My December 2022 Recap

I had a Christmas movie-centric month and it was quite productive!

Favorite First Time Viewing

Dear Santa (2020) - 9.5/10

I haven't been this surprised by a documentary in years, maybe not since Dear Zachary blew me away when I first saw it in early 2009. Apparently, I have a thing for docs named Dear. Who knew? Dear Santa tells the story of "Operation Santa", a century old program run by the United States Postal Service where they deliver letters to Santa Claus and fulfil the requests as best they can. People on both sides of the program, those getting and giving the gifts, are interviewed. It's incredibly emotional to watch young children and grown adults moved to tears when they get that one special gift they wished for. It's just as touching watching the hard working and dedicated people who keep the program going. The absolute joy they get from helping people is something to be admired. I was pretty much crying tears of joy from start to finish. I read some reviews online that thought the film was too treacly or manipulative, but I don't see it that way at all. On a technical level, the doc is masterfully edited and designed, with perfect graphics and delightful musical cues throughout. It's very rare that a documentary does both sides - the narrative and technical - so well. I can't recommend this highly enough. 

Worst First Time Viewing

Noelle (2019) - 2/10

On paper, Noelle should have worked. It's got a very talented cast and an interesting premise, but based on the trailer I saw back in 2019, I had no interest in watching it. I was convinced to add it to my watch list this month by two separate co-workers (who will remain unnamed) who assured me it was an excellent holiday flick. I do not agree with them. The script is lazy and silly and mostly unfunny. The performances from leads Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader (two of my favorite people in Hollywood) are flat and uninspired, at best. The supporting cast includes the iconic Shirley MacLaine (who, I don't think, has ever been worse) and normally dependable Kingsley Ben-Adir, Julie Hagerty, Billy Eichner, and Michael Gross. None of them do much with the shoddy script they've got to work with, but I'm not sure any actor could really elevate this material. Writer/director Marc Lawrence just failed at every aspect of filmmaking. I cannot fathom what redeeming aspects anyone could find in this movie, but I know it's got a decent reputation and following. Once again, I'm flabbergasted by what some people consider to be good entertainment. 

Favorite Rewatch

Elf (2003) - 9/10

I almost picked Avatar to highlight here, but between my two 9/10's this month, I think Elf just manages to get the edge. I've seen it probably twenty times at this point, but it never fails to entertain, make me laugh, or get me to tear up - the group singing scene near the end always gets to me for some reason. I don't really have to talk up Elf all that much - it's a holiday staple for millions and millions of people all around the globe. Will Ferrell is an actor who is kind of hit-or-miss for me, but when he hits, it's usually a grand slam. He's absolutely perfect in this role as the naïve Buddy the Elf and has so many laugh out loud lines and bits of physical comedy sprinkled throughout the film. I will never not laugh uproariously at his shouting of "Santa's coming!" and then the loud whispering of "I know him!" That's just one ten second scene, but the whole movie is filled with memorable scenes, lines, and moments. James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Zooey Deschanel, Ed Asner, Faizon Love, Peter Dinklage, Andy Richter, Kyle Gass, and especially Bob Newhart are all tremendous. It's really a stacked cast and they're working with a slick, well rounded script and terrific direction from Jon Favreau. Just a wonderful movie from beginning to end. I'm looking forward to watching it again next December. And I'll laugh just as loud and as often then, I'm sure. 

Worst Rewatch

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) - 5.5/10

When this is the worst rewatch of the month, you know things went pretty well. The original Home Alone is a classic and something my family watches every year. The sequel is clearly inferior, but still manages to make the rotation most years. It's sillier and broader than the first installment and pretty much just a beat-for-beat retread of the story (even some of the exact same jokes are repeated), but it's still entertaining - especially when Daniel Stern or Tim Curry are on screen. Macaulay Culkin had so much charisma and such a strong screen presence when he was a kid, it's really hard to imagine any other child actor being as effective or successful as Kevin McCallister, the youngster with the most negligent family in the world. He plays well with the whole cast, but is at his best with Stern and Joe Pesci. Stern is completely game with this sequel - diving headfirst, sometimes literally, into the role as Marv - but Pesci seems a bit bored and checked out at times. I don't suppose I can blame him. As much as I love the Wet Bandits, I wonder if the movie would have been better without them? If Kevin's antagonists were just Curry and the rest of the hotel staff, the story could have been significantly different from the first and allow for some more creativity and inventiveness. Oh, well. It sill works fairly well and does manage to contain one of favorite "traps" of the series - when Kevin repeatedly nails Marv in the head with bricks from the roof of the brownstone apartment. If you've only got time for one Home Alone movie, go with the original. 

My month, in watch order: 

    * = rewatch

Miracle on 34th Street (1994) - 5/10

A Merry Friggin' Christmas (2014) - 2.5/10

* Elf (2003) - 9/10

Klaus (2019) - 3.5/10

Noelle (2019) - 2/10

Dear Santa (2020) - 9.5/10

White Christmas (1954) - 7.5/10

* Santa Claus is Coming to Town (1970) - 6/10

Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022) - 3/10

A Christmas Story Christmas (2022) - 7.5/10

* Avatar (2009) - 9/10

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) - 7.5/10

Happiest Season (2020) - 9/10

* Home Alone (1990) - 8/10

* Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) - 5.5/10

8-Bit Christmas (2021) - 5/10

What about you guys? Have you seen any of these movies? If so, what did you think? Did you watch anything great or really disappointing in December?

Thanks for reading and commenting!

2022 October Challenge

The 7th annual October Challenge was once again started in late September (as is now tradition) and was moderately successful. There weren't as many God-awful level movies, but it's not like I watched too many masterpieces, either. My average rating was still a sub-5/10, but when dealing with the horror genre, a 5/10 (a middle-of-the-road, average score) isn't bad.

The highlights of the month, from best to worst:

The Worst of the Worst

* Ideally, this isn't what you want in your front yard. *

The Long Night (2022) - 1/10    Some Octobers have had multiple 1's for me, but this year, this debacle was the only flick to score the lowest of the low rating. The cinematography was good and the costume design was interesting, but everything else was so tremendously stupid and poorly done that even those nice qualities weren't enough to warrant a 2 or 2.5/10. Scout Taylor-Compton, the once promising star of Rob Zombie's Halloween movies, is simply dreadul here, but with the script she had, I don't know if I can completely blame her.

