Phendrana Drifts

I like both versions of Ocean's Eleven, but the Soderberg version especially. It is just so cool. The camera shots, the actors who know how awesome and hip they are, the caper itself, and of course - Las Vegas (which might be my favourite spot on Earth, but I've never left the continent).

I was kind of sad when they announced they were making a sequel - and viewing Ocean's Twelve validated that assumption - not that Ocean's Twelve is that dreadful, but it missed a lot of the magic that was in the first one.

Watching Ocean's Thirteen last night I thought Soderberg found some of the magic, maybe one box of it but the rest sadly was lost when it was sent to Solaris and Lost in Translation and never returned. What was missing? Ensemble cast - this one focused far too heavily on Danny, Rusty and Linus (a flaw left over from Ocean's Twelve) and the caper itself was lacking in believability and comprehension (something which was thrown at the first one, but the first one's caper was just perfect in my mind).

What has returned? Well Vegas, baby! That's the big one. And the villian of Al Pacino's Willie Bank is pretty darn good (not quite to the sublime level of Garcia's turn as Steve Wynn... I mean Terry Benedict in Ocean's Eleven). As the definitive fan of the first one (it would make my top 10 movies of all time), I am glad I went, glad I was taken on a date but am hoping that Soderberg and Clooney will leave well enough alone and collaborate on something new - their other work together is also pretty fantastic.

Labels: movies

Is anyone else excited that Ocean's Thirteen is getting reasonably passable reviews? I sure am.

Labels: movies

*sniff* Here is the article from IGN - but of course, it is St. Valentine's Day, so I am in a happy mood to take this sad news. Allie will certainly pick me up from my momentary malaise.

Labels: inane, movies

Stolen from Elaine and Beatrice:

I'm obviously slanted to the English language. Note some of these are in the original language, but you may have seen the English version - case in point, one of my favourite movies, Spirited Away, is listed in its Japanese name, Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi. Now I want to go find To Kill a Mockingbird - book or movie. Using IMDB's top 250 movies ranked by users; I have seen:

