Enough already Alia » Movie Reviews http://www.ohalia.com Just another WordPress weblog Tue, 06 Apr 2010 10:56:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Procrastinators’ Film Festivals http://www.ohalia.com/2009/05/25/procrastinators%e2%80%99-film-festivals/ http://www.ohalia.com/2009/05/25/procrastinators%e2%80%99-film-festivals/#comments Mon, 25 May 2009 14:49:51 +0000 Alia http://www.ohalia.com/2009/05/25/procrastinators%e2%80%99-film-festivals/ While I am still very confused about a career or what I want to do with myself, one thing has become abundantly clear after three years of law school. I hate studying; and not just a little bit. It pains me to do it. I will clean the dust from my ceiling fans before I study. I’ve been known to spend hours at the gym instead of studying. One of my favorite delay tactics is the all day film festival. For those of you preparing for finals, I’ve listed a few of my favorite themed film festivals. Netflix, cable television, and the internet have made it wonderfully easy for everyone to enjoy a day of fine movie watching.

A Day with Charlton Heston: We know it’s his God given right to carry a gun. He does it exceptionally well in so many roles.

  • Touch of Evil: Orson Welles directs Chuck as a Mexican police officer newly married to Janet Leigh. Actually one of my favorite movies.
  • Ben Hur: Chuck likes the Biblical roles and in this one he plays a wealthy Jew who is enslaved then freed. Along the way he meets Pontius Pilot and Jesus.
  • The Ten Commandments: He’s Moses.
  • Soylent Green: Spoiler Alert! Soylent Green is people!!!
  • The Omega Man: Before Will Smith, but after Vincent Price, Chuck portrays Dr. Robert Neville trying to stay alive as the last man on Earth.
  • The Planet of the Apes: Maybe his greatest role of all time

Screwball Comedy Day: If you just want to laugh and don’t mind black and white, this is the way to go. Many of these films have modern versions that aren’t nearly as clever or fun to watch. Another plus is that most of these movies only run about 90 minutes so if you really want to get back to studying or whatever after one, it’s not that much of a time suck.

  • His Girl Friday (1940): Scheming newspaper publisher (Cary Grant) is confronted by his ex-wife (Rosalind Russell) and her fiancé.
  • It Happened One Night (1934): Classic story of boy (Clark Gable) meets girl (Claudette Colbert), boy and girl hate each other, boy and girl are stuck together, and finally boy and girl fall in love.
  • The Philadelphia Story (1940): The night before Tracy Lord’s (Katharine Hepburn) wedding, her ex-husband (Cary Grant) and a sneaky reporter (James Stewart) show up and turn things upside down.
  • Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936): Small town Mr. Deeds (Gary Cooper) inherits $20 million from a long lost relative and everyone around him is trying to get a piece of it.
  • Sullivan’s Travels (1942): A director (Joel McCrea) disguises himself as a hobo to see what the real world is like.
  • My Man Godfrey (1936): A socialite (Carole Lombard) takes in a homeless man (William Powell) after finding him on a drunken scavenger hunt.

Ray Harryhausen, a Retrospective: If you love classical mythology or just love stop-motion animation, Harryhausen is your guy. He is most certainly a special effects pioneer who recreated dinosaurs and walking skeletons without CGI! His films require no description. Just watch and learn.

  • Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977)
  • It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955)
  • One Million Years B.C. (1966)
  • Clash of the Titans (1981): Release the Cracken!!!
  • Jason and the Argonauts (1963): This one is my favorite.

Well folks, if you want to take a break, this is as good as anything. If you have any film suggestions, please add them. I will post more film festivals as I formulate them. I never get tired of watching things.

]]> http://www.ohalia.com/2009/05/25/procrastinators%e2%80%99-film-festivals/feed/ 12 Sometimes it’s Great to Have Mel Gibson Around http://www.ohalia.com/2009/05/23/sometimes-it%e2%80%99s-great-to-have-mel-gibson-around/ http://www.ohalia.com/2009/05/23/sometimes-it%e2%80%99s-great-to-have-mel-gibson-around/#comments Sun, 24 May 2009 01:45:37 +0000 Alia http://www.ohalia.com/2009/05/23/sometimes-it%e2%80%99s-great-to-have-mel-gibson-around/ While some may believe that Mel Gibson is a little bit anti Semitic or maybe kind of a drunk, most can agree that he has been in some kick ass movies. Now, I realize that What Women Want wasn’t too action packed. However, we cannot forget Braveheart, his brooding Hamlet, or the Lethal Weapon series. His best role of all time is Max from the Australian post- apocalyptic series. Today, while taking a “break” from studying, I decided to revisit the second film in the series, Road Warrior. Mel is pretty fabulous, and here’s why:

  • His sidekick is a dog
  • Has a badass leather outfit
  • Blond streaks in his hair (a look that should have never fallen out of fashion)
  • One incredible driver
  • Faster than a snake!
  • He drives a really cool, tricked out V8 Interceptor
  • Will rescue folks (sometimes)
  • Never loses his cool even when taken prisoner by the rogue band of ABBA rejects
  • Isn’t down with the Humungus ruling the Wasteland
  • Has a thing for feral children
  • Has mad negotiating skills (do you think he took the seminar?)
  • Is a damn good mechanic
  • Ladies love him
  • Always fulfills his contractual obligations
  • Still very sensitive about the loss of his family
  • Takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’
  • Appears unusually healthy for someone who sustains himself on a diet of dog food

Now Max isn’t the only great thing in Road Warrior. There are incredible costumes (chaps, nuff said), a wonderfully terrific soundtrack, crossbow deaths, people on fire, car chases, and giant explosions. What more does one need to truly enjoy a Saturday evening in front of the television? I say nothing. So, if you haven’t already seen this cinematic masterpiece, I advise you stop outlining and watch Road Warrior this instant!

]]> http://www.ohalia.com/2009/05/23/sometimes-it%e2%80%99s-great-to-have-mel-gibson-around/feed/ 7 10 Reasons Why I Love Wolverine http://www.ohalia.com/2009/04/29/10-reasons-why-i-love-wolverine/ http://www.ohalia.com/2009/04/29/10-reasons-why-i-love-wolverine/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:16:35 +0000 Alia http://www.ohalia.com/2009/04/29/10-reasons-why-i-love-wolverine/ Last evening I had the opportunity to watch the new feature film, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Now, as many of you know, I have extensive comic knowledge, especially for a girl but still, I was pleasantly surprised at what was done with the storyline. In any event, I would just like to list, in no particular order, the things that make me love Logan, A.K.A. Wolverine. Don’t worry. There are NO spoilers!

  • As sarcastic as they come
  • Loves a good stogie from time to time
  • Likes his whiskey
  • Looks great in leather
  • Knows how to take a punch
  • Can most certainly KICK SOME ASS!!!
  • Grows fantastic facial hair
  • Is totally effing ripped
  • Adamantium skeleton!
  • Claws are multi-purpose (and they can make sparks!)

So, if you have nothing going this weekend, I would recommend you go see X-Men Origins. You know what, even if you have something going on, still go see this. Guys, it’s totally fun to watch and ladies, well, lots of half dressed men with fantastic abs, pecs, triceps… well, you get the idea. J

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