| Media update |
[Mar. 22nd, 2008|11:07 pm] |
I haven't done one of these for awhile but hope to keep up this year.
First, three movies from last year:
Running With Scissors: Anyone who thinks they come from a dysfunctional family should see this movie. It is based on the memoir of Augusten Burroughs and, well, it's weird.
The Last King Of Scotland: OK, so taking a date to this movie might not have been the wisest idea, but it worked out in the long run. Any story featuring Idi Amin as a main character is bound to be a bit disturbing (at best) but I was struck by Forest Whitaker's amazing acting. There were several points during the movie where I forgot I was watching an actor portraying Amin.
Superbad: Every generation has their signature teen comedy, and it seems like each generation is able to push the envelope a little bit. "Superbad" would be the next evolution after "American Pie". Long live McLovin.
And now, this year to date:
There Will Be Blood: You can't do much better than Daniel Day-Lewis if you need an actor who can carry every scene of your movie. I thought of it as a sort of anti-"Wall Street"--greed is not so good after all. It was a terrific movie and I was a bit disappointed that it didn't pick up a few more Oscar wins.
Juno: The word "cute" comes to mind, and I enjoyed bits and pieces of it, but really, I thought it was overrated and was surprised that it received Oscar nominations. Poor Michael Cera is getting typecast in his old age. I wonder if he did this role before or after "Superbad"?
No Country For Old Men: You want intensity? This is your movie. Personally, I think I prefer the Coen Brothers when they are being whimsical but I'd still say this is one of the best thrillers I've ever seen.
Thank You For Smoking: I was a little late on this one but I'm glad I took the time to watch it. Thanks to "The Daily Show" I can't take anything I see on TV seriously anymore, and so I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the spin doctors satirized. Of course, I love the title, too...a friend from North Carolina once told me about taking a tour of the tobacco factories (I think he was in elementary school at the time) and being shown the "Thank you for smoking" signs everywhere.
Into The Wild: Major downer and bummer. The scene near the end when he realizes that happiness can only exist if it is shared is pretty powerful. Too bad the/his end is predictable. Man does not rule nature.
Away From Her: Not as much of a major downer/bummer as a movie about an Alzheimer's patient would have you expect, but still...I'm not fond of seeing nursing homes and characters wasting away and I left this movie only hoping that I never end up in one of those god-awful places. |
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| Media update |
[Feb. 18th, 2007|08:51 pm] |
The Bonfire of the Vanities: Supposedly, the critics hated it when it was released, but after a decade (or two), the movie really shines. It really captures the materialism and shallowness of the 1980's. The scene where Tom Hanks goes insane with the gun is amazing.
The Right Stuff: I saw this when I was a kid but never appreciated the contrast between the Mercury 7 and Chuck Yeager. I wish the movie had gone into more detail about the stresses involved in being the first person to break the sound barrier, into space, etc. but I suppose seven protagonists makes such character study rather difficult.
The Departed: Scorsese is cool. I didn't like the plot (it took half the movie to determine who was the good guy and who was the bad guy) and Jack Nicholson, as always, portrayed himself rather than a character. But this was the first movie in which Leonardo DiCaprio was truly awesome, and some of the dialog was amazing. Both Marky Mark and Alec Baldwin had unforgettable lines. I hope Scorsese gets Best Director.
Sex & Lucia: Horrible waste of time. I watched the first 15 minutes, gave up, and returned it. I mean, the movie has the word "sex" in the title! But, no. Nothing.
Chocolat: Cute story, nothing too special.
Brick: Making a noir movie in a high school seems like a great idea, but I was not impressed with the end result. It was too difficult to follow. I think it would have been a great movie to see in a theater, but at home, it wasn't impressive to me. Other reputable critics love it, though, so don't listen to me.
Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room: Depressing. The inmates really were running the asylum. Go, Corporate America! |
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| Media update |
[Jan. 21st, 2007|09:43 pm] |
An Inconvenient Truth: I usually have a pretty healthy sense of skepticism for these types of documentaries, but this one knocked me on my ass. Highly recommended. The only thing that bugged me about it was watching Al Gore commute all over the world by plane, train and automobile...how much CO2 did he consume just to film this thing?
