DARK KNIGHT LEGEND: 5 Fantastic Scenes in The Dark Knight Rises

THE RAMBLINGS OF A MINNESOTA GEEK

proudly presents

THE DARK KNIGHT LEGEND:

A JULY 2012 BATATHON

ANDY'S FRIDAY FIVE:

FANTASTIC SCENES IN THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Hello all, and thanks for continuing to check out our coverage of the Batman movies! Today is, as the title clearly says, a list of five fantastic scenes from The Dark Knight Rises, officially out a week ago. And tomorrow concludes a look at the movies with my ranking of all seven flicks, best to worse (I bet you think you know what the worse is! Eh, yeah, you're probably right). Following that, reviews will be forthcoming of the newly released re-imagining of the Batman mythos, Batman: Earth One, followed by the critically acclaimed The Dark Knight Returns.

I hate that I even have to say this, but in this day 'n age where people bitch and complain a lot about spoilers, I'm forced to emphasize this duhness: the following post contains explicit SPOILERS, both visually and in writing. So, ignore this if you haven't seen the movie, and then feel bad that you haven't seen the bloody movie.

Enjoy!

Andy's Friday Five: 1998

1998 is really the year of my guilty pleasures. I doubt most of the films in my Top 5 will be on any other, and I'm perfectly fine about that. These films are just, in my humble opinion, bloody friggin' awesome. The category before the Top 5 list a lot of regular titles you'll see on lists, and although they are good - hell, even great films - when compared to the flicks on my Top 5, I just don't watch them as frequently as I do the ones I selected, nor does my heart flutter quite as much. Yeah, yeah, here's me going all mushy over flicks. Anyway, so check out below for my top picks of 1998. Now what are yours?

Previous Entries:
1990 | 1995 | 1997 | 2000

I Still Love These Movies, But They Don't Take the Cake

Lost in Space - Just had the pleasure of rewatching this recently, and with the exception of a really bad Gary Oldman, I frakkin' LOVED this. The story was tight and intelligent, the kid roles were tolerable, the leads were fun, Matt LeBlanc did a hilariously bad Han Solo impression, the miniature effects were really well done (highly detailed), the SPFX was spiffy and hold up even now over a decade later, and frankly, I love Lost in Space enough that I want a damn sequel.

GODZILLA - Since the age of 3, I have loved Godzilla more than nearly anything else, a love rivaled only by Batman. I like this movie, but it's more a remake of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms than it is remotely a Godzilla film.

Can't Hardly Wait - Teen sex comedy. <3 Furthermore, this flick is basically one giant 'Hey, it's THAT guy!' celebrity cameo fest. For realziez.

Halloween: H20 - Could have been sooo much better, but for what it is, this seventh film of the franchise ain't terrible. Boasts one hell of an ending. But the Michael Myers mask...ugh, I cringe to this day.

Deep Impact - Move aside Armageddon, I choose this world-ending-by-asteroid film over you any day of the week.

Saving Private Ryan - Without fail, whenever this film is playing on TNT, I always tune into the scene where a soldier gets a knife slowly pushed into his heart, and by God, does that just irk me. As for the whole movie, well, it's fantastic. Don't watch it often, but when I do, it's always a heart-pounding experience.

American History X - Also just saw this fairly recently, and was mighty impressed.

Meet Joe Black - Dunno what it is with me and liking films that include manifestations of Death. Though, I'm quite confidant the inclusion of Claire Forlani has something to do with my like for this movie.

Andy's Favorite Five of 1998
5. Run, Lola Run

Similar to choice #1, Run, Lola Run (that sorta rhymed) was a result of class assignment. We watched it together about three or four years ago, and it was just another one of those 'falling in love' moments. This is one of those instances where a clever idea and a creative director come together to make one hell of a fascinating movie. It's basically one story told different ways three times, each time with factors that create a different endgame in the 20 minutes the redhead, Lola, is allotted to save her boyfriend, Manny, who honestly doesn't seem worth the hassle. But it is what it is. The inventiveness of the situations, and surprisingly, the emotions that come out of it - especially during the bank scenes, where revelation after revelation hits Lola - is surprising, fresh, raw, and real. For someone who wants action, they'll get plenty of that; for someone looking for good story and characters, there's still that, too, which is even more impressive given its small runtime. Run, Lola Run is an experience. Much like 24. Oooooh! Now THERE'S a show: Lola - 20/4. Alright, I'm sold. Wait, what was I saying? Yes, Run, Lola Run: one hell of a wild ride that you'll want to get on again and again and again.

4. The Mask of Zorro

Every frame, every line, every track, every performance: frakkin' phenomenal. The Mask of Zorro is one of those movies, for me, that no matter the amount of hateration someone else throws on it, no matter how much someone points out whatever flaws it may have, or no matter someone just disagreeing flat out that this flick has any redeeming value - I will be unfazed. I love this movie. I fell in love instantly at the age of eight, and at my ancient age of 21, I'm still head over inexpensive shoes in love with it. There is not one bad beat in the whole film. The cinematography is gorgeous. Catherine Zeta-Jones is gorgeous. Anthony Hopkins is awesome. Antonio Banderas is awesome, hilarious, and can kick major ass. The sword battles - which I admit helped my eight year old self fall in love far easier than the 'talkie' scenes - are spectacular, swift in motion, beautiful and mesmerizing to watch. There's revenge, there's morality, there's romance, there's action/adventure, there's humor. That's what you get when you have a fantastic cast and crew on hand. Martin Campbell directs this beautiful film, a man who, until Green Lantern, I was pretty confidant could do no wrong; Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio prove right here that they are the cleverest screenwriters around, and each of the actors display their rightful star power with every scene. Love, love, love, love, LOVE me some Mask of Zorro. So you can only imagine how much I was looking forward to its sequel. Yeah, that didn't sit well with me...

3. Mulan

Confession time: I'm 21, in college, and I still sing those damn songs from this flick. "I'll Make a Man Out of You", for instance. So bloody catchy. There's not a lot of Disney movies I love or enjoy, but Mulan is one of the titles that I can't get enough of. When I found it in the $5 bin at Half Price Books, there probably wasn't a happier person on the planet at that time. I'll just list some stuff I love about my favorite Disney flick: the voice of Eddie Murphy as Mulan's dragon guardian Mushu. This is one of Murphy's funniest roles, and Mushu simply looks awesome. I want my own Mushu. The character of Mulan is interesting. This girl who really sucks at adhering to the cultural 'norm' of what her gender should do in society, and out of her compassion for her father, takes up his position in the army to fight in a war, considering she's never even been in battle before [leading to the awesome 'We Are Men' montage]. She's written extremely well, and moreso than coolio dragon Mushu, it's her journey that keeps me coming back for more. The animation is exquisite. At least for me, this is the style I like and appreciate. And how they animated the Huns - man, I was petrified as a kid by the main bad guy, his bright, evily yellow eyes, long flowing black hair, and one hell of a sharp, scary blade. And the climax in the heart of China - spectacular! Explosions, sword fights, even cross dressing in a Disney flick - Mulan is FUN!

