Movie Quote Matching Game

Try to match the famous quote with the movie:


1. "Nobody puts Baby in a corner."___________________A. Batman

2. "Oh Captain, My Captain!"________________________B. The Silence of the Lambs

3. "You had me at "hello"."__________________________C. Casablanca

4. "How do you shoot the Devil in the back?"___________D. Dirty Dancing

5. "They call me Mister Tibbs!"_______________________E. The Usual Suspects

6. "Wait till they get a load of me."____________________F. Dead Poets Society

7. "I'm having an old friend for dinner."_________________G. In the Heat of the Night

8. "Why so serious?"______________________________H. Jerry Maguire

9. "Round up the usual suspects."____________________I. ...And Justice for All

10. "You're out of order!"____________________________J. The Dark Knight

My 5 Most Anticipated Summer Movies (Plus One Spring Release)

Another Summer movie season is upon us. Not surprising, it's loaded with big-budget blockbuster popcorn movies. As in many previous Summer movie seasons, it's also plentiful with sequels, remakes and superhero themes. I have to say though, that several of them have really peaked my interest. I plan to see the following movies and some others over the next few months.

First up, is Captain America: The Winter Soldier. I'm excited about this one, because this time Steve Rogers will be battling for us in modern times. I really enjoyed the first movie, Captain America: The First Avenger and his appearance in The Avengers. Plus, if it's a superhero movie, i'll probably show up.

Next to be released is The Amazing Spider-Man 2, in early May. Technically, still not Summer, May is typically considered part of the Summer movie season. Although so far I preferred the recent series starring Tobey Maquire, I also liked the last installment. Andrew Garfield is solid in the role of Peter Parker, and the casting of Jamie Foxx as a villain named Electro is intriguing. I'm not familiar with the villains of the Spider-Man comics, so it will be new to me. I'm expecting this to be an exciting movie-going experience.

In mid-May, Godzilla will hit theaters. While I enjoyed the version with Matthew Broderick released in the late 1990s, this one appears to be more realistic and intense. It will also feature Bryan Cranston and Elizabeth Olsen; both quite critically acclaimed actors. Cranston for his role as Walter White in TV's Breaking Bad and Olsen for her work in Martha Marcy May Marlene (I recently reviewed this movie in the blog). These superior acting talents could really elevate a big-budget Summer action movie to a higher level.

Later in May, X-Men: Days of Future Past will be released. Over the years, I have seen all of the movies in the X-Men series including the Wolverine films. I was quite impressed with X-Men: First Class from a few years ago. This new one looks like it will tie it all together, and possibly wrap it all up, in a dramatic way. Can't wait!

In June, Transformers: Age of Extinction comes out. While, I have enjoyed all of the previous Transformers movies, my one main criticism has been their lengthy running time. I'm not sure how long this one will be, but I think the casting of Mark Wahlberg in the lead role is a smart decision. He has really been on a roll lately! Not only is he very popular, he's a good actor. I'm curious to see the plot, special effects and how Wahlberg fits in.

Up in July is Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. I really enjoyed the reinvention of the saga a few years ago with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I am a huge fan of the original series, and while I still think they are superior, these new movies are pretty intense. I also like the casting of Gary Oldman in a major role. I think he's one of the finest actors working today. I think the first movie really set up the events that will take place in this one. I'm hoping for an 'on the edge of your seat' time at this movie.

Well, that's my list. What movies are you excited to see this Summer? Please comment and have a great Summer at the movies!

Poll Results: Favorite Film of 2013

Well, the results of the latest poll came in, and my unofficial poll agreed with the Academy Awards. 12 Years a Slave won as Best Picture of 2013. It competed against Gravity, American Hustle, The Wolf of Wall Street and The Butler. This movie tackled difficult subject matter and was loaded with breathtaking performances. Grade: A+

Review: The Way, Way Back (2013)

