Michele's Movie Diary

  • Se7en

    Tuesday, January 21, 2025

    Se7en – David Fincher – 1995

    Why Watch?

    Tuesday nights are magical nights. On Tuesday nights one of our local theaters shows “classic” movies. I love going to a theater to see any movie, but I especially like seeing older ones. Sometimes they are movies that I have seen over and over again, and other times they are movies I am less familiar with. I love to scroll through the theater’s app looking for the movie my husband will agree to go see (again).

    Last Tuesday the classic movie was David Fincher’s 90’s thriller, Se7en. It had been awhile since I’ve seen this one. I know I didn’t see it when it was originally in theaters. I was 19 and in college and movies were the last thing on my mind. I do remember the, “What’s in the box?” line and that the crimes were based on the seven deadly sins, and Brad Pitt was in the movie, but that is about all I could remember.

    At about 6:25, Shane and I left the comfort of our couch and electric blankets and made our way to the Harkins Mountain Grove theater in Redlands, California. This isn’t our closest theater, but it is the one that shows the Tuesday classics, so we don’t mind driving a bit further. Also, the Harkins has a great loyalty program. My concessions cost a whole $3. That is the cost to refill my loyalty cup with Coke Zero, and a medium popcorn. The popcorn is “free”. I buy something called a popcorn perk. For $40, I get 36 bags of medium popcorn for “free”. If I wanted, I could upgrade to a large for a dollar, but since I’m the only one eating the popcorn, I keep it the free size.

    With my popcorn and soda in hand, we walk into Cine 1, the “big” theater. It isn’t packed, but it isn’t empty of movie goers. It is pretty much the perfect amount of people in the theater.

    Film Specifics

    Se7en was released on September 22, 1995. It was written by Andrew Kevin Walker and was directed by David Fincher. You might know Fincher from some of this other directorial efforts such as 1999s Fight Club, also staring hunky Brad Pitt, and 2010s The Social Network, which notably does not feature Mr. Pitt, but Armie Hammer in a double role.

    The film Fincher made prior to Se7en was his debut film, Alien 3, or Alien Cubed as many like to call it. Even though Fincher mistakenly received a copy of the script for Se7en, he committed to directing it as long as the downer of an ending stayed in the movie.

    The film was a hit, even though it was dark, grimy and violent. It was the seventh highest grossing film of 1995. This success helped not only Fincher, but it helped Pitt find more serious acting roles.

    Synopsis (No Spoilers!)

    Se7en is a crime thriller that follows two police detectives, Morgan Freeman and the aforementioned Brad Pitt, as they try to solve a series of gruesome murders. Freeman is the seasoned veteran, while Pitt is the newbie, trying to prove himself.

    Freeman’s character, Somerset, is getting ready to retire and Pitt’s character, Mills, will be taking over his cases. During the transition week, they are dispatched to the first murder scene. They find an obese man, face flat in a plate of spaghetti, his arms and legs restrained. This is the first murder, each depicting one of the the seven deadly sins.

    Mills is married to Tracy, played by Pitt’s then girlfriend Gwyneth Paltrow. They have some big dogs and live in an apartment that shakes every half hour or so because of the nearby subway station. Tracy longs for the country and does not like living in the city. But Mills wants to make a name for himself, so he and Somerset start to diligently work the case.

    The Watch

    Boy oh boy, I had a grand time watching this one. Obviously the film had my attention at the jump. The crime scenes are disgusting and sometimes difficult to look at, but very interestingly staged and filmed. The theater audience was quiet and engaged, no random people on their phones or talking loudly.

    What I really enjoyed about this watch was how 90s Se7en is. From the opening credit sequence, to the underdeveloped female character, to the use of a Nine Inch Nails song, I was in 90s heaven. For heaven’s sake Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Morgan Freeman and regrettably Kevin Spacey are in this movie, you can’t get more 90s than that.