1. The Godfather (1972)
2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
3. The Godfather: Part II (1974)
4. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
5. Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966)
6. Casablanca (1942)
7. Schindler's List (1993)
8. Pulp Fiction (1994)
9. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
10. Shichinin no samurai (1954)
11. Star Wars (1977)
12. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
13. Rear Window (1954)
14. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
15. 12 Angry Men (1957)
16. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
17. The Usual Suspects (1995)
18. Cidade de Deus (2002)
19. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
20. Goodfellas (1990)
21. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
22. Psycho (1960)
23. Citizen Kane (1941)
24. C'era una volta il West (1968)
25. North by Northwest (1959)
26. Memento (2000)
27. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
28. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
29. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
30. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
31. Fabuleux destin d'Am�lie Poulain, Le (2001)
32. Fight Club (1999)
33. American Beauty (1999)
34. The Matrix (1999)
35. Vertigo (1958)
36. Apocalypse Now (1979)
37. Taxi Driver (1976)
38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
39. Se7en (1995)
40. Paths of Glory (1957)
41. L�on (1994)
42. Chinatown (1974)
43. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
44. American History X (1998)
45. The Third Man (1949)
46. Untergang, Der (2004)
47. The Pianist (2002)
48. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
49. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
50. M (1931)
51. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
52. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)
53. Boot, Das (1981)
54. Alien (1979)
55. L.A. Confidential (1997)
56. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
57. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
58. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
59. Hotel Rwanda (2004)
60. The Shining (1980)
61. Double Indemnity (1944)
62. Metropolis (1927)
63. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
64. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
65. Rash�mon (1950)
66. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
67. Sin City (2005)
68. Raging Bull (1980)
69. Modern Times (1936)
70. Aliens (1986)
71. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
72. Rebecca (1940)
73. Some Like It Hot (1959)
74. The Great Escape (1963)
75. All About Eve (1950)
76. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
77. Touch of Evil (1958)
78. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
79. Amadeus (1984)
80. The Departed (2006)
81. Vita � bella, La (1997)
82. Sjunde inseglet, Det (1957)
83. Forrest Gump (1994)
84. Jaws (1975)
85. The Sting (1973)
86. Strangers on a Train (1951)
87. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
88. Batman Begins (2005)
89. On the Waterfront (1954)
90. Braveheart (1995)
91. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
92. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
93. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
95. The Elephant Man (1980)
96. Blade Runner (1982)
97. The Apartment (1960)
98. The Incredibles (2004)
99. City Lights (1931)
100. High Noon (1952)
101. The Big Sleep (1946)
102. Nuovo cinema Paradiso (1988)
103. Notorious (1946)
104. Donnie Darko (2001)
105. Fargo (1996)
106. Ran (1985)
107. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
108. The Great Dictator (1940)
109. Crash (2004/I)
110. Finding Nemo (2003)
111. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
112. Cool Hand Luke (1967)
113. Mononoke-hime (1997)
114. The Sixth Sense (1999)
115. V for Vendetta (2005)
116. Unforgiven (1992)
117. Salaire de la peur, Le (1953)
118. Laberinto del Fauno, El (2006)
119. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
120. Ben-Hur (1959)
121. Oldboy (2003)
122. Back to the Future (1985)
123. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
124. Annie Hall (1977)
125. The Killing (1956)
126. Wo hu cang long (2000)
127. Yojimbo (1961)
128. The Green Mile (1999)
129. Life of Brian (1979)
130. The Princess Bride (1987)
131. The Deer Hunter (1978)
132. Platoon (1986)
133. The Graduate (1967)
134. It Happened One Night (1934)
135. Per qualche dollaro in pi� (1965)
136. Gladiator (2000)
137. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
138. Notti di Cabiria, Le (1957)
139. Gandhi (1982)
140. The African Queen (1951)
141. Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
142. Ladri di biciclette (1948)
143. Amores perros (2000)
144. Battaglia di Algeri, La (1966)
145. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
146. Diaboliques, Les (1955)
147. Toy Story 2 (1999)
148. 8� (1963)
149. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
150. Brief Encounter (1945)
151. Stand by Me (1986)
152. The Night of the Hunter (1955)
153. Lola rennt (1998)
154. The Wild Bunch (1969)
155. Die Hard (1988)
156. The General (1927)
157. Harvey (1950)
158. The Conversation (1974)
159. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
160. Smultronst�llet (1957)
161. Patton (1970)
162. Duck Soup (1933)
163. Children of Men (2006)
164. Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922)
165. Glory (1989)
166. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
167. Gone with the Wind (1939)
168. Cabinet des Dr. Caligari., Das (1920)
169. Groundhog Day (1993)
170. Spartacus (1960)
171. Ying xiong (2002)
172. The Gold Rush (1925)
173. Toy Story (1995)
174. Trainspotting (1996)
175. Finding Neverland (2004)
176. The Exorcist (1973)
177. Magnolia (1999)
178. The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
179. Heat (1995)
180. A Christmas Story (1983)
181. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
182. The Big Lebowski (1998)
183. Mystic River (2003)
184. Twelve Monkeys (1995)
185. Shrek (2001)
186. King Kong (1933)
187. Cinderella Man (2005)
188. Big Fish (2003)
189. Belle et la b�te, La (1946)
190. Before Sunset (2004)
191. Ed Wood (1994)
192. The Hustler (1961)
193. Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
194. The Terminator (1984)
195. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
196. The Prestige (2006)
197. Snatch. (2000)
198. The Lady Vanishes (1938)
199. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
200. Walk the Line (2005)
201. Out of the Past (1947)
202. Hotaru no haka (1988)
203. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
204. Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
205. Stalag 17 (1953)
206. Sleuth (1972)
207. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
208. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
209. The Thing (1982)
210. Young Frankenstein (1974)
211. Hable con ella (2002)
212. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
213. Rosemary's Baby (1968)
214. Manhattan (1979)
215. Scarface (1983)
216. Frankenstein (1931)
217. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
218. The Straight Story (1999)
219. Sling Blade (1996)
220. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
221. Tengoku to jigoku (1963)
222. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
223. Du rififi chez les hommes (1955)
224. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
225. Kumonosu j� (1957)
226. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
227. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
228. Roman Holiday (1953)
229. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
230. Quatre cents coups, Les (1959)
231. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
232. The Lost Weekend (1945)
233. The Searchers (1956)
234. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
235. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
236. Planet of the Apes (1968)
237. United 93 (2006)
238. The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
239. Idi i smotri (1985)
240. Brazil (1985)
241. Hauru no ugoku shiro (2004)
242. Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
243. Mou gaan dou (2002)
244. Haine, La (1995)
245. To Have and Have Not (1944)
246. Great Expectations (1946)
247. Inherit the Wind (1960)
248. Dial M for Murder (1954)
249. Mulholland Dr. (2001)
250. Festen (1998)

