Netflix Top 100 - 1. - The Blind Side

I saw this movie when it first came out and liked it even way back in the day. It is one of those feel good movies like The Rookie (baseball movie). A movie about southern people who love their sports but love religion even more. However despite all of the sentimental hogwash it's still a very good movie.

Let's face it nobody likes to be preached to, but this movie doesn't come across like that. It tells the simple story of Michael Oher, who is a homeless teenager of massive proportions, and who is taken in by a wealthy Christian family. The matriarch of the family, Leigh Anne Tuohy, played by Sandra Bullock is a tough well meaning mother who tries to help Michael and in doing so helps herself and her family as well. The family comes together to help him get into school, onto the football field, and eventually in to a college.
Sandra Bullock is great in the lead role and still looks extremely hot despite her age (45) The producers obviously chose outfits which would accentuate her great figure. (What does she do, besides Jesse James, to stay in such great shape?) However, was it worthy of an academy award? Nope. That should've gone to Meryl Streep for Julie and Julia, but heh I'm not an Academy member.

Despite the religious overtones and "goody-goodyness", I found myself nearly crying at the end of the movie, for it's heartwarming message and for the actors wonderful portrayals of a loving family. This is definitely a good movie to rent even if you're not into sports. You had better Queue It!

Netflix Top 100 - 2. - Crash

When I first saw this movie, I was blown away by the intricacies of the plot and the film.  It was amazing.  However, I watched this again recently and it is still an amazing movie.  so touching, real, and a tribute to the city of Los Angeles and all the varying cultures which co-exists in the vast, spread out metropolis, that is LA.

The cast is gigantic and so is the theme of this movie.  It revolves around various residents of Los Angeles which seem to have no connection to one another, but as the movie evolves the pieces start to fit together and the result is amazing!  I don't want to get into too much detail, because I don't want to be the spoiler here, but if you haven't seen this movie you need to.  Great writing, directing, and acting throughout this film.  Just Queue It x 10!

Netflix Top 100 - 3. - The Bucket List

Now I know there are a lot of baby boomers on netflix, because this movie is at number 3.  A lot of people are getting ready to "kick the bucket" I guess, so that's what makes this one so popular.  Lord knows I wouldn't put this one at number 3 or even number 333.  It's not that great but it is a call to older people wanting to fulfill their dreams. And it's a decent movie just not awesome like other films on this list.

The idea behind the film is that a corporate billionaire Edward (Jack Nicholson) and Carter (Morgan Freeman) a retired auto mechanic both have a terminal illness.  So in order to accomplish all they wanted to do before they die, they put together a "Bucket List" or rather a "Kick The Bucket List", and Edward uses his money to help them fulfill their dreams.  In the process they grow together and find real joy.

A wonderful idea, and a good film, just not worthy of the hype involved.  Both Nicholson and Freeman are great in their respective roles and the movie is a triumph of the spirit, and an inspiration.  It is good but not great and a feel good movie but not one of the best of the year 2007.  I would queue it, but not emphatically.  

Netflix Top 100 - 4. - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

This should be retitled "The Curious Case of Why Is This Movie So Damned Long"!  It's based on a short story for god's sake!  If it had run any longer I would have killed every one in the movie theater. Heartwarming and touching, but for nearly 3 hours, give my kidneys a break please Mr. Fincher.  I walked out of the movie having aged as much as Brad Pitt regressed.

Not a bad film at all, and the story is interesting, but not worthy of a Best Picture nomination.  It is the story Benjamin Button, a boy who is born as an old man.  However rather than age, Benjamin grows younger with age, and so this provides an interesting context for a movie.  So even though he appears old he is in fact a child and when he becomes older, though he looks young he is now an old man.  Following me so far, cause it's really not all that confusing.

