Friday, April 30, 2004
My So-Called Life (on DVD)
Episodes 1, 2, and 3 are on the first disc.
My step-dad always hated when I watched "my so-called show", and now I'm seeing why. This show that I originally adored in the first airings (including the switch to MTV) actually looks just like television production values. Funny how I could see past that as a youth. And the dialog. I forgot that we really did talk like that in high school. While I never really connected with this show, I certainly did wish for a friend like Rayanne. She was just so wild and strange. But the clothing makes me laugh. We never dressed how they dress. I was in school at the same time!n I find it funny how they force flannel onto these people, force them into ugly plaid shift dresses and whatnot.
But Claire Danes? Cute. Jared Leto? Cute.
More thoughts later.
My step-dad always hated when I watched "my so-called show", and now I'm seeing why. This show that I originally adored in the first airings (including the switch to MTV) actually looks just like television production values. Funny how I could see past that as a youth. And the dialog. I forgot that we really did talk like that in high school. While I never really connected with this show, I certainly did wish for a friend like Rayanne. She was just so wild and strange. But the clothing makes me laugh. We never dressed how they dress. I was in school at the same time!n I find it funny how they force flannel onto these people, force them into ugly plaid shift dresses and whatnot.
But Claire Danes? Cute. Jared Leto? Cute.
More thoughts later.
Thursday, April 22, 2004
This Is Spinal Tap.
This is a movie I need to finish one day.
Willard
What the ... clearly Glen Morgan, genius wizard behind the curtain of the X-Files, needed to exorcise some creepy little death by rat fascination of his. He also did "Final Destination" and writes for tons of TV shows. But this film? Either make it camp or really make it creepy. Going halfway was just strange. Because rats do not behave like this.
The premise is that Crispin Glover's character lives in a vaguely "psycho"-esque situation with his elderly mother. One day he discovers rodents in the basement of their old house, a house which could have easily auditioned for the role of House on Paper Street in "Fight Club". Poor Crispin, all alone in the world, befriends the rodents to escape from his family and cruel boss. But one rat just HATES him. What's going on here? Who's in control? How many deaths were in this movie?
Ugh. I would not recommend this film. Crispin Glover is STUNNING, but much like Christopher Walken, when is he not?
The premise is that Crispin Glover's character lives in a vaguely "psycho"-esque situation with his elderly mother. One day he discovers rodents in the basement of their old house, a house which could have easily auditioned for the role of House on Paper Street in "Fight Club". Poor Crispin, all alone in the world, befriends the rodents to escape from his family and cruel boss. But one rat just HATES him. What's going on here? Who's in control? How many deaths were in this movie?
Ugh. I would not recommend this film. Crispin Glover is STUNNING, but much like Christopher Walken, when is he not?
Monday, April 12, 2004
The Agronomist.
DOCUMENTARY.
I actually cried. Full review later. HIGHLY recommended. About Jean Dominique and the struggle for Haitian democracy. Go read this review for now. It basically sums up the film:
http://www.cjr.org/issues/2003/6/haiti-stone.asp
I actually cried. Full review later. HIGHLY recommended. About Jean Dominique and the struggle for Haitian democracy. Go read this review for now. It basically sums up the film:
http://www.cjr.org/issues/2003/6/haiti-stone.asp
Ryan Adams: Music in High Places
Oh ... I'll write a review ... right after I finish laughing my ass off.
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
Live Flesh
No, it isn't porn. It's Spanish. And I liked it. More thoughts later.
Thursday, April 01, 2004
The Four Feathers
Wes Bentley, will you please make another decent film? I loved you so much in "American Beauty". Kate Hudson, will you please never pretend to be English or from the past? Heath Ledger, will you please figure out what kind of career you want? Because I loved you in "A Knight's Tale" and I love you in this film once you get all Brad Pitt shaggy in the desert, but you look stupid in period costume. And I had forgotten that I loved you in "Monster's Ball".
This film smacks of rising starlet casting. It's as if the casting director was told to get the NEXT BIG THREE and jam them into whatever role worked. Kate Hudson had just come from "Almost Famous" and seems overwhelmingly out of place as a dainty backdrop to the real manlove going on in this story. Let me back up: Heath and Wes and crew are officers in some elite British military group. Things start to go badly down in the Sudan in the late 19th century (ooooooh, blame the Muslims, how topical) and the boys get sent to war. Only Heath freaks out and quits the corps. He was just daddy's little soldier, biding time in the company to make Daddy The General (or whatever) proud. The engagement to Kate and the threat of war? No thanks. So away he goes. And is given the white feathers of cowardice. Three from his mates and one from Kate, his sudden ex. So he sulks for a bit. But as news comes in that the Brits aren't faring well down in the Sudan, he starts to worry about his mates. You can almost see the hard ons in these shots. Wes is all facial hair and pomp. Think early Wesley on Buffy/Angel. Annoying prick. But Kate, oh Kate goes for the big hero. No one knows that Heath has secretly snuck off to Africa to save his friends. And of course he's the real hero. Bonus points for casting Djimon Hounsou (also a rising star, was excellent in "Gladiator") as the native friend/English speaking savior. The best parts of the film are watching Heath toil away in the Sudan, posing as an Arab and later as a prisoner of war. But once he cleans up and makes his way back home (no traveling is shown, sadly ... I am fond of the sea spray on the mast voyage shots), everything is back to yawn yawn status quo. Kate gets herself a man, probably gets knocked up, and Heath and Wes never do it. Although they should. Really.