    Speaking of the female characters, there are not many. Paltrow’s character is a suffering wife with not much to do. She doesn’t have many scenes and when she is on screen, she’s pretty one dimensional. Where are the strong female characters? She puts up with her neglectful husband, she’s been moved to a place away from where she wants to live, and she has zero friends. Give women characters a break, would ya?

    With all that said, I still thoroughly enjoyed this watch.

    Rating

    B+ – Se7en is fun. It is thrilling, especially if you haven’t seen it before. The setting is grimy and wet (there is a lot of rain) and it has that 90s grungy feel to it. If you are not a fan of blood and disgusting murder scenes, you might want to pass. However, if you like young Brad Pitt, middle aged Morgan Freeman, I 90s aesthetics, I highly recommend that you check this one out.

    Contact Me!

    I have an email! If you have questions, or if you would like to request an actor to be put on the wheel, or a movie you would like me to watch, email me. michele@michelesmoviediary.com. Also, if you like what you are reading, please share my blog. Thanks for your support!

    FYI, I use my memory, Wikipedia and IMdb for a lot of the facts for this blog. If I am mistaken about any of the details, I truly apologize.

  • Repo Man

    Sunday, January 5, 2025

    Repo Man – Alex Cox – 1984

    Why Watch?

    It’s after dinner on Sunday evening. Since we have seen all of the movies playing near us, it’s time to watch a movie at home.

    I spun the wheel (see previous posts about the wheel game) with the result being Emilio Estevez. I was thrilled. This is the first time we will be watching an Emilio Estevez film. Charlie Sheen was a previous actor on our wheel. We had a great time with him, so I was looking forward to watching some of his brother’s work. I am also anxious to get Martin Sheen on the wheel.

    I have not seen Repo Man. I have heard a lot of people referencing this film, so when Emilio came up, I knew right away I wanted to watch it.

    Film Specifics

    Repo Man was released in the U.S. on March 2, 1984. It was written and directed by Alex Cox. Interestingly, Michael Nesmith was an executive producer. If that name sounds familiar, you might be old. He was a member of The Monkees, a band made for a TV show in the mid 1960’s. I remember watching reruns of The Monkees when I was a kid in the 80’s and 90’s. It is a very fun show. The Monkees also had a bunch of actual hits and are considered a pretty good band. I suggest checking out some of the reruns and some of their tunes.

    Repo Man had a very small budget, just around $1.5 million. Cox originally wanted it to be a road movie, but limited the shoot to Los Angeles to save some money. The studio was not sure how the film would be received, so they didn’t do a lot of promotion. It had a lackluster box office, but was critically acclaimed. Repo Man rose to cult classic status over time most likely due to the many times is was shown on television.

    Synopsis (No Spoilers)

    The movie starts with a Chevy Malibu speeding down a lonely highway through the desert, when a police officer pulls over the car. The officer askes to see inside the trunk. This is a bad decision because whatever is in there, causes the officer to disintegrate, leaving nothing behind except his boots. There is absolutely something alien going on, the audience just doesn’t know what it is.

    We then meet our main protagonist, Otto, played by Emilio Estevez, working his job at a supermarket. Otto, a young punk, is quickly fired and our movie is really off and running.

    Otto goes home and asks his parents for $1000 dollars they promised him if he finished school. However they are transfixed by a televangelist and say they sent all of the money to the church say they can provide bibles in South America.

    Despondent, Otto is walking through a not so nice neighborhood when he is flagged down by Bud, played by Harry Dean Stanton. Bud says he needs Otto to drive his wife’s car because he needs to get to the hospital, his wife was about to give birth. Otto said he would do it, as long as Bud pays him. Bud agrees, and throws Otto the keys. Otto is now unwittingly part of Bud’s repo.

    After narrowly escaping the cars owners, Otto follows Bud to the repo yard and accepts a job. Meanwhile, a strange group of people are looking for the Chevy Malibu. They send out a repo request offering a $20,000 reward for anyone who actually procures the car.

