In Good Company (2004)

MIMDB score: 7.0
Current IMDB score: 6.5
Director: Paul Weitz
Main Actors you care about:  Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, Scarlett Johansson, Selma Blair, Ty Burrell

Why I liked it:
This movie has a feeling attached to it.  That everything "is what it is kind" of thing. It addresses business greediness to make everything more profitable instead of realizing the business being about the people that make it up.  If the people LOVE working at a company and LOVE what they are doing then the business will shine and do better and be more profitable.  Probably not more profitable that it could be if the business didn't focus on the people but then no one would really want to work there.  They would just be like slaves.  I don't think that's a long lasting way to run a business when this movie concludes things going back to the way it was.  Which this movie does a beautiful and easily missed comparison between that and love with the main character of Topher Grace.  He tries so very hard at making his relationship with Selma Blair which is kind of how the new company is.  Scarlett Johnansson is kind of like the old company.  Just all around wholesomely good.  Topher is transitioning over to that mentality and therefore shouldn't be with either girl at the time.  By the end of the movie he actually satisfied with his life which is portrayed by him running on the beach while one of the best songs ever written plays. It's quite fantastic.

What stands out:
Dennis Quad's character is fantastic.  Topher does well but his character isn't great till the very end.

What I Would Change (if anything) : I can't think of anything but I will say the following since we are on the subject.  It's not much higher than a seven flat.  It doesn't do much for most people I think.  Most people will see it as a run of the mill movie which why I think it has a current IMDB score of 6.5.  I think it should be higher though as it does do some cool metaphors and has some good scenes.
 
Favorite Line(s)/Scene: Ending scene.  It was my first listening to Trapeze Swinger by Iron and Wine.

Carter Duryea: "For what it's worth, I enjoy talking to you more than anyone else."
:), good line but probably could be said by anyone to who they are currently dating.

Least Favorite Line (maybe)" Morty: "Timing is everything in life."  I don't know if I believe that is true and I can't make up my mind either way.  I hope it's not because I don't like what that leads to.  It does fit well with Topher Grace's relationships with Selma Blair and Scarlett Johansson though so I didn't put it in the "What I Would Change" section.

Similar Movies/TV Shows: Kind of reminds me of Elizabeth Town. The Company Men. Maybe Moneyball.

"Side" note: The "normal" dad from Modern Family (Ty Burrell) was in this.  How cool.  He's does the eye twitching thing has he does in real life in this movie.

Forrest Gump (1994)

MIMDB score: 9.1
Current IMDB score: 8.8
Directory: Robert Zemeckis
Main Actors you care about:  Tom Hanks, Sally Field, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise

Disclaimer:  This is one of the best movies ever made.

Why I liked it:
Everything.  Forrest Gump is one of the best characters ever crafted.  He's "dumb" but not in any sense that matters.  He's slow but he's also fast.  He's so small but he plays such a large role in history.  The duality of this character has so many domains there could be a college class on everything that is going on with Forrest Gump.  The plot is fantastic, the acting is fantastic, the music is fantastic.  It also has philosophy thrown in it.  You should either be entertained or be entertained by the thoughts this movie provokes.  I don't know what else you would want in a movie.

This movie makes me want to live more.  This movie makes me want to start a business, cut grass, eat chocolates, sit on a bench all day just talking to random people, and then at the end write a book about my life.

What stands out:
The story.  The movie makes you want to be Forrest Gump even though he is institutionally considered below average.  He excels on all things without trying.  All he does is follow simple rules and does what others tell him.  People make life so much harder than it needs to be.  "But if I do this then I have to do that which means that to that person and . . . ."  It's tiresome to get into all the nuisances of life.  All you really need to do is cut grass and you will have a happy life. If that's how you view life.  If you view life as this complicated mess than you will have a complicated mess of a life.

If people paid attention (even) more to any medium of art then their lives might be that much easier and better.  People get different things out of different pieces of art.  That might get into people seeing what they want but if you really look at movies like Forrest Gump your life should get better.  There are thought avenues to go down in this movie that should dictate how to live your life.  Just as an easy and light example if you are chasing some kids on a bike and throwing rocks at him you probably should realize that you are being mean for no good reason.  If you need to figure out what to do next in life just pick up a hobby like running or ask the people around you if they want to start a business.  Pay attention to what's going on around you and the decisions you are making instead of "operating on your default setting."

What I would change (if anything): Nothing, I wish Jenny would have figured her life out sooner but then the movie wouldn't have been as interesting. So again, nothing.
 
Favorite Line(s)/Scene: Forrest: "I don't know if Momma was right or if, if it's Lieutenant Dan. I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I think maybe it's both. Maybe both is happening at the same time." This is a fantastic quote.  It ties into his whole life as well as the beginning and end of the movie where you are following a feather float accidental-like on a breeze.

