Junebug (2005)
This movie might be trying to be too deep for its own good. The characters are pretty good (except for the over-the-top brother). Amy Adams is great. W/o her, I'd say this wd be far lower scored by me.
I'm not sure what I want for these characters and for most of them, I don't really care (except for Amy Adams' character).
SPOILERS
So what are they trying to say? That who need to accept people as they are? That people don't change? There's a clear tension btwn family and career and I can't tell what they are trying to say... or maybe they're just presenting the question.
Haiku Summary
A couple goes to
the country for art, family.
What's more important?
NEXT: "The Brothers Solomon" (2007)
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Zodiac (2007/I) - 3/5
Zodiac (2007/I)
I had heard good things about this movie so I expected a lot. I also usually like 'based on true story stuff', but this mostly fell short for me.
I didn't buy into the hunt or the passion of those hunting the killer. It felt like a re-enactment of a documentary.
Also, I think they missed out on some great tension and revelation-type scenes w/ the suspects.
Haiku Summary
There's a killer. He
gives coded notes. The guy you
think is him... it's him.
NEXT: "Junebug" 2005
I had heard good things about this movie so I expected a lot. I also usually like 'based on true story stuff', but this mostly fell short for me.
I didn't buy into the hunt or the passion of those hunting the killer. It felt like a re-enactment of a documentary.
Also, I think they missed out on some great tension and revelation-type scenes w/ the suspects.
Haiku Summary
There's a killer. He
gives coded notes. The guy you
think is him... it's him.
NEXT: "Junebug" 2005
Monday, February 25, 2008
Margot at the Wedding (2007) 2/5
Margot at the Wedding (2007)
Good tone, but a bit too heavy handed trying to force the dysfunctional aspects of lives and relationships. These people seem to be dysfunctional on purpose to the point that they wd have a hard time just staying alive.
Decent performances and decent directing, but there's just no way to tell this story and make it bearable as something you can learn from - b/c it's just too much.
Maybe if there was an aspect of reality somewhere in there to have as a contrast, it might work???
Haiku Summary
Man, everyone is
messed up. Let's put them all
in one place. Messed up.
NEXT: "Zodiac" (2007)
Good tone, but a bit too heavy handed trying to force the dysfunctional aspects of lives and relationships. These people seem to be dysfunctional on purpose to the point that they wd have a hard time just staying alive.
Decent performances and decent directing, but there's just no way to tell this story and make it bearable as something you can learn from - b/c it's just too much.
Maybe if there was an aspect of reality somewhere in there to have as a contrast, it might work???
Haiku Summary
Man, everyone is
messed up. Let's put them all
in one place. Messed up.
NEXT: "Zodiac" (2007)
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
There Will Be Blood (2007) - 4/5
There Will Be Blood (2007)
While I think this movie was really good, I think it might be just a big overrated. That's the problem w/ seeing movies after the hype.
Daniel Day-Lewis was amazing. I'm continually impressed w/ him. The movie was large in scale and I'm glad I saw it on the big screen. The first 15 mins w/o dialog was awesome!
SPOILERS
There was a strong 'hypocritical' sense to this movie in that the characters were forced to sell-out for something they wanted: $. Plainview admitted he was a sinner, needed Jesus and that he abandoned his son in order to secure rights to land for a pipeline.
Ironically, it wasn't his son and he claimed later that he only kept the boy to have a pretty face for making his sales pitch. When the son returned in one scene and Daniel hugged him a lot, I have to believe it only did him good b/c he felt Eli cdn't condemn him anymore???
Eli also sold out and for nothing which was great. The climax of Daniel killing Eli was pretty powerful: he destroyed Eli in every way.
Haiku Summary
Man finds oil and buys
land for more. He squares off with
Eli. There is blood.
NEXT: "Margot at the Wedding (2006)"
While I think this movie was really good, I think it might be just a big overrated. That's the problem w/ seeing movies after the hype.
Daniel Day-Lewis was amazing. I'm continually impressed w/ him. The movie was large in scale and I'm glad I saw it on the big screen. The first 15 mins w/o dialog was awesome!
SPOILERS
There was a strong 'hypocritical' sense to this movie in that the characters were forced to sell-out for something they wanted: $. Plainview admitted he was a sinner, needed Jesus and that he abandoned his son in order to secure rights to land for a pipeline.
