The 2008 Movie Genre of the Month Club

[Heineken Skywalker]

Watched on Christmas Eve:

MIRACLE ON 34th STREET (1994)

Remake of the 1947 Christmas classic about a department store Santa who has to prove that he's the real thing. Nothing too offensive here, but nothing really special either. The kid (Mara Wilson) is a little too precocious at times, but Richard Attenborough is perfect as Santa.

5.5/10

THE ITALIAN JOB (2003)

Mark Wahlberg leads a gang of thieves who plan to cause a major L.A. traffic jam and use Mini Coopers as their getaway cars, in order to steal a safe full of gold bars.
Actually like this one a little more than the original Michael Caine version, even though Wahlberg is no Caine. The gang this time is more colorful and entertaining and the chase scenes are very entertaining.

7.5/10

[slayrrr666]

I Am Legend-2007
I wanted to like this one, I really, really did but it just didn't work for me. Too long, too bloated and quite dull, filled with plot holes (that milk thing, for some reason, just struck me as odd) or just lame scenes added into the film trying it's best to provide action (chasing down and actually catching a deer? Not buying it) in an attempt to keep things going. The attacks aren't that bad, though, and do get suspenseful at a point, but it just felt too little too late.
4.5/10

[slayrrr666]

The Hitcher-2007
Another one of those were I've never seen the original, and after how lame this one turned out to be, have no interest in doing so. There wasn't anything going on at all, just one long sequence after another where the hitcher was spouting off something that could be taken as a threat, the captives did nothing about it except look terrified and then get their revenge at the very end in a completely unsatisfactory way. There's no suspense, no action, no blood or gore, not even some nudity to help out the sleaze angle, which is a shame. The revenge scenes do pick up the energy level somewhat, but like with I Am Legend, too little too late.
3/10

[slayrrr666]

Last Man Standing-1996
One I had in my collection for years but had never gotten around to it til now. Not that bad, but I've seen much better. Pretty much dependant upon how the gunfights are done, which, while there isn't as much as I would've wanted, the ones in the film aren't too bad. Still, this one really didn't do a whole lot to win me over with it's pacing, which for an action film is a cardinal sin, and that's the reason why this one is lacking considerably. It's enjoyable when we get them, but I wanted more of them to come about. A somewhat disappointment, though it's still not that bad.
6.5/10

Psycho-1998
Time for the ultimate cruxification: I like this one more than the original. Frankly, I never really liked it all that much to begin with (the postitive review of it online is merely a respect review rather than one of my true feelings, much like Jaws is) and was just bored with that one most of the time. This one feels more like me, with bloody deaths, some nice sleaze and nudity, well-done stalkings and a bunch of fun at the end, with all the chases, revelations and a nice scare as well. Sure, it's scene-by-scene and really doesn't offer surprises at all, but it's a minor point. This one's just fun, the other is a chore to get through.
8/10

[Heineken Skywalker]

Three remakes that I thought were all better than the originals:

THE DEPARTED (2006)

Scorsese takes on the Honk Kong film INFERNAL AFFAIRS, turns it into the Irish mob versus the cops, adds a stellar cast featuring Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen and Alec Baldwin, and creates his best movie since GOODFELLAS.

9/10

OCEAN'S ELEVEN (2001)

Clooney and the gang can't touch the iconic coolness of Sinatra and the "Rat Pack", but this Vegas casino heist story is a lot more entertaining and fun.

7.5/10

RED DRAGON (2002)

Prequel to SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and remake of MANHUNTER. People like to pile on Director Brett Ratner, but I think this is a damn fine movie. Not as good as SILENCE..., but better than the original, which I find slow and dated, and better than the third movie in the trilogy, Ridley Scott's vile HANNIBAL.
Excellent cast too.

8/10

[Heineken Skywalker]

The final scores for this month.

December: THE REMAKES

Heineken Skywalker = 23
Slayrrr666 = 16

The complete tally for the year:

Heineken Skywalker = 222
Slayrrr666 = 153
ZapRowsdower = 99
LivingDeadGirl = 45
Pulpmariachi = 18
Quorthon = 17
Bartwald = 10
Sybillness = 7

Congrats Slayyrrr666! You were the first one to sign up and the only one who got into this completely and fulfilled the requirement of watching at least 4 films that fit within the genre every single month. And thanks to everyone else who participated, even a little bit.

Slayrrr, I'll pm you when I have your prize ready to ship and then you can pm me the address you want it sent to.
Cheers!

[slayrrr666]

No problem, man.

I have to say, it was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Like I said last year, I wanted to try something new and I did that with this. Sure, I saw some clunkers, but I have to say, I saw a lot more that I enjoyed I wouldn't have seen at all and just dismissed on general impulse. Thanks for some fun times, and a fun concept as well. Will we see it for 2009?

[Heineken Skywalker]

Jan 1, 2009 11:38:46 GMT -5 slayrrr666 said:

Thanks for some fun times, and a fun concept as well. Will we see it for 2009?

Glad you had fun.
As for doing it again in 2009, I am, but just as a personal thing for myself. That's what I originally intended for the 2008 version, but then I decided to share it with the rest of the members here to see how it would go.
As you can see by the end results, for the last few months it was just you and me participating, so I don't really see the point of asking the entire Board if they'd be into trying again in '09. I think it would be more fun with a larger group.
Frankly, I don't know if you've noticed, but for the last couple of months, it's pretty much been just you and me posting regularly on this site in general. With the occasional odd post from someone else. Not sure what happened or where everybody went.
Anyway, glad you at least stuck with it.

[slayrrr666]

Yeah, I did catch that as well. I mean, they logged in and such, but didn't do any posting. Maybe they figured I had such a big lead in the totals that it wasn't worth trying to catch me. I'm not saying it's the official reason or anything, but now that you mention it, it did come to me. I was trailing Zapp for a few months there in the middle, so who knows.

Sorry to hear it won't be the full Board again, but what can I say? I had more fun with it than I thought I would, saw some good stuff I know I would've missed, yet was still able to see a good percentage of stuff I normally would've, so I can't completely discount it. Maybe 2010 when it looks like the Board comes back again.

[raina]

Jan 2, 2009 10:11:29 GMT -5 Heineken Skywalker said:

Jan 1, 2009 11:38:46 GMT -5 slayrrr666 said:

Thanks for some fun times, and a fun concept as well. Will we see it for 2009?

Glad you had fun.
As for doing it again in 2009, I am, but just as a personal thing for myself. That's what I originally intended for the 2008 version, but then I decided to share it with the rest of the members here to see how it would go.
As you can see by the end results, for the last few months it was just you and me participating, so I don't really see the point of asking the entire Board if they'd be into trying again in '09. I think it would be more fun with a larger group.
Frankly, I don't know if you've noticed, but for the last couple of months, it's pretty much been just you and me posting regularly on this site in general. With the occasional odd post from someone else. Not sure what happened or where everybody went.
Anyway, glad you at least stuck with it.

That's too bad, I wanted to try this, it seemed like fun (I came into it so late, didn't seem like I should join in on this one). But I guess an extra person wouldn't make much of a difference.

[Heineken Skywalker]

Raina and Slayyyr, since you guys are interested, and anyone else reading this,
I've decided to do Genre of the Month again, but in a slightly altered way.
See the new thread for info.

[ZapRowsdower]

Sorry, this last semester has rendered me without any real time to participate. I am willing to try again for 2009 though.