The Way, Way Back is a coming of age story of 14-year-old Duncan's (Liam James) summer vacation with his mother, Pam (Toni Collette), her boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and his daughter, Steph (Zoe Levin). Carell is convincing in a straight dramatic role, and he plays a real jerk. Liam James carries the movie and pulls off the role perfectly. Duncan, at this tough age, is somewhat depressed and an introvert. He is having real trouble fitting in anywhere. Who knew that finding Steph's old bike would be his salvation. Exploring the resort town, he discovers the Water Wizz water park. He soon discovers that he fits in there, finds a purpose and can start enjoying the Summer. He lands a job and becomes fast friends with the goofy but loveable manager (Sam Rockwell). Rockwell's character was reminiscent of Bill Murray in several of his roles. He keeps his job and relationships with his new friends a secret from his mother and others. All the while, completely breaking out of his shell. Great and memorable movie for the whole family. Thanks to my son Ethan for the recommendation. He says it will now be in his roster as a classic Summer movie! Grade: A

My Top 10 Comedy Movies

There have been so many great comedy movies over the years. There are plenty of others that could easily make up a top 10 list. These just happen to be my personal favorites. I come back to them time and time again as examples of very funny and well-made comedy movies. So, in no particular order, here they are:

1. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) - So hard to choose one of the Austin Powers movies. The sequels were equally good! Plus, his work in Shrek, Wayne's World and So I Married an Axe Murderer was all amazing. I have to say this is Mike Myers at his best though! So witty and hysterically funny.

2. Christmas Vacation (1989) - This is my favorite Vacation movie. It just beats out the original movie for me, but both are great. Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid were instrumental in making this the best of the series. Very funny and extremely watchable. We watch it EVERY Christmas season!

3. Back to School (1986) - Rodney Dangerfield stole the show in Caddyshack and was great in Easy Money, but it all came together in this movie! Genius!

4. Dumb and Dumber (1994) - I had to have at LEAST one Jim Carrey comedy on here. Again, so tough to choose. Both Ace Ventura movies were insanely funny. Liar Liar, Me, Myself and Irene and Bruce Almighty also topped the list. However, teaming up with Jeff Daniels and being led by the Farrelly Brothers, took this comedy to the highest level of funny!

5. Airplane! (1980) - I think this was the best vehicle for the team of Abrahams/Zucker. The Naked Gun was a very close second. I love this type of silly and zany comedy!

6. Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985) - There is nothing else like this movie! It's visually unprecedented, has a fantastical music score, is very witty and will have you laughing throughout.

7. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) - I think this is the best comedy movie for both Steve Martin and John Candy, so we get two of the greats for the price of one! Very funny and touching. Steve Martin is a genius, and we lost John Candy way too soon!

8. Groundhog Day (1993) - This movie stands as not only one of my favorite comedies ever but also as one of my favorite movies of all time. A beautiful movie that is very funny, while having a great message. It is meticulously crafted, with every word and moment adding to the whole. The highest level of praise goes to Bill Murray for his performance and Harold Ramis for his direction!

9. City Slickers (1991) - Hands-down, Billy Crystal's best comedy movie! Great dialogue!

10. Billy Madison (1995) - So original and ridiculously funny no matter how many times I watch it! Adam Sandler's crowning achievment!

Again, these are just my favorites, so I'd love to hear some of yours.

Review: All is Lost

I saw this movie a couple of months ago on DVD, but it still really deserves some attention. It had a limited release in 2013, and it just didn't quite catch on. That really is a shame. Try to find it on DVD, cable or other form of media. The movie's solo acting credit goes to 76-year-old Robert Redford, as Our Man. The story involves an older man well into a solo voyage somewhere in the Indian Ocean. It begins with him waking up to find his sailboat has collided with a lost shipping container. The boat is badly damaged, as well as the radio. He tries to repair the ship and the radio, and he has to battle a major storm. His plan is to make it to the nearest shipping lanes to be spotted and rescued. I'll stop there, not to give away too much more of the plot. Overall, it's one man against the elements, using his strength and wit to survive. Redford delivers an amazing performance and carries the entire film. The only thing I can compare this achievement to is Tom Hanks in Cast Away or Ryan Reynolds in Buried. There may be other examples, but it's not a common practice. All is Lost is also visually captivating and emotionally compelling. A very well-crafted film. Dead Calm is a good example of another thrilling movie on the sea, but it had a couple more characters. See that one if you haven't. This movie was only nominated for one Academy Award, and that was for Best Sound Editing. It did not win that award, and it's dissappointing that it didn't receive ANY other nominations, especially Best Actor for Robert Redford. This would not have been a sentimental favorite nod either! It would have been a legitimate nomination for an outstanding performance. It is highly rated on www.metacritic.com, www.rottentomatoes.com and www.imdb.com and by me too.
Grade: A

Who is Your Favorite Superman?

