Star Trek: Insurrection

Star Trek: Insurrection, 1998. There's a conspiracy to steal somebody's planet.

Directed by Jonathan Frakes. Written by Michael Piller; story by Rick Berman & Piller, based on a TV show by Gene Roddenberry. Starring Patrick Stewart & F. Murray Abraham.

Concept: B
Story: F
Characters: D
Dialog: D
Pacing: D
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: D
Acting: B
Music: D
Enjoyment: Here's a tip: if you're producing a movie, and the plot is largely built around bad cliches from 1970's TV shows (such as digging people out of cave-ins), maybe you shouldn't be writing the movie yourself. Just a thought. D

GPA: 1.4/4

Girl Shy

Girl Shy, 1924. A stutterer writes a bad book, meets a girl, and steals a series of vehicles.

Directed by Fred C. Newmeyer & Sam Taylor. Written by Taylor, Ted Wilde & Tim Whelan, with Thomas J. Gray. Starring Harold Lloyd.

Concept: C
Story: D
Characters: C
Dialog: C
Pacing: C
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: B
Acting: B
Music: C
Enjoyment: The antics portion of the movie, as usual, is pretty good. The rest I could do without. C

GPA: 2.1/4

(update of a previous post - original is here)

The Twilight Zone: "One for the Angels"

The Twilight Zone: "One for the Angels" (episode 2 of 36 from season one), 1959. An old man makes a deal with Death.

Written & created by Rod Serling. Directed by Robert Parrish. Starring Ed Wynn & Murray Hamilton.

Concept: A
Story: B
Characters: C
Dialog: C
Pacing: B
Cinematography: B
Special effects/design: B
Acting: B
Music: B
Enjoyment: Cute. I'm a sucker for folktales, and Death-as-a-character is always fun. B

GPA: 2.9/4

A Matter of Life and Death

A Matter of Life and Death (aka Stairway to Heaven), 1946. A mix-up in the afterlife gives a man a chance to appeal his death.

Written & directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger. Starring David Niven & Kim Hunter.

Concept: A
Story: B
Characters: C
Dialog: B
Pacing: B
Cinematography: B
Special effects/design: A
Acting: B
Music: A
Enjoyment: A lot of the charm is in novelty, so I'm not sure how well it would hold up to repeated viewings. For now, I like it. A

GPA: 3.3/4

The Twilight Zone: "Where Is Everybody?"

The Twilight Zone: "Where Is Everybody?" (episode 1 of 36 from season one), 1959. An amnesiac explores an empty town.

Written & created by Rod Serling. Directed by Robert Stevens. Starring Earl Holliman.

Concept: A
Story: C
Characters: C
Dialog: B
Pacing: A
Cinematography: A
Special effects/design: B
Acting: B
Music: B
Enjoyment: The ending isn't particularly good, but the rest of the episode more than makes up for it.  I've been putting off watching The Twilight Zone for way too long; so far, it's everything I'd hoped it would be. A

GPA: 3.2/4

the first hour of Dead Poets Society

from my 100 Popular Movies Marathon, part 16 of 100

Dead Poets Society, 1989. Prep school boys are inspired by their new English teacher.

Directed by Peter Weir. Written by Tom Schulman. Starring Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard & Ethan Hawke.

(estimated ratings, as I didn't finish the movie)
Enjoyment: I've seen this before, many years ago, so I knew it was going to be Cliche Theater, joyless (despite a theme which is contrary to joylessness), and a collection of many of my bad movie pet peeves. What I hadn't remembered is just how boring it is on top of all that. D
(Estimated) GPA: 1.9/4

Survivor: Season 22

Survivor: Season 22, 2011. A reality game in the Nicaraguan rain forest.

Created by Charlie Parsons. Starring Jeff Probst.

Concept: C
Story: D
Characters: D
Dialog: C
Pacing: C
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: C
Acting: n/a
Music: C
Enjoyment: Only one or two people know what they're doing, and everyone else seems to be complete idiots, which makes for a pretty boring and frustrating game to watch. I've only seen two seasons of this show so far, but I'd be surprised if this isn't one of the worst of the series. C

GPA: 1.8/4

Before Sunset

Before Sunset, 2004. The Before Sunrise couple reunite nine years later.

Directed by Richard Linklater. Written by Linklater, Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy; characters and story by Linklater & Kim Krizan. Starring Hawke & Delpy.