    Otto meets a lot of fun characters. He not only learns the repo ropes from Bud, but from some other colorful characters. He meets a girl. He almost gets shot. He has run ins with punks, competing repo men, and deadbeats and the people searching for the Malibu.

    The film culminates in a big showdown with all of the (surviving) characters and the Chevy Malibu.

    The Watch

    Shane and I rented this from Fandango.

    This film had my attention from the beginning. I drive a Chevy Malibu, so I automatically felt a connection.

    The music in this movie is awesome. A lot of fun punk songs are heard throughout. In one scene, Otto is at a bar and the band playing at the bar are The Circle Jerks.

    Along with the great music, there are many fun performances here. I especially liked the very odd character of Miller played by Tracy Walter. I remember Walter best from his small part in 1989’s Batman. He is one of the Joker’s henchmen. Of course, Harry Dean Stanton is fantastic as Bud. I also liked Otto’s love interest, played by Olivia Barash.

    I’m sure this movie is trying to say something about Reagan era economics and consumerism, but I just found it very entertaining.

    Rating

    B – Previously I have been ranking the films I watch from 1-10. I felt I needed to change that. I will now be evaluating the films like a teacher, giving a grade from A to F.

    Repo Man gets a solid B. I enjoyed the music, the acting and a lot of the writing. You can definitely tell this is a low budget film. It is a bit strange, so if you aren’t much into movies like Big Trouble in Little China or The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, this might not be the movie you should sit down and watch. Overall, I enjoyed it quite a bit.

    Contact Me!

    I now have an email! If you have questions, or if you would like to request an actor to be put on the wheel, email me. michele@michelesmoviediary.com. Also, if you like what you are reading, please share my blog. Thanks for your support!

    FYI, I use my memory, Wikipedia and IMdb for a lot of the facts for this blog. If I am mistaken about any of the details, I truly apologize.

  • Predator

    Friday, January 3, 2025

    Predator – John McTiernan – 1987

    Why Watch?

    It’s Friday night and Shane does not go out on Fridays. He deems Fridays as too crowded. Meaning we might have to wait to be seated at a restaurant and the theaters are packed with loud teens. Because of this, we decided to spin the wheel and watch a movie at home. (see the Super 8 post for details about the movie game Shane and I play.)

    It was my spin and the lucky winner was Arnold Schwarzenegger. This was our third time spinning Arnie. We previously watched 2013’s Escape Plan, and 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Arnold has now been removed from the wheel and has been replaced by Emilio Estevez.

    I chose Predator for many reasons. The most outstanding reason is the fact that Predator is just such a fun movie to watch. I saw it in the theater when it first came out in 1987. I was 11. This is an R rated movie. I think my parents just wanted to see it and figured, why not take the kids?

    I have a strong memory of being very scared during and after seeing this movie. Maybe the predator is hunting me? How would I know? He is camouflaged! My only solace was the fact that I was unarmed, and the predator only hunts those who can fight back.

    Once it was available, my dad purchased Predator on VHS and my brother and I watched it many, many times.

    I told Shane that I was choosing Predator for our watch and he seemed pleased with the choice.

    Film Specifics

    Predator was released in the U.S. on June 12, 1987. It was written by two brothers, Jim and John Thomas and was directed by John McTiernan. You may be aware of McTiernan’s sorted past with the law. He spent 328 days in a federal prison in 2013 through 2014. He was involved in wire-tapping and if you want more information on this, I suggest Googling it. All I know if that he directed two of my heart movies, this one and Die Hard.

    Predator was produced by Lawrence Gordon, Joel Silver, and John Davis. It was a 20th Century production. It had a budget of around $15 million and grossed $98 million. Reviews at the time were mixed, but is now considered one of the best sci-fi action flicks of the 80’s.

    Synopsis (No Spoilers)

    Predator opens on a shot of space. A spaceship flies by and a smaller ship is launched and lands on Earth.

