I'm going to see how long it takes me to watch three hundred sixty-five films. Some of yall know my intense love of film and suspect, I'm sure, this won't be much of a challenge. One movie a day. Shouldn't be too tricky. Yall. I've not watched barely any movies AT ALL. This year, I've seen one in theaters: Top Gun: Maverick (twice, because it's badass). The films for this challenge can be those I've seen, and genre does not matter. The kick is each film has to be connected to the previous one by at least one actor.

Example: Top Gun stars Val Kilmer who's in Tombstone with Michael Rooker. 

Begun: May twenty-sixth.

One. Top Gun. I love Maverick and Goose. The story sucks, but I want to like it so I remember it being better than it is. Kelly McGillis and Tom Cruise have NO chemistry whatsoever. I mean, she plays a different field so why should they?

Two. Tombstone. BEST. WESTERN. E V E R. Val Kilmer at his finest. Good cast. Great story.

Three. Days of Thunder. Meh. Typical Jerry Bruckheimer and Tony Scott fanfare.

Four. For Love of the Game. BEST. BASEBALL. FLICK. E V E R. Great story. LOVE Kelly Preston's character and her portrayal. Would that they would've gotten someone other than Kevin Costner, but... oh well.

Five. Into the Wild. Never seen it. Good story. SAD. Did not end at all the way I would've liked.

Six. The Adam Project. Love Ryan Reynolds, Jennifer Garner and Zoe Saldana. Cool story, bro. I enjoyed it. I don't know what it is, but something about Ryan in this one reminds me of my affable older brother... and that awkward little boy reminds me of myself. And watching those two interact kind of reminded me of how Jon and I would, and it makes me miss him and wish I'd been better to him.

Seven. Definitely, Maybe. LOVE LOVE LOVE Isla Fisher. I've seen this before but not in its entirety. Cute movie. Clever. Maybe not so different than the one before it after all. Also I now understand why people prefer American Spirits.

Eight. Tag. I love stories inspired by real life stuff. A group of boys have been playing the same game of Tag for thirty years. In the film, one of them's NEVER been tagged. Isla Fisher makes this movie for me. This is my favorite film of hers.

Nine. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. This the only film in this franchise I've seen beginning to end. I suspect they're all like this one. I dig the cast, though.

Ten. Top Gun: Maverick. SO, SO, SO much BETTER than the first one. Penny Benjamin!!! Goose, Jr.! And the STORY... it actually HAS a story, not just a bunch of dudes flying around with their hair on fire. Good times, yall. GOOD times.

Eleven. Apollo Thirteen. I love EVERYTHING about this film.

Twelve. The Terminator. First time I saw it, at nine, I was petrified. Now… meh.

Thirteen. Vertical Limit. Never seen it. Never have I been so happy to see a bad guy die.

Fourteen. The Right Stuff. Never seen it in its entirety. LOVE this movie. Love this cast.

Fifteen. American Underdog. Never seen it. SUCH a KICKASS story. Beyond WORTHY of the screen. I was bored OUT OF MY MIND the first third of it... and found mild interest in the film here and there after that. Bad screenwriting, bad casting. SUPER disappointed in this one. I did LOVE the Wheaties scene though. Best thing about the movie was watching him wrestle with dreams while trudging through mediocrity.

Sixteen. Collateral. Never seen it. Liked a LOT of it but not one I'd want to watch again.

Seventeen. Thanks for Sharing. Never seen it. Man this one's rough. Never, ever want to watch it again.

Eighteen. The Lucky Ones. Never seen it. NOT to be confused with the Lucky One. I feel like this one flew well below radar with regard to publicity, and maybe it's not a stellar movie, but I liked it... And then when I was copying text from Facebook (where I started keeping track) to here, I had to remind myself what movie this was, so... apparently it's forgettable.

Nineteen. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Not my favorite Marvel dude. Only watched the others because of the other Marvel dudes in them. Only watched this one because I needed something Rachel McAdams and wanted to do something I'd not seen and to see the other Marvel dudes so of course I had low expectations. Of the Strange flicks, I like this one the best. Its visual stun and several scenes shock and awe. And, most impressive to me, Vision's role--her longing, heartbreak, impotence and rage. A perfect storm.

Twenty. War Horse. Never seen it. Took me three days to finish it. Neat story but POORLY executed and MUCH TOO long.

Twenty-one. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. I'm still pissed they broke this book into two movies. Half the scenes in this one could've been cut. I didn't need to see Hermione obliviate her parents or dance with Harry in a tent or listen to Billy Nighy tell the muggle ministry that the magical ministry would stand to protect them... Harry found what... one horcrux in this movie? Hogwash. I'd thought when I'd seen it the first time I was being too critical. Nonsense.

Twenty-two. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Haven't seen it in its entirety. I do love me some Captain Jack... and maybe some Will Turner, too. And the visuals are awesome. I liked that this one was more complex than the original. An abundance of characters contributes to that, but all those people can overwhelm. I liked it. Probably won't watch it again though because Keira Knightley sucks. 

Twenty-three. Finding Nemo. I like everything about this movie except Dory.

Twenty-four. Incredibles 2. JACK JACK!!!

Twenty-five. Wall-E. Never seen it. Never want to see it again.

Twenty-six. Monsters Inc. Never seen it. Cute movie. But I've gotten myself into cartoon hell...

Twenty-seven. Inside Llewellyn Davis. Never seen it. DO NOT WATCH THIS. MORBID and DEPRESSING. And Oscar Issac’s character is a piece of shit. You never get inside his head. No redemption. Utter waste of time. Worst one on the list so far, by far.

Twenty-eight. Dune. Never seen it. STUPID. STUPID. S T U P I D.

Twenty-nine. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Never seen it. LOVED its complexity and intricacy. GOOD movie.

And now I am in one degree hell because the next movie I've watched is Zombieland, which means I've to figure out a way to get from Michael Douglas, Carey Mulligan, Charlie Sheen, Josh Brolin, Frank Langella and Shia LeBouf to Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, that wuss Jesse Eisenberg and Bill Murray. So far, the only way I can do it in one is No Country for Old Men. I am NOT watching that shit. I've seen clips. I get the gist.

So... in less than five minutes after I originally posted this, I found a movie starring both Charlie Sheen and Bill Murray. HUZZAH!!!

Thirty. A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III. Never seen it. Never heard of it. Similar to Inside Llewelyn Davis in that the main character is a selfish bastard and there's no redemption, in the notion that the character becomes better, in the end. Better because people love Charles, despite that selfishness. Because here's the thing, the dude does care. Not well, and not consistently, but he loves. He is messed up, but he owns it. Super obvious, though, that Charles and Charlie are the same person. Interesting, self-deprecating characters paired with some mid-century funk makes for a good mix. 

