swisslab{films}

new!

2010-01-22T19:10:00.001-06:00

I'm not finished here but I'm writin' 'bout movies over at atomicpopcorn.net, see the new icon over to the right? here's a link to my stuff

top grossing movies for 2009 in the US

2010-01-11T13:59:00.002-06:00

these are the movies, whether or not we liked them, that we spent the most money to see in theater- these are the most popular movies of 2009

Avatar

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

2012

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Up

Angels & Demons

The Hangover

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

obviously this was the year of unoriginality

favorite westerns

2009-08-18T15:28:00.005-05:00

almost on the list-

Jeremiah Johnson

Maverick

No Country for Old Men

There Will Be Blood

City Slickers

Dances with Wolves

Silverado

my eleven favorite comic book movies of this decade

2009-08-13T14:54:00.000-05:00

favorite romance films

2009-08-13T08:57:00.001-05:00

2009-08-12T14:08:00.003-05:00

OLD DOGS

MPAA: Rated PG

in theaters November 25, 2009

trailer

director: Walt Becker

cast: John Travolta, Justin Long, Seth Green, Robin Williams, Kelly Preston

2009-08-12T14:03:00.003-05:00

THE INVENTION OF LYING

MPAA: Rated PG-13

in theaters September 25, 2009

trailer

director: Ricky Gervais

cast: Jonah Hill, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Ricky Gervais, Martin Starr, Patrick Stewart, Tina Fey, Rob Lowe

2009-08-12T13:55:00.003-05:00

IN THE LOOP

in theaters April 17, 2009

runtime: 106 min.

trailer

director: Armando Iannucci

cast: Peter Capaldi, Tom Hollander, Gina McKee, James Gandolfini, Chris Addison

favorite science fiction films

2009-07-27T16:27:00.008-05:00

favorite subtitled films

2009-07-27T16:24:00.005-05:00

2009-07-06T09:54:00.003-05:00

COLD SOULS

MPAA: Rated PG-13

in theaters August 7, 2009

trailer

director: Sophie Barthes

cast: Paul Giamatti, Lauren Ambrose, Emily Watson, David Strathairn

2009-07-06T09:49:00.003-05:00

TAKING WOODSTOCK

MPAA: Rated R

in theaters August 14, 2009

trailer

director: Ang Lee

cast: Demetri Martin, Dan Fogler, Henry Goodman, Eugene Levy

2009-07-06T09:45:00.002-05:00

COUPLES RETREAT

in theaters October 9, 2009

trailer

director: Peter Billingsley

cast: Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Faizon Love, Kristin Davis, Malin Akerman, Kristen Bell

2009-06-02T12:55:00.003-05:00

WHATEVER WORKS
MPAA: Rated PG-13
in theaters July 1, 2009
runtime: 92 min.
trailer
director: Woody Allen
cast: Ed Begly Jr., Patricia Clarkson, Larry David
official website

2009-06-02T12:47:00.004-05:00

PUBLIC ENEMIES

MPAA: Rated R

in theaters July 1, 2009

runtime: 143 min.

trailer

director: Michael Mann

cast: Christian Bale, Johnny Depp, Channing Tatum, Billy Crudup

2009-06-02T12:38:00.005-05:00

NINE
in theaters November 25, 2009
trailer
director: Rob Marshall
cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Sophia Loren, Stacy Ferguson

2009-06-02T12:34:00.004-05:00

MOON
MPAA: Rated R
in theaters July 17, 2009
runtime: 97 min.
trailer
director: Duncan Jones
cast: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Matt Berry, Robin Chalk

2009-06-02T12:29:00.003-05:00

I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER

in theaters July 10, 2009

trailer

director: Chris Columbus

cast: Hayden Panettiere, Alan Ruck, Samm Levine, Cynthia Stevenson

2009-06-02T12:22:00.004-05:00

EXTRACT
in theaters September 4, 2009
trailer
director: Mike Judge
cast: Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Ben Affleck, J.K. Simmons, Beth Grant

2009-06-02T12:07:00.005-05:00

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER

MPAA: Rate PG-13

in theaters August 20, 2009

runtime: 95 min.

trailer

director: Marc Webb

cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel

official website

my seven favorite movies of 2008 and then some

2009-04-25T13:59:00.000-05:00

OSS 117 Cairo, Nest of Spies - The Fall - Funny Games - Be Kind Rewind - Burn After Reading - In Bruges - Let the Right One In

in no particular order those are the six that I liked the most of what I saw that were released theatrically in 2008. two runners-up were The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Cassandra's Dream, Colin Farrell is taking over Nicolas Cage's place in my heart as the actor I love to hate

movies that I didn't see and would like to? Australia - The Brothers Bloom - Choke - Ghost Town - A Girl Cut In Two - Hank and Mike - Harold - Hellboy II: The Golden Army - How to Lose Friends and Alienate People - Max Payne - Quantum of Solace - Redbelt - Righteous Kill -The Rocker - Rocknrolla - Role Models - Run, Fat Boy, Run - Sex Drive - Soul Men - The Spirit - Step Brothers - Synecdoche, New York - Valkyrie - W. - Zack & Miri Make a Porno

