Jason Yavor

5/09/07 A Simple Plan: A good and solid film from Rami as he tries to go Hitchcock. He does a good job but it’s not the kind of movie I would revisit over and over. Billy Bob was still in his really good phase at this point.
7/10

5/17/07 The Hudsucker Proxy:   I have to admit I was not as in love with this one as I thought I might be. It’s a good movie to be sure and it has Paul Newman so that makes it worth watching if nothing else. Perhaps I was hoping for more Bruce Cambell. I think I prefer my Coehn’s a little darker than this. 
7/10

5/17/07 Waiting: Fuck Ryan Reynolds with his hunky good looks, strong comedic talent and his putting the stones to Scarlett Johansson on a nightly basis. Now that I got that out of my system, this is a very funny movie. I remember it not being as good as Van Wilder but it still makes for a fun evenings watch. Hi I’m a Mac is a good buddy for him to play off of while the effects sucking effects of Dane Cook are kept to a minimum. If you have ever worked in the restaurant business this movie will surely speak to you. 
8/10

5/22/07 Mr. Smith goes to Washington: Do I need to say anything about this it’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Stewart is always good but especially so here. There is all kinds of Capra goodness here and while the Mel Gibson/Homer Simpson version was awesome this is wonderful filmmaking about an everyman standing up to the machine. This is what Obama has been trying to convince everyone he is for the past two years. 
10/10   

5/23/07 The Talented Mr. Ripley: To me this a good film with better performances. Something just does not fully come together for me. This might be another example of a movie I had heard about for so long not leaving up to expectations. Having said all this I need to make it clear that it is a good movie and one I would recommend you watch if you have not seen it before. To conclude Matt Damon is fucking creepy.
7/10 

5/30/07 The Girl Next Door: I did not know what to expect going into this movie Roger Ebert gave it a very harsh review making it out to be a very mean spirited and terrible movie. I think he was way off as Elisha Cuthbert’s character is not as mean as he makes her out to be. She is a messed up girl but you would be too if you were a teenage porn star. The movie is funny Cuthbert is hot and really in the end it has a decent heart to it. Oh and Timothy Olphant is awesome as always. 
7.5/10

6/28/07: The Terminal: Not everything Speilberg has done in the past decade has been great but I like that he seems to be making films for himself or working against type when he is not. This movie is a sweet comedy that feels timeless like it could have been made in the fifties. It’s not the greatest movie ever made but Steven working with Hanks is simply fun to watch. 
8/10

7/09/07 Easy Rider: I guess because I’m not from the era and don’t give a shit about motorcycles that this movie did nothing for me except in the end I enjoyed seeing a couple hippies die. I’d advice only watching if your tripping.
3/10

7/11/07 Hero: Hero is a gorgeous movie to look at though the story tries too hard at being epic and thus fails. Still if you like Jet and these kinds of movies then it is one not to miss. The story is strong enough, the action is packed, the visuals are stunning and overall it’s well done.
7.5/10

7/12/07 The Gift: The gift is simple. It’s a b-level film that is turned into an A level thriller in the hands of a masterful hands of Sam Rami. It also has Katy Holmes boobs in it before she married nutso. 
6.5/10

7/12/07 Godzilla Final Wars: Oh how I embraced this movie and everything about it. Godzilla takes on everyone he ever has, including the US Godzilla, and that’s not all the action this movie provides. This movie gives us martial arts sword fights, space battles and just about every kind of action possible. Did I mention it has UFC fighter Don Frye doing a horrible job acting but being all the more badass for it? This is not a good movie but it’s a great movie!
8.5/10

7/17/07 Secretary:

7/23/07 Raging Bull: the first time I saw this I was underwhelmed and did not get the hype. As I watched more Scorsese films I felt it was worth giving another try. I’m so glad that I did. Perhaps I was expecting another Rocky but this is not a film to miss. If not his best it certainly is up there as a beautifully crafted tale about a man with great talent but an even greater flaw. Instead of the oftened used “talented athlete, writer, professional…whatever who throws it all away over substance abuse” this is the story of a man with the money the woman and everything he could want who throws it all away over jealousy, sexual insecurity and rage. This is simply one of the best movies in the past 30 years. 
9.5/10

