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| Netflix One-Liners 02.10 | |
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2.26.2010
7:34 AM | Link0 comments |
 Year One: Jack Black and the cast of Superbad star in this caveman movie that turned out to be a lot like Mel Brooks' History of the World (but not nearly as funny), so I'm really glad I missed this one in the theater!Alien Nation: This is an excellent science fiction crime drama with James Caan and Mandy Patinkin (almost totally unrecognizable in make-up) that combines aliens with a hard-boiled cop plot (although getting drunk from spoiled milk is kind of dumb). The Ramen Girl: I had this movie in my queue before I had even heard of the loss of Brittany Murphy, and it's a cute (if a little silly) story about a girl kind of stranded in Japan who decides to learn to be a Ramen chef with the same feel as The Karate Kid. Louis CK / Chewed Up: My pal Chris introduced me to this absolutely hilarious comedian who does the best stand-up routine that I've seen in years, especially his jokes about overeating (which are so funny because they're true!). Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters & Marvels: This is a cool two-part interview of Stan Lee (creator of Spider-Man and just about every other Marvel superhero) by Kevin Smith, who does a great job as a true fan asking interesting questions and enjoying Stan's colorful answers. Saturday Night Live / Adam Sandler: Although it can get a little old watching the same characters over and over, I kind of like the old Adam Sandler (especially Operaman) before he started making a hundred feel-good movies a year. Saturday Night Live / Chris Farley: It was fun to spend some time "in a van down by the river" with Chris Farley, but I was kind of bummed than several of the exact same sketches from the Adam Sandler collection were included (which is cheating!). Godzilla / Final Wars: I couldn't resist watching the last Godzilla feature film again when it showed up on Watch Instantly, and while it was really fun, I was definitely reminded of its flaws (it should have been so much better!). Somewhere in Time: One of the best time travel romance stories ever with an incredibly beautiful Jane Seymour and a somewhat campy Christopher Reeve, I was so happy to see this was available on Watch Instantly since I hadn't watched it in years! Planet of the Apes: I just had to watch the best Apes movie again (I couldn't help it), and I'm not ashamed to say I loved it as usual, and it always manages to somehow stay fresh for me (this time I enjoyed noticing that costume details really match my Planet of the Apes toy collection)! |
| Netflix One-Liners 11.09 | |
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11.20.2009
8:53 AM | Link0 comments |
 Beverly Hills Chihuahua: I only watched this because I thought the trailer was hilarious and because it's a Disney movie, and I actually laughed much more than I expected, but Disney animal flicks have definitely gone downhill since That Darn Cat!Nerdcore Rising: This is a totally entertaining documentary about MC Frontalot, the performer who invented nerdcore (hip-hop rap with geeky subjects and references), and I enjoyed it so much I bought his CD as soon as the film ended! Time After Time: I remember as a kid being a fan of this science-fiction thriller, about Jack the Ripper stealing HG Wells' time machine and traveling into the far-flung 70s, so it was fun and nostalgic to see this one again. Man On Wire: I enjoyed this amazing documentary about the French acrobat who illegally strung a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center and walked across several times, especially since it's structured like an espionage plot (and it's almost unbelievable he actually did it). Superman 2: Seems like I've been re-watching lots of Superman on Watch Instantly, so I figured I should check out the original sequel again, which is by far the best with both Kryptonian villains led by General Zod and Superman getting it on with Lois. X-Men Origins / Wolverine: I never even got around to watching X-Men 2 and 3, but my pals and I felt like seeing an action-packed blockbuster, and it was cool to see Hollywood's take on Wolverine's origin story and some early X-Men (actually I rented this from iTunes on my Apple TV, but I'm including it here anyway!). Monty Python Conquers America: Even though this is a really short film, it was interesting to learn about how Monty Python's Flying Circus eventually made it to America against all odds, becoming one of those late night PBS shows that kids watch hoping for two-seconds of nudity (wow, this is the third documentary in this bunch!). And Now For