2009-03-25T15:33:00.002-05:00

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

in theaters October 16, 2009

trailer

director: Spike Jonze

cast: Catherine Keener, Max Records, Lauren Ambrose, James Gandolfini

2009-03-05T11:02:00.005-06:00

THE LIMITS OF CONTROL
MPAA: Rated R
in theaters May 22, 2009
trailer
director: Jim Jarmusch
cast: Isaach De Bankole, Alex Descas, Jean-Francois Stevenin, Luis Tosar, Paz De La Huerta, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, Gail Garcia Bernal

2009-03-04T15:09:00.000-06:00

FUNNY PEOPLE

in theaters July 31, 2009

trailer

director: Judd Apatow

cast: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill

2009-03-04T15:04:00.002-06:00

OBSERVE AND REPORT

MPAA: Rated R

in theaters April 10, 2009

runtime: 106 min.

trailer

director: Jody Hill

cast: Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Michael Pena, Ray Liotta

2009-03-04T14:44:00.002-06:00

BIG MAN JAPAN

MPAA: Rated PG-13

runtime: 113 min.

trailer

director: Hitosi Matumoto

cast: Hitosi Matumoto, Riki Takeuchi, Ua, Ryunosuke Kamiki, Itsuji Itao

2009-03-04T14:03:00.003-06:00

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

in theaters August 21, 2009

trailer

director: Quentin Tarantino

cast: Brad Pitt, Eli Roth, BJ Novak, Mike Myers, Diane Kruger

2009-03-03T10:42:00.004-06:00

SUPER CAPERS

MPAA: Rated PG

in theaters March 20, 2009

trailer

director: Ray Griggs

cast: Justin Whalin, Michael Rooker, Ryan McPartlyn, Samuel Lloyd, Danielle Harris

2009-03-03T10:18:00.005-06:00

FANBOYS

MPAA: Rated PG-13

in theaters February 6, 2009

runtime: 90 min.

trailer

director: Kyle Newman

cast: Sam Huntington, Christopher Marquette, Dan Fogler, Jay Baruchel, Kristen Bell

2009-02-12T15:47:00.003-06:00

ANGELS & DEMONS

in theaters May 15, 2009

runtime: 140 min.

trailer

director: Ron Howard

cast: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Stellan Skarsgard

2009-02-12T15:35:00.003-06:00

17 AGAIN
MPAA: Rated PG-13
in theaters April 17, 2009
trailer
director: Burr Steers
cast: Zac Efron, Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon, Michelle Trachtenberg

my five favorite movies to watch repeatedly

2009-02-11T13:39:00.001-06:00

Wonder Boys - Rushmore - Waking Ned Devine - The 'Burbs - Key Largo

in no particular order those are the five that I watch most frequently. runner-up? The Ice Storm

reviewed: Shadows and Fog

2009-02-05T13:49:00.004-06:00

I like Woody Allen. I like his writing, acting, directing, humor and style. Woody Allen is consistent, he almost always discusses religion and sex. Woody Allen has the best taste in music, better than Wes Anderson and Cameron Crowe. Woody Allen also knows how to parody a genre, Shadows and Fog (1991) falls perfectly into that category. Shadows and Fog may have the greatest cast ever assembled, look-

Woody Allen
Mia Farrow
John Malkovich
Madonna
David Ogden Stiers (The Curse of the Jade Scorpion)
James Rebhorn (Blank Check, The Game, Scotland, Pa.)
Victor Argo (Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai)
Daniel von Bargen (Seinfeld)
Donald Pleasence (THX 1138, Halloween)
Lily Tomlin (I Heart Huckabees, A Prairie Home Companion)
Jodie Foster (Silence of the Lambs)
Kathy Bates (Misery)
John Cusack (Better Off Dead, Being John Malkovich)
John C. Reilly (We're No Angels, Magnolia, A Prairie Home Companion)
Philip Bosco (Wonder Boys)
Josef Sommer (Nobody's Fool)
Kurtwood Smith (RoboCop, That '70s Show)
Fred Gwynne (The Munsters)
Robert Joy (Waterworld, Fallen)
William H. Macy (Fargo, Mystery Men, Magnolia, State and Main, Focus, Welcome to Collinwood, Thank You For Smoking)
Julie Kavner (The Simpsons)
Wallace Shawn (The Princess Bride)
Kenneth Mars (Fletch)
Richard Riehle (Office Space)
Tomas Arana (Tombstone, L.A. Confidential, Gladiator)

2009-02-05T13:15:00.000-06:00

LAND OF THE LOST

in theaters June 5, 2009

trailer

director: Brad Silberling

cast: Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel, Jorma Taccone

my favorite movie: The 'Burbs

2009-02-04T13:53:00.000-06:00

what? why? you must be crazy!

nope. a while back I figured out a way to determine my "favorite" movie- if I could only watch one movie for the rest of my life, what would that movie be? The 'Burbs. what makes this the movie that I most enjoy watching? like any other "favorite" it has a lot to do with familiarity, like home, "comfort" food, or loved ones. memories, fond or not, are powerful

for my money Joe Dante, Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Rick Ducommun, Corey Feldman, Henry Gibson, Brother Theodore, Dick Miller, Robert Picardo and Cory Danziger have never been better.

