Movies of Love

It's the official day of LOVE!! Some of you may be shouting for joy, sighing with love or groaning in dread. Either way I've got a movie for you to watch!
I starred my favorites.

ClearPlay Fans Top 10 of 2012

The results are in!

On January 3, 2013 we posted a poll on Facebook asking our fans  what they thought were the top 10 movies of 2012.  Based on your responses, these our your top 10 movies of 2012.

 

#1 - Avengers took first by a landslide with 23% of the votes:
Loki, Thor’s brother, wants revenge. He wants to rule. He has chosen earth to conquer and to subjugate. To bring his otherworldy army to the earth he must build a portal using the power of the Tesseract. Who can stop him? Who can fight the alien warriors threatening to destroy the earth? The Avengers! Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye join forces for a showdown of epic proportions. Buckle up!

Brian's Top 10 of 2012

Well, I thought the world was going to explode and that I wouldn’t be writing any more reviews, but it turns out those Mayans were just playing an elaborate practical joke. So it’s time once again to reflect on a few choice movies of 2012. Of course, I haven’t seen everything that came out on DVD or in theaters this year, but here are ten films I enjoyed, in no particular order.

Marty's Top 10 of 2012

Excuses, excuses. I could easily sit here and say that, while there were many likable movies in 2012, I’ve having trouble remembering any that really wowed me. I could also say that it’s tough to compile a list like this without having seen ALL the movies of 2012, especially those yet to be released (Les Miserables, I’m talking about YOU). Finally, since I seem to see the bulk of my movies on DVD, some on this list are from 2011. So without further excuse, here are my Top 10 of 2012:

Get Ready For the Avengers!

Arguably the biggest superhero event since the start of the recent Spiderman and Batman franchises is The Avengers, a film that brings some of Marvel’s stable of superheroes together in what promises to be nirvana for superhero fans.

So let’s say that you haven’t seen Marvel’s excellent run of films leading up to the Avengers (for shame) , or that you haven’t bought and re–watched them over and over (for shame) and need a little help getting on board The Avengers bandwagon. I’ve got you covered! Here’s what you need to know about our heroes before they face down the biggest threat to earth since …ever.

The Values Oscars 2012

To be quite honest, for someone who really enjoys movies, I’ve never given a bent straw about the Oscars. They’ve always seemed uppity, self congratulatory affairs to celebrate movies and people I mostly can’t identify with. Sliding viewership may indicate that the average movie going public is starting to feel the same. So, I thought, what if there were an Oscars that was purely about values. How good the acting was or how convincing the special effects were or how sharp the costumes looked didn’t matter, only the core message that the movie was trying to teach. Who would win the Values Oscars in 2012? Here are my nominees from my limited movie viewing:

Best Seven of Two Thousand Eleven

As the year comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the best of the crop of movies released to DVD during 2011. A special thanks to ClearPlay for making these films more accessible to the whole family.

7. Tangled

I was massively underwhelmed by The Princess and the Frog, so I was pleased to see Disney redeem itself with an adventuresome, fun tale of love and rebirth. This creative retelling of the Rapunzel story has something for everyone to enjoy and is bound to make you smile at least once.

Top 5 of 2011

Rather than choose from all the movies I saw this year, I’m going to focus on my favorite five I watched for ClearPlay. And I’ll do it by genre:

Foreign Film

In a Better World — Few American movies pack the same emotional wallop as this tale of two boys’ friendship that at first looks to be mutually beneficial but exhibits portents of catastrophe. Interesting arguments about the role of non-violence to solve problems, with some powerful scenes along the way.

Halloween Haunts

Let’s face it, I’m a scary movie junkie. But don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not a big fan of buckets of blood, graphic violence, and a non–stop carnival of terror. In my book, subtle is always scarier. I prefer tingles going up my spine instead, with the occasional jolt of surprise to get some exercise. With that in mind, here are my favorite Hollywood Halloween haunts:

A Mother's Day Letter

Dear Mom:

It’s been almost seven years since you left, but I still see you everywhere. Of course, I see you in the obvious places: photo albums, home movies, framed pictures in the study. But your spirit was so large, your influence so complete, you’re present in other places as well. I see you in the gait of your granddaughter as she walks to piano lessons -- the same stride, the same slight hunch forward -- so much the way you used to when you had a purposeful destination. I see you in the occasional dream – are you visiting me, or is it just an errant neuron firing up a distant memory? I see you in our family dynamics, in our attitudes, in our values.