Ironically, it wasn't his son and he claimed later that he only kept the boy to have a pretty face for making his sales pitch. When the son returned in one scene and Daniel hugged him a lot, I have to believe it only did him good b/c he felt Eli cdn't condemn him anymore???
Eli also sold out and for nothing which was great. The climax of Daniel killing Eli was pretty powerful: he destroyed Eli in every way.
Haiku Summary
Man finds oil and buys
land for more. He squares off with
Eli. There is blood.
NEXT: "Margot at the Wedding (2006)"
Fool's Gold (2008) - 3/5
Fool's Gold (2008)
Light entertainment. There's a story there besides the 'romantic comedy' which helps. It was actually nice to see the scenery and settings like those in the middle of winter.
Haiku Summary:
Bad marriage of gold
diggers. Treasure hunt brings them
back together. Gold.
NEXT: "There Will Be Blood" (2007)
Light entertainment. There's a story there besides the 'romantic comedy' which helps. It was actually nice to see the scenery and settings like those in the middle of winter.
Haiku Summary:
Bad marriage of gold
diggers. Treasure hunt brings them
back together. Gold.
NEXT: "There Will Be Blood" (2007)
Monday, February 18, 2008
Laberinto del fauno, El (Pan's Labyrinth) (2006) - 3.5/5
Laberinto del fauno, El (2006) (Pan's Labyrinth)
Weird, but interesting. I didn't see the prequel but I listened to a bit of the commentary and it seems they are related by theme.
The visuals are great and the reality mixed w/ fantasy is really good. The gore and brutality of the soldiers is hard to watch at times.
My view of the main theme is something like: people that follow orders (or see things as black and white) are brutal, wrong and evil. Something like that.
SPOILERS
Vidal is set quickly to be someone who doesn't compromise or question what he's doing or why. He has no mercy, pity, conscious or humanity to him. He cares only about being the man his father was and thus passing on the burden to a son of his own.
The rebels are seen as caring, natural and righteous despite not actually communicating their cause other than to kill the military presence. W/o saying how or why, it's clear we're to believe they are right in their attempts to kill the soldiers but not the other way around.
The plot w/ Pan is that he directs the girl, but in her completing the tasks, she breaks some rules. The first time, it hurts her parents, the second time 2 fairies die and the third time, she saves her brother by sacrificing her life, but that was the test of the task: to see if she wd allow her brother to die to save her own life (though it wdn't have saved her life IMO).
So question authority and do what you believe is right despite everything else b/c ultimately that's what's right. Hmmm....
Haiku Summary
Girl moves to country.
Pan's tasks to become princess.
Question author'ty.
NEXT: "Fool's Gold (2008)"
Weird, but interesting. I didn't see the prequel but I listened to a bit of the commentary and it seems they are related by theme.
The visuals are great and the reality mixed w/ fantasy is really good. The gore and brutality of the soldiers is hard to watch at times.
My view of the main theme is something like: people that follow orders (or see things as black and white) are brutal, wrong and evil. Something like that.
SPOILERS
Vidal is set quickly to be someone who doesn't compromise or question what he's doing or why. He has no mercy, pity, conscious or humanity to him. He cares only about being the man his father was and thus passing on the burden to a son of his own.
The rebels are seen as caring, natural and righteous despite not actually communicating their cause other than to kill the military presence. W/o saying how or why, it's clear we're to believe they are right in their attempts to kill the soldiers but not the other way around.
The plot w/ Pan is that he directs the girl, but in her completing the tasks, she breaks some rules. The first time, it hurts her parents, the second time 2 fairies die and the third time, she saves her brother by sacrificing her life, but that was the test of the task: to see if she wd allow her brother to die to save her own life (though it wdn't have saved her life IMO).
So question authority and do what you believe is right despite everything else b/c ultimately that's what's right. Hmmm....
Haiku Summary
Girl moves to country.
Pan's tasks to become princess.
Question author'ty.
NEXT: "Fool's Gold (2008)"
Mein liebster Feind - Klaus Kinski (1999) - 3/5
Mein liebster Feind - Klaus Kinski (1999)
Klaus Kinski was crazy. Way crazy. This, like "Little Dieter Needs to Fly" feels like a 'report' or something about Herzog and Kinski's relationship. Only mildly interesting, it does point out some wild things they did during their filmmaking and how they made films.
