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.