Who is your favorite Superman? I expanded the list from movies to also include television Supermans. There have been three distinct movie Supermans and three distinct television Supermans. Probably the most well known version has been played by Christopher Reeve. He appeared in four Superman movies in the 1970s and 1980s. The first two films were outstanding. The original set up the story for Clark Kent/Superman, and the effects for the time were amazing. A man who could really fly and had super strength! The sequel, Superman II, is one of those rare cases where a sequel is considered even better than the original movie. It had an iconic villain with Terence Stamp as General Zod, and it was more intense and emotional than the first. The second two films had much weaker scripts and even became comical, not in a good way. However, Christopher Reeve did not phone in his performances, he was still great not only as Superman, but especially as Clark Kent. He truly embodied the bumbling, naive, honest, good-natured and loveable qualities of Clark, while then pulling off portraying the strength and resolve of Superman. I grew up watching Christopher Reeve as Superman, and he will always be my favorite.

For the other movie versions of Superman, there was Brandon Routh in Superman Returns (2006) and Henry Cavill in Man of Steel (2013). Out of these two, I preferred Brandon Routh. I thought while he had the perfect look and quality for Superman, he also was a more believable Clark Kent. The story was unique, and Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor was a real bonus. Now, in Man of Steel, Henry Cavill definitely captures the spirit of Superman, but his Clark Kent was less than to be desired, for me.

For the television versions, there was the original George Reeves in Adventures of Superman series from the 1950s. I saw some of these years ago, and they were well done and pretty exciting. Then, there was Dean Cain as Superman in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman from the early 1990s. I never saw this show, so I can't really comment. Finally, there was Tom Welling as Clark Kent in the Smallville series from the 2000s. The show went on for a decade with Welling only playing Clark Kent. I watched the first few seasons, but then it just seemed to be dragging on. Go to Metropolis already! Well, apparently in the final episode, he finally emerges as Superman. I've included a screen shot of just this. So, I think he deserves to be included in the discussion. He was a great Clark Kent and definitely had the look for Superman. I thought they were grooming him for a movie role, but it doesn't look like that will happen now. It looks like the next movie installment will be Henry Cavill returning as Superman in a yet untitled Superman-Batman project. That could be really interesting! Wait and see. These are my thoughts on the subject. Please share yours.

Review: Attack the Block (2011)

The basic synopsis here is a London teen street gang must defend their block against an alien attack. A young woman, played by Jodie Whittaker, is mugged by the gang in the beginning of the movie. They meet up again and must join together to fight their common enemy. It sounds totally ridiculous, but it actually works! Very similar to the way that the films Tremors, Evolution and Galaxy Quest worked. If you liked any of these movies, I feel strongly you would appreciate this one. The genre of science fiction action comedy is a tough one to pull off, but all of these films did. They blend all of these unique elements together perfectly. The characters are varied and believable, and the action is intense. I especially liked the character of Pest, played by Alex Esmail; he is all talk. However, he is loyal to his friends and will fight for them. The actors are mostly unknowns, especially to Americans. This also lends itself to the level of believability. That strategy worked great here and in movies like The Goonies, The Sandlot and Super 8. There are plenty of comedic lines along the way. It is Rated R and the expletives do fly, but it seems fitting to the characters. The alien creatures are somewhat different from what you have seen in the past. This also adds to the unique spin on the genre. Highly rated on www.rottentomatoes.com and well received on www.imdb.com. Get some popcorn and enjoy this well-done, light and entertaining movie. Grade: A

Review: Badlands (1973)