Thirty-one. Zombieland. Heard of it. Never seen it, nor have I wanted to do so. Working at a liquor store with a coworker during slow times means we watch a LOT of movies. He'd chosen eight of these, including this one, and next on the list makes nine. He loves this movie because it turns up to eleven every plot device used in every zombie ever made. It's sheer ridiculousness. I did not enjoy it. And I've already said what I think of Jesse Eisenberg. Ultimately, he's the reason I've not watched this before. 

Thirty-two. Dedication. I freaking LOVE this movie. HARD. I remember working the music shift at Barnes and Noble one dull night and keeping myself occupied by watching trailers on the Red Dot kiosks. After viewing this one's, I bought the DVD, confident I would love it, and I DID. It's ballsy, yall. It starts in a porn theater--children's book collaborators stumped for a book idea. It's got a solid cast, and Billy Crudup excels in his role. I think it's his best work. I never tire of watching this one. Justin Theroux did good with this one.

Thirty-three. Hot Fuzz. Never seen it. Another coworker selection--a favorite of his. I dig it. It's fun. And Simon Pegg is a rock star.

Thirty-four. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. Never seen it in its entirety. Some have suggested I read that Dale Carnegie book. My psyche leans more to this film's title, though--in a snarky way. But the first time I tried to watch it, I quit after like fifteen minutes. This time I made myself get past the crazy and hang with the story, and I'm glad I did so. Pegg's character wasn't doing the alienating so much as others strove to alienate him.

Thirty-five. Skyfall. Seen it. LOVE this bond flick, mostly because of Javier Bardem. He rocks the psychotic bad guy SO WELL.

Thirty-six. This is Forty. Never Seen it. One of the FEW Apatow films I can appreciate. Good story, and Leslie Mann is wonderful.

Thirty-seven. She's Funny That Way. Never Seen it. The title SUCKS and has nothing to do with the story. Good cast. LOVE Kathryn Hahn. Liked the story. Loathed Jennifer Aniston's and Owen Wilson's characters.

Thirty-eight. A Bad Moms Christmas. Never seen it. I liked it for the most part. Good cast.

Thirty-nine: Anchorman Two: The Legend Continues. Never seen it. HATED the first one. This one was FUN. I dig it. 

Forty. Minions: The Rise of Gru. Never seen it. Never seen ANY of the minions flicks. I love those guys. Such a cute and fun movie.

Forty-one. I Can Do Bad All by Myself. Never seen it. Good story, but a little cliche at times. I love Taraji Henson.

Forty-two. Tyler Perry’s A Madea Homecoming. Never seen it. I liked it a lot

Forty-three. Star Trek. Seen it a thousand times. Never tire of this one.

Forty-four. Starsky and Hutch. Seen it. I like Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman and Snoop Dogg’s characters. Stiller and Owen are decent.

Forty-five. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Seen it. Love it. I think it’s Stiller’s best work.

Forty-six. The Last Word. Never seen it. Really liked it. Woman wants her obituary written before she dies, only she doesn’t like how the obit writer sums up her life so they make a mad dash to change the ending.

Forty-seven. Because I Said So. Seen it. Like it well enough. LOVE Gabriel Macht.

Forty-eight. Morning Glory. Seen it. LOVE this movie. Girl dreams of working for the Today Show and struggles to make that a reality. Love Diane Keaton—her character in this film is my favorite of her work. Love Harrison Ford. LOVE Rachel McAdams—she plays cute well.

Forty-nine. The Hot Chick. Never seen it. Wish I hadn’t.

Fifty. Seventeen Again. Seen it. Remember liking it when I watched it but talked myself into thinking it was stupid since. But Scarlet, Ned and the principal entertain me.

Fifty-one. The Other Woman. Seen it. LOVE IT. Cracks me UP.

Fifty-two. Wimbledon. Seen it. Had forgotten that I’d enjoyed it. Light-hearted and fun. Plus: Paul Bettany’s adorable.

Fifty-three. Mona Lisa Smile. Seen it. Like it well enough.

Fifty-four. Confessions of a Shopaholic. Seen it. Cute.

Fifty-five. Instant Family. Seen it. Liked it better the second time.

Fifty-six. Spirited. Never seen it. Enjoyed it. And I don’t usually like musicals.

Fifty-seven. Daddy’s Home 2. Never seen it. Hadn’t seen the first one. Hadn’t wanted to watch that one, but this one with Mel Gibson and John Lithgow… meh.

Fifty-eight. The Departed. Seen it. Couldn’t remember why I loved it because it’s GOOD… and then I remembered it gets REALLY REALLY lame.

Fifty-nine. Ford Vs. Ferrari. Seen it. LOVE this movie HARD. SO much perfection.

Sixty. The Lincoln Lawyer. Seen it. LOVE this movie more and more every time I watch it.

Sixty-one. Someone Like You. Seen it. Like the characters. Story sucks.

Sixty-two. Where the Heart Is. Seen it. Sucks.

Sixty-three. Thor: Love and Thunder. Never seen it. Thought I might like it better than the last one. It sucked more than ALL the other Thors combined. ALL OF THEM.

Sixty-four. The Big Short. Never seen it. Bankers are SLEAZE, the politicians who sleep with them have incurable diseases, and the dudes who profited from it are the sickest bastards ever to walk the earth. 

Sixty-five. By the Sea. Never seen it. SLOW. Not a lot happening on the surface of things. Good undercurrents though.

Sixty-six. Playing by Heart. Seen it. LOVE this movie. Awesome cast. Slow, but I don’t mind it. Cleverly told. LOVE the characters and complexity.

Sixty-seven. The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Seen it. LOVE it.

Sixty-eight. The Lost City. Seen it. Sucked.

Sixty-nine. Free Guy. Never seen it. It’s clever… and then plugging into the Matrix came to mind, and I couldn’t stop comparing Guy to Neo. And then one character threw in “white privilege”, and I lost interest… but I can’t use Sandra Bullock more than once at a time, and I don’t feel like picking a different one. Lots of Deadpool feels. Also main girl dreams of being Uma Thurman in Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction. Only so many stories out there, and I’m all for parody, but… pilfering’s shit. Which IS, I ultimately realized, the point.

Seventy. The Proposal. Seen it. Like it. Like it more having realized I love Sandra Bullock’s character’s depth—it’s FAR greater than in any other of her films.

Seventy-one. Miss Congeniality. Seen it. Like it.

Seventy-two. Miss Congeniality 2. Seen it. SUCKS.

Seventy-three. A Cinderella Story. Never seen it. Y'all. This may very well be the shittiest on the list. 

Seventy-four. The Coneheads. Never seen it. I was too serious to appreciate them in my childhood. I liked it MUCH better than I thought I would. Phil Hartman!! Chris Farley!! The story would never NEVER EVER fly now.

Seventy-five. You’ve Got Mail. Seen it. I always think I like this one better than I do. But but the big, bad, chain store (for and to which I have whored myself dozens of times) seeks to wreak havoc in the community and shut down all the small shops. And Meg and Tom are IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PEOPLE… which bothers me more and more every time I watch it. I think Heather Burns, Dave Chapelle, Parker Posey and Steve Zahn make this movie. The ending BLOWS.

