Ad hoc film specs
Ad hoc films 2009
- Nov 21, New Moon
- Nov 14, 2012
- Nov 7, The Fourth Kind
- Oct 31, New York I Love You
- Oct 24, Amelia
- Oct 17, A Serious Man
- Oct 10, Paranormal Activity
- Oct 3, The Invention of Lying
- Sept 26, Bright Star
- Sept 19, The Informant
- Sept 12, Whiteout
- Sept 5, Cold Souls
- Aug 29, Thirst
- Aug 22, Inglourious Basterds
- Aug 15, Ponyo
- Aug 8, G.I. Joe
- Aug 1, Funny People
- July 25, G-Force
- July 18, The Hurt Locker
- July 11, Moon
- July 4, Public Enemies
- June 27, Food, Inc.
- June 20, Year One
- June 13, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
- June 6, Land of the Lost
- May 30, Drag Me To Hell
- May 23, The Girlfriend Expderience
- May 16, Angels and Demons
- May 9, Tyson
- May 2, American Violet
- April 25, The Soloist
- April 18, State of Play
- April 11, Sin Nombre
- April 4, Adventureland
- March 28, Monsters versus Aliens
- March 21, Knowing
- March 14, Gommorah
- March 7, Watchman
- Feb 28, Two Lovers
- Feb 21, Wendy and Lucy
- Feb 14, The International
- Feb 7, Push
- Jan 31, Taken
- Jan 24, Che
- Jan 17, Revolutionary Road
- Jan 10, Gran Torino
- Jan 3, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ad hoc films 2008
- Dec 27, Valkyrie
- Dec 20, Yes Man
- Dec 13, The Day the Earth Stood Still
- Dec 6, Nobel Son
- Nov 29, Let the Right One In
- Nov 22, I've Loved You So Long
- Nov 15, Quantum of Solace
- Nov 8, Synecdoche, New York
- Nov 1, What Just Happened
- Oct 25, Pride and Glory
- Oct 18, W.
- Oct 11, Body of Lies
- Oct 4, Battle in Seattle
- Sept 27, In Search of a Midnight Kiss
- Sept 20, Zeder
- Sept 13, Burn After Reading
- Sept 6, The Edge of Heaven
- Aug 30, Frozen River
- Aug 23, Man on Wire
- Aug 16, Tropic Thunder
- Aug 9, Pineapple Express
- Aug 2, Swing Vote
- July 26, The X Files: I Want To Believe
- July 19, The Dark Knight
- July 12, Hellboy II: The Golden Army
- July 5, Mongol
- June 28, Wanted
- June 21, The Love Guru
- June 14, The Happening
- June 7, You Don't Mess WIth the Zohan
- May 31, Sex and the City
- May 24, Indiana Jones
- May 17, Son of Rambow
- May 10, Speed Racer
- May 3, Iron Man
- April 26, Baby Mama
- April 19, My Blueberry Nights
- April 12, Street Kings
- April 5, Shine A Light
- March 29, Run Fat Boy Run
- March 22, Drillbit Taylor
- March 15, Funny Games
- March 8, 10,000 B.C.
