The 2008 Movie Genre of the Month Club

[Pulpmariachi]

Hey! Guess this applies:

Men in Black.

[Heineken Skywalker]

ROAD TO PERDITION (2002)

A hit man and his son go on the run when their family is killed after the son witnessses a hit. Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law and Daniel Craig are all perfect in this 1931-set gangster film. A really nice score by Thomas Newman too, who also composed the music for the just released WALL-E. Very melancholy, which fits the mood of the film perfectly.

8/10

30 DAYS OF NIGHT (2007)

A gang of vampires descends on an Alaskan town that has just begun it's cycle of 30 days without sunlight. Very original idea for a vampire movie, a genre where you would think they've pretty much used up all the original ideas by this point. It also helps that these aren't the brooding, angst-filled and well-dressed vampires of Anne Rice novels. Nope, these vamps are creepy, nasty, blood-soaked killers who aren't even interested in "turning" their victims. Just feed, kill and move on down the human buffet line. Suspenseful.

7.5/10

[Heineken Skywalker]

The final scores for this month.

June: COMIC BOOKS & GRAPHIC NOVEL ADAPTATIONS

Heineken Skywalker = 13
Slayrrr666 = 11
ZapRowsdower = 10
LivingDeadGirl = 6
Bartwald = 1
Pulpmariachi = 1

Congrats to Slayrrr for the high score this month!

The complete tally for the year so far:

Heineken Skywalker = 93
Slayrrr666 = 49
ZapRowsdower = 46
LivingDeadGirl = 25
Pulpmariachi = 18
Bartwald = 9
Quorthon = 8
Sybillness = 7

EDIT: To add Slayrrr's 3 movies he watched before the month was out, but while he was on vacation.

[Heineken Skywalker]

The genre/category for July is...

MOVIES BASED ON A TV SERIES and MOVIES THAT INSPIRED A TV SERIES

Turning beloved tv series into major films is big business. Just recently we had big screen versions of SEX AND THE CITY, SPEEDRACER and GET SMART. Later this month we're getting a second X-FILES movie. And JJ Abrams is hard at work on yet another STAR TREK film.
The opposite is true too: There have been lots of tv series that were based on films, like 70's sitcoms M*A*S*H and ALICE or as recently as TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES. So I want to include those as well this month.

A few rules to follow: (The "NEW RULES" are specific to this month's category, so please be sure to read them. The rest of the rules are basically the same ones as previous months.)

NEW RULE 1. All films this month have to have either been based on a TV series or inspired a TV series. The genre can be of any type including sci-fi, drama, comedy, horror, etc. And it doesn't have to be live-action, meaning animation is allowed too.

NEW RULE 2. Live-Action films based on animated series are allowed and so are live-action films that inspired animated tv series. For instance, the films MEN IN BLACK and GHOSTBUSTERS had animated spin-offs on tv.

NEW RULE 3. Movies based on tv skits and sketches are allowed.

4. No more than two films from any series will actually score you points. So, for example, if you choose to watch 5 of the STAR TREK movies, no more than two of them should be posted here. Feel free to watch as many as you want though and post them in the regular "Just Watched" thread.

5. As usual, all movies watched have to have been theatrical releases. Only actual movies that were released in theaters will count. The same rule applies here that has applied for all previous categories. No made for tv or made for cable movies. Movies that first aired on HBO, USA, Showtime, Sci-Fi Channel, etc., are not eligible. No television mini-series or direct to home video features either.

6. Whenever you watch one, feel free to post it in "Just Watched Movies" like you normally would, or even write a review for "Review Hell" if so inclined, but most importantly, post in this thread, so that I can keep track of what everybody's watching and can more easily calculate the final scores. Feel free to tell us what you thought of the film and score it using the 1 to 10 system, ie: 1 being just awful, 5 is average and 10 being perfect. Half points, ie: 8.5/10 are also allowed.

7. You have until July 31st and then on August 1st I'll announce the next genre or category. After July 31st, any films based on TV series you watch are purely for your own enjoyment and no longer count towards your total score.

8. I will periodically update the scores for this genre so that everyone can see where they, and everyone else, is at. At the beginning of the following month, I will add the new scores to the previous month's scores, to get a complete tally and show the total scores for the year so far.

9. Try to watch at least four, one per week, but the more you watch, the better your chances at being awarded the "2008 Movie Genre Of The Month Club Grand Prize"!
But even better, hopefully at the end of it all, you'll feel like you saw a bunch of movies you might not have watched otherwise and actually enjoyed some of them.

