Christmas Movies

If there is any type of movie that everyone could agree on loving, it’s Christmas movies.  There is just something about Christmas movies that makes me smile.  There is nothing I would rather do than watch a good Christmas movie right around the holidays.  I feel that these movies are so successful because they are for people of all ages.  They are for a wide range audience.  Here is the list for the top selling Christmas movies from 1980 to present (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=christmas.htm).

I love almost every type, but none of them even come close to A Christmas Story.  That is my family and my all time favorite.  It comes on every Christmas Eve for twenty-four hours.  Every year we all sit around and watch it.  Although that is my favorite holiday movie, I have many other favorites.  One of my other favorites is Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  I think this movie is a great family classic.  I love both the cartoon version and the version with actor Jim Carrey.  I think especially for adults it is fun watching the same movies that saw as a child.  I know for me, I am like a little kid when it comes to Christmas movies and things like that.  I used to watch the cartoon version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas all the time when I was growing up.  So when the newer version came out, I felt like a little kid again.

I love seeing new Christmas films every year.  I am excited to see what comes out this year for the holidays.

Superhero/Comic book Character Films

I used to watch Superheroes as cartoons when I was younger.  I also used to read the comic books.  Now I see all of my childhood superheroes brought to life in movies.  Some are successful and others aren’t.  I find myself to be bored by many of them.  What Superhero/Comic book characters were your favorite growing up?  Do you like the movies that transformed them to real life characters?

 I really enjoyed Spider-Man (and all of its sequels).  This film was ranked number eight-teen on the All-Time Worldwide Box Office.  It made $806,700,000 at the box office (http://www.imdb.com/boxoffice/alltimegross?region=world-wide).  I think this film was great.  I loved everything about it.  It was fun and exciting.  It brought me back to when I was a kid watching the cartoon episodes.  I also enjoyed Spider-Man 2.  This movie was also very successful.  It was ranked number twenty-two on this list making $783,577,893(http://www.imdb.com/boxoffice/alltimegross?region=world-wide).  I liked Fantastic Four, Batman (1989), Batman & Robin, Batman Forever, and X-Men.  These are the films that really kept me interested throughout the whole movie.

I really do not like Hulk.  This was one film that I really thought that I was going to enjoy.  I must have watched the first thirty minutes of this film before I started to fall asleep.  I completely hated everything about it.  Although it made $241,700,000 (http://www.imdb.com/boxoffice/alltimegross?region=world-wide) at the box office, I was not a fan. 

Even though I was a fan of Superman growing up, I never bought into the idea of the movie.  I have seen Catwoman and it was just an OK movie.  It didn’t really impress me.

It will be interesting to see what new films will be made about superheroes.  I hope it’s not another disapointment.

Adam Sandler vs. Will Ferrell

When I think of comedy, these two names are the first that pop into my head.  I am a huge fan of both of their work.  Adam Sandler and Will Farrell are both incredibly hilarious.  How can we know for sure who the King of Comedy really is?

I have to be honest and say that I haven’t seen all of neither Sandler’s or Ferrell’s film, but I have seen many of them.  I have seen enough to have developed and opinion on who makes me laugh more.  I personally feel like Will Ferrell is funnier.  He is just so natural and good at what he does.  I’m not saying that Adam Sandler is not, but his style just does not seem as natural as Ferrell’s.  With that said, I prefer to watch most of Adam Sandler’s films over Will Ferrell’s films.  Sandler’s films are just so classic.  I hate to say it, but most of Ferrell’s films have stupid plots.

I love watching Sandler’s movies such as Billy Madison, Big Daddy, Click, Waterboy, and The Longest Yard.  I also enjoy Ferrell’s Anchorman, Elf, and Old School.  I’ve just realized that most of his films alone aren’t as strong as Sandler’s.  Putting the movies aside and just based on the actors’ personal performances, I feel that Ferrell is the King.  He makes his job look so effortless.  Sometimes I think that he wouldn’t even have to speak to make people laugh.  I think that he is the crowd favorite.  At http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7675709, Mike Miller gives you a breakdown of each Actor’s strengths and weakness.  You will also read about who he believes is the true King of Comedy.

What is the Scariest Film you have ever seen?