The main thing, to me, was that Kinski was crazy; going off into rages at all times and causing a lot of drama to get attention.
Haiku Summary
Kinski is crazy.
Herzog is a little too.
They made good movies.
NEXT: "Pan's Labyrinth (2006)"
Klaus Kinski was crazy. Way crazy. This, like "Little Dieter Needs to Fly" feels like a 'report' or something about Herzog and Kinski's relationship. Only mildly interesting, it does point out some wild things they did during their filmmaking and how they made films.
The main thing, to me, was that Kinski was crazy; going off into rages at all times and causing a lot of drama to get attention.
Haiku Summary
Kinski is crazy.
Herzog is a little too.
They made good movies.
NEXT: "Pan's Labyrinth (2006)"
Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997) - 3/5
Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997)
I watched this b/c I just watched "Rescue Dawn" by Herzog about the same story. This is a documentary about the real person who is the main character in "Rescue Dawn."
It was interesting, but felt a bit forced and drawn out. Also, b/c of the relationship of the subject and the filmmaker, it didn't feel like an observation, but a report. Dieter wasn't being interviewed or anything, he was just telling his story. It didn't have much of a Herzog signature to it.
It was interesting, but not much else.
Haiku Summary
From Germany, he
comes to America. Flies.
Shot. Escapes. Goes back.
NEXT: "Mein liebster Feind - Klaus Kinski (1999)"
I watched this b/c I just watched "Rescue Dawn" by Herzog about the same story. This is a documentary about the real person who is the main character in "Rescue Dawn."
It was interesting, but felt a bit forced and drawn out. Also, b/c of the relationship of the subject and the filmmaker, it didn't feel like an observation, but a report. Dieter wasn't being interviewed or anything, he was just telling his story. It didn't have much of a Herzog signature to it.
It was interesting, but not much else.
Haiku Summary
From Germany, he
comes to America. Flies.
Shot. Escapes. Goes back.
NEXT: "Mein liebster Feind - Klaus Kinski (1999)"
Monday, February 11, 2008
300 (2006) - 3/5
300 (2006)
I was let down a bit - I expected a lot. It's more than just a fighting, gore movie... it's a fighting, gore movie on a large scale... w/ great effects, editing/processing/animation and somewhat of a story.
There was some cool aspects to this movie, but it was a bit drawn out and a bit too much testosterone for the sake of testosterone. Granted, that was necessary to a degree to tell this story, but clearly they ran w/ that excuse.
Haiku Summary
Persians want it all.
300 Spartans take them
on. They die. Good fights.
NEXT: "Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997)"
I was let down a bit - I expected a lot. It's more than just a fighting, gore movie... it's a fighting, gore movie on a large scale... w/ great effects, editing/processing/animation and somewhat of a story.
There was some cool aspects to this movie, but it was a bit drawn out and a bit too much testosterone for the sake of testosterone. Granted, that was necessary to a degree to tell this story, but clearly they ran w/ that excuse.
Haiku Summary
Persians want it all.
300 Spartans take them
on. They die. Good fights.
NEXT: "Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997)"
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers (2004) (V) 3.5/5
Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers (2004) (V)
This was a real surprise. I can't remember why we recorded this for our son, but he liked it and after a few times of him watching it, I had seen the whole thing too. The best part of this movie was that it surprised me so well. It's really funny!
It has a good combination of silly, funny stuff w/ just a bit of more advanced (I don't want to say mature or adult) humor.
There's one part where the 3 'bad guys' (I love how they keep calling them 'bad guys' - today's shows have lost that) are going to dropped into 'the pit.' The door in the ground opens, they fall down, the obligatory fading yell is heard... then one of them pops up his head from the 3 foot deep 'pit.'
That's pretty funny, but then later we see them again and they're still in there wasting away the time... like they're really trapped and can't get out. Not so funny when written out here, but funny in the show.
Another great part is when a 'bad guy' is sword fighting w/ Mickey on top of the moving coach. The 'bad guy's sword cuts away Mickey's Musketeer uniform and his has his trademark Mickey shorts on and he immediate strikes the 'Mickey pose.' It just feels like their poking fun at themselves a bit.
Don't get me wrong: this is no "Cars" or anything, but it's a clever, cute, funny little show that really surprised me.
