2006 Movies: Part 1 of 3

I wrote down every movie I watched in 2006. Why? Well, planning ahead, I figured a good column, or columns, would be of my movie reviews for the ones I watched. I placed the movies in three categories as follows. I will post one category at a time, so it is not too much of a read.

1) Movies I was watching NOT for the 1st time - Any movie that I had seen previously but still managed to sit through and watch the entire thing again goes in this category.

2) Movies I watched on TV/DVD for the 1st time - Any movie I went out and rented will fall here. Also, any movie that I watched on TV in which I sat through the entire film goes here as well.

3) Movies I went to the theater to watch - It is what it is. On we go.

For each category I will rank the movies from worst to first, with a brief synopsis and/or what I liked/disliked about the movie. I’m doing this all from memory, so if I messed something up, let me know. Enjoy.

MOVIES I WAS WATCHING NOT FOR THE 1ST TIME (12 Films)
Note: Any movie that I watched for at least the second time was probably a movie I enjoyed. Common sense would tell you that if you knew a movie was going to suck, you wouldn’t sit through it again. This holds true for the movies in this category, for the most part.

12) School of Rock - Directed by Richard Linklater
I watched this movie on TV late in the year. It was during my nice long 7 week break with no school or work, so I had some time to kill. Jack Black stars in this movie about an ex-rocker who is trying to make rent. Jack stumbles upon a teaching job and learns that his students possess enormous musical talents. The movie goes on from there. Not the best of movies, a nice flick for kids around the age of 10-14. Favorite part has to be when the kids perform at the battle of the bands at the end.

11) Snake Eyes - Directed by Brian De Palma
I’m a sucker for two things. Boxing and solving crimes. This movie has both and they are why I almost always watch it when it comes on TV. Starring Nicolas Cage, this movie follows an assassination of the U.S Secretary of Defense during a highly anticipated heavyweight boxing match. This movie is a “Who Dun It?” through and through, and I can’t get enough of it. Favorite part is when you find the answer to that very question at the end.

10) Bad News Bears - Directed by Richard Linklater
I first watched this “new” version of the old classic in 2005 at the movies with Jared and then rented it last year. This movie is very similar to the original except it has Billy Bob Thornton as the head coach, which seems to add something extra. It had several great lines, including:
- Billy Bob: “You guys swing like Helen Keller at a piñata party.”
- Billy Bob (yelling at a kid in a wheelchair): “Hey Hooper, you wanna put that thing in fourth gear and get over here already.”
- Kid on team (holding a can of pesticide): “Hey Coach, what’s carcinogen mean?” Billy Bob: “Liberal propaganda. Don’t worry about it. It’s just bullshit.”
I don’t really have a favorite part of this movie, but the kid in the wheelchair is hilarious, as well as the team’s catcher. If you just need a laugh, go watch this.

9) Saw II - Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Similar to Bad News Bears, I watched Saw II at the movies in 2005, but when it came on the movie channel back at OU, I had to watch it again. I’m not sure who stars in the movie, but the bad guy, Jigsaw, is at it again. This time he has a police officer’s kid kidnapped and placed in a house with other victims. As they try to get out, several awesome scenarios are put in place, which is a big reason why I love the Saw movies so much. You want to look away, but you just can’t. Best part of the movie by far is the syringes, as well as the ending. While it may be too gruesome for the light of heart, if you can muster it, you should.

8) Patch Adams - Directed by Tom Shadyac
Once again, I watched this movie on TV during my long winter break. This film stars Robin Williams. Not knowing what direction his life was taking, Robin committed himself to a mental institution where he discovers he wants to help people. Using his own personal style, Robin attempts to become a doctor. This movie is based on a true story of Hunter Adams. It has several comical moments as well as uplifting ones. Favorite moment is when “Patch” gives his speech to the courtroom. A great movie for all ages, and I strongly recommend watching it if you have not.

7) He Got Game - Directed by Spike Lee
Basketball, Denzel Washington, and Ray Allen. Doesn’t get too much better than that for me. This movie has all three. Denzel is Ray’s father, but is in jail on the charge of killing his wife (Ray’s mother). Ray is a stud high school basketball player who is trying to make the difficult choice of picking a college. Denzel gets put on a temporary leave of jail to try and convince Ray to go to a certain college. The movie takes off from there. A great movie for anyone who loves basketball, or for those who enjoy great movies. My favorite parts are the basketball flashbacks throughout the movie.