2. The Faculty

Pure enjoyment, nonstop from beginning to end. Not only does the cast of people involve make me fall in love with the film alone - Elijah Wood, Kevin Williamson, Robert Rodriguez, Josh Hartnett, Jean Grey - but the movie itself is hilarious, intelligent, intense, and simply awesome. Apologies for using 'awesome' as a descriptive way of talking about a film, but really, it applies. Look at that photo to the left, how does this super-sized alien that wants to take over the planet, starting at a school, not look awesome? For some, this regrettably probably looks rather rubbish, and I don't blame them, but there's something about this film that just clicks with me. A really damn good aliens-invading-my-high-school flick, with a clever script filled with Kevin Williamson trademarks: smart twists, interesting characters, clever/witty dialogue. And, just to compliment how much I love monster suit designs, they give us that gorgeous thing photoed left. Yes, I very much want an action figure of that. So, in conclusion, The Faculty is right up my alley. I love aliens, I like high school stories when they aren't directly related to me, and combining aliens and high school is a pretty nifty idea, and could be entertaining as hell if executed right. The Faculty is executed right.

1. Pleasantville

This is perhaps the most unexpected inclusion on the list. I saw this for the first time as part of a class assignment. Something about symbolism, I figure. Point is, as I was watching it, I fell in love. So much so, that the next day I made a trek over to Sam's Club, and bought this baby for less than $4. If that DVD has a commentary, I probably listened to it. For about a good week or two, I was fully enamored by Pleasantville and everything pertaining to it. I loved the black & white, I love Tobey and Reese, I loved how characters gained color and changed, I loved the different ways a person can interpret the film, how you can tackle it from different perspectives and it somehow works within that structure/theory. It's a movie that's both innocent fun and multilayered. And, even more awesome, the more times I watch it, I pick up on new things. Frankly, it's been awhile, but I hope to remedy that really soon. Pleasantville was a welcome surprise, a flick I didn't expect anything from, and lo and behold, became an instant favorite of mine. This is my Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Andy's Friday Five: Annual Halloween Viewing

Oh yes, it's Halloween time, baby! That means marathons of the Friday the 13ths, Nightmare on Elm Streets, Screams, and nine out of ten of the Halloweens. And, of course, school work somewhere in between all that movie watching. Best time of the year, ladies and gents. Best month of the year, too. Goodbye obnoxious hot weather, and hello cold, breezy windy wind!

Alright, so I may or may not be able to watch every film from every horror franchise I love because of time, but below I list five horror movies that are mandatory Halloween treats. No matter what, I have just got to watch 'em, or it's simply not Halloween, y'know? These movies are instrumental in making Halloween great.

5. Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI, the most perfect blend of comedy and horror, making it not only easily accessible to new viewers without any understanding of previous Friday films, but also the most enjoyable. The other movies have a certain degree or boringness to them. Unless you're truly in love with Jason Vorhees, and the 'atmosphere' that seems to take forever to establish, the Friday films, to me, become a bit of a hassle. This sixth installment breaks that mold. From beginning to end, it's fantastic fun. The writing and acting is, at this point, the best of the series, and when Jason Vorhees is resurrected for some teen killing mayhem, he truly comes across as an unstoppable, brutal, killing force. When he's not thrown into comedic situations, such as the poor paintball gamers who run into him in the woods. The film also boasts a rather brilliant way to conclude Jason's reign, at least this time. It's inspired and rather ingenuous. So for its clever writing, funny dialogue, tolerable characters, and brutal antagonist, Jason Lives is must see Halloween viewing.

4. From Dusk Till Dawn is nothing short of brilliant. The first hour plays like a tense family drama mixed in with the story of two quick-to-kill robbers (George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino). Once this family of three, held hostage by Clooney and Tarantino, arrive at a bar, the film turns into utter chaos and carnage. Turns out, all the workers at the bar - even the band - are vamps, and it's feeding time! What follows is blood, guts, and dismemberment galore. It's beautiful in its own little way. Not only is the battle royale an absolute joy to watch, but by this point, Tarantino's fantastic script has gotten us to care about each and everyone of these characters. And for anyone who actually ends up not liking these people we follow, they're heavily rewarded by the battle that ensues for the final 45 minute run. The film doesn't take itself seriously at all, and it helps that everyone involved clearly are game players and want to have a good time and make a good movie. They definitely succeed. From Dusk Till Dawn is a pleasure from beginning to end, one of those films you make popcorn, sit back and relax, and enjoy. Mandatory.

3. Troll 2 is one of my more recent pleasures. Hell, I'm not even sure if 'pleasure' is the right word. There's something about this movie that just grabs you and refuses to let you go. May it be certain scenes that are nearly unbelievable in that they actually exist in this world, or dialogue that make me crack up laughing, or the actions of the little kid dude who takes drastic actions to get his family out of Nilbog. Point is, Troll 2 is terrible, terrible, terrible. It's not the absolute worst thing in the entire universe, but yes, it's a stinker. But it also boasts something not all terrible movies can: it's a hell of a lot of fun. Hell yes. Give me the bad script. Give me the outrageously bad 'acting'. Give me that seductive corn! Give me the goblins and the green planty goo! Give me a ghostly apparition of a dead grandfather/uncle/whatever. Give me a hour and a half of pure enjoyment. Troll 2 is the ultimate in fun. It demands a group viewing where you either all laugh and have fun, or come together in mockery. It's a horror movie of a different kind, and cannot be missed.

2. Trick 'r Treat was one of those films that was hyped up a lot before its release, and luckily, live up to the hype absolutely. Anthology pieces are great, and to concentrate one on All Hallow's Eve is just fantastic. The traditions of Samhain must be respected, and the super creepy Sam (pictured above) ensures that they are. With the exception of my number one, there's not another on this list I respect nearly as much as this. In this state of horror, it's what we needed. The script is clever, there's a wide range of talented actors given great parts, the cinematography is beautiful and, when necessary, utterly creepy. A success through and through. And, surprisingly, it's creepy factor continues to shine through with each subsequent viewing. Do yourself a favor: if you haven't had the privilege of checking out Trick 'r Treat yet, remedy that immediately. It's not Halloween without this film, nor...

