20th Annual CLFM 24-Hour Movie Marathon!

The Children’s Leukemia foundation of Michigan will be holding their 20th annual 24-hour movie marathon in Novi, Michigan at the Emagine theater on Friday, November 1st through Saturday, November 2nd.

Hollywood Nights 2018 - CLF Booth
The Children’s Leukemia Foundation of Michigan booth during the 2018 movie marathon.

This is a fantastic charity event and you should go! If you can raise a minimum of $150, you can watch whatever movies are scheduled for the theater that day (plus more in the overnight), get unlimited popcorn, pop, free lunch, free dinner, and a goodie bag of candy.

Continue reading 20th Annual CLFM 24-Hour Movie Marathon!

Movie Marathon 2019

It is 2019, which can only mean it is time to throw 24-hour movie marathon 2019! We have selected the movies and set the schedule. Read on to learn all about the movies we picked out. I hope we inspire you to throw your own 24-hour movie marathon this year.

Movie Marathon 2019 Theme

When my wife and I host a movie marathon, we don’t center it around a single genre or theme as most people expect. Instead, we always follow two rules when selecting movies:

  1. We have never seen the movie before
  2. The movie is one we’ve always wanted to see, or have heard we “should” see

We’ve found that this really helps foster variety and novelty in our movie marathons. Compared to, say, watching our favorite movie series for the 100th time, it is a risky approach. Sometimes the movies don’t work out. But sometimes we stumble on a real gem, and it becomes a favorite movie we re-watch for years to come. We don’t know until the movie marathon what we are going to get. It is all really exciting!

This year is no different. We’ve assembled a variety of films based on recommendations from friends, recent releases which we missed, entries from great film lists, and more. Let’s look in detail at the movie roster.

Movie Marathon 2019 Movies

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)

Kingsman: The Secret Service PosterStart: 12:00 PM Finish: 2:30 PM
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%
Common Sense Media Age: 16+
TMDB Description: The story of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid into the agency’s ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius.

My take: James Bond has been a reliable opener for all of our movie marathons – but we ran out of the best bond films! I hear the Kingsman movies are a ridiculous over-the-top action-oriented James Bond-like experience. Let’s give it a try!

Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

Smokey and the Bandit PosterStart: 2:30 PM Finish: 4:15 PM
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%
Common Sense Media Age: 13+
TMDB Description: A race car driver tries to transport an illegal beer shipment from Texas to Atlanta in under 28 hours, picking up a reluctant bride-to-be on the way.

My take: Would you believe I’ve never seen a Burt Reynolds movie? In fact, I may have first become aware that Burt Reynolds was a celebrity of note from Saturday Night Live’s Celebrity Jeopardy series of skits. Now I can find out if the parody lives up to the reality!

Bullitt (1968)

Bullitt PosterStart: 4:15 PM Finish: 6:15 PM
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Common Sense Media Age: 13+
TMDB Description: Senator Walter Chalmers is aiming to take down mob boss Pete Ross with the help of testimony from the criminal’s hothead brother Johnny, who is in protective custody in San Francisco under the watch of police lieutenant Frank Bullitt. When a pair of mob hitmen enter the scene, Bullitt follows their trail through a maze of complications and double-crosses. This thriller includes one of the most famous car chases ever filmed.

My take: Look. It is just time to watch the greatest car chase of all time. It just is.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

Atlantis: The Lost Empire PosterStart: 6:15 PM Finish: 8:00 PM

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 49%
Common Sense Media Age: 8+

TMDB Description: The world’s most highly qualified crew of archaeologists and explorers is led by historian Milo Thatch as they board the incredible 1,000-foot submarine Ulysses and head deep into the mysteries of the sea. The underwater expedition takes an unexpected turn when the team’s mission must switch from exploring Atlantis to protecting it.

My take: This is one of those Disney movies time forgot. Or, at least, I forgot about it. I was in college when it was released, so I wasn’t exactly the target demographic. Now that I’m a parent of multiple children, I’m right back there again!

Chicken Run (2000)

Chicken Run PosterStart: 8:00 PM Finish: 9:30 PM
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Common Sense Media Age: 7+

TMDB Description: Having been hopelessly repressed and facing eventual certain death at the British chicken farm where they are held, Rocky the american rooster and Ginger the chicken decide to rebel and lead their fellow chickens in a great escape from the murderous farmers Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy and their farm of doom.