Seventy-six. Larry Crowne. Seen it. Forgettable—because I’d forgotten I’d seen it. Stupid story. Julia Roberts is ridiculous.

Seventy-seven. Ticket to Paradise. Never seen it. Stupid. Julia Roberts is almost as ridiculous in this one as the last.

Seventy-eight. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Never seen it. More of the same… but the tale and characters get a little more lackluster with every new chapter. I watch them because of the dude playing the villain… but they’re more of the same.

Seventy-nine. Eat Pray Love. Never seen it. Didn’t care much for it until the end. While I liked the ending it’s not enough to save it.

Eighty. Prisoners. Seen it. SO good. Gripping and gutsy story-telling.

Eighty-one. Far from Heaven. Never seen it. This one was like watching an old school movie or play in theater. Such beautiful craftsmanship. The story will wreck you, though. I'm glad I watched it. I don't want to see it again.

Eighty-two. Non-Stop. Never seen it. Typical Liam Neeson… always the same gruff, barely-tethered, traumatized, God-complexed savior.

Eighty-three. The Gentlemen. Never seen it. Not one I’d normally choose, but the cast ensemble interested me. I LOVE Hugh Grant in it. Also Matthew McC—and I don’t normally love him. This is definitely my favorite of his films. He’s a BADASS in it. I like this one a LOT. Have watched it multiple times since the first viewing.

Eighty-four. The Banshees of Inisherin. HAUNTING and awful. Steer CLEAR of this one. It’s MESSED UP. NEVER want to see it again. Shockingly awful. This got nominated for, and I’m sure won, some Oscars. That should tell you EVERYTHING you need to know.

Eighty-five. Mission Impossible II. I don’t think I’d seen it before. More of the same. Just another money-making vessel.

Eighty-six. The Saint. Seen it. I remember liking it better, probably because Val Kilmer.

Eighty-seven. The Bookshop. Seen it. Lovely. Inspired me to read Bradbury’s Dandelion Wine, which is awesome. Oh but the film's SO sad. I’m not eager to see, again, Patricia Clarkson play SUCH a bitch, but then Bill Nighy is SO SO sweet, and it’s got a beautiful love story to balance all the hate. I watched this with my parents at River Oaks' theater. Never has a film filled me with such rage at the ruination of a woman and her dream, at the despicable influence one woman has on a village. It's the best rendition of cancel culture at its worst. Everyone should watch it. The machinations in this film are IMPRESSIVE. 

Eighty-eight. Miracle. SUCH an AWESOME story and a perfect telling. The opening credits are some of the best sequencing and piecing I’ve ever seen, and the music is LOVELY.

Eighty-nine. Pieces of April. Seen it. I adore this film. Mostly because of Patricia Clarkson… she plays a bitch… but redeems herself, and it’s so gratifying to see… ESPECIALLY since the film’s set on Thanksgiving.

Ninety. It Runs in the Family. Never seen it. This is pathetic in SO many ways. I wanted to turn it off twenty minutes into it. I do like Mrs. Douglas. She redeems it a wee bit. And then there’s Bernadette. I chose it because of her. It’s not awful. I wouldn’t watch it again.

Ninety-one. Winter Solstice. Never seen it. Wish I hadn't. One of the most boring films ever. Should've had great depth and intense conflict. Barely scratched the surface.

Ninety-two. X-Men: The Last Stand. Seen it. This movie is SUCH shit.

Ninety-three. Jesus Revolution. Never seen it. MUCH better than I thought it would be.

Ninety-four. Dear Eleanor. Never seen it. Cute flick. I enjoyed it, mostly because of the characters and cast. Not one I'd want to see again.

Ninety-five. Some Kind of Beautiful. Never seen it. Picked it because I love Salma Hayek and like Jessica Alba, and I appreciated both of them in this movie. Salma's got some GREAT scenes. Pierce Brosnan annoyed me, and the story's lame.

Ninety-six. The Greatest. Never seen it. Painfully slow, but it should be. Carey Mulligan’s the best thing about it. Not one I’d want to watch again.

Ninety-seven. The Client. Seen it. LOVE IT. Didn't mind watching it again. Good story, and I LOVE Susan Sarandon and Tommy Lee Jones. 

Ninety-eight. Double Jeopardy. Seen it. LOVE it. I shouldn’t because SO SO much of it’s hokey as hell, but…

Ninety-nine. Kingsmen: The Golden Circle. Never seen it. Entertaining but not one I want to see again. Julianne Moore can't do bad guy AT ALL.

One hundred. Trust the Man. Never seen it. Liked it. Parts of it show truly despicable men and cemented the notion (again) that I could live perfectly fine without them (which I can... but you need reminding now and again, yeah?) and other parts cracked me up so that by the end, I wanted these asshats to be happy. I don't know that I'd watch it again willingly, but if I happened upon it, I wouldn't switch off.

One. Hitch. Seen it. Like it. Happy to watch it again. LOVE Kevin James. SO SO much.

Two. Little Black Book. Seen it. Liked it SO much better the second time around. Brittany Murphy’s SO GOOD in this.

Three. O Brother Where Art Thou? Seen it. Didn't want to watch it again, but it must be done.

This movie is D U M B.

Four. Up in the Air. Never seen it. Didn't want to, but it too must be done.

THIS. MOVIE. IS. D U M B E R.

Five. Tropic Thunder. Never seen it. Pretty sure this wouldn't fly now.

Six. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Seen it but had forgotten I’d seen it… so… yeah.

Seven. Fatherhood. Never seen it. GOOD movie. Based on the memoir Two Kisses for Maddie by Matt Lougelin.

Eight. The Marrying Man. Never seen it. OH. MY. GOD. This SUCKED. SO SO MUCH.

Nine. Batman. Seen it. LOVE this movie. LOVE Michael Keaton. LOVE LOVE LOVE Jack Nicholson.

Ten. The Quick and the Dead. Never seen it. Never wanted to watch it but I had to get to Cry Macho, and this was quickest way. SO SO SO awful. GOOD GOD, y'all. STEER CLEAR of this one. I'd rather watch The Marrying Man than to have to watch this trash again.

Eleven. Absolute Power. Never seen it. Never been curious enough to watch it. I like Gene Hackman. His character is ABSOLUTELY terrible, and he plays him WELL. That's the only good thing I've to say about this one.

Twelve. Cry Macho. Never seen it. Yet another Clint Eastwood being his typical gruff, I-hate-people-but-must-be-the-one-to-save-them grumpy bugger badass. I didn't like anything about this movie and never want to see it again. 

Thirteen. Hollywood Homicide. Never seen it. Crap. 

Fourteen. Man on a Ledge. Seen it. I love a good revenge story. This one's solid.

Fifteen. People Like Us. Seen it. LOVE this movie. Such a wonderful story.