1. Halloween, John Carpenter's original, and still, after 50+ times seeing it, helluva effective. Out of all the slashers in horror history (next to Ghostface), Michael Myers continues to freak me out yet fascinate me. His story is utterly compelling. I will watch this franchise through great times (Halloween 4) and bad times (Rob Zombie's Halloween II), because Michael Myers is the most interesting of killers. Ten movies later, and Michael Myers continues to be utterly frightening. All thanks to the 1978 original. Atmosphere. Score. Performances (within question; some of the girls are annoying as hell). Editing. Script. Lighting. Set design. Cinematography. Every element of filmmaking is used to extraordinary effect here, coming together to make a movie that is scary, is tense, is heart pounding. Words of love for Halloween is spread all around the blogosphere, so I'll limit to what I say to this: this is horror at its finest, and everyone owes it to themselves to see this before they die. This is the Birth of Evil right here, folks. And He ain't going away.

So now that I've listed my five mandatory Halloween films to watch, what are some of yours?

Andy's Friday Five: 1997

Wow. Turns out that 1997/1998 are super busy years of movies that I love, so making the lists for this year and next have been the toughest thus far. Amped? You should, like, totally be.

Previous Entries:
1990 | 1995 | 2000

1997
A pretty stellar year of movies it looks like, frankly. I feel slightly ashamed at the amount of flicks I haven't seen from 97, chief amongst them Starship Troopers. It's floating around Syfy here and there, so I catch glimpses, but I eagerly look forward to the day when I see the whole shebang from beginning to end.

Still in My Que
The Fifth Element
L.A. Confidential
Event Horizon
Starship Troopers
RocketMan
Speed 2: Cruise Control
Donnie Brasco

Nearly Made the List:
I Know What You Did Last Summer - A lot hate it, some love it; I fall into the loving category. There's something inherently fun and not too serious about this Scream-inspired slasher flick, and looking back at the movie all these years later and seeing recognizable names just makes me laugh. Freakin' Anne Heche is in this movie, man!

The Lost World: Jurassic Park - A pretty dyno-mite sequel, if I say so myself. The pacing is quite off, making this epic feel long as hell, but for the whole world I would never take back a T-Rex wrecking havoc in Los Angeles, or the gripping double Rex scene that causes the team's cars go overboard. A pretty damn good sequel, just not hugely enjoyable.

Chasing Amy - One of Smith's best, although it's oddly one I don't revisit often. I feel I should remedy that. And with a cheap Blu-Ray roaming around Best Buy, that's all but certain.

Kull the Conquerer - Blame it on my love for Kevin Sorbo in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, but Kull the Conquerer is all kinds of fun, and when I found it in the $5 Wal Mart bin, there wasn't a seconds hesitation. That baby was mine! So, years and years later, does the flick hold up? Oh God, yeah. The special effects are craptacular, mind you, but the fun, laid-back script and 'let's go bonkers!' performances is the type of crazy that should not be missed.

Liar, Liar - One of the very, very few Jim Carrey movies I love. Best line: "I'm kicking my own ass!"

Princess Mononoke - Confession: I very strongly dislike Anime. So, yeah, huge surprise when I quite in fact fell for this flick.

Good Burger - Included on the list more for nostalgia factors, as I had the pleasure of revisiting this film within the last few months, and it does not hold up. Wow this was bad. Can't believe I used to love, love, love, love Good Burger. I still miss Kenan & Kel.

Air Force One - "Get off my plane!" Harrison Ford as the President. Gary Oldman as bad guy. Heaven.

Andy's Favorite Five of 1997
5. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Do I really have to name the reasons for loving this movie? Doctor Evil. Seth Green. Austin Powers. Easily escapable death trap. Liquid hot "magma". Seth Green. Elizabeth Hurley. Mike Meyers. Fat Bastard. Basal. The whole movie is one giant hilarious gag after another. I love the whole trilogy, and a small part of me wants to see the series continue, although I know that probably isn't a very good notion. But still, wow this movie was funny. One of my first true laugh-out-loud film experiences.

4. Good Will Hunting
Lots of hype surrounding this one, and it actually delivered, surprisingly enough. Everything about this flick is really, really well done, from the direction to the performances from, and especially, Damon and Williams. I think this is one of the few times I respected Robin Williams as a actor, and since I saw this film in a post-Bourne world, I guess I really just wanted to see Will to just stop pouting, say enough of this shit, and use his intelligence to create some spectacular fiction scenes. Anyone with me on that?

Um, anyway, what I love more then anything about this film is the script. There is that exquisite monologue Williams delivers, but the entirety of the movie is well structured, the characters are intricately given dimension, and in the end, although the flick isn't dealing with some big scale story like the Apocalypse or whathaveyou, Good Will Hunting felt like quite the experience. Oh hell, guess I'll have to go back and rewatch this one now. [searches for Blu-Ray...]

3. Hercules
The movies above didn't stand a chance: this Disney flick had a CGI hydra! And Hercules sliced their heads off, making more heads sprout up! At one point there was, like, a hundred Hydra heads! HOW AWESOME IS THAT?!?!!?

[Answer: REALLY FRAKKIN' AWESOME, ANDY!!!]

And Hades: now that was a fun interpretation of the character, and James Woods gives him such a wickedly awesome voice. It's perfect. Genuinely, 100% perfection. Perhaps my love for the Disney flick stems from cherishing the Kevin Sorbo Hercules series, but really, they're two entirely different universes. Not the least of which is the costume design - which, I wager, this would be more in line with something a Greek warrior would wear instead of Sorbo's lack of shirtiness. But this is beside the point - Hercules is gosh darn tootin' fun. My affection for monsters adds to the enjoyment factor, the script's funny, and there's even a stellar down-to-the-wire Underworld sequence (!). Hercules floats my fancy.

2. Titanic
At seven, when I first saw this four hour epic, all I really cared about was the pretty special effects of the final act. Everything involving the older Rose, and most of the Jack/Rose stuff, I just didn't care about. Over the years I've rewatched the movie in full only a handful of times, but chunks quite frequently. And the more and more I expose myself to Titanic, and block away the fact it's the highest grossing movie ever (next to Gone with the Wind) and is the most cherished and mocked film in cinema probably ever, I actually tend to like it more and more, sorta transforming into love. It may not be a perfect film, but damn to hell, it's a pretty impressive one. The Jack/Rose relationship is surprisingly very well defined and shown, and of course the last act remains ever impressive as a feat of digital accomplishments. I still don't care about the older Rose/Bill Paxton bit, but it's a necessary evil, a story device to get us to 1912. So all in all, against my seven year old self, turns out I actually quite like this flick.