7/23/07 Brazil: Hi, I’m the guy on the internet that doesn’t lose control of his bowels every time Terry Gilliam makes a movie. There are a lot of wonderful things to look at in this movie, as often is the case with Gilliam, but for me these don’t merge into a great film. It’s a movie I’ll probably never watch again and am perfectly fine with people feeling I’m a movie moron because I don’t see the bla bla bla. Gilliam has the ability to make great imagery for the movie screen but in my option he has a hard time pulling those imagers together into a well told story. 
4/10

1/17/07 Fargo:  Is about what I expected about the much hyped Coen movie, it was witty corky and fun.   The acting was top notch especially from Steve Buscemi and  William H Macy and Frances McDormand.  It is certainly one of the top Coen movies I would recommend to someone who has not seen their work.
8/10

1/25/07 The Muppet Movie:  Nicole had never seen this so we watched it.  To me it is still a classic and one of those movies I knew by heart as a child so it’s hard to take that out of me.  What can I say really it’s the muppet movie!
10/10

1/25/07 The Day The Earth Stood Still:  I was a little let down at the time with this one.  I was expecting more of a cheesey sci fi special effects movie and instead got a cold war political drama.  It is a fine film and I know many hold it near and dear to their hearts but to me it was just good not great.  Certainly looks better than the new Keanu Reeves version. 
6.5/10

1/25/07 Awakenings:  This was another one that Nicole had not seen.  I love this movie and think it is one of Robin Williams best.  If you don’t know it’s the true story of a doctor who in 1969 discovers beneficial effects of a new drug on catatonic patients he is in the care of.  It’s just a great small film where Deniro gets to shine but he doesn’t over take the movie.  He plays his part and he plays it well, the same goes for Williams.  If you haven’t seen it give it a try.
9/10

1/30/07 Beerfest:  It is what it is and if you like Super Troopers this is another home run for the lizards.  I think I actually liked this one better than Troopers as it is fun from start to finish.
8/10

1/30/07 Jackass Number Two:  Speaking of fun from start to finish…any movie where Bam Margera cries get’s my seal of approval.  This one took everything from the first movie and amped it up making this a fun spectacle all the way though.  I would be surprised if they ever do another as this would be hard to top without someone dying. 
8.5/10

2/05/07 A Scanner Darkly:  I did not enjoy this movie very much.  It was very well acted by Robert Downey Jr. but that’s about it.  I understand what he was trying to achieve but the film just was coldly made to me and felt very pedestrian.  I think Reeves is to blame for a lot of that. 
5/10

2/8/07 12 Angry Men (the Original):  If you have not seen these movies go rent it now.  I rented this because I just wanted to watch it again.  This is a classic I every sense of the word.  It really is a play and is filmed to feel real time as it goes along.  Every actor is excellent in their role epically Fonda who is at his best.  This is a flawless movie
10/10

2/13/07 Once Upon a Time in the West:  This MIGHT be my favorite sergio leone western but it’s a toss up with a movie I’ll get to soon enough.  Herny Fonda is bad as in this movie and it is about as gorgeous as a movie can get to look at.  The only complaint I could come up with is that it’s a little over long.  9.5/10

2/13/07 The Black Dahlia:  This is only a so so movie as most of the acting is iffy and the movie is a real mish mash of good and bad moments.  Overall it’s an easy to skip over but not terrible movie if you do decided to watch it.  It’s a thumbs right in the middle kind of movie.
  5.5/10

Things are going alright with me I got new glasses and contacts.  Classes start next Tuesday so that will be fun and beyond that I'm just enjoying guitar hero 2.

Movie Mayhem!

I think this will get me up to date on movies and since I'll be covering so many I'll keep it short.