* I tried to find a good image of the monster... *

The Relic (1997) - 2/10    I have a soft spot for Tom Sizemore and his co-starring role here is one of the few redeeming qualities. He's not exactly good in the cliched cop part, but something about him has always appealed to me. The story, dialogue, and characters are all bare bones and, at times, downright silly. In addition to all that, the creature design and special effects are laughingly bad. Unless you're a Sizemore completist, don't bother with this one.

* One of the more exciting scenes. And that should really tell you something. *

They Look Like People (2015) - 2/10    I've got nothing against a good slow-burn horror movie, but when the burn is more like a singe and never amounts to anything, it makes for a long watch no matter what the actual runtime is. The two lead actors here do an okay job and the story itself was intriguing, up to a point, but there's just nothing really here.

* So. Much. Disco. Music. *

Prom Night (1980) - 2/10    Since this is one of the supposed "classics" of 80's horror, I had somewhat high hopes going into this viewing. It didn't take long for those hopes to be dashed. Jamie Lee Curtis is fine, but unremkable in the lead role and less than a month later I've pretty much forgotten all the details. I don't think I'll ever forget the sheer amount of disco music, though. That was the real horror of the movie. No one, and I mean no one, should be exposed to disco music in any shape or form.

* Watch out! Knock-off Baghead Jason is after you! *

Triangle (2009) - 2.5/10    This one came highly recommended by people online and I can kind of get what people might like about it - it's one of those "mind fuck" movies that are supposed to be so twisty and turny that you never know what's coming next. Unfortunately, most of those movies don't hold up to even the tiniest amount of critical thinking and Triangle is no exception. There are some interesting moments and even one pretty surprising reveal, but I would never recommend it to anyone looking for a good movie.

A Step Up, But Still Not Good

* The "Entity" is legitimately creepy in all it's forms. *

It Follows (2014) - 4.5/10    I still don't like this as much as most people seem to, but my rating did go up slightly with this rewatch. While the concept is very interesting and most of the performances are solid, the writing lets this one down more often than not. It also has a very disappointing climax, in my opinion.

* Time for a family meeting. *

A Quiet Place Part 2 (2020)    4/10 If you really liked the first part, you'll probably like this one, too. It's more of the same and maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it.

* Art the Clown is back and bloodier than ever. *

Terrifier 2 (2022) - 4/10    I think this was pretty much just an excuse for showing as much gore as humanly possible. In that regard, it was a massive success. It's one of the bloodiest, most disgusting films I've seen. But it doesn't really work as a movie. First off, it's way too long. A slasher like this should be 90 or 100 minutes, at the very most. Terrifier 2 clocks in at a terrifying 138 minutes. Second, part of the appeal of the original movie was how playful and funny Art the Clown was. In this one, most of that "charm" was stripped from him. The special effects are tremendous in the grindhouse kind of way they're going for and the lead actress - Lauren LaVera, who is shockingly 44 years old but easily passes as early 20's - was solid. I know most movies get released with an extended edition or bonus scenes added back in, but what this one needs is a trimmed down version. That could be really good.

Worth Watching Once

* A beautiful setting for a terrible crime. *

Coming Home in the Dark (2021) - 5/10    The Australian outback is one of those places I sometimes daydream about visiting, but then I remember the heat and the dangerous animals and the fact that I don't really like being outside anywhere. And then I watch a movie like this and I'm even more putoff by the idea. The "family kidnapped by dangerous criminals" trope isn't anything new, but this under the radar flick does some interesting things with the idea. In the end, there's not enough here to exuberantly recommend, but it's a solid movie and you could do way worse with your time.

* We all told you not to go down in the basement... *

Barbarian (2022) - 5.5/10    Barbarian is pretty much split into three chunks that all mesh together to create a unique and compelling movie. The first third is terrific, but the rest is just okay. There are moments of absolute dread, startling jump scares, laugh-out-loud jokes, and disgusting body horror. Like I said, it's very unique and was a fun watch throughout. I've heard people say it improves with multiple viewings and I could see that being the case. I guess only time will tell.

* "Now, you're probably gonna get the comment 'OK, Boomer' a lot, but... *

Mr. Harrigan's Phone (2022) - 6/10    I enjoyed Stephen King's short story when I read it a year or two ago and the Netflix adaptation is predictably solid. It makes for very light horror and might be the kind of thing a parent could use to introduce their pre-teens to the genre. The young lead actor is servicable and Donald Sutherland is fantastic in his smaller, titular role. I'm not exactly raving about it, but it's a somewhat perfect example of a middle of the road, once and done flick. I can't imagine I'll ever revisit this or probably even think about it after finishing this piece, but it was an enjoyable couple of hours.

* You really don't want to get a notification from this app. *

Countdown (2019) - 6.5/10    Countdown is very similar in quality to Mr. Harrigan's Phone and is another example I definitely don't regret watching, but can't see myself needing to rewatch it. There are some great kills and decent performances, plus a surprisingly well thought out climax. No real complaints here!

* Before the shit hits the fan. *

Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018) - 6.5/10    Normally, I'm not much of a fan of the found-footage genre, but this spooky Korean flick was pretty good. The basic conceit - a paranormal online show visits an abandoned asylum - isn't anything groundbreaking, but there are some decent twists and turns and the cast works well with each other. I would have preferred more character development, but that's pretty much my one huge complaint. As is, only a couple of the characters stood out from the group, so it was difficult to get attached to anyone. The production design is first rate, though. The details spread throughout the asylum makes it seem so real and that really adds to the overall level of dread.

Very Good and Highly Recommended

* Just this picture makes me feel a bit queasy. *

Fall (2022) - 7/10    Fall's basic concept - a pair of climbers stranded atop a huge tower - made it so neither my wife or son would watch it with me. So that's how I ended up alone at the movie theater in late September. There were only two other people in the auditorium, so I felt the isolation a bit like the characters in the movie. I have a fear of heights myself, but can watch them onscreen unlike my family members. The effect was felt almost immediately on my body - I was queasy, tense, and nervous pretty much the whole time. I don't think you'd want to think too hard about some of the plot details or logistics of the character's plan, but as an immersive experience, Fall works really well.

* A pleasant start to a Zoom call... *

Host (2020) - 7.5/10    This short (only 57 minutes) film shows how effective a movie can be regardless of it's running time. Host sets up interesting characters, establishes a relatable setting, sprinkles in funny moments, and manages to absolutely terrify you, all in such a compact package. Plus, it does all this without expensive effects or a famous cast. It really is a fun, memorable little movie and I'm happy something positive came out of the whole Covid-19 pandemic.