I tried to think back to when I was younger, and what I realized is that that was the time when I saw what felt like the scariest movies in the world.  Now obviously, they seemed scarier then because I was young, but when I look back at some of those movies, they still freak me out.  The movie that has always been frieghtning to me is Child’s Play, which is also known as “Chucky”(The killer doll).  That movie made me scared of all types of dolls.  I used to have reoccuring dreams about Chucky.

I always wonder what movies are considered the scariest to other people.  Movies that I have always been scared or wierded out by are Halloween, Saw, Alien, The Ring, Children of the Corn, Signs, Jaws, and Psycho.  Obviously there are more, but these are films that I have seen often.  There are different types of scary films.  There are ghost films, serial killer films, killer animal films, and alien films.  Which type scare you the most?  I think I have always been really terrified of ghost/haunted films, and alien films.  Don’t get me wrong, movies such as Halloween terrorfy me, but there is just something about supernatural things/events that completely spook me out.

At http://horrormovies.tribe.net/thread/5a8e8927-ce4f-4451-ae52-0020375d5c32, the 100 Scariest Movies of All Time are listed.  Now, everyone is entitled to their opinions, but this list was created by the Chicago Film Critics Association.  This list contains all types of scary movies, including many of the films that have always frieghtened me the most.  Check it out and see if your “scariest films” are on the list.

Sequels

Think of your favorite movies.  A lot of movies have sequels to them.  Some of the most successful films have sequels.  Movies such as Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Saw, and Harry Potter.  These are all very different films, what they have in common are sequels.

It always seems likes the original movies are the best, but sometimes, the second or third sequel quickly becomes your favorite.  For instance, everyone loves the American Pie films.  As much as I love the first film, the second is my favorite.

For some people, sequels keep getting better and better.  I am not at all a fan of the Harry Potter films, but from what I am told, the films are better each time a new one comes out. 

Maybe the reason sequels are better is because after doing the original, it is easier to make improvements and adjusments.  After seeing how the audience reacts the the first film, the creators have a better opportunity to make a better and more creative sequel.

For those who aren’t that crazy about sequels, maybe the originals are better.  The fact that the first film is original and sets the bar for the next films to come says a lot.  The first film has to be successful in order for there to even be sequels.

This summer has great sequels coming up.  Sequels from movies such as Indiana Jones, The Mummy, and Harry Potter.  At http://geeksofdoom.com/2008/02/12/2008-movie-sequel-guide/, you are given a list of what sequels are coming out in 2008.  With each movie, it also tells you what films came before that particular sequel.  It’s an interesting and informative website to check out.  Find out which of your favorite sequels are coming out soon.

The Animation Process

Think about your favorite animated movies. Do you ever think about how they are made?  Everytime I watch a Disney movie, I am constantly asking myself, “how do they do that?”  I used to just think that the artist would just draw one million different pictures and flip them, one after the other to make the pictures come alive.  Obviously, the process is much more difficult than that.   At www.Justdisney.com, there are ten steps that are involved in creating an animation feature.  In the animation section of this website, they go through the process of making their films.  They will walk you through and explain each step in this process.

Technology has improved so much since the beginning of animation.  If you look back at older animated films, they look faded and hand drawn.  An example of this would be Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dworfs.  Artists painted the background of the film on glass and then joined it with other backgrounds that were painted on glass as well.  The purpose of this is “to create the illusion of extreme movement” (www.justdisney.com).

More recent movies aren’t created the same way.  Today, animated films come to life with the use of computers, and scanners. 

Even though many people enjoy viewing the positive changes made over time in animation, it is very interesting to see how it all began.  It’s hard for many people to imagine what life would be like without improvements in technology.  To be honest, things would be fine.  As far as animation goes anyways.  I am interested to learn more about the process.

Top Selling Movies of All Time

Have you ever wondered how popular your favorite films are?  I always wonder if the movies that I love are loved by other people as well.  On www.imdb.com, you can see the list of All-Time Worldwide Box Office.  This website will show you the highest selling movie of all time all the way to the lowest.  The list consists of three hundred and twenty five different films.  I looked at the list and counted one hundred and fifty nine movies that I have seen on that list. 

It is really interesting to see how much money all of these different movies made at the box office.  It should come at no surprise that the number one movie of all time at the box office is Titanic.  I don’t know how many of you have seen this film, but it does not come as a shock to me that it made $1,835,300,000 (www.imdb.com). 

