#1 Movie in 2001: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

The number one movie in 2001 was the first movie in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. This movie brought in a total of $317,575,550 in domestic total gross. It was also nominated for three Academy Awards in the categories of art direction, costume design, and original score. Unfortunately they did not win in any of those categories. Harry Potter has been one of the nations most viewed series. This is the first movie of seven and I recommend you watch these ones in order to get fully introduced to the characters and the storyline. This movie is centered around a young boy, Harry Potter, who lives with his aunt and uncle and is severely neglected by them. While at their house, Harry receives a letter inviting him to the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While attending this school Harry meets some incredible people and realizes that his destiny is much greater than he ever expected.

A lot of movies that are based off the books can’t hold up to how good the book was but from what I hear, these movies are just as good as the books. I have only read the first two but have seen all of the movies and even own them all. This movie may have come out when I was a child but it is still a great movie for any age. It has been 12 year since then and I will still re-watch the movies and love a good Harry Potter marathon. Here are some reasons why you should begin this movie series or even re-watch it if it has been a while.

1. There is mystery and magic around every turn.
2. There is evil and good and a battle between the two.
3. There is humor sure to make you laugh.
4. Its a great story.
5. Rich in detail and graphics.
6. It is a fantasy but not an overwhelming one.
7. Its the first of 7 wonderfully fantastic movies.

So not everyone is into the fantasy magic worlds but I believe if you give it a chance you will find at least one thing you like in it. It is well worth it to get to the 7th movie. The 7th movie is full of so much action, death, and adventure that it is beyond worth it to start watching these movies asap. It is time to plop on down on your couch, kick your feet up, and begin the marathon of a lifetime.

#1 Movie of 2002: Spider-Man

The number one movie in 2002 is yet another superhero movie! The first Spider-Man movie won the number one spot of 2002 according to the box office. It brought in a total of $403,706, 375 in domestic gross and was nominated for two Oscars. Spider-Man was nominated for best visual effects and best sounds but did not pull out a win in either category. This is another movie based off of comics just like Batman. Spider-Man is one of the classic superheroes and it is a shame if you have yet to see this movie. This is the first of 3 Spider-Man movies with the same actors. This movie begins with a nerdy high school student getting bit by a radio active spider. This leads to the main character, Peter Parker, gaining spider-like abilities that include shooting webs from his wrists. Along with every superhero, there is also a villain and the one in this movie is the Green Goblin. Along with fighting this green menace, Peter is also dealing with difficult personal issues as well. Who comes out on top? You will have to watch to find out.

Like I said above, this is one of the classic superhero movies. This action movie is a great story and anyone who likes superheros as much as I do, will enjoy this movie as well. Here are some reasons why you should make this the next movie on your “to-watch” list…

1. Well he is a superhero, he saves the world one villain at a time.
2. There is action packed fights that will surely not bore you.
3. There is some death sure to bring a tear to your eye and pull on your heart strings.
4. Yes, there is an underlying romance…but does he get the girl?
5. There is a twist behind the identity of the green goblin!
6. There is the message that even the nerdy kid can do something great with their life with some courage.
7. There is an EPIC make-out scene that is reenacted in numerous other movies!

These are only a few reason of why I like this movie, and even bought it on DVD for myself. Just talking about it right now if putting me in the mood to watch it again. I have said it before and will say it again…I LOVE superhero movies. I dont know why but I am a sucker for any good looking man that saves lives. This movie is not just for guys, it has excellent aspects for men and women of all ages. So what are you doing reading this right now! Get to watching!