* Bath time! *

Jacob's Ladder (1990) - 7.5/10    I first saw this twisty, disturbing flick probably 25 years ago. It didn't really click with me then, but I'm really happy I gave it another chance all these years later. It's definitely horror-lite with only a few scenes/moments that really scream "horror" to me, but it does something the best films of the genre do - it creates an atmosphere of tension and dread. Tim Robbins is terrific and the supporting cast plays perfectly off of him. The ending ranks amongst the best will definitely leave you thinking, something rare in movies in general and in horror even more so. Definitely check this one out!

* I would do anything for my Jackson, too. Well... maybe not anything... *

Anything for Jackson (2020) - 7.5/10    A Shudder exclusive I had never heard of previously, Anything for Jackson was the most pleasantly surprising movie I watched all month long. Since I didn't know anything about it, I had no preconceived notions and that generally helps a movie succeed. This movie has a lot going for it - including an interesting story, excellent production values, and some legitimately creepy/scary moments - but the best aspect is easily the pair of lead performances from Sheila McCarthy and Julian Richings as the bereaved grandparents of the titular Jackson. What they're willing to do for their beloved grandson is shocking, but can we blame them? If the movie had a better ending, it probably would have been a contender for the "Best of the Best" award.

* Jamie Lee's ready to take on all the Halloween Ends haters. *

Halloween Ends (2022) - 8/10    I know I'm in the small minority with this opinion, but I think Halloween Ends is one of the best of the series. The reason so many people hated it - the very small amount of time Michael Meyers is on screen - is one of the things I loved about the movie. We've seen Michael so many times at this point and it's hard to do anything new with him. Here, the evil spirit that inhabits the serial killer also blankets the town of Haddonfield and infects others with its darkness and hate. That concept is interesting and refreshing, but it's not all I liked about the movie. It excells with some shocking kills - the blowtorch scene and radio DJ death are some of the best of the series - and the characters are, for the most part at least, well written and well acted. I absolutely hated Halloween Kills, so my expectations were quite low for this one. Maybe I won't like it so much on rewatch, but for now, it earned this spot.

The Best of the Best

* A little midnight snack. *

Raw (2016) - 9/10    This is one of those movies that's been on my Netflix watch list for ages - probably since it first was added on the service back in 2017 or 2018 - and now I'm kicking myself for not watching it sooner. The French really know how to make a great horror movie! Raw features wonderful performances and interesting characters across the board and these aspects help elevate everything else up a notch or two. The plot is engaging and the make-up/special effects are first rate. Like most of my favorite horror movies, Raw uses tension and atmosphere to create a disturbing environment and isn't loaded up with jump scares or overdramatic music cues. Plus, what an ending! Writer/director Julia Ducournau wowed me earlier this year with Titane and now again here, so she's two for two with her two feature films. Whatever she comes up with next, I'll definitely watch it right away.

Special Mention

* They had to one-up the old Bravo countdown from 2004 *

The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All-Time (2022) - 8/10    As soon as I read that Shudder was releasing this special countdown, I knew I'd have to make time for it. Bravo did a very similar list in 2004 and it has since held a special place in my memory. My wife and I rewatched that on YouTube not too long ago and then, almost immediately after, I read about this special. It's full of different people - actors, directors, writers, historians, etc - from inside the horror industry gushing about their favorite scary moments. The 101 entries are all pretty standard choices from well known movies, but I still got a few new recommendations out of it. Plus, it's just fun to see the clips and hear all these passionate people discussing the impact the movies/moments had on them. The special has eight episodes and each episode is about 45 minutes long, so there's a good amount of content here. Perfect for any horror lover.

2nd Annual October Challenge Awards:

Best Movie - Raw

Worst Movie - The Long Night

Best Director - Julia Ducournau for Raw

Best Actor - Julian Richings in Anything for Jackson

Worst Actor - Joe Keery in Spree

Best Actress - Garance Marillier in Raw

Worst Actress - Scout Taylor-Compton in The Long Night

Best Supporting Actor - Donald Sutherland in Mr. Harrigan's Phone

Best Supporting Actress - Miriama McDowell in Coming Home in the Dark (very limited decent options for this category this year)

 
Best Kill - Barbarian - the first kill inside the tunnel (bonus points for shocking, sudden nature)

Best Special Effects/Makeup - Terrifier 2 (bonus points for the simple quantity of effects)

Worst Special Effects/Makeup - The Relic




Full list of what I watched during the month, in chronological order:

* = rewatch

* It Follows (2014) - 4.5/10
Ruin Me (2017) - 3/10
Fall (2022) - 7/10
The Relic (1997) - 2/10
* Hell Fest (2018) - 7/10
Motherly (2021) - 2/10
Spree (2020) - 3/10
A Quiet Place Part 2 (2020) - 4/10
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) - 3.5/10
Host (2020) - 7.5/10
They Look Like People (2015) - 2/10
* Jacob's Ladder (1990) - 7.5/10
Countdown (2019) - 6.5/10
The Long Night (2022) - 1/10
Anything for Jackson (2020) - 7.5/10
The Rental (2020) - 2.5/10
Don't Look Now (1973) - 3/10
Smile (2022) - 3.5/10
* A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) - 7.5/10
Till Death (2021) - 2.5/10
Prom Night (1980) - 2/10
Coming Home in the Dark (2021) - 5/10
Halloween Ends (2022) - 8/10
Horror Noire (2021) - 2.5/10
Umma (2022) - 4/10
Triangle (2009) - 2.5/10
Mr. Harrigan's Phone (2022) - 6/10
* Scream (1996) - 7.5/10
Barbarian (2022) - 5.5/10
The 101 Scariest Horror Movie Moments of All Time (2022) - 8/10
Tragedy Girls (2017) - 2.5/10
* The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) - 7.5/10
* Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) - 6/10
Raw (2016) - 9/10
Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum (2018) - 6.5/10
Terrifier 2 (2022) - 4/10


Average rating of the 36 titles: 4.79/10 --- slightly better than last year!

Did any of you watch any good horror movies recently? Any that you'd recommend? I'm always on the lookout for new movies to watch!

Thanks for reading!