Benjamin is left orphaned on the steps of a retirement home and subsequently raised by his adopted mother Queenie, who raises him as her own.  As his life progresses he goes through a series of different changes but eventually he meets the love of his life Daisy when she is a young girl visiting her grandmother.  The film follows the relationship between Daisy and Benjamin and leads up to their adult life where Brad Pitt portrays Benjamin and Daisy is played by Cate Blanchett.  Both leads do a wonderful job and the movie looks and feels wonderful.  A great period piece and I have never seen Cate Blanchett look more beautiful.  Great acting the story is good, it just takes too long to tell.  If you queue this one watch it in two nights so you don't fall asleep.  Still a good film so Just Queue It.

Netflix Top 100 - 5. - The Hurt Locker

Made for a portion of Avatar this movie should have won the Best Picture Oscar and it did! In fact it won 6 Oscars and rightfully so, it is an amazing film.  Shot on location on location in Jordan this movie puts you right inside the battle zone in the Middle East.  It is wonderfully shot, well acted, great special effects, and very gritty.  It gives you the feel of being a soldier in the Middle East.

When I first saw this in the theater, I was on the edge of my seat through out the movie.  It is filmed which so much tension and such suspense that you can't help but be drawn into the plot.  It is the story of Sergeant William James who is a specialist at defusing bombs.  He is assigned to a new team after their first sergeant is killed in the course of duty, and James is more than a little unconventional.  In fact, he's a cowboy. Throwing caution to the wind and seemingly putting himself and his team in danger at every turn. 

As a result of his "recklessness" he seems to have alienated himself from his team, and the film is about them working together to survive the war and just what these men go through to protect our great country.  Jeremy Renner was duly nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of James, but the rest of the cast is equally great.

I know a lot of people thought this film sucked because of all the hype around it, but I saw it early and I wasn't disappointed.  This is no "Blair Witch Project".  Just keep an open mind, don't expect to be blown away by CG or special effects and you should enjoy this one.  Just Queue It!

Netflix Top 100 - 6. - The Departed

This is a fu#&ing awesome movie!  And I only use that word, because they say it about 300 times in this flick.  What an amazing film by Martin Sciorcese, who has to be the greatest director in American Cinema period.  Yes he's had some clunkers like "Shutter Island", but those are rare.  And this is one of his best, even though his fans will argue with me, who gives a damn!  This is my blog.
The cast is incredible, the writing is extraordinary, and the direction is phenomenal. This movie won 4 Academy Awards including Best Motion Picture of the Year, and why?  Because it's amazing!  It follows the lives of people living in Boston's toughest Irish neighborhood, and the focus here is on the criminal element led specifically by Frank Costello, played wonderfully by Jack Nicholson.  The story follows the lives of two young men Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) and Bill Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) who are in the State Police Academy together and working to become officers. 

I don't want to give away too much in this film because there are so many plot twists and turns, but the story weaves around the lives of these two men and the different paths they take in their careers but both seemingly tied closely to the activities of the Irish mobster Frank Costello.  Their are too many great actors in this film to single any one out, but Mark Wahlberg is great and deserving of his Best Supporting Actor Oscar.  Alec Baldwin is amazing as well.  Stop reading and load this into your queue.  Just Queue It!

Netflix Top 100 - 7. - Sherlock Holmes

This is a great flick though too many slow motion scenes.  that started to become annoying, but worked.
Imagine that Sherlock Holmes was a roustabout and a little bit of rebel, and you have the 2009 version of the age old English legend. This is a good movie and a somewhat loyal but hugely updated version of the great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr. playing the principal part. Jude Law is Holmes' reliable Dr. Watson, and both men seem to be incredibly fit,smart, and physical, quite unlike the stories from the books. They are involved in all kinds of big action sequences and fights, which they always seem to win.
However, movies are invariably never as good as the books, so if you take it for what it's worth: this is just a movie, and it is a lot of fun, well acted, and worth the rental. The only drawback is having to look at the crusty smiles of Brits from the turn of the century, where brushing one's teeth with a sugary cinammon stick seemed to pass for dental hygiene. If you do rent this one get the HD version and turn up the sound, it's better that way.  Just Queue It!

Netflix Top 100 - 8. - Inception

What an incredible movie even on the small screen. Okay, you're going to need a Thomas Guide and a GPS system just to follow the plot line, but let me give you a brief overview.