Sixteen. Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Never seen it. Never want to see it again.

Seventeen. All the Bright Places. Never seen it. Read and loved the book. People talk all the time about why someone struggling with mental illness "never" asked for help. BULLSHIT. People just don't want to see it. One character asks for help, but no one wants to give it. Because he can recognize the need for help in others, he saves a girl from grief. And she recognizes that he needs it himself... It's GOOD, y'all. Please watch it.

Eighteen. Bottle Rocket. Never seen it. NOT good. Don't bother.

Nineteen. Wedding Crashers. Seen it. Didn't want to watch it again, but I needed to connect some dots, and I thought maybe I'd like it better the second time around... so many people LOVE this movie, it seems. I wanted to be able to do so. It's TRASH.

Twenty. Aloha. Not seen it in its entirety. Tried to watch it but couldn't get into it. John Krasinski's AWESOME in it. Alec Baldwin's good. The rest of the cast blows... because the story BLOWS.

Twenty-one. Burnt. Seen it. LOVE this movie, too. GOOD story, great characters. Redemption, y'all. Redemption is AWESOME.

Twenty-two. Rush. Seen it. Niki Lauda's story is MIRACULOUS. Everyone should see it.

Twenty-three. Easy A. Seen it. LOVE it. Loved watching it again. This might be my favorite of Emma's films.

Twenty-four. Burlesque. Seen it. Like it.

Twenty-five. Safe Haven. Seen it. This is probably the best of Nicholas Sparks' stories. All his films have been cute and sappy and sweet and saccharine and blah blah blah. This one, though... this one had me jumping out of my skin in the theater, and that one of his story's could do that shocked the hell out of me. It's GOOD, y'all.

Twenty-six. Spider-Man: Far from Home. Never seen it. Predictable as hell. Too reliant on CGI. But I do like Tom Holland, Marissa Tomei and Zendaya.

Twenty-seven. The Italian Job. Seen it. LOVE it.

Twenty-eight. Bombshell. Never seen it. John Lithgow, y'all. He's GOOD in this movie. His character's utterly revolting, but he rocks the role. Good cast. Great story.

Twenty-nine. The Truman Show. Seen pieces of it. Good story.

Thirty. Dumb and Dumber. Seen it. Liked it better the second time... but not by much.

Thirty-one. Oh, God! Seen it. Meh.

Thirty-two. Pretty Woman. Seen it. Like it a little more every time I watch it. Still wish they'd chosen someone other than Richard Gere, but apparently Julia Roberts really wanted him to play the part he'd originally refused.

Thirty-three. Mystic Pizza. Seen pieces of it. Know it's loved by many. Not my thing.

Thirty-four. Air. Never seen it. SO SO good!

Thirty-five. It's Kind of a Funny Story. Seen pieces of it. Couldn't get into it before. Glad I watched it. GOOD story.

Thirty-six. The Hangover. Never seen it. NEVER wanted to watch this one. Glad I did! Cracked me UP.

Thirty-seven. We’re the Millers. Never seen it. Never wanted to watch this one, either, but I had time for one more movie, and friends recommended it, so... Meh. 

the fall film challenge: update

i did not watch a single film from my list this year, and it wasn't because i was less interested in those films i'd selected than those of previous challenges. i just wasn't in the mood. i've seen two flicks in theaters this year, yall: men in black: international, which pretty much sucked, and ford vs. ferrari, which i saw twice and will most likely see it again because it's amazing.

two contestants, christine and joanna, completed their original lists, and erin managed to see not one but TWO lord of the rings films. i call that a victory.

the fall film challenge: my list

one. richard armitage: brain on fire.

two. sean astin: the goonies.

three. sean bean: mirror mirror.

four. cate blanchett: song to song.

five. orlando bloom: new york i love you.

six. billy boyd: the flying scotsman.

seven. marton csokas: the amazing spiderman two.

eight. benedict cumberbatch: war horse.

nine. john rhys-davies: aquaman.

ten. luke evans: midway.

eleven. martin freeman: ode to joy.

twelve. ian holm: young winston.

thirteen. christopher lee: the three musketeers.

fourteen. evangeline lilly: avengers: end game.

fifteen. ian mckellan: stardust.

sixteen. dominic monaghan: soldiers of fortune.

seventeen. viggo mortensen: green book.

eighteen. mirando otto: the daughter.

nineteen. lee pace: captain marvel.

twenty. andy serkis: inkheart.

twenty-one. liv tyler: dr. t and the women.

twenty-two. karl urban: red.

twenty-three. hugo weaving: the dressmaker.

twenty-four. david wenham: pirates of the carribbean: dead men tell no tales.

twenty-five. elijah wood: green street hooligans.

the fall film challenge

begins one minute past twelve a.m. september first / concludes midnight november thirtieth. you may NOT use a movie you have already seen, even in part (excluding trailers), for this challenge. all films MUST be new to you. all selections MUST have a page on the internet movie database and MUST have (had) a theatrical release. titles released outside of the united states are acceptable.

in previous challenges, membership to the fall film challenge facebook group was a requirement for prize eligibility. that is NOT the case this year. if you choose not to join the group, please find ways to communicate your progress with me so that i can keep accurate lists and ensure prizes are awarded correctly. once you've selected your films for the categories, post your choices to the group's page or email it to quirkypickings at icloud dot com so i may add your selections to the master list and, if necessary, upload the correlating stills to the galleries. there are eight photo albums, arranged by decade, on the group's page. once an individual has seen a film, he or she leaves a comment on the corresponding image saying when it was viewed and for what category so i can track progress. if you are not a member of the group and are in communication with me, i will make the necessary notes to stills representing your selections.

each film is valued at ten points. changes after the challenge has begun ARE acceptable.

the first five people to complete the challenge prior to november thirtieth will each receive either an amazon or itunes, as is preferred, gift card valued at ten dollars. if you complete the original list, you will be eligible to compete in the bonus round, the details of which will be revealed october fifteenth. the person to accumulate the most points at the event's conclusion will receive an amazon gift card valued at fifty dollars.

