The Goonies (1985)
One-Line Description: A group of kids search for a local buried treasure to try and save their families’ homes from being sold.
A staple of most late-20/early-30 somethings’ youth, but a part of my list of shame. I understand what kids would like about this movie, and think that if I had seen it as a kid I would have loved it. But it’s a little rough upon first viewing as an adult. It’s cheesy and over-the-top like most kids movies, and yet I take some heat because I don’t like it. In the same way that most people our age wouldn’t find Spy Kids 4 to be a “good” movie, that’s how I feel about this one. If you haven’t seen it by now, don’t set your expectations too high.
Saint John of Las Vegas (2009)
One-Line Description: A compulsive gambler must investigate insurance fraud in Las Vegas without getting sucked back in to his past life.
Steve Bushemi and the guy from 40-Year-Old Virgin who wasn’t Carrell, Rogen or Rudd, stars in this one along with Peter Dinklage and Sarah Silverman. Lifetime loser Steve Bushemi takes a job at an insurance company and ends up investigating potential insurance fraud in Las Vegas. Bushemi tries to live a normal/straight life, but finds out that it seems like no one does. Hard to figure out what to make of this one. It wasn’t funny and the story really wasn’t that compelling. I suppose that’s why most people have probably not even heard of this.
Chasing 3000 (2010)
One-Line Description: A father tells his kids the story of how he and his brother drove across country as teenagers to see Roberto Clemente’s 3000th hit.
Another one I stumbled across randomly on the guide. Ray Liotta plays the dad/narrator, Rory Culkin1 plays the younger brother and Trevor Morgan2 plays the older brother. A nice story about two brothers who attempt a crazy cross country trip with no driver’s license in 1972 from California to PIttsburgh. The baseball tie-in is what made me enjoy this one, but it’s not particularly great. The acting was pretty weak and it was just weird and random at times.
It Might Get Loud (2008)
One-Line Description: Rock legends Jimmy Page and The Edge get together with Jack White to discuss guitars and blues.
Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, The Edge of U2 and Jack White of The White Stripes come together to talk about guitars, influences and their personal history with guitars. I am not a U2 fan and have my own opinions about a guy who refers to himself as “The Edge” but he is talented Watching basically three guys from different generations of rock get together and talk about how they got to where they are was pretty awesome. And obviously it was cool to watch them jam. This is almost a must for any fan of rock music, especially guitar-heavy stuff.
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
One-Line Description: Two private investigators with a unique local knowledge investigate the kidnapping of a little girl.
Ben Affleck’s directorial debut starring his little brother Casey, plus Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman. Great story and well acted. Don’t want to give too much away about the story. Casey and Michelle Monaghan are upcoming private investigators who are hired to search for a little girl in Boston. They are familiar with the people and therefore have some ability to get information the cops don’t. Lots of moral struggles. Great movie.
