Movies In My Top 242: 230-223

Yes, I keep track of all my movies and where I rank them in terms of GIMO (Greatest In My Opinion). This list changes frequently as I build my list of movies I've actually seen. Looking at Ebert's reviews, I've got a long way to go before I can say I've seen all the greats. I like showing off the list because it gives readers an idea of my random taste in movies. It also gives moviegoers a chance to wildly disagree which I welcome as well. Below are 230-223.

230. Knight and Day (2010)--A sleeper in 2010 in my opinion. Cameron Diaz falls head over heels for Tom Cruise who turns out to be a special agent. Action and laughs abound. My Rating: 80.

229: X-Men: First Class (2011)--The first decent origin story coming out of the X-Men camp. It follows a young Charles Xavier and Magneto as they work to build a better life for mutants. This movie also gets an award for having one of the most memorable scenes I can remember. Let's just say I'll never look at a quarter the same way again. My Rating: 80.

228. The Proposal (2009)

227. Above the Rim (1994)--Featured some powerful acting roles from the likes of Tupac, Duane Martin, and Bernie Mac. Give viewers a glimpse of the harsh realities of star athletes that grow up in the toughest of areas. My Rating: 80.

226. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011)



225. Abraham Lincoln: Vanpire Hunter (2012)--So you mean to tell me Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves...and he killed vampires? That's all I need to know. My Rating: 80.

224. The Croods (2013)--Wonderful animated movie about an overprotective father trying to keep his family alive in a prehistoric world. My Rating: 80.

223. Iron Man 2 (2010)--Not as good as the first, but definitely a satisfying thrill ride packed with a great deal of action and a star-studded cast of Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, and the great Mickey Rourke. My Rating: 80.

The Visit (2015) Movie Review

Finally. That word is something I've been wanting to say in terms of M. Night Shyamalan's next great movie. Sure I liked Devil and The Village was somewhat tolerable, but The Happening and Lady In the Water were two ghastly movies I hope I never have to sit through again. Now, in The Visit, we have a movie that puts Shyamalan back on the map as an artist of horror and a master of storytelling.

Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) are going to visit their Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie) out in the country--grandparents they've never met before. Becca and Tyler's mom (Kathryn Hahn) had a falling out with her parents over a boy and hasn't spoken to her parents in fifteen years. After her parents track her down online, Becca figures this would be a great time to go and visit them and hopefully patch things up between both sides. What they find is very unexpected and frightening.

The acting was superb all the way around. DeJonge and Oxenbould captured the true essence of siblings going back and forth with comedic jabs that added a few moments of lightheartedness. Dunagan and McRobbie's roles as the strange grandparents are both alarming and terrifying, especially during those moments where they aren't saying anything at all.

I won't ruin the twist of the movie, but I will say that even if you figure it out early like I miraculously did, it doesn't ruin the impact of the movie. In fact, knowing makes it even harder to watch. For me it only took about five minutes for me to be watching the screen with wide eyes waiting to see what crazy thing was going to happen next. The scares didn't disappoint.

Neither does the message. Yet again, Shyamalan has managed to tell a great story that ends with an applicable message that made me reflect on my own life. It's the type of movie that sticks with you long after you've watched it. There were a couple of parts that were a little unbelievable once you think about it, but I'm talking about minor blips here. I give The Visit a 95. Can't wait to watch it with the wife. She's scared to death of horror movies. So am I, but I couldn't deny the call of Shyamalan. Good call on this one.

Nine Great Movies That Aren't Parent-Safe

We've all been there before. You sit down to watch a movie with the folks. Everything is going good until a few minutes or so in and things just take a turn for the worst. For better or worse (and you hope it gets better, but you know better) you're stuck in an uncomfortable, vulgar situation for the next ninety minutes to two hours. Here are nine movies to not watch with the parents.

9. Pulp Fiction (1994)--Nothing says family movie night like seeing a man raped with an apple in his mouth. Outside of this famous scene, the violence throughout is very Tarantino-esque, blood and guts abounding.

8. Dope (2015)--The first twenty minutes of the movie is pretty tame before things go haywire. A nude scene that's way longer than a boob-and-goodbye might make things a little squeamish for you if you're watching this with the people that raised you and taught you morals. The violence isn't bad, but the language is definitely cringe-worthy.



7. The Girl Next Door (2004)--It's about a kid who falls in love with the girl next door...who just so happens to be a porn star. Shall I continue?

6. Varsity Blues (1999)--Watch this with your parents if you want them to question your entire high school experience and their job as parents.

5. Trainwreck (2015)--Amy Shumer takes vulgar to a whole new level in this hilarious comedy. Too many uncomfortable moments to count.

4. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)--One of the funniest comedies I've seen. I can't count the number of scenes that I wouldn't watch with my mom.

3. About Last Night (2014)--I've seen both versions and I pray that I'm not caught dead watching them with my mom. A beaucoup of language and sex drive the inappropriateness up the list.

2. Let's Be Cops (2014)--The hardware store scene. Enough said.



1. That's My Boy (2012)--I can't count the number of "Oh My God"s I uttered while sitting through this. If you're a fan of sex and extreme vulgarity, you will love this movie!