Great stuff for our son!
Haiku Summary
Mickey, Goofy and
Donald want to be in the
Muskateers... and are!
NEXT: "300 (2006)"
This was a real surprise. I can't remember why we recorded this for our son, but he liked it and after a few times of him watching it, I had seen the whole thing too. The best part of this movie was that it surprised me so well. It's really funny!
It has a good combination of silly, funny stuff w/ just a bit of more advanced (I don't want to say mature or adult) humor.
There's one part where the 3 'bad guys' (I love how they keep calling them 'bad guys' - today's shows have lost that) are going to dropped into 'the pit.' The door in the ground opens, they fall down, the obligatory fading yell is heard... then one of them pops up his head from the 3 foot deep 'pit.'
That's pretty funny, but then later we see them again and they're still in there wasting away the time... like they're really trapped and can't get out. Not so funny when written out here, but funny in the show.
Another great part is when a 'bad guy' is sword fighting w/ Mickey on top of the moving coach. The 'bad guy's sword cuts away Mickey's Musketeer uniform and his has his trademark Mickey shorts on and he immediate strikes the 'Mickey pose.' It just feels like their poking fun at themselves a bit.Don't get me wrong: this is no "Cars" or anything, but it's a clever, cute, funny little show that really surprised me.
Great stuff for our son!
Haiku Summary
Mickey, Goofy and
Donald want to be in the
Muskateers... and are!
NEXT: "300 (2006)"
Rescue Dawn (2006) - 3.5/5
Rescue Dawn (2006)
I liked this movie, but I was a bit disappointed given how great Werner Herzog is. I felt the movie didn't have as dark of a feel as I expected. I didn't feel the dread of the captors and the situation as I'm sure it was.
It was certainly harsh, don't get me wrong, but I didn't feel it as I have w/ other Herzog movies.
So I think it's a really good movie, but my expectations were really high.
Haiku Summary
Little Dieter needs
to fly. Navy, Vietnam.
Captured, but escapes.
NEXT: "Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers (2004)"
I liked this movie, but I was a bit disappointed given how great Werner Herzog is. I felt the movie didn't have as dark of a feel as I expected. I didn't feel the dread of the captors and the situation as I'm sure it was.
It was certainly harsh, don't get me wrong, but I didn't feel it as I have w/ other Herzog movies.
So I think it's a really good movie, but my expectations were really high.
Haiku Summary
Little Dieter needs
to fly. Navy, Vietnam.
Captured, but escapes.
NEXT: "Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers (2004)"
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Factory Girl (2006) 1.5/5
Factory Girl (2006)
Nothing really good to say about this movie except that it didn't glorify drug use.
A disappointment for Guy Pearce.
Haiku Summary
Poor little rich girl
meets Andy Warhol. Does drugs,
wastes life and dies.
NEXT: "Rescue Dawn"
Nothing really good to say about this movie except that it didn't glorify drug use.
A disappointment for Guy Pearce.
Haiku Summary
Poor little rich girl
meets Andy Warhol. Does drugs,
wastes life and dies.
NEXT: "Rescue Dawn"
Monday, February 04, 2008
3:10 to Yuma (2007) - 4/5
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Great western w/ lots of classic aspects and some new flavors. Russel Crowe is great in this and Christian Bale is his usual dedicated self in his role. Top notch performances.
There's a lot to be said for the redemption of the two main characters in this movie. Both failures in some way and to themselves... but I'll let someone else say it (better than me).
Haiku Summary
Failure at home, Dan
takes Ben to train for money.
Connects with Ben. Dies.
NEXT: "Factory Girl"
Great western w/ lots of classic aspects and some new flavors. Russel Crowe is great in this and Christian Bale is his usual dedicated self in his role. Top notch performances.
There's a lot to be said for the redemption of the two main characters in this movie. Both failures in some way and to themselves... but I'll let someone else say it (better than me).
Haiku Summary
Failure at home, Dan
takes Ben to train for money.
Connects with Ben. Dies.
NEXT: "Factory Girl"
Friday, February 01, 2008
BlockBuster Online: 1 year (2007), 86 movies
My one year with BlockBuster Online (it's in reverse order and poorly formated, but who's really going to read it?)...