Labels: inane, movies

In response to both Janet and Colin's Facebook notes (my blog is re-published there), here is my response to the movie meme. Apparently, if you've seen over 85 films (I am hoping they mean 85 on this list, because I can go over 85 in a year), you have no life. Some odd choices on the list - no Godfathers. Also, I would point out having kids boosts your total, as some films are watched in the name of parenthood rather than pure enjoyment. Oh, and Colin - Ocean's Eleven is pretty good. I think you would enjoy it.

Edit: I miscounted the first time, and I'm still not certain on my math.

(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
(x) Boondock Saints
(x) Fight Club
( ) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
(x) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
Total: 9

(x) The Princess Bride
(x) AnchorMan
(x) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
(x) White Oleander
(x) Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
(x) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 16

(x) Scream
(x) Scream 2
(x) Scream 3
( ) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 2
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
(x) American Pie 2
(x) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 22

(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
(x) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
(x) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 30

(x) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
(x) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
( ) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
( ) Robots
Total so far: 34

(x) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(x) Universal Soldier
( ) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
( ) Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
(x) KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
(x) Meet the Fockers
(x) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
(x) King Kong
Total so far: 43

( ) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-MAS
( ) Flubber
Total so far: 45

(x) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
(x) Chicago
(x) Ghost Ship
(x) From Hell
(x) Hellboy
(x) Secret Window
(x) I Am Sam
(x) The Whole Nine Yards
(x) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 54

(x) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child's Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
(x) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
(x) Nightmare on Elm Street
(x) Sixteen Candles
(x) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
(x) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 61

(x) Bad Boys
(x) Bad Boys 2
(x) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Sleven
(x) Ocean's Eleven
(x) Ocean's Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
(x) Bedazzled
(x) Predator I
(x) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
Total so far: 72

(x) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(x) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Bosses Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
(x) War of the Worlds
(x) Rush Hour
(x) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 78

( ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She's All That
(x) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(x) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
(x) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
(x) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 89

(x) X-Men
(x) X-2
(x) X-3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(x) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
(x) The Skulls
(x) Cruel Intentions
(x) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 102

( ) Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street
(x) Old School
(x) The Notebook
(x) K-Pax
(x) Krippendorf's Tribe
(x) A Walk to Remember
( ) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
(x) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 109

(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 115

( ) Baseketball
( ) Hostel
(x) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
(x) Elf
(x) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
(x) American History X
( ) Three
Total so Far: 119

( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
(x) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
Total so far: 123

( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
(x) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles Of Narnia The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
(x) Phantasm
(x) Waterworld
Total so far: 128

(x) Kill Bill vol 1
(x) Kill Bill vol 2
(x) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
(x) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
(x) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 133

(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
(x) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
(x) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 141

(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix Reloaded
(x) The Matrix Revolutions
(x) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
( ) Hannibal

Grand total: 146

Labels: inane, movies

Twitter Updates