#1 Movie in 2003: Lord Of The Rings – Return of the King

The number one movie in 2003 was the final movie of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. This movie took in a total of $377,027,325 in domestic total gross. It was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won in all 11 categories. Now that is amazing and can show you just how outstanding these movies are. The categories that is won in were best picture, director, adapted screenplay, editing, art direction, costume design, makeup, visual effects, sound, original score, and original song. I watched this movie many years ago and never really realized just how much it impacted the cinema scene. Like I said above there were two other movies before this one. This is one of those movies that you have to watch in order because the story line continues from movie to movie. This storyline is very complicated and so much is going on throughout the movies that it would be best to watch the movies for yourself or read the books because you may not understand much from my description but I will give it a go. These three movies are based around a group made up of elves, hobbits, men, wizards, and dwarfs that travel the country side in an attempt to destroy a ring. Along the way they are faced with some evil creatures and their are many battles and deaths along the way. Below is the trailer for the Return of the King movie, but all trailers can be found online if you are interested.

There are many reasons for why you should indulge in this epic series and here are a few of my own:

1. There are many epic battles that will rock you to your core. Around every corner there is another challenge to be faced.
2. Some of the main characters do die and that is not a common thing in movies today.
3. There are some attractive actors and actresses believe it or not. Everyone appreciates a movie with some eye candy.
4. The graphics are amazing. Mixed with the costumes and makeup, it makes one intense mystical world and creatures.
5. This movie has some very dark moments that can strike some fear into the viewers. It isn’t a horror movie but it isn’t a comedy either.
6. It was based off of some books, so it is a good enough story to be made into a movie.

These are only a few reasons of why I enjoyed these movies but im sure if you ask around you will find many more. Pretty much every one I know has seen at least one of these movies and you owe it to yourself to find out what all of the buzz was about back when they came out. Now sit back with some popcorn and enjoy this epic battle!

#1 Movie in 2004: Shrek 2

The number one movie in 2004 was another one of my favorites (yes shocking I know) and goes by the name of Shrek 2. I don’t care how old I get, I will never stop loving animated films. This movie brought in a total domestic gross of $441, 226, 247 according to the Box Office website. This movie was nominated for the best original song and best animated feature academy awards but did not get a win for either. As you can tell, this is the second of the Shrek movies and was so good that they decided to make two more after it! For those of you that haven’t indulged in any of these movies…yet…I will give you a little preview of the first two to help give you a jump start into the story. So the first movie that came out in 2001 followed the main character, Shrek, on a journey to save a princess from a tower protected by a dragon. Now Shrek is an Ogre that no one particularly likes and is only on this mission because he made the deal with the prince that if he brought her back, he would be left alone in his swamp. His trusty companion, Donkey (who he doesn’t like very much but can’t get rid of), follows him on this journey and makes it quite a memorable one. The princess, Fiona, has a secret of her own though and it will lead to a surprise ending. SPOILER ALERT AHEAD! Now that Shrek and Fiona are married and about to start their life, another obstacle stands in their way. It is time to meet her parents! Her parents do not know she has taken on her ogre form full time and married an ogre as well so Shrek is not looking forward to this trip at all. Everything goes wrong from their moment of arrival and one day well supposedly meeting the King in the forest, Shrek and Donkey are attacked by fighting cat named Puss In Boots. Sure enough, Puss joins their side and continues on the journey with them. Then Shrek drinks a potion to make him and Fiona human but she doesn’t know what human Shrek looks like so it gives the enemy, Prince Charming, a chance to step in and woe the princess. Do they find their way back to each other? You have to watch to find out!

Now I could talk so much more about Shrek but I want to make you watch it instead. So here are a few reasons why you need to jump on the Shrek train and watch not just 1 of these movies, but all 4!

1. HILARIOUS! I laughed too many times to count in this sequel. I remember once we watched it, my cousin and I, re-watched our favorite parts at least 10 times in one day. We could not get over some of the humorous parts in this movie. And all of the movies are made to make you laugh until it hurts.
2. Love. Yes another love story and a great one at that. Its no the typical prince and princess love that you see in more fairy tales. This one breaks the mold.
3. There are appearances of characters from many different fairy tale stories throughout the movie. (Ex: 3 blind mice, wolf in Little Red Riding Hood, three pigs, etc.)
4. There is action and fights…and even a death? Perhaps.
5. Did I mention it is funny? Enough to turn your worst way around and make you smile.

