Psycho (1960)

I spotted Hitchcock's cameo early in the film as he stood on a corner outside a window.

I appreciated this more than I did when I was ten and enamored with the Scream movies, but I still didn't think it was great. There were plenty of times when plot was advanced by awkward dialogue (while the protagonist was driving, at the end when the psychiatrist explained Norman Bates' complete sordid history and psychosis) and the tense music was over the top and unnecessary.

The actor who played Norman did a great job with a wide range. He believably portrayed everything from warmth and an inviting nature to slightly off to creepy and off putting.

I ended up losing a dollar bet when the private investigator died. Parents, please reimburse me. It's a college expense, just like any other.

Rebel Without a Cause

I saw this movie as part of a double feature in the DuBois basement. Needed to watch it for class.


Nice seeing it again, as I missed half of it sophomore year in high school. More later (maybe).

TMNT

TMNT was a movie about ninja turtles. I loved them since i was a little kid.

More if i feel like updating this later. Probably won't.

"I want you to remember this moment. The way it coulda gone and didn’t."

Pitch Black
David Twohy, 2000

I know I watched this at some point this summer via surfthechannel.com. I mostly remember enjoying it because Vin Diesel is a badass, but I remained unconvinced that it was an example of fine cinema.

I've been a bad film student this summer. I've only watched two movies, neither of which were particularly challenging. I have, however, watched two and a half seasons of Boston Legal (again thanks to SurfTheChannel). That William Shatner is one funny old man.

"Vegetable plants, pizza plants... it's good to be home!"

Wall-E
Andrew Stanton, 2008

Pixar's films are always visually stunning, and Wall-E was no exception. However, the visuals were not enough to save the movie for me. I felt the movie dragged on much too long in introductions before any sort of conflict was introduced. Later on, it seemed to me the film didn't know what it wanted to be about. There was the love story between EVE and Wall-E, the cautionary commentary on laziness and technological dependence as well as the conflict between AUTO and the captain. All of these had the potential to cohabit the plot harmoniously, but it seemed like none of them stood out as the primary subject.
Relationships with subordinate characters didn't gel for me. While M-O was entertaining enough, the immediate impression Wall-E and EVE left upon anyone they came in contact with seemed too automatic.
The movie wasn't bad by any means. The little girl sitting in front of me at the theater really seemed to enjoyed it. I just think Pixar is getting shining reviews by default due to their reputation.

"She caught the wrong second of a two-second story. "

Cashback
Sean Ellis, 2006

I don't know what to write for films like this. I enjoyed it. Check it out.

Image Courtesy of soberingconclusion.com.

"I'm Sorry!"

Wanted
Timur Bekmambetov, 2008

Really entertaining flick. Started out like a Fight Club/ Office Space amalgam with a really stupid cross-high-rise jump that made me worry about the rest of the movie. Luckily, it adopted a better visual style that made the outlandish things that happened believable enough. I can't stress that "enough" enough. In a movie where a car vaults over a line of police, lands on the side of a bus and drives away as the bus slams onto its side, you shouldn't expect anything to be truly believable.
In the end, the movie was really entertaining, but nothing life altering or poignant. However, there were rat bombs. What else do you need from a summer flick?

Image Courtesy of Yahoo.