And I see you in the movies.

Oscars '11

I hear the complaint often: Why doesn’t the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences nominate movies for Oscars that people have actually seen? That’s an especially sticky prospect for ClearPlay users, since many nominations go to movies released late the previous year, and you might be waiting for the movies to appear on DVD before you’ll watch them.

To calm people’s concerns, the Academy expanded the Oscar pool to 10 nominees last year, and repeated the practice again for this year’s Oscar ceremony, which will be broadcast Sunday night. And the nominees are: 127 Hours, Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The Kids are All Right, The King’s Speech, The Social Network, Toy Story 3, True Grit, and Winter’’ Bone. Odds are you’ve seen at least a couple.

ClearPlay In Action!

The Social Network, Toy Story 3, Inception, The Kids are All Right and Winter’s Bone are already on DVD, and chances are, you’ve already ClearPlayed them. What of the others? What will ClearPlay edit?

127 Hours (Rated R): Some implied intercourse and profanity, but the main reason for the rating is a graphically violent scene that is the centerpiece of the movie, showing how far a man will go to free himself from rock and survive.

Black Swan (Rated R): The ballet movie focuses on the psychological portrait of a dancer (Natalie Portman) who is technically brilliant, but lacks the passion to sell the role. Because of the passion angle, there is a lot of talk of sex, some nudity, and an explicit scene between two women. Also, language.

The Fighter (Rated R): Wall-to-wall swearing (more than 100 F-words), and some sensuous scenes with a scantily clad Amy Adams. Also, some bloody boxing violence. And did I mention the swearing?

The King’ Speech (Rated R): Take out one brief profanity-laced tirade that is played for comic effect, and the movie would probably be rated G, though that doesn’t mean kids will like it.

True Grit (Rated PG-13): In this retelling of the popular 1969 Western, there is little sex or profanity, but the violence is often bloody. Look for ClearPlay to trim several scenes with startling images, including graphic gunshots, hangings, stabbings, de-fingerings (don’t ask), and a snake bite.

What movie will win, I mean, receive the Oscar for Best Picture?…

First, let’s weed out the longshots. Inception — Too confusing. Toy Story 3 — Too animated. Winter’s Bone — Too obscure. 127 Hours — Too much James Franco. The Kids are All Right — Too funny (the Academy tends not to honor comedies).

    Now the remaining five:

Black Swan — A good solid effort from director Darren Aronofsky, and the Academy loves movies about performers. But it may be a tad on the bleak side for the Academy’s tastes.

The Fighter — A boxing movie about an underdog boxer down on his luck, finally getting his shot at the title and … wait a minute, isn&rsuo;t that Rocky? Though The Fighter features some brilliant performances, it suffers from Who’ll–win–the–big–match–itis.

True Grit — A Western? A Western??? Yeah, Westerns have been honored, such as Dances With Wolves and Unforgiven. But filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen just took home an Oscar for No Country For Old Men a few years ago. Let’s spread the wealth a little.

Word on the street is it’s a two movie race between The King’s Speech and The Social Network, with The King’s Speech the favorite. I’m not buying it. I think in the end, The Social Network will resonate more with voters and come out with more friends, making it the winner.

As for the other main categories …

Best Actor: Go with Colin Firth in The King’s Speech. As close a thing as there is to a guarantee this year.

Best Actress: Natalie Portman in Black Swan. A showy performance that plays to her strengths.

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale in The Fighter. Bale’s always been underrated. Not anymore.

Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo in The Fighter. Because that seems to be the buzz.

Marty Nabhan—“I’d like to thank ClearPlay for this award …”

Movies for Presidents and Politics

Fellow ClearPlayers

As Monday is Presidents Day and we're now into the preceding weekend, we'd like to hear about your favorite movie or movies involving Presidents or politics!  Whether it's a political comedy like Dave, or a more serious biopic like JFK, we want to know.  Maybe a recent one like W. or Charlie Wilson's War, or even a cheesy action like Independence Day.  I've listed a few to get us started, what do you think?

Ben

Brian's Top 5 for Valentine's Day

After my somewhat harsh reviews of Eat, Pray, Love, certain romantic comedies ,and sparkly vampire romance movies, there may be some out there wondering, “Does Brian have a heart, and if so, is it two sizes too small?” Well, to prevent anyone from trying to find out the answer surgically, I present this list of movies with a romantic core that prove that perhaps, just maybe, I might be a closet romantic after all.