Something Completely Different: After discovering this movie via the previous documentary, I thought it would be cool to watch the original Monty Python film (funded by Playboy as a way to get them into the states), and it's a nice collection of classic bits with higher budget sets and camera angles. Everyone Says I Love You: Every time I watch this Woody Allen musical, I'm always amazed at how much I enjoy the plot, the characters, and the jazz standards that come out of nowhere, along with the huge cast (this is the only movie with Julia Roberts that I ever want to see). Silent Movie: There's no one as ridiculous as Mel Brooks, and I love to watching his classics when I get the chance, so I decided to enjoy this totally silent (except for Marcel Marceau saying "No!") slapstick spoof, which has the distinction of being the movie that made my parents realize I needed glasses, since I was squinting so bad to read the dialogue! |
| Netflix One-Liners 10.09 | |
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10.01.2009
11:45 AM | Link0 comments |
 Capricorn One: This was a fantastic movie to watch with the guys, featuring a semi-science fiction plot about a faked Mars landing, the "acting" of both Telly Savalas and OJ Simpson, and some of the most incredible airplane chase aerobatics I've ever seen (seriously)!Celebrity: I've always loved this black & white Woody Allen film (with Kenneth Branagh practically doing a Woody impression in the lead role) about a writer's mid-life crisis, filled with awesome self-searching dialogue and a crazy night with Charlize Theron! Batman Returns: Since I watched Tim Burton's Batman in my last Netflix batch, I decided to watch the sequel (definitely the only Batman sequel worth seeing), featuring Michelle Pfeiffer's cool version of Catwoman and Danny DeVito's totally disgusting Penguin. Batman vs Dracula: I never got around to watching this animated feature until now, and I really wasn't missing anything, although it was kind of cool to get into this incarnation of the animated Caped Crusader (since I haven't watched The Batman series in a long time). What's Up, Tiger Lilly?: Woody Allen's comedic re-dubbing of some classic Japanese spy films wasn't nearly as funny as I remembered, although I was really excited to see Kumi Mizuno (my favorite Godzilla girl) in one scene! State and Main: I always get into David Mamet's dialogue, and I really like this crazy satire of Hollywood filmmaking as it takes over a small town, and even though I realized I had already seen this movie (after about 20 minutes), I still watched it to the end! Space Battleship Yamato: Of course, I used to watch Star Blazers (the US dubbed version of this anime) as a kid, so I watched this two-hour "summary" version of the entire original series (in the original Japanese!), which definitely loses something in the reduction, but it was a blast to make it to Iscandar again! The Animatrix: Although the live-action Matrix films get worse as the trilogy progresses, this collection of animated shorts set in the same world is absolutely fantastic, featuring incredibly clever and interesting writing, awesome animation, and fascinating back-story to the whole saga! Big Man Japan: There's no way a kaiju fan like me wouldn't enjoy this funny mock-documentary of a super-sized protector of Japan, but the absolutely crazy ending (or non-ending, I should say) left my pals and me kind of flabbergasted. The IT Crowd Season 3: Each season of this British series is funnier than the last, and this third season is totally genius, including an accidental armed robbery involvement and a hilarious parody of social networking called Friendface! |
| Netflix One-Liners 9.09 | |
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9.01.2009
5:49 PM | Link0 comments |
 Batman: I love re-watching old favorites on Watch Instantly, so it was fun to check out Tim Burton’s original Batman movie again, which really ignited the whole superhero entertainment industry, as well as inspiring the Batman Animated Series!The Poseidon Adventure: I hadn’t watched a disaster movie in a long time, so I thought I would take a look at one of the classics, and I was actually pretty impressed with the story, upside-down effects, and characterization (especially by Gene Hackman). Poseidon: I couldn’t resist watching this modern remake so soon after the original, which of course had tons of flashy effects, but really fell short in the character department (everyone was basically boring or stereotyped). Armageddon: Yes, I had never seen this before, and truthfully, I only wanted to watch it since it’s so often parodied, but at least now I know the first two-thirds are really terrible (so