    Cut to a military outpost on a beach near a jungle. Here we meet all but one of the main players. Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his band of badass warriors are called in for a special mission. Dutch’s old friend Dillon (Carl Weathers) assures him that this will be a routine rescue mission. The best part of this scene is when Dutch and Dillon greet each other with the most muscle flexing handshake I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing. This handshake turns into a quick arm wrestling match, which to no one’s surprise, Dutch wins.

    In the helicopter on the way to the mission we meet the other members of the extraction team. Each member of the team has a fun character trait. Mac, played by Bill Duke, dry shaves his face. Blaine, played by Jesse The Body Ventura, chews tobacco. Billy, played by Sonny Landham, is a native American, which I guess counts as a character trait. The crew is rounded out by Poncho, played by Richard Chaves, and Hawkins, played by actor/writer/director Shane Black. I will definitely be writing more about Shane Black in future posts.

    The team descends on their targets. A long, bloody, fiery action sequence ensues. There are some great lines in this scene, which remind the viewer that you are watching an 80’s action movie. After the fighting dies down Dutch figures out that Dillon lied to him about the mission. They now must traverse the jungle to get to the chopper rendezvous point, plus they have to take a female prisoner with them. If you read the previous sentence and didn’t say, “Get to the chopper!” in your best Arnold voice, I’m disappointed in you.

    Once the team is trekking through the jungle, they start to encounter the predator. They are outmatched by this alien hunter. There are a few fun montages and a lot of gun play. I don’t want to spoil anything, so watch the movie!

    The Re-Watch

    It’s Friday night, so fast food it is. I purchased Farmer Boys for Shane and I, and after eating we queued up the movie. Predator is streaming for free on Peacock. I like watching movies on Peacock because they show about three minutes of ads before the movie starts, then there are no more interruptions.

    As we watched, Shane and I spontaneously started to play a kind of drinking game. Each time there was an 80’s style one-liner, we took a sip. Each time we were able to view the predator, we took a sip. If you try this game, be careful! You might be quite soused by the end of the movie!

    We had so much fun watching this movie. Yes, it’s overly bloody. Yes, it glorifies guns and the military. Yes, there is only one female character and she is a prisoner through most of the movie. But goddammit, this is a fun movie to watch! Also, you don’t have to pay close attention. There isn’t much plot. A group of soldiers are trying to survive in the jungle. Simple.

    Rating

    9/10 – Look, this isn’t Citizen Kane, but I rate movies by entertainment value. I have enjoyed this movie time and time again. I’m sure I will watch it many more times. It’s an 80’s action classic. We see Arnold at his chiseled best, not to mention Carl Weathers in all his muscled glory! The effects hold up quite nicely. Plus the design of the predator itself is iconic. It also doesn’t hurt to play a drinking game to enhance your watching experience. Watch it and let me know what you think!

  • Super 8

    Thursday, January 2, 2025

    Super 8 – J.J. Abrams – 2011

    Why Watch?

    My husband has reluctantly joined me in my obsession with movies. Like everyone else during Covid, we were trying to pass the time. In this state of perpetual seclusion we purchased a spinning wheel. You know, like a carnival wheel. This wheel has 12 spaces. Initially, we used the wheel to pick what we would eat, but now it serves a much better purpose, it picks movies!

    Each slot on the wheel is represented by a number, 1-12. Each number corresponds with an actor or actress that was picked by either my husband or myself. For example, if you spin the wheel and it lands on a number, say 10, that means the person who spun the wheel needs to pick a movie where the actor or actress appears. In the case of #10, the actress is Elle Fanning. This was an actress my husband picked to be on the wheel.

