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50 Movies. 50 Books. 1 Year.

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Ashes

Banned
gah. What was I thinking starting off with catch 22? 500 pages. Amazon kindle page indication failure. gonna continue reading on ibooks. Just so I know which page I'm on.
 

Lafiel

と呼ぶがよい
Will join and inform everyone of my current progress thus far.

Books

1. For whom the bell tolls by Ernest Hemingway
2. Huckleberry finn by Mark Twain

Movies

1. All About Eve
2. The Social network
3. Zodiac
 
Movies


1. Predator (1987)
350px-Predator_%281987%29_-_main_cast.jpg

Its aged well, even if it is a corny 80's action movie. I was surprised to read recently that Jean Claude Van Damme made his acting debut as The Predator in this movie, but only for 2 scenes. Both when the Predator was stealth and jumping around the jungle.

2. Predator 2 (1990)
220px-Predator_two.jpg

Cheesy. Camp and Danny Glover. Who cares though. There's a decent idea within this film, shame the execution is so poor. It does allow however for a good trivia question - Who are the only 2 actors to have been killed by an Alien, Predator and a Terminator?

3. Predators (2010)
Poster-Predators.jpg

Didn't like it on first viewing when it was released. However, on second viewing when I no longer care about what it should/could have been its decent and fits somewhat within the Predator storyline. Not too sure about the whole collecting 'bad people' to hunt part though.

4. AVP: Alien v Predator (2004)
25847.jpg

I tell people I don't like it, but I keep watching it... action cuts were too fast for my liking.

5. Jurassic Park (1993)
jurassic_park_1_-_poster_1__1993_-200x300.jpg

Classic. Amazing that it still looks 'modern' nearly 20 years on.


6. One Day (2011)
one-day-200x300.jpg

Watched it with the wife. She hated it (she's recently read the book). I was bored. Do not watch.

Books
1. A Cultured Left Foot - Musa Okwonga (Small book on football/soccer and why left footed players are more 'skillfull'. Bit of a fluff book really, wouldn't recommend).
2. SOFI 4: Feast for Crows - George R. R. Martin (LOOOOOOOOOOOONG read, not the best of the series but I'm hoping it helps build for the next book).
 

Yobalt

Member
I just watched my first movie, Bridesmaids!

It was OK. I laughed twice I think and I chuckled maybe 3-4 times. That's at least twice as many laughs as The Hangover got from me so I was pleasantly surprised.
 
Where?? I live in California now! Tell me!!

I saw the first 6 or so books in the local Barns and Noble while picking out christmas presents. The covers are pretty different than they used to be, but I'm 90% they are the same books (as in, not edited or a new series)

Movie 1: Seven
Movie 2: Jurassic Park
Movie 3: Inglorious Basterds
Movie 4: The Adventures of Tin Tin
 

-Babyteks-

Neo Member
I saw the first 6 or so books in the local Barns and Noble while picking out christmas presents. The covers are pretty different than they used to be, but I'm 90% they are the same books (as in, not edited or a new series)

Movie 1: Seven
Movie 2: Jurassic Park
Movie 3: Inglorious Basterds
Movie 4: The Adventures of Tin Tin

That's awesome (and the books are so short I'll get through 50 in a week, lol)
 

Ovid

Member
I listen to audiobooks on the commute to work, and read on my days off and during breaks. Usually after work I simply don't feel like reading. That is movie time.

I take all my books to work with me. I read during lunch, breaks, during downtime and whenever there is a free second. And then I also read when I get home.
My daily commute usually involves WSJ (in the morning) and The Economist or Businessweek (on my way home). After I get home from work I head to the gym and then go to sleep. I wish I had more time during the week to read actual books.

I would love to try this challenge but I think it's to far out of reach.
 

Amir0x

Banned
My daily commute usually involves WSJ (in the morning) and The Economist or Businessweek (on my way home). After I get home from work I head to the gym and then go to sleep. I wish I had more time during the week to read actual books.

I would love to try this challenge but I think it's to far out of reach.

Well you're still reading. You just seem to enjoy a different type of reading in your morning. Which is perfectly ok!

But really all this entails is an average of 4.5 books a month or something like that, and I think you could fit that in. If you consider there are 52 weeks, it's less than one book per week! You can do that :D
 

Cindres

Vied for a tag related to cocks, so here it is.
Only stuff you haven't read or watched before guys! (Obviously reading the book of a movie you've seen or vice versa still counts towards your list however)

http://www.fiftyfifty.me/2011/12/rules-regulations.html
6) Can I rewatch/reread?
Of course you can rewatch and reread… it just won’t count towards your 50/50 ;)

We hope you will use FiftyFifty to inspire you to explore new stuff! Maybe next year we will include a “Reminiscing” theme, but this year around we’re asking you to go fresh.