"this is a serious journey, not a hobbit walking-party"

(peregrin took -- as written by j.r.r. tolkien in lord of the rings: the fellowship of the ring)

and so this year, we celebrate the cast of tolkien's tales. choose one film for each actor.

richard armitage

sean astin

sean bean

cate blanchett

orlando bloom

billy boyd

marton csokas

benedict cumberbatch

john rhys-davies

luke evans

martin freeman

ian holm

christopher lee

evangeline lilly

ian mckellan

dominic monaghan

viggo mortensen

mirando otto

lee pace

andy serkis

liv tyler

karl urban

hugo weaving

david wenham

elijah wood

the (extremely belated) fall film challenge update: november

once again, i lost my film-viewing mojo. i worked on a bonus list but didn't post it because i didn't love it. i actually watched four films, not three, but damned if i can remember what the third one was, and of course i didn't log them in the facebook group, so...

one. sing. yall, i can't STAND matthew mcconaughey, but he was PERFECT for this movie. he did GOOD. i liked his character. i liked the story. STRONG cast. the first half is MUCH better than the second. the end was disappointing. had the first half been as weak as the second, i NEVER would've made it through the movie. it was cute. not one i'd want to see again.

two. the first time. found this one on netflix. i didn't love the beginning, but i couldn't bring myself to turn it off -- maybe because i liked the characters. the story was kind of weak, though. the ending was okay. not one i'd want to see again, but i wouldn't turn it off it were on.

three. fantastic beasts: the crimes of grindelwald. yall, i am SO, SO over johnny depp, and i can't tell you how much it pains me to say this because i've been in awe of his skills and work for much of my adult life. but now when i see him on screen... ugh. jude law, though. i still love him. i LOVE, LOVE him as dumbledore. i LOVE, LOVE, LOVE jk rowling for giving us such glorious magic. this one was GOOD. i liked it better than the first. i'd watch it again and again.



so... how'd the rest of the crew do? AMAZING!!! this was a magical year, yall! i'm SO impressed.

november tally:

michael: SEVENTY-EIGHT

stephanie: FIFTY

dani: FORTY-ONE 

christine: twenty-five 

andrea: twenty-five

kathryn: twenty-five

velvet: twenty-five

joanna: twenty-four

kirsten: twenty-three

alyson: twenty

erin: sixteen

lisa: eleven

brianne: five

lauren: two

total movies seen this challenge

(not counting mine):

THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY. BOOM.

fall film challenge update: october

one. haunted mansion. this was not a film i'd selected. i'd spent an evening with my younger brother, his children, his wife, her sister and niece. we had an outdoor movie night, swimming and soaking in a hot tub. the ghosts make this movie. eddie murphy does NOT.

family night at my brother's house... it was this or or hocus pocus, and i'd already seen the latter, so... i voted for this one. i think i would've preferred to watch hocus pocus again. it wasn't awful. but it wasn't awesome, either. the kids enjoyed it. terence stamp starred in valkyrie with tom cruise who starred with bacon in a few good men.

two. before the flood. watched this one to learn about some work i'm doing. it's interesting enough.

NOT because i wanted to so much as i needed to for a job i'm doing. i can't STAND leonardo dicrapio. he was in the departed with jack nicholson who starred in a few good men with tom cruise.

three. easy a. i love emma stone, and she's her typical, cute self here. it's an interesting story, and i enjoyed it. it can be pretty ridiculous at times, but then almost immediately following the silly, there comes a scene that is really sweet. i like it. i'd watch it again. it's the only movie of the five mentioned here about which i can say that.

i liked it. there are some spots that are utterly ridiculous, but almost immediately after those would be something that was pretty cute or clever. emma stone starred with bacon in crazy stupid love.

four. john wick. i do love keanu reeves and ian mcshane. this movie is all special effects and gratuitous violence for the sake of those things. not a fan.

i thought the story was stupid, the film another excuse for special effects and techno music. the only good thing about it was ian mcshane and willem dafoe. i'd planned on watching the sequel. that's not happening now. keanu reeves starred in something's gotta give with jack nicholson who starred with bacon in a few good men.

five. peter rabbit. another flick the kids picked. i was really glad when it was over.

yall, this movie was SO, SO stupid. the only good thing i can say about it is that the end comes quickly. connection: rose byrne starred with bacon in x-men: first class.

and that makes twenty-five for me!

i'm hoping to complete the bonus round, as well. still tweaking my list.

latecomers to the fall film challenge are welcome!

the fall film challenge: bonus round

if you have completed the regular round of the fall film challenge, you are eligible to compete in the bonus round. choose one film for each of the following actors:

kevin bacon

sean bean

jim beaver

halle berry

emily blunt

alison brie

john candy

peter coyote

russell crowe

peter finch

megan fox

michael j. fox

vivica a. fox

jamie foxx

ryan gosling

heather graham

gloria grahame

alec guiness

jon hamm

ethan hawke

john hawkes

jack lemmon

walter pidgeon

anthony quayle

brett rice

if you notice, the last names of these actors sort of have something in common: bacon, bean, berry, brie, crowe, graham, guiness, hamm, lemon--kind of like something edible. you can make substitutions to the list, so long as the actor's last name is in that vein--lucy pickles, for example--but they must be approved by me.

if you have seen one film by each actor listed above, you can watch other films by those actors for extra credit. each movie is valued at ten points.

fall film challenge update: september

okay. so first off... i've decided i'm going to attempt to watch fifty movies this time around because i've never managed to do the regular AND bonus round lists, and i want to see if i can do it. this means that i had to bump some movies off my original list. the gray areas are more immediate responses that i'd left in the facebook group.

one. tag. i LOVED this movie, yall. it was HILARIOUS. what made it awesome for me was knowing this was based on a true story. these guys have been playing tag FOREVER. once a year, just for the month of may, the game resumes. these guys had FUN making this movie, and it shows. i've watched this one twice.

two. still alice. this was beautiful. BEAUTIFUL. julianne moore is amazing. my paternal grandparents suffered alzheimer's. i expect my father will do so as well. her portrayal is pretty spot on, and the supporting cast does a good job, as well. my only complaint is that i expected this one to make me cry, and it did not.

good movie. hard to watch, mostly because my paternal grandparents had alzheimer's, and i've always worried that my father, that i would struggle with it. the cast did a fine job. connection: julianne moore starred in benny and joon with johnny depp who was in black mass with bacon.

three. life itself. this one's my favorite on my list, so far. it's PACKED with conflict, yall, and the cast -- everyone of'm -- does a phenomenal job relaying how that conflict affects them. oscar isaac is INCREDIBLE. i've watched this one twice.

HOLY FUCK THIS WAS GOOD. definitely NOT a date movie, but DAMN dan fogelman knows how to write a script... someone on twitter said she'd walked out after the first forty minutes because it was excruciating... it's NOT an easy film to watch, and the beginning isn't great by any stretch... but the last forty minutes are EXCEPTIONAL. connection: oscar isaac starred in inside llewyn davis with john goodman who starred with bacon in patriots day.

four. the bookshop. this one packs a punch, too, and i didn't think that it would. to be honest, i was kind of bored through the first half, and then all the sudden there's this power -- a kind of quiet rage. i really hadn't expected that, and i love that something so simple could be THAT powerful.

slow, but surprisingly powerful. love bill nighy here. might be my favorite of his performances. love patricia clarkson. might be her best work, but my god her character’s repulsive and vindictive. connection: clarkson starred in playing by heart with jay mohr who starred with bacon in picture perfect.

five. destination wedding. keanu reeves and winona ryder had a damn fine time making this one, i think. their characters aren't very likable, and yet i loved them. i've watched this one three times.