The Top 10 on this list are (www.imdb.com):

1) Titanic

2) The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

3) Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

4) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

5) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

6) Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix

7) Star Wars Episode I- The Phantom Menace

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

9) Jurassic Park

10) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

After looking at the list, it seems that the most popular films, are the first and sequals of a movie.  I imagine this is because many people are so interested to see what will happen next.  To check out more of the list go to www.imdb.com.

Meaningful Movies

What movies have touched you the most?  Are they the memorable sports movies with a heroic ending?  I personally have been touched by movies such as “A Walk to Remember”, “Fried Green Tomatos” and “Remember the Titans”.  These are three very different films with very differnt characters and plots.  Somehow they have all made me feel so emotional and touched.

“A Walk to Remember” is a movie about two teens who come from totally different backgrounds who fall in love with each other.  At the peak of their relationship, one of the two find out that they have lukemia.  This character eventually dies.  This was one of the most emotional movies that I have ever seen.

“Fried Green Tomatos” is a movie about the strong bond between two women.  They have completely different personalities.  They are like day and night, yet they are the perfect friends.  It’s a story about loyalty, friendship, and honor.

“Remember the Titans” is a sports film and it is a true story.  It is a story about an interacial football team during the 1970’s.  They overcome a lot of adversity all throughout the movie.  They deal with racism, prejudice, and life or death situations.  While dealing with all of these issues, this team comes together to form a brotherhood, a bond, and a new kind of respect for each other to accomplish their goal.

 All of these films have their own specific story.  They all have their own memorable endings.  These movies have all touched me in a different way.  They helped me discover different things about myself.

On-screen Chemistry

What causes great chemistry between actors/actresses?  Is it that they bond behind the scenes? Or is it that they were friends or lovers before the filming of the movie began?  How is it that Julia Roberts and Richard Gere had great chemistry in “Pretty Woman” and in “Runaway Bride”?  They worked very well together.  Does that mean they were best friends off the set?  Or just that they were both very proffesional?

I really feel that it takes great stars to be able to hold a good connection with one another in order to make a great movie.  They have to be able to make it convincing to the audience so that even if there is “drama” behind the scenes, we won’t be able to tell.  For example, in the drama “Girl, Interrupted”, two very talented actresses had to create great on-screen chemistry in order to have a successful film.  The film starred Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder.  According to reporters, the two stars did not get along very well off the set.  Would you have ever guessed that from watching the film?  I didnt.  They were phenomenal together.  When I had heard that they weren’t too fond of each other, I was really shocked.  I guess I used to think that for actors/actresses to work that well together, they had to be close friends off-screen.  Apparently I was very wrong about that.

 It really comes down to how hard the stars are willing to work and how cooperative they are willing to be.  They don’t have to be friends, but they do need to be proffesional.  Does it help for actors/actresses to be friends behind the scenes or should it not have any effect at all? 

Fantasy vs. Reality

What movies are people more drawn to?  Do they prefer movies with some truth in it or would they rather watch a film that they know is completely unrealistic?

There are differnt types of reality.  There are true stories and then there are realistic stories.  True stories are films that are based on actual events, people, or ideas.  Realistic stories are films about ideal situations or circumstances.  Fantasy stories are unrealistic films.

I find that a lot of people I talk to are really interested in movies such as “The Lord of the Rings” and “Harry Potter”.  These movies are complete fiction films that consist of witches, trolls and wizards.  I think a lot of people like to escape reality by watching movies and feeling like they are a part of an adventure that is otherwise impossible for them to experience.  I feel that way too sometimes.  When I watch “Pirates of the Carribean”, I get so into the movie because I know it is an unrealistic experience for me to ever have unless I am watching the movie. 

There are other people who really jump into the true stories and try to understand what it would feel like to go through what people really experienced.  Films such as “United 91″ and “Open Water” are not only frieghtning and emotional because there is death and terror, but because they are based on actual events, they simply become even more emotional.  These are the types of films that people enjoy because they have actually happened and it makes people think , “what if that happened to me?”

For me, I am more into realistic films, but sometimes I still enjoy getting lost in a great fantasy for even just a couple of hours.