Brian’s Top 5 of 2010

As 2010 drags itself to a close and 2011 begins, I present a list of movies I have enjoyed during the year. Some I reviewed, some I didn’t, but these are the most memorable of the bunch. In no particular order:

Inception
In cineplexes full of reboots, retreads, sequels, and prequels, I really enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s high concept and original story. A complex and mind-bending tale of dream sharing and thought shaping, Inception is easily one of the best movies of the year. If you haven’t seen it, get thee to a place of movie vending forthwith!

Marty's Top 5 (or more) of 2010

It's times like these I feel like a bit of an impostor. Top 5 movies of 2010? How can anybody come up with the Top 5 of 2010 without seeing every movie? Well, of the 50 or so movies I saw this last year, here are the ones I think are most worthwhile, in no particular order:

The Ghost Writer – Moody, deliberate thriller that's big on atmosphere, even if it's short on plot complications. A ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) is enlisted to write the memoirs of a former controversial prime minister (Pierce Brosnan). Menace begins to build as the writer learns more than he bargained for.

Animated movies – Another good year for animation featured Despicable Me, an interesting take on the heart and motivation of a supervillain, with clever contraptions and lovable minions;

2010 Movie List

If you're wondering what you might have missed in the way of new filters for 2010, I've got just the thing. A special highlight of some of the filters released for last year. I admit I haven't seen them all but I highlighted my favorites so hopefully when Friday roles around you've got an idea of what movie night might bring you this weekend.
My personal favorites are bolded and most of these movies have a review on this blog. Enjoy!

Some of the New Filters Brought to You in 2010

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Extraordinary Measures
Fame
Leap Year
The Time Traveler's Wife
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Surrogates
The Book of Eli
Whip It
The Lovely Bones (but please read my review before taking my recommendation)
Bright Star

Halloween Movie List

So many choices...

In case you're stumped with what to watch next for some Halloween fright here's your guidebook to good times with movie night.

Happy Birthday 'Ol Boy!

First off, it's confession time. I had all the good intentions of a dutiful Movie Mom to watch The Last Song this weekend, to give the lady readers of this blog a fresh perspective on how a woman would find the movie. I walked into Blockbuster, reached for the last copy of it lying there still and waiting for me on the shelf, but my hand froze, paralyzed before I could touch the cover. Images of my dear, sweet husband flashed before my eyes and I thought, "Can I really do this to him? Again?"
Now don't get the wrong idea, I don't normally pay too much mind to what he wants to watch because he's incredibly easy to please and very good natured about watching whatever I'm watching. But, last week it just so happened that he had worked a full week, did the dishes twice, watched the kids twice, cleaned the whole kitchen once, dropped off his own dry cleaning, picked up his own dirty socks and get this...he vacuumed the entire house, including the stairs.
I know right?
I put my outstretched hand back in my pocket and perused some more until I found Date Night. Oh, c'mon! I know it's no Bourne Identity but it's a compromise from The Last Song.

Anyhow, so since I don't have a review for you I thought we could celebrate one of Hollywood's best looking and accomplished 79 year old actors. It's Sean Connery's birthday today!! So let's review some of his great movies and maybe you can find within this list something to watch this week.
Please note: This list is not a complete list of his works just a sampling and is not listed in any particular order.

Darby O'Gill & The Little People 1959
Highlander 1986
Robin and Marian 1976
Time Bandits 1981
The Untouchables 1987
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 1989
The Hunt for Red October 1990
Marnie (an Alfred Hitchcock film) 1964
Medicine Man 1992
First Knight (with Richard Gere) 1995
The Avengers 1998
The Man Who Would be King 1975
The Great Train Robbery (with Donald Sutherland) 1979
The Offence 1973
Entrapment 1999
The Rock 1996
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 2003
and of course he appeared...
As James Bond in:
Dr. No 1962
From Russia with Love 1963
Goldfinger 1964
Thunderball 1965
You Only Live Twice 1967
Diamonds Are Forever 1971
Never Say Never Again 1983

I think we'll try watching Medicine Man again...of course, if the Mr. behaves himself this weekend maybe we'll watch League of Extraordinary Gentlemen again or something of the James Bond flavor. We shall see.

Danielle'-The Great Compromiser

"Oh, hey, I take the good with the bad, together. I can't love people in slices." (Which Sean Connery movie is that line from?)