I finally got around to seeing this one. Written and directed by Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line and The Tree of Life) and starring Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. It’s based on an actual story from the 1950s, where a young man and younger girlfriend take off on a killing spree through the American Midwest. Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek deliver outstanding and believable performances. Warren Oates also does a fine job in the smaller role of Sissy Spacek's father. It’s beautifully filmed, and the characters are compelling from the start. A unique and somewhat haunting musical score adds to the experience. I should point out that this movie does NOT glorify the crimes being committed, but it sheds a little light on those involved. Although quite violent, it's not graphic in nature and is rated PG. This was only Sissy Spacek's second credited feature film role; the start of quite a career. Martin Sheen was previously a regular in various television series, but this was his debut feature film role. He was compared to James Dean in the movie, and this comparison holds true. There is a toughness and vulnerability to his character. This was also Terrence Malick's debut as a feature film director. I personally appreciated this film more than his follow up Days of Heaven, released five years later. I saw that film recently and thought it was disjointed and the characters were underdeveloped. While this film is easy to follow along with, there are several layers at work here, and the character development is complete. I highly recommend this movie. Grade: A

Don't Miss Tom Hanks' Oscar-Worthy Performances from 2013

Although Oscar-Worthy, Tom Hanks was NOT nominated for either his leading title role in Captain Phillips or his supporting role, as Walt Disney, in Saving Mr. Banks. He could have added 2 more statues to his collection, as far as i'm concerned. Both were at the highest level of performance, so i'm not sure why at least one of them did not make the cut. Regardless, don't miss seeing both movies. Not only are his performances phenomenal, but the performances of all of the other actors involved in both films are superb, and they are equally engaging and entertaining.

Biggest Movie FLOPS Ever

Whenever someone mentions a big movie flop, a couple of names get tossed around a lot, Waterworld and Ishtar. Well, while they weren't what is considered successful, they don't even make the top 10 list for box office bombs! Waterworld did have a bloated production budget of
$175 Million, but it did make $264 Million worldwide. Now, Ishtar did cost $55 Million, and only made about $14 Million back. That is a pretty hefty loss, but it's not even near some of the total net losses of the biggest flops. The animated film Mars Needs Moms stands as the current biggest movie flop of all time. It cost $150 Million to make and only earned back $39 Million worldwide. Studios didn't back down and animated films are currently some of the biggest money makers. Four recent films however, round out the top 10 biggest money losers ever. They were Disney's The Lone Ranger, R.I.P.D., John Carter and Jack the Giant Slayer. They collectively lost about $400 Million! Another famous movie failure was Eddie Murphy's The Adventures of Pluto Nash. This movie cost right around $100 Million to make, and it only earned a pitiful $7 Million total! Somehow, it didn't seem to hurt Eddie's career. He has been able to make numerous films (including many flops) since. As production budget soar higher and higher, the list continues to change. There will always be movie failures, but figuring out why still seems to be the mystery.

Top 10 (Plus Two) Movie Villains

It's really hard narrowing these categories down to 10 or under, so I cheated a little again. There are plenty of iconic movie villains to choose from. Here are my top 10+ in no particular order. Several won the Academy Award for their amazing performances. Again, they are all so good, it's too difficult to rank them. Let me know what you think of the list, and please share some of your favorites.

11. General Zod - played by Terence Stamp in Superman (1978) and most notably in
Superman II (1980).

10. Annie Wilkes - creepily played by Kathy Bates in Misery (1990).

9. Joan Crawford - as portrayed by Faye Dunaway in Mommie Dearest (1981) "No... wire... hangers. What's wire hangers doing in this closet when I told you: no wire hangers EVER?"

8. Max Cady - played equally well by Robert Mitchum (1962) and Robert DeNiro (1991) in
Cape Fear.

7. Nurse Ratched - played by Louise Fletcher in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). Her level of realism and believability is astounding.

6. Norman Bates - hauntingly played by Anthony Perkins in Psycho (1960).

5. The Wicked Witch of the West - played by Margaret Hamilton in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Gave me nightmares!

4. The Joker/Jack Napier of Batman (1989) and Jack Torrance of The Shining - both brought to life so effectively by Jack Nicholson.