    We have been playing this game since 2023, and have already watched so many great movies from so many great filmmakers. When we spin the wheel, we pick a movie. Each actor gets three movies. Once we have watched three films, we close out that actor and choose another. If you spin and it is the third film from that actor, the spinner gets to pick another film. What film you ask? Well, that depends. It is either a film from a specific director, or a genre film, or a film from a series, or a film from a list (predetermined by us). I will explain in future posts. Just know, this movie was picked because Shane, my husband, spun the wheel and the actor he spun is in this film. If you are interested, here are the actors/actress represented on our wheel at this time, listed by their number and who chose them for the wheel:

    1. Keanu Reeves (Shane)
    2. Gal Gadot (Shane)
    3. Elliott Gould (Michele)
    4. Amy Adams (Michele)
    5. Gerald Butler (Shane)
    6. Catherine Zeta Jones (Shane)
    7. J.K. Simmons (MIchele)
    8. Scarlett Johansson (Michele)
    9. Russell Crowe (Shane)
    10. Elle Fanning (Shane)
    11. Emilio Estevez (Michele)
    12. Angela Bassett (Michele)

    My husband spun the wheel, it landed on 10, so he had to pick a film where Elle Fanning appears. Ideally, the actor/actress would have a staring role, but that it not always the case. However, this is a time when my husband, who’s name is Shane and now will be referred to as such, picked one that prominently featured the actress he spun. Super 8 was his choice. I celebrated his choice and looked forward to our watch.

    Film Specifics

    Super 8 was released in the U.S. on June 10, 2011. Written and directed by J.J. Abrams. Abrams previously directed Mission Impossible III, and 2009’s Star Trek reboot. You might know Abrams from some of his television endeavors like the ABC hit Lost, and his use of the “lens flare” effect in this movie and in Star Trek. Seriously, Google “JJ Abrams Lens Flare” and you will see some really funny memes.

    Super 8 was produced by all time great American director Steven Spielberg, and by all accounts was present on the set and said it was the most fun he had on a set.

    Super 8 had a budget of $50 million and grossed $260.1 million, so I would say it was a hit.

    The film garnered favorable praise, both by critics and audiences.

    Synopsis (No Spoilers)

    The film opens on a sign in a factory counting the days since the last accident. The number changes to 1 and the audience knows something bad has happened.

    Something bad has happened indeed. Set in a small, fictional town in Ohio in 1979, we learn that 14 year-old Joe Lamb, played by Joel Courtney, lost his mother in a factory accident. Joe is left with a locket worn by his mother, and a father, played by Kyle Chandler, who doesn’t know how to cope with the death of his wife and the fact he now has to raise teenage son on his own.

    Joe happens to have some pretty awesome friends that are making a super-8 movie for a film festival. We meet this group of fun teens, including Elle Fanning’s character Alice, as they prepare to shoot a scene for their zombie movie. During their late night shoot, the kids witness and narrowly escape death from a train derailment. Oh yeah, did I mention Alice’s dad was supposed to work the shift that killed Joe’s mom. And Joe has a crush on Alice. Oh, and Joe’s best friend and director of their student film Charles also has a crush on Alice! Complicated I’m sure!

    The train holds a government secret causing the military to descend on the small Ohio town. Science fiction action and a little bit of horror starts to play out on our screen.

    The Re-Watch

    Again, this is a film I have watched before. I believe I saw this film in the theater with my parents, since my husband was away on business. Today I watched it through my Fandango app on my Roku. We own this film through that service. We started watching around 6pm this Thursday. Our son, even though invited, did not join us on this watch.

    Shane and I started our watch after eating El Pollo Loco. Let me say here that I do not like El Pollo Loco’s corn. I wish they would not add the peppers. There, I said it.

    I really enjoyed this watch. Shane hadn’t seen this since it was in the theaters. I have shown this film a few times in my film class, so I have seen it a few more times than he has.

    From the opening scene showing the change in the accident sign, that flows into the funeral scene, this film had my attention. I am a sucker for a film led by kids, a la The Goonies. Plus, these awesome kids are making a movie inside of a movie! They included some fun Easter eggs, like naming the chemical plant in the kids zombie student film Romero Chemicals, an ode to George Romero and his classic zombie flick, Night of the Living Dead.