Family Movie List

Favorite Family Films

I'm on vacation right now and one of our favorite things to do when we all get together is, can you guess? That's right, watch movies. So I thought instead of doing just ONE movie review, I'd do short reviews on five of our family favorites. So here goes:

1. Harry Potter. Whether it's The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Half Blood Prince, the Sorcerer's Stone, or any of the other six released films, we love them all. Often times we'll have a "Harry Potter Marathon" watching one after the other so that when we go to sleep, vision of Hogwarts and butterbeer dance in our heads. It's just so fun to see how Harry journeys through one battle after the other in efforts to defeat the evil Voldemort.

2. Princess Bride. What family doesn't watch this movie during big family gatherings, I mean really? That handsome Westley as he tries to rescue the beautiful Princess Buttercup before she has to marry the evil Prince Humperdinck. Jam packed with hilarious dialogue, The Princess Bride is a movie that every family would enjoy.

3. Napoleon Dynamite. I remember watching this back in 2004 and thinking, "Are you for real?" But then I watched it again, and again, and again, until I, like the rest of the world fell in love with the hilariously quirky Napoleon. Whether it's his bizarre family relationships (Kip, and Uncle Rico) or his new found friend Pedro. Napoleon Dynamite will have you rolling on the floor in laughter as he helps Pedro run for Student Body President and proves that well, he has nothing to prove at all.

4. Home Alone. I know it's a Christmas movie but our clan enjoys this seasonal classic year-around! It's so fun to watch as Kevin McAllister basks in living on his own, eating ice cream a mile and jumping on beds, eating his OWN cheese pizza. But the best part is when he has to save the house from two cooky burglars. The booby traps that he sets are a riot!!

5. Disney's Robin Hood. Call us kids at heart, but we cannot resist that furry fox Robin Hood and his trusty companion, Little John. The witty banter, the jubilant songs, and the classic story of an exiled hero robbing the rich to feed the poor and rescuing Maid Marian in the process.

So tell me, what movies does your family watch at big gatherings?

Trisha~Watcher of Family Favorite Films

Great 'Dad' Roles

Father of the Bride-When I think of classic ‘Dad Roles’ this is the first one that comes to mind. I still laugh out loud during the scenes with Steve Martin and Martin Short together. When character George can’t understand a word Franck Eggelhoffer is saying. And of course when George imagines his daughter at five telling him she’s fallen in love and is getting married. Classic.

The Family Man- This movie really shows what true happiness is supposed to be all about. My heart melts every time the little daughter Annie finally recognizes Jack as her Dad after she’s labeled him an alien. What daughter hasn’t labeled her own father as somehow alien at some point in her life? Usually teenaged life.

The Princess Bride-This one’s a shout out to Grandpas who are willing to spend entire days reading a great book to their grandsons (and daughters). Since it seems everyone has seen this ‘must-see’ movie, I challenge you to read the book before re-watching the movie because the book is ten times as hilarious.

Definitely, Maybe-Ryan Reynolds as Will Hayes makes a great single Dad telling his daughter the story of his love life gone by. I love stories. And stories told by Dads to their daughters are even better. This was a great (filter needed) movie. My favorite line is near the end when Abigail (the daughter) thanks her Dad (Ryan Reynolds) for the story.
“Your welcome,” he replies, “I didn’t tell you the happy ending.”
Abigail asks, “What is it?”
“You.”
Aw! I’m getting all teary—Time for the next one!

Finding Nemo-Seriously?! A Dad who crosses the whole ocean, fights a deep sea beast, takes on a forest of jelly fish, three sharks, the inside of a whale and a companion who can barely remember her own name! Add to that a Dad who can realize when his parenting style needs a little fixing and actually fixes it and you’ve got the bravest, best Dad ever!

Taken-Not the most well-done movie in the world, but certainly a great example of a Dad who is kind of clueless as to how to effectively show his daughter he loves her and thankfully, is able to express himself using his “specific set of skills” which prove to be pretty intense. (Filter seriously needed)

Big Fish-I’m just looking for an excuse to get this movie suggested. I LOVE this movie. This one’s more about a son who needs to learn to stop being upset with his Dad for being who he is. Plus, this movie has THE BEST ending there’s ever been in a movie…EVER!
And THAT is how you end a Father’s Day movie list!

Danielle’-To My Dad: ‘As You Wish!’