- March 1, The Other Boleyn Girl
- Feb 23, Taxi to the Dark Side
- Feb 16, 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days
- Feb 9, Fool's Gold
- Feb 2, The Eye
- Jan 26, Teeth
- Jan 19, Cloverfield
- Jan 12, The Bucket List
- Jan 5, There Will Be Blood
Ad hoc films 2007
- Dec 29, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
- Dec 22, Sweeney Todd
- Dec 15, I Am Legend
- Dec 8, The Golden Compass
- Dec 1, I'm Not There
- Nov 24, The Mist
- Nov 17, No Country For Old Men
- Nov 10, Lions For Lambs
- Nov 3, American Gangster
- Oct 27, Gone Baby Gone
- Oct 20, The Darjeeling Limited
- Oct 13, Michael Clayton
- Oct 6, Across the Universe
- Sept 29, Feast of Love
- Sept 22, In the Valley of Elah
- Sept 15, Manda Bala
- Sept 8, 3:10 to Yuma
- Sept 1, L'Avventura
- Aug 25, No End in Sight
- Aug 18, The Invasion
- Aug 11, Stardust
- Aug 4, The Bourne Ultimatum
- July 28, Sunshine
- July 21, Hairspray
- July 14, Eagle vs. Shark
- July 7, You Kill Me
- June 30, Sicko
- June 23, La Vie En Rose
- June 16, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
- June 9, Once
- June 2, Mr. Brooks
- May 26, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
- May 19, Fay Grim
- May 12, The Ex
- May 5, The Page Turner
- April 28, Hot Fuzz
- April 21, Black Book
- April 14, Disturbia
- April 7, Gribndhouse
- March 31, Inland Empire
- March 24, The Last Mimzy
- March 17, Army of Shadows
- March 10, Gray Matters
- March 3, Zodiac
- Feb 24, the number 23
- Feb 17, Ghost Rider
- Feb 10, Norbit
- Feb 3, Because I Said So
- Jan 27, Smokin' Aces
- Jan 20, The Good German
- Jan 13, Pan's Labyrinth
- Jan 6, Children of Men
Ad hoc films 2006
- Dec 30, Dreamgirls
- Dec 23, Volver
- Dec 16, Charlotte's Web
- Dec 9, Apocalypto
- Dec 2, 10 Items Or Less
- Nov 25, The Fountain
- Nov 18, Fast Food Nation
- Nov 11, The Return
- Nov 4, Borat
- Oct 28, Running With Scissors
- Oct 21, The Bridesmaid
- Oct 14, Man of the Year
- Oct 7, The Departed
- Sept 30, Open Season
- Sept 23, Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
- Sept 16, The Black Dahlia
- Sept 9, 8 1/2
- Sept 2, Trust the Man
- Aug 26, Beerfest
- Aug 19, Snakes On A Plane
- Aug 12, World Trade Center
- Aug 5, Shadowboxer
- July 29, Miami Vice
- July 22, Lady in the Water
- July 15, A Scanner Darkly
- July 8, Wassup Rockers
- July 1, Superman Returns
- June 24, The Lost City
- June 17, Nacho Libre
- June 10, A Prarie Home Companion
- June 3, District B13
- May 27, X-Men: The Last Stand
- May 20, The Da Vinci Code
- May 13, Sophie Scholl
- May 6, Hard Candy
- April 29, United 93
- April 22, The Devil and Daniel Johnston
- April 15, Metal: A Headbanger's Journey
- April 8, Don't Come Knocking
- April 1, Basic Instinct 2
- March 25, Ask the Dust
- March 18, V For Vendetta
- March 11, Manderlay
- March 4, Night Watch
- Feb 25, Running Scared
- Feb 18, Eight Below
- Feb 11, Marebito
- Feb 4, The Best Years of Our Lives
- Jan 28, Match Point
- Jan 21, The New World
- Jan 14, Tristan + Isolde
- Jan 7, Bloodrayne
Ad hoc films 2005
- Dec 31, Wolf Creek
- Dec 24, Munich
- Dec 17, Brokeback Mountain
- Dec 10, Jesus is Magic
- Dec 3, Aeon Flux
- Nov 26, Downtown 81
- Nov19, Walk the Line
- Nov 12, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
- Nov 5, Jarhead
- Oct 29, Capote
- Oct 22, North Country
- Oct 15, Domino
- Oct 8, In Her Shoes
- Oct 1, Into the Blue
- Sept 24, Flightplan
- Sept 17, Lord of War
- Sept 10, Ils se mari\uc0\u143 rent et eurent beaucoup d'enfants
- Sept 3, The Constant Gardener
- Aug 27, The Brothers Grimm
- Aug 20, Grizzly Man
- Aug 13, My Date With Drew
- Aug 6, The Dukes of Hazzard
- July 30, Cronicas
- July 23, Hustle and Flo
- July 16, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- July 9, Fantastic Four
- July 2, Heights
- June 25, Land of the Dead
- June 18, Ma Mere
- June 11, Mr. and Mrs. Smith
- June 4, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
- May 28, Layer Cake
- May 21, Dominion
- May 14, 3-Iron
- May 7, Kingdom of Heaven
- April 30, Notre Musique
- April 23, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
- April 16, Old Boy
- April 9, Saraha
- April 2, Sin City
- March 26, Dear Frankie
- March 19, The Ring 2
- March 12, Born Into Brothels
- March 5, The Jacket
- Feb. 26, Diary of A Mad Black Woman
- Feb. 19, Constantine
- Feb. 12, Ong Bak
- Feb. 5, The Sea Inside
- Jan. 29, Godzilla
- Jan. 22, Fear and Trembling
- Jan. 15, Bad Education
- Jan. 8, Million $ Baby
- Jan. 1, The Aviator
Ad hoc films 2004
- Dec. 25, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
- Dec. 18, Spanglish
- Dec. 11, Ocean's 12
- Dec. 4, Finding Neverland
- Nov. 27, Alexander
- Nov. 20, Fox and His Friends
- Nov. 13, Sideways
- Nov. 6, The Incredibles
- Oct. 30, I Heart Huckabees
- Oct. 23, Tarnation
- Oct. 16, Team America
- Oct. 9, Friday Night Lights
- Oct. 2, Head in the Clouds
- Sept. 25, Bright Young Things
- Sept. 18, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
- Sept. 11, Criminal
- Sept. 4, Hero
- Aug 28, The Return
- Aug 21, Code 46
- Aug 14, AVP
- Aug 7, Collateral
- July 31, The Manchurian Candidate
- July 24, The Bourne Supremacy
- Ju;y 17, I, Robot
- July 10, Before Sunset
- July 3, Spiderman 2
- June 26, Fahrenheit 9/11
- June 19, The Terminal
- June 12, Baadasssss!
