Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Warner Bros. etc.

December 7, 2001

Crime Comedy
DVD
C-

I saw this movie at the time and kind of liked it, but I couldn't get into it this time.  I did, however, bump it up a notch for Elliott Gould.  Steven Soderbergh directed.

O. Henry's Full House

O. Henry's Full House

20th Century Fox

October 16, 1952

Historical Drama

DVD
C

I kind of liked the first story, about the vagrant who literally can't get arrested in this town, and who hits on Marilyn Monroe, but I wasn't at all interested in the second story of this anthology, so I gave up after half an hour.  Henry Koster directed the former, Henry Hathaway the second.  John Steinbeck is our host.

Nutcracker and the Four Realms

Nutcracker and the Four Realms

Disney

November 2, 2018

Fantasy, Historical Drama, Musical

DVD
D+

The musical I got annual school-sponsored naps from, now with steampunk and a creepy dad!  Lasse Hallström and Joe Johnston co-directed, not the first movie for either of them in this project.

Nuns on the Run

Nuns on the Run

Handmade Films

30 March 1990

Crime Comedy

DVD
C

This has potential, with those stars, and it's nice that producer George Harrison included his song "Blow Away," but this just didn't click for me.  Jonathan Lynn wrote and directed, about four years after Clue.

The Nun

The Nun

New Line etc.

September 7, 2018

Horror, Historical Drama

DVD
D-

Almost unwatchable, but some of the scenery was lovely.  Corin Hardy directed.

Numb (2007)

Numb (2007)

Image Entertainment

April 30, 2007

Dramedy
DVD
C-

I bumped this up a notch because of the psychologist.  Harris Goldberg directed and wrote, inspired by his own experiences.

November Criminals

November Criminals

Vertical Entertainment etc.

November 7, 2017

Romance?, Crime Drama?

DVD
C-

Cliched but almost intriguing.  Director Sacha Gervasi co-adapted Sam Munson's novel The November Criminals (yes, with a "the"), nine years after Anvil: The Story of Anvil.

The Notebook

The Notebook

New Line

June 17, 2004

Historical Drama, Romance

DVD
D

That tired, tired trope of the guy basically nagging a woman into going out with him, the '40s setting not helping here any more than it did in New York, New York.  And, yes, this is another movie I dislike based on a Nicholas Sparks book, this one directed by Nick Cassavetes, a couple of years after John Q. and a few years before My Sister's Keeper.

Not One Less AKA tiān shàng yǒu ge tàiyáng

Not One Less AKA  tiān shàng yǒu ge tàiyáng

Columbia etc.

2 December 1999

Drama

DVD
C

I gave this story twenty minutes, because I thought it had potential, but I got frustrated that the thirteen-year-old teacher wasn't even trying to teach.  Yimou Zhang directed, seventeen years before The Great Wall, which didn't have as much potential, although probably a much bigger budget.

Nostalgia

Nostalgia

Bleecker Street

February 16, 2018

Drama

DVD
C-

Different kinds of appraisal.  Mark Pellington directed and co-wrote, after Arlington Road in the '90s and Henry Poole Is Here in the '00s.

Norm of the North

Norm of the North

Lionsgate etc.

January 15, 2016

Children's, Animation, Fantasy, Comedy
DVD
D+

Not terrible, but the fact that they have to explain a Phish joke onscreen does not bode well.  Trevor Wall directed.

None But the Brave AKA Yūsha Nomi

None But the Brave AKA Yūsha Nomi

Toho/ Warner Bros.

15 January 1965

War Drama

DVD
D+

A Japanese-American collaboration, alternating between the Japanese soldiers who've been shipwrecked, and the American soldiers who've crash-landed on the same island.  Sinatra not only acts but directed.

Nocturnal Animals

Nocturnal Animals

Focus Features etc.

September 2, 2016

Drama?

DVD
D

It would be nice to see Amy Adams and Michael Sheen act together in a good movie, although at least I tuned out before things got too dark.  Director Tom Ford adapted Austin Wright's novel Tony and Susan.

Nobody Knows AKA Dare mo Shiranai

Nobody Knows AKA Dare mo Shiranai

Cinequanon

7 August 2004

Drama

DVD
C+

The first two hours, I wasn't sure what I thought of this movie, although I was definitely intrigued.  And then in the last twenty minutes, I was on the fence between a C+ and a B-, but there was no closure, other than that these children's lives will probably go on like this, with no adult helping them in any big way, but also no adult reporting them to the authorities.  Hirokazu Koreeda wrote and directed.