So I could continue talking about the benefits of watching this movie but I will spare you the never ending post. Basically if you are looking for a pick me up or a good mood movie, this is the choice for you. You don’t have to be a child to enjoy an animated movie and you sure don’t have to be ashamed to love it! So take the plunge into this animated world and get acquainted with these story book characters asap. I recommend watching the first movie first but you can get away with just watching the second. Hopefully you will love it enough to continue to watch the others. Enjoy!

Spring Break 2013: Mexico Round 4

For this weeks post I am going to take a small break from my usual movie writing and instead share with you about my spring break in Mexico. This was my 4th time in Mexico and just as great as all the others. I have been to Cozumel, Nuevo, and Cancun before and this was my first time staying in Puerto Vallarta. We stayed at a resort called The Friendly Hotel & Spa, and let me tell you, it was beyond friendly!

We left on the Monday of break and came back yesterday (Saturday), and well….I am ready to go back already. We had 5 days of beautiful weather and fun in the sun. It was an all inclusive hotel so once we were there we were free to eat and drink as much as we pleased. Our group took full advantage!  There was a ton of very good food and too many drinks to even try! The waiters were so efficient that our hands were barely ever empty. They delivered food and drinks right to you on the beach. I am sure going to miss that!

Most of the time we stayed on the beach and just kicked back and relaxed. Every day I took a plunge into the ocean and some times visited the infinity pool for a break. Two of the days we took a long walk down the beach to check out the other hotels and collect a few sea shells. One day we got stuck at the other side of the beach and couldn’t get back to our hotel and had to wander to the street to get back. It was quite the adventure. The next day we headed off the beach early and went to town to do some shopping and there were some awesome sand sculptures along the way. Along the boardwalk we also stopped in at Senor Frogs for a drink and they were a lot of fun as well. On the last day we took a ride on a banana boat that gets pulled behind a boat. A word of advice, don’t sit in the front. I fell off the most out of everyone and got the most air on bumps but it was still the funnest thing ever.

This vacation was a great break from this stressful final semester of my college career. I am just sad it is over. The atmosphere there was excellent that the staff was hilarious. I would go back in a heart beat and it was a great way to spend my final spring break!

#1 Movie in 2005: Star Wars Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

The number one movie in 2005 according to the Box Office was episode 3 of the Star Wars series. This movie brought in $380,270,577 in domestic total gross and was nominated for one Academy Award. It was nominated for best make up but unfortunately it did not win. Star Wars is one of those confusing series where they are all out of order. The first trilogy was made between 1977-1983 and consisted of episodes 4, 5, and 6. Then came the next trilogy that was made between 1999 and 2005 and this one consisted of episodes 1, 2, and 3. As you can see it is quite confusing if you don’t follow the series. There is way too much to the story line for me to sum up all of the movies leading up to this one so I am going to just give you a glimpse of what to expect when watching episode 3. Warning, there may be some spoilers in this post! So this movie follows the young Jedi, Anakin Skywalker, further into his journey through the clone wars. After defeating their enemy, Count Dooku, Anakin flies the ship to safety and when he is alone with palpatine things take a turn for the worse. Palpatine starts to convince Anakin that the Jedi Council is against him and makes an enemy out of his fellow Jedi. Does he give in to the dark side?