this one made me laugh a lot. i had a feeling it would, and i'm glad it did. it's VERY focused on the two characters and dialogue HEAVY, which i didn't mind. they are unhappy people with biting wit, and it does get to be a bit much, but right about the time you think oh god... there's just enough sentiment, just enough goodness in them to get you to the end. i don't know that i would want to watch it again, and yet, i kind of miss their characters already. i think what i like best about it is that reeves and ryder looked very much like they enjoyed making this movie. connection: winona ryder starred in edward scissorhands with johnny depp who starred with bacon in black mass.

six. darkest hour. gary oldman. god, i love that man. and i have always admired winston churchill. this one was good. there's a couple of instances where the story's a bit overdramatic; there's a couple of instances of cinematography for the sake of a pretty picture. but it's good. yall should watch it.

i got a little teary-eyed in this one, which i hadn't expected. god love winston churchill. we need more men like him in the world. god love gary oldman for playing him so well. connection: oldman starred with bacon in murder in the first.

seven. the guernsey literary and potato peel pie society. i liked this one.

pretty film, pretty story. connection: mathew goode starred in watchmen with billy crudup, who starred with bacon in sleepers.

eight. sleeping with other people. NOT a fan of jason sudeikis, but i didn't mind him in this movie. liked the story well enough. it had some moments that i felt were pretty strong.

i figured i would like it, and i did (even though i'm not crazy about jason sudeikis), but it had some strong scenes, and that surprised me. i liked the characters. connection: amanda peet starred in playing by heart with jay mohr who starred with bacon in picture perfect.

nine. love, simon. this was good. i liked it. love jennifer garner and josh duhamel. i thought the cast did a pretty good job with this one.

liked this one. good stuff. connection: jennifer garner starred in thirteen going on thirty with judy greer who starred in love happens with jennifer aniston who starred in picture perfect with bacon.

ten. operation finale. hell of a story, this one. everyone should watch it.

AMAZING. WATCH THIS NOW. connection: melanie laurent starred in inglorious basterds with brad pitt who starred with bacon in sleepers. (oscar isaac is my hero.)

eleven. hired gun. this one made me not like billy joel very much, but it made me see alice cooper in a very positive way, which i appreciated. i enjoyed learning more about how the music industry works.

i decided to watch this because my dad was a musician in high school and college -- he played with the winters brothers -- and i sometimes wonder what life would've been like had he chosen to follow the musical path. this made me feel sorry for musicians, actually. i no longer like billy joel or richard patrick. jason newsted looks like an idiot. i saw neal schon, aaron lewis and mike mushok in the credits... would've been interesting to see their clips. loved seeing pink. loved listening to rudy sarzo, kenny aronoff and alice cooper talk. connection: jon bon jovi starred in new year's eve with robert deniro who starred in sleepers with bacon.

twelve. stronger. so i watched patriots day, which was a really good look at the first responders and law enforcement agencies who worked to save those affected by the boston bombers. i wanted to watch this one because it kind of focused on one person and how the event affected him and those close to him. it was difficult to watch, but the ending impressed me quite a bit.

hard to watch, but there's a moment toward the end that makes watching it SO worth doing. gyllenhaal starred in a dangerous woman with debra winger who starred in terms of endearment with jack nicholson who starred with bacon in a few good men.

thirteen. before i fall. i liked this one. good story. predictable, but good. interesting.

this one was a hard one for me to watch, and i pegged the ending. but i liked it. connection: jennifer beals starred in four rooms with marisa tomei who starred with bacon in crazy stupid love.

fourteen. how to make an american quilt. i wanted this one to be better. SO much better. i didn't much care for this one.

for such a STRONG cast and decent amount of conflict, this movie is WEAK. connection: samantha mathis starred in pump up the volume with christian slater who starred with bacon in murder in the first.

fifteen. outside providence. this one was alright. i wish alec baldwin had been in it more.

not bad. not one i'd want to watch again. connection: richard jenkins starred in eat pray love with julia roberts who starred with bacon in flatliners.

sixteen. the miracle season. meh. i didn't care much for this one, either.

so i'm the girl who looked at the main photo on imdb's site for this film and thought west, texas. like the volleyball team there came back to win a championship after the town suffered a tragedy. it's iowa city west... and they lost a player. it's a good story, but the execution's typical, predictable, formulaic schmaltz. i loved the credits. would've liked the film better if it had had as much heart as that player had. connection: helen hunt starred in as good as it gets with jack nicholson, who starred with bacon in a few good men.

seventeen. deadpool two. didn't like this one nearly as much as the first. not sure they should've made a second one, actually. all the things that made the first one so good were absent from the sequel.

agree with zosh (who said she thought it was funny, but she still preferred the first). connection: brad pitt starred with bacon in sleepers.

eighteen. unbroken: path to redemption. i picked this one because i watched the first part of this story last year and wanted to see the continuation of it. the sequel's MUCH more well-done than the original. but there's no reason why these two films couldn't have been one.

this watch MUCH better than the first one. but there should’ve been ONE movie telling the story, not two very drawn out halves.

nineteen. why him. meh. i thought i was going to love this one. i didn't. i did like megan mullaly in it, though.

the trailer CRACKED ME UP. the movie did not. i did love megan mullaly, though, and i've never cared much for her work before, so it was really nice that i could appreciate it here. it's funny. just not as funny as i wanted it to be. connection: james franco starred in alien covenant with billy crudup who starred with bacon in sleepers.

twenty. every day. this one SUCKED. it was such a STUPID, STUPID story. don't waste your time.

SO, SO, SO, VERY, VERY, VERY B A D. DO NOT watch this shit. connection: maria bello starred in coyote ugly with john goodman who starred with bacon in the patriot.

the fall film challenge: my list

one. still alice.

two. how to make an american quilt.

three. the bookshop.

four. life itself.

five.  john wick.

six. before the flood.

seven. the guernsey literary and potato peel pie society.

eight. tag.

nine. deadpool two.

ten. peter rabbit.
eleven. why him?

twelve. destination wedding.

thirteen. sleeping with other people.

fourteen. easy a.

fifteen. outside providence.

sixteen. darkest hour.

seventeen. stronger.

eighteen. love, simon.

nineteen. operation finale.

twenty. the haunted mansion.

twenty-one. the miracle season.

twenty-two. every day.

twenty-three.  hired gun.

twenty-four.  before i fall.

twenty-five. unbroken: path to redemption.

i had originally intended to watch a star is born and battle of the sexes
but have decided to replace those titles with hired gun and before i fall.

and after devising the bonus round list, i have taken boy erased, bohemian rhapsody and fantastic beasts: crimes of grindelwald off and have added how to make an american quilt, john wick and john wick: chapter two. i've also taken beautiful boy, boy first man and what they had off this list and put them on the bonus one -- replaced them with the haunted mansion, easy a and peter rabbit. UGH. after watching john wick today and not being terribly impressed, i've taken the sequel off my list, which means i'm in need of another film... back to the drawing board. i don't think anyone's ever made as many changes as me.

the fifth annual fall film challenge began september first!
it's not too late to join!