Concept: B
Story: C
Characters: B
Dialog: C
Pacing: C
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: C
Acting: B
Music: B
Enjoyment: There are a couple of great scenes near the end (and, to be fair, the way this movie works, a "couple" of scenes constitutes about a third of the movie). But the quality of the dialog and acting in some of the "now let me blather on about my Richard Linklater thoughts" scenes is so much worse, it's surprising they're made by the same people. C

GPA: 2.4/4

White Christmas

White Christmas, 1954. Broadway producers put on a show to save their buddy's ski lodge.

Directed by Michael Curtiz. Written by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama & Melvin Frank. Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney & Vera-Ellen.

Concept: D
Story: D
Characters: C
Dialog: C
Pacing: C
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: C
Acting: C
Music: There are a couple of great songs, but most of them are filler. B
Enjoyment: The sad excuse for a script exists purely to hang musical numbers on, and the musical numbers aren't that great. C

GPA: 1.9/4

An Adventure in Space and Time

An Adventure in Space and Time (tv movie), 2013. Behind the scenes of the beginning of Doctor Who.

Directed by Terry McDonough. Written by Mark Gatiss. Starring David Bradley & Jessica Raine.

Concept: D
Story: C
Characters: B
Dialog: B
Pacing: B
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: A
Acting: B
Music: C
Enjoyment: It's not by any means compelling drama, but there's not much to complain about, either. It's reasonably entertaining for someone who's a fan of Doctor Who and/or mid-century modern style. C

GPA: 2.5/4

Doctor Who: "The Time of the Doctor"

Doctor Who: "The Time of the Doctor" (tv special), 2013. The Doctor vs... everybody? I don't even know.

Created by Sydney Newman, C.E. Webber & Donald Wilson. Directed by Jamie Payne. Written by Steven Moffat. Starring Matt Smith & Jenna Coleman.

Concept: D
Story: F
Characters: C
Dialog: C
Pacing: F
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: C
Acting: C
Music: C
Enjoyment: Hands down, the worst Doctor Who episode since the 90's Fox TV movie. In fact, now that I think about it, there's arguably more to like in that than in this. The only part that's any fun is the few seconds of Capaldi at the end, and that's just because of curiosity. D

GPA: 1.4/4

Doctor Who: "The Day of the Doctor"

Doctor Who: "The Day of the Doctor" (tv special), 2013. Three Doctors are thrown together to help one of them make a decision.

Created by Sydney Newman, C.E. Webber & Donald Wilson. Directed by Nick Hurran. Written by Steven Moffat. Starring Matt Smith, David Tennant, John Hurt, Jenna Coleman & Billie Piper.

Concept: Okay, now can we all just forget about the Time War nonsense and move on already? C
Story: D
Characters: B
Dialog: B
Pacing: C
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: C
Acting: B
Music: B
Enjoyment: Seeing Smith and Tennant side by side, it becomes painfully clear that the problems with the 11th Doctor aren't entirely due to Moffat's writing. Largely due to it, but not entirely. So... I guess that bodes well for series eight? I can hope. B

GPA: 2.4/4

Best of My 2013

The best titles in each of my ratings categories, of everything I saw for the first time since last year's year-end list:

Concept
1. "La Jetée" (short), 1962
2. Tabletop (season one), 2012-2013
3. Gravity, 2013

Story
1. Breaking Bad: Season Four, 2011
2. Training Day, 2001
3. Blood Simple, 1985

Characters
1. Breaking Bad (seasons 2+), 2009-2013
2. Frances Ha, 2013
3. Training Day, 2001

Dialog
1. Nebraska, 2013
2. Django Unchained, 2012
3. Wreck-It Ralph, 2012

Pacing
1. Gravity, 2013
2. The Grey, 2012
3. Captain Phillips, 2013

Cinematography
1. Black Narcissus, 1947
2. The Master, 2012
3. Gravity, 2013

Special Effects/Design
1. Oblivion, 2013
2. Gravity, 2013
3. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, 1984

Acting
1. Captain Phillips, 2013
2. The Master, 2012
3. Before Sunrise, 1995

Music
1. Shall We Dance, 1937
2. Match Point, 2005
3. Star Trek into Darkness, 2013

Enjoyment (my favorite titles)
1. Django Unchained, 2012 (A+)
2. Tabletop (season one), 2012-2013 (A+)
3. Monsters University, 2013 (A+)
4. Breaking Bad (seasons 2+), 2009-2013 (A)
5. Top Hat, 1935 (A)

GPA (the best titles)
1. Django Unchained, 2012 (3.8/4)
2. Captain Phillips, 2013 (3.7/4)
3. Training Day, 2001 (3.5/4)
4. Catching Fire, 2013 (3.4/4)
5. "La Jetée" (short), 1962 (3.4/4)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Three

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season Three, 1998-1999. The vampire-hunting teenager mopes a lot and fights some monsters.

