28 thoughts on “Happy Independence Day Weekend!”

1. Yeah, ID4 is one of the great popcorn summer movies ever. My IT brethren at work love to tear it one for the computer virus deus ex machina solution, but it’s just an entertaining as hell movie. Just leave logic at the door, sit back, and enjoy.

   Now that you’ve intro’d it, my kids and I may take it in this weekend. I’m debating whether I should take my children to Michael Bay’s Transformers 3 movie or stick pins into my eyes — I’m not sure which is less appealing, but I’ll let you know.

   Have a great holiday weekend, Ruth.

   July 1, 2011 at 14:30 Reply

   1. Ahah, well I don’t blame your IT colleagues for that Michael, I mean, the whole notion of giving the mothership a flu thing is preposterous but that’s beside the point.

      Oy, I’d rather re-watched this one over again that seeing T3. Btw, did you see this about Michael Bay recycling scenes from his own movie The Island? http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/07/01/transformers-3-the-island-michael-bay/ Ah well, we don’t call him a hack for nothin’, right?

      July 1, 2011 at 21:26 Reply

      1. Why am I not surprised. Sheesh! Thanks for the heads up :-).

         July 1, 2011 at 22:37 Reply

2. Speaking of Will Smith, check out this article written by a sports writer (who doubles as a film critic I guess) about how Smith has carefully calculated his career in a manner that’s practically Machiavellian (he starts off talking about Ryan Reynolds, but he’s leading to a point):
   http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6716942/the-movie-star?view=print

   July 1, 2011 at 14:49 Reply

   1. Interesting article, thanks Rich. I had no idea about Will Smith but at the same time I’m not surprised. He’s a charismatic guy but I don’t think he’s a good actor or that his talent is drowned by his own celebrity.

      July 2, 2011 at 18:42 Reply

   2. Interesting and well written article. I never realized that about Wils career but with the way the article explains it its hard to argue against it.

      I do think signing on to play a gay character and then refusing to do a gay kiss seems like a cop-out.

      July 2, 2011 at 21:28 Reply

3. Ah I still remember the summer of 1996 when ID4 came out like it was yesterday, with Mission: Impossible, Eraser, The Rock and Twister, it was the summer full of big and loud films. Also, most movie theater in America upgraded to digital surround sound, I thought I was gonna go deaf after I saw ID4, it was so loud and I loved every seconds of it. The film itself on the other hand, well it was cheesy and kind of dumb but I didn’t care. I saw Twister earlier that summer season and that film was also dumb and I enjoyed it. I haven’t seen either films in a long time, so I might Netflix them.

   I got a couple of free tickets to Transformers 3, I don’t know if I want to go and see that film, it’s going to be a torture. I sat through the first two films and hated both. I’ll prob give the tickets away. My favorite film to watch on July 4th weekend is usually Roland Emmerich’s The Patriot, it’s still his best film ever. His last film, 2012, I laughed all the way through.

   Have fun at the picnic, sorry I couldn’t make it.

   July 1, 2011 at 14:50 Reply

   1. Hi Ted, we missed you at the potluck, lots of great picnic food 😀

      Those are great Summer movies, Ted, makes me want to see all of those again at the theater. Those would make an awesome double feature at a cheap theater, especially with the sound system of today’s cinema. Of course they’re cheesy and dumb like you said, isn’t that the point? 😀 But I still think they’re smarter than Transformers!! I don’t know if it’s even worth seeing free of charge, man. Haven’t seen The Patriot, might have to rent it just to see Heath Ledger.

      July 3, 2011 at 21:42 Reply

4. Hi, Ruth, le0pard and company:

   ‘Independence Day’ is great summer fare. A big, splashy, special effects laden B-movie that manages to hang onto its B-movie feel.

   With more than a few hat tips to the 50’s classic, ‘Earth vs. the Flying Saucers’. The then not so big name cast throw everything they have into their roles and create something larger than the sum of its parts.

   With the hero role divided between Will Smith and Bill Pullman. Aided by a Who’s Who of solid character actors. Especially Judd Hirsch, Jeff Goldblum, Robert Loggia, Bill Smitrovitch and Adam Baldwin.

   July 1, 2011 at 15:09 Reply

   1. Hi Jack, I love how you always politely say hello before you say your comment 😀 Oh how could I forget Adam Baldwin in that one, he’s awesome in Chuck. And this is perhaps one of my fave Bill Pullman role, that and While You’re Sleeping.

      July 3, 2011 at 21:46 Reply

5. Netflix has finally decided to send me Ran after a battle of the will that last 4 weeks so I will be watching that. Else nothing fancy, probably catch up on some sleep, maybe go down to the driving range and fix my golf swing, and work in AM’s background 🙂 Have a great weekend Ruth!

   July 1, 2011 at 16:04 Reply

   1. Ohhh good for you Castor! I remember how hard it took for you to get that Kurosawa flick. Surely you’ll enjoy it even more considering how hard it was to get it. Hope you’re weekend is fun so far Castor, we have friends over from Philly, glad we have another day to enjoy each other’s company 😀

      July 3, 2011 at 21:51 Reply

6. Actually, ANONYMOUS film seems and looks very beautiful and intriguing, I posted a very nice trailer last winter over at HOLLYWOOD SPACE and it has a nice cast.