Anyway, going a bit slow on the reading but It's exam period which means I'll have less time for it. Only just finished my first book today.

Books
01/50 - Along Came a Spider by James Patterson

Movies
01/50 - Senna
02/50 - The A-Team

EDIT: I just realised that thanks to my tumblr beginning with an "a" I'm second on the list of "Blogs Dedicated to 50/50". Score!
 

Red

Member
My daily commute usually involves WSJ (in the morning) and The Economist or Businessweek (on my way home). After I get home from work I head to the gym and then go to sleep. I wish I had more time during the week to read actual books.

I would love to try this challenge but I think it's to far out of reach.
I go to the gym two or three times a week for about an hour at a time. I mostly lift, but when I run or use a stationary bike, I listen to audiobooks on my phone.

Audible is the greatest thing for people who don't have time to sit down and read.

I also listen to books while cleaning up around home.
 
Movies
NEW! = Movie I have never seen before (these are only counted in the 50/50 idea).


1. Predator (1987)
Its aged well, even if it is a corny 80's action movie. I was surprised to read recently that Jean Claude Van Damme made his acting debut as The Predator in this movie, but only for 2 scenes. Both when the Predator was stealth and jumping around the jungle.

2. Predator 2 (1990)
Cheesy. Camp and Danny Glover. Who cares though. There's a decent idea within this film, shame the execution is so poor. It does allow however for a good trivia question - Who are the only 2 actors to have been killed by an Alien, Predator and a Terminator?

3. Predators (2010)
Didn't like it on first viewing when it was released. However, on second viewing when I no longer care about what it should/could have been its decent and fits somewhat within the Predator storyline. Not too sure about the whole collecting 'bad people' to hunt part though.

4. AVP: Alien v Predator (2004)
I tell people I don't like it, but I keep watching it... action cuts were too fast for my liking.

5. Jurassic Park (1993)
Classic. Amazing that it still looks 'modern' nearly 20 years on.

NEW! 6. One Day (2011)
Watched it with the wife. She hated it (she's recently read the book). I was bored. Do not watch.

NEW! 7 AVPR: Aliens vs Predator - Requiem (2007)
Very dark. First time I've seen it and somewhat disappointed. Nice touch with the classic 'sounds', shame its just... odd.

NEW! 8 Boyz n the Hood (1991)
Not what I was expecting at all. A good character developing story (even if the ending seemed a little rushed). Watched this mainly for the references in GTA: SA... enjoyed it, however.

NEW! 9 Black Dynamite (2009)
Unreal. One of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Its a spoof based on a the blaxploitation movies of the 60s - namely 'Shaft'. The one liners are fantastic, the 'bad' editing is great.

Books
1. A Cultured Left Foot - Musa Okwonga (Small book on football/soccer and why left footed players are more 'skillfull'. Bit of a fluff book really, wouldn't recommend).
2. SOFI 4: Feast for Crows - George R. R. Martin (LOOOOOOOOOOOONG read, not the best of the series but I'm hoping it helps build for the next book).
 

Hilbert

Deep into his 30th decade
You can add me to this challenge. I just finished my 3rd book for 2012, the first book in the kingkiller chronicles. I have not yet watched a single movie in 2012 though.
 

AndyD

aka andydumi
Wait, we can count rewatches?!?!?

WTFFFF

I think the only rule so far is that you actively seek to watch a movie, rather than "I happened to sit down on the couch and X was on."

So theater, DVR, disc, streaming, VHS or 8mm or any other method is cool, other than it happened to be on and I had nothing better to do for 2 hours.
 
I think the only rule so far is that you actively seek to watch a movie, rather than "I happened to sit down on the couch and X was on."

So theater, DVR, disc, streaming, VHS or 8mm or any other method is cool, other than it happened to be on and I had nothing better to do for 2 hours.

I'd prefer that as I got a bunch of movies on Blu-Ray I'm going to watch, even though I've seen them all before at some point or another. New on Blu-Ray though!
 

xBigDanx

Member
Update...

Movies:
1. Tucker and Dale vs Evil - fantastic 'horror' movie, good spin on a tired genre
2. True Grit - remake
3. The Adjustment Bureau
4. Ip Man

Books:
1. God, No! by Penn Jillette - great, easy read. Very enjoyable.