My take: Shaun the Sheep was a big hit in a past movie marathon, and has been rewatched many times in our house. Let’s see if lightning will strike twice by watching another claymation classic from Aardman Animations.

Shane (1953)

Shane PosterStart: 9:30 PM Finish: 11:45 PM
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Common Sense Media Age: 10+
TMDB Description: A weary gunfighter attempts to settle down with a homestead family, but a smouldering settler and rancher conflict forces him to act.

My take: All of our movie marathons include a western. This is the Western. Why this picture? Well – it was definitely on a list of best Westerns of all time. I also hear Shane is supposed to come back. Other than that – I don’t really know what to expect out of this film. Sometimes, surprises are nice.

The Sixth Sense (1999)

The Sixth Sense PosterStart: 11:45 PM Finish: 1:35 AM
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
Common Sense Media Age: 14+
TMDB Description: A psychological thriller about an eight year old boy named Cole Sear who believes he can see into the world of the dead. A child psychologist named Malcolm Crowe comes to Cole to help him deal with his problem, learning that he really can see ghosts of dead people.

My take: Ok – to be clear. I know the super-secret twist ending. But, to be doubly clear – I still have not seen this movie. Yes, that seems impossible in this day and age, but there it is. It is time to correct this pop culture blind spot.

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Crazy Rich Asians PosterStart: 1:35 AM Finish: 3:40 AM
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
Common Sense Media Age: 14+
TMDB Description: An American-born Chinese economics professor accompanies her boyfriend to Singapore for his best friend’s wedding, only to get thrust into the lives of Asia’s rich and famous.

My take: Rom-coms seemed to die out in the early 2000, but then this movie suddenly blew into 2018 to much fanfare. Adding this movie to the schedule adds a little humor to the schedule and lets me pretending I’m current and woke. Win-win-win!

Ex Machina (2015)

Ex Machina PosterStart: 3:40 AM Finish: 5:30 AM
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
Common Sense Media Age: 17+
TMDB Description: Caleb, a 26 year old coder at the world’s largest internet company, wins a competition to spend a week at a private mountain retreat belonging to Nathan, the reclusive CEO of the company. But when Caleb arrives at the remote location he finds that he will have to participate in a strange and fascinating experiment in which he must interact with the world’s first true artificial intelligence, housed in the body of a beautiful robot girl.

My take: A movie about a super-intelligent, sexy, evil robot lady? It sounds like this movie was made for me.

All About Eve (1950)

All About Eve PosterStart: 5:30 AM Finish: 8:00 AM
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
Common Sense Media Age: 8+
TMDB Description: From the moment she glimpses her idol at the stage door, Eve Harrington is determined to take the reins of power away from the great actress Margo Channing. Eve maneuvers her way into Margo’s Broadway role, becomes a sensation and even causes turmoil in the lives of Margo’s director boyfriend, her playwright and his wife. Only the cynical drama critic sees through Eve, admiring her audacity and perfect pattern of deceit.

My take: The Unspooled podcast really sold me on this movie. I’m hoping for witty, fast-paced dialog like some of the other classic movies I love, like Casablanca.

Matilda (1996)

Matilda PosterStart: 8:00 AM Finish: 9:45 AM
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
Common Sense Media Age: 9+
TMDB Description: An extraordinarily intelligent young girl from a cruel and uncaring family discovers she possesses telekinetic powers and is sent off to a school headed by a tyrannical principal.

My take: Ronald Dahl wrote a surprising number of recognizable childrens books, including James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches, Fantastic Mr Fox, and this story: Matilda. While I’ve read much of his work, I’ve never read “Matilda” or seen this movie. I’d like to see what its all about.

Spirited Away (2001)

Spirited Away PosterStart: 9:45 AM Finish: 12:00 PM
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
Common Sense Media Age: 9+
TMDB Description: A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.

My take: I’m a sucker for Hayao Miyazaki films. My kids really enjoyed Howl’s Moving Castle last year, and I’m hoping to end the marathon with another classic.

Movie Marathon 2018

It is 2018, which can only mean it is time to throw 24-hour movie marathon 2018! We have selected the movies and set the schedule. Read on to learn all about the movies we picked out. I hope we inspire you to throw your own 24-hour movie marathon this year.