Cobb, played by Leonardo DeCaprio, is basically a thief who works to steal your thoughts in dreams. This reminds me a bit of the movie "Dreamscape" with Dennis Quaid, from the 80's where characters would invade your dreams and kill you.

Regardless, Cobb has a bit of "Extraction" go awry and so the client named Saito decides that he wants to conceive of an idea and implant it into the mind of a competitor. The idea is call "Inception", hence the title of the movie, and if Cobb is able to instill this idea in the target it will change the history of energy forever.

However, Cobb is still troubled by the suicide of his wife, Mal, played wonderfully by Marion Cottard, who cleans up nicely after "My Vie En Rose". In his dreams Mal shows up and sabotages his plans consistently. As a result he hires a new architect, Ariadne, played by Ellen Page, who does a great job. She designs a dream world for their new target to move through for the Inception.

Cillian Murphy plays the target, Robert Fischer, who is set for the inception. As the movie progresses they devise a series of dream layers in order to set up the inception. The fascinating part is how many layers of dreams their seems to be and how they contrive to plant this idea in Fischer's dreams. It is an incredibly complicated idea, with so many dream layers that at one point I thought, "Am I watching the movie "Inception", or am I dreaming I'm watching this movie."

Great movie, in or out of the movie theatre, and definitely worth the rental. Especially on Blu Ray which is phenomenal. Just Queue It!

Netflix Top 100 - 9. - Iron Man

The first and the best in the short series.  Downey Jr. is awesome as Tony Stark, and this movie was great as well.  Not all comic book characters play well on the big screen, but if you have the right actor in the role it works. Downey is perfectly cast here as is Gwyneth Paltrow as his assistant Pepper Potts.  You almost feel as if Downey is just being himself, and that's fine with me.  It's a great role and he does a wonderful job.

Directed by Jon Favreau this film is slightly more action oriented then say..."Elf".  It has loads of special effects and it is a lot of fun.  Downey portrays Tony Stark, a playboy and owner of a large weapons manufacturing company, but also a brilliant engineer.  Stark has worshipped his father and his company for years, but while on a "sales call" in Afghanistan he is kidnapped by insurgents.  Forced to keep a battery attached to his heart to keep the shrapnel from a blast to enter his bloodstream, Stark sets about to build a missile for the insurgents.  However what he builds instead is the first Iron Man suit, to get himself out of Afghanistan.  He does this in spectacular fashion and returns home to find he is now second in command to his father's long time partner Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges).  Once more Stark wants to stop making weapons and start healing the earth.

This is a bad move for him and for the company and what transpires is a fight for control of the company and the world.  A great film here especially if you haven't seen it yet.  It is not just another comic book movie, there are lots of good back stories and the relationship between Stark and Potts is interesting.  Just Queue It !

Netflix Top 100 - 10. - No Country For Old Men

How can you go wrong with a Cormac McCarthy book adapted by the Cohen brothers?  No way to fail here. And this movie doesn't fail on any level.  It won 4 Academy Awards in 2008, including Best Picture. But the real gem in this movie is Javier Bardem's portrayal of Anton Chigurh, the villain.  He is one scary bastard in this film and his performance will be remembered for a long time.  And like all McCarthy villains you don't want to meet him anywhere, let alone have him chasing you.

Josh Brolin plays Llewelyn Moss, a simple man just hunting one day when he comes across a drug deal gone wrong in the desert.  After surveying the scene, he determines that there must be money somewhere in the deal and when he finds it, he decides to keep it for himself rather than turn it in.  Bad idea.  By keeping the money he has put himself and his family at risk, and once Anton figures out who took the money, violence and killing follow suit. 

Tommy Lee Jones is the sheriff Ed Tom Bell who is assign to figure out what happened and where the money went.  Not to mention the murders Anton is committing seemingly for no reason in his small jurisdiction.  His search is not only for the money but for the murdering bastard Anton as well.
There are a lot of great performances here, including a cameo by Woody Harrelson.  One of my favorite films and the book is even better this is a must see if you like thrillers.  You'd better Just Queue It!