Stranger than Fiction:

In this Will Ferrel dramady, an IRS agent begins hearing his life narrated by Emma Thompson, a novelist who is unknowingly writing Ferrel's life.  I went into this expecting it to be good however I didn't think it would be this good.  Everything about the movie works really well.  There is more style and depths than I expected.  Ferrel I think is going to be huge for a long time as he has the ability to do more weighty roles.  Yes there is plenty to laugh at in this movie but this is the kind of role say…an Adam Sandler or a lot of other comedic actors couldn't pull off. Everyone is great in the movie particularly Dustin Hoffman, but then again it's Dustin Hoffman so I probably didn't have to tell you that. 8.5/10

Kung Fu Hustle

I found Shaolin Soccer to be a pretty entertaining movie so I figured this would be similarly good.  Kung Fu hustle has a few less laughs and a little more meat to it than soccer did.  Writer/director/star Stephen Chow is a wannabe mobster in 1940s China who wants to be part of the Axe Gang.  That's actually not a very good description but we are keeping this short.  There is plenty to like here from the effects, characters and action are all good.  The movie certainly never gets dull and has a weird vibe to it that even when it gets slap-sticky you want to go with it.

8/10

Goodfellas

No I had never seen Goodfellas ok?  For those who don't know this is the true story of Irish-Italian gangster Henry Hill.  This is everything people have made it out to be and is superior to the more trendy Scarface.  Something I did not realize is that everyone whose name is not Soprano in the Sopranos pretty much came from this movie.  As for the main characters Liotta is at his best as is Pesci who got an Oscar for best supporting actor.  Really all there is to say is if you haven't seen it go see it. 

10/10

United 93

Good and yet hard to watch all at the same time.  Everything here is just really well done.

8.5/10

Miami Vice

Yea the movie I over hyped I finally got around to seeing.  Basically this is good and not great.  I wanted 2 hours of what the trailer was and they had…maybe an hour of what the trailer was spread out over two.  This was not by any means a bad movie but simply not enough bang for the buck.  I didn't want the TV show on the big screen and they were smart not to go that route but what I was hoping for was a look and style that would be as radical now as that show as back then.  Mann did not bring much new to the table with this.  It's worth watching but consider me a little disappointed.

7.5/.10

B13

Set in Paris 2010 this action thriller sends a supercop and reformed vigilante into the most dangerous of areas in the city (district B13).This is a pretty entertaining but nothing more than a B movie with good action.  The stunt work is great but I don't know if this deserves the crossover hype that it has gotten.

7.5/10

Fearless

What is suppose to be Jet Li's last action movie he plays real life martial artist Huo Yuanjia, a greatly skilled but also greatly egoed warrior.  Bad things happen to him, he cries, he learns, he loves and then he kicks some more ass.  I don't think it is as good as unleashed however he could have done far worse in picking a last action movie….such as the last action hero.  The whole rebuilding process seems to be cut a little short but other than that and maybe a little more action this is a good way to spend 2 hours.

8/10

Forbidden Planet

The 1956 sci fi classic, that to me isn't much of a classic, stars Leslie Nielsen as a starship captain.  Unfortunately he is not the captain of rock band starship.  He lands on paradise planet Altair-IV looking for the last crew that had landed there only finding one Dr. and his daughter.  The effects and design were great for their time and are the best thing about the film.  The plot is actually fine but there is no action really to speak of.  This is a very slow build that does not deliver all that much.  It's very well made and the robot is cool but the story is lacking.  Besides it's just wrong to see Nielsen not doing atleast something slapsticky .

6/10
    

Talladega Nights

I enjoyed this more than Anchorman personally.  Will and Reilly are great together and I hope Ferrell brings him back for the next big summer dumb Will Ferrell movie.  Sacha Cohen steals every scene he is in, especially in scenes with "life partner" Andy Ricter.  You really can't go wrong with a will Ferrell movie at this point.

8.5/10

American History X

I'm getting tired of these so will keep it brief.  Good movie but I didn't like it as much as many seem to.  Edward Furlong narrations are never a good thing and Norton turns into Mr. nice guy way to easily.  Still Norton is excellent as always and Avery Brooks ..is Avery Brooks so that's cool. 

6/10
 

Ong Bak

This is a weak story to show off Tony Jaa's impressive talents.  If you like watching his action stunts good because you get to see each and every one of them again in slow mo afterwards.  That got to be tiresome to me as I would have rather so more combinations of cool stuff instead of cool thing #1 slow mo cool thing #1 followed by cool thing #2.  Still the guy has talent and is fun to watch lets just hope he is given something a little more polished next time.