1. Scream 2
This isn't a popular opinion, but this is one of those rare times I feel the sequel is superior to the original. Mind you, I'm not saying the original is a piece of garbage that can easily be dismissed; nay, kind friend. I love Scream, and that film is about as perfect as it comes, but I think Scream 2 comments on our culture better, boasts bigger scares and tense scenes, and is about the most unpredictable of the bunch (although I didn't see the reveals in Scream 4 coming). Regardless of the agree/disagree nature of this opinion, I do feel that Scream 2 should get wider recognition for all it does right instead of being simply disregarded as, 'it's good, but it's not the original'. Timothy Olypfantastic alone rivals the stellar performance of Matthew Lillard from the first one. Neve Campbell gives her best work in the series up to this year. This is just one of those sequels that don't feel like a letdown, where the tension remains the same, the characters are consistent but continue to grow, the scares and reveals are unpredictable, the music's strength still holds power, the editing is tight, etc. All those things Scream 2 has, and shows off in spades. Frak. Now I really wanna watch it again.

Andy's Friday Five: Best Doctor Who Series 6 Moments

Howdy!

It will be a week tomorrow that DOCTOR WHO ended its sixth series, leaving my heart shattered into a million pieces at the prospect of waiting nearly a whole year for the next thirteen episode series. But for now, let's take a fond look back at what just ended and celebrate some scenes that are particularly worth praise. So here we are, the final week before the Geek continues his 'year in film' Friday Five, giving DW fans my favorite moments from Series 6.

Also, apologies. I didn't realize until I finished this that four out of the five scenes listed below involve River Song. Blame Moffat. He knows how to write her. And when she's onscreen, the show is just so damn much. And before continuing to read, be aware, as the title of this posts suggests, there are spoilers. Stay away if you haven't seen the entire season! So, anyway, my favorite moments:

Favorite Doctor Who Series 6 Moments

5. The Amy Reveal. It doesn't happen often, but there are times when a show does something so unexpected, so shocking, that that moment when it happens will forever be engrained in your mind. This is one of those moments (and #4). Now, I'm obsessive with spoilers. I'm dumb and I seek them out. But nowhere did I read anything about this. I was as clueless as anyone who stayed away from spoilers. When it was revealed that Amy Pond was in fact not with Rory and The Doctor onboard the TARDIS, that she hasn't been since possibly pre-America (aka the season premiere), that was a shocker. That was a "holy crap!" moment. Amy Pond was a ganger the entire time! And all that business about POSITIVE/NEGATIVE pregnant? Well, she IS pregnant, but she's being held captive somewhere else, completely and totally fooling The Doctor for months! Wow, now that was a doozy. Absolutely brilliant execution. In one quick stroke, two subplos from the five previous episodes are explained visually in a jaw-dropping scene. Clever, Moffat, clever.

4. Here Comes River. And speaking of clever, I was absolutely oblivious to this change of events. This Mels person showed up out of nowhere, ruining a perfectly fine episode with "Let's Kill Hitler", supposedly being a best friend of Amy and Rory's. Now maybe my noggins just don't work super quick and I didn't put two to two together in seconds, but when Mels was shot and she started glowing her pre-regeneration glowiness: wow. Another one of those "holy shit!" moments. Because of the surprise, because of the retrospective 'duh' and brilliance of the whole thing, the death of Mels and emergence of River Song will forever be one of the most amazing and clever things to come from this series. I remember when I first watched it, I had the most giant grin in all of Mankato. This. Was. Brilliant. Unfortunately, after the bit that follows (choice #1), River becomes sorta obnoxious for the remainder of the episode until her emotional sacrifice at the end. Still, one helluva episode, and one helluva surprise.

3. The Mighty Warrior. Whenever we're given the opportunity to analyze who and/or what The Doctor has become, I love it, I cherish it. To examine the darkness and the danger of this Time Lord, to see how he started off as nothing more than a man who wanted to see the universe and now turns armies away at the mention of his name - it's bone chilling, and it's exactly the kind of analysis of the character that I want Moffat to explore. Like it or hate it, The Doctor is one of the more complex 'protagonists' on television, and by all means, he should be looked into. When Davros told The Doctor that he fashions people into weapons, that he announced The Doctor that 'Destroyer of Worlds', when Donna recognizes the darkness in The Doctor in "The Runaway Bride" and tells him he needs people to keep him in check - those are perfect moments. The Doctor has darkness, let's explore it. The Doctor's adventures have changed the way the universe looks at him, let's explore it. Hell, let's just say I love this scene and quote River who said it so eloquently:

"This was exactly you. All this, all of it. You make them so afraid. When you began, all those years ago, sailing off to see the universe, did you ever think you'd become this? The man who can turn an army around at the mention of his name? Doctor? The word for healer and wise man, throughout the universe. We get that word from you, you know. But if you carry on the way you are, what might that word come to mean? To the people of the Gamma Forests, the word "Doctor" means mighty warrior. How far you've come. And now they've taken a child, the child of your best friends, and they're going to turn her into a weapon, just to bring you down. And all this, my love...in fear of you."

2. "Guys, I mean us. RUN!" The next two points are possibly the funniest bits of Doctor Who this series. Just when The Doctor saves the earth and his plan to eradicate The Silents are taken into effect, his master plan rebounds and he and everyone else are in terrible danger. Classic Who. As The Doctor reveals his brilliant plan to The Silents, there's such a kickass, "you go, Doctor!" vibe to the whole thing, no doubt thanks in part to Murray Gold's rousing score. And then there's this funny exchange as The Doctor realizes exactly how in trouble they are. This leads us into possibly the best action scene of any Doctor Who episode. A super sexy River Song blasting away at the Silents, The Doctor doing something with his sonic to defeat the bad guy (cue River/Doctor bantering, which is always fun!), and Rory realizing that "stupid face" was none other than him, and not The Doctor as he mistakenly believed. What a gorgeous, beautiful scene. Action, comedy, drama - that's why this show succeeds.

1. "Is killing you going to take all day?" Talk about laugh-out-loud funny. Another one of those grinning moments. River, programmed by The Silence since a young girl to kill The Doctor, seizes plenty of opportunities to kill him, but The Doctor's always one step ahead of her. This is a brilliant Laurel & Hardy type sketch, where River shoots to kill, only for The Doctor to reveal he took the magazine, or replaced a gun with a banana. This is definitely Moffat's funniest script to date, and it shows no brighter than this scene - which is odd for a dramatic, action-packed episode. Check out this link and watch the clip on YouTube. May be, for me, the funniest thing since Supernatural's "The French Connection", which you should watch (and rewatch) here. Just brilliant. All of these moments are brilliant. True testaments to the creative and clever people working behind the scenes and in front of the camera.

*All images from the spectacular Sonic Brio

So those are just some of my favorite moments from Doctor Who Series 6. What are yours? Voice your opinions below!

Andy's Friday Five: Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith is one of those love him or hate him filmmakers. Hell, there's some who wouldn't even call him a filmmaker. Personally, I love the guy. And not because I enjoy me a dick and fart joke. It's not that. Sure, I enjoy the occasional dick and fart joke, but it's not as if the entirety of a Kevin Smith movie is about that. It may be surprising to some to say that Smith's movies have heart. They're raw, honest. I don't feel like I'm being spoken down to. These are exceptionally crafted, character driven movies that have a style all their own, and never feel corny or phoned in. I respect Kevin Smith, and I like the work that he does.