Of course: "Life's a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you're gonna get." Countless others.

This scene is amazing.
Jenny: Were you scared in Vietnam?
Forrest: Yes. Well, I-I don't know. Sometimes it would stop raining long enough for the stars to come out... and then it was nice. It was like just before the sun goes to bed down on the bayou. There was always a million sparkles on the water... like that mountain lake. It was so clear, Jenny, it looked like there were two skies one on top of the other. And then in the desert, when the sun comes up, I couldn't tell where heaven stopped and the earth began. It's so beautiful.
Jenny: I wish I could've been there with you.
Forrest: You were.
Every girl I've loved I've had in my head with me since watching this movie.  I don't know love any other way.

Similar Movies/TV Shows: Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons, A River Runs Through It, Meet Joe Black, Big Fish

"Side" note: The bench scene is in Savannah Georgia.  The bench was made for the movie and was removed after shooting.  You can still visit the park and the statue behind Forrest in that scene though.

This is one of the first movies I saw without my parents in theaters at the age of about 9.  It's also one of the first movies I remember crying during.  I really think it should be watched alone unless, of course, you are lonely.

Interstellar (2014)

MIMDB score: 8.6
Current IMDB score: 8.8
Directory: Chistopher Nolan
Main Actors you care about:  Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine, Matt Damon, Casey Afleck, John Lithgow, Topher Grace

Disclaimer:  I'm going to try and not be bias here as the concept of time is highly exciting to me.

Why I liked it:
The Science.  Granted there are a few things that aren't correct science-wise but not a huge deal.  Anytime a movie can disguise science as entertainment it makes me happy.  All the things in the "Side Note" section are super interesting things to think about. Physic in general is super fun to think about.  The main goal of any (non-romantic comedy) movie for me is to think about something differently or to think about something new that I haven't though of before.  Movies consistently give me that and this movie did that with physics and astronomy.

What stands out:
Music, Matthew McConaughey, and plot. Hanz Zimmer doesn't let me down as he yet again has a wonderful soundtrack.  The scene where McConaughey docks with a mostly out of control station is fantastic action in a science movie.  It is made so much more intense by Mr. Hanz Zimmer. Matthew McConaughey since True Detective has been killing it and this was no different.  Movies that deal with time travel that don't have events change makes we quite happy as I believe that's how time travel would work.

I think they nailed the child actor that played Casey Afleck.  Great casting and/or acting there.

What I would change (if anything): Only thing I don't overly like is Matt Damon turning on people.  I understand why he would signal them to come to his life to save himself but to try and kill people?  Come on!  I don't think a doctrine of any science field would try to kill any crew member the furthest away space mission the Earth has ever done.  I don't think that was believable and upset me.
I'm giving it an 8.6 because I don't think everyone wants to understand science.  Some people in life just want to enjoy the things on Earth and not really care about things outside of Earth since it doesn't affect their daily lives (which is a valid thought).
 
Least Favorite Line(s): "Murphy's Law: anything that can happen will happen."  I don't particular like Murphy's Law as I think there's a better idea.  The idea that anything that has a chance of happening will happen given a large enough sample size.  That means it's not surprising when some one wins the lottery when there are tons of times the lottery happens, people, and money.  It's not surprising that a bird poops on YOUR car when there are a ton of birds, cars, and time.  It's not surprising when life exists on Earth when there are ton of planets, time, and suns.  As long as life can happen it will happen (given enough time, space, and matter).  Now that doesn't mean ANYTHING that CAN happen WILL happen.  If only one person buys a lottery ticket once, or if only one bird exists, or if only one solar system exists then it probably won't happen.

Similar Movies/TV Shows: Gravity, Inception because Nolan does the "main plot lines climaxing at same time" thing.

"Side" note: "Time travel" exists.  As with most things it's not exactly how you would think it is.  Think of time travel as time accelerating or decelerating (relative to Earth's time).  We can move forward in time faster relative to Earth.  It's called relativity and it's what Einstein discovered in 1923 yet not everyone knows it yet.  The faster you move in a spaceship (or in anything) the faster time moves (It's called time dilation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_dilation).  So the idea of a "time machine" is really just a fast moving apparatus to make you move faster than people on Earth.  The people moving faster than Earth will be moving through time faster so they will be "traveling" through time.  Really though time is just moving faster.  We haven't come up with a way to move slower through time relative to Earth yet.  We don't know what happens in a Black Hole so it's the last place that going backward through time might be possible we think.  This movie capitalizes on that thought.

The Dam Keeper (2014)

MIMDB score: 6.9
Current IMDB score: 8.0

Disclaimer: This is an animated short.

Why I liked it:
I wanted to watch it again immediately after seeing it.  It made me really happy to see something portrayed the way I have thought about things.  So many times I have taken things out of context and assumed the worst in a conversation I barely hear.  It's too easy to assume people are making fun of you when people often make fun of you.  Not that I'm made fun of much anymore but I definitely used to and the defensiveness doesn't wear off to easily.