Update..

5. Midnight in Paris... umm, yeah, not sure what I thought of this
 

Red

Member
Book 1: Brave New World
Book 2: Steve Jobs (in progress)

Movie 1: Amadeus (for like the millionth rewatch. One of my favorites)
Movie 2: Waiting for Superman
Movie 3: Revolution OS
Movie 4: Exit Through the Gift Shop
Movie 5: Mission Impossible
Movie 6: Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

Do textbooks count? I'm not taking any classes but I'm reading a few things for fun.

Movie 7: Orgasm, Inc.
Movie 8: The Thin Blue Line
 

Cindres

Vied for a tag related to cocks, so here it is.
Update for me too:

Book 1: Along Came a Spider by James Patterson

Movie 1: Senna
Movie 2: The A-Team
Movie 3: Léon
 

Ratrat

Member
I'm in

Movie 1:
Never Let Me Go

Book 1:
Jane Eyre


I doubt I read even 20 books most years so I'm up for the challenge. :)
 
I could so do this, if I could actually find 50 books or movies I wanted to read/watch.

A 400 page book will last me about 2 reading sessions at work. I can watch about 4-5 movies on a slow night.

Since Christmas I have read:

Neverwinter, book II in the Neverwinter Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore (stfu haters)
Two Clive Cussler novels (Sahara and Spartan Gold)
Making Money by Terry Pratchett


I have also watched;
The first 2 seasons of House
Seasons 4 and 5 of Bones
Season 5 of Futurama
Several hours of the Dreamhack 2011 SC2 tourney (late to the party, I know)
Last Harry Potter movie
Oceans 11
Oceans Eleven
Oceans 12
Oceans 13
Two episodes of Burn Notice on Hulu
Three episodes of Covert Affairs on Hulu

Podcasts (if these count)
Two new episodes of We're Alive! audio drama
I'm about 6 episodes behind on listening to Critical Hit which I will catch up on tomorrow night since I am working OT.
I also started listening to The Leviathan Chronicles, not sure if I like it. It's on the backburner and will be used as filler.

Outside of the stuff I watched on Hulu everything was done while at work (its nice having a job where I can do that).
 

dantehemi

Member
50 movies? Yeah for sure, I watched 3 just today (contagion, crazy stupid love, Conan)

50 books? I'd be happy to hit my goal of 1 per month this year (not counting the 300 and change pages of A Storm Of Swoards I have left)

I read all 90 comics of the walking dead in a weekend, does that count for something?
 

drkOne

Member
Anyone doing reviews on Tumblr?
I'm redoing my follow list on Tumblr and this is exactly what I'm looking for, user reviews (even just a sentence) of movies, books, comics, games.

I have one with a couple of game reviews from 2011, and I'm currently doing Best of 2011 lists. This seems like the right thing to keep me writting once I'm done with those lists.
 

Cindres

Vied for a tag related to cocks, so here it is.
Anyone doing reviews on Tumblr?
I'm redoing my follow list on Tumblr and this is exactly what I'm looking for, user reviews (even just a sentence) of movies, books, comics, games.

I have one with a couple of game reviews from 2011, and I'm currently doing Best of 2011 lists. This seems like the right thing to keep me writting once I'm done with those lists.

www.angusmcloud.tumblr.com

Updating mine after each movie and book.
 

besada

Banned
BenjaminBirdie:

Finished:
Books:
2. The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks

Movies:
2. The Debt, starring Helen Mirren (Good, but slow)
3. Middle Men, with Luke Wilson and Giovanni Ribisi (Meh.)
 
Sorry I haven't updated the OP. Gonna try and do it for every Monday.

Also, I HAD to put Clash on hold for HOLY SHIT

MIKE DOUGHTY'S THE BOOK OF DRUGS!!!

IT'S FINALLY OUT!!

WTFFFF
 

ShinAmano

Member
So I need to start Book 4 soon...but what should I read? I was thinking about the zombie survival guide...I enjoyed World War Z.

Also Hunger Games Trilogy Ending spoilers:
I was not impressed with the last book. So after all of what Katniss went through she ends up a broken HG winner like all the rest? I enjoyed book 1 and 2 but the last was just did not do it for me.
 
So I need to start Book 4 soon...but what should I read? I was thinking about the zombie survival guide...I enjoyed World War Z.

Also Hunger Games Trilogy Ending spoilers:
I was not impressed with the last book. So after all of what Katniss went through she ends up a broken HG winner like all the rest? I enjoyed book 1 and 2 but the last was just did not do it for me.