Jarhead: An interesting approach to the standard fare "man joins army, gets trained, goes to war" genre because it is set during the first Gulf War and explores the effects of sitting around in the desert and waiting on the psyche of the soldiers. Definitely not an "action" movie.
Napoleon Dynamite: I don't even know what to say about this movie, except that I wish I could create something so cool.
Little Miss Sunshine: The best yet of all the dysfunctional family movies (see also The Royal Tenenbaums, Napoleon Dynamite, Happiness, etc. etc.). I enjoyed it immensely! |
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| Media update |
[Nov. 19th, 2006|10:26 am] |
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Just a great screenplay, excellent acting, and damned funny.
La Dolce Vita: this is one of those films that just perfectly captures its time and place. A beautifully filmed movie, rich with themes and stories.
Broken Flowers: I think Bill Murray is getting typecast in his old age as an understated burnout. Wes Anderson started it, Sofia Coppola made it famous, and Jim Jarmusch plagiarized it. The movie is about a lifelong bachelor playboy who receives an anonymous letter informing him that he has a son. With the help of his detective wanna-be neighbor, he embarks on a search for his son, which requires him to cross paths with various exes. I enjoyed the movie, but I can't watch Bill Murray anymore without getting confused about his character. I always think I'm watching Herman Blume...no wait, Bob Harris...no, wait, Raleigh St. Clair...
Doctor Detroit: utterly forgettable '80's sleaze. Howard Hesseman is my hero.
Patton: George C. Scott's signature performance. A fascinating biopic about someone whose strengths are also (inconveniently) his biggest vulnerabilities. |
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| Incredibly negative media update |
[Jul. 23rd, 2006|09:06 pm] |
Bull Durham: Probably one of the best baseball movies I have ever seen, even though Kevin Costner and Robert Wuhl both suck.
An Officer And A Gentleman: This piece of crap won Academy Awards?! I miss the '80's.
American Pimp: A somewhat-interesting documentary into the lives of various pimps and their motivation. The movie tamely pokes at themes of race relations by comparing the (white) owner of the Bunny Ranch in Nevada with (black) street pimps. But it is mostly a slow-going conversation with people you wouldn't really want to find yourself talking with in the first place.
Yeah Right! Spike Jonze's censored homage to skateboarding. Seriously--he bleeps out the swear words. In a SKATEBOARDING video. How rebellious! But hey, I did not know that Owen Wilson skated. |
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| Media update |
[Jul. 10th, 2006|02:42 pm] |
Not much to do when you're on oxy other than sleep and watch movies.
Ordinary People: It seems like middle-class angst has been done to death between 1980 and now. This movie didn't hold my attention at all, but I can see how it was considered revolutionary at the tail end of the 1970's.
Prefontaine: I've always been fascinated by what drives ultra-competitive people, because I'm not one of them. "Prefontaine" was a pretty shallow look at one of the gutsiest athletes who ever lived. It glossed over the interesting stuff in favor of docu-drama and R. Lee Ermey-isms. If you aren't familiar with the story, it's worth a watch for the biography alone.
40 Days And 40 Nights: Hey, it was on TV, and I'm on wasted out of my mind on drugs. That's my excuse.
Say Anything: It seems like there are three possible things that can cause a crappy movie:
1. Casting John Cusack in a starring role.
2. Recruiting Cameron Crowe as the director.
3. Setting the movie in Seattle.
"Say Anything" gleefully accomplishes all three in one fell swoop. |
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| Media update |
[May. 29th, 2006|04:09 pm] |
I'm not having much fun with my arm in a sling but I finally found time to watch some of the DVDs that were starting to collect dust:
10 Things I Hate About You: twenty-somethings acting like teenagers, typical schlocky teen comedy, and a bad Shakespeare ripoff. Why does every movie set in Seattle have to suck?
Star 80: jealousy and tragedy writ large. Worth seeing but don't expect to be in the best of spirits after.
Cobb: Tommy Lee Jones plays Ty Cobb like a Hunter S. Thompson amphetamine nightmare complete with booze, drugs, guns, lawyers and money. Even the middling presence of Robert Wuhl can't diminish the performance. I wouldn't mind reading the book(s) on which the movie was based.