3. Darth Vader - voiced by James Earl Jones in the Star Wars original trilogy (1977-1983) and briefly in Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). A Classic!

2. Hans Gruber - meticulously played by Alan Rickman in Die Hard (1988).

1. Dr. Hannibal Lecter - I can say this is the 'Number One Movie Villain' for me! Played flawlessly by Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991).

My Top 10 Original Film Scores

Here is a list of 10+ of my favorite original film scores. They are not really in any order, because they are all so good, it's almost impossible to rank them. They cover a fairly wide range of styles and sound. Plus, i'll cheat a little for #1. I have to give the highest praise to John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith. Both have had incredible careers as composers of countless film and television scores. Without their film scores, many of our favorite movies would not have had the same impact.

10. Batman - Danny Elfman (Beetlejuice, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Darkman)

9. Halloween - John Carpenter (The Fog, Christine, Escape from New York)

8. The Untouchables - Ennio Morricone (The Good, The Bad and The Ugly)

7. Back to the Future - Alan Silvestri (Also Parts II and III, Forrest Gump, Predator)

6. Sherlock Holmes - Hans Zimmer (Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight)

5. National Treasure - Trevor Rabin (Remember the Titans, The Guardian)

4. Blade Runner - Vangelis (Won the Academy Award for Chariots of Fire)

3. Robocop - Basil Poledouris (Starship Troopers, The Hunt for Red October)

2. Rocky - Bill Conti (The Right Stuff, North and South, The Karate Kid)

1. John Williams (Star Wars, Superman, Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park)
Jerry Goldsmith (Planet of the Apes, The Omen, Patton, The Mummy, Alien)

There are plenty of other composers and amazing film scores I thought of, so this is not to exclude any. It was tough narrowing it down to these. Let me know some of your favorites.

My Top 5 Vigilante Movies

5. The Limey - Most don't include this on their list, but it's one of my personal favorites. Terrence Stamp (General Zod in the original Superman series and the lead role in The Collector ) stars as a father who travels to America to investigate the death of his daughter. He systematically finds those responsible and exacts his revenge, without hesitation. Simple, effective and wonderfully directed by Steven Soderbergh. Grade: A

4. Harry Brown - This one stars Michael Caine as a very unlikely vigilante. He is a widowed Royal Marines veteran living in a London housing estate. The neighborhood is quickly declining due to drugs and youth crime. Many residences are senior citizens and are easy targets for the criminals. Once Harry's friend is murdered, he takes the law in his own hands. Intense, well-acted and compelling. Grade: A

3. The Crow - Brandon Lee stars as a rock musician who is murdered. His fiancee is beaten and raped and also dies. One year later he is revived from the dead to avenge both of their deaths. Although, considered a supernatural action movie, I still think of it as purely in the vigilante genre. I like this movie for its originality, its look and style and as a tribute to Brandon Lee, who was accidentally killed during the production.
Grade: A

2. Mad Max - This is the movie that launched the Mad Max series; so it all started as a simple vigilante movie. Mel Gibson played Max, and Australian highway police officer. As Earth's oil supply is being exhausted, law and order is breaking down. Motorcycle and hot rod gangs take over the highways. Max's partner and family are victims. Losing so much, he seeks justice however possible. The sequels deal with post-apocalyptic world after these events, but this one is pure vigilante. Grade: A+

1. Death Wish - This is widely considered the best vigilante film, and I totally agree. Charles Bronson stars as Paul Kersey, a New York architect whose wife is brutally murdered and daughter is attacked by a drug-crazed gang. Realizing that the police won't be able to help, Kersey begins his quest for revenge. With crime and drugs rampant in the city, he becomes a vigilante bringing swift justice to any offenders he feels are deserving. As the public embraces the vigilante, the police are on his trail. It all brings up some interesting moral questions. Grade: A+