Netflix Top 100 - 11. - Date Night

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Finally, they paired Steve Carell with Tina Fey.  Too bad they didn't give then a better script.  I don't know who wrote this one, but it's good when it could have been great.   I think it would be difficult for this film to fail, given the talent on screen so even with a weak script this film is good.  Carell and Fey play Phil and Claire Foster a couple that has been married for a while and just seem to be going through the motions.  When the two find out they're friends are getting divorced after years of marriage, Phil decides that he needs to change things in his marriage. 

So instead of their usual date night, he takes Claire into NYC, for a night out on the town.  They try to get into a new and exclusive restaurant, but when the maitre de will not take their reservations, then Phil decides to take another couple's reservation.  Fun, frolic, car chase scenes and mayhem follow since the couple they are supposed to be, is wanted by some pretty dangerous people; including 2 crooked police detectives.  A great cast makes this one work, with wonderful cameo appearances by Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, James Franco, and Mark Ruffalo.  A good movie to see on your own "Date Night" at home.  Queue It.

Netflix Top 100 - 12. - Up In The Air

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Good movie? Yes. Great movie? No. It really depends on what you're looking for. I had heard so much about how this movie was great, that I believed the hype. Don't get me wrong, it's a good movie. A very interesting look at the life of an aging bachelor and his job which allows him to not only detach himself from his family but from his life. He has no connections, either emotional, geographical, etc.

And Clooney is perfectly cast because this is how we all see him. It may not be how he really is, but it's our perception of him that counts. He is the ultimate bachelor, accessible but unreachable, and that's how he is in this movie. Until...

Enter Vera Farmiga, a hot equally travelled lady looking at the size of Clooney's (Ryan) travel portfolio. She possesses the best body double in Hollywood or the best ass, I can't tell which one, but it looks great on screen. She reaches him as does his unwilling fellow employee played by Anna Kendrick. One is his sexual interest and fellow "detachee" while the other is grounded and tries to bring him into the fold. Both these women touch parts of Ryan (George Clooney) that he didn't know existed, and it ends up affecting the three of them in unique ways. It's well acted, well written, and a good film. Just not a Best Picture nod. Sorry.  But if you haven't already seen it, just Queue It!

Netflix Top 100 - 13. - Gran Torino

This is probably my favorite movie from Clint Eastwood.  Like "Mystic River" it draws you into a small town community in Detroit where Clint plays Walt Kowalski, a retired auto worker.  Walt's wife has just passed away and he was already a sour puss, but following her death he's a real pain in the ass. Clint is great as Walt, a man who is a veteran of the Korean War, a racist and basically an asshole, even to his own family.

Walt lives in a neighborhood which is not predominantly Hmong, but he seems to be the last remaining white man in the neighborhood.  Hmong gangs roam the neighborhood freely and when they try to enlist Walt's young neighbor Thao(Bee Vang) to be in the gang he refuses.  However when they threaten him, he concedes and in order to be a gang member he will have to steal Walt's prized possession, his Gran Torino. 

When Thao tries to steal the Torino, Walt busts him, and instead of reporting him to the cops, he seeks to help the kid reform.  He sees that Thao has no father figure in the house, with just his sister, mother, and grandmother, so Walt becomes a father figure to the boy.  When the gang comes back to Thao's home to try and bring him into the gang, Walt threatens them with a rifle and saves the boy.
But at what cost?  The rest of the story is about Walt learning more about himself and the Hmongs, and helping the boy become a man.  Thao is played admirably by Bee Vang, though you can see he needs to work on his acting skills.  His sister Sue(Ahney Her) is a big influence on Walt and softens him up to the ways of her people.  This is a great film about a man's capability to change, and change for the better.  A great flick!  Just Queue It!

Netflix Top 100 - 14. - The Proposal

Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock are actually good in this film.  Surprisingly, I liked it. I really thought this was going to suck badly, but it was fairly good.  Ryan Reynolds plays Andrew Paxton, an assistant to Bullock's bitch executive Margaret Tate.  Margaret is evil incarnate, and she makes her case early in the movie by firing a potential threat in a fellow publishing executive Bob Spaulding.  But shortly thereafter she realizes that despite her power in the publishing firm they work for, her work visa has expired and the only way for her to stay in the country is to get married.