My August 2022 Recap

  Favorite First Time Viewing

Black Dynamite (2009) - 8/10

I've had several friends urge me to see Black Dynamite ever since it was first released back in 2009. For whatever reason, I didn't get around to until last month, but it was worth the wait. It's hilarious from start to finish, especially if you have any knowledge of the types of movies it is satirizing. The lead - Michael Jai White - is a wonderful martial artist and successfully kicks everybody's asses throughout the film. He's maybe a little too in shape compared to most of the Blaxploitation stars of the 70's, but that's a small nitpick. The story, on-the-nose dialogue, ridiculous stunts (including cars that blow up after the slightest collision), and over-the-top fight scenes all contribute to one of the more original first time viewings of my year so far. The soundtrack features several songs that explicitly describe what's happening on screen and add yet another layer of laughs. Each time it happened, my wife and I were chuckling. Black Dynamite would actually make an excellent double feature partner with my favorite viewing of July, Dolemite is My Name. 

Worst First Time Viewing

Daniel Isn't Real (2019) - 2/10

Or Nepotism: The Movie. This dreadful turd of a movie stars Miles Robbins (son of Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon) and Patrick Schwarzenegger (son of Arnold) and, based solely on their performances here, I can't imagine they got the parts due to their talented auditions. Both Robbins and Schwarzenegger are lifeless performers and lack the charisma of their famous parents. The story - about a troubled young man who conjures an evil imaginary friend - is actually kind of intriguing and it's why the movie was even on my watchlist to begin with. But between the bad performances, mediocre dialogue, and awful, awful direction, the story is overwhelmed. It's only 100 minutes long, but it felt much longer. Stay far away from this one, unless you really want to test your resolve. 

Favorite Rewatch

Evil Dead (2013) - 8/10

My son picked this one out of a handful of horror movies to watch the other day. I warned him that it was exceptionally gory and gruesome, but that didn't deter him. I had seen it only once, back in the theater, so I didn't remember a whole lot of specific moments. Back then, I must not have been in the right mood because I originally rated it a 3/10. I couldn't believe it when I opened up IMDb to check something after finishing it this time! It's not original - obviously, it's a remake - but that's hardly a requirement for a good horror movie. It does everything it's supposed to do quite well, though. The characters are fine and the performances are solid, the production design is great, and the practical/special effects are amazing. There are jump scares, scares based on tension, and scares due to imagining yourself in such a horrendous circumstance. After it was over, my son stated that it was easily the goriest movie he's seen - and he's seen a few, especially considering his age - and "probably the goriest movie I'll ever see". He's a horror fan, though, and if he keeps letting me suggest titles for him, I can think of a couple that might give Evil Dead a run for it's money in that department. I'm not really a fan of the Evil Dead series - I respect more than like the original and pretty much hated the sequel - so this is an easy pick for "Best of the Series" for me. I imagine most fans won't agree and that's fine by me. 

Worst Rewatch

Step Brothers (2008) - 7/10

So, I didn't rewatch a lot of movies in August. Only four of them and all four were pretty good. Not a bad problem to have until you have to pick one as the "Worst". I don't find Step Brothers nearly as funny as a lot of people do, but it's still a very enjoyable flick, mostly because I love Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly together. Throw in Richard Jenkins as their exasperated step father/father and you've got a comedy that delivers mostly solid laughs from start to finish. Some of my favorite moments are just reaction shots from Reilly. I swear, he can make me laugh with just a look. I don't know what it is about his face, but it just works for me. This was only my second viewing of the movie - I know some people who've probably seen it two dozen times, if not more - and I liked it more this time than I did back in 2008. If I watch it again in another decade or two, will it be even better? I guess time will tell! 

My month, in watch order: 

    * = rewatch

Behind the Candelabra (2013) - 7.5/10

Licorice Pizza (2021) - 4.5/10

Prey (2022) - 7/10

Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021) - 5/10

Fear Street: 1994 (2021) - 4.5/10

Fear Street: 1978 (2021) - 6/10

Fear Street: 1666 (2021) - 6.5/10

* Step Brothers (2008) - 7/10

Black Dynamite (2009) - 8/10

* Intolerable Cruelty (2003) - 7/10

Daniel Isn't Real (2019) - 2/10

I Think We're Alone Now (2018) - 6/10

* Evil Dead (2013) - 8/10

* Office Space (1999) - 7/10 

What about you guys? Have you seen any of these movies? If so, what did you think? Did you watch anything great or really disappointing in August?

Thanks for reading and commenting!

My July 2022 Recap

 

Favorite First Time Viewing

Dolemite is My Name (2019) - 8/10

One of the better surprises of my movie watching year so far, Dolemite is My Name is a terrifically made, well-paced, and hilarious comedy that gives viewers a behind the scenes look at a very particular subset of the entertainment industry. Eddie Murphy turns in a brilliant performance as musician/stand-up comedian/actor Rudy Ray Moore, a larger than life character who made a name for himself in Blaxploitation films in the 70's. Rudy's a dreamer and never lets anyone tell him that he's too old or not talented enough to realize his dreams. Murphy is hit or miss with me - and almost completely hitless for the last 20 years or so - but he dominates this film with not only his comic energy, but also with a surprising amount of heart and gravitas. The rest of the cast - including Wesley Snipes, Mike Epps, Keegan Michael Key, Craig Robinson, Tituss Burgess, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph - all contribute heavily to the film's success and all get their moment to shine. Like any biopic, the movie isn't wholly accurate and Murphy doesn't resemble Moore very well, but that didn't dull my enjoyment at all. If you're a fan of 70's Hollywood or Eddie Murphy, I'd highly recommend giving it a chance on Netflix. 

Worst First Time Viewing

Meatballs (1979) - 2/10

Meatballs has been on my watchlist for ages, but when I finally got around to it, I ended up wishing it would have stayed there for another couple decades. I don't know who this movie is for. It's too dull for kids, too stupid for adults, and just too annoying for everyone, I'd think. Obviously, plenty of people love the movie, but I just can't fathom why. It's loud, unfunny, and seems much longer than its 94 minutes. Even the great Bill Murray - one of my very favorite actors - can't help much to redeem this mess. He is the sole reason it gets a 2/10 instead of the thankfully very rare 1/10, though. The dialogue he's saddled with isn't funny, but his delivery is. The one positive aspect of watching this disappointing dreck is that I got to cross off one of my last remaining "major" roles of his. If you haven't seen Meatballs and you're not a Murray completist, stay far far away. 