Thus, now after having just had the opportunity to watch his recent flick RED STATE, I present for today's post my five favorite Kevin Smith movies in order of loveness. Once you take a gander, I'd love to hear your thoughts on his flicks. Next week, hoping to get back to the 'Year in Movies' thing I was trying to cultivate. Until then, enjoy, and check out RED STATE!

1. Clerks II, here Kevin Smith accomplished what is normally impossible: made an sequel that is, in this bloggers opinion, superior to the original. In fact, I look at this flick as Smith's crowning achievement - his best told story, most visually pleasing presentation, and flick that boasted the best performances. This is a real, honest, raw, and quite friggin' hilarious day in the life of Dante and Randal as they make life changing decisions in their 30's/40's (?), reaching the end of their ropes and finally choosing to make some forward movement in their directions. The clerks' story is nicely padded by the absolutely spectacular Rosario Dawson, who fits right in with the Kevin Smith universe and makes it impossible for any man in existence not to fall in love with her. Jay and Silent Bob even have their own integral part to play in the narrative, culminating in a great, 8-minute prison sequence that is just mesmerizing to watch. All in all, everything is simply done right, I feel, with Clerks II. Smith had a story to tell, and he accomplished that expertly. The best script he's written, the best movie he's made, this is his best.

2. Dogma is another one of Smith's 'controversial' films, but that entirely depends on the viewer. Obviously, consider this is my number two, I'm not offended by anything here; instead, I'm head over TARGET-shoes in love with it all. Specifically Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as the two Angels trying to get back into heaven after a loophole is revealed to them. To say they own this movie is an understatement. Everything without them is still fun in its own right, but once these two get back on screen, Dogma has a energy about it that sucks you up. One of my favorite Kevin Smith scenes is featured here: Damon and Affleck's banished Angels visit the Heads of Moobys, as in the chair heads behind the Moobys franchise, and they wreck vengeance upon them in a tense, hilarious 7-minute monologue.

3. Zack and Miri Make a Porno is a movie that was hit with a lot of negative press over its title, and unfortunately ended up not doing well box office-wise, which is a real shame. I'm a real sucker for those romantic comedies/dramas that see two friends realize that they may have a thing for each other. Cliched to the max, but I'd rather watch that scenario play out a dozen times than see another Katherine Heigel romcom. And take that cliche and give it to Smith - you got a compelling movie (not to mention a load of cultural references, which there are many). A slimming Seth Rogen and comedy gold Elizabeth Banks are awesome as Zack and Miri, respectively. You believe they're best of friends, and the chemistry between them is brilliant. Once again, there's loads of scenes I love, but above them all is probably the Brandon Routh/Justin Long cameo. Watch this movie just for that, if for no other reason. Naked women are great and all - and the movie has that plenty - but Zack and Miri's story, as told by Smith, is hugely entertaining, and contains just the same raw honesty of his Clerks II.

4. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is the ultimate geek movie. First and foremost, anyone who is a fan of Smith's films will find interconnected subplots and characters from other flicks popping up over here, making this an big budget inside joke, basically. Luckily for me, I love his flicks, so that extra flavor of pointing and going "aHa!" is just gravy on the top. Secondly, it's cameo city. I'm not going to ruin it, but anyone who was popular back in 2000/2002ish show up in cameos or extended roles. Thirdly, geek culture is front and center here. No series/saga is left untouched. It's hilarious. It's Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes making a buddy movie, and we're all invited to the fun journey. Not for everyone, but this flick does more good than bad.

5. Clerks at the bottom of the list is probably blasphemy, but at least it's on the list, right? I'm not nearly in love with the original as I should be, but it has loads of great scenes in it, and Kevin Smith's dialogue is crisp and brilliant as ever. Dante and Randal are characters I love, and their debut is actually quite solid filmmaking. Nice use of hand held, nice framing, etc. Only thing a bit dodgy about the whole thing is the lighting, which can be dark at times (although understandably so). What I love about this movie is the dialogue and the characters, and mesh them together and you got gold. Conversations about Death Star contractors, number of people Dante's slept with, paying attention to customers at your store, etc. - pretty entertaining stuff at the hands of Smith. And Jeff and Brian, the actors playing Randal and Dante, are instantly likable. My only lack of love stems from not being entirely engulfed in the film as I am with Smith's other works. Perhaps I'm not as grabbed onto the situations, or it does hit home personally for me yet (although Randal's video store stuff does mightily so), but nonetheless, I love and respect the original.

How about y'all? Speak your mind about Kevin Smith!

Andy's Friday Four: Super Summer

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, it’s Andy’s Friday Five, but blame the studios for not being courteous enough to not bestow us with a fifth superhero flick. So four it is. I was going to include James Gunn’s Super as part of the equation, but really, any argument to support its inclusion would just falter. It’s a mentally deranged man who ‘fights crime’ as inspired by superheroes; he’s not heroic or superpowered in any fashion. As such, here we are.

May gave us our first bite of the superhero helping: Marvel’s iteration of the Norse God of Thunder, Thor, hit multiplexes with very positive reviews. It was a sign in the right direction for Joe Johnston’s Captain America, which at this point still lacked an adequate theatrical trailer and was clouded a bit in the secrecy world. Millions were made, Marvel was happy, and a month later Marvel hit gold again with a prequel to the X-Men franchise. Not nearly as profitable as Thor, but every bit as clever and great, Marvel had another success. DC and Warner Bros., not so much. GREEN LANTERN is a brilliant property that ultimately is still struggling to recoup its sizable production cost because of piss poor decisions. 3D didn’t add a thing, and the starpower of Ryan Reynolds and the sexiness of a one Blake Lively didn’t seem to really matter. The last superhero film of the summer was another one of those, ‘will it be a success or a huge shit storm?’ Captain America isn’t necessarily a popular character, and the public’s feedback to the films heavy patriotism was still uncertain. To the surprise of many – myself included – CAPTAIN AMERICA became, and still is as of this writing, a financial and critical success. Fans and critics dug its ‘40s vibe and the presence of a pure, uncorrupted hero of the people.

1. X-Men: First Class

I would love to write something brilliant to sum up why X-MEN: FIRST CLASS is at the top of my list, and I will, but I fear it won't be nearly as successful as this. Over at FlixChatter, Ruth took it upon herself to write 40 reasons why she loves the film, and frankly, that's one hell of a spot on list. The moment when Erik experiences serenity for the first time in decades and is fully able to unleash his near unlimited power; Henry Jackman's brilliant score; the stellar interplay between Erik and Xavier. Matthew Vaughn shot some absolutely stunning scenes, made all the more exhilarating by great editing which makes the movie fly by. The script is brilliant. The whole affair is brilliant.