Title Ship Date Return Date
-----------------------------
The Good Shepherd 12/19/2007 01/04/2008
Babette's Feast 12/11/2007 12/28/2007
The Squid and the Whale 12/07/2007 12/21/2007
Stone Reader 12/04/2007 12/11/2007
Kung Fu Hustle 12/03/2007 12/21/2007
The Constant Gardener 11/28/2007 12/07/2007
The Pursuit of Happyness 11/26/2007 12/04/2007
House of Sand and Fog 11/20/2007 11/28/2007
Akira 11/19/2007 12/03/2007
Glengarry Glen Ross 11/14/2007 11/20/2007
Children of Men 11/01/2007 11/14/2007
Fast Food Nation 10/31/2007 11/20/2007
Casino Royale 10/31/2007 11/26/2007
Blood Diamond 10/23/2007 11/05/2007
Chalk 10/22/2007 10/31/2007
The Right Stuff 10/16/2007 10/31/2007
A Scanner Darkly 10/15/2007 10/23/2007
Open Your Eyes 10/12/2007 10/22/2007
Fargo 10/08/2007 10/16/2007
Barton Fink 10/08/2007 10/16/2007
Delicatessen 10/02/2007 10/12/2007
Pi 09/25/2007 10/02/2007
Once Upon a Time in America 09/21/2007 10/08/2007
Munich 09/21/2007 10/11/2007
Far from Heaven 09/19/2007 09/25/2007
Pi 09/18/2007 09/25/2007
SCTV [TV Series] 09/13/2007 09/19/2007
North Country 09/11/2007 09/25/2007
21 Grams 09/06/2007 09/18/2007
For Your Consideration 09/05/2007 09/11/2007
Cold Mountain 09/04/2007 09/13/2007
Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny 08/28/2007 09/06/2007
Babel 08/28/2007 09/06/2007
Borat 08/27/2007 09/04/2007
Letters from Iwo Jima 08/23/2007 08/29/2007
Kingdom of Heaven 08/20/2007 08/25/2007
The Butterfly Effect 08/14/2007 08/29/2007
Flags of Our Fathers 08/13/2007 08/24/2007
Mystic River 08/09/2007 08/21/2007
Gangs of New York 08/01/2007 08/09/2007
Gosford Park 08/01/2007 08/13/2007
The Cider House Rules 07/26/2007 08/01/2007
The Thin Red Line 07/16/2007 08/15/2007
Out of Africa 07/05/2007 07/26/2007
Il Postino 06/28/2007 08/01/2007
The Verdict 06/21/2007 07/18/2007
A Man Escaped 06/15/2007 06/28/2007
Fay Grim 06/15/2007 07/05/2007
The Departed 06/08/2007 06/21/2007
Howards End 06/04/2007 06/15/2007
Hope and Glory 05/29/2007 06/15/2007
Chuck Jones: Extremes and Inbetweens - A Life in Animation 05/29/2007 06/08/2007
Chariots of Fire 05/16/2007 05/28/2007
Akeelah and the Bee 05/16/2007 06/01/2007
Wordplay 05/16/2007 06/01/2007
Reds 05/07/2007 05/18/2007
Reds 05/03/2007 05/18/2007
The Illusionist 05/02/2007 05/12/2007
The Best Years of Our Lives 04/30/2007 05/10/2007
City Lights 04/26/2007 05/02/2007
Raging Bull 04/24/2007 05/03/2007
One Night With the King 04/23/2007 04/30/2007
Beyond the Gates of Splendor 04/11/2007 04/25/2007
Dave Chappelle's Block Party 04/10/2007 04/27/2007
End of the Spear 04/06/2007 04/11/2007
Extras: Season 01 03/26/2007 04/10/2007
Factotum 03/26/2007 04/09/2007
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 01 03/21/2007 03/28/2007
Crank 03/19/2007 06/29/2007
Extras: Season 01 03/16/2007 03/21/2007
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 01 03/14/2007 03/28/2007
The Butterfly Effect 03/13/2007 03/15/2007
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 01 03/12/2007 03/13/2007
Munich 03/08/2007 03/13/2007
Igby Goes Down 03/07/2007 03/19/2007
Shopgirl 02/21/2007 03/14/2007
What the #$*! Do We Know?! 02/19/2007 03/07/2007
Lucky Number Slevin 02/19/2007 03/08/2007
Just Like Heaven 02/13/2007 02/21/2007
The Station Agent 02/08/2007 02/14/2007
March of the Penguins 02/05/2007 03/07/2007
Jesus of Montreal 02/03/2007 02/15/2007
The Aviator 01/30/2007 02/08/2007
Crash 01/26/2007 02/03/2007
Derailed 01/26/2007 01/30/2007
Elizabethtown 01/26/2007 02/17/2007
Title Ship Date Return Date
-----------------------------
The Good Shepherd 12/19/2007 01/04/2008