the fall film challenge

begins one minute past twelve a.m. september first / concludes midnight november thirtieth. you may NOT use a movie you have already seen, even in part (excluding trailers), for this challenge. all films MUST be new to you. all selections MUST have a page on the internet movie database and MUST have (had) a theatrical release. titles released outside of the united states are acceptable.

in previous challenges, membership to the fall film challenge facebook group was a requirement for prize eligibility. that is NOT the case this year. if you choose not to join the group, please find ways to communicate your progress with me so that i can keep accurate lists and ensure prizes are awarded correctly. for those who do join the group, there are nine photo albums, arranged by decade, on the group's page. once an individual has seen a film, he or she leaves a comment on the corresponding image saying when it was viewed and for what category so i can track progress. if you are not a member of the group and are in communication with me, i will make the necessary notes to stills representing your selections.

each film is valued at ten points. changes after the challenge has begun ARE acceptable.

the first five people to complete the challenge prior to november thirtieth will each receive a redbox gift card valued at ten dollars. if you complete the original list, you will be eligible to compete in the bonus round, the details of which will be revealed october fifteenth. the person to accumulate the most points at the event's conclusion will receive an amazon gift card valued at fifty dollars.

once you've joined the group and selected your films for the categories, post your choices to the group's page or email it to criticalcrass at me dot com so i may add your selections to the master list and, if necessary, upload the correlating stills to the galleries.

for previous challenges, individuals chose films that suited twenty-five categories. this year, i have forgone those for a game of six degrees of kevin bacon. choose twenty-five films that you can connect to other motion pictures in which he has starred in SIX FILMS OR LESS, counting his work and your choice. for example, the cast of black panther includes lupita nyong'o... who starred with michael fassbender in twelve years a slave... who starred with bacon in x-men: days of future past. DO NOT show the connections in your list. some of the fun this year is in seeing how others connect the films you've selected with kevin bacon. a sample:

one. black panther.

two. avengers: infinity war.

three. incredibles two.

four. jurassic world: fallen kingdom.

five. deadpool two.

in the past i've given yall helpful links. you're on your own this time. get to it.

the fall film challenge bonus round: my list

one. above suspicion - shaun dingwall. the young victoria.

two. the big bang theory - carrie fisher. the blues brothers.

three. the crown - jared harris. the man from u.n.c.l.e.

four. downton abbey - douglas reith. the queen.

five. elementary - john heard. awakenings.

six. firefly - alan tudyk. forty-two.

seven. game of thrones - liam cunningham. war horse.

eight. how i met your mother - rachel bilson. life happens.

nine. it's always sunny in philadelphia - david hornsby. flags of our fathers.

ten. judging amy - tom welling. the choice.

eleven. knight rider - jason bateman. tropic thunder.

twelve. lethal weapon - hilarie burton. the secret life of bees.

thirteen. ally mcbeal - john michael higgins. g.i. jane.

fourteen. ncis - chris o'donnell. men don't leave.

fifteen. outlander - caitriona balfe. now you see me.

sixteen. parenthood - lauren graham. it's kind of a funny story.

seventeen. dr. quinn, medicine woman - jane seymour. austenland.

eighteen. rizzoli and isles - michael massee. last man club.

nineteen. sex and the city - justin theroux. the broken hearts club: a romantic comedy. 

twenty. true detective - taylor kitsch. american assassin.

twenty-one. the unusals - jeremy renner. captain america: civil war.

twenty-two. veep - allison janey. trust me.

twenty-three. the west wing - hal holbrook. the firm.

twenty-four. the x-files - gillian anderson. the mighty.

twenty-five. the young pope - guy boyd. while we're young.

the fall film challenge: bonus round

THE RULES: if you've seen the twenty-five films selected for your original list, you are eligible to compete in the bonus round. this one's a bit more complicated than normal. i've chosen twenty-five television series, past and present. for each program, choose a film which stars an actor or actress who has appeared on that show at least once. that individual does not have to be a member of the main cast. for example, a (short) sample bonus round list:

one. ally mcbeal - robert downey jr. spider-man: homecoming.
two. the young pope - jude law. king arthur: legend of the sword.
three. true detective - rachel mcadams. doctor strange.
four. above suspicion - kelly reilly. pride and prejudice.
five. the crown - jared harris. allied.

the catch (and this is what makes it a wee bit tricky): two actors on your list can't be in the same movie. if you choose a robert downey jr. movie for one series, he can't also star in another film selected for a different show, i.e. both he and rachel mcadams are in sherlock holmes, so you couldn't pick that film for true detective. you'd have to pick another mcadams flick, one in which he does not star, like doctor strange (and make sure you check the other actors listed alphabetically section on imdb's site... sometimes filmmakers will sneak in an uncredited cameo. what if instead of chris hemsworth as thor, the director of doctor strange had opted to include a scene with iron man? i wouldn't let you count that film, that's what, and you'd stand to lose some points. but rachel wasn't cast in spidey, and robert's not got a role in strange, so you're good. got it? god, i hope so.

there's no extra credit this time, like there was in the original round. every film's worth ten points. if you change a choice, you lose ten points, so choose wisely.

THE CATEGORIES

one. above suspicion.

two. the big bang theory.

three. the crown.

four. downton abbey.

five. elementary.

six. firefly.

seven. game of thrones.

eight. how i met your mother.

nine. it's always sunny in philadelphia.

ten. judging amy.

eleven. knight rider.

twelve. lethal weapon.

thirteen. ally mcbeal.

fourteen. ncis.

fifteen. outlander.

sixteen. parenthood.

seventeen. dr. quinn, medicine woman.

eighteen. rizzoli and isles.

nineteen. sex and the city.

twenty. true detective.

twenty-one. the unusuals.

twenty-two. veep.

twenty-three. the west wing.

twenty-four. the x-files.

twenty-five. the young pope.

if you're late to the party, you can still join us! details for the regular round are here.

fall film challenge update

one. jackie. category: reviewed last year on slothsandmovies. natalie portman is a talented chick. jackie kennedy was a remarkable woman, and portman plays her well. i liked the way the story's told, but, despite all that, something's keeping me from saying this film is amazing, and i can't tell you what that is exactly. just that's it's there. it's really good, just shy of great. worth seeing for the history.

two. room. category: about fortitude. this movie had me bawling. that little boy is adorable, and brie larson is amazing. they both play their roles so, so well. i hadn't expected to like this one as much as i did. i was wary of watching it. borrowed it from the library and kept it for some time after its due date because i wanted to keep it; reviewed several scenes from this film on many occasions. SO GOOD. one of three that i would say is the best from my list.

three. gifted. category: about temperance. LOVE this movie SO much. chris evans is phenomenal, best work he's ever done. hands down. i love the little girl's sass and smarts. this is the best movie i've seen on my list.

four. wind river. category: about justice. AMAZING. SO, SO incredibly good. solid storytelling through and through. chilling film, but so worth watching. one of the three best on my list.