Canadian Bacon: I've never been a Michael Moore fan but who can resist the premise of Canadians bashing on themselves? Top notch comedy! |
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| Media update |
[Mar. 26th, 2006|10:38 pm] |
Walk The Line
Sorry, but I don't get it. This was an extended episode of "Behind the Music" with some bizarre casting. And the story of one man finding true love after overcoming his personal demons lacks originality. It is an empty, vapid story and certainly not deserving of Oscar nominations and such. But on the flip side...
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
This is a spectacular movie, with a brilliant script. It's hard to even describe, so I won't try. If you haven't seen it, check it out. |
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| Media Update |
[Mar. 19th, 2006|08:21 pm] |
Swimming With Sharks
I wish I'd saved this one for a bad day at the office instead of watching it on a Sunday afternoon with a cold. Kevin Spacey plays the best dickhead ever captured on film.
The Crying Game
Between this and the previous, I'm worrying about myself. In spite of the, er, discomfort associated with the, um, climactic scene, this is a great movie. Sex and terrorism? Who would have thought?!
The Full Monty
Probably enjoyable if you are a middle-aged American woman who is dissatisfied with her marriage. |
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| Media update |
[Feb. 5th, 2006|08:50 pm] |
A Fish Called Wanda
Honor among thieves? I don't know about that, but I do know that this is a damned funny movie. Kevin Kline outdoes himself with his portrayal of the thuggish Otto. Enjoyable even for those who don't normally like British comedy.
The Aristocrats
It starts like this: a man walks into a talent agent's office and says, "I saw this act...wait until you hear about this!" Then, take 100 different comedians and let them improvise some of the most screwed up stuff you'll ever hear (strawberry shortcake?). Do NOT eat while watching this movie. And no matter how bored you get, hold on until you see Kevin Pollack's shot at the joke because it will launch you into hysterics (yes, THAT Kevin Pollack). The joke goes on and on but like the beginning, in the end, it is always the same. The talent agent, repulsed at what he has heard, asks in shock: "That's horrible. What is this act called?"
"The Aristocrats!" |
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| Media update |
[Jan. 29th, 2006|09:20 pm] |
Suburbia
Just when I thought it wasn't possible to make a movie more depressing than "Easy Rider", along comes "Suburbia". Using a cast of non-actors and a low-budget set, "Suburbia" takes the themes of alienation and social outcasts and re-tells it surrounded by 1980's Southern California angst. It all comes to a head in a stunning ending that left me watching the credits agape.
My Dinner With Andre
If someone told me that they wanted me to sit through a two-hour movie in which the two main characters sat at a dinner table and conversed and nothing more, I'd be less than excited. But "My Dinner With Andre" portrays the sort of conversation that you feel privileged to listen in on, and the whole experience makes you reconsider your own experiences and priorities. This is a fantastic movie. |
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| Media update |
[Jan. 15th, 2006|09:05 am] |
"Slackers"
Okay, so "Dazed and Confused" is a great movie and normally, the words "cult classic" don't scare me, but after "The Waking Life" and "Slackers", I may never watch another Richard Linklater movie again for the rest of my life. I couldn't finish "Slackers". The movie doesn't have a traditional plot. It moves through a series of vignettes intended to portray "real life" among social outcasts in late 1980's Austin. But real people don't talk like that. This movie is so full of boring, self-indulgent prattle that is is absolutely unbearable to watch. Kevin Smith said "Slackers" inspired him to make "Clerks" and while I can see the comparison, at least "Clerks" has some kind of conflict in its characters and plot that makes it entertaining to watch for 90 minutes. On a scale of 1 to 5, "Slackers" is a 1. That's harsh, too, because I'm usually pretty forgiving. But I've seen BBC documentaries about cheese that were more exciting.
"50 First Dates"
Recipe for an Adam Sandler movie:
* 1 Drew Barrymore
* 1 Rob Schneider
* 1 obnoxious old man/kid
* 1 Jewish wedding scene
* 10 jokes for obnoxious old man/kid
* 1 plot involving a man overcoming some bizarro obstacle to fall
in love with a woman
Take ingredients and mix until predictably bland. Add jokes. Bake until rich and top with Jewish wedding scene. Under extreme circumstances, Fairuza Balk can be substituted for Drew Barrymore but you may wish to add some Henry Winkler for taste. I'll give it 3 out of 5 because I did laugh out loud a few times, but an Oscar-winning romance this is not. |
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