Noah (2014)

Noah (2014)

Paramount

March 26, 2014

Historical Drama?

DVD
D-

There was a moment in the first ten minutes when I asked aloud, "Why was this movie made?"  Darren Aronofsky directed and co-wrote, three years before Mother!, and I guess this is technically based on the Bible.

No Way Out (1987)

No Way Out (1987)

Orion

August 14, 1987

Drama?
DVD
D+

I guess this turns into a political action thriller sometime after I tuned out, but what I saw was sort of a romance between two unappealing people who hook up within minutes, in a cab.  This is based on the often adapted Kenneth Fearing novel The Big Clock, and directed by Roger Donaldson, over twenty years before The Bank Job.

No Time for Sergeants

No Time for Sergeants

Warner Bros.

May 29, 1958

Comedy
DVD
D

Possibly the most unpleasant collection of Southern accents in one film.  (And, yes, I tuned out long before Don Knotts.)  This started out as a novel by Mac Hyman and then went through various forms before becoming a movie, so obviously a lot of people liked it roughly sixty-five years ago.  Mervyn LeRoy directed.

No God, No Master

No God, No Master

Strata Productions

November 19, 2013

Historical Drama, Crime Drama

DVD

C-

The early days of the FBI, written and directed by Terry Green.

1985

1985

RainMaker Films etc.

March 9, 2018

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

A little flat.  Yen Tan directed and co-wrote.

Nine (2009)

Nine (2009)

The Weinstein Company etc.

December 25, 2009

Musical, Historical Drama

DVD
D+

A reminder of why I don't like most modern musicals, although not as bad as La La Land.  Rob Marshall directed, nine years before Mary Poppins Returns.

Nim's Island

Nim's Island

Walden Media etc.

April 4, 2008

Children's, Adventure, Comedy
DVD
C-

I could see kids really liking this, but as an adult I was too distracted by things like how they got such good Internet reception on a remote South Pacific island, especially back then.  This is based on the novel by Wendy Orr and co-directed by Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin.

The Diaries of Vaslav Nijinsky

The Diaries of Vaslav Nijinsky

Studio Unknown

25 April 2002

Documentary?

DVD
C-

My library has this under "Nijinsky," and it's a dramatization of his writings, adapted by director Paul Cox.

Nightwatching

Nightwatching

Studio Unknown

6 September 2007

Historical Drama

DVD

C-

Rembrandt and stuff.  Peter Greenaway wrote and directed.

Nights in Rodanthe

Nights in Rodanthe

Warner Bros. etc.

September 26, 2008

Romance

DVD
C-

Although I didn't care about the story or most of the characters, I did like the best friend, the song about North Carolina, and the inn.  This is based on the Nicholas Sparks novel and directed by George C. Wolfe.

Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge

Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge

New Line Cinema

November 1, 1985

Horror

DVD
D

Cheesier than I expected, and not in a good way.  Jack Sholder directed, a couple years before The Hidden.

Nightmare (2005)

Nightmare (2005)

Studio Unknown

September 29, 2009 (DVD release)

Horror

DVD
D

Even before it got to the horror part, I didn't like any of the characters, although the sex scene about ten minutes in isn't bad.  Dylan Bank directed and co-wrote.

A Night to Remember

A Night to Remember

Rank Organisation

3 July 1958

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

A little flat but, yes, probably more accurate than Titanic.  This is based on the book by Walter Lord, and directed by Roy Ward Baker, six years after The Snows of Kilimanjaro.

Night Shift (2020)

Night Shift (2020)

Studio Unknown

2 September 2020

Drama?

DVD
D+

Unhappy French cops.  This is based on a novel by Hugo Boris, which director Anne Fontaine co-adapted, four years after Les innocentes, and over a decade after Coco avant Chanel, which I did actually like.

The Night of the Generals

The Night of the Generals

Columbia

29 January 1967

Historical Drama, Mystery
DVD
D

Yeah, not really a movie I'd be interested in, even without the off-putting '60s "cinematic" touches in the opening credits.  This is based on the novel by Hans Hellmut Kirst and directed by Anatole Litvak.

Night Moves (2013)

Night Moves (2013)

Cinedigm

August 31, 2013

Drama?

DVD
C-

I couldn't tell what this was about but the scenery was nice.  Kelly Reichardt directed and co-wrote, a couple years before Certain Women.

