Th-th-th-that’s All Folks

When I started this endeavor my intent was to do a movie for every number from zero to 50, then to continue to skip among larger numbers for other movies I would recommend.  Now that I’ve done the zero to fifty portion, I find that I’m itching to move on to other categories of movies.  Because of this, I am not going to do any other numbered movies above fifty right now.  At some point in the future I may pick this category up again.

First things first, here is the complete list of movie reviews I did for the Movies by the Numbers category, complete with links to each of those reviews, and with additional recommendations in the comments.

I’d like to thank the following people for recommending films to me for this effort.  Please visit their websites to see what they have to say about movies:

CS                  at Big Thoughts from a Small Mind

MovieNut14  at Defiant Success

SJHoneywell at 1001plus

Kevyn Knox  at The Most Beautiful Fraud in the World

Bob Turnbull at Eternal Sunshine of the Logical Mind

I’d like to especially thank Bob Turnbull for writing a guest column for the number 31 movie when I was stuck with no movie to write about.  You can read it here. 

I had a lot of fun doing this large set of movie reviews.  It exposed me to several movies I probably would not have otherwise seen.  It also gave me a good excuse to re-watch a few movies along the way.  (All the other movies I did from memory.)  For those who are curious, here are the films I watched/re-watched for this effort.

Zero Effect – recommended by CS at Big Thoughts from a Small Mind

Six-String Samurai

14 Hours

Stalag 17 – (re-watched)

Hanger 18

Twenty Bucks

Catch-22 – recommended by CS at Big Thoughts from a Small Mind

24 Hour Party People

Buck Rogers in the 25^th Century – (re-watched the pilot)

Chapter 27 – (didn’t like it enough to recommend)

Harvard Beats Yale 29-29

30 Minutes or Less – recommended by CS at Big Thoughts from a Small Mind

32 Short Films About Glenn Gould

The 36^th Chamber of Shaolin – (three out of five stars, but I had 36 Fillette already planned to post) recommended by SJHoneywell at 1001plus and Bob Turnbull at Eternal Sunshine of the Logical Mind

38 Special: Live at Sturgis

Glorious 39

Sum 41: Introduction to Destruction

42nd Street – recommended by SJHoneywell at 1001plus and Kevyn Knox at The Most Beautiful Fraud in the World

Summer of ’42 – (re-watched) – SJHoneywell at 1001plus reminded me of this

44 Inch Chest – (didn’t like it enough to recommend)

Janice Beard 45 WPM

Code 46 – recommended by Bob Turnbull at Eternal Sunshine of the Logical Mind

47 Ronin – recommended by Bob Turnbull at Eternal Sunshine of the Logical Mind

49^th Parallel – recommended by Bob Turnbull at Eternal Sunshine of the Logical Mind

50/50 – recommended by CS at Big Thoughts from a Small Mind and Kevyn Knox at The Most Beautiful Fraud in the World

You can check out the comments at the movie link post for many more suggestions from these folks.  Here are my own suggestions for the numbers above 50:

Passenger 57

Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)

Around the World in 80 Days

RKO 281

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

11:14

1941

2001: A Space Odyssey

2010: The Year We Make Contact

2046

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Million Dollar Baby

If you are wondering if there were some movies I wrote about that straddled the line between worthy of recommendation and not worthy, then the answer is yes.  Here are the movies that I might never have written a review for had I not needed a movie for that number:

Hangar 18 – it was either this or The 18 Year Old Virgin, which is only worth watching for the nudity

The Number 23 – I had no other choices for this number and some people love it

27 Dresses – it was either this movie, which is okay, or Chapter 27, which I disliked

Sum 41: Introduction to Destruction – I had no other choices for this number and juvenile humor appeals to quite a few people

The numbers I had to skip because I had no movie to write about were 26, 33, and 43.  Bob Turnbull at Eternal Sunshine of the Logical Mind wrote a guest review for the number 31, otherwise I would have had to skip that one, too.

I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to read these posts and especially those who took the time to comment.  Hopefully, I’ve given you some movies that you will enjoy watching.

Next up – I will do a humor post or two then I will write about the best non-traditional Christmas movies.

Movie – 50/50 (2011)

The movie 50/50 is based on actual events in the life of Seth Rogen and his friend Will Reiser.  Rogen convinced Reiser to write a screenplay about his battle with cancer when Rogen knew him in his twenties.  (Reiser was given a 50/50 chance to live, hence the title.)  The result is a bittersweet comedy/drama with an excellent lead performance by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Movie – 49th Parallel (1941)

The movie 49^th Parallel was an attempt by the British government to use propaganda in a way to benefit their war effort.  Nazi Germany had shown that it was a very effective tool, and The U.K. hoped to show North America what the Nazis were capable of.  In addition to the government funding the movie, several big stars agreed to work on the film for half of their usual fees.  The result was a movie that has to be evaluated on two levels – how it was received then and how it comes across now.