    There are a lot of great actors in Super 8. Ron Eldard is Alice’s dad. I remember him most from E.R., but I’m old. He’s great! I also enjoyed Ryan Lee as Joe’s friend Carey, master of effects and the zombie most killed in the student film. Not to mention the other kid who is prominently featured, Riley Griffiths as the writer, director, auteur filmmaker. He is fantastic!

    Just like other thrillers, we do not see the “monster” for quite some time. According to IMdb trivia (so take with a grain of salt), the alien only has 3 minutes of screen time. Of course, not showing the scary creature only adds to the suspense and fun of the movie.

    Rating

    9/10 – An awesome and fun rewatch. Shane enjoyed it, I enjoyed it, even our German Shepard, Zelda, enjoyed it. What’s not to love? We get to watch a group of scrappy kids make a movie. We get to see an alien. We get to see young love. There’s laughs, there’s tears, and there’s dogs.

  • Aliens

    Thursday, January 2, 2025

    Aliens – James Cameron – 1986

    I watch many movies because they will be discussed on a podcast that I will be listening to in the future. In this case, I am listening to the delightfully funny podcast, “Blank Check”. I highly recommend it. If you are not listening to it, please start. Just a little about “Blank Check”, they podcast about filmmakers and the films they create with a “Blank Check” given to them from Hollywood. These filmmakers get to do whatever they want, because of previous success. This mini-series happens to be about James Cameron, and they will be discussing his third film, Aliens.

    In anticipation of listening to the podcast, I decided to rewatch Aliens.

    Film Specifics

    Aliens was released in the US on July 18, 1986. Aliens is a sequel to the very popular film, Alien from 1979. It was the third directorial effort from James Cameron, who also wrote the screenplay. It was produced by Gale Anne Hurd, one of Cameron’s many ex-wives. It was one of the highest-grossing films of 1986.

    Synopsis

    Aliens starts where Alien leaves off. Ripley is floating in space, asleep in her pod. She is rescued by salvagers, along with her cat.

    While recovering in a space station, she is approached by Carter Burke, played by Paul Riser. Burke tells Ripley she has been floating in space for over 50 years!

    Ripley tells the corporate people in charge her harrowing story, which they don’t take very seriously. They are disappointed she destroyed a ship and cargo worth millions, with no care about the human lives that were lost.

    Ripley is then recruited to help rescue a group of settlers trying to terraform the planet where Ripley and company first encountered the xenomorph.

    The action really starts to ramp up once the military grunts have their boots on the planet and they start to encounter the xenomorphs for themselves. And yeah, there is a cute little girl hiding and surviving, so there’s that.

    The Re-Watch

    I’ve seen this film many, many times. It is a favorite in my family, not only with my parents, but with my son as well. I watched this in my living room using my Fandango app on my Roku. I own not only this film, but a total of four Alien films.

    I found this watch to be just as entertaining as all the other times I have watched this film. Sigorney Weaver’s portrayal of Ripley is badass. Paul Reiser’s corporate honcho is annoyingly realistic. Bill Paxton’s soldier is super fun.

    It’s fun to watch these Cameron movies and see all of the actors he brings back time and time again. Paxton was killed in Terminator by Arnold. Now we see him in Aliens, first as a blowhard, then as a simpering, and scared victim. But who wouldn’t be scared! The Xenomorph is a very frightening monster.

    Lance Henriksen appeared in Cameron’s first film, Piranha 2, and here he is as Bishop, the android who helps save the day. Michael Biehn was in Terminator where he helps Linda Hamilton escape death. In Aliens, he plays another man who helps the strong female protagonist against overwhelming odds.

    Interestingly, we really don’t see the Xenomorph until about an hour into the film. The suspense Cameron builds makes the viewer anticipate the monster at every turn.

    The visuals are stunning and the camera work is great.

    Rating

    9/10 – Awesome rewatch. More aliens than the original, an alien queen, a scrappy little kid, and a tough female protagonist makes this a classic rewatchable film.