Created by Joss Whedon. Directed by Whedon (5 episodes), James Whitmore, Jr. (4), James A. Contner (4), David Greenwalt (2), Michael Lange (2), David Semel (1), Michael Gershman (1), David Grossman (1), Regis Kimble (1) & David Solomon (1). Written by Whedon (5 episodes), Marti Noxon (5), Jane Espenson (3), Douglas Petrie (3), David Greenwalt (2), Dan Vebber (2), David Fury (2) & Thania St. John (1). Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Concept: C
Story: C
Characters: B
Dialog: B
Pacing: C
Cinematography: C
Special effects/design: C
Acting: C
Music: C
Enjoyment: The soap opera aspect is extremely tedious this season. There's plenty of humor to keep the show fun, but otherwise they spend a lot of time stalling with character relationships that were already resolved last season but have to keep going because Angel doesn't have his own show yet. C

GPA: 2.2/4

"Terror on the Midway"

"Terror on the Midway" (short), 1942. Superman vs. escaped circus animals.

Directed by Dave Fleischer. Written by Jay Morton & Dan Gordon, based on characters by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster. Starring Joan Alexander & Bud Collyer.

Concept: D
Story: D
Characters: C
Dialog: C
Pacing: C
Cinematography: B
Special effects/design: B
Acting: C
Music: B
Enjoyment: A new low for the series (which I expect to be beaten soon, as this is the last of the Superman cartoons directed by Fleischer). Even with some good Lois Lane moments, it still manages to be crappy. C

GPA: 2.1/4

American Hustle

American Hustle, 2013. The FBI uses con artists to entrap politicians.

Directed by David O. Russell. Written by Eric Singer & Russell. Starring Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper & Amy Adams.

Concept: B
Story: B
Characters: C
Dialog: B
Pacing: C
Cinematography: B
Special effects/design: B
Acting: B
Music: B
Enjoyment: Boring. There's only about five minutes that are any fun (Louis C.K.'s bits, and the phrase "science oven"). C

GPA: 2.7/4

"Volcano"

"Volcano" (short), 1942. Superman vs. a volcano.

Directed by Dave Fleischer. Written by Bill Turner & Carl Meyer, based on characters by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster. Starring Joan Alexander, Jackson Beck & Bud Collyer.

Concept: C
Story: D
Characters: B
Dialog: C
Pacing: B
Cinematography: B
Special effects/design: B
Acting: C
Music: B
Enjoyment: A step back in the right direction. Superman's up against something that's a match for him for a change, and Lois is wily and resourceful. B

GPA: 2.5/4

"Electric Earthquake"

"Electric Earthquake" (short), 1942. Superman vs. a Native American mad scientist.

Directed by Dave Fleischer. Written by Seymour Kneitel & Izzy Sparber, based on characters by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster. Starring Joan Alexander, Jackson Beck & Bud Collyer.

Concept: D
Story: D
Characters: C
Dialog: C
Pacing: C
Cinematography: B
Special effects/design: B
Acting: C
Music: B
Enjoyment: You'd think these mad scientists would eventually start to factor Superman into their evil plans. I guess they don't read the Daily Planet. At least this one didn't use the same mountain lab that's so popular. C

GPA: 2.1/4

A Fistful of Dollars

Per un pugno di dollari, 1964. A wandering gunfighter tries to get rival gangs to kill each other.

Directed by Sergio Leone. Written by Víctor Andrés Catena, Jaime Comas Gil & Leone; story by Adriano Bonzzoni, Catena & Leone, based on a movie by Ryuzo Kikushima & Akira Kurosawa. Starring Clint Eastwood.

Concept: A
Story: A
Characters: A
Dialog: B
Pacing: B
Cinematography: A
Special effects/design: B
Acting: B
Music: A
Enjoyment: Iconic. It slows down a little in the middle, but not much, and there's more than enough awesome to make up for it. A+

GPA: 3.7/4

[update of a previous post - original is here]

Frances Ha

Frances Ha, 2013. A woman is bad a being a grown-up.

Directed by Noah Baumbach. Written by Baumbach & Greta Gerwig. Starring Gerwig.

Concept: D
Story: C
Characters: A
Dialog: A
Pacing: A
Cinematography: B
Special effects/design: B
Acting: Gerwig reminds me of Giulietta Masina. A
Music: A
Enjoyment: There's a lot of cringe-inducing awkwardness, which I hate in a movie. But after it was done, I felt pretty good. And as I've been thinking about it, it's been growing on me. I expect that if I re-watched it, I might love it. B

GPA: 3.2/4