Babette's Feast 12/11/2007 12/28/2007
The Squid and the Whale 12/07/2007 12/21/2007
Stone Reader 12/04/2007 12/11/2007
Kung Fu Hustle 12/03/2007 12/21/2007
The Constant Gardener 11/28/2007 12/07/2007
The Pursuit of Happyness 11/26/2007 12/04/2007
House of Sand and Fog 11/20/2007 11/28/2007
Akira 11/19/2007 12/03/2007
Glengarry Glen Ross 11/14/2007 11/20/2007
Children of Men 11/01/2007 11/14/2007
Fast Food Nation 10/31/2007 11/20/2007
Casino Royale 10/31/2007 11/26/2007
Blood Diamond 10/23/2007 11/05/2007
Chalk 10/22/2007 10/31/2007
The Right Stuff 10/16/2007 10/31/2007
A Scanner Darkly 10/15/2007 10/23/2007
Open Your Eyes 10/12/2007 10/22/2007
Fargo 10/08/2007 10/16/2007
Barton Fink 10/08/2007 10/16/2007
Delicatessen 10/02/2007 10/12/2007
Pi 09/25/2007 10/02/2007
Once Upon a Time in America 09/21/2007 10/08/2007
Munich 09/21/2007 10/11/2007
Far from Heaven 09/19/2007 09/25/2007
Pi 09/18/2007 09/25/2007
SCTV [TV Series] 09/13/2007 09/19/2007
North Country 09/11/2007 09/25/2007
21 Grams 09/06/2007 09/18/2007
For Your Consideration 09/05/2007 09/11/2007
Cold Mountain 09/04/2007 09/13/2007
Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny 08/28/2007 09/06/2007
Babel 08/28/2007 09/06/2007
Borat 08/27/2007 09/04/2007
Letters from Iwo Jima 08/23/2007 08/29/2007
Kingdom of Heaven 08/20/2007 08/25/2007
The Butterfly Effect 08/14/2007 08/29/2007
Flags of Our Fathers 08/13/2007 08/24/2007
Mystic River 08/09/2007 08/21/2007
Gangs of New York 08/01/2007 08/09/2007
Gosford Park 08/01/2007 08/13/2007
The Cider House Rules 07/26/2007 08/01/2007
The Thin Red Line 07/16/2007 08/15/2007
Out of Africa 07/05/2007 07/26/2007
Il Postino 06/28/2007 08/01/2007
The Verdict 06/21/2007 07/18/2007
A Man Escaped 06/15/2007 06/28/2007
Fay Grim 06/15/2007 07/05/2007
The Departed 06/08/2007 06/21/2007
Howards End 06/04/2007 06/15/2007
Hope and Glory 05/29/2007 06/15/2007
Chuck Jones: Extremes and Inbetweens - A Life in Animation 05/29/2007 06/08/2007
Chariots of Fire 05/16/2007 05/28/2007
Akeelah and the Bee 05/16/2007 06/01/2007
Wordplay 05/16/2007 06/01/2007
Reds 05/07/2007 05/18/2007
Reds 05/03/2007 05/18/2007
The Illusionist 05/02/2007 05/12/2007
The Best Years of Our Lives 04/30/2007 05/10/2007
City Lights 04/26/2007 05/02/2007
Raging Bull 04/24/2007 05/03/2007
One Night With the King 04/23/2007 04/30/2007
Beyond the Gates of Splendor 04/11/2007 04/25/2007
Dave Chappelle's Block Party 04/10/2007 04/27/2007
End of the Spear 04/06/2007 04/11/2007
Extras: Season 01 03/26/2007 04/10/2007
Factotum 03/26/2007 04/09/2007
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 01 03/21/2007 03/28/2007
Crank 03/19/2007 06/29/2007
Extras: Season 01 03/16/2007 03/21/2007
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 01 03/14/2007 03/28/2007
The Butterfly Effect 03/13/2007 03/15/2007
Curb Your Enthusiasm: Season 01 03/12/2007 03/13/2007
Munich 03/08/2007 03/13/2007
Igby Goes Down 03/07/2007 03/19/2007
Shopgirl 02/21/2007 03/14/2007
What the #$*! Do We Know?! 02/19/2007 03/07/2007
Lucky Number Slevin 02/19/2007 03/08/2007
Just Like Heaven 02/13/2007 02/21/2007
The Station Agent 02/08/2007 02/14/2007
March of the Penguins 02/05/2007 03/07/2007
Jesus of Montreal 02/03/2007 02/15/2007
The Aviator 01/30/2007 02/08/2007
Crash 01/26/2007 02/03/2007
Derailed 01/26/2007 01/30/2007
Elizabethtown 01/26/2007 02/17/2007
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Air Guitar Nation (2006) - 3.5/5
Air Guitar Nation (2006)
Pretty interesting, but they didn't into the people enough... or they made the most of what they had to work with.