- June 5, Harry Potter
- May 29, The Day After Tomorrow
- May 22, Shrek 2
- May 15, Troy
- May 8, Van Helsing
- May 1, Envy
- April 24, Bon Voyage
- April 17, Kill Bill, Vol. 2
- April 10, Goldfinger
- April 3, Hellboy
- March 27, The Ladykillers
- March 20, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- March 13, Powertrip
- March 6, Hildago
- Feb 28, Twisted
- Feb 21, The Dreamers
- Feb 14, Touching the Void
- Feb 7, Miracle
- Jan 31, TheTriplets of Belleville
- Jan 24, The Butterfly Effect
- Jan 17, Monster
- Jan 10, Girl With A Pearl Earring
- Jan 3, 21 Grams
Ad hoc films 2003
- Dec 27, Cold Mountain
- Dec 20, LOTR: The Return of the King
- Dec 13, Stuck on You
- Dec 6, The Last Samurai
- Nov 29, In America
- Nov 22, Gothika
- Nov15, Master and Commander
- Nov 8, Matrix Revolutions
- Nov 1, Alien
- Oct 25, Beyond Borders
- Oct 18, Veronica Guerin
- Oct 11, Kill Bill, Vol. 1
- Oct 4, School of Rock
- Sept 27, The Rundown
- Sept 20, Masked and Anonymous
- Sept 13, Matchstick Men
- Sept 6, Cremaster 3
- Aug 30, American Splendor
- Aug 23, The Princess Blade
- Aug 16, Open Range
- Aug 9, Northfork
- Aug 2, Gigli
- July 26, Seabiscuit
- July 19, Jet Lag
- July 12, LXG
- July 5, Terminator 3
- June 28, Winged Migration
- June 21, L'Homme du Train
- June 14, Hollywood Homicide
- June 7, Valley of the Dolls
- May 31, Stone Reader
- May 24, The Dancer Upstairs
- May 17, Matrix Reloaded
- May 10, A Mighty Wind
- May 3, X 2
- April 26, Spider
- April 17, Better Luck Tomorrow
- April 12, Anger Management
- April 5, Phone Booth
- March 29, The Core
- March 22, Irreversible
- March 15, Willard
- March 8, City of God
- March 1, Max
- Feb 22, Russian Ark
- Feb 15, The Guru
- Feb 8, Shanghai Knights
- Feb 1, The Recruit
- Jan 25, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
- Jan 18, Kangaroo Jack
- Jan 11, 25th Hour
- Jan 4, The Pianist
Ad hoc films 2002
- Dec 28, Catch Me If You Can
- Dec 21, Gangs of New York
- Dec 14, Star Trek: Nemesis
- Dec 7, Talk To Her
- Nov 30, Solaris
- Nov 23, Die Another Day
- Nov 16, Roger Dodger
- Nov 9, Femme Fatale
- Nov 2, Auto Focus
- Oct 26, Punch Drunk Love
- Oct 19, Metropolis
- Oct 12, Rules of Attraction
- Oct 5, Red Dragon
- Sept 28, Igby Goes Down
- Sept 21, The Banger Sisters
- Sept 14, Barbershop
- Sept 7, My Wife is an Actress
- Aug 31, One Hour Photo
- Aug 24, Simone
- Aug 17, Possession
- Aug 10, Spy Kids 2
- Aug 3, Signs
- July 27, Tadpole
- July 20, K-19: The Widowmaker
- July 13, Road to Perdition
- July 6, Men in Black: II
- June 29, Cherish
- June 22, Minority Report
- June 15, The Bourne Identity
- June 8, Lagaan
- June 1, The Sum of All Fears
- May 25, Insomnia
- May 18, Attack of the Clones
- May 11, Enigma
- May 4, The Car's Meow
- April 27, Son of the Bride
- April 20, The Scorpion King
- April 13, Festival in Cannes
- April 6, Y Tu Mama Tambien
- March 30, The Panic Room
- March 23, E.T.