What stands out:
The music.  Seeing that the movie had very little dialog the music needs to be fantastic and it is.  It's so contemplative.  I could write books to just the "theme" song of the movie.  It reminds me of the music my 1st grade teacher played for class during "journal" time.

What I would change (if anything):
I can't give this any more than a 6.9 because it's a little too weird for a 7 and above.  If they could have made it less weird but kept the message it would appeal to a broader audience instead of mostly crazy people like me.  Don't know if that is possible though.  Mary & Max has a 8.2 on IMDB which is way above how weird that movie is so I might be off there.

Favorite Line(s):
Narrator: "Dad had always said, the job of a Dam Keeper to keep the darkness away. But he never told me what to do when it surrounds you.  The mask had protected me from the crowd but nothing I had protected me from the people."

Favorite Scene: The scene from the picture above when Foxy Loxy (as I like to call him) finds his book next to Pig.  He acts like he didn't cherish every picture and ensure that it was there for him when he got on the bus.  He looks away and smiles.  That's exactly how I would act and I love it when I do things like that. It's like how Amelie secretly does things for people.

Similar Movies/Tv Shows: Amelie, Mary & Max, Chicken Little maybe? (even though I haven't seen it), this Levi's commercial.

Side note: You can actually watch it here: Amazon Instant Video for $1.99.  It took me awhile to find it because at the time it wasn't out anywhere. Also their website is a little gem.  You can just listen to the theme song and you know, write books.

Disconnect (2012)

MIMDB score: 6.5
Current IMDB score: 7.6

Why I liked it:
The only real reason I'm reviewing this movie is because of the three staged climax scene of the movie.  The rest of it is just okay or even bad at times.  So let me describe the climax scene.  It was very much like Inception's three climax scene while the van was falling in the water.  Same level of intensity (except Inception is a way better movie).  There are three+ stories going on that all have to do with social media/internet causing problems.  Jason Batemen's story arc is he trying to find who leaked naked pictures of his son.  Nina who is trying to save this kid from being in naked internet webcams while writing story about it.  Lastly there's Cindy and Derek who are trying to find the person who stole there identity.  Jason Batemen during the climax finds the kid and is about to hit him with a hockey stick while Nina is getting roughed up by the kids pimp, while Cindy and Derek are trying to shoot the person that stole there identity.  The song On the Nature of Daylight is playing and it's the most intense part of the song playing when Jason Batemen hits the kid.  "How does life get to this point that you hit a kid" was all that was going through my mind.  It's just interesting to think about.  I don't know if he is justified in hitting a kid in middle school with a hockey stick but it's pretty close.  Most people in Jason Batemen's position would have for sure.  His son almost killed himself directly based on what this kid did to his son.  Of course if Jason Batemen had a better relationship with his son and talked to him about how you shouldn't send naked pictures of yourself to ANYONE because they can get out no matter what but nevertheless.

What stands out:
Jason Batemen's son attempted suicide scene and the three climaxes at the same time scene.

What I would change (if anything):
I can't give this any more than a 6.5.  Mostly because the statement this movie is trying to make is not great.  Disconnect from the internet wouldn't really solve these people's underlying problems.  "Guns don't kill people.  People kill people."  The internet didn't do these things.  People did these things.  If you want to stop all the bad in the world then fix people.  There's also the idea that disconnecting from communicating with people causes these type of problems but I think that's really only a relevant argument in the Jason Batemen story arc.
Secondly this movie just isn't super well acted and the plot lines are not great.  It's somewhat interesting but not to merit anything above a 6.5.
"Everything you do, someone out there can see."  That's really how I live my life.  If you don't want someone to know something about you then don't do it.  If you don't want your parents to know you drink then don't drink. It's a philosophical morality that I think works in 99% of life.  

Favorite Line(s):
Mike Dixon (father of the kid Jason Batemen hits with a hockey stick): "Everything you do, someone out there can see."

Similar Movies/Tv Shows: Inception because of story arcs lining up in the climax.  Valentines Day/New Years Eve because all the story arcs are loosely connected.  Love Actually or Crazy Stupid Love maybe.

Side note: On the Nature of Daylight is a fantastic song.