It's fun to watch the performances and they do a good job of keeping it from getting old. They get into each topic enough, but nothing to the point to make it a great documentary.
The "underdog" isn't as likable which hurts that aspect, but everyone is a character and fairly fun. From serious to ridiculous, it's all pretty good.
There are certainly some great parts and overall it's pretty fun.
WARNING: Male nudity.
Haiku Summary
What's this? Air guitar
contests? No Americans?
I say we go. Win!
NEXT: "3:10 To Ymua"
Pretty interesting, but they didn't into the people enough... or they made the most of what they had to work with.
It's fun to watch the performances and they do a good job of keeping it from getting old. They get into each topic enough, but nothing to the point to make it a great documentary.
The "underdog" isn't as likable which hurts that aspect, but everyone is a character and fairly fun. From serious to ridiculous, it's all pretty good.
There are certainly some great parts and overall it's pretty fun.
WARNING: Male nudity.
Haiku Summary
What's this? Air guitar
contests? No Americans?
I say we go. Win!
NEXT: "3:10 To Ymua"
The Secret of NIMH (1982) - 2.5/5
The Secret of NIMH (1982)
Original, but not very compelling. It's a children's book adaptation, but I'm not familiar w/ the book.
That characters and animation are good, but I wasn't really drawn into to care about what was happening (and to a degree, I wasn't really sure what was happening).
SPOILERS
The idea that an experiment by NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) made the mice/rats "smart" seemed out of left field in the reality of the story. It also gave it a too realistic and dark feel IMO.
Haiku Summary
The plow is coming.
The boy mouse is sick, can't move.
Rats are smart, some bad.
NEXT: "Air Guitar Nation"
Original, but not very compelling. It's a children's book adaptation, but I'm not familiar w/ the book.
That characters and animation are good, but I wasn't really drawn into to care about what was happening (and to a degree, I wasn't really sure what was happening).
SPOILERS
The idea that an experiment by NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) made the mice/rats "smart" seemed out of left field in the reality of the story. It also gave it a too realistic and dark feel IMO.
Haiku Summary
The plow is coming.
The boy mouse is sick, can't move.
Rats are smart, some bad.
NEXT: "Air Guitar Nation"
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The King of Kong (2007) - 5/5
The King of Kong (2007)
If I had waited for my top movies from 2007 (released in 2007, not watched), this wd be up there near the top.
Awesome! I have to give some credit to the documentary makers here, but I think the material they had to work w/ was gold.
Billy Mitchell is Darth Vader's equivalent in this reality. So great. Editing does a lot, but anyone saying the things he says... wow.
And Steve Weibe - you just can't help but pull for this lovable loser.
Be sure to watch some of the extra material if you get this for more updates about what happened after the filming.... they're still going!
Next: "The Secret of NIMH"
Haiku Summary
Steve beats high score on
tape. Not good enough for Bill.
Bill evades. So great!
If I had waited for my top movies from 2007 (released in 2007, not watched), this wd be up there near the top.
Awesome! I have to give some credit to the documentary makers here, but I think the material they had to work w/ was gold.
Billy Mitchell is Darth Vader's equivalent in this reality. So great. Editing does a lot, but anyone saying the things he says... wow.