Movie Marathon 2018 Theme

When my wife and I host a movie marathon, we don’t center it around a single genre or theme as most people expect. Instead, we always follow two rules when selecting movies:

  1. We have never seen the movie before
  2. The movie is one we’ve always wanted to see, or have heard we “should” see

We’ve found that this really helps foster variety and novelty in our movie marathons. Compared to, say, watching our favorite movie series for the 100th time, it is a risky approach. Sometimes the movies don’t work out. But sometimes we stumble on a real gem, and it becomes a favorite movie we re-watch for years to come. We don’t know until the movie marathon what we are going to get. It is all really exciting!

This year is no different. We’ve assembled a variety of films based on recommendations from friends, recent releases which we missed, entries from great film lists, and more. Let’s look in detail at the movie roster.

Movie Marathon 2018 Movies

The Incredible Hulk

The Incredible HulkIMDB Summary: Bruce Banner, a scientist on the run from the U.S. Government, must find a cure for the monster he turns into, whenever he loses his temper.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 67%

My take: We typically open our marathons with an action-adventure crowd pleaser. You might ask “Why ‘The Incredible Hulk’?” The answer is: Everyone has already seen all of the other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies. This is one of the forgotten early origin stories. Remember those? Watch the Incredible Hulk and you can travel back in time to a straightforward superhero origin story before the MCU became the complex cinematic juggernaut that it is today.

Pitch Perfect

Pitch PerfectIMDB Summary: Beca, a freshman at Barden University, is cajoled into joining The Bellas, her school’s all-girls singing group. Injecting some much needed energy into their repertoire, The Bellas take on their male rivals in a campus competition.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

My Take: Some light musical comedy to follow the typical “I’m a Marvel superhero, so I am all sad and complex and have problems and stuff.” I’m told it is a crime against movies that we have not seen this movie yet. Let’s all bop along to this simple college movie about dueling singing college groups.

Murder on the Orient Express

Murder On The Orient ExpressIMDB Summary: In December 1935, when his train is stopped by deep snow, detective Hercule Poirot is called on to solve a murder that occurred in his car the night before.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

My Take: I saw Murder on the Orient Express (2018) in theaters and loved it. Then I read some of the reviews. A good chunk of them complained “Not as good as the original!” and “Not as good as the book!” and “Not as good as the book or the movie because I’m a cultured critic and I’ve read and seen both and I already know the plot twist blah blah blah”. Well, I say “challenge accepted” critics! Let’s see how good the original 1973 movie really is!

A Bug’s Life

A Bug's LifeIMDB Summary: A misfit ant, looking for “warriors” to save his colony from greedy grasshoppers, recruits a group of bugs that turn out to be an inept circus troupe.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92% Common Sense Media Age: 5+

My Take: One of the few Pixar films we have yet to see (the only other ones being derivative sequels like Cars 2 – those can wait), yet it still has excellent critical reviews.  Let’s catch up on this lesser-known classic together!

Howl’s Moving Castle

Howl's Moving CastleIMDB Summary: When an unconfident young woman is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking castle.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87% Common Sense Media Age: 8+

My Take: Another film in the portfolio of Hayo Miyazaki. Like most of his films, it promises a fairy-tale story, gorgeous animation, and goofy characters. Let’s hope it can live up to expectations, since my kids are running out of excellent American animated cinema to watch!

3:10 to Yuma

3:10 To YumaIMDB Summary: A small-time rancher agrees to hold a captured outlaw who’s awaiting a train to go to court in Yuma. A battle of wills ensues as the outlaw tries to psych out the rancher.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

My Take: As far as I know, there is nothing stunning or unique in this movie. It is just a well-executed, recently-made, Western movie. Don’t we all need a movie like that sometimes? Its comfort food for your cinematic soul.

La La Land

La La LandIMDB Summary: While navigating their careers in Los Angeles, a pianist and an actress fall in love while attempting to reconcile their aspirations for the future.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

My Take: A second exuberant musical – because why just have one in your movie marathon when you can have two? Lest we forget, it was almost the Academy’s best picture winner in 2017. You know it must be good since one of Hollywood’s favorite topics is itself.

Your Name

Your NameIMDB Summary: Two strangers find themselves linked in a bizarre way. When a connection forms, will distance be the only thing to keep them apart?

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%

My Take: So good, this anime got a limited release in theaters beyond Japan. The basic premise is stereotypical anime (mind/gender swap) but the reviews say it is well done, thoughtful, and doesn’t go for salacious gender comedy. In short, it is a movie worth our time to seek out.