Based on a book, yes. Maybe if you liked the book, you'll be into this. I found it rather yawn-inducing.
This film smacks of rising starlet casting. It's as if the casting director was told to get the NEXT BIG THREE and jam them into whatever role worked. Kate Hudson had just come from "Almost Famous" and seems overwhelmingly out of place as a dainty backdrop to the real manlove going on in this story. Let me back up: Heath and Wes and crew are officers in some elite British military group. Things start to go badly down in the Sudan in the late 19th century (ooooooh, blame the Muslims, how topical) and the boys get sent to war. Only Heath freaks out and quits the corps. He was just daddy's little soldier, biding time in the company to make Daddy The General (or whatever) proud. The engagement to Kate and the threat of war? No thanks. So away he goes. And is given the white feathers of cowardice. Three from his mates and one from Kate, his sudden ex. So he sulks for a bit. But as news comes in that the Brits aren't faring well down in the Sudan, he starts to worry about his mates. You can almost see the hard ons in these shots. Wes is all facial hair and pomp. Think early Wesley on Buffy/Angel. Annoying prick. But Kate, oh Kate goes for the big hero. No one knows that Heath has secretly snuck off to Africa to save his friends. And of course he's the real hero. Bonus points for casting Djimon Hounsou (also a rising star, was excellent in "Gladiator") as the native friend/English speaking savior. The best parts of the film are watching Heath toil away in the Sudan, posing as an Arab and later as a prisoner of war. But once he cleans up and makes his way back home (no traveling is shown, sadly ... I am fond of the sea spray on the mast voyage shots), everything is back to yawn yawn status quo. Kate gets herself a man, probably gets knocked up, and Heath and Wes never do it. Although they should. Really.
Based on a book, yes. Maybe if you liked the book, you'll be into this. I found it rather yawn-inducing.
SLC Punk!
Oh, Matthew Lillard. The whole time I watched this cute little film about punks, mods, and rednecks in Salt Lake City, Utah in the 1980's, I could only think: hey, it's Shaggy from Scooby-Doo! I know, bad, but still. Having bright blue Sid Vicious hair helped, as did the awesome clothing.
Anyhow, this film tells the bouncy tale of Stevo (Lillard) and Bob (Michael A. Goorjian), two young punks in the wasteland of Salt Lake City. The film is presented anecdotally and Stevo often talks to the camera, including his boisterous flashbacky narration introductions at his house party. Stevo and Bob managed to graduate from university but have yet to decide a direction in life. So they spend their days drinking, going to shows, buying drugs from a strange German yuppie, having sex, and avoiding their families. A highlight is the drive to Wyoming to buy full strength non-Mormon beer. When two punks and a "ladies' man" walk into a hick store, you know trouble is about to ensue. The boys assuage the locals by claiming to be from London, which would explain the clothing. The scene gets more and more surreal until the boys are finally dashing for the car, cases of beer stacked across arms. For all the hilarity and slacker nonsense, it is a bit strange that the film makes a detour into trainspotting territory, ending rather abruptly and with the "choose life" message.
Overall, on par with films like "Go" and other indie scenester outings. Watching the rants about "who started punk? WHO CARES!" are fun, but still a bit winkwinknudgenudge.
Anyhow, this film tells the bouncy tale of Stevo (Lillard) and Bob (Michael A. Goorjian), two young punks in the wasteland of Salt Lake City. The film is presented anecdotally and Stevo often talks to the camera, including his boisterous flashbacky narration introductions at his house party. Stevo and Bob managed to graduate from university but have yet to decide a direction in life. So they spend their days drinking, going to shows, buying drugs from a strange German yuppie, having sex, and avoiding their families. A highlight is the drive to Wyoming to buy full strength non-Mormon beer. When two punks and a "ladies' man" walk into a hick store, you know trouble is about to ensue. The boys assuage the locals by claiming to be from London, which would explain the clothing. The scene gets more and more surreal until the boys are finally dashing for the car, cases of beer stacked across arms. For all the hilarity and slacker nonsense, it is a bit strange that the film makes a detour into trainspotting territory, ending rather abruptly and with the "choose life" message.
Overall, on par with films like "Go" and other indie scenester outings. Watching the rants about "who started punk? WHO CARES!" are fun, but still a bit winkwinknudgenudge.