FIRST CLASS boasts remarkable rewatch value, that much is certain. Stripping away all other X films, and looking at FIRST CLASS as a sole, stand alone endeavor, from beginning to end, it's one perfect story. The main big flaw is that there's not enough time to really do the Erik/Xavier friendship true justice. But what we have here, boy is it stunning. The story. The actors. The music. The editing. The director. The costume design. The special effects. The makeup. I enjoyed FIRST CLASS the most, and I think technically, it triumphs over the others.

2. Thor

Take Spider-Man's mantra of "With Great Power comes Great Responsibility", and apply that to the God of Thunder with acting out issues. And a ticked off and tired elderly father who gets pushed too far and banishes this young God of Thunder to teach him a lesson. Family dynamics, betrayals, character building, sacrifices, friends and world destroying mechanisms - it's great to be the movie THOR.

There's a lot happening, both in story and on screen, and I love that. Kenneth Branagh shoots the hell out of this film, making it possibly the most visually stunning of these pre-AVENGERS productions. The script isn't nearly as complex as I would like it, but there's just enough complexity in the Asgard material to appease me. Everything with Loki, for example: tremendous. That said, not a huge fan of everything that happened on earth, but I can deal. I do wish Thor's transformation from arrogant prince boy to hardened, Man Who Would Be King was padded out better. As it stands, it feels like whatever change he underwent happened primarily so he can shag Natalie Portman. Change like that doesn't last for too long. Hehe, funny sentence.

Similar to FIRST CLASS, THOR excels in multiple departments, and is both technically amazing to look at and listen to, as well as one hell of an enjoyment fair that demands rewatches. Another Marvel success.

3. Captain America: The First Avenger

Well, they did it. They actually did it. The writers and director made an genuinely good, realistic-like CAPTAIN AMERICA movie. That's quite the accomplishment. They should be proud of that right there.

Chris Evans is splendid as Steve Rogers, and Hayley Atwell is not only hot as Peggy Carter, but is also a strong female role that I wish had a bit more to do. It's obvious Hugo Weaving had a bit of fun with his Red Skull performance, which I'm sure he didn't have to do too much work to make. When I walked out of the theater, I was pleased, and pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.

The major flaw of Steve Rogers was still there, though: he doesn't have enough dimension. What you see is what you get. Perhaps it might be refreshing to given a character like that for once since the emergence of 'broody' superhero films, but I want some substance to my character. I thought there was great material with Rogers when he was a publicity puppet to boost morale for the troops, but sadly, I just couldn't connect with the character enough. Still, Evans: I love you, man.

CAPTAIN AMERICA is a nice throwback to the 1940s, complete with great set designs and costumes. The action is competently shot and edited together. I enjoyed the presence of a young and innovative Howard Stark. Also dug the callbacks to THOR mythology. But even though I genuinely do like the movie, a second viewing wasn't as favorable. Hopefully that was just a fluke, and when I see it again (hitting DVD in mid October) that same sense of fun from the first screening will be there. As it stands, CAPTAIN AMERICA is in the middle, for me. I didn't love it, I didn't hate it. There's lots of good, and there's lots of *shrug*.

My apologies to Joe Johnston and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFreely if I offended you. No matter what, you guys crafted a good, entertaining movie!

4. Green Lantern

What the hell? Did they really think this was good enough to invest $200 million + in?

No, guys. No.

It all starts with the script. And this is not a confidant script. If GREEN LANTERN was written back during the 2007 Writer's Strike, I very well could forgive it for the screenwriting imperfections and general laziness, but it wasn't. The writers were given time to develop it, and were given a sizable enough budget to let their imaginations take them anywhere. Instead, what they wrote was a halfhearted, dullish, faceplam-worthy script that doesn't remotely reach its full potential.

Something I love about superheroes is the complexity of them. Thor started off as an arrogant git who had to be exiled and stripped of everything that made him who he was so he could rebuild himself, his character, into a good person; Charles and Erik start off as close friends but their ideologies force them to separate, but Erik, under the monicker Magneto, never loses respect for him; and even Steve Rogers has a tiny bit of complexity, being the short, skinny boy without an ounce of strength selected to be the powerful symbol of America, and the weight that must hold. Enter the GREEN LANTERN universe, where an being - human or alien - is given power only limited by ones imagination, fueled by the Power of Will. Hal Jordan, the protagonist, is filled with fear, but instead of being paralyzed by it, he becomes reckless and rash. Yet he's what the ring thought to be a individual worthwhile of the Lantern's power. Hal's battle to overcome fear and fight the ultimate vessel of fear should be harrowing, complex, real, difficult, and amazing to see. Instead, it's handled with all the subtlety and attention of TWILIGHT.

I have a lot of negative things to say about GREEN LANTERN, even though my initial review - although expressing my disappoints - was generally favorable. With time, and two rewatches, I've grown to see a lot of unfortunate decisions that were made. And particularly I hate the FANTASTIC FOUR-esque vibe that permeates the production. It feels like a big budgeted Saturday morning cartoon, and if that's what you wanted out of GREEN LANTERN, then I guess you were happily rewarded. No, I didn't want another DARK KNIGHT from this franchise, but what I wanted was a nice character piece that knew the appropriate times to use comedy in the film and when to leave it behind. There are a few successes and good ideas in GREEN LANTERN, but they're just not enough.

----------------------------------------

The two biggest successes of 2011 were two films I didn't have much faith in. Imagine that. Next year, Joss Whedon will most likely wow and amaze us with THE AVENGERS and Marc Webb better make a worthwhile AMAZING SPIDER-MAN to warrant the "starting over" (as was coined in the latest EMPIRE magazine). If there's other superhero movies coming out next year, hell if I remember right now. So, my list and comments, agree or vehemently disagree?

Andy's Friday Five: 1995

Looking back through My Life in Movies has returned, and with a vengeance! July will be full of fresh, all-new installments every Friday, so be on the lookout, ladies and gents.

Previous Entries:
1990 | 2000

1995
Judging by the list of films I have below, '95 was apparently one hell of a great year. I'm really having trouble coming up with even halfway decent lists from 1991 to '94, so either movies really sucked in the early nineties or I just really need to exposure myself to more of these 'older' films. Now that aside, 1995 has lots of everything: The year Pixar made it big with a superb animated movie. The year a Japanese monster icon famously died (for a short period of time, granted) and its imitator raised above its masters ashes. The year two movies that are the third in their respective series make my list. The year where I begin valuing fun over well-made. Above all, 1995 was the year I began falling in love with movies. Sure, I wasn't in love in love, but the seeds for what this is right now were being planted.

