Some News (That I Actually Care About)
Besides drawing the ire of critics everywhere (9% on RT), Fantastic Four isn't doing very good business at the box office. That leaves the door half-open at this point for Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation to take the #1 domestic spot in its second week. @Box Office MojoIs Gunday really one of the worst movies of all time, if we go by IMDb's Bottom 100 (#17 spot at time of writing)? Probably not, which goes to show just how imperfect IMDb's voting system really is.
So Universal must be pretty happy about their year so far. Make that 5.53 billion reasons why. @The Hollywood Reporter
The extended edition of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will apparently be released with an R-rating as opposed to the PG-rating that the theatrical version got. Question is, does anyone even remember what happened in that movie? @TheOneRing
And in super interesting facts everyone should know, Rocky IV is in fact 1/3 montage, 2/3 movie. Thank you for this Steve McCutchen, this is need to know stuff: @Cavalcade of Awesomeness
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Number of movies watched this week: 7
Average rating: 6.2
August 2nd
The Big Year (2011)
Rating: 6/10What is it: A birdwatching comedy that assembles Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black
What's good: Satisfying conclusion
What's bad: Flatfooted comedy, CGI birds haven't aged well and makes it impossible to really care about the characters
August 3rd
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000): Best Movie of the Week Award
Rating: 7.5/10What is it: An animated Batman film, but set in the future
What's good: Shockingly dark at times, interesting style, greatly improves as it goes on
What's bad: Overly cartoony/goofy beginning
August 4th
Bernie (2011)
Rating: 7.5/10What is it: Richard Linklater tackles the story of Bernie Tiede with Jack Black in the titular role
What's good: Jack Black's performance, well executed mockumentry style
What's bad: That there aren't more scenes of Jack Black singing
August 5th
Monster (2005)
Rating: 7/10What is it: The Jennifer Kent short that The Babadook is based on
What's good: Metaphorical and overall quite creepy
What's bad: Low production values, never hits any truly scary notes
August 6th
Out of the Furnace (2013)
Rating: 6/10What is it: A Scott Cooper directed/co-written crime/thriller with an impressive cast
What's good: Great cast, interesting representation of blue-collar life, some memorable performances
What's bad: Mostly just plods along, the voice that Forest Whitaker puts on
August 7th
Clear History (2013)
Rating: 6/10What is it: An HBO produced Larry David TV movie comedy
What's good: Larry David being Larry David, great cast and at times some pretty amusing scenes
What's bad: Not nearly as funny as it could've been
August 8th
VeggieTales: The Ballad of Little Joe (2003): Worst Movie of the Week Award
Rating: 3.5/10What is it: A VeggieTales western (yikes)
What's good: An almost OK Silly Song (until the inevitable and horrible hip hop segment)
What's bad: Mostly forgettable in every aspect, a single and awful "western-y" scene