2009-02-03T13:06:00.004-06:00

YEAR ONE

in theaters June 19, 2009

trailer

director: Harold Ramis

cast: Jack Black, Michael Cera, David Cross, Oliver Platt, Olivia Wilde, Vinnie Jones

reviewed: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

2009-02-02T16:18:00.000-06:00

The Assassination, as I'll call it, reminded me of the great hole in Hollywood. the western genre is as important to film as any, sadly we have not seen many in the past decade. is this only natural considering the passing of time from those days of cowboys, indians and outlaws? no, the western will never lose relevance. westerns are a moral compass, entertaining, funny, beautiful, wise, full of perspective and philosophical contemplation

if it's been too long, go watch The Assassination, if you've got time you should also see High Noon

2009-02-01T12:56:00.000-06:00

TAKEN
MPAA: Rated PG-13
in theaters January 23, 2009
runtime: 93 min.
trailer
director: Pierre Morel
cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace

reviewed: The Killing

2009-01-15T13:12:00.006-06:00

classic film-noir.

a joy to watch.

savor Stanley Kubrick's work, it's all we've got.

wonderful clichés abound as a ragtag crew of criminals attempt to rob a race track in The Killing.

mirror image

2009-01-07T15:17:00.000-06:00

Eagle Eye & Wanted are brothers from a different mother. I'm willing to bet that the producers of Wanted wanted Shia LaBeouf for the role they hired James McAvoy to play

and if you like either of those movies, especially Eagle Eye, then you'll also like Enemy of the State, The Game, Conspiracy Theory, Deja Vu, 2001: A Space Odyssey, WALL-E, and Minority Report

while we're on the subject, can we all admit that Minority Report was the last great Tom Cruise movie? the last time your looked at him and didn't think "crazy"

top grossing movies for 2008 in the US

2009-01-01T14:26:00.000-06:00

someone said "the Oscars are about the American film industry's image of itself, not (about) the 'best' movies" I presume "best" means a popular vote (not judgement by a small biased panel, as we witness with Cannes, Sundance, etc.) so if the Oscars were real, the winners would most likely come from this list. these are the movies, whether or not we liked them, that we spent the most money to see in theater- these are the most popular movies of 2008

The Dark Knight

Iron Man

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Hancock

WALL*E

Kung Fu Panda

Twilight

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Quantom of Solace

Horton Hears a Who!

sure these aren't the movies you thought you'd like but isn't this a pretty great caricature of why we have movies in the first place? they're entertainment, entertainment for all ages, races, heights and weights

reviewed: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

2008-12-28T15:49:00.003-06:00

is a good movie. if you liked Forrest Gump and Big Fish, you'll like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Brad Pitt really is somethin' else, he's got a way of being in good movies

2008-12-23T14:13:00.000-06:00

THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD
MPAA: Rated PG
in theaters March 20, 2009
runtime: 87 min.
trailer
director: Sean McGinly
cast: John Malkovich, Colin Hanks, Emily Blunt, Steve Zahn, Tom Hanks
official site

mirror image

2008-12-22T15:50:00.003-06:00

it hit me as I was watching Mary Reilly, a story of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, that Fight Club was nothing more than a modern interpretation. has Chuck Palahniuk ever revealed his obvious inspiration?

never forget how good John Malkovich is.

also though she paled her face, with a look as though she were wearing no make-up, to embody the role of an Irish servent girl Julia Roberts forgot to leave her trademark Hollywood grill at home. oh well

2008-12-01T13:53:00.000-06:00

WATCHMEN

MPAA: Rated R

in theaters March 6, 2009

runtime: 163 min.

trailer

director: Zach Snyder

cast: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino, Jackie Earle Haley

official site

mirror image

2008-11-18T15:39:00.000-06:00

it's obvious that the producers of Talk to Me wanted to remake The Ladies Man as a dramatic tale of a racy disc jockey, why not?

2008-11-18T12:05:00.000-06:00

SPECIAL

runtime: 81 min.

in theaters November 21, 2008

trailer

director: Hal Haberman, Jeremy Passmore

cast: Michael Rapaport, Jack Kehler

2008-11-18T11:56:00.000-06:00

The Pink Panther 2

MPAA: Rated PG

in theaters February 6, 2008

trailer

director: Harald Zwart

cast: Steve Martin, Jean Reno, Alfred Molina, Emily Mortimer, John Cleese, Aishwarya Rai

mirror image

2008-11-08T15:19:00.000-06:00

The Illusionist & The Prestige are brothers from a different mother. I'm willing to bet that the producers of The Prestige did not want to touch Edward Norton with a ten foot pole. which they willingly would have used to touch Jessica Biel

2008-10-22T14:46:00.001-05:00

JCVD

MPAA: Rated R

in theaters November 7, 2009

runtime: 96 min.

trailer

director: Mabrouk El Mechri

cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme

2008-10-08T11:57:00.000-05:00

MPAA: Rated PG-13

in theaters October 17, 2008

trailer