Films I Really Ought to See
Species
Apollo 13 (I know, I know, I am a absolutely horrible person)
GoldenEye
Casino
Dracula: Dead and Loving It


Films Worth a Lovefest

Braveheart - Mel Gibson and bloody revenge, what on this beautiful earth is there not to love?

Godzilla vs. Destroyoah - Highly publicized by Toho Co. Ltd as the last Godzilla movie (for a undetermined retirement period) where the titular monster star will certainly die. Not great by any stretch of the imagination, but a deteriorating and pissed off King of the Monsters makes for some fine entertainment.

Jumanji - In the last Friday Five, I confessed that 2000's HOLLOW MAN freaked the shit out of me. Well, feel free to make fun of me again. JUMANJI freaked the shit out of me in the opening scene. Board games, I was not a fan of after this, believe you me.

The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Movie - It was right in the thick of RANGER-frenzy, and I got to meet a man dressed up in authentic White Ranger gear, how could this movie not be on the list?

Waterworld - Receives a lot of hate, and appropriately so, but turns out, I loved it. Saw it within the last year, and I was pleasantly surprised by the super funness of the film. Lots of creativity, lots of money, lots of ambition, and lots of what-coulda-been.

Judge Dredd - Just caught this on the Syfy Channel a few months ago. I could not stop watching. I now own it on DVD. So friggin' awesome. Bad, but awesome. See, judging (hehe) from selections like this, my choice of favorites can't be too highly regarded...

Andy's Favorite Five of 1995

5. Gamera: The Guardian of the Universe

I'm a huge monster movie fan, and Shusuke Kaneko's re-imagining of the giant flying turtle after its 1980 disaster is about as perfect a monster movie as we could have hoped back then. Brilliantly, Kaneko outdoes himself in 1999 with GAMERA III, perhaps truly the greatest giant monster movie ever made. But that's in the future. Concerning the here and now, GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE is absolutely brilliant. A clever story that successfully ties science fiction, fantasy, and reality together to make it all seem in the realm of believability [if you wanna know how, rent the movie!]. The greatest accomplishment of Kaneko's first Gamera movie is the special effects. Toho's Godzilla series is, at this point, winding out with lots of sparks and explosions, but very little in the way of genuine creativity in regards to photographing the monster mayhem and pushing the limits of CGI. GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE does this. We have some splendid digital work with Gamera facing the onslaught of missiles from the Japanese Self Defense Force, and some gorgeous composition work in the climax as Gamera faces his opponent in Tokyo. Overall, if one is looking to get into the giant monster genre, I'd highly recommend starting here. [Image Source]

4. Toy Story
By this point I'm five years old, and the majority of my toys are Batman and JURASSIC PARK stuff. While I was compiling this list, I had the funny notion of the scenario of TOY STORY happening with said action figures: the growly Keaton/Kilmer Batman annoyed with his inability to communicate with the T-Rex (which awesomely had a chunk of its 'skin' ripped open, revealing its bones), or Batman's Batmobile broken down and the Caped Crusader using poor ol' Rexie to catch the bad guys (had plenty of Two-Face toys, so thus, he shall be the villain). The point is, next to the splendid, game-changing digital animation from Pixar that made them a force to be reckoned with, TOY STORY is something special beyond words. Even for adults, I bet it sparks imagination (and nostalgia), makes us become kids again where anything is possible. This is a rare type of film that achieves so much. The script is top notch, the jokes hilarious, the toy characters so completely and utterly real, and most of all, watching TOY STORY all these years later, I become a kid again who wants to play with his action figures.

3. Mallrats
Kevin Smith's second film isn't nearly as strong as his breakout CLERKS, but y'know, it actually is pretty entertaining, and doesn't deserve the vile rep it's been given. Like any comedy, there are high points and low points, but the overall product is a success as long as I had fun and was entertained the entire time. MALLRATS is, therefore, a success. For being Smith's first time using real and seasoned(ish) actors, they have less of a presence than the majority of his non-actors in CLERKS, ironically enough. The jokes continue to gravitate towards the nerdy culture, which is much appreciated, and Smith's ability to create great characters is still very much right there on the screen. Tight dialogue, entertaining movie, geek bits, engaging characters. What's not to love, exactly?

2. Die Hard with a Vengeance

I can live without DIE HARD 2. It was okay, nothing grand, nothing memorable. Enter DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE. Wow, complete 360 wrap around here. Loved it. Loads of fun. John McClane a this John McClaneiest. I bloody love this guy, and he absolutely owns this movie. Doesn't mean I shouldn't credit Sam Jackson delivering a surprisingly funny performance as John's forced sidekick Zeus, or Jeremy Irons for being the perfect sounding villain next to Darth Vader (don't shoot me, folks). This third installment has some zaney action sequences that are just great - I rewatch the whole ZOOM! through Central Park and subsequent train sequence quite often. There's the perfect blend of comedy and action here, and that's not a easy balance to maintain, yet VENGEANCE does it with style. Hell, when I'm flipping through FX and by happenstance this flick's on, depending what I'm doing at that specific time, I'll sit back, relax, and watch me some VENGEANCE. Amazingly, 12 years later, that same sense of fun and crazy action sequences were replicated for LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD, but that's for another Friday Five...

1. Batman Forever

Love it or (more probable) hate it, BATMAN FOREVER solidified my love for everything Batman. It was my first cinematic exposure to the Caped Crusader after devoting my time to THE ANIMATED SERIES on Kids WB. Batman Fever was all the rag, sirs and misses. At this time in my life, BATMAN FOREVER had it all: there were hints of that edgy darkness, and greater still, a preview of the insane childish venue its predecessor would become. For a five year old, having a Batman movie that (sorta) served both venues was great. I enjoyed the fun, child-oriented aspect of the film, and the wider audience could appreciate the few and far between moments that made it seem like Schumacher and Co. were genuinely trying to craft a damn good Batman movie here. Years later, looking back at FOREVER, I still enjoy it, and I find myself picking this one out of the four 'original' titles more often than the others. I dig what Kilmer did with Bruce Wayne, I dig the action pieces and the Batman design, and hell, I even really love what Tommy Lee Jones did with Two-Face. I don't so much dig Jim Carrey as The Riddler, but it's something I can get past. Granted, not a favorite for everyone, but BATMAN FOREVER is my cup of tea.

Andy's Friday Five: 2000

Two weeks ago I began this expanded version of "A Life in Movies", a blogathon dedicated to listing your favorite movie of each year you've been alive. With this new spiffy feature here at the Rambling Minnesota Geek, I figured I would combine the two, and here we are. Expectantly, the second volume of this series would detail 1991, as I started off with good ol' 1990, but as I surfed through the Wikipedia page of 1991 releases, I came to realize I haven't seen even ten films that year! So, I'm gonna be dedicating some time to be seeing those flicks. Meanwhile, let's talk about another splendid year of film!