Agreed:
She goes from this strong, interesting character to a whiny brat. It's not that I don't understand why that would happen to a person, but it seemed totally inconsistent with the strength of Katniss's character
 

ShinAmano

Member
Agreed:
She goes from this strong, interesting character to a whiny brat. It's not that I don't understand why that would happen to a person, but it seemed totally inconsistent with the strength of Katniss's character

For some reason I thought
she would end up the president of the new era...

Anyhow I started:
Book 4:The Zombie Survival Guide
 

traveler

Not Wario
I'm in. Why not?

New stuff I've completed thus far this year:

Movies
1. Blade Runner- You read it right. 23 and I hadn't seen it till now. Amazing look and score that stand up even today. Entertaining, if not fairly standard, story.

Books
1. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay- Great book. Very fun and easy prose to read through, and a fairly moving story by its conclusion, if not a little bogged down towards the middle and a little contrived towards the end. Deserves more than these few sentences.
2. The Tiger's Wife- Took a while to get going for me, but a rewarding read once it did. I loved how all the aspects of the plot come together to reinforce common themes and plot threads towards the end- no chaff anywhere in the narrative. Also appreciated the fairly subdued and grounded sense of magical realism, as I was afraid the author would go too far with it.

Working on Thinking Fast and Slow now on a recommendation. Dunno what the next movie I see will be.
 
Almost halfway through Book Of Drugs in one fucking day. I scoff SCOFF at the people who thought I couldn't pull this off with a Games Of Thrones book.

SCOFFING.
 

AndyD

aka andydumi
Almost halfway through Book Of Drugs in one fucking day. I scoff SCOFF at the people who thought I couldn't pull this off with a Games Of Thrones book.

SCOFFING.

Pull what off? The 50 list with reading a Game of Thrones book or more? Its completely doable, I am reading one right now. So I also scoff alongside you.
 

entremet

Member
I always end up watching at least 50 movies and I read like 10~15 books a month so this isn't really a challenge. But I'll be in. Let's see so far this year.

Books
1. Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson
2. Hitler's Pope: The Secret History of Pius XII by John Cornwell
3. The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle
4. The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values by Sam Harris
5. Knocking on Heaven's Door: How Physics and Scientific Thinking Illuminate the Universe and the Modern World by Lisa Randall
6. Anathem by Neal Stephenson

Next book on the 12th is A Universe from Nothing: Why There Is Something Rather than Nothing by Lawrence M. Krauss.

Movies
1. The Adventures of Tintin (finally got some people to go with me)
2. Contagion (just came on On Demand)
3. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sky



I take all my books to work with me. I read during lunch, breaks, during downtime and whenever there is a free second. And then I also read when I get home.

Do you have an eReader, Amir0x? That's impressive volume.
 

AndyD

aka andydumi
I always end up watching at least 50 movies and I read like 10~15 books a month so this isn't really a challenge. But I'll be in. Let's see so far this year.

2. Hitler's Pope: The Secret History of Pius XII by John Cornwell

How is that? I have it on my list of to reads.

Let's scoff it up, Reading-Elaborate-Food-Descriptions Brother!!!

I don't get that. He does not go overboard with food descriptions that I can tell so far, well into the third book. What am I missing?
 
I don't get that. He does not go overboard with food descriptions that I can tell so far, well into the third book. What am I missing?

Really? I'm only halfway through the second book, and it's been mouthwatering so far! So many honeyed and spiced braised lambs!
 

Amir0x

Banned
Do you have an eReader, Amir0x? That's impressive volume.

Yup. I have a B&N Nook. Best invention ever.

How is that? I have it on my list of to reads.

Well some of his arguments are weaker than others, but he paints a fairly clear line from the evolution of papal doctrine of infallibility and absolutist autocratic power and how it directly impacted Catholicisms ability to effectively counteract the growing threat of Nazi Germany. Specifically, Pacelli (Pius XII) is shown to be woefully out of his sphere of understanding when it comes to the potential diplomatic impact of many of his decisions (including some of the stuff he had a hand in prior to when he was Pope, some which directly contributed to the tensions leading up to WWI), and completely ice cold when it comes to having any empathy for the plight of the Jewish peoples. He essentially refused to outright condemn the Nazi atrocities throughout the war, which could have certainly had an impact given how much influence the Pope had on his followers during this period.

In any event, the book gets a little unfocused at times, particularly by the end when it leaves Pacelli's papacy and starts following the popes that followed briefly, but it's a very interesting read. And depressing!
 
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