If there's something I forgot to cover or there are any additional concerns or questions, feel free to post them here so that I can answer for everyone to see.
Also, if any other members of The Board decide to join us, no problem. Just post here that you're in or whatever. You might be a bit behind at first, but the more the merrier.

Cheers and good luck everybody!

[Pulpmariachi]

Do mini-series' count? Like with all the Dunes or Lolita?

[Heineken Skywalker]

Do you mean the various Sci-Fi Channel DUNE mini-series?
I wouldn't count that as a tv series based on the David Lynch movie. They're mini-series based on the books. Not really what I'm looking for.

[Heineken Skywalker]

MAVERICK (1994)

Light and fluffy, but entertaining and fast-paced big screen version of the 50's western tv series that starred James Garner as gambler Bret Maverick. Here, Maverick is trying to raise the funds to enter a big poker game and along the way encounters different characters and various obstacles. Mel Gibson takes on the role of Maverick for the film and does a fine job at both the comedic and the action stuff. Jodie Foster is another gambler and con-artist, and even the original Maverick, James Garner, shows up in a supporting role.
Great supporting cast including Alfred Molina, James Coburn and Graham Greene (Kicking Bird from DANCES WITH WOLVES) who is hilarious as an English speaking American Indian who is a buddy of Maverick's. He has some funny lines.
Lots of cameos and sight-gags including a surprise cameo by Mel's LETHAL WEAPON partner, Danny Glover.

7/10

[Heineken Skywalker]

MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: THE MOVIE (1996)

Hadn't seen this one since it was in theaters. No, it's not as funny as most of the episodes of the actual series, but it's still pretty good. THIS ISLAND EARTH is the sci-fi B-movie that gets skewered here and it deserves it.

7/10

[Pulpmariachi]

Jul 1, 2008 18:37:07 GMT -5 Heineken Skywalker said:

Do you mean the various Sci-Fi Channel DUNE mini-series?
I wouldn't count that as a tv series based on the David Lynch movie. They're mini-series based on the books. Not really what I'm looking for.

All right.

I did mean, though, that they were made in a response to the theatrical versions because they either 1.) didn't like them or 2.) wanted to be extremley faithful. Just clearing it up. Thanks.

[Heineken Skywalker]

DUDLEY DO-RIGHT (1999)

Hmm... exactly who was the audience for this movie?
The animated series was a witty show full of puns, ala Jay Ward's other creations BULLWINKLE & ROCKY and GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE, that appealed to adults as well as kids, but this live-action version is just lame, lame, lame. Too dumbed down for adults or kids to enjoy. Brendan Fraser, who is usually a pretty likeable actor, totally phones in his performance, and Sarah Jessica Parker as love interest Nell, is completely devoid of personality here. Only Alfred Molina, as the villain, Snidely Whiplash, seems to be having any fun and actually does a decent impression of his animated counterpart.
Terrible.

2/10 (2 points for Molina, everything else is a big fat "0".)

ALIEN NATION (1988)

Humanoid aliens, know as "newcomers", arrive on earth and are integrated into our society. They learn our language, get jobs, raise families, etc. James Caan and Mandy Patinkin play police detectives, one human (Caan) and one alien (Patinkin), who are partnered and are soon investigating some mysterious "newcomer" deaths. Part sci-fi allegory and part buddy-cop film, the plot is pretty standard police movie fare, but the alien aspect gives it a fresh twist and there's some nice interplay between the two leads.
Was the basis for a short-lived tv series '89-'90.

7/10

On a related note. These first four movies I watched essentially represent the four different types of movies that can count for this "genre of the month".
1. MAVERICK: New actors are cast in roles originally played by other actors to bring tv series to the big screen.
2. MST3K: THE MOVIE: Series is brought to the big screen using same cast, and probably a lot of the same production crew, as on the tv series.
3. DUDLEY DO-RIGHT: Animated series is turned into a live-action film.
4. ALIEN NATION: Film inspires tv series.

[ZapRowsdower]

Broken Arrow (1950, Delmer Daves)

Historically, this is the first post-WWII Western that gives a fair and balanced portrayal of Native Americans. It requires a little suspension of disbelief to understand that even though they're speaking English onscreen, they're actually speaking Apache with each other. And at times that can get confusing. But it's still a good film with a great performance by James Stewart. 8/10

[Heineken Skywalker]

SERENITY (2005)

FIREFLY, the short-lived, abruptly cancelled cult sci-fi series by Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel) gets the big screen treatment, and finally some closure, with this movie. The film picks up about 6 months after the events in the final episode and the entire cast is reunited. Whedon's writing and directing (his first feature film) are in fine form. About as good as the better episodes of the series, but longer and with a bigger budget. Does provide a couple of shocking moments though.