- March 16, Ice Age
- March 9, The Time Machine
- March 2, Iris
- Feb. 23, Dragonfly
- Feb. 16, Hart's War
- Feb. 9, No Man's Land
- Feb. 2, Birthday Girl
- Jan. 26, The Mothman Prophecies
- Jan. 19, Brotherhood of the Wolf
- Jan. 12, Orange County
- Jan. 5, The Imposter
Ad hoc films 2001
- Dec 29, A Beautiful Mind
- Dec 22, The Majestic
- Dec 15, Vanilla Sky
- Dec 8, Ocean's Eleven
- Dec 1, Behind Enemy Lines
- Nov 24, Spy Game
- Nov 17, Harry Potter
- Nov 10, Amelie
- Nov 3, Dr. Strangleove
- Oct 27, K-PAX
- Oct 20, The Last Castle
- Oct 13, Our Lady of the Assassins
- Oct 6, Waking Life
- Sept 29, Zoolander
- Sept 22, Vertical Ray of the Sun
- Sept 15, My Night at Maud's
- Sept 8, Jeepers Creepers
- Sept 1, Mulholland Drive
- Aug 25, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
- Aug 18, Ghost of Mars
- Aug 11, Captain Corelli's Mandolin
- Aug 4, Rush Hour 2
- July 28, Bully
- July 21, America's Sweethearts
- July 14, Songcatcher
- July 7, The Princess and the Warrior
- Jun 30, Sexy Beast
- Jun 23, A.I.
- Jun 16, The Claim
- Jun 9, Bread and Roses
- Jun 2, Moulin Rouge
- May 26, Pearl Harbor
- May 19, The Golden Bowl
- May 12, A Knight's Tale
- May 5, Center of the World
- April 28, Town and Country
- April 21, The Tailor of Panama
- April 14, Amores Perros
- April 7, Blow
- March 31, Memento
- March 24, Series 7
- March 17, Enemy at the Gates
- March 10, 15 Minutes
- March 3, The Mexican
- February 24, Chunhyang
- February 17, Sweet November
- February 10, Hannibal
- February 3, The Invisible Circus
- January 27, Shadow of the Vampire
- January 20, House of Mirth
- January 13, O Brother, Where Art Thou?
- January 6, Traffic
Ad hoc films 2000
- December 30, The Emperor's New Groove
- December 23, Cast Away
- December 16, Dude, Where Is My Car?
- December 9, George Washington
- December 2, Ran
- November 25, Unbreakable
- November 18, The Right Stuff
- November 11, Red Planet
- November 4, Place Vendôme
- October 28, Goya in Bordeaux
- October 21, Soloman and Gaenor
- October 14, Dr. T and the Women
- October 7, Dancer in the Dark
- Sept 30, The Girl on the Bridge
- Sept 23, The Exorcist
- Sept 16, Alice and Martin
- Sept 9, The Way of the Gun
- Sept 2, Scorsese shorts
- Aug 26, The Tao of Steve
- Aug 19, Wonderland
- Aug 12, Autumn in New York
- Aug 5, Hollow Man
- July 29, But I'm a Cheerleader
- July 22, Trixie
- July 15, X Men
- July 8, Sunshine
- July 1, The Perfect Storm
- June 24, Chicken Run
- June 17, Titan A.E.