Review: 3 Days to Kill

Well, this Kevin Costner spy thriller is superficially very similar to Liam Neeson’s Taken, but the overall plot is a little different. Here’s the summary: Costner is a dangerous international spy and trained assassin, who is determined to retire to finally build a closer relationship with his estranged wife and daughter. But first, he must complete one last mission, even if it means juggling the two toughest assignments yet: hunting down the world's most ruthless terrorist and looking after his teenage daughter for the first time in ten years, while his wife is out of town. Hailee Steinfeld of True Grit plays his daughter and Amber Heard plays his over-the-top sexy boss. It has some light moments and comedy mixed in, decent action and the required car chase, but somehow it just doesn’t all come together. Kevin Costner still has a powerful onscreen presence, but if you need to fill your Costner fix, I’d go with his classic hits like The Untouchables, No Way Out,
The Bodyguard, Dances with Wolves, or the more recent The Guardian. OK for seeing at the movies, but probably more suitable as a rental, cable viewing or other media choice. Grade: B-

Oscar's Most Overlooked Working Actor





There has been a lot of talk recently about Leonardo DiCaprio being overlooked as an actor, particularly by The Academy Awards. Well, he is an amazing actor, and has delivered many magnificent performances. Although, he has not won an Oscar to date, he has been nominated for 4 acting awards, by The Academy. Legendary actors like Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson and Harrison Ford not only have never won an Oscar, but have all only had ONE Oscar nomination each in their entire careers! Very hard to believe; all great character actors and leading men. However,  I feel that Oscar's MOST overlooked working actor is Dennis Quaid. He has NEVER been nominated for an Academy Award! If only considering his flawless performance, as Jerry Lee Lewis, in Great Balls of Fire, it would be a tragedy. He has been appearing in movies since the mid 1970s. He has delivered impeccable and emotional performances in Frequency, Savior, Everybody's All-American, The Right Stuff, Enemy Mine, Postcards from the Edge, Far From Heaven, Wyatt Earp, The Rookie, The Alamo, Vantage Point, Traffic and The Big Easy. There are several others, but these particular roles are completely appropriate to have been Oscar-nominated. I'm not sure why this is. Hopefully, he will not continue to be overlooked, and will not have to settle for one of those Lifetime Achievement Awards. Let's get Leo one of those statues soon too! Way overdue for both! 

Don't Always Listen to the Critics......

Here are two movies that were universally panned by critics: The Raven (2012) and After Earth (2013). The Raven starred John Cusack, as Edgar Allan Poe, in this ficticious crime thriller. When someone, apparently inspired by Poe's material, begins committing gruesome murders, a young Baltimore detective, played by Luke Evans, recruits Poe to help him with his investigation. The danger increases as Poe's love, played by Alice Eve, becomes the madman's next target. I thought it was a thrilling and original concept for a movie, and it delivered. After Earth is a sci-fi action movie starring Will Smith and his son, Jaden. It was directed by M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, The Village, Signs and Devil). While the plot is simple, intensity and emotions run high. It takes place 1,000 years after humans have abandoned the planet. Animals are now the dominant species. A spacecraft crash lands on Earth, and only a father and son survive. The father is seriously injured, and his son is their only chance for rescue. He must embark on a dangerous journey to reach the location where he can signal for help. Both movies are visually stunning and are loaded with outstanding performances. As an amateur critic, I give them both a Grade of 'A'. Aside from the review, I was truly entertained by both movies. I think they are worthwhile to seek out and decide for yourself.

Review: Non-Stop

Liam Neeson's career has been NON-STOP since he starred in Taken in 2008. This movie is no exception; opening at #1 this past weekend. The actor has been reinvented as an action star, from his late 50s until now, when he is in his early 60's. No plans to stop either; Taken 3 has just been announced. Sean Connery pulled off the same trick; he was still going into his early 70s, as an action star. Non-Stop is a fun popcorn movie, with plenty of action, suspense, stunts and effects. Neeson is believable again as an ordinary guy caught in extraordinary circumstances. He plays a US Air Marshall, and someone on the plane threatens the lives of all those on the plane, unless funds are transferred into an account. He has to work fast to find out who is responsible, while protecting others and himself. All while high above the Earth, on a transatlantic flight. The PG-13 rating makes it suitable for most. It's not very graphic, it just gets fairly intense at times. Hey, it's not The Godfather, but as far as action movies go, it's a good one!

Grade: B+