So if you haven’t noticed by now, there aren’t many movies that I dislike and this series is another one of my favorites. I never read the comics or watched the TV shows but I have seen every movie. I am not really sure what it is about these movies that pulls me in but even talking about them right now makes me want to sit down and have a marathon. I have seen them all but not in the correct order so that will be something that I have to do soon! Episode 3 is the only one that I have seen in theaters and it is probably my favorite one too. Here are some reasons why you should watch any of the Star Wars movies…

1. There is plenty of action that it is impossible to get bored during any one of these movies.
2. There are love stories weaved throughout the movies so yes romance is alive in this mystical world.
3. Death, some of the main characters do not make it out alive, which always makes things more interesting.
4. It is a world full of imagination: space ships, weird creatures, different worlds, light sabers, and much more.
5. Some may say this series is just for guys but I know just as many girls that love it too!
6. There are so many twist endings and twists and turns that you are sure to always be drawn in.
7. Once you watch them you will know about some of the quotes you always hear people saying like, “Luke I am your father.”
8. Because this series is awesome and you are missing out if you haven’t seen any of them yet!

Okay so that last one was just my opinion but actually most of all of my posts are. Like I have said numerous times before, these type of movies aren’t for everyone but even if you don’t think they are up your alley, you still should just give one of them a try. It is probably best to start with episode one so you get introduced to all of the characters properly but it is not a necessity. I have watched all of them out of order pretty much and still get what is going on. I believe the Star Wars series is one of the greats and a piece of America’s history and you owe it to yourself to check them out! Now I am off to Mexico for some fun in the sun so you have a week to watch them all until my next post! Adios!

#1 Movie in 2006: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

Okay I am really excited about this one! The number one movie in 2006 was the second Pirates of the Caribbean movie called Dead Man’s Chest. This movie brought in a total of $423,315,812 in domestic gross and was nominated for four Academy Awards. They were nominated in art direction, sound, and sound editing and won in visual effects. This movie was a sequel to the first one that was called The Curse of the Black Pearl. The first movie introduced you to the characters of William, Elizabeth, Jack, and many other pirates. Elizabeth gets captured by the cursed crew of the Black Pearl and Jack Sparrow and Will set out to rescue her. In this sequel Will and Elizabeth are sentenced to hang for helping Jack escape and now Will needs to go on an adventure to win their freedom. Jack on the other hand is fighting his own battle. He needs to find Davy Jone’s heart so he can stab it to save himself from his fate in Davy’s Locker. Will they all succeed and live through this adventurous movie?

There are many reasons why this movie is worth watching but here are a few that will convince you…

1. Like every movie these days, there is a love story and it is an interesting one. They seem to never be able to be together because there is always some obstacle standing in their way.
2. In the first and second movie, Elizabeth is the damsel in distress that Will is determined to save no matter what it takes. So yes there is a hero aspect here.
3. A sexy Pirate…yes Johnny Depp is a leading role and he sure does work it.
4. HUMOR! I am always laughing throughout all of these movies. Jack alone is enough to make you laugh until it hurts.
5. Action! There are fight sequences left and right. Who doesn’t like a little sword play?
6. It is a world of fictional characters that draws you in and never lets you go. There are pirates, fishy looking pirates working for Davy Jones, and a native tribe with some weird customs. There is never a dull moment.
7. The producers are currently making a 5th movie. Yes there was 2 more after this one and I have bought every single one of them! It has to be great to keep making them.

Now I may be a little biased towards there movies because I love all Johnny Depp movies and don’t miss the chance to see a new one starring him. If you see any of the movies you will immediately fall in love with his character Jack Sparrow. Everything he does and says will make you laugh, I guarantee it! One thing I must say about this series is that you really should watch the movies in order so you can get to know the characters right and grow along with them. If you get hooked like I did then you cant wait for the next movie to come out! I can re-watch these every day and they never get old. I really hope you take the plunge into this world of pirates and see what I am talking about!