Favorite Rewatch

Private Parts (1997) - 8/10

I've never listened to Howard Stern's radio show, only saw the televised version on E! a handful of times (and never watched a whole episode) and haven't read any of his books. But I've liked Private Parts ever since I first watched it on VHS with my sister Stacy in early 1998. That night, we watched this and the first Austin Powers flick for a double feature - what a good night for comedy! Stern isn't exactly a great actor, but he's certainly serviceable enough and the movie is consistently funny in all sorts of different ways. There are sight gags, gross out bits, moments of physical comedy, over-the-top characters, witty dialogue, and genuinely funny performances from the real-life stars Stern, Robin Quivers, and Fred Norris, who all play themselves. Paul Giamatti nearly steals the movie as the overbearing Kenny aka "Pig Vomit", a radio executive who tries to curtail Stern's wilder side. Giamatti and Stern share some wonderful scenes together and I imagine this is where my love affair with Giamatti started. I didn't consider this until just now, while writing this piece, but Private Parts and Dolemite is My Name would make an excellent double feature pairing of their own. They're similar in many ways, including their theme of an outsider overcoming the odds to become successful and realize their dreams. One month, but two great comedic biopics!

Worst Rewatch

The Count of Monte Cristo (2002) - 4/10

I didn't have any terrible rewatches this month, so the honor of "Worst Rewatch" goes to this early aughts retelling of the famous The Count of Monte Cristo. This is a movie I really loved in the theater twenty years ago, but now I found it mostly a slog to get through. Most of the blame can be traced back to the main cast delivering subpar or terrible performances. Jim Caviezel (normally bad) and Guy Pearce (normally excellent) are both just so bad. I don't know if they didn't care about their roles, didn't like the film or production, or just didn't understand their characters, but they're both very wooden and unengaging. The best part of the movie is the second act when Caviezel's Edmund is sent to prison and meets Abbe Faria played by the sensational Richard Harris. This storyline, Faria's character, and Harris's performance are all first rate. I would have loved the entire movie to center around them, but unfortunately that's just not how the source material goes. A really negative side effect of having a super interesting middle act is that it highlights how underwhelming the first act and disappointing the last act are. Oh, well. At least I got to see Harris shine again. I might go watch Unforgiven and Gladiator again to get more superb supporting work from the late Irish master. 

My month, in watch order: 

    * = rewatch

* Frailty (2001) - 4/10

Magic Mike XXL (2015) - 6/10

Meatballs (1979) - 2/10

Thoroughbreds (2017) - 5/10

What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) - 6/10

* Private Parts (1997) - 8/10

* My Cousin Vinny (1992) - 8/10

The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022) - 5.5/10

* The Count of Monte Cristo (2002) - 4/10

Detroit (2017) - 7.5/10

* Where the Wild Things Are (2009) - 5/10

Dolemite is My Name (2019) - 8/10

* Big Trouble in Little China (1986) - 7/10

Paddleton (2019) - 6.5/10

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) - 5/10

What about you guys? Have you seen any of these movies? If so, what did you think? Did you watch anything great or really disappointing in July?

Thanks for reading and commenting!

My June 2022 Recap

  

Favorite First Time Viewing

Avengement (2019) - 8.5/10

Just narrowly beating out Top Gun: Maverick as my favorite first time viewing of the month is this violent, intense, gruesome, visceral, and surprisingly funny English action flick. The accents are so strong that I had to watch with the subtitles on, but after you get past that little hiccup, this is a tremendously fun little movie. I had heard of the star (Scott Adkins) and had even seen him in a couple of small roles, but I wasn't prepared for what a terrific action star he would turn out to be. The fight choreography is first rate - right up there with stuff like The Raid - and the level of violence was, at times, absolutely shocking. My wife gasped and outright screamed at a couple of different points and she's seen a lot of violent movie scenes, so that's really saying something. The story centers around Adkins' Cain, who escapes prison and sets out to take vengeance on the crime syndicate who landed him there. Cain is slick (both verbally and physically) and tough-as-nails, but he's not an invulnerable hero type who can take a beating and not be any worse for wear. He gets nearly as bad as he gives and it's refreshing to watch an action movie protagonist actually get beat up on screen. I liked Adkins so much that we watched another of his movies - Accident Man - and started another - Close Range - but both were significant steps down. At the very least, he's made one tremendous movie and that's not too shabby. 

Worst First Time Viewing

Free Guy (2021) - 2/10

The "Worst Movie of the Month" award goes to this lifeless, annoying, and incredibly stupid Ryan Reynolds vehicle. It manages to take a somewhat interesting premise - what if you were an NPC in a hugely popular video game that comes to life - and drive it into the ground fast. Reynolds does his same old schtick as Guy, a bank teller who doesn't know what he's missing until he suddenly does. It's the exact performance that you'd expect from him since he hasn't done anything remotely different since Deadpool all those years ago. Congrats on getting a gimmick and running it into the ground, I guess. The supporting cast is mostly dreadful, too. Even the normally fun Taika Waititi doesn't seem to give a shit about his character/script/movie/whatever and just sleepwalks through a generic performance. Honestly, it probably would have been worse if Waititi really shined, since it'd just be wasting his talents on something way below him. The one shining light is Lil Rel Howery as Guy's buddy, Buddy. He was responsible for the one or two laughs in the whole movie. The special effects are nicely rendered, but that's about all the positive stuff I can think of. Free Guy is nearly two hours and might have been slightly more tolerable with a 90 minute runtime, but I'm not sure that could even save it. If you haven't seen it yet, please do yourself a favor and stay far, far away. 

Favorite Rewatch

Jaws (1975) - 10/10

Jaws is a perfect movie. One of the very few, in my humble opinion. The writing (plot, characters, and dialogue) is perfect. The acting (from the very smallest of characters up through the leads) is perfect. The direction (from 27 year old Steven Spielberg) is perfect. The music (from the greatest film composer of all-time, John Williams) is perfect. The cinematography (by Bill Butler) and editing (by Verna Fields) and production/costume design are perfect. I've seen it countless times, from my childhood through to middle age. I've seen it on cable on a terrible tube television, on VHS, on DVD, in the theater, and now on 4k Blu-ray and it holds up. Every. Single. Time. It's thrilling and funny and perfectly paced and I can't imagine ever tiring of watching it. After I saw it in the theater 5 or 6 years ago, it went from a 9/10 to 10/10 for me and it's remained there ever since. It's the perfect summer movie. 

