120+ movies: 50/50

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120+ Movies of 2011, Annual Movie Challenge

50/5050/50 (30/11/11)

Inspired by a true story, a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy who learns of his cancer diagnosis, and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.

A comedy about cancer. A comedy about cancer that works as both genuinely funny and a touching portrayal of a young guy struggling with his diagnosis of cancer. I had a lot of laugh out loud moments. A lot from Seth Rogen’s Kyle, in his effort to make light of Adam’s disease. Ok, there were a lot of crude jokes. But they made me laugh.

But the great thing is that the humour never makes light of cancer. You never feel like they’re belittling the disease. It’s treated with respect. If diseases can be.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is great as the lead. He’s sympathetic and easy to relate to. Meanwhile there were a few occasions I wanted to throw Kyle under a bus, you realise he’s only doing his best as the best friend of a cancer patient.

Heart warming is the most clichéd but best ways I can describe this film.
Rating: 5/5

Read on to see the entire list of movies seen this year so far:

93 Movies so far this Year

  1. The Horse Whisperer 3/5 (01/01/11)
  2. The Informant! 3/5 (09/01/11)
  3. The Fighter 4/5 (11/01/11)
  4. 127 Hours 5/5 (14/01/11)
  5. The Wolfman 3/5 (15/01/11)
  6. Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story 4/5 (16/01/11)
  7. The King’s Speech 5/5 (19/01/11)
  8. The Town 4/5 (20/01/11)
  9. Ninja Assassin 2/5 (24/01/11)
  10. He’s Just Not That Into You 1/5 (25/01/11)
  11. Imagine That 1/5 (27/01/11)
  12. Gentlemen Broncos 2/5 (04/02/11)
  13. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale 4/5 (06/02/11)
  14. Daybreakers 3/5 (12/02/11)
  15. The Book of Eli 2/5 (13/02/11)
  16. True Grit 4/5 (15/02/11)
  17. Red 1/5 (19/02/11)
  18. Invictus 3/5 (20/02/11)
  19. Coraline 2/5 (28/02/11)
  20. Juno 3/5 (02/03/11)
  21. Monsters vs. Aliens 1/5 (06/03/11)
  22. Jennifer’s Body 2/5 (06/03/11)
  23. Rango 4/5 (09/03/11)
  24. The Crazies 4/5 (11/03/11)
  25. Lakeview Terrace 1/5 (12/03/11)
  26. Battle: Los Angeles 3/5 (13/03/11)
  27. Submarine 4/5 (14/03/11)
  28. The Adjustment Bureau 2/5 (16/03/11)
  29. Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief 2/5 (18/03/11)
  30. The Happening 1/5 (19/03/11)
  31. Sucker Punch 2/5 (02/04/11)
  32. Carriers 1/5 (03/04/11)
  33. Source Code 4/5 (06/04/11)
  34. 3:10 to Yuma 3/5 (09/04/11)
  35. Walking Tall 1/5 (12/04/11)
  36. Your Highness 3/5 (13/04/11)
  37. El Mariachi 3/5 (14/03/11)
  38. From Paris With Love 3/5 (15/04/11)
  39. Scream 4 3/5 (16/04/11)
  40. Hot Tub Time Machine 2/5 (17/04/11)
  41. Attack the Block 4/5 (20/04/11)
  42. The International 2/5 (23/04/11)
  43. Thor 5/5 (25/04/11)
  44. Fast & Furious 5: Rio Heist 5/5 (28/04/11)
  45. A Beautiful Mind 4/5 (06/05/11)
  46. Extract 2/5 (05/05/11)
  47. Hanna 4/5 (06/05/11)
  48. Catfish 3/5 (07/05/11)
  49. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides 2/5 (20/05/11)
  50. The Hangover Part II 3/5 (27/05/11)
  51. How to Train Your Dragon 4/5 (28/05/11)
  52. Zodiac 4/5 (28/05/11)
  53. Up in the Air 5/5 (30/05/11)
  54. X-Men: First Class 4/5 (01/06/11)
  55. Electra Luxx 3/5 (04/06/11)
  56. The Usual Suspects 5/5 (05/06/11)
  57. Senna 5/5 (10/06/11)
  58. The Human Centipede 1/5 (10/06/11)
  59. Green Lantern 2/5 (17/06/11)
  60. Paul 3/5 (18/06/11)
  61. Transformers: Dark of the Moon 4/5 (29/06/11)
  62. Predators 2/5 (30/07/11)
  63. Captain America: The First Avenger 3/5 (31/07/11)
  64. Super 8 5/5 (11/08/11)
  65. The Secret in Their Eyes 5/5 (13/08/11)
  66. [Rec] 2 3/5 (14/08/11)
  67. Rise of the Planet of the Apes 4/5 (16/08/11)
  68. Cowboys & Aliens 4/5 (18/08/11)
  69. Final Destination 5 4/5 (19/08/11)
  70. Micmacs 3/5 (21/08/11)
  71. Conan the Barbarian 3/5 (27/08/11)
  72. Legion 1/5 (27/08/11)
  73. Limitless 3/5 (29/08/11)
  74. Apollo 18 1/5 (02/09/11)
  75. The Warriors 4/5 (04/09/11)
  76. Ondine 3/5 (07/09/11)
  77. TrollHunter 5/5 (09/09/11)
  78. Burke & Hare 2/5 (16/09/11)
  79. Jackass 3 3/5 (16/09/11)
  80. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy 5/5 (23/09/11)
  81. Drive 4/5 (28/09/11)
  82. Don’t be Afraid of the Dark 4/5 (12/10/11)
  83. Paranormal Activity 3 3/5 (21/10/11)
  84. I Am Number Four 3/5 (23/10/11)
  85. Contagion 3/5 (25/10/11)
  86. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn 4/5 (27/10/11)
  87. The Thing 4/5 (29/10/11)
  88. The Ides of March 5/5 (01/11/11)
  89. In Time 3/5 (02/11/11)
  90. The Rum Diary 2/5 (11/11/11)
  91. Easy A 4/5 (26/11/11)
  92. Winter’s Bone 3/5 (27/11/11)
  93. 50/50 5/5 (30/11/11)

8 Comments

  1. Honest, raw and gentle. I liked this movie a lot. I did think there could have been more to Seth Rogen’s character than just being the comic relief guy. Glad you loved it Jaina!

    • They did add a bit to Seth’s character with the revelation that he was just trying to do his best, but yeah, agree there could have been more.

      Just loved this film.

  2. Probably my favorite film of the year because it’s funny, gentle, and heart-breaking to the point of where half of the theater I was in, just started balling their eyes out. It’s so great and I’m glad films like these can get made and not have to worry about the idea of having cancer in a comedy. Good review Jaina.

  3. Here’s that funky release scheduling stuff kicking in I bet, huh?

    Yeah, I’m glad you five out of fived it. I remember thinking I wouldnt be happy with myself later if I didnt give it a straight A at least. It is heartwarming. May be a “cliche” but hey, thats how cliches get to be cliched. Theyre apt. Often. 😀

    • I think every now and then a cliche done right is the best cliche. It is heartwarming but it doesn’t at any one point feel sugar coated. I like that this is a feel good film but it’s a more honest feel good film.

  4. Saw this two weeks ago and couldn’t agree more. It’s a great movie and one of the few ones (the scene in the hospital) that really made me feel very sad. Something not a lot of movies can do that and it’s thanks to Levitt’s performance…

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