Night Catches Us

Night Catches Us

Magnolia Pictures

December 3, 2010

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Good period detail, but slow-moving and subdued.  Tanya Hamilton wrote and directed.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

20th Century Fox etc.

May 22, 2009

Fantasy, Comedy

DVD
D+

I haven't seen any of the movies in the series before, but I found this pretty flat.  Robin Williams is of course the best thing about it, and he's playing an unrecognizable version of Teddy Roosevelt.  (I mean characterization, not appearance.)  Shawn Levy directed, and I tagged the people I recognized in the first quarter hour.

Night And Fog AKA Nuit et brouillard

Night And Fog AKA Nuit et brouillard

Argos Films

January 1956

Documentary

DVD
B

A short (half-hour), powerful film that must've been truly shocking in its initial release, when so much was still hidden about the Nazi concentration camps, and it still is heartbreaking now.  I wouldn't say I "like" the movie, but I was most impressed by the contrast between individual faces and the mass graves.  Alain Resnais directed.

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

Columbia etc.

October 3, 2008

Romcom, Musical

DVD
C+

I saw this movie at the time and enjoyed it enough to read the book, by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, that it's based on.  I think, however, unlike Juno, which Cera appeared in the previous year (and which I own and rewatched coincidentally last week), this hasn't aged as well.  The clichés and oh-so-hipster '00s energy stand out more.  (I was already middle-aged back then, so it's not like I've grown too "mature" for this movie or something.)  And for covering less than 24 hours, it sure makes a hash of its timeline.  There are still some sweet and mildly amusing moments though, and I didn't mind a rewatch today, although I'm not bothering with the vast bonus material.  Peter Sollett directed.

The Nice Guys

The Nice Guys

Warner Bros. etc.

May 20, 2016

Historical Comedy, Crime Comedy?

DVD

C-

Good period detail, but I didn't really care about the story or characters.  Shane Black directed and co-wrote.

News of the World

News of the World

Universal etc.

December 25, 2020

Western

DVD
D+

Shrug, it's a Western, so I'm not going to be that into it, no matter who the star is.  Director Paul Greengrass, who previously did Jason Bourne and Bloody Sunday,  co-adapted the novel by Paulette Jiles.

The Next Three Days

The Next Three Days

Lionsgate etc.

November 19, 2010

Crime Drama

DVD

D+

Director Paul Haggis adapted the French movie Pour Elle, which presumably had equally unsympathetic characters but with classier accents.

New York, New York

New York, New York

United Artists

June 21, 1977

Historical Comedy?

DVD
D+

The only thing I liked was that Liza's character had a bit of spunk, although I kept waiting for her to throw a drink in De Niro's face.  Martin Scorsese directed, and I much prefer Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.

The New World

The New World

New Line etc.

January 20, 2006

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Once again, Hollywood fails to present Pocahontas as the little girl she was, but I like the scenery and Plummer is good of course.  Terrence Malick wrote and directed.

Wes Craven's New Nightmare

Wes Craven's New Nightmare

New Line

October 14, 1994

Horror

DVD
D

Since I never watched the Elm Street movies, the main thing of interest here is that the lead is Heather Langenkamp as "Heather Langenkamp," sort of the actress of the Nightmare movies who was also the eldest Lubbock Babe on Just the Ten of Us.

The New Mutants

The New Mutants

Marvel Entertainment etc.

August 28, 2020

Sci-Fi?

DVD

D-

I might've gone with a D but I got tired of the racism towards the Native American main character.  Josh Boone directed and co-wrote.

The Neverending Story

The Neverending Story

Warner Bros. etc.

6 April 1984

Fantasy
DVD
D+

I was bored by both the "real" parts and the fantasy.  Director Wolfgang Petersen was one of the people who adapted the Michael Ende novel, a few years after Das Boot.

Never So Few

Never So Few

MGM

December 7, 1959

War Drama

DVD
D+

The most interesting thing here is of course the cast, and I didn't even make it to Gina Lollobrigida.  This is based on the Tom T. Chamales novel and directed by John Sturges, thirteen years before Joe Kidd.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Focus etc.

April 3, 2020

Drama

DVD
D+

Depressing tale of teen pregnancy, directed and written by Eliza Hittman.

Never on Sunday

Never on Sunday

Lopert Pictures Corporation

October 1, 1960

Comedy?

DVD

C-

I've known of this movie for years (I mean since I was a little kid), mostly due to to its theme song, but never seen it before.  Jules Dassin wrote and directed, sixteen years after The Canterville Ghost.