Tuesday, April 19, 2011

30 Day Film Challenge: Days 14-19

Oops, I'm a bit behind on this. Let's play catch up, shall we?

Day 14: The Film That No One Expected You to Like


Star Trek (J.J. Abrams, 2009)

To be quite honest, I never expected to like this one either. But I guess low expectations really helped because I had quite a fun time watching this. Star Trek is one of the few recent action blockbusters that doesn't take itself seriously and has a bit of fun amid all the mindless explosions.

Day 15: The Film That Depicts Your Life


Waiting for Guffman (Christopher Guest, 1996)

This isn't my life, necessarily, but I feel like it's one of the few films that truly captures what it's like living in small Midwest town.

Day 16: A Film You Used to Love, But Now Hate


Our Modern Maidens (Jack Conway, 1929)

Usually it happens the other way around, where I hate a movie but love it the second time I see it. I had a hard time coming up with one for this as most of the shitty movies I loved as a child still hold a special place in my heart. I finally decided on Our Modern Maidens, a silly Joan Crawford silent melodrama that I saw very early on in my cinephilia. I loved it the first time but after a second viewing a couple years later, I couldn't see what I had originally found so special about it. I don't exactly hate it, but it's not exactly the classic I thought it was back then.

Day 17: Your Favorite Drama Film


Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950)

Norma Desmond is big and so is this movie, possibly the greatest movie about the movies ever made. It's hardbiting wit is still surprisingly strong sixty years later.

Day 18: Your Favorite Comedy Film


Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks, 1938)

The fastest paced, zaniest comedy I've ever seen, Bringing Up Baby gave new meaning to the term "screwball comedy." Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn were never better, riffing on untapped portions of their star personas.

Day 19: Your Favorite Action Film


Speed (Jan de Bont, 1994)

If only all action films were like Speed: a well plotted thriller that takes a simple premise and extracts as much tension and suspense out of it as possible. Bonus points: Sandy Bullock in her star making vehicle (ha).

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