shadokitty

Looking forward to tonight and a fun month.

davidh777

I agree that it's great but a little harder to like than, say, Rear Window or North by Northwest. Now I want to watch Hitchcock since I have the big UK BD collection and also added a large VUDU set.

I started to watch LOTR FOTR the other day but realized it was the theatrical, then figured I should just hold off till early March anyway.

shadokitty

I have the Extended version of the LOTR Trilogy on Google Play. However, my collection of the Hobbit trilogy is the theatrical.

BobO'Link

I have both versions of both series on DVD and BR, but haven't watched the theatrical since I saw it in the theater. I own the theatrical versions "just because." One of these days I think I need to correct that, but I liked the Extended editions so much the first time I saw them I just can't bring myself to watch the theatrical versions.

davidh777

I have both versions of LOTR on BD and digital, but like BobO, I try to watch only the extendeds because they're such a vast improvement.

For The Hobbit, I have the first one extended on one digital service and the two theatricals on BD and another service, which annoyed me so I ended up getting the extended trilogy on UK BD, but honestly I'm not sure if the extendeds are really a benefit because the theatrical cuts are already bloated.

BobO'Link

I tend to agree. The extended versions of the LOTR trilogy add lots of missing information and flesh out the films better. I really need to watch The Hobbit theatrical ones again just to see if those added bits in the extended versions are worth the effort.

Trevor

Pretty surprised to admit this, but still haven’t watched a single Hobbit film. Love the LOTR trilogy and have watched it multiple times (including one ill-fated Challenge where I watched every version and every special feature in one month), but somehow skipped Jackson’s prequel trilogy both in the theaters and on home media. Plan to hob to it in March. (groan)

coyoteblue

Didn't feel up to three hours of martial-arts trailer mayhem, so I 'settled' for the new X-Files episode (great episode) and King Solomon's Mines (1950). That's it for the night, I think.

shadokitty

I’ve watched quite a bit since the Challenge started last night. I kicked it off with an episode of Mobsters , on Reelz. That show provides an interesting look into the life of some of history’s most famous mob members. I watched quite a few shows last night on Outside Television too. That channel along with the Justice Network seem made for this Challenge, with shows about adventure sports and true crime, respectively. Some of today’s highlights are a black and white episode of Gunsmoke , on Insp, that guest starred Bruce Dern. He has always played a great villain. I watched my first movie of the Challenge this morning too, with Aces: Iron Eagle III , on the Sony Movie Channel. An interesting side note with that movie is one of the stunt pilots was an airshow pilot in real life, and I have actually seen him perform. That was Gene Soucy, who also did his act with wing walker, Teresa Stokes, during the movie when there was an airshow scene.

LJG765

Funny you mentioned this as I am seriously considering watching this series and the first movie for sure during this challenge.

I am finishing up a tv show that doesn't count before popping in my first movie for the challenge. I plan on watching Father Goose. Not sure why I like this one but I've been a fan since I originally saw many, many moons ago!

BobO'Link

Because it stars Cary Grant and it's hard not to like a film in which he stars! I saw it during its original run. I liked it then, I like it now.

LJG765

I have to admit, other than this movie, the only other Cary Grant film I've watched to my knowledge is "North by Northwest."

I think this was one of those Sunday afternoon movies that I watched because I got 2 channels and the other option was sports of some sort. I found a lot of random movies that way!

davidh777

Nothing wrong with that. That just means you have plenty to explore! If you want to try more and you like color Cary in Mother Goose, you might try Charade, which is not a comedy but kind of a Hitchcock-lite. If you like James Stewart and Katharine Hepburn, try The Philadelphia Story (not eligible for this challenge).

If this is part of your "save the best stuff for last" strategy, it shouldn't be.

I'm sure you've heard plenty of opinions about it by now, but I think it's worth seeing just to go back to that world.

Greg MacGuffin

I started off the challenge last night with Godzilla: Final Wars and wow, that was much, much worse than I remember. I've been working my way through a lot of the 90s/early 00s Godzilla movies and a lot of them are actually fairly decent. Final Wars, however, is very cheap looking and has all these dumb, Matrix-ripoff type of scenes. It's over two hours and is stuffed with all these terrible looking fight scenes between human characters. There's plenty of Godzilla action as well, but it's just way too long and the story is pretty dumb so it in no way justifies it's runtime.

coyoteblue

All the Godzilla movies made during the Millennium period (1999–2004) were Toho's uneven response to Gamera's Heisei period (1995-1999). Now if you want to watch three of the finest Kaiju movies ever made go find Gamera's Heisei trilogy. Even now they still stand apart.

LJG765

Checking into Charade, I have seen that one, but I have not watched Philadelphia Story. That one has been on my radar for a while, but haven't watched it yet. It's good to get recommendations though!

Just finished Father Goose and I still like it and think it's charming overall. I do kind of feel like they really made Catherine a bit too much of a shrew to start with, I mean, she stole the blanket off him! but once they start clicking, that's when you can't stop watching.

davidh777

Sorry I called it Mother Goose. I’ve seen many Cary movies but obviously not that one. Maybe in this year’s comedy challenge.

I know people call Bringing Up Baby the definitive screwball comedy, but it didn’t impress me that much. I should give it another try sometime.

LJG765

No worries! Mother Goose is actually his real call sign in the movie, but it's changed to Father Goose for the title due to...plot!

BobO'Link

I'll throw out a few more of his titles that qualify: To Catch a Thief, Arsenic and Old Lace, and The Pride and the Passion. The last isn't all that great but it costars Sophia Loren and Frank Sinatra.

There are *lots* of his films which qualify for the comedy challenge with a few also working for the historical or musical challenges.

davidh777

Spoiler alert!

And uh, yeah, that's why I said "Mother."

Wait, we have a musical challenge?

BobO'Link

Yes! It's officially called the "Make Your Own" challenge.

Greg MacGuffin

Interesting, thanks. I have to admit that outside of Godzilla, I have not seen many kaiju flicks. I really only know Gamera from Mystery Science Theater.

Last night I watched the 2014 Godzilla remake. I know it was a polarizing movie but I found it held up pretty well to a second viewing. My biggest complaint about it is that the lead actor doesn't really have much in the way of screen presence.

Going to try and watch Kong: Skull Island tonight if I can stay awake.

LJG765

Sorry, was trying to not spoil it.

I have definitely done a MYOC with musicals as my theme. I don't remember how many I got under my belt, but it was fun to focus on them for awhile.

Did watch a movie tonight with one of my nieces, but it doesn't count (Ratatouille) but it was fun watching with her so I don't mind. Don't get a lot of time with them so it's always nice when I do!

shadokitty

While browsing the Dish Guide today, I came across a pleasant surprise for this Challenge. The news channel, The Blaze airs shooting competition shows on Saturday afternoons. I just finished watching one right now called Shot To The Heart, in which couples compete in a variety of shooting challenges.

davidh777

That’s been my theme two of the last three years.