Update: Fall Film Challenge

I joined a film challenge that lasted for three months (read about it here).  It ends on the 30th of November. (Today is the 1st of December in my part of the world.) I am much more a reader than a movie watcher...I like a good movie; I just don't watch them as much as I read.  So, I knew this would be a challenge.  Here's a recap of the movies I watched and a little blurb of what I thought about them:

one. any action/adventure flick - Captain Phillips - A movie based on a true story from a fairly recent event, I knew the story and the outcome.  I still thought it was a great movie. There is a scene close to the very end where Tom Hanks hit me in the gut and made me cry.

four. any drama/biography/documentary - Artifact - The music business is whack. As a huge music fan, I've known this, seen artists' interviews and read articles about it. This documentary is another example of proof that the music business is whack. I was a fan of Thirty Seconds to Mars and Jared Leto prior to viewing this. I'm even more of a fan now.

seven. any starring an actress whose last name begins with the letter g - Texas Killing Fields (Annabeth Gish) - Annabeth Gish had a small role. It had potential but didn't live up to it.  A shame because Jessica Chastain is in it, but even she couldn't save it.

eight. any set during any holiday - Labor Day - This is not a happy movie.  It is depressing.  Kate Winslet (as always) shows that she is a master at her craft.

nine. any from internet movie database's top flicks list - City of God - Gritty, ruthless film about druglords in the slums of Rio narrated by a boy trying to stay out of the crime war.  This film is a good reason to participate in challenges like this.  I'd probably never have watched it without being introduced to it through this challenge, and I really enjoyed it.

ten. any starring an actor whose last name begins with the letter j - Prisoners (Hugh Jackman) - A very intense Hugh Jackman performance with a twist I didn't predict.

eleven. any starring an actress whose last name begins with the letter k - Rabbit Hole (Nicole Kidman) - Difficult, heartbreaking subject matter; great acting performances.

 twelve. any shot in london, england - RocknRolla - I enjoy Guy Ritchie movies, and this one had a great cast with great characters.

thirteen. any awarded an oscar for best original score - Babel - I like movies (and books) that show how various stories and lives criss cross one another in unexpected, interesting ways. The musical score does play a significant role in the film.

fourteen. any adapted from any novel - The Great Gatsby - Visually stunning of a classic story. So good.

 eighteen. any romance or comedy - Anchorman 2 - Yes, there were parts that made me laugh out loud.  Kristen Wiig was a great addition to the cast.  All that being said, overall, it was a stupid movie.

 twenty. any thriller or mystery - The Return - So bad.  So, so, so bad.  I had to fast forward parts just to get the movie over with.

 twenty-two. any shot in a country you've never visited - Blood Diamond (shot in South Africa and Mozambique) - I'm really, really glad I finally watched this. I sell fine jewelry, gemstones, and diamonds. So, I am aware of the Kimberley Process to regulate against buying conflict diamonds. This was a great, yet heart wrenching story with superb acting.

twenty-three. any shot in wilmington, north carolina - The Conjuring - Creepy good, if you'll watch one of those demon possession type flicks.

 twenty-four. any western or war film - The Alamo - If you're going to watch a movie about the Alamo, watch the John Wayne version.  This was terrible.  Sad to say, but true.

Obviously, I'm a whole lot better at completing book challenges over film challenges.