confusing plot, cardboard characters, and ridiculous action. Even Bill Nighy couldn't save this one...

Best Bits: 

• Adam: I am like no other.

NMJ #10: Knights of Badassdom

Title: Knights of Badassdom

Year Released/Rating: 2013 R

Starring: Ryan Kwanten, Steve Zahn, Peter Dinklage

Directed By: Joe Lynch

Written By: Kevin Dreyfuss, Matt Wall

Genre: Horror, comedy

Star Rating:  4/5 stars

Where I Got It: Netflix

Trivia:

• The main cast went through Live Action Role Playing sessions before filming and Peter Dinklage was declared the most successful out of everyone.
• Disowned by director Joe Lynch after the film was delayed and re-edited by IndieVest.
• "The Battle of Evermore" is also the name of a popular Led Zepplin song.

Summary: Live-action role players conjure up a demon from Hell by mistake and they must deal with the consequences.

Review:

On my to watch list since it came out, but I never seemed to get around to it. The first half of the movie is a silly comedy. And then it changes to a serious horror film. The change is a bit abrupt, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Peter Dinklage makes this movie better than mediocre. Plus the effects are surprisingly decent.

Best Bits: 

• Eric: And Guinevere the fearless, who's plus-three ass of perfection should keep the memory of she who should not be mentioned at bay. Gwen: Plus-three? Clearly you underestimate my endowments.
• Ronnie Kwok: [in distress] You just summoned a succubus from Hell! Eric: [pauses] Sorry.