popplers

I'd pay to see that

Via Fark.com, The Quig Spot offers up The 6 Best Bruce Campbell Films You'll Never See.

BUBBA NOSFERATU AND THE CURSE OF THE SHE-VAMPIRES

[…] What sucks even more about this is that Paul Giamatti was going to costar as Campbell's evil boss. Plus, the film's set in Vegas, and it's got she-vampires. Fuckin' she-vampires! How could you possibly have creative differences when your movie's got Elvis duking it out with she-vampires?

I got you babe

First D.J.: Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today.

Second D.J.: It's coooold out there every day. What is this, Miami Beach?

First D.J.: Not hardly. And you know, you can expect hazardous travel later today with that, you know, that, uh, that blizzard thing.

Second D.J.: [mockingly] That blizzard - thing. That blizzard - thing. Oh, well, here's the report! The National Weather Service is calling for a "big blizzard thing!"

First D.J.: Yessss, they are. But you know, there's another reason why today is especially exciting.

Second D.J.: Especially cold!

First D.J.: Especially cold, okay, but the big question on everybody's lips…

Second D.J. - On their chapped lips…

First D.J.: - On their chapped lips, right: Do ya think Phil is gonna come out and see his shadow?

Second D.J.: Punxsutawney Phil!

First D.J.: Thats right, woodchuck-chuckers - it's

Both: [in unison] GROUNDHOG DAY!

I guess we'll have to dig out the DVD tonight so we can watch it again. My fervent wish is that today doesn't start repeating for me, as I'm in an all-day off-site meeting. To quote Phil Connors: "I was in the Virgin Islands once. I met a girl. We ate lobster and drank piña coladas. At sunset, we made love like sea otters. That was a pretty good day. Why couldn't I get that day over and over and over?"

horrorshow

House on Haunted Hill (IMDb:5.1|Rot:22% - CotC:10%)

Went for a walk in the park and had a delicious dinner Friday night at It Rains Fishes. Their fresh summer rolls were yummy, as were the crazy noodles with shrimp. I love going there— nice decor, funky asymmetrical bowls, groovy mood lighting, and cool sparkling limeade.

We retired to CVB's place to watch House on Haunted Hill. It was scary, but not scary enough to keep me from dozing off during a few scenes. (Hey, I was tired.) It stars Geoffrey Rush as a smarmy John Waters lookalike who happens to be in the business of scaring people. (He made his fortune with heart-stopping amusement park rides and takes great enjoyment in messing with your head.) James Marsters (Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) has a cameo as the TV cameraman who is filming Rush as he demonstrates his latest thrill ride: Terror Incognita (actually The Incredible Hulk rollercoaster from Universal's Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida). Famke Janssen stars as his ill-tempered, gold-digging wife. I've never seen the original Vincent Price version, so I had no preconceived notions going in.

I think the problem that I have with the movie is not so much the typical "Why the hell are you doing that?" (characters going off into spooky situation alone, or in pairs, while murderous psychos roam the hallways) but more of a "Who the hell cares?" Few of the characters are likeable; some are downright annoying (midway through, I was actually rooting for one of them to die horribly). Some scenes are suitably creepy, others have more snooze value than shock value. Chris Kattan (Mango on SNL) plays the we're-all-gonna-die this-house-is-possessed I'm-a-gonna-drink-myself into oblivion caretaker/ lackey.

In fine Night of the Living Dead tradition, the black guy (Eddie Baker, played by Taye Diggs) is one of the only members of the party who is sane and competent, and he gets the best lines.

What's this got to do with me? I'm adopted!

Worth a cheap rental, if you like blood and gore horror flicks. Me? I'll take a good zombie pic any day, and I'm very glad that I didn't pay to see this in the theatres when it first came out.

Movie 3-fer

Over the Hedge (IMDb:7.2|Rot:75% - CotC:63%)

It's been hot lately. Really fhot. Which gives me a convenient excuse to see less-than-stellar movies in air-conditioned splendor, perhaps while drinking a Mike-a-rita. We saw Over the Hedge at The Strand a few weeks ago, and it was entertaining enough. DreamWorks is no Pixar, but the film has its moments. I particularly liked Steve Carell as ADHD squirrel-thing Hammy and William Shatner as Ozzie the Opossum. There's also a very funny scene involving a Mountain Dew/ Red Bull beverage that was reminiscent of the finale in the Futurama episode Three Hundred Big Boys. Silly, highly implausible even if you accept the whole talking-animals premise, funny, and a better-than-average kid flick, as The Onion's A.V. Club attests:

[…] There's plenty of manic running around and screaming, and several of the silent-action-set-to-sad-pop segments that are fast becoming animated films' standard method of establishing tone and character. But directors Tim Johnson (Antz) and Karey Kirkpatrick can be surprisingly sly and methodical; in particular, their expectation-reversing, low-key approach to a much-foreshadowed caffeinated-squirrel gag sets Over The Hedge apart for its cleverness as much as its energy. […]

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (IMDb:7.4|Rot:53% - CotC:42%)

We went to a matinee of Pirates of the Caribbean 2. Group opinion on this one varied widely, from "I liked it" to "OK, but too long" to "Well, that's 3 hours of my life that I'll never get back". The CGI stuff was awesome— I really liked Davy Jones's crew and the Kraken wasn't half bad either. But I thought that the movie dragged. I enjoyed Ty Burr's movie review and this follow-up article:

The first casualties of this state of affairs are storytelling and dialogue -- the twin leaks that sink "Dead Man's Chest" faster than Davy Jones ever could -- but the rot has spread to editing (all those padded running times), music, and other areas. The appearance of a truly well-made Hollywood entertainment is now a lonely fluke. […]

Which brings me to "Miami Vice," the most fun I've had in a movie theater in months.

