Summer Leftovers

You cannot believe how much I embrace the age of Netflix and iTunes where you could watch a film literally everywhere and without having to buy a DVD. I fucking love digital download. Let me rephrase this: I fucking love "digital" download. So, anyway, this week I caught up with the summer films I missed, which means a whole lot of hours devoted to watching a screen. But dude, that is the life. Not spending countless hours on meaningless lectures in university and dealing with too much stupid along the way.


The Heat
The Sandra Bullock/Melissa McCarthy buddy cop comedy is actually not among my watchlist in the summer. I find it too comedic for my taste, just like how Identity Thief didn't spark any interest in me. However, I find The Heat to be quite entertaining and funny at times, but didn't last that long in my memory. Melissa McCarthy stole the film for me, she's just too funny. But Sandra Bullock didn't do a bad job either, she can equal McCarthy and in a few times, top McCarthy. The jokes on the albino guy are the best in the film (although highly inappropriate, but that what makes it funny right?). The Heat: rated 3/4

The Conjuring
Finally I got to see one of two James Wan's horror films this year. The film got my attention after the news told that the film got an R rating just because it was too creepy and scary. The film is incredibly well-made, the main actors Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga are already used to this kind of environment (Wilson in Insidious and Farmiga in Bates Motel series). The child actors are okay too (in the sense that they are not annoying). What sucks is that this film is NOT that scary. Maybe I set a really high expectation on this film that I ended up disappointed. I bet Insidious Chapter Two is far more terrifying than this. The Conjuring: rated 3/4

The Internship
Some regard this as a semi-sequel to the superbly funny Wedding Crashers with both Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn. The story follows the two of them chasing jobs at Google via a summer internship. They became misfits and worse, ended up with other misfits. The film is funny and kinda dirty (just like my preference), but not as funny as Wedding Crashers. But the story is good enough. Although some logic are just fucked up like how come Wilson and Vaughn's characters know The Hunger Games but not Harry Potter or X-Men? In this world nowadays, even my mother and father knows about them. And it's great to see Will Ferrell here although once again, not as funny as Wedding Crashers. AND THERE'S ROSE BYRNE AND JESSICA SZOHR. YES. Anyway, The Internship: rated 3/4 (but funnier than The Heat)

White House Down
I actually can see this film in the theaters in Japan but I decided to skip this. Mostly because the trailer for this film was off-putting for me. The trailer showed a strange mix of action and comedy that didn't appeal me. But hey, in the actual film, it works! White House Down might not be listed as anyone's favorite this year, but the film is a great time. There's an equal amount of action and comedy along with great actors and great destruction. It seems that after G.I. Joe Retaliation fucked up with Channing Tatum, I get to appreciate his role more, especially in this film. Tatum and Foxx are a great pair, supported by stunning cast that includes child actor/young Talia Al-Ghul Joey King, Jason Clarke and James Woods. This film doesn't disappoints but it's just not that great in terms of quality. White House Down: rated 3/4

*BONUS: WHD versus OHF
Olympus Has Fallen may the better film in overall but White House Down has that irresistible and spot-on casting. White House Down may have a greater action but Olympus Has Fallen has that gore action. I bet if they teamed up and made Olympus House Down the result would be..............  disastrous. No just kidding, it could be better than both films. See you next year for the battle of the Hercules films.

Monsters University
This is also the other film that I can see in Japanese theaters but I would definitely waste 1k yen because animated films are dubbed in Japan. The film itself is the second top grosser only after Miyazaki's The Wind Rises. The film itself is a pleasant surprise because I honestly have very low expectations for anything other than an original Pixar film except Toy Story films. The story is your usual heartfelt Pixar although not the 'back-to-form' Pixar, but an acceptable 'getting-there' Pixar. Love the voiceworks especially when you recognize Nathan Fillion's voice right away. Honorable mentions (not mentioning the Monsters regulars--Crystal, Goodman, Buscemi because they are already greats), Charlie Day as Art and Helen Mirren as Dean Hardscrabble. Monsters University: rated 3.5/4.

Man most of em are rated 3/4. is it me that's hard to please, or is it them?
Actually there are many leftovers that I haven't watched, but then again they are THE leftovers.

7 Years of Tradition

This may not mean much to other people but this tradition means a lot for me. I have no idea why. It all started back in 2006, when one of my best friends had a birthday party and decided to watch Casino Royale. It's not a big deal but I already watched the film days prior with my family. From that year, every year I watched at least one film twice in the cinemas. 7 years of tradition. Never thought I would be that committed even until in Japan, where cinema tickets are highly overpriced. Let's go back to 7 years ago. [This post is sponsored by Breaking Bad as I wrote this listening to my BB playlist, most importantly Badfinger's Baby Blue]

2006: Casino Royale
The film that started this tradition. It's a darker, Bourne-esque James Bond reboot with Daniel Craig in his first outing as James Bond.

2007: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Same scenario, but different order. Watched this first on my friend's birthday and then re-watched it again with my family. The film got better everytime you see it. The best of the series.

2008: The Dark Knight
Again, same scenario with Casino Royale. I'd watch this a thousand times if I could.

2009: Avatar and Up
Avatar is the only film that I watched three times in the cinemas, but to my defense, I watched different versions every time I watched it. The first time was in 3D, and then 2D. And then a couple of months later in 2010, I spent 3 hours of my life for the special edition. And for the fourth time, I watched the extended version on DVD. The biggest shame is that on 2012, they released it on IMAX 3D but I already went to Japan. Whereas Up has the same scenario with TDK and Casino Royale.

2010: Toy Story 3 & Tron Legacy
I was obsessed with these two films back then. To be honest, I have never watched Toy Story 3 without tears flooding. That two times I watched in the cinemas, that two times I cried like a baby, literally. As for Tron Legacy I was crazy about the film and Olivia Wilde's Quorra. I even attended the Tron Night event months before, for approximately 20 minutes preview of the film.

2011: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II, Fast Five, Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows, and Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I
Yeah I know. Baby boom. Bada boom. Mostly because I watched the films with my family and then with my x. Except for Harry Potter which I was incredibly obsessed at that time. Also note that the year 2011 was the year that Hollywood films were boycotted for about 6 months. Take this boom as redemption for me.

2012: The Dark Knight Rises, Prometheus, and The Hunger Games
I watched TDKR twice because the other viewing was to feel the fire rising in IMAX. It was my New Year's resolution: to watch TDKR in IMAX. Whereas Prometheus was one of my 2012 favs and it's my first IMAX film. For THG, I was obsessed with the amazingness of the film and of course Jennifer Lawrence's breathtaking performance. Literally, I can't stop thinking about the film right after I first watched it.

2013: Man of Steel
It's a bit tricky now that I'm in Japan. There are films that I really want to re-watch right after watching it, like Tom Cruise's Oblivion, the Pirates' team's The Lone Ranger and ultimately Pacific Rim. However there are things to consider: money and time. It's expensive to watch a film twice in the cinemas and it's hard to squeeze a film in your tight schedule. But then, Man of Steel compelled me to watch again. Even after a month of its initial release in Japan. The film gets better after second viewing and you get to discover overlooked details like the Wayne logo on a satellite.

Here's to the continuation of this (for you-unimportant) tradition. CHEERS.
Achtung: no new film reviews in October. But still there will be posts.

Update Aug 8, 2015
The tradition is very much alive. 2014 entries: Godzilla & Interstellar. 2015 entries: Kingsman: The Secret Service, Cinderella, and Jurassic World.