Worst Rewatch

Top Gun (1986) - 5/10

June was a very good month for my rewatches, so even though I liked Top Gun a lot more than I remembered - I had originally rated it 2/10 on IMDb back in 2001 when I first set up my account, but I hadn't seen it since the mid-90's - it still came in at the bottom of the stack. It's a fine movie with some interesting characters, decent performances, fun action, and a glorious beach volley ball scene. Val Kilmer shines as the somewhat dastardly Iceman and I kept wondering why he didn't become a huge star like Tom Cruise did. Kilmer blows Cruise off the screen here and I'm somebody who generally likes Cruise quite a bit. The romance elements fall a little flat for me and [SPOILERS] I don't find Goose's death all that impactful, either. I can't imagine I'll revisit this one again anytime soon, but I'll definitely return to Top Gun: Maverick, hopefully even again in the theater. 

My month, in watch order: 

    * = rewatch

* Top Gun - 5/10
Top Gun: Maverick - 8/10
Malcolm X - 6.5/10
* True Grit (2010) - 9/10
* Clerks - 8/10
* Clerks 2 - 8/10
A Streetcar Named Desire - 2.5/10
Free Guy - 2/10
Avengement - 8.5/10
Accident Man - 5/10
* The Negotiator - 6/10
* Jaws - 10/10
The Best of Enemies (2019) - 4/10
* Tremors - 8/10
Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man - 3/10

What about you guys? Have you seen any of these movies? If so, what did you think? Did you watch anything great or really disappointing in June?

Thanks for reading and commenting!

June 1982

June of 1982 was an exciting month in my life. A kind of big deal happened - I was born. While I was a young movie lover, I didn't spring from the womb and immediately start going to the theater. If I had, though, I would have gotten to see a handful of iconic movies in their original theatrical runs.

There were nine major theatrical releases in June 1982. Four of them - Hanky Panky, Grease 2, Author! Author!, and Firefox - either bombed or have mostly been lost to time. The other five, though, were either huge hits right away or became widely loved classics in the intervening years. 

The month started strong with Poltergeist and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan opening on June 4th. Of all these June releases, Poltergeist was easily the one I saw first. I have distinct memories watching this when I was 6 or 7 and being terrified by certain scenes, most notably the clown puppet attacking the little boy in his bed. It's a movie that still holds up today. I showed it to my son when he was 7 and he liked it well enough, too. The performances are all solid, plus the writing and direction are top notch. Some of the effects might feel dated, but I normally don't let stuff like that effect my enjoyment of a movie. It's a shame that Poltergeist is mostly talked about today for either the "curse" that supposedly befell several cast and crew members or the tidbit about the production using real human skeletons for one scene. I swear those are the only two things I ever see discussed online, but the movie is still an effective example for a horror film for older kids and families to share together. It's scary, but not too scary.

I didn't become a Star Trek fan until sometime in late 1993 or early 1994. I started with The Next Generation TV show and then moved backwards to the original series movies. I probably watched The Wrath of Khan during the summer of 1994 and it immediately impressed me. It was such a fantastic action/adventure movie - and so, so much more enjoyable compared to The Motion Picture. Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Bones, and the rest of the crew of the Enterprise struck me as larger than life characters. Even without ever seeing any of the original series, the characters and stories made sense. The performances, especially William Shatner, could be a bit broad and hammy, but that didn't deter 12 year old me in the slightest. Khan (the terrifically cheesy Ricardo Montalban) is an iconic villain, not just for Star Trek movies or science fiction movies, but iconic for the history of the medium. The ending is decidedly downbeat, but I think that's one of the best aspects. I've always been a sucker for a sad ending. All in all, Wrath of Khan is generally considered the best of all the Star Trek movies. I don't quite agree with that - I give the edge to Star Trek 6: The Undiscover Country - but it's definitely the most influential. If Khan hadn't been a hit, I don't think the movies would have continued and Star Trek itself probably would have died out entirely. 

One week later, on June 11, one of the biggest movies of all-time opened and took the country and world by storm. Up until two years ago, I had never seen E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. It was easily the most well known and beloved movie that I had just never gotten around to. Thanks to Covid-19 (you don't hear that phrase very often, do you?), the summer of 2020 was filled with one of my local theaters playing old movies each week. Seeing E.T. on the big screen for my first viewing just made sense. I didn't expect to be blown away, but I very much was. I loved pretty much every moment. It made me laugh and cry and feel absolute joy while marveling at the spectacle. Steven Spielberg has long been one of my favorite directors and this is just another jewel in his crown of achievements. The music - by the legendary John Williams - was, of course, spectacular. What really surprised me was how great the child actors were. Generally, you don't get these types of performances out of young actors, but Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore were both outstanding. Even with several major plot points and moments spoiled for me by years and years of clips and references, this movie just works. If anyone reading this hasn't seen E.T. yet, don't be like me and put it off for nearly 40 years. It deserves and demands to be seen still, even after all these years.   

On June 25, just two days before I debuted, two of the most well loved and appreciated science fiction films of all-time debuted in theaters. Neither performed well at the box office, but that didn't stop them from gaining critical and cultural esteem over the years. The Thing has been one of my favorite horror films for the last five years. I first watched it in early 2016 and thought it was good, but it's only grown in quality for me with the intervening four or five viewings. There is so much depth - in the story and in the characters - that repeat viewings really pay off. The first time I watched it, I was caught up with the horror/suspense elements and awesome practical effects, but now I love it for all sorts of reasons. Pretty much every negative in my original review is now a plus. I think it's director John Carpenter's best work and is filled with terrific performances, an excellent score, wonderful visuals, those groundbreaking effects, and a nice balance of humor to counteract the terrible sense of horror and dread. One of my favorite subgenres of horror is the "trapped in snow" category and The Thing is just a notch behind The Shining for the best example of how wonderful movies like this can be. 

Blade Runner is a movie that took me a few tries to actually get through. I think I started three separate times and never made it more than 20 or 30 minutes before getting bored or distracted and shutting it off. When I finally did manage to get all the way through, I was wowed by the visuals - it's one of My Most Beautiful Films after all - but left moderately cool on the movie as a whole. Well, I've since revisited it in preparation for Blade Runner 2049 and it went up a couple of ratings points for me with the second full viewing. Director Ridley Scott has a career full of ups and downs, but this one definitely places in the top third or so of his career for me. Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Edward James Olmos, Sean Young, Daryl Hannah, M. Emmet Walsh, and Brion James all turn in solid performances and the neo-noir plot that bored me at first now really appeals to me. Blade Runner famously has several different versions available and I've only seen "The Final Cut", but that is - according to internet consensus at least - the best of all the versions. If you're going to watch it for the first time, buy the Blu-ray or 4K disc and watch it on the biggest screen you have access to. I don't think you'll be disappointed. 