five. the founder. category: about pride. before i watched this, i thought it was better suited for greed, but it turns out it works better for this category because it's a fine example of pride going before the fall. i've mixed feelings about michael keaton's character in this one. he's persistent, tenacious, determined, fearless, forward-thinking, clever... such admirable characteristics, and it's not that he doesn't use them well. he's not necessarily a villain. i'd say he's more an opportunist. he doesn't give a fuck whom he hurts. he has no conscience. i don't want to like him. i don't think he's an admirable dude, and yet... the men he steamrolls, they could've avoided it. had they been willing to consider his ideas, they could have profited from them, but they were so unwilling to consider any ideals but their own... they should've done a better job of protecting their dream, so i didn't feel as much sympathy for them as i would've liked. it's a horrible train wreck of story; its collision is impressive. keaton does fine work. but i never want to see it again. never want to eat at mcdonald's again, either.

six. footloose. category: starring kevin bacon. okay. i have NEVER liked that song, yall. i thought it was cheesy as shit, and i assumed this movie was just as cheesy. when those opening credits rolled, i was sure my original thought was right. and then it started... i really liked this film, as predictable as it was. the casting's great, and there are some really, really good scenes in this thing. some of the dialogue is just perfect, like when the preacher's wife says: you can lift a congregation up so high they have to look down to see heaven, but it's the one-one-one where you need the work. i love dianne wiest, yall, but never more than in this movie. i've never cared much for kevin bacon, but after having seen this film, i can understand the world's fascination with him.

seven. chef. category: about gluttony. i dig this one. good stuff. i live about six hours from new orleans and have never wanted to visit that city. jon favreau's movie has tempted me to give it a look.

eight. their finest. category: starring jeremy irons. it's a good story and a pretty film, and i enjoyed it well enough. i had been happy about it, eager to tell folks i really liked it... until this one thing happened in the story (completely unnecessary, badness for the sake of badness, could've and should've been avoided, really annoyed that it wasn't) toward the end. i had been thinking it was one i'd watch again, and maybe i will because it's certainly got merit and shows a bit of history with which i was not familiar, but my enthusiasm for this one's gone, and i'd really been looking forward to watching it because i love bill nighy. also i'm with michael, who said, jeremy irons has an amazing voice, and i would listen to him read a grocery list for home depot. his role is brief (and maybe a little annoying) in this film, but yeah. he does have a damned fine voice.

nine. spider-man: homecoming. category: starring robert downey, jr. god, i love that man. he's pretty damned awesome. and this was a pretty good flick. i've never really cared for spider-man, and all the other spidey flicks i've seen haven't ever inspired me to do so. but this guy, tom holland, he does alright. and michael keaton's not so bad at playing the villain. but mostly, iron man's presence make this movie for me.

ten. the wolf of wall street. category: about greed. of the films on my list, this was the one i was least interested in seeing. i loathe the subject matter. i'm not a fan of leonardo dicaprio and have never cared for any of his films i've seen. i can't say i care for this one, but he does good work here. it's a horrible story about utterly despicable people who choose to use their talents for ill. it's well done, save for the fact that it's LONG.

eleven. the case for christ. category: about prudence. good story. done well enough. didn't inspire me a lick (and i like my god movies to make me love god). not one i want to watch again.

twelve. don jon. category: about lust. i actually liked this one and wasn't expecting to do so. joseph gordon-levitt plays a manwhore who has to watch porn to really get off. i thought it was going to be awful. i liked seeing his character grow. i loved that he would do catholic penance (saying his hail marys and our fathers) while working out. that made me laugh. and i like brie larson in this one. she doesn't say much, but what she says is good. it's got some sweetness in it that i really hadn't expected to find.

thirteen. bottle shock. category: starring alan rickman. good story. chris pine annoyed the crap out of me, and that's never happened, but despite his character's antics, the guy had a good heart. that hair though, gah. anyway. alan's his usual bad self. it plods along at times, but it's good. yall should watch it, at least for the history.

fourteen. mr. holmes. category: starring ian mckellen. didn't love this one. was bored through most of it. can't really recommend it.

fifteen. megan leavey. category: about charity. good story. the movie's not bad, but i wanted it to be better.

sixteen. war room. category: about faith. it's not unrealistic like other religion-based films i've seen. i did enjoy it, more than i thought i would. there are some really good moments in this story, and i was surprised to find them. i do think it's cheesy, but i didn't mind it so much. it inspired me, which is what movies like this are supposed to do.

seventeen. elizabeth. category: set in a castle. everybody wants to rule the world. i didn't love this one; it's not one i'd ever want to see again. but i didn't loathe it either. i did like geoffrey rush, which is a rare thing for me. i wasn't sure i was going to at first, but then... he played a pretty cool dude.

eighteen. creed. category: about hope. it's like every other rocky flick, and i knew it would be going into it, but i kind of hoped it would be better than the rest, and it wasn't.

nineteen. the big sleep. category: listed on nathan bransford's best hundred movies challenge. i wanted to love this one because bogart and bacall. it's got some good lines and great camera work, and i did love seeing these two, but it's hard to follow (or maybe i was too tired when i watched it). LOTS of tampering with evidence. lots of people dying. lots of me thinking what the fuck? meh.

twenty. snow white and the huntsman. category: about envy. never seen charlize theron overact more than in this film, and rupert sanders sure did love to have the camera on kristen stewart. there's some cheesy moments. but the special effects are pretty nifty, and i don't mind looking at and listening to chris hemsworth.

twenty-one. dunkirk. category: set in an exotic locale. didn't care for this. definitely NOT the best war film ever made. not even anywhere near the best. and for a story as badassed as this one is, it should've been AWESOME. the beginning was strong enough, and the conclusion was alright. the middle sucked ass. i was really disappointed in this one, and the music, if you could call it that, definitely didn't help sway my opinion in the least.

twenty-two. logan. category: about wrath. of the wolverine flicks, it's the best, i guess. of the x-men films, i liked it about as much as i liked the third one where jean grey's on magneto's team. i'm not a fan.

twenty-three. howards end. category: starring anthony hopkins. LOATHED this one. too fucking long and boring. didn't give a shit about the characters or their plights. STUPID movie.

twenty-four. the space between us. category: set in space. SO BAD. SO, SO BAD. i knew it was gonna be stupid, but i hadn't realized the extent. every time i thought it couldn't possibly get more ridiculous, they'd pile on another outlandish plot device. i don't understand why gary oldman would agree to be in such a pathetic excuse for a film.

twenty-five. kiss kiss bang bang. category: starring val kilmer. the only good thing is this movie was val. STUPID story, stupid script.

so i've knocked my list out, and i've plotted and prepared the bonus round to post in a couple of weeks. and sure there are a couple of gals who've knocked out their lists, too. BUT it's not too late to join in, so if you're interested in participating, click here for details.

check out what michael and audrey have seen!