#103: Iron Man 2 (3/10)

The first Iron Man film was a decent movie. I probably didn't like it as well as most people did.  It presented us with an interesting character and a fun story that ultimately ended in an unsatisfying way for me.  However, I looked forward to the sequel to see what they would do with Tony Stark next. I definitely considered going to the theater to see Iron Man 2, but something kept me away. I'm glad I saved my money. I'm sure it would have been more impressive on the big screen, but there wasn't enough substance to make this film worth the price of admission.  Nothing about Iron Man 2 got me excited for the inevitable follow up.  There were some pretty sweet action sequences, but it wasn't enough to make up for the sloppy plotting and superficial characterizations.  I didn't expect a masterpiece with this film, but what it delivered was definitely sub-standard. 3 out of 10.

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#102: Jackass 3D (7/10)

I haven't bought into the 3D craze. The gimmick usually isn't enough to draw me to the theater. However, when I heard the Jackass guys made a new movie shot with 3D cameras I was intrigued. We missed opening weekend, but we were able to check it out yesterday.  It is odd to say that Jackass 3D is the most effective movie at using the technology that I've seen, but it is totally true.  Granted, I haven't seen a ton, but I was impressed by what they were able to do.  If you've seen the other two Jackass films you know exactly what you are in for.  It makes it difficult to give this sort of movie a score out of 10. For what it is, it works well and is a lot of "fun" to watch.  I don't want to seem like I'm over-rating it, but I have to give it a 7 out of 10.

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#101: The Killer Inside Me (5/10)

This is a different kind of murder movie.  There isn't a lot of violence other than a few flourishes of brutality delivered with and unsettling cool demeanor.  Television and movies have desensitized me to true impact of taking a life.  The Killer Inside Me recaptured that weight in a few shocking scenes.  I really appreciated what Winterbottom was able to do in those moments.  However, the rest of the movie  had it's share of issues.  Overall I liked it and I'm glad I watched it, but The Killer Inside Me only manages a 5 out of 10.

The story presented in The Killer Inside Me is based of a 1952 novel written by Jim Thompson.  When a novel is adapted to film they can almost never include the whole story.  This was a case where it felt like they were trying to hit certain beats. There highlights were loosely stitched together by a bunch of filler scenes. There were some good moments, but overall it felt messy.  We saw a lot of scenes of dialog from tertiary characters that seemed pointless in the grand scheme of things.

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#100: I'm Still At It

Next month I will have been writing on this site for 2 years.  When I started I had no clue how long it would last, but it seems to have stuck. I wasn't sure I would ever hit 100 posts.  I haven't always been perfect at keeping it updated regularly, but I've done my best. I really enjoy it. I hope my writing has improved since the beginning.  I'd like to think I am watching movies with a more open mind. I hope I'm able to see and think about things I would have missed before.  I don't always do a great job getting my thoughts down into words, but I would like to continue to make the attempt.

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#099: Annie Hall (5/10)

With as many movies as I've watched over the last few years it is surprising that I haven't seen many Woody Allen films.  I watched Match Point and didn't even realize it was his, but I really enjoyed it.  Not too long ago I saw Whatever Works and really hated it.  I had no clue what to expect with Annie Hall, but I have heard so many good things about it from critics whose opinions I respect.  It is said to be the quintessential "New York" film. It is supposed to be a true accomplishment in film making.  It is one of those film that you can't really call yourself a film scholar unless you have seen it.  I cannot deny the fact that it was interesting to watch. However, I guess I just didn't get it.  I will give it a 5 out of 10.

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#098: Fall TV Time

In the last couple weeks all the new tv shows have started up.  This year I am trying to cut back the number of shows I watch, mainly because most of them are just a waste of time.  However, there are several that I enjoy keeping up with on a weekly basis.  Overall I felt like it was a pretty good start to the season. For the last 3 years or so I have been DVRing everything then watching it back later. It makes it much easier to manage, though I don't get all the clever references to The Office that get posted on Facebook and Twitter until I am able to catch up later..

Castle: One of my favorite new shows from last year, and it got off to a good start on season 2.  One of the only crime dramas that I enjoy watching.  I used to watch a couple of the CSI's, along with Criminal Minds, but I stopped following those a couple years ago.  Castle is a solid show.  If you don't watch it, it's worth checking out.

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