Gone Girl (2014)

MIMDB score: 7.7
Current IMDB score: 8.3
People you care about in the movie: Rosamund Pike, Baffleck, Neil Patrick Harris

Why I liked it:
Rosamund Pike all the way.  She did more than amazing.  I'm scared of her now as a real life person.  It's like how I'm scared of Claire Danes right now because of her eyes in Homeland.  She has crazy eyes now and forever on in my life because of how well she acted in this movie.  If you can write down on a post-it note whether you should kill yourself to get back at someone then I'm scared of you.  She is scary!  Looking back her voice in the movie the whole time seems so robotic and so not full of emotion.  The music is so eerie the whole time.  You don't really notice in the beginning and it just builds and builds till the most epic, punch you in the face, scene.  The blood scene.  I'm still haunted by that scene.  Just a another day for her afterwards which is what makes it so much more insane.  Her face is blank.  Most people would have had the face of "what did I just do" or "am I sure I should have done that?" It's like watching an actual psychopath do what she did.  She did so well in this movie because it was highly believable.

The movie does the "did he do it" well and it pushes you to believe he did it with also leaving doubt in your mind.  It's good if you like that type of mind play that movies do.  The movie has full control over what it shows you though.  Like any good movie they make it hard to figure out if he actually did it or not.  I really like the switch to her point of view in the middle though.  It's kind of fun to be both sides of the situation.

What stands out:
Rosamund Pike. She is fantastic in this movie.  BAffleck is BAffleck.  Hooray for him.

What I would change (if anything):
I don't get why he stays in the end.  I understand it makes the situation even more scary but any normal person would have left her no matter what.  I would have for sure.  I can't believe he stayed there the first night even.  He knows she is a stone cold killer with no real remorse.

I don't like how the guys have no reason to be assholes besides just being guys.  They are just assholes under STP (standard temperature and pressure).  Rosamund has to be treated poorly before snapping which seems reasonable.  For some reason to me it's more justifiable that Rosamund snaps than the guys just looking to get stick there dick in something.  Unfortunately from what I've seen that's not how most people are in the world.  I probably live a sheltered life though.  When people get cheated on after giving there all to a marriage things snap which makes sense.

I really wish the two "friends" at the hotel where Amy/Rosamund stayed weren't complete assholes. Amy says earlier in the film "Because you're you . . . .".  I think with her super cautious manner that was told to us she would have hid the money from others better than she did.  She shouldn't have made any friends when she was in the middle of framing her husband for murder.  Personally I would have only went out for food and been in a place with way less people.  Go Air b&b at some remote location.  Air b&b wouldn't have background checks at all and would not even ask for a license.  It's easy in hindsight and all that jazz of course.

Favorite Line(s):
Amy: "We're so cute.  I want to punch us in the face."

Similar Movies/Tv Shows: Return to Sender, Homeland (because of her eyes!), What Lies Beneath but Gone Girl is way batter.

Side note: This the first real movie I know of that has Dominion in it.  Not many Movies/Tv shows have good board games in them.  Minkus from Boy Meets World is in it!

Short Term 12 (2013)

MIMDB score: 8.0
Current IMDB score: 8.0

Why I liked it:
I really like movies that look at suicidal people.  Suicide is such an insane thing every time I think about it.  In real life it's way too real but in the movies I can dissect and really take in everything that's going on. Real life is too fast in that way.  Life moves to fast I think to fully process what's going on in the moment.  Life takes more thought than it allows.  Movies like this give you time to think about the situations that are occurring.  A lot of the time it's just classical music put to watching what people are doing just throughout the day.  It also plays a few chords when people are just thinking which gives you time to think about what they are thinking.  It's fantastic at times.  Some one once said if you make a movie you shouldn't have modern music because then the movie won't last and will show it's age in a few years.  This movie takes that into consideration it seems by not having anything besides a few notes.  I loved how they started and ended the movie.  Some people say how you start and end a story matters the most and if that's the case the start and ending could be why it's rated so highly by me and IMDB.

What stands out:
The two main characters.  I want to be that guy.  The Jim Halpert/Harper character (see the Office and Newsroom) has always been some one to look up to and this is the same type of character.  Mason (John Gallagher Jr.) didn't do any better than he normally does in stuff but his normal acting is fantastic.  He plays that role really well which I like to think is an indication of the actors actual personality (of course that's not always the case).  Grace (Brie Larson/the main girl) did fantastic.  In other movies she hasn't been as good/real as this movie.  She really shines in a few scenes.  To me it's her break-out role and I hope she does more things like Short Term 12 instead of her role in The Spectacular Now.

What I would change (if anything):
I wish Grace(main girl character) would have been nicer to Mason (boyfriend).  Mason is an all-star boyfriend/friend/person and she doesn't treat him near as well back.  I understand she is dealing with more things than him but she should not take it out on the person who treats her best in the world.

Favorite Line(s):
Mason: "Fucking Floyd."
It's just a funny line.

Marcus: "Look into my eyes so you know what's to like to live a life not knowing what a normal life's like."

Similar Movies/Tv Shows: The House M.D. Broken episode (Season 6, episode 1), Awakenings, It's Kind of a Funny Story.  All good movies and TV episodes.

Side note: Brie Larson is a pop singer.,  Yea it's kind of bad.