Stand By Me

Stand By MeIMDB Summary: After the death of a friend, a writer recounts a boyhood journey to find the body of a missing boy.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

My Take:  Did you know Stephen King writes stories that don’t have anything to do with killer clowns, psychics, or psychopaths? Who knew, right? This movie presents a short, meaningful story about boyhood friendship and features 1980s boy wonders Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, and River Phoenix. It should fill the niche of “required 80s movie” in our movie marathon nicely.

The King’s Speech

The King's SpeechIMDB Summary: The story of King George VI of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

My Take: This period drama is an Academy award winner for best picture and best actor (Colin Firth). Nobody knows drama better than the British monarchy.

Into the Woods

Into The WoodsIMDB Summary: A witch tasks a childless baker and his wife with procuring magical items from classic fairy tales to reverse the curse put on their family tree.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71% Common Sense Media: 10+

My Take: I first saw “Into the Woods” as a play in college. I remembered it fondly as a Shrek-like. winking take on fairy tales. Apparently I wasn’t paying attention since this movie was released by Disney several years ago! This will be the 3rd musical in the marathon, and the second musical in the marathon to star Anna Kendrick.

The Muppets Take Manhattan

The Muppets Take ManhattanIMDB Summary: Kermit and his friends go to New York to get their musical on Broadway only to find it’s a more difficult task than they anticipated.

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81% Common Sense Media: 5+

My Take: My kids are currently re-discovering the joy of the Muppets via clips from YouTube. Everyone sings the praises of the original Muppet Movie, but some say this is perhaps the overlooked, best Muppet movie of them all. Let’s hope it closes out the marathon with Muppety love.

Movie Marathon 2018 Schedule

So how do all the movies fit together into a 24-hour schedule? Check it out below.

 

Start TimeTitle
11:00 AMDoors Open
12:00 PMThe Incredible Hulk
02:15 PMPitch Perfect
04:15 PMMurder on the Orient Express
06:30 PMA Bug’s Life
08:15 PMHowl’s Moving Castle
10:30 PM3:10 to Yuma
12:45 AMLa La Land
03:00 AMYour Name
04:46 AMStand by Me
06:15 AMThe King’s Speech
08:15 AMInto the Woods
10:30 AMThe Muppets Take Manhattan
12:04 PMFinish

What’s Playing at Hollywood Nights Movie-Thon 2017

It’s official! The following movies will be playing on November 10th at the EMagine theater in Novi for the Hollywood Nights Movie-Thon 2017! The movies below are sorted by Rotten Tomatoes score.

Which ones would you see?

Thor: Ragnarok

Thor RagnarokRotten Tomatoes Score: 93%

Runtime: 130 minutes

IMDB Summary: Imprisoned, the mighty Thor finds himself in a lethal gladiatorial contest against the Hulk, his former ally. Thor must fight for survival and race against time to prevent the all-powerful Hela from destroying his home and the Asgardian civilization.

Thank You for Your Service

Thank You For Your ServiceRotten Tomatoes Score: 78%

Runtime: 109 minutes

IMDB Summary: A group of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq struggle to integrate back into family and civilian life, while living with the memory of a war that threatens to destroy them long after they’ve left the battlefield.

Happy Death Day

Happy Death DayRotten Tomatoes Score: 69%

Runtime: 96 minutes

IMDB Summary: A college student must relive the day of her murder over and over again, in a loop that will end only when she discovers her killer’s identity.

Murder on the Orient Express

Murder On The Orient ExpressRotten Tomatoes Score: 65%

Runtime: 116 minutes

IMDB Summary: A lavish train ride unfolds into a stylish & suspenseful mystery. From the novel by Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express tells of thirteen stranded strangers & one man’s race to solve the puzzle before the murderer strikes again.

LBJ

LBJRotten Tomatoes Score: 51%

Runtime: 98 minutes

IMDB Summary: The story of U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson from his young days in West Texas to the White House.

A Bad Moms Christmas

A Bad Moms ChristmasRotten Tomatoes Score: 32%

Runtime: 104 minutes

IMDB Summary: Amy, Carla, and Kiki struggle to cope when their respective mothers visit for the holidays.

Jigsaw

JigsawRotten Tomatoes Score: 31%

Runtime: 92 minutes

IMDB Summary: Bodies are turning up around the city, each having met a uniquely gruesome demise. As the investigation proceeds, evidence points to one man: John Kramer. But how can this be? The man known as Jigsaw has been dead for over a decade.