   Hope you’ll have nice holidays!

   July 1, 2011 at 16:53 Reply

   1. Yeah, I’m curious about Anonymous too, Dezzy, intriguing is the word.

      July 3, 2011 at 21:52 Reply

7. I saw “Yankee Doodle Dandy” a couple of years ago on the 4th and it got me hooked on James Cagney. Very patriotic and very fitting for the holiday. Haven’t seen ID4 in quite a while…..I remember loving it…..but I’d like to see how kind time has been to it. Have a great one!

   July 1, 2011 at 17:26 Reply

   1. Hi Markus, glad to hear you’re commemorating the holiday w/ a patriotic movie. ID4 is still fun or repeated viewing, just don’t over-think too much about the plot 🙂

      July 3, 2011 at 21:53 Reply

8. Well my dad has been putting me on a hitchcock marathon all last week, although i took a break from it last night. Not because i find his movies bad, i just felt like i needed something different. We checked out “I am Love” mainly because its been in my dads “top picks” for a while, and we figured any movie with Tilda Swinton in the lead.can’t be all that bad.

   While i felt the movie contradicted itself in the end(I don’t think a ambiguous ending is automatically bad, i didn’t really like how it was done , i did like how much the director communicated visually(Like how in the beginning its shot in a way that emphasizes the environment more than people, which fits how the family appeared to give more emphasize to accomplishment and material things more than feelings), and Tilda was in top form as always(although there were a few other performances that really impressed me.). I don’t think you would like it much because it has some graphic sexuality and adultery

   As for my viewing plans, i will probably get back to watching the Hitchcock movies my dad has on dvd, and i also want to finish watching the rest of Kubricks filmography for a post i want to do on him. I am also having family over this weekend and next(one for each side of the family)

   July 1, 2011 at 18:32 Reply

   1. Wow, that’s awesome Julian. What’s your fave Hitchcock movie so far?

      I’ve heard both sides about I AM LOVE, some bloggers trashed it completely though I think most of them praised Tilda’s performance. You’re right though the adultery theme doesn’t really appeal to me.

      July 3, 2011 at 21:57 Reply

      1. I really liked Man who knew too much, although Vertigo while not a pleasant movie it did have my full attention from beginning to end

         And i think overall i found I AM Love decent but not great. I already mentioned a few of the elements i liked, although i must add that i liked how the characters in the movie felt more active than most movies focusing on the wealthy(I remember saying while watching it “Its like a Sofia Coppola film, except stuff actually happens”) but overall there were a few negative points for me.

         July 3, 2011 at 22:03 Reply

         1. I saw on IMDb that there are 2 versions of The Man Who Knew Too Much both by Hitchcock, which year is the one you like? Are they the same thing? I like Jimmy Stewart in It’s A Wonderful Life, I might have to check this one out.

            Ha..ha… that’s a funny tagline about Sofia Coppola, so true though how hardly anything happens in most of her movies!

            July 3, 2011 at 22:19 Reply

            1. The earlier one. Although i might check out the later version sometime. From what my dad told me, the main difference is that the earlier one is in black and white while the later one is in color(According to imdb Stewart was in the later one). And i think James did quite a few movies with Hitchcock

               And yeah, and glad to see you found my Sofia comment witty.

               Oh, right now i am trying to finish the rest of Stanly Kubricks filmography(My dad has them on dvd), as i am planning to do a post on him soon.

               July 4, 2011 at 10:15 Reply

9. This weekend I’m watching a Romanian film called “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days.” Sombre stuff. But I should be balancing out the sadness with some happiness as I’m taking a trip up to Queenstown (a city here in New Zealand very well know for it’s fun atmosphere and adventurism). But that’s just a day thing. I’m also stuck writing about fifty reviews and saving them as drafts on WordPress, and working on my 100th post.

   July 1, 2011 at 23:51 Reply

   1. I saw “4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 days.” Was certainly a sombre movie, but worth watching. I wasn’t a fan of the directing in the movie tho…not that it was necessarily bad, i just felt like it distanced me from the characters…which is kind of odd for such a character driven movie

      July 3, 2011 at 14:42 Reply

      1. Haven’t heard of that one but knowing your taste Tyler, it might be too depressing for me, ahah. Oh I’m sooo jealous you’re going to Queenstown, man I so dream of visiting your country!

         You’re writing 50 reviews?? My, aren’t you a diligent blogger… I probably have about 50 I have yet to write, might have to write mini ones 5 at a time like you did a while back. I look forward to your 100th post!

         July 3, 2011 at 22:00 Reply

10. Happy Independence Day Flixers!!

    Not that it means a lot to us Brits over here. I am in the ffice as usual, but, here is me raising my glass to my American friends!!

    Custard

    July 4, 2011 at 02:35 Reply

    1. What… you’re drinking at the office, matey?? 😀

       Thanks Custie, it’ll be back to blogging as usual tonight but I’m still taking a bit of a break now to spend with my friends. See ya @ FRC soon 😀

       July 4, 2011 at 09:41 Reply

11. Independence Day is always something I watch despite whatever I have going on.

    July 4, 2011 at 16:46 Reply

    1. Cool. Is it always playing on cable around this time?

       July 5, 2011 at 17:03 Reply