It's incredibly rare for any one month to have this many films that all hold up so well. I looked at other notable Junes - 1987 (my 5th birthday month), 1992 (10th), 1997 (15th), 2000 (18th), 2003 (21st), 2007 (25th), 2012 (30th), and 2017 (35th) - during my lifetime to see if maybe it was a repeating event, but couldn't find any that had more than one or two noteworthy releases. I then opened my search up to any month in 1999 and 2000 (two of my favorite movie years) and still couldn't find any months that came close to June 1982 so I guess there really must have been something special about my birth month. I always suspected as much, but it's nice to have empirical evidence like this to back up my claim. 

Thanks for reading and celebrating my birth month with me! What movies were released the month you were born? Are any of them amongst your favorites?

My Favorite Actors - Bill Murray

Bill Murray is an actor I grew up loving thanks to his role in Ghostbusters, but it wasn't until much later that I realized exactly how fantastic he is, in movies and in real life, too. He's a tremendous, but sometimes unmotivated performer, so he definitely has a fair share of "misses" on his resume. It might be my overwhelming love of the man clouding my vision, but he rarely turns in a bad performance - the dreadful Ghostbusters remake is the exception that proves the rule - and is almost always inherently watchable. 

As the imitable Peter Venkman in the classic Ghostbusters, Murray shines in every scene, in every moment that he's on screen. Each line is delivered perfectly, from the sarcastic to the excited to the deadpan. He can make me laugh with just a look, a rise of an eyebrow, or a shrug of the shoulders. Murray plays excellently with all of his co-stars, but especially so with Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. As the three founders of the Ghostbusters, they have a tremendous rapport and an easy back and forth quality. You can believe that they're all longtime friends, even (or maybe because of) when they're sniping at each other. When Venkman is turning on the charm and trying to woo the lovely Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver), Murray gets to show another side altogether. As a kid, the romantic side plot could have been boring or draggy, but when you have two such sublime performers as Murray and Weaver, that's just not going to happen. Ghostbusters is a lean 105 minutes and I don't think there's a wasted moment to be had in the whole film. It is a rare "perfect" movie, in my opinion at least. 

Ghostbusters is my favorite Murray movie, but just a microscopic step behind is Groundhog Day, which contains his very best performance. In a much more cerebral and lowkey film and performance, Murray shines as Phil Connors, a weatherman stuck reliving the same day over and over and over again. Connors starts out as condescending, brash, and downright mean, but eventually transforms into a thoughtful, caring, and selfless individual. In between, Murray gets to play pretty much every emotion there is, from confusion and frustration to suicidal to acceptance. Murray appears in nearly every scene and is flawless throughout. If I had to introduce him to someone who had never seen any of his movies, Groundhog Day is the film and performance I'd pick to use. It's a movie I've seen at least two dozen times, but could watch it once a month for the rest of my life and probably never get tired of seeing it. 

In 1998, Murray began a longtime (and, as of this writing, ongoing) collaboration with writer/director Wes Anderson. Anderson's second film, Rushmore, featured a wonderfully funny co-lead performance from Murray and sort of kicked off his middle aged career resurgence and a phase where he was just as likely to play dramatic parts compared to comedic ones. Murray reteamed with Anderson for supporting roles in The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited, Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and The French Dispatch. He also contributed stellar voice work in Anderson's two stop motion animated gems The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs. I'll take my dosage of Murray in any size available, so I'm always happy to see him pop in these films, but his most impressive work with Anderson was his starring role in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. As the titular character, Murray gets to show why Anderson keeps him in his cadre of actors - he delivers the writer's lines absolutely perfectly and embodies the character with heart, soul, and a deep humanity. The movie (and Murray) is still funny, but it's also surprisingly deep and thoughtful. I look forward to every new Anderson film, but if he ever casts Murray as the lead again, it would instantly become my most anticipated movie of the year. 

Lost in Translation is a polarizing film - people either seem to love it or hate it. I'm firmly in the "love it" camp and have been ever since I first saw it in the theater. My wife absolutely hates it, but I don't hold that against her. Hell, she doesn't even really love Bill Murray. I'm pretty sure if I ever wanted to file for divorce, that'd be grounds enough all on it's own. Murray's character Bob Harris is a washed up, alcoholic Hollywood actor who is staying in Tokyo, Japan to shoot a whiskey commercial. While there, he becomes friends with a young woman (Scarlet Johansson's Charlotte) and the two share an oddly intimate and personal few days together. In the beginning, Murray imbues Harris with a world weariness and apathy that slowly fades away as he allows himself to swept up in Charlotte's story. It's a quiet performance, but absolutely one of his best. The movie is filled with wonderful, memorable scenes, but the ending is probably what gets talked about most: Harris walks up to Charlotte and whispers in her ear before heading away on his own, back to his own life. As the audience, we can't hear what's said and Johansson has never revealed the message, which drives the internet wild with speculation. Regardless of what was actually said, it remains a terrific ending and a captivating Murray performance.

I'm generally not a fan of "stupid" or "gross out" comedies, so it might surprise some people to know that Kingpin, the underrated and/or overlooked Farrelly Brothers bowling flick, is one of my all-time favorites. A big part of my love for this movie is Murray's work as Ernie "Big Ern" McCracken, a professional bowler and semi-professional asshole and womanizer. The role is so iconic, hilarious, and infinitely quotable, it would be #1 or 2 on most actor's career achievements list. The fact that it's down farther on my list just goes to show what an amazing career Murray has compiled. Big Ern is the epitome of sleazy, arrogant, and manipulative and Murray hits every joke and every physical note just perfectly. The final bowling tournament has some of my very favorite comedy moments and almost everyone of them involves Big Ern. The highlight is probably watching his ludicrous toupee get more and more disheveled as the game goes on, ending with it flipped off his head, just hanging on by a thread or patch of glue. It's one of the greatest hairpieces in film history, in my opinion. If you haven't seen Kingpin, get to it as quick as possible. 