much sap!), but the action scenes in the final third are pretty cool. Across the Universe: I remembered being intrigued by the trailer for this musical inspired by Beatles music, and even though I’m not into 60s culture, I absolutely loved the film and the creative way they integrated all of the original lyrics! Beneath the Planet of the Apes: Every few years I have to watch all of the Planet of the Apes films (which are all on Watch Instantly except for the first), so I had fun as usual watching the creepy mutants take on the gorillas! Escape from the Planet of the Apes: I love all the subtle laughs in this movie (such as “grape juice plus”), but it’s still a fantastic setup for the bizarre timeline (though I always crack up at the “Mama! Mama!” chimp at the end!). Conquest of the Planet of the Apes: I’m fascinated by the details of how the apes gain intelligence, but the extended battles run a little long for me, though I think Caesar’s final speech is pretty chilling. Battle for the Planet of the Apes: Even though this final film is really low budget, the way it ties everything together (including clips from Escape) is still pretty genius, and Caesar’s character is interesting and complex! Hancock: I totally missed this in the theater, so I was glad to find it on Watch Instantly, even though the second half of the movie was a little too “out there” to balance out the superhero farce feeling of the first half (still a decent film, though). |
| Netflix One-Liners 8.09 | |
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8.06.2009
12:53 PM | Link0 comments |
 Superman 3: Since I've seen Superman and Superman 2 so many times, I thought it was only fair to check out the terrible (but hilariously bad) sequels that followed, starting with this bizarre Richard Pryor comedy that inspired the money siphoning virus in Office Space.Superman 4: I guess I was looking for more torture, because even though Superman 4 tries to return to the serious superhero genre (Gene Hackman is back along with a new solar-powered super villain), it still falls totally flat (but it's great for some laughs!). The IT Crowd Season 1: This British sitcom about an office IT department has been recommended all over the web since it's full of geek culture references, and even though it wasn't as funny as I had hoped, I still became a fan of Moss and Roy right away! The IT Crowd Season 2: The second season of this series is at least twice as hilarious as the first (and the Netflix quality is much better, too!), since there are lots of situations that occur outside of the office itself, like the unbelievable episode where Roy pretends he's been the victim of wheelchair theft! Pearl Harbor: I only watched this to see if it could be as bad as everyone says, and aside from some great special effects and action (which goes on too long, of course), I have to say that everyone is right about Michael Bay's completely obvious and boring style. Lifeforce: This is an awesome example of bad science fiction/horror that for some reason I always want to see - naked space vampires and Patrick Stewart making a paycheck in what could be his most embarrassing role! Planet Terror: Although I absolutely hated the Tarantino half of Grindhouse, I really enjoyed this Robert Rodriguez zombie flick (complete with a machine gun legged heroine and plenty of gooey blood), which thankfully is available as a stand-alone selection on Netflix! Krull: I watched this 80's fantasy adventure with my pals, and even though all of us had seen this movie as kids, we spent the whole evening remembering things we had forgotten ("Oh yeah! The cyclops guy! Oh now I remember the big spider web!"). Sleeper: Some of Woody Allen's earlier films are too goofy for me, but I've always been a fan of Sleeper, since it's a great mix of science fiction (including cool minimalist design, hover cars and robot servants) with some fantastic one-liners and sight gags (I always crack up when he steals the giant fruits and vegetables!). Mighty Aphrodite: Although the ending of this film wraps up far too quickly, this is still one of my favorite Woody Allen movies, which has some truly touching scenes combined with the most hilarious Greek Chorus parody ever! |
| Netflix One-Liners 7.09 | |
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7.24.2009
12:09 PM | Link0 comments |