#1 Movie in 2007: Spider-Man 3

What a Shocker!…not really though ha. The number one movie in 2007 is another superhero movie! You should really begin to see a trend starting here. America really likes the superhero phenomenon. So the movie of 2007 is Spider-Man 3. This movie brought in a total of $336,530,303 in domestic total gross. You can probably infer for yourself, but yes there are two other Spider-Man movies before this one, hence the 3. If you haven’t seen any of them then you really have got to catch up on your comic book heroes. The first movie introduces you to the main character Peter Parker who gets bit by a radioactive spider and thus becomes Spider-Man. The villain in this movie is the green goblin it is a shock who it turns out to be! In the second movie Peter Parker is having trouble balancing his superhero life and personal life and vows to give up his hero status. Then another villain appears known as Doc Ock and Peter has no choice but to put the mask back on. In this 3rd movie, Peter fights a whole new internal battle. A black entity from another world bonds with Peter and causes his suit to turn black, his powers to amplify, and his dark side to come out. Peter must defeat this darkness inside him before he can manage to defeat the THREE villains that appear in this movie. There is a new goblin, the sandman, and venom all out to destroy Spider-Man. You will just have to watch to find out what happens in this epic battle.

Why should you indulge in this series? Well besides because I said so, here are some logical reasons…

1. There is an epic love story that spans three movies, but does he end up with the girl?
2. Obviously an action movie is going to have a lot of action. Fights left and right, new villains, old villains, and self villains. It has it all.
3. Wonderful graphics and special effects. I mean a guy is flying through the streets while holding onto a web, there has to be magnificent visual effects to make it work!
4. There are parts that will make you sad, shocked, laugh, happy, and enough suspense to keep you at the edge of your seat.
5. This is the 3rd movie, so if you have seen the first 2, why wouldn’t you see the final chapter!! If you haven’t seen any of them, you have to think to yourself, it must be really good that they made three of them!
6. Last but not least, there is an underlying moral to this story that everyone can relate with. We are all, deep down, just like spiders!….just kidding. But there really is one. When you see Peter Parker fighting with his “dark side” it is something that everyone can relate to. Do you stay being good and always worrying about things or do you let loose and give in to the dark temptation. There is really much more to the story than a superhero fighting crime.

Now that I have listed some of the reasons why I enjoy this movie, it is time for you to figure out why you do. This is a classic story from your childhood, Spider-Man first appeared in our lives in 1962 in a comic and has been very popular since. Everyone knows who he is even if they have never seen a movie or show with him in it. To be truthful, Spider-Man isn’t my favorite superhero but I still never missed out on one of the movies. Any one at any age can find something that they enjoy in these movies and you owe it yourself to figure out what that is. So grab a bag of popcorn, your favorite spot on the couch, and enjoy! Until next time…

#1 Movie in 2008: The Dark Knight

 It is really no surprise that the number one movie in 2008 was The Dark Knight. It took in a total of $533,345,358 in domestic total gross. This movie was nominated for 8 Academy Awards and pulled out a win in two categories. The nominations were for editing, cinematography, art direction, makeup, visual effects, and sound. It won for best supporting actor and sound editing. The Dark Knight was the sequel to the movie Batman Begins that was in 2005. Here is a brief description of the movie: In this movie Batman teams up with Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent. They work together to try and save Gotham from the criminal rampage that The Joker has unleashed. Another famous criminal from the Batman comics also makes an appearance but you will just have to watch it find out who!

Like I have said in previous posts, I am a sucker for a good superhero movie so you can only imagine how I feel about batman. I have seen numerous of the old batman movies and have always been a fan. Here are some reasons why you should watch The Dark Knight if you haven’t yet…

1. Attractive actors. I cant speak for the guys but as a girl, I think there are a few hansom men in this movie. Christian Bale and Heath Ledger are only two important reasons why you should see this movie. Eye candy always entices you to see a movie, am I right?
2. Action! Like any superhero movie, there is going to be numerous fight scenes and countless action. There is never a dull moment.
3. Humor…I mean come on, the bad guys name is The Joker after all.
4. Surprise Ending? Perhaps…It sure isn’t the typical ending of most movies. Not everything works out perfectly.
5. It is a sequel, so if you have seen the first then you MUST see the second….and then the third.
6. Last but not least…It was one of the last movies that Heath ledger was part of before his tragic death. He was a great actor and it was sad to see him die. His part in this movie is by far one of his best characters and it was amazing. He was magnificent!