Andrew (Reynolds) is really her only option since no one else can stand her.  She offers him a proposal.  If he agrees to marry her, then he will be promoted and no longer work as her assistant. He agrees and the two fly off to Andrew's home town in Alaska!  During the trip they meet Andrew's odd and rich family and hilarity ensues.  Great supporting roles by Bette White, Craig T. Nelson, and Mary Steenburgen.  Audiences obviously ignore critics on this one because it made a ton of money at the box office, and rightfully so.  It's a great little romantic comedy.  Just Queue It!

Netflix Top 100 - 15. - Slumdog Millionaire

What a wonderful film!  I can understand why it won so many awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture.  This film is phenomenal.  Well filmed, it also won an Oscar for best cinematography.  It is the story of Jamal Malik, an 18 Mumbai orphan, who is on the show "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?" and is one question away from winning the grand prize.  However on the night before he tries to win the prize, he is arrested for cheating on the show. 

The police can't see how there is any way a young street urchin could possibly know the answer to all these questions.  So in order to explain himself, Jamal spends the night telling his life story and how he came to know all the answers to the questions.  As he speaks we understand that he is doing all this for the love of a girl. 

It is wonderfully acted by both of the main stars, Dev Patel and Freida Pinto, who play Jamal and Latika.  The scenes showing how he came up with the knowledge to answer all the questions correctly are fascinating. I especially enjoyed him diving into the pile of shit to retrieve a photo of a popular star.  Great writing, great acting, and wonderfully filmed you don't want to miss this film.  A big time: Just Queue It!

Netflix Top 100 - 16. - The Pursuit of Happyness

Hey everybody!  Will Smith found a movie for him and his kid to star in!  BFD! I'm beginning to think that acting can't really be difficult for film if Smith can make his son a star, and if the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was nominated for an Oscar.  ("Ali")  It's funny, he surprises me sometimes when he actually performs like in this film and Seven Pounds, but then I just think, "how many takes did they do before they got it right?"  Films are a lot easier than live theater which is why I think his kid does well here too.

The story is good, so it's not too hard to screw up.  It is a touching portrayal of a father who is doing everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, to give his child a better life.  Based upon the true story of Christopher Gardner, a homeless father living on the streets with a child and trying to support both of their needs, it tugs at your heart strings as you see what people will do to help their children.  Gardner invests his entire life savings into a medical device he thinks will revolutionize the industry but it turns out doctors don't see it as worth their money.  Stuck with a number of these machines he loses his house, his wife, and all he owns.  He ends up on the streets with his child and finds work as a stock broker "trainee" to help support his family of 2.

The movie is definitely worth adding to your queue just to see the story of how a father's love can overcome even the greatest of obstacles.  Queue it.

Netflix Top 100 - 17. - Avatar

Okay, so this movie if you saw it in the theatre lives up to the hype on Blu-Ray. The only thing missing is the 3-D effects. It's a re-used story which has been seen in everything from Fern Gully to Bambi. Evil men trying to rid native species of their forest and doing whatever it takes to get rid of them. However it's well done and the acting is good, but the effects are the main reason to buy or rent this movie.
James Cameron is a cinematic and effects wizard who probably is an absolute prick to work with, but makes everyone he works with a success. This movie is no different, the colors are incredible,the CG effects out of this world, while the acting is pretty good, with the exception of Sigouney Weaver's avatar. I found her oddly attractive despite the blue tail. (It must've been the large breasts)
The plot is weak but who gives a damn, the movie will make history for it's innovation and break through cinematic techniques.($2.6 billion doesn't hurt either) Be sure to pick this one up if you own a blu-ray player. If you don't then buy one, if you have an HD TV. If you don't have an HD television, you're either over 60, blind, or my parents. Either way, I truly feel sorry for you.  Just Queue It!