 It's no secret that I'm totally addicted to Netflix Watch Instantly on my TiVo, and I love to use it while I'm waiting for a new DVD to arrive (or just to see some semi-favorite movies again when I'm bored!). I like to use WEBmikey to remember what movies I've seen and when, but I've just been watching so many over the past few months that there's no way I can cover them all in detail (and I totally abandoned my Netflix Novelties attempt as soon as I started!). So, my next idea is to write a single sentence about each thing I watch on Watch Instantly, and post these in groups of 10 each month or so. Of course, I have a backlog to get through, but I'll catch up eventually. Anyway, here we go with my first Netflix One-Liners!THX 1138: George Lucas' first movie is an awesome dystopian treat, which I had to watch again since he pulled his "special edition" trick and added new effects shots (which were pretty cool, I have to admit). The Tick: Although the animated series was funnier, Patrick Warburton is totally hilarious as the big blue superhero in this short-lived TV series, and Bat-Manuel is one of the best parody characters ever! 1984: Still on my dystopia kick, this modern film version of Orwell's classic story is disturbing yet compelling, and I love the fact it was filmed on some of the actual dates and in the actual places mentioned in the novel. In Like Flint: Matt and I watched this together on a whim and had a great laugh at all the girls fawning over James Coburn in this spy parody. Superman: The Movie: I had to watch this one again just for my favorite scene, when Superman dons his costume and flies out of the Fortress of Solitude for the first time! Spaceballs: Not one of Mel Brooks' best movies, but I just had the urge to rewatch this Star Wars/science fiction spoof to see if it was funnier than I remembered (it wasn't). The Omega Man: Still feeling dystopian, I had fun watching Charlton Heston's performance and comparing the story to its modern remake, I Am Legend. Altered States: I love this totally bizarre, quasi-scientific, evolution regression movie, which features some of the best psycho-babble dialogue ever written (and cool effects, too). 2001: A Space Odyssey: Even though the Watch Instantly version wasn't widescreen, I was still mesmerized (as always) with the epic film, which reignited my interest so much that I spent the next day reading about the ground-breaking effects (and I just bought the DVD so I can watch it again properly!). 2010: The Year We Make Contact: Although the feel of this sequel is completely different from 2001, it's still awesome to see HAL redeem himself (and the exact reproductions of the 2001 sets and models are stunning!). Labels: netflix |
| Netflix Novelties 4.09 | |
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4.14.2009
7:24 PM | Link0 comments |
 I'm a big fan of Netflix Watch Instantly on TiVo, even though I have a tendency to watch way too much! I've been flying through TV shows and movies since the service has been available, but I haven't mentioned them here on WEBmikey because I usually review only physical DVDs or theatrical releases. But since a big part of the reason I like writing my mini-reviews is to have a record of what I've seen (which comes in handy all the time, since it's easy to forget!), I've decided I should start a little series called Netflix Novelties (another silly title). I'll just briefly mention five things I've watched (similar to my Manga Mentions and Music Moments posts), and since I've got some catching up to do, I better get started!30 Rock / Seasons 1-2: This is the very first thing I tried on Watch Instantly, and I was totally amazed by the quality, which helped to get me hooked! I had already seen a few episodes on TV, but it was a blast to watch the show from the beginning and get totally caught up. The Office / Seasons 1-4: I had only seen one episode of The Office before, but I couldn't resist the convenience of having all four seasons ready to watch with one click. This show was so addicting that I actually powered through 20 episodes in one day, and I was so thankful when I was finished so I could have my life back. It's fun to know the entire history of the characters by seeing the whole thing. Saturn 3: I love watching old, semi-terrible science fiction, and now I can scratch that itch with Netflix anytime. Saturn 3 has Farrah Fawcett's boobs, Kirk Douglas' butt, a freaky horror-bot, plus some cheesy special effects! Silent Running: This space-hippie movie is kind of nostalgic for me since I remember reading about it in special effects magazines as a kid. The stubby robots are cool, but the best part is the spaceship shots were re-used in the original Battlestar Galactica! The Island of Dr. Moreau: I remember wanting to see this movie in the 70s since I had a science fiction classics coloring book that featured this HG Wells story, but I don't remember if I ever went. I like Michael York just because I'm a Logan's Run fan, and the creature make-up is pretty good, too. Labels: netflix |