Two of Murray's more recent and underappreciated films are St. Vincent and On the Rocks. In the former, he plays a curmudgeonly war vet who reluctantly befriends a young boy who moves in next door. Murray and the young actor (Jaeden Martell) have wonderful chemistry together and their performances elevate a pretty standard plot. The rest of the cast is solid, but Murray blows them out of the water with his interesting and offbeat performance. On the Rocks, directed by Sophia Coppola, centers around a new mother (Rashida Jones) who suspects her husband may be having an affair. Her own philandering father (Murray) offers to help her track down the truth and the two have a series of adventures throughout NYC. Murray and Jones are terrific together and Murray is nothing short of radiant in the role. He gets to play a range of emotions, from fun-loving and childlike to serious and protective. There's one scene in particular where he talks his way out of a speeding ticket that really proves Murray hasn't lost even one step since his debut 45+ years ago. On the Rocks is worth the price of an Apple TV+ subscription, even if you don't watch anything else on the service.  

Bill Murray works a lot - which is kind of odd, since he's known for being so difficult to get ahold of when directors and producers want to offer him projects - but he's not the type of movie star who only accepts lead roles. From the very beginning of his career, he's been open to supporting roles and even popping up in cameos. While none of these movies rank amongst my all-time favorites, I love Murray's supporting work in Caddyshack (he's arguably the most remembered aspect of this still very funny movie), Tootsie, and the HBO mini-series Olive Kitteridge (where he pops up in an important role near the end of the series). If you're a loyal reader of this blog, you know how much I love his cameo in Zombieland, but he's nearly as good in Ghostbusters: Afterlife (a movie I think was unfairly maligned) and as the masochistic patient to Steve Martin's sadistic dentist in Little Shop of Horrors. I guess it's safe to say I love Murray no matter the size of the role! 

As of this writing, Murray's got three film projects completed and awaiting release or in post-production. The completed film is The Greatest Beer Run Ever. I recently read this memoir about a merchant marine who decides to bring beer from his hometown in NYC to his buddies serving in the Army in Vietnam. It's a fun story, but I can't recommend the book due to the author's poor writing skills. I imagine it'll make an entertaining movie, but I don't know who Murray will be playing. There were plenty of older parts available, but none of them will probably get much screen-time. Asteroid City is Wes Anderson's newest and is set for a 2022 release, but there isn't much known about it at this time. Like I said above, I'd love to Murray get the lead in another Anderson flick, but I'm not getting my hopes up. The final project is, oddly, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The fact that Bill-fucking-Murray is going to be in an MCU movie, much less Ant-Man 3, just blows my mind. It just doesn't seem like something he'd be interested in doing. He doesn't have a character name identified on IMDB yet, but the movie isn't supposed to come out until next year, so that's not so surprising, but I'm not positive this rumor is accurate. I'm sure I'll see the movie, but until Murray appears on screen, I'm going to remain skeptical of it's veracity. 

I've seen almost exactly half of Murray's movies, so if I wanted to be a completionist, I'd have a lot left to watch. Thankfully, I don't have that particular compulsion, because if I did, I'd have a lot of stuff to watch that I have absolutely no interest in. Stuff like both Garfield flicks, Dumb and Dumber To, Hyde Park on the Hudson, Passion Play, Hamlet (2000), and Where the Buffalo Roam. None of these movies have the best reputations and none of them have anything going for them, besides including Murray among the cast. That being said, there are a few of his projects that are still on my radar. The most popular is Meatballs, his first big role and a movie I've heard good things about for most of my life. I'm not sure why I haven't seen it yet - it's even readily available on Amazon Prime, so I could watch it for free at any time. I hope to get around to it in the near future. Two other movies that aren't quite so available are The Razor's Edge (Murray's first foray into dramatic work) and Ed Wood. Both come highly recommended from different people I trust for movie recommendations, but I still haven't sought them out. Well, I've always got something to look forward to! 

One of the things I like best about Bill Murray is his public persona, from his many appearances on shows like The Late Show with David Letterman, his appearances at award shows, on the golf course, at baseball games, and to his ongoing interactions with random people all across the country. He's got such a history of stopping and chatting with people that there was even a tremendous documentary released in 2018 called The Bill Murray Stories: Life Lessons Learned from a Mythical Man. The doc includes all sorts of hilarious, impactful, and touching stories from people who have had run-ins with the star over the years. Murray's known to crash weddings, house parties, and do random acts of charity like stopping in a coffee shop and buying everyone inside drinks. If I lived in a big city where he's known to spend a lot of time like Chicago or NYC, I'd probably walk around as much as possible just hoping to run into him. 

And, since I love to list and rank things, here's my ranking of all of Murray's movies that I've seen. Some of these haven't been seen in years, so I'm going by my IMDb ratings. If I re-watched some, the ratings and rankings would probably change. 

1. Ghostbusters - 10/10

2. Groundhog Day - 10/10

3. Parks and Recreation (one episode) - 9.5/10

4. Fantastic Mr. Fox - 9.5/10

5. The Royal Tenenbaums - 9.5/10

6. Lost in Translation - 9/10

7. Kingpin - 9/10

8. Isle of Dogs - 9/10

9. The Grand Budapest Hotel - 9/10

10. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - 9/10

11. Rushmore - 8.5/10

12. St. Vincent - 8/10

13. Ghostbusters: Afterlife - 8/10

14. On the Rocks - 8/10

15. Mad Dog and Glory - 8/10

16. Tootsie - 8/10

17. Olive Kitteridge - 7.5/10

18. Zombieland - 7.5/10

19. The Darjeeling Limited - 7.5/10

20. Caddyshack - 7/10

21. Moonrise Kingdom - 7/10

22. Get Low - 7/10

23. Little Shop of Horrors - 6.5/10

24. Wild Things - 6/10

25. What About Bob? - 6/10

26. Charlie's Angels - 6/10

27. Scrooged - 5.5/10

28. Quick Change - 5/10

29. A Very Murray Christmas - 5/10

30. The Monuments Men - 5/10

31. Stripes - 4.5/10

32. Broken Flowers - 4.5/10

33. Ghostbusters 2 - 4/10

34. The Jungle Book (2016) - 4/10

35. Rock the Kasbah - 3.5/10

36. Get Smart - 3/10

37. Aloha - 2/10

38. Ghostbusters (2016) - 1/10

What do you think of Bill Murray? What are some of your favorite performances or movies of his? Do you prefer his starring roles or his supporting performances? 

Thanks for reading!