Netflix Top 100 - 18. - The Social Network

I found this story fascinating.  Art is definitely imitating life in this movie and to great effect.  Jesses Eisenberg is wonderful, as billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, and the enemy to plenty of people.  The story portrays Zuckerberg as an arrogant, brooding, nerd, who is angry for not having any women in his life.  In fact the movie begins with a scene of him trying to explain his girlfriend, Eric Albright, why they shouldn't break up.  However Zuckerberg seems to have no social skills whatsoever.  He is so clueless that he comes across as a brilliant idiot!

This is a wonderful story about the founder(s)of Facebook, but really it's a portrayal of Zuckerberg and how he developed the site and then screwed over most of his "friends".  Eisenberg is incredible as Mark, and so is Armie Hammer as the two Winklevoss twins, Cameron and Tyler.  He plays a dual role thanks to the magic of CG, and he does a good job.  This shouldn't be a stretch for him since he is the heir to the business throne of Armand Hammer.  A rich kid playing a rich kid?  Despite the easy transition he still did a great job. 

A fascinating real life story of inspiration, perspiration, and deception.  It is definitely worth adding it to your Queue.  Just Queue It!

Netflix Top 100 - 19. - Inglourious Bastards

Quentin Tarantino, whom I thought had lost his touch, delivers the goods once again.  Thank god.  I was getting tired of all his anime and 70's retro shit.  But this film is a fine return from all of his hobbies.  I'm sure he'll never read this and even if he does, who cares? 

The thing that is wonderful about his films is the quirky humor thrown in during odd and often life threatening situations.  We as an audience have become so numb to violence and death on screen that Tarantino can make a joke out of some very serious matters.  Here he takes a group of renegade Jewish soldiers in the American army during WWII and turns their story into a funny and compelling film. 

This film was nominated for 8 Academy Awards and for good reason.  It's an awesome movie!  The cinematography is incredible, the sound track is great, and the acting is impeccable.  Especially, Christopher Waltz who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

The whole premise is that this band of Jewish soldiers led by Brad Pitts character, Lt. Aldo Raine, travels across Europe terrorizing German soldiers and scalping them in the process.  Pitt neither looks, or sounds Jewish, but that's what makes his character even more amusing.  His performance is the second best in the film, and together with the rest of the cast this movie is definitely worth watching.  Queue It now!  Don't wait.

Netflix Top 100 - 20. - Blood Diamond

I hadn't seen this one in a while and it showed up as a rerun on HBO so I watched it again.  This is a good movie.  A lot better than I remember, with wonderful performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou.  The movie takes place in Sierra Leone during the civil war, where DiCaprio plays Danny Archer, an ex South African army fighter, and now a mercenary for diamonds.  Hounsou plays a simple fisherman,Solomon, who is captured and stripped of his family in order to dig for diamonds.  Apparently the diamond business was still a feudal enterprise as late as the 1990's.  I guess if you don't dig than you die or lose an arm.  Rough stuff!

As Solomon is digging he comes across one of the largest and purest diamonds ever found.  It is a rare pink in color and very valuable.  However as government troops launch an attach on the mines, Solomon hides the diamond.  However his nemesis Captain Poison who had captured him, sees Solomon hide the diamond but both are arrested before they can retrieve the gem.

In the meantime, Danny finds out that Solomon knows of the diamond and he seeks to get it for himself.  In exchange Danny will find Solomon's missing family.  The two set off on their quest and enlist the help of Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connolly), a journalist who is sympathetic to the plights of the people in Sierra Leone and cares nothing about the diamond.  Maddy helps find Solomon's family but as they are reunited Solomon realizes his boy has been brain washed to fight.   I won't spoil the rest of the film but the ending is very good.

What great acting and action sequences from the this film.  Why it cost so much is evident, because a lot of the scenes are epic in their expanse and wonferfully filmed.  It's too bad it didn't make a profit because this is a very good film.  The fighting scenes are very realistic and shot very well.  It is good movie but not a great one, and definitely you should Queue It, if you haven't seen it already.