6) Secret Window - Directed by David Koepp
Not going to lie, if Johnny Depp wasn’t in this movie, I probably would not have watched it once, let alone numerous times. Based on the Stephen King book, Johnny, a writer himself, is at his cottage, still coping over his soon-to-be divorce. Johnny is met with a surprise by John Turturro, who clams Depp stole his idea for one of his books. A psychological thriller, this movie keeps you guessing from start to finish, without reaching any lulls throughout the film. Best moment, by far, has to be the ending, when everything comes together. Again, if anyone has not watched this movie, you are missing a great one.

5) Collateral - Directed by Michael Mann
When you put Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx together for a movie, you are going to get outstanding results. Collateral holds up well with that argument. Tom Cruise plays one of my favorite “bad guys” of all-time, as a hit-man with 5 kills to make before the night ends. Jamie Foxx gets stuck as his taxi driver for the evening, and this high action film is all set up for you. I’ve always been a big fan of both of these actors, from movies like Ali and Rain Man, so I was very excited that they would be doing a film together. This one does not disappoint. My favorite moments in this film has to be whenever Tom goes on his killing sprees.

4) Planes, Trains, and Automobiles - Directed by John Hughes
I watched this movie at the Frank’s house over Thanksgiving break. I was stunned that neither Nic nor Kris had seen this classic movie starring John Candy and Steve Martin. These two guys are randomly stuck together in an attempt to make it to Chicago for Thanksgiving dinner. Just as the title says, they use every means possible. I can’t say enough about this movie as it is one of my all-time favorites. Some great lines include, “Those aren’t pillows!” and “Larry Bird doesn’t do as much ball-handling as you do in one hour.” If you go through this entire movie and do not laugh out loud at least one time then, I don’t want to know you. It’s that simple.

3) Love, Actually - Directed by Richard Curtis
I had a hard time putting this movie here at #3. I wanted to put it higher on my list, but when you read what my next two movies are, you will understand. I have to thank Liz for introducing me to this movie. At first I thought it would be another “Notebook,” but I was pleasantly surprised. This movie was on TV over the holidays and allowed me to watch it again and appreciate it even more. Love, Actually weaves it way in and out of several different story lines which centralize on the premise of love and what exactly it is all about. This movie is clever, smart, and has several funny moments. My favorite part of this movie, and probably one of my top ten favorite movie moments occurs toward the end, when Keira Knightley gets a greeter at her doorstop. “Enough.” For those who have not watched this one, I’m sorry, you are missing out.

2) Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - Directed by Gore Verbinski
This movie made Johnny Depp my favorite actor, hands down. My favorite movie character of all time is Depp’s “Captain Jack Sparrow.” His humor, dialogue, and facial expressions are unmatched. “But why is the rum gone?” is a great example of why I love Jack Sparrow. Keira Knightley is in this movie as well, as she is probably the most beautiful girl in Hollywood. As those two, accompanied by Orlando Bloom chase the Black Pearl I fell in love. I fell in love with the action, the characters, and the superb visual effects. It is unfair to pick a favorite moment in this movie as the whole thing from start to finish was great. A movie that sits comfortably in my top ten of all-time is a can not miss. Period.

1) Cool Runnings - Directed by Jon Turteltaub
This is my favorite movie of all-time. Cool Runnings is to my favorite movies as Michael Jordan is to my favorite athletes. Both of their places are cemented at the top, probably for the rest of my life. I first watched this movie at the theater with Hunt and Huss. We all went for my 8th birthday. At first I loved the movie simply because it was really funny, which it is. When I got the movie on video back in 1994, I would watch it every Tuesday. Why Tuesday? No idea. That lasted a good 2 months.

Then, as I grew older, I appreciated the movie in different aspects. I loved the fact it was based on a true story of the 1988 Jamaican bobsled team. To me, this movie is inspirational in more ways than one. Last year, Barnes, Hunt, and I compiled a list of our top 50 movies of all-time. As a group consensus, Cool Runnings was #1. We would watch it at the end of every quarter.

Personally, I love watching this movie with people who have not watched it before. This past year, I watched it with Alex, who to my amazement had never even HEARD of Cool Runnings. I try my best not to say every line in the movie, but it is hard not to. I still laugh at the same parts every time, and still get chills at the same parts as well.

If you have never watched Cool Runnings, please let me know. I will drive to wherever you are and watch it with you. It just isn’t right if you have not experienced the greatest movie of all-time.

“Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, get on up, it’s bob-sled time!”