Movie 37 of 2008: Quantum of Solace

Movie Description:

'Quantum of Solace' continues the high octane adventures of James Bond from 'Casino Royale'. Picking up literally hours after the previous film left off, after being betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Having captured Mr. White, and in pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and 'M' interrogate Mr. White who reveals the organization which blackmailed Vesper to steal Bond's casino winnings is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined.

Forensic intelligence links an MI6 traitor to a bank account in Haiti where a case of mistaken identity introduces Bond to the beautiful but feisty Camille, a woman who has her own vendetta. Camille leads Bond straight to Dominic Greene, a ruthless businessman and major force within the mysterious criminal organization known only as 'Quantum'.

On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond discovers that Greene, conspiring to take total control of one of the world's most important natural resources, is forging a deal with the exiled General Medrano. Using his associates in the organization, and manipulating his powerful contacts within the CIA and the British government, Greene promises to overthrow the existing regime in Bolivia, giving General Medrano control of the country in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land which is, however, a main source of the South American water supply. In a minefield of treachery, murder and deceit, Bond allies with old friends in a battle to uncover the truth. As he gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists, and even 'M' herself, to unravel Greene's sinister plan and stop Quantum from getting its way.

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My Opinion:

Went and saw this with my dad on an "early birthday date" tonight as we had free passes to see it. I haven't seen a Bond movie in many, many years!!! I wasn't really sure how I was going to like it or IF I was going to like it, but I actually enjoyed it quite a lot. There were a LOT of action scenes and they were all very well done. I think my favorite one was one near the beginning in the water with all the boats. I thought there were also several humorous moments/comments in the movie as well. I didn't recall older Bond movies being quite as humorous, but that could just be my memory. *shrugs* One thing that DID seem to be less in this movie from older Bond movies was sex! Sure... there were definitely the "Bond girls", but there wasn't the one big sex scene that I recall from the previous movies. I didn't see where it was needed, but it was kind of funny that it wasn't there when I was kind of expecting it. At any rate, I do recommend this movie to pretty much anyone that likes a good action flick as it's definitely a fun watch.

Movie 36 of 2008 (Special Halloween Marathon): Halloween

Movie Description:

The year is 1963, the night; Halloween. Police are called to 43 Lampkin Ln. only to discover that a 17 year Judith Myers had been stabbed to death, by her 6 year-old brother... After being institutionalized for 15 years, Myers breaks out just days before Halloween. No one knows nor would wish to find out what would happen on October 31st 1978, besides Myer's physciatrist Dr. Loomis. He knows Michael is coming back to Haddonfield, but by the time the town realizes it, it'll be to late for many people...

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My Opinion:

Yet another movie that I probably should've seen many years ago, but didn't. I actually DID get a bit creeped out during this movie, which surprised me. I was kinda starting to think that horror movies just didn't scare me anymore, but I guess some do still depending on the content. I enjoyed this one a lot more so then some of the older horror movies I've been watching. Definitely better than the Romero movies... LOL!!! Not sure if I'll bother watching the rest of this series or not. (Chris... should I bother???)

Movie 35 of 2008 (Special Halloween Marathon): Suspiria

Movie Description:

A candy-colored nightmare from Italian terror maestro Dario Argento, Suspiria weaves a menacing tale of witchcraft as a fairy tale gone horribly awry. From the moment she arrives in Freiberg, Germany, to attend the prestigious Tans Academy, American ballet-dancer Suzy Banyon (Jessica Harper) senses that something horribly evil lurks within the walls of the age-old institution. Ill at ease as the result of her fellow student's peculiar behavior and increasingly terrified following a series of gruesome and spectacular murders, Suzy slowly begins to unravel the dark history of the academy. Convinced that the occult roots of the school and the horrific tale of its founding mother may hold an unthinkable secret, she begins a hallucinatory journey into the black heart of one of the most powerful witches ever known to exist. As Suzy edges ever closer to a secret that may hold the answers to all of her nightmares, the coven's grip on her soul begins to tighten until there is seemingly no escape. Will Suzy solve the mystery of the cursed academy before the fearsome Black Queen consumes her, or will she finally reveal the secret that has forever haunted the lavish corridors of the academy and bring an end to the Black Queen's terrifying reign?

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My Opinion:

Wow! This movie was absolutely gorgeous!!! The color choices made by Dario Argento in this movie were spectacular and really made this movie. Also, I really felt that the soundtrack made you "feel" the movie. Granted... one of the songs was played quite frequently throughout the movie, but I felt like it went well with the movie and didn't seem too repetitive to me even so. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, though I don't think I picked up on everything going on as there seemed to be a lot to take in. I am looking forward to re-watching this at a later time as well as watching the other 2 movies in the trilogy, INFERNO & THE MOTHER OF TEARS.