And Steve Weibe - you just can't help but pull for this lovable loser.
Be sure to watch some of the extra material if you get this for more updates about what happened after the filming.... they're still going!
Next: "The Secret of NIMH"
Haiku Summary
Steve beats high score on
tape. Not good enough for Bill.
Bill evades. So great!
Treasure Planet (2002) - 3.5/5
Treasure Planet (2002)
This is a very interesting animated movie in several areas: mix of 2D and 3D, the characters, the scope, etc.
The story is solid and the characters are fully developed. The action is good too.
It's more serious than funny (like Pocahontas and Tarzan) though the robot is pretty comical.
I think the production quality is way up on this one so the animation, effects, details, characters, etc. are really good. It's a Ron Clements and John Musker movie which says a lot.
There's some great behind the scenes/making of stuff on the DVD too.
Haiku Summary
Boy finds treasure map.
Goes w/ pirates. Dad figure
turns, boy saves them all.
NEXT: "King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters"
This is a very interesting animated movie in several areas: mix of 2D and 3D, the characters, the scope, etc.
The story is solid and the characters are fully developed. The action is good too.
It's more serious than funny (like Pocahontas and Tarzan) though the robot is pretty comical.
I think the production quality is way up on this one so the animation, effects, details, characters, etc. are really good. It's a Ron Clements and John Musker movie which says a lot.
There's some great behind the scenes/making of stuff on the DVD too.
Haiku Summary
Boy finds treasure map.
Goes w/ pirates. Dad figure
turns, boy saves them all.
NEXT: "King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters"
Monday, January 28, 2008
Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock? (2006) - 2.5/5
Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock? (2006)
An interesting look at the differences btwn the "art world" and the real world more than anything.
A woman trucker buys a painting for $5 at a thrift store for a friend. She winds up trying to sell it in a garage sale and someone says they think it might be a Jackson Pollock painting.
She tries to find out if it is and prove the art world wrong. Ultimately, it becomes a matter of principle to her and, imo, she's way too stubborn about it.
SPOILERS
I can kinda see turning down the $2 million from the anonymous offerer. I guess you cd think that anyone offering to pay that much must think it's worth something and if it's worth anything (b/c it's a Pollock) then it's worth a lot more than that.
However, she cd have secured her family's future w/ that so I think she probably sd have taken it. Again, we learn at the end that she has since turned down an offer of $9 million. Now I think she's been crazy, stubborn and selfish.
Wanting to prove the art world wrong and make them admit it is just as bad as them being that way, imo.
Haiku Summary
Woman finds cheap art.
May be Pollock. Finger print
matches. Take $9 mill!
An interesting look at the differences btwn the "art world" and the real world more than anything.
A woman trucker buys a painting for $5 at a thrift store for a friend. She winds up trying to sell it in a garage sale and someone says they think it might be a Jackson Pollock painting.
She tries to find out if it is and prove the art world wrong. Ultimately, it becomes a matter of principle to her and, imo, she's way too stubborn about it.
SPOILERS
I can kinda see turning down the $2 million from the anonymous offerer. I guess you cd think that anyone offering to pay that much must think it's worth something and if it's worth anything (b/c it's a Pollock) then it's worth a lot more than that.
However, she cd have secured her family's future w/ that so I think she probably sd have taken it. Again, we learn at the end that she has since turned down an offer of $9 million. Now I think she's been crazy, stubborn and selfish.
Wanting to prove the art world wrong and make them admit it is just as bad as them being that way, imo.
Haiku Summary
Woman finds cheap art.
May be Pollock. Finger print
matches. Take $9 mill!
Tarzan (1999) - 3.5/5
Tarzan (1999)
Great animation and really good characters. Also, the story was more compelling w/ the deeper characters and expressiveness of them.
I felt this movie had a fuller feel to it w/ humor, action, animation, character development, etc.
Haiku Summary
Ape takes babe as own.
Raises him, others come. Love,
songs, white man stays there!
Great animation and really good characters. Also, the story was more compelling w/ the deeper characters and expressiveness of them.
I felt this movie had a fuller feel to it w/ humor, action, animation, character development, etc.
Haiku Summary
Ape takes babe as own.
Raises him, others come. Love,
songs, white man stays there!
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