7/10

Running Scared

Holy Crap I like something with Paul Walker!  No this is not the Billy Crystal & Gregory Hines 80s comedy, its Paul Walker as a low level mob thug who is racing to find a gun used in murders before it is found by either the cops or his crime bosses.  This is one of those from a former music video director movies and it shows, but in a good way.  The movie is full of energy and style and it is really really dark too.  Great little movie but be prepared for where the movie takes you.

Crimson Tide

No I had never seen this one either.  Denzel and gene Hackman have a minor disagreement over a broken message about shooting a nuclear missile.  They politely listen to each others side of the story and though the both understand where the other is coming from the have to agree to disagree.  This is a solid little thriller but not a classic by any means.  I wondered how they filled two hours with this going into the movie and at times it lags but over all the performances and tension carry this to being a good flick

So stuff went on and there were some problems but it wasn’t till it was…JUST ME.  Well and Nikos but this was his first time too.  This went time till the end of finals when it hit the fan.  I dealt with…I think 11 problems that all came to me with in a 15 minute period..an hour later I was done.  It just sucked.

Beyond that I have been downloading a lot of wrestling.  Last weekend was fun till Nicole and I got sick.  We had fun at David and Susan’s for Card playing and tacos.  Cards was fun..Tacos hurt me for the next 10 hours.

Wed.  I worked a half day since I work Saturday and it was nice to spend more of the day with Nicole.

At the moment I don’t wish to think back on more of what happened the past couple of weeks.

Movies…Watched East of Eden last night.  It’s a good movie for what it is howevYavor.er its pretty dated and production wise is pretty bad.  Audio wise the dubbing is pretty bad.  This was my first James Dean movie.  It’s hard to say if I like him or not because he was playing a pretty weird character so I need to see him in something else to decide.  I’ll give the movie a 6/10  for the time.

I’m going to be reviewing the top 100 matches according to Pro wrestling torrents.  You can check my reviews out over at yavor

later

So since I'm suppose to be keeping up on this better let me get some brief movie thoughts out of the way. 

Reanimator:  Never saw this before and was pleasantly surprised.  Yes there is a chunk of cheese in it but overall good little 80s horror flick.  I'll give it a 7/10

Beatles Anthology:  Well if you're a beatles fan this certainly is worth it however I was a little disappointed watching it again for the first time in years on how much performance video there was and how little making of the albums the focused on.  Overall it's a good production but they really skim over some things especially towards the end where they don't bring up the long and winding road being the final straw for Paul and Phil Spector is never even brought up.  However it is like 10 hours of the beatles by the beatles so it's a good watch.  8/10

Two of us:

I forget if I already talked about this one.  I liked it.  For those who don't know this is the what if story of Paul going to see John in New York back in 76.  I felt both characters were played pretty well (thought I think they made John a little more fragile than reality but who knows.  I'm sure plenty of people dislike this but if your like me and would like two see the two of them together again this is fun.  They hint at a reunion towards the end and though I knew this didn't happen I was cheering for it so, while I'm sure some hate…I enjoyed this.

7/10

Casino Royale:  Great movie.  If this is how Bond is going to be during the Craig era sign me up.   Though a little long the acting is stronger, the action is great and hard hitting and the comedy is …actual comedy as opposed to one liners. 

hey yo

figured I'd update a little.  Colts won again and this time the defense didn't make me want to cry so that's good. 

Borat is as funny a movie as I have seen in a good long time.  This is kinda like was Kevin Smith wishes he could still do, be offensive and funny at the same time.

Saturday was Nicole's birthday and we had a good time.  We went to Oliver Winery, I gave her the earrings I got her, we bought a lot of wine, came back to town.  I then took her to the spaghetti factory and we had a nice dinner before heading to her parents place so she could get presents and cake.  She was surprised by her friend Jennifer who was there.  She had decorated and made a cake.  Her mom had made a cake too.  There were two cakes and we were filled with pasta.  But it was all good.  Her parents surprised her with a TV.  She didn't think she was getting anything because her mom paid for their trip to Chicago but she needed one so they got it for her.  After that we tried to go to the planetarium but it turns out that somewhere in the middle of last week they up and changed their hours so we were too late.  We went back to her place and watched movies.