- June 10, Gone in 60 Seconds
- June 3, Color of Paradise
- May 27, Mission: Impossible 2
- May 20, Winter Sleepers
- May 13, The Terrorist
- May 6, Gladiator
- April 29, Me Myself I
- April 22, U-571
- April 15, Where the Money Is
- April 8, Rules of Engagement
- April 1, Mifune
- March 25, Titus
- March 18, Erin Brockovich
- March 11, The Ninth Gate
- March 4, The Cup
- Feb 26, American Beauty
- Feby 19, Hanging Up
- Feb 12, The Beach
- Feb 5, The Emperor and the Assassin
- Jan 29, Eye of the Beholder
- Jan 22, Cradle Will Rock
- Jan 15, The War Zone
- Jan 8, Snow Falling on Cedars
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Purpose of the Ad Hoc Movie Club
- Cinema appreciation society
- Meet for java, procrastinate
- See a different movie on Saturday
- email BERG
Ad hoc film for November 14
- 2012
- 12 noon
- Edwards Grand Palace
Short Takes
The road to good movies is paved with bad movies. Amelia (Hillary Swank a dead ringer for the original) attempts to bring big romantic sweep to the life of Amelia Earhart. A few scenes ring with authentic movie making fervor but most of the time production values hide a vacuous story.
On one hand you want a movie to be about what you think it should be about. It's not Amelia's fault that it doesn't cover the many versions of her demise. For instance, in the 60s a book was published that looked at inconsistencies in the aftermath of Earhart's disappearance at sea. The book purported that Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan, on their historical 1937 airplane flight around the world, were executed by the Japanese as spies after they crash landed in an uncharted region of the Pacific Ocean.
I could go with director Mira Nair's version of events but it's too choppy, the narrative doesn't flow. Nair views Earhart as a pioneer of women's rights who eventually married publisher George Putnam (Richard Gere, very ineffective) and also had a dalliance with aviator and West Point professor Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor also underutilized). Minor characters or plot lines are introduced and lost. We meet and greet Vidal, Earhart even has a make out session with him on an elevator, but after a while he disappears just as does another character, a teen Earhart want-to-be aviatrix who competes against Earhart at airplane festivals and likewise never reappears after the first act.
One of the most annoying of Nair's concessions to anachronistic appeal has Swank/Earhart doing celebrity endorsements for various products and shooting it with the glee of a Busby Berkeley spectacle. The main story has Earhart circling the globe with Noonan while her past exploits (Atlantic flights, love affairs, meeting other famous people) are seen in flashback. After a long flight to limited recognition Amelia will best be remembered for Swank's version of a Kansas accent.
Cinemas we love
Cinemas we eat
Cinemas we just like
2008 kudos
- Los Angleles Film Critics Association like WALL-E
- New York Film Critics Circle drink Milk
- National Board of Review honors Slumdog Millionaire
- Houston Film Critics Society salutes The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Broadcast Film Critics Association yeahs Slumdog Millionaire
- Golden Globes salute Vicky Cristina Barcelone and Slumdog Millionaire
- PGA gives it up for Slumdog Millionaire
- SAG shows the love for Meryl Streep and Sean Penn
- WGA bestow the write stuff to Slumdog Millionaiare (Simon Beaufoy) and Milk (Dustin Lance Black)
- DGA approves the love for Slumdog Millionaiare
- ACE Eddie Award cuts a path for Slumdog Millionaiare and WALL-E
- ASC likes the look of Slumdog Millionaiare
- Indie Spirit Awards choose The Wrestler as the champ
- Academy Awards overwhelmingly love Slumdog Millionaiare
2007 kudos
- Houston Film Critics Society goes with No Country For Old Men
- Los Angleles Film Critics Association say There Will Be Blood
- New York Film Critics Circle pay tribute to No Country For Old Men
- National Board of Review honors No Country For Old Men
- Broadcast Critics Association likes No Country For Old Men
- Golden Globes award both Atonement and Sweeney Todd
- PGA also likes No Country For Old Men
- SAG likes Daniel Day-Lewis and Julie Christie, for cast No Country For Old Men
- DGA celebrates No Country For Old Men
- WGA strikes the gong for No Country For Old Men and Juno
- ACE Eddie Award goes to The Bourne Ultimatum (dramatic) and Sweeney Todd(musical)
- ASC shines light on There Will Be Blood
- Indie Spirit Awards show Juno the love
- Academy Awards not surprisingly hail No Country For Old Men
2006 kudos
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