Scariest Movie Moments

There have been many scary movies over the years. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a wimp and don't like being scared. I like suspense and surprises, but I don't care for movies that get in your mind and freak you out long after you watch them. I don't think movies about serial killers, chainsaw wielding psychopaths, or monsters are that scary, but I do get spooked with the more subtle stuff like ghosts.

The first movie I remember being scared of was Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I saw it in the theater with my parents when I was a little kid. They ended up taking me out to the lobby. I'm not sure if it was the Oompa Loompas, watching kids get picked off, or Gene Wilder's hair, but something was just wrong and scary about that movie.

Here is a list of horror movies that scared me. Since I don't really care for the genre, I have not seen very many so my list is limited.

Psycho- A classic. The concept behind this movie has been copied quite a bit since then.

The Ring- I never thought a little girl could scare me so bad.
The Exorcist- I've only seen parts. I usually flip the channel when Linda Blair's head starts spinning.
The Shining- All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Nosferatu-The original from 1922 and Klaus Kinsky's 1979 version.
Salems Lot-Several things about this TV movie freaked me out.
Poltergeist- I've never looked at clowns the same after seeing this movie.
Nightmare on Elm Street-Scary premise, but I can't vouch for any sequels.
Alien(s)- One of the few " monster" movies I think is scary.
What Lies Beneath-Harrison Ford is not supposed to be a bad guy!
The 6th Sense-My wife's family all slept in their living room after watching it because they were too afraid to sleep in separate bedrooms.
The Others-Not that scary, or original, but I liked it.
Diabolique-Suspenseful foreign film. The original 1955 French version.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers- Both the 1956 original and the 1978 remake.
The Haunting in Connecticut-Makes you want to get a detailed history of a home before you buy one.

What are some movies that have kept you from wanting to go down in the fruit cellar at night?

2 Year Anniversary

Today is the two year anniversary of the Movie Guy. As is the tradition, I'd like to celebrate by summarizing the movies I have reviewed over the last year. This way you can see them at a glance and how they compare to each other. I have been accused of being a harsh critic, so I'd like to refer you to my rating guide on the side bar to better appreciate the ratings listed below.

Inception 9.0
Food Inc. 8.1

Avatar 8.0

Robin Hood 7.7
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World 7.6

The A-Team 7.6

Invictus 7.6
The Blind Side 7.5
Sherlock Holmes 7.4
The Other Guys 7.4
Nacho Libre 7.3
Dr. Parnassus 7.2
Surrogates 7.2
Prince of Persia 7.1
Iron Man 2 7.1
Knight and Day 7.0
Salt 6.9
Killer at Large 6.9
Karate Kid 6.7
Alice in Wonderland 6.7
Extraordinary Measures 6.5
The Losers 6.5
Gentlemen Broncos 6.4
2012 6.4
The Losers 6.5
Duplicity 6.6
The Losers 6.5
The Invention of Lying 6.4

Legend of the Guardians 6.3 *

Percy Jackson 6.2

Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6.1

The Brothers Bloom 6.1

Clash of the Titans 6.0

GI Joe 5.9

All About Steve 5.8

12 Rounds 5.8

The Spy Next Door 5.1

F-Force 5.0

An American Carol 4.9

* Did not actually see it. I judged it by the trailer. (But I did a post on it)

Extraordinary Measures

I really don't want to write a review, but it's time for an update after my last lame post, so here goes. A couple months I saw Extraordinary Measures on DVD. The movie is based on a true story of a man played by Brendan Fraser who basically quits his job and works full time to find a cure for his daughter's deadly disease.

Fraser ends up recruiting a grumpy old scientist (Harrison Ford) to help with the research needed to find a cure. They then face the task of getting corporate backing to fund their work. The movie portrays the many challenges they face as they race against the clock to find a cure.

It is an inspiring story and was pretty good, but I had a hard time getting into it. Ford's character is demanding, rude and abrasive to everyone he works with and is definitely not as likable as characters he has played in the past. Brendan Fraser was better in this than he has been in some of his recent crappy kids movies like Inkheart, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Furry Vengence.

I give Extraordinary Measures 6.5 stars mostly because the subject matter is about finding a cure to a disease for dying kids and I would feel guilty if I gave it a lower score.

Got Movies?

We are at the time of year where all of the big summer blockbusters have come and gone. As I have been checking out what is playing in the theaters, I realized I really don't care to see anything that is currently showing. This is sad since I love going to movies, but I just haven't been very excited to see any particular movie since Inception.

Sometimes I see a movie trailer and I say to myself "There is no way I'm ever going to watch that!" This recently happened when I saw a preview for "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole". This appears to be a movie about owls. WARNING: I am about to be very judgmental and closed minded.

The first problem I have is the title of the movie. Are you sure you don't want to add a 3rd title to your movie while you are at it? I'm guessing this movie is based on a book. It appears to have the voice work of a talented cast. It probably has a good message and it appears to have good reviews, but it is about owls and I'm just not feeling the connection. Without seeing this movie, I am giving it a 6.3rating.

That is the first time I have reviewed a movie that I haven't even seen. Please forgive me for being an unfair jerk and judging a book by it's cover movie by its trailer. I will be more fair on my next review. Usually at the end of the year, several good movies are released in an attempt to qualify for the Oscars. I am looking forward to that time.