New Music that I have either bought downloaded or got from David Includes

Awesome.  Where to start…He had a big cool video screen, flame throwers, pyros, an inflatable pig that disappeared into the sky, and surround sound..as in they had speakers all over Verizon wireless music center and all the sound effects from albums like the wall and dark side came at you from all angles. 

 He did tons of stuff.  The second set was the entire Dark Side album.  The first set was a couple of solo songs that were unbearably political but he did a few old school songs, a lot of the wall, almost the entire Wish You Were Here album, and finished with animals, that’s when the pig flew away. 

 Dark Side was awesome and…just perfect, there is a reason the album is considered one of the best..it is.

He played some more for the encore and ended with everything I could have asked for.  He played comfortably numb, but he played the whole build up including Vera Lynn and bring the boys back home.

 So in summary go see this if you ever get the chance.   

 Oh the next weekend we did The Dark Side of Oz.  I hadn’t done that in probably 10 years.  I forgot how perfect it works in places.  My memory was that after the first time through it doesn’t work as well.  I was wrong I totally forgot them singing “home, home again” while dorthy is clicking her heals.  Really if you have never done it.  Get Dark Side of the Moon and Wizard of Oz and give it a go.  Wait for the mgm lion to roar for the 3^rd time and start the cd.  You’ll thank me later. 

As you may have noticed I seem to have lost my motivation.  I haven’t done the cd reviews, I haven’t kept up on moives, haven’t covered the weekend and what not.  So in brief:

Weekend was good. We had a good time at Oliver Winery.  That was the main thing of the weekend beyond that we hung out, watched the Colts and so forth. 

Since then not a whole lot has been going on.  The rest of the 7 up series was good.  One flew over the cuckoo’s nest was good  but I did not find it to be the classic others have made it.  Really good yes but not something I would find myself watching over and over.

Also I liked Ocean’s 12.  No it was not as good as the first but I got some good laughs out of it.

As far as ratings go I’d say

28 up: 8/10

35 up: 8/10

42 up: 7.5/10

Ocean’s 12: 7.5/10

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: 8/10

Wow this is so uninspired.  Sorry.

Friday Nicole came by and after work we were off to Hollywood to see the birds.  I did not get an autograph because well… they were 25 bucks but it was still cool and the movie is still awesome.  It was Nicole’s first time seeing it so that was fun.  I could not help but think afterwards that I really want to see Samual L Jackson’s the birds.  He could be the school teacher in town.  “you know how we planned all those school evacuations?  Well there’s one we didn’t think of.”  I got the whoppie Goldburger and Nicole got …uhm something with mushrooms and swiss.  Anyway we had a good time

Saturday was a bit of an up and down day.  We were supposed to do stuff with Amanda and Adam about 5 different times but they kept cancelling or changing.  We tried the new Grinners and it sucks compared to the old one.  Not as good of food selection, atmosphere and the sandwiches are smaller but not cheaper.  We finally got to the 99 cent store out by me and I found that they had killer deals on Halloween stuff.  I got a pretty solid mask if I do say so.  Speaking of which!

I have finalized on what I’m doing for Halloween.  I shall be Undead Michael McDonald or Michael McDonald of the dead if you prefer.  I wanted to be McDonald but didn’t think it was enough so that was my resolution. 

We went back to my place for a little while before heading to 2 different Targets to find some thing Nicole was looking for.  I got a pair of snazzy Bela Lugosi boxers.  That night we just hung out at Nicole’s drank some wine and watched some MST3k.

Sunday we went to the big outdoor service at church for all 3 services.  It was good and the weather was nice.  We then went to Nicole’s parents for lunch and then off to the orchard for apple slushies.  I went over to my parents for a few hours to hang out and then we had dinner at Nicole’s parents.  Finally I watched the first half of the Colts game at her place before I went home and finished watching the game.