Previous Entries:
1990 | 2000

2000
Like 1999, this year holds so many memories for me. For example - I was and still am a huge Godzilla fan, and luckily enough, in August 2000 I had my very first theatrical Godzilla experience with Godzilla 2000. It was nothing short of amazing. There I was in the theater, seeing the gorgeous 55-meter tall kaiju terrorizing Japan in a darkened room with a giant screen. And, to make the experience even more surreal, Sony went the extra mile to dub the film with a quasi-rubbish/quasi-not-bad script, boasting loads of chuckles, faceplam-worthy lines, and the (occasional) decent dub job. It was an experience I will never forget. Likewise, Digimon: The Movie blew my mind. The TV series was a huge FOX Kids hit, and I ate up every second of the show and movie. It was epic and absolutely amazing. With Digimon and Godzilla getting stateside releases, what more could there be for a 10 year old kid to want?

So here we are, and ultimately, I'm forced to narrow my decision of 2000 releases down to five. Thus, I'm gonna do a small honorable mentions type thingy before the Final Five. Hot damn, this was a great year!

Films I Really Ought to See
Me, Myself & Irene
Little Nicky
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang
Requiem for a Dream
American Psycho
Love & Basketball

Films Worth a Lovefest

Titan A.E. - As a 10 year old kid, I was awe-struck by the visuals and engulfed in the story. Matt Damon who? It was pure awesomeness, and unfortunately, since buying it on DVD a year ago, I haven't sat down to rewatch it. Consider it high on my To-Do list, now.

Final Destination - The first of a franchise that has recently begun to really, really suck. It's a clever idea and the kills are inventive and loads of fun.

Gladiator - One of the greatest and most epic revenge tragedies in a long, long time, the "I'm Maximus Decimus Meridius" exchange and amazing action scenes makes Gladiator definitely note-worthy. And all that stuff about Oscar awards, too.

Hollow Man - Scared the 'effing crap out of me. Haven't seen it in awhile, and probably should do so to face my fears, but hell if a invisible, sadistic Kevin Bacon didn't send chills up my spine when I first saw this.

Almost Famous - The most recent 2000 release I saw, Almost Famous was absolutely awesome. The writing, the story, the actors, the editing all came together to make a very entertaining film that I'm quite happy to have seen.

Andy's Favorite Five of 2000

5. Pitch Black

Vin Diesel is Riddick. I'm going to pretend those Fast & Furious movies simply don't exist, and Diesel is only Richard B. Riddick. Although my love fest with Pitch Black was a gradual process, my love for Riddick was instantaneous, and apparently, that holds true with many film bloggers. His humorous but direct one-liners, his appetite for ass kicking, his permanent night-time eyeballs, and his being a perfect antihero all make Riddick a awesome and interesting character. Add in the Creature Feature aspect of Pitch Black, and what you have here is a solid entertaining film. Unlike many film critics, however, I also really dig the sequel, but that's a love affair that will be written in full another year/day. For now, all I'm going to say is that if you haven't had the pleasure to experience some Pitch Black and wanna see some great action scenes and nifty creature designs, rent this flick pronto.

4. Dungeons & Dragons

I love this movie. It makes me happy. Jimmy Olsen from Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman is our protagonist Ridley, a thief with a heart of gold who ventures out with his bud Snails and hopeful booty-gal Marina to save all of Izmer from the sinister Profion, a deliciously insane Jeremy Irons. There is so much about this movie that is bad - Iron's over-the-top Adam West-y performance, the fake fest of CGI, the lousy and lazy script, and more (!) - but ironically, it's those elements that make this movie so damn fun. Dungeons & Dragons isn't on the list because it's one of those 'so bad it's good' films; nay, it's included here because I genuinely really do love it. I love the digital dragons and the battle royale in the climax; I love Jeremy Irons and his crackling evil voice; I love Justin Wahlin as Ridley, and I even love his bromate Snails. Basically, I love the whole damn movie from start to finish. It is (most likely) definitely not what fans of the game want by a long shot, but for a dude (aka me) who has no understanding of the RPG, this film is loads of fun and I quite enjoy watching it at least once a year. And yes, I didn't mind the sequel and am actually looking forward to movie three. But nothing can beat the awesomeness of the 2000 original! And I say that with a straight face...

3. Keeping the Faith

Yeah, this one is a bit of a odd choice, too, I confess. There's just something about this flick that *clicks* with me. The friendship between Stiller, Norton and Elfman feels genuine, and the onscreen chemistry really sells that. I love the script, which never seems to fall into the eye-rolling cliched dialogue of romantic dramedies, but instead is rather clever on how it presents the tight friendship of these three characters and the eventual romance that blossoms within it with Still and Elfman. Perhaps it deserves to be called a guilty pleasure, not entirely sure, but I just know that I love this damn movie, and if saying to my mum that I'll watch Keeping the Faith instead of actually going to church would save me from the hour and a half of boredom, the movie would reach a even higher level of awesomeness. It's a smart script with great actors, and it's one of the more appealing adult relationships I've seen in a while.

2. The Emperor's New Groove

Thank God for a free ticket. Zero interest. That was how much I wanted to see Emperor's New Groove. Looked stupid, and I was outgrowing Disney titles. Plus, Mom wasn't a fan of David Spade, and being around her a lot, that opinion sorta seeped its way into my brain and became my opinion of him. So we went to a special screening - beautifully free of charge for some reason - and the two of us hadn't laughed our asses off that hard in a long, loooonng time. This was and is just about as perfect representation of a 'me' movie as I can imagine. The animation is flawless, the jokes to this day continue to make me laugh outrageously (see: every scene with Kronk is utter perfection), Spade was fittingly cast, and above all, I enjoyed the hell out of every second. I laughed, I loved, and I watch it about once a year with the same amount of affection. Emperor's New Groove isn't a Disney film commonly loved, but for me, it works on every level.

1. Unbreakable

Shyamalan's best film, I initially hated it as a wee lad, but have grown to realize just how genius the whole enterprise is. From beginning to end, Unbreakable's hold on me is unbreakable (hehe, lame I know) as the writer/director is at his best on both fronts, delivering a visually gorgeous film to look at and giving us a superhero origin story masked under real, intense adult drama. There's the part of me that lusts for a sequel, to see how David's story continues, but simultaneously, this origin story is so magnificently done that I don't want Shyamalan to mess up a good thing. Bruce Willis owns the screen, and Sam Jackson beautifully works the mentor/nemesis approach as the comic book fan who seeks to steer David in the right direction. I love this movie, and I think it is absolutely perfect - Shyamalan's true triumph. Take a look at every shot, listen to every line of dialogue, and be consumed by Howard's beautiful score and Shyamalan's storytelling. A easy pick.