Movie 34 of 2008 (Special Halloween Marathon): Dawn of the Dead

Movie Description:

Following the events of Night of the Living Dead (1968), we follow the exploits of four survivors of the expanding zombie apocalypse as they take refuge in an abandoned shopping mall following a horrific SWAT evacuation of an apartment complex. Taking stock of their surroundings, they arm themselves, lock down the mall, and destroy the zombies inside so they can eke out a living--at least for a while. Tensions begin to build as months go on, however, when they come to realize that they've fallen prey to consumerism. Soon afterward, they have even heavier problems to worry about, as a large gang of bikers discovers the mall and invades it, ruining the survivors' best-laid plans and forcing them to fight off both lethal bandits and flesh-eating zombies.

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My Opinion:

*yawn* Oh... sorry... is the movie over? Yeah... I didn't like this one much more than I did NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (sorry Nick & Chris!) I mean, it was a little better as I enjoyed watching the zombies stumble around and such, but I just didn't see much plot to the story. *shrugs* I guess I'm just not mean to be a Romero groupie.

Movie 33 of 2008 (Special Halloween Marathon): Psycho

Movie Description:

Phoenix officeworker Marion Crane is fed up with the way life has treated her. She has to meet her lover Sam in lunch breaks and they cannot get married because Sam has to give most of his money away in alimony. One Friday Marion is trusted to bank $40,000 by her employer. Seeing the opportunity to take the money and start a new life, Marion leaves town and heads towards Sam's California store. Tired after the long drive and caught in a storm, she gets off the main highway and pulls into The Bates Motel. The motel is managed by a quiet young man called Norman who seems to be dominated by his mother.

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My Opinion:

Okay... Yes, I know it's sad that I'm just now seeing this movie for the first time in my life, but... it made for a great afternoon Halloween movie today. I had a very hectic month this month and decided to take today off to stay home and watch horror movies all day and just "veg out". So... since I am way behind on watching the "classic" horror movies, I asked a couple of my horror author friends for their top recommendations (Thanks John Everson & Nick Cato !!!) and this blog along with the next few you see pop up today and/or tomorrow will be movies they suggested to me. :)

Alrighty... as I said, PSYCHO was great for an afternoon Halloween flick. I had an idea what this movie was about based on stuff I had heard over the years, but I really had no idea what to expect at the end of the movie and I really liked the twist that came out of the story! Great Alfred Hitchcock flick!!!

Movie 32 of 2008: The Simpsons Movie

Movie Description:

After eighteen seasons, four hundred episodes, and innumerable awards and honors (including a Peabody, 23 Emmys(R) and a designation from Time magazine as the "best television show of the twentieth century"), "The Simpsons" has become a feature-length motion picture. And it's a good thing, too, because it takes a wide screen to fully capture Homer Simpson's epic stupidity.

In the eagerly-awaited film based on the hit television series, Homer must save the world from a catastrophe he himself created. It all begins with Homer, his new pet pig, and a leaky silo full of droppings - a combination that triggers a disaster the likes of which Springfield has never experienced. As Marge is outraged by Homer's monumental blunder, a vengeful mob descends on the Simpson household. The family makes a narrow escape, but is soon divided by both location and conflict.

The Springfield citizenry has every reason to be out for Simpson blood. The calamity triggered by Homer has drawn the attention of U.S. President Arnold Schwarzenegger (voiced by Harry Shearer) and Environmental Protection Agency head Russ Cargill (voiced by Albert Brooks). "You know sir," Cargill tells the president, "when you made me head of the EPA, you were applauded for appointing one of the most successful men in America to the least successful agency in government. And why did I take the job? Because I'm a rich man who wanted to give something back. Not the money, but something." That "something" is a devil's plan to contain the disaster.

As the fates of Springfield and the world hang in the balance, Homer embarks on a personal odyssey of redemption - seeking forgiveness from Marge, the reunion of his splintered family, and the salvation of his hometown.

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My Opinion:

I haven't seen any Simpsons episodes in quite a long time and I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Thought it was a lot of fun for an evening movie. The "Spider-Pig" song that I had already been familiar with was quite cute and it was fun to see how it tied into the movie... hee hee! I just really had a good time watching this movie. So... any new or old fans to the Simpsons should enjoy this movie. One thing about this show as you can jump in at any time and not have to knokw the history of the characters as you're not really missing much at any point... you just fall right into place.

Movie 31 of 2008: Hancock

Movie Description:

There are heroes... there are superheroes... and then there's Hancock (Will Smith). With great power comes great responsibility - everyone knows that - everyone, that is, but Hancock. Edgy, conflicted, sarcastic, and misunderstood, Hancock's well-intentioned heroics might get the job done and save countless lives, but always seem to leave jaw-dropping damage in their wake. The public has finally had enough - as grateful as they are to have their local hero, the good citizens of Los Angeles are wondering what they ever did to deserve this guy. Hancock isn't the kind of man who cares what other people think - until the day that he saves the life of PR executive Ray Embrey, and the sardonic superhero begins to realize that he may have a vulnerable side after all. Facing that will be Hancock's greatest challenge yet - and a task that may prove impossible as Ray's wife, Mary, insists that he's a lost cause.

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My Opinion:

So I tried watching this twice... the first time I fell asleep... the 2nd time I kept doing other stuff as I watched it, so I guess you could say I wasn't all that impressed. I got the overall gist of the movie, but I just didn't think it was anything all that exciting. It had some funny moments... just wasn't anything spectacular.