Movie – 48 Hrs. (1982)

The movie 48 Hrs. is sometimes credited with kicking off the whole “buddy cop” genre.  Even if it wasn’t the first, it was certainly followed by a ton of others (i.e. Lethal Weapon, Bad Boys, Rush Hour – all of which became a series of movies.)  There was even a sequel to this movie titled Another 48 Hrs.  Regardless of whether 48 Hrs. was first or not, it certainly was popular with both audiences and critics.  It also made Eddie Murphy a star in his very first movie role.

Movie – 47 Ronin (1994)

47 Ronin tells the classic Japanese tale of, you guessed it, the 47 ronin.  Just as the tales of King Arthur are known to pretty much every British citizen, so too is the tale of the 47 ronin known to all Japanese.  Like King Arthur, it is based on true historical events, although since they occurred much more recently, the story presented is more accurate than any of the King Arthur stories.  This movie is a good way for people to get familiar with the story ahead of the big 2012 blockbuster that is going to somehow include Keanu Reeves.

Movie – Code 46 (2003)

Code 46 is a dense science fiction movie that takes a look at the social impact advances in genetics may have on human society.  Unlike Gattaca (1997), which presented a genetically superior human race, there is no human genetic engineering in Code 46.  Instead, the increased use of cloning and in-vitro fertilization has presented a situation where genetically similar people may meet and not even know.  Because of this, governments have passed “Code 46” defining who can and cannot reproduce.  The legal and moral implications of two such people falling in love would be huge.

Movie – Janice Beard 45 WPM (1999)

Janice Beard 45 WPM is a small, low budget British film.  I’ve read more than one comparison to Bridget Jones’ Diary, which seems rather odd to me.  Both movies are office-based comedies with women as the lead characters, but the similarity pretty much ends there.  I would describe Janice Beard 45 WPM as one part Amelie (2001), one part industrial espionage, one part outsider trying to fit in, and just a dash of Die Hard (1988).

Movie – Class of ‘44 (1973)

Class of ’44 was the sequel to the very popular Summer of ’42.  Like many sequels it did not achieve the same success as the original.  In this case it was for other than the usual reason.  Many sequels are just rehashes of the exact same thing as the original and therefore people grow bored with them quicker.  Class of ’44 was a completely different kind of movie from Summer of ’42.  This was a disappointment to people at the time because they wanted to see more like what they had just seen two years earlier.  If you go into the movie knowing what not to expect, though, I think you will like it better.

No Movie for Number 43

Well, I had to skip numbers 26 and 33 and I have to do it again for number 43.  I have seen no movies with a “43” or variations thereof in the title, let alone one good enough to recommend.  This is one of the reasons I did a double post for the number 42.

I identified several movies that had the requisite number in their titles, but none were available to be seen.  The one that sounded like I might have liked it was the Italian film It Happened in ’43 (1960).  Room 43 (1958) sounds silly and Every 43 Seconds (2003) sounds preachy. 

If you have seen any of these movies, please let me know by leaving a comment here.  I’m interested in your opinion on them.

There are two movies currently in production that might be good.  The first is 43 Pounds about a man who tries to make a movie for (you guessed it) 43 pounds. 

The second is Movie 43 that is coming out in 2012.  It will consist of a series of comedy shorts produced by the Farrelly Brothers about the private lives of superheroes (i.e. Batman going speed dating.)  It has a hell of a cast listed for it – Emma Stone, Chloe Grace Moretz (Hit Girl), Gerard Butler, Elizabeth Banks, Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Kristen Bell (Heroes), Anna Faris (My Super Ex-Girlfriend), Kate Winslet, Josh Duhamel, Patrick Warburton (The Tick), Naomi Watts, Uma Thurman (G-Girl), Richard Gere, Seann William Scott, Jason Sudeikas, Leslie Bibb, Kate Bosworth, Liev Schreiber (Sabretooth), Kieran Culkin, Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Red Mist), Johnny Knoxville, and Tony Shalhoub, “just to name a few”.

If I ever get a chance to see one of these movies, or if a new movie with a 43 in the title comes out that I like, then I will replace this post with my recommendation for it.  Until then I have to move on to the number 44.

[Note – you can see all the Movies by Numbers, as well as get some hints on what’s to come, at this link.]

Movie and Book – Summer of ‘42 (1971)

Summer of ’42 played movie theaters during the spring and summer of 1971.  It is an autobiographical tale of a boy’s coming of age one summer on Nantucket Island.  Both it and the book that accompanied it were very popular with audiences.  The movie was nominated for four Oscars, winning for Best Score.  The book became one of the best selling novels of the 1970s.  As it happens, I read the book and saw the movie when I was just about the same age as the main character (15) and they rang very true for me.

Movie – 42nd Street (1933)

When 42^nd Street came out Warner Brothers was close to bankruptcy from the effects of the Great Depression.  This movie not only saved the studio, but it is credited with single-handedly saving the movie musical genre.  It proved to be very popular with audiences and it received a Best Picture nomination.  The success of this movie led to Radio Pictures deciding to do Flying Down to Rio (1933), which just happened to be the first pairing of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.