Boo 2: A Medea Halloween

Boo 2Rotten Tomatoes Score: 6%

Runtime: 101 minutes

IMDB Summary: Madea, Bam, and Hattie venture to a haunted campground and the group must run for their lives when monsters, goblins, and the boogeyman are unleashed.

Daddy’s Home 2

Daddys Home 2Rotten Tomatoes Score: 0%*

Runtime: 100 minutes

IMDB Summary: Brad and Dusty must deal with their intrusive fathers during the holidays.

* Technically there is no Rotten Tomatoes score yet. However, the original Daddy’s Home got a 31%. Does anyone really think this sequel is going to get much more than a 0% rating?

Stephen King Movie Marathon

There have been 65 movies based on the writing of Stephen King?? For heaven’s sake, that’s more than the number of novels he has published (56, in case you were wondering). Granted, the 65 movies includes sequels, remakes, and reboots (Children of the Corn 5: Fields of Terror anyone?), but that is still a ridiculous number of movies.

I remember “Stephen King Films” as hokey horror shows like Pet Cemetery or the TV mini-series The Langoliers. But then I found out he wrote The Shawshank Redemption – the film consistently rated as #1 in the IMDB Top 250. While his work definitely tilts towards the thrilling, horrifying, and the supernatural, he has a dramatic range that isn’t immediately clear if you are only familiar with, say, Creepshow.

Why not celebrate his best movie adaptations in a 24-hour Stephen King Movie Marathon? The “best of stephen king” movie lists are pretty consistent on which are the best adaptations out there. You can see the best eleven in 24 hours!

Stephen King Movie Marathon Movies

The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption Movie PosterMy take: Might as well start with the best! The epic story of wrongful imprisonment, despair, clawing back from the brink, retribution, and finally (may I say it?) redemption. Features Morgan Freeman, the undisputed king of voiceovers, as the narrator.

Stand By Me

Stand By MeMy take: Take a brief break from Stephen King prison epics with a short, meaningful story about boyhood friendship. Features 1980s boy wonders Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, and River Phoenix.

The Green Mile

The Green MileMy take: Settle in. At over three hours, this one will take a while. But where else but in a movie marathon will you find the time to watch the famous, critically acclaimed other Stephen King prison drama – the one with psychic powers?

The Shining

The ShiningMy take: The horror movie like no other horror movie. So “out there”, it was nominated for two Razzie awards, but now is considered one of the best horror films ever. Features Jack Nicholson as a crazy person.

Carrie

Carrie Movie PosterMy take: Who hasn’t fantasized making their high school prom a bloodbath of psychic revenge against their childhood enemies? No one? Oh. Forget I said that.

The Running Man

The Running Man Movie PosterMy take: At the midway point of the movie marathon, take a break from endless epicness, bloodsoaked horror, and madness. Instead, go to pure 1980s action with Arnold Schwarzenegger in spandex spouting 80s action one-liners. It’s showtime!

The Dead Zone

The Dead Zone Movie PosterMy take: Schoolteacher is granted the power to see visions of the future just by touching someone. This turns out to be a handy skill when trying to avert future deaths and World War 3. I’d advise caution though: time travel and future visions may not be as simple as they seem (see: Hitler Time Travel Exemption, Godwin’s Law of Time Travel)

Misery

Misery Movie PosterMy take: Annie Wilkes is the ultimate fangirl and her favorite author basically just drops right into her lap. What would every fangirl do? Hold him prisoner and make him write fanfiction of course! So true to real life it’s chilling.

1408

1408 Movie PosterMy take: A haunted hotel room that will drive you mad through hallucinations of horror? “Challenge accepted!” says the main character in this film. Wait. Isn’t this The Shining again?

The Mist

The Mist Movie PosterMy take: A portrait of people under stress. The stress – giant monsters hiding in mist. The people – infighting and murder.

Dolores Clairborne

Dolores Claiborne Movie PosterMy take: End your Stephen King movie marathon with a good, old-fashioned murder mystery and psychological thriller. Did she do it? Or did she not? Find out!

Stephen King Movie Marathon Schedule

Start TimeTitle
12:00 PMThe Shawshank Redemption
03:00 PMStand By Me
04:45 PMThe Green Mile
08:00 PMThe Shining
10:30 PMCarrie
12:15 AMThe Running Man
02:00 AMThe Dead Zone
03:45 AMMisery
05:45 AM1408
07:30 AMThe Mist
09:45 AMDolores Clairborne
11:57 AMFinish