Movies That Rule Vol. 1

by Mr. Blunderson

I thought I'd share a few words on movies I've seen so far this year that ruled. Try to keep in mind that I am not a critic, I am a jackass and a film snob. Lately I've spent enough time (and not only in this forum) tearing apart movies that bugged me that I feel obligated to convey anything at all about movies that I don't hate.

-2007 FILMS that RULE-

300

I absolutely have to start it all off with that veritable ballet of blood and violence. The beauty of this movie is it doesn't take itself so seriously at any point that it kills the mayhem joyride. It's a guilty pleasure that could have been a cult favorite but became the years first blockbuster. Unlike the higher grossing movies that have come out since, 300 deserves the money it made. Zack Snyder and Frank Miller execute the film with enough flair and style that it rises above the historical inaccuracies and similarities to Braveheart. 300 is bold, brash, completely unapologetic, and always a total fucking blast.

Hot Fuzz

Now THIS is how you send up a genre. The problem with most movie spoof's being made lately is they force every joke so fucking hard there are times they might as well stop the projector and send an usher into the audience to make sure everyone got the joke before moving on. The days of subtle humor are pretty much dead at the US box office. Thank god there is a guy like Edgar Wright making movies. Hot Fuzz out-Bruckheimer's Bruckheimer AND manages to deliver a multi-layered comedy where even the casting generates laughs (Timothy Dalton! It still kills me), and admittedly the chemistry between stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost doesn't hurt either. This isn't a check your brain at the door type movie. Sure it's silly and has British people saying "cunt" but this is one of the most visceral comedies I've seen in a long time. Sight gags, running jokes, hysterical dialogue overlap enough to warrant multiple viewings.

And SCREW YOU if you don't like it.

There, I said it.

Grindhouse

If you are one of the three people on planet earth that reads my jerky little film blog you will no doubt be aware of how I loved this movie. Yes it's long and the second half lags under the weight of characters who talk and talk and then go somewhere else and fucking talk some more... but the last few minutes of Death Proof redeem its shortcomings. Will this movie ever find it's audience? Perhaps not, but that just means more for me. I still keep some incense burning on my Danny Trejo shrine for the completion of Machete although I'll probably pass on a full length version of Thanksgiving even if the trailer did have me in stitches. I do have to say that Planet Terror hit all the right notes and schlock or not is one of Rodriguez's best films to date. I am really looking forward to this DVD release and will probably cry for a week if the special features are suck.

Meet The Robinsons (in 3D)

Even if it is an animated rip-off (or should I say homage?) of Back to the Future, this is a sweet and endearing movie that I absolutely loved. The 3D made it all the more fun, although it pisses me off that there aren't any 3D movies at the theaters right now. Meet the Robinsons boasts the best and most hysterical villain I have seen in years. The only thing I didn't like about this movie was when it briefly turned into the Matrix, which was a little alarming for my kids. On the positive side, seeing a film in 3D made going to the movies a real event, giving me something I can't get anywhere else. Period.

Knocked Up

Here is a movie that takes the limits of simultaneous sweetness and vulgarity set by 40 Year Old Virgin and pushes them into a whole other universe. This is not just a great comedy, it is a commercial for everything Judd Apatow and Seth Rogan will do in the future. As soon as this movie was over I wanted to see it four more times, and I was vexed that I had to wait to see Superbad and more vexed that I had to wait even longer to see Pineapple Express (filming now). FUCK!!!!!!! You bastards I need more!

Knocked Up made one more thing abundantly clear... I have to hang out with Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill.

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I'll be back later with movies that ruled from last year. After that I'll delve into what I refer to as "the pantheon."

Thank you for your time.