Movie – Sum 41: Introduction to Destruction (2001)

Sum 41’s DVD Introduction to Destruction captures the band early in their career.  In addition to a concert it includes a lot of footage the band shot themselves, both just goofing around and also trying to make “films”.  Sum 41 has changed in the years following this DVD release, so it gives you a look back at how they used to be.

Sum 41 came out of Canada as a Green Day clone.  As their music progressed it became less punk pop and more alternative rock.  They also became more mature in the topics of their songs.  They are anything but mature on this early DVD.

Movie – The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)

The 40 Year Old Virgin was the movie that made Steve Carell a household name and that launched director Judd Apatow into the stratosphere of Hollywood.  It is a well liked movie with an easy to explain concept (it’s right in the title), so word of mouth for the movie was huge.  Even though it uses some of the oldest clichés in the book, the talented cast manages to make them seem fresh.

Movie – Glorious 39 (2009)

The title Glorious 39 has a double meaning.  It refers to the summer of 1939 when most of the events of the film took place.  The privileged comment how “glorious” things were in England just before World War II started.  In addition, the main character of Anne, played by Romola Garai (Atonement), has been nicknamed Glorious by her adoptive family.  Netflix labeled this movie as a Romantic Drama, which is completely off base.  I would describe it as a pseudo-Hitchcockian political thriller about the people in England who wanted to appease Hitler rather than go to war with him.

Movie – 38 Special: Live at Sturgis (1999)

38 Special: Live at Sturgis excellently captures everything that the band 38 Special is about.  It features pretty much every familiar song of theirs without much filler.  There are no long diva moments, coordinated dance moves, or God help us, costume changes; it’s just straight ahead rock for 80 minutes.

Movie – To Gillian on her 37th Birthday (1996)

To Gillian on her 37^th Birthday is based on the play by the same name.  It was adapted by David Kelley for the big screen as a vehicle for his wife Michelle Pfeiffer.  In the movie David Lewis (Peter Gallagher) takes long walks on the beach with his wife Gillian (Pfeiffer).  They talk about many things, bringing comfort to each other.  There’s only one problem: Gillian died two years ago.

Movie – 36 Fillette (1988)

36 Fillette is an uncompromising look at one teenage girl’s journey to becoming a woman (in multiple senses of the phrase.)  It was written and directed by Catherine Breillat, who is known for doing controversial movies such as Romance (1999), with its explicit sex, and Fat Girl (2001), with its bizarre ending.  What makes 36 Fillette controversial is that the plot involves a fourteen year old girl who has decided to lose her virginity, and the actress playing her is also fourteen.

Movie – 35 Up (1991) and the “Up” Series

35 Up is one of a series of documentaries that have come out every seven years that chronicle the lives of fourteen people.  This post will discuss the series as a whole, with a focus on parts of 35 Up. 

With the tons of “reality” shows on TV purporting to be views into people’s lives, why should you bother to watch any of these movies?  Because they actually are real.  In addition, if small things that occur over a few months of filming one of those shows seem big to you, imagine seeing the changes that occur in people’s lives over five decades.   That is what these movies accomplish.

Movie – Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

I have always planned to write about Miracle on 34^th Street as the movie for the number 34.  When I started this endeavor I didn’t think about the timing.  It seems fitting that I am writing about this film only a few days before the American Thanksgiving holiday, which includes the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade that is such a key part of this movie.  In the area of more bizarre timing, news reports are coming out about police re-opening the investigation into the thirty year old death of Natalie Wood, who played the little girl in Miracle on 34^th Street.

No Movie for Number 33

Well, I had to skip number 26 and I have to do it again for number 33.  I have seen no movies with a “33” or variations thereof in the title, let alone one good enough to recommend.

“What about Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult?” you might be asking.  Well, that’s thirty-three and a third, not thirty-three.  It’s the same thing as 9 ½ Weeks being its own post separate from the number nine.  Just an aside – I wish that they had kept the original title for this movie – Naked Gun 33 1/3: For the Record.  They figured that by 1994 not enough people knew what a record was to get the joke, so they changed the title to the existing generic one.

As for the number 33, I identified two movies I might have liked had I been able to watch them – a 2011 Chinese/Australian film whose title is 33 Postcards and a 2008 German/Polish film titled 33 Scenes from Life. 

33 Postcards especially seemed like it would be a movie that would appeal to me.  It stars Guy Pearce (Memento) as a man who sponsors an orphan Chinese girl over many years, and one year while she is on a musical competition trip to Australia she goes to meet him.  She finds out that he is not what he has been saying he is.  As far as I have been able to find out, it was shown at a film festival in Australia and it has only opened in China.  Here is the trailer for it: 

If anyone has seen one or both of these movies, please let me know by leaving a comment here.  I’m interested in your opinion on them.

If I ever get a chance to see one, or if a new movie with a 33 in the title comes out that I like, then I will replace this post with my recommendation for it.  Until then I have to move on to the number 34.

[Note – you can see all the Movies by Numbers, as well as get some hints on what’s to come, at this link.]