In one of the five prior articles in the Film Quest 12 series, I told you what I’m doing. I established why the movies on my list aren’t necessarily all “guy movies”, so if you wonder what you’re reading, go check it out (the link earlier in this run-on sentence).
Let’s get down to business with some Time-Traveling Rookie Alien Pretenders
37. Anonymous
This wasn’t as good a biopic as Shakespeare In Love, but it was close. It certainly calls into question who the true author behind The Bard’s works might be, and it was well crafted. The performances were strong despite none of them sticking out as exceptional, though Rhys Ifans was unrecognizable. The sets and costumes were quite good. The story got a bit dizzying at times, but it was only a matter of time before that gets rectified. If you’re interested at all in Shakespeare, it’s certainly a must watch. [8/10]
38. I Love You Phillip Morris
Don’t think “tobacco” or “cigarettes” when you see the name of this movie, because that has nothing to do with the plot. Jim Carrey does a great job of mixing some of his weird sensibilities with his strong dramatic performance ability and does so well with it that I can’t imagine the movie with a different actor in the lead role. The story has its entertaining moments, but it’s not something I’d necessariliy recommend unless you like most of Jim Carrey’s work. [6.4/10]
39. Batman: Year One
I was really disappointed by this one. Perhaps it’s because there are sooo many examples of great Batman films that aren’t live-action that I had high expectations. I don’t know how closely it followed the graphic novel, but the writing just seemed “off” for a Batman interpretation, and the same holds for Jim Gordon’s portrayal. The fact that they went with someone other than Kevin Conroy for the voice-over work for Batman felt out of place, too. I felt like turning it off before it was over, which I never do with anything. [3.5/10]
40. Midnight In Paris
I typically enjoy Woody Allen movies and the performances of Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard, so for me to see this movie was a no brainer. The story was a lot more intriguing than I was expecting, having not heard anything about it prior to my initial viewing. It certainly wasn’t your typical Woody Allen movie, though it still had all the charm. Not entertaining enough to own on DVD, though I’d watch it again if any of my friends were really interested. [7.5/10]
41. Cowboys & Aliens
What a weird roller-coaster ride I had leading up to this movie. The name alone had my expectations low. Then I hear that the comic book source material was entertaining, so I get more interested in it, which grows as I hear of the involvement from Jon Favreau, Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde and Harrison Ford. But then the reviews were largely terrible, so I decided not to even consider checking it out in theaters. Perhaps having mild expectations was for the best, because I really enjoyed Cowboys & Aliens. The story was decent, the action was good, the performances were enjoyable and the plot twist late in the second act made the story more interesting. [7.5 / 10]
42. Prometheus
I’m not an Alien-series fan, but the trailers for this one had me sold on it being a “must see”. Sure, there were plot holes, so I wouldn’t consider it to be a great film, but it’s visually stunning, it has a really interesting story, and it sets up excellently for a sequel. Don’t go into it with expectations that it’s going to directly lead to the first Alien film, and cut it some slack, and you’ll probably enjoy it. [7 / 10]
Potential Nominees:
Best Actor – Jim Carrey (I Love You, Phillip Morris)
Best Supporting Actor – Michael Fassbender (Prometheus)