If these aren’t good enough reasons to convince you then I just don’t know what else to say. Batman is by far one of my favorite movies based off of comic characters. I do also like everyone in the movie The Avengers that you were supposed to check out, but nothing compares to Batman. Unlike other superheroes, he is a regular man that trained his body to do great things through hard work. He doesn’t have the typical super powers you see in X-Men, Spiderman, or Superman. He stands in a league all of his own. It also probably helps that Christian Bale is a babe and fits Batman perfectly. I really hope you take the chance to watch this movie, but I recommend you watch Batman Begins first to get a good background of the character. Once you watch those two, you wont be able to watch the newest one that came out in 2012! Now that is one great movie and I hope I have convinced you to watch all three. Enjoy and stay tuned for next week!

 

#1 Movie in 2009: Avatar

As promised last week, I am now revealing the number one movie in 2009. If you remember that year, you will be able to easily guess that Avatar was the talk of the year. According to the box office, Avatar brought in a total of $749,766,139 in domestic total gross. Over $77,000,000 was made in the opening weekend and it was rated number one in over 3,400 theaters. This outstanding movie was nominated for an astounding nine Academy Awards and pulled away with three wins. Avatar was nominated for best picture, director, editing, cinematography, art directions, visual effects, sound, sound editing, and original score. It won in cinematography, art directions, and visual effects, which is no surprise. I really hope most of you have seen this masterpiece but in case you haven’t here is a little description of what to expect. Avatar is about a paraplegic Marine, Jake, that gets sent to a distant world, Pandora, in place of his dead brother in hopes of receiving a life altering spinal surgery after he completes his mission. His mission involved using an “avatar” to infiltrate the native tribe of Pandora and gather insider information. While under cover, Jake quickly falls in love with the daughter of the tribal leader and feels part of their world. Jake’s commanding officer grows impatient with Jakes defiance and soon inflicts war on them in hopes of recovering the precious material within Pandora. Does Jake stay and fight for his new friends or does he fulfill his duty to his country? You will have to watch to find out.

I’m sure a few of you were iffy, or even still are, about seeing this movie because it is so “out there”. I was the same way and wasn’t entirely sure if I wanted to see it or not. It wasn’t until one of my friends in my class just went on and on about how good it was and how amazing the visuals were that I figured I would give it a chance. I am sure glad that I did! This movie ended up really captivating me and made me even watch it twice in one day. When it started I still wasn’t sure if I was into it but I soon realized that it was amazing. Here are some reasons why you should watch it too if you haven’t already:

1. Yes, there is a love story but then again it is hard to find a movie that doesn’t have one these days. But this love story isn’t just beautiful, it also shows how two very different people from two very different worlds can be together.
2. Action Action Action! I know I said that three times there but this movie is pumped full of action. They are constantly moving through the vast jungle and there are some remarkable fight sequences that are sure to keep you at the edge of your seat.
3. Death. You cant lie and say that you don’t enjoy some causalities when there is a war and this movie has some deaths that are sure to tug on your heart.
4. GRAPHICS! This make believe world is very beautiful and amazing. The graphics are remarkable and very realistic.
5. There were very emotional parts that brought a tear to my eye and also parts to make me laugh. You can experience every emotion while watching this movie.

These are only a few reasons for why you should watch this movie but there are many more that you can figure out if you watch it for yourself. Some people don’t like the mythical movies that play largely on imagination but I am all for them. I have yet to find a person that didn’t like this movie. It may not be everyone’s favorite but no one actually dislikes it. All I can say to you now is that you must go out and watch it ASAP if you have never seen it and you should watch it again if you have. I know I am about to! Enjoy and tune in next week for the best movie of 2008!