7.5/10

SEX AND THE CITY (2008)

Unlike FIREFLY, SEX AND THE CITY was on for many years and had an actual final episode. Don't know if it really needed a big screen version only a few years after the show ended, but here we are. Sarah Jessica Parker and her three gal pals are reunited to hang out in Manhattan, dish on the men in their lives and drink Cosmopolitans. A few big events do happen so I guess that was the justification for a film. The main story is whether Carrie (Parker) will finally walk down the aisle with her boyfriend, Mr. Big, but the other girls each get their own subplot as well. Basically this is 4 episodes of the series strung together to feature-length. If you're a fan of the tv show you'll probably enjoy this, if not, you probably won't.

7/10

[slayrrr666]

Heiney, I told you about these, I was able to catch these three before the month ran out:

Spider-Man-2002
Standard beginning of the story here, which means that, for me at least, it's pretty dull for the most part of the time but only gets interesting when he's battling the Goblin. Not that those are all that bad, but frankly I was just expecting more I guess. The battle in the burning skyscraper, though, saves this one immensely and is one of my favorite parts to it, and with a little comedy mixed in (the scene in the bedroom discovering his powers and the wrestling match among others) are there to help bump up the film a little more, and they're certainly fine, I just wanted more from it.
6/10

X-Men-2000
Again, didn't have any real knowledge of who these guys were other than a few names, but I liked this one a little more than the others. Relied on more action (even though if all the film had would've been just the final atop the city at the end, I wouldn't have minded at all) a rather decent story although it comes with a fatal flaw: during the hearing at the beginning, the argument is made that they pose a threat because of their powers. A normal person with a gun holds the same threat, it's just their own nature that determines whether or not they decide to use it for good or evil. Don't really remember if it played out exactly like that, but I know it came close enough. Overall, not bad.
7.5/10

Men in Black-1996
After hearing about you guys claiming this one, I figured to make sure to catch it as well. Really enjoyable, a great story with it's own rules, a little bit of enjoyable grossness, and a whole lot of fun. From the battle in the park to the chas through the diner and the opening foot-chase, the action is more than acceptable and actually keeps it entertaining, the jokes are fast and funny, much more so than normal for these kinds of films and is definitely needed, as something like this shouldn't have been without comedy. Needed and certainly enjoyed. I highly enjoyed this one.
8/10

And, after reading the new one for the month, I think this one can count as well, so add those to last month and this one goes for this month:

Dudley-Do Right-1999
I can understand why you didn't like this one, it's too stupid, but I love stupidity and had a blast with it. There were times where I had a hard time breathing I was laughing so hard (the DD on the side of the werehouse and the "It's not black, it's dark blue" scenes amongst others) I found the quips to be really funny and most of the time it was just flat-out hilarious with it's puns and gags. It even has a full-on action scene at the end with the battle against the evil forces. I really liked this one a lot.
9/10

[Heineken Skywalker]

A 9/10 for DUDLEY DO-RIGHT?? Egads, man!! ;D

BEVERLY HILLBILLIES (1993)

Big screen version of the fish-out-of-water 60's sitcom about Jed Clampett, a redneck who accidentally discovers oil on his property, becomes a billionaire and moves his family to Beverly Hills. I was never a big fan of the sitcom and this film version isn't going to change that.
The new cast does a fine job of recreating the old characters, expecially Lily Tomlin as Jane Hathaway, but the characters and script are way too thin to provide much entertainment. The characters on "Gilligan's Island" seem deep by comparison.

The best gag in the film by far is Buddy Ebsen's cameo as private eye, Barnaby Jones.
Ebsen played Jed Clampett on the TV version of "The Beverly Hillbillies" for many years and then played the title character of "Barnaby Jones" for almost as many years. Having him reprise the other tv character he's famous for in this movie was pretty clever.

I did think it was a hair better than DUDLEY DO-RIGHT though, so whaddya think Slayrrr, is this one a 10/10 for you? ;D

3/10

[slayrrr666]

I haven't seen it in a long time, but I'll certainly get around to it. The only thing I remember about it was the bowling scene, which was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. Don't really remember too much, it was a rental viewing back in the old millenium, so it hasn't aged well with no more recent viewings.