I feel dirty even saying that. It stars Colin Farrell; it's based on a TV show that was '80s camp even while it was on the air -- how can such a film be taken seriously? Because: (a) it's not meant to be, and (b) its craftsmanship is nevertheless of the highest and most serious order. Moviegoers have responded; the film was the first to topple "Pirates" from its perch at the top of the box-office. […]

A Prairie Home Companion (IMDb:7.6|Rot:81% - CotC:71%)

This week's Strand movie was A Prairie Home Companion. I enjoyed it, although I realize it's not for everyone. I couldn't even finish reading the hissy-fit of a review that vitriolic critic Rex Reed posted in the New York Observer. But if you're a fan of the radio show (and it's been on for over 30 years, so someone must be) or if you enjoy Robert Altman films, it's definitely worth it. Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly steal the show as Dusty and Lefty, the singing cowboys. Early in the film, as the camera pans over to them, practicing in their dressing room backstage, singing (with harmony) I Used To Work In Chicago, I couldn't help but laugh. ("Liquor she asked for; lick 'er I did; I don't work there anymore.") Excellent cast, with lots of sweet moments.

Je ne sais whaaa?

We just watched the movie trailer for Sofia Coppola's new film, Marie Antoinette. What were they thinking? Because nothing says, "France, circa 1770" like New Order's 1983 hit, Age of Consent.

in•con•gru•ous
Pronunciation: (")in-'kä[ng]-gr&-w&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Late Latin incongruus, from Latin in- + congruus congruous
: lacking congruity: as a : not harmonious : INCOMPATIBLE <incongruous colors> b : not conforming : DISAGREEING <conduct incongruous with principle> c : inconsistent within itself <an incongruous story> d : lacking propriety : UNSUITABLE <incongruous manners>
- in•con•gru•ous•ly adverb
- in•con•gru•ous•ness noun

Movie night

Thank You for Smoking (IMDb:8.1|Rot:87%)

Went to see Thank You for Smoking last night. I haven't read the book, but the film is funny (and harsh)— a slick little piece of satire with quite a cast, including J.K. Simmons, William H. Macy, and Sam Elliot. Rob Lowe is brilliant as Japanophile entertainment agency exec Jeff Megall. (Although Adam Brody almost steals it as his smarmy California assistant: "As you can see, Jeff just loves… Asian shit.") The closing line made me very happy that Devo went into finance instead of becoming a lobbyist: "Michael Jordan plays ball. Charles Manson kills people. I talk."

Inside Man

Inside Man (IMDb:7.4|Rot:89%)

Saw Inside Man about a week ago at the Strand, based solely on its good rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I knew nothing about the plot, other than that a bank heist was involved. (I don't think that I'd even seen a trailer for it.) The cast is excellent: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Christopher Plummer, Jodie Foster, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Willem Dafoe…

I've only seen Chiwetel Ejiofor in Serenity, so I was looking forward to his performance here. Unfortunately, they didn't give him much to do— this is totally Denzel's film. But that was only a small disappointment in an otherwise great movie.

I liked the way the story unfolded and rewound, and I never felt like I had it all figured out. Good stuff. Go see it.

Allez cuisine!

God of Cookery (IMDb:7.4|Rot:83%)

I've really enjoyed the two other Stephen Chow films that I've seen, so I was looking forward to watching God of Cookery. It is uneven, but has some good stuff in it. The plot is pretty weak (and scattered), but it's laugh-out-loud funny when it hits its stride in the final third. The quality of translation in the subtitles was awful— bad enough that it impaired my enjoyment (and comprehension) in spots. I'd say this one is worth watching if you really loved Shaolin Soccer or Kung Fu Hustle; otherwise, give it a pass.

This Vicious Cabaret

V for Vendetta (IMDb:8.1|Rot:75%)

With no small number of misgivings, we went to see V for Vendetta Wednesday night. The uneasy feeling was rooted in the historically poor cinematic treatment of Alan Moore works (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, From Hell), the increasing levels of suckitude in the Matrix-sequels, and the fact that the graphic novel is so gorram perfect. But I was encouraged by the 75% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it was playing at the local theatre. So, fortified by ginger tea and dinner at the Korean restaurant, we headed off to the Fine Arts.

It wasn't perfect, but it was pretty darn good. I hereby forgive the Wachowski Brothers for The Matrix Reloaded (but not Revolutions). I had completely forgotten until the end credits that Hugo Weaving is "V"; he was quite good. Stephen Fry was excellent (as always). The plot is simplified (out of necessity), but the critical elements are there. Worth the $7.50 ticket price. It's been quite a while since I've read the graphic novel, and we'll see if re-reading it changes my opinion of the movie any.

They say that there's a broken light for every heart on Broadway.
They say that life's a game, then they take the board away.
They give you masks and costumes and an outline of the story
Then leave you all to improvise their vicious cabaret…

In no-longer-pretty cities there are fingers in kitties.
There are warrants, forms, and chitties and a jackboot on the stair.
Sex and death and human grime, in monochrome for one thin dime,
But at least the trains all run on time but they don't go anywhere.

Brainless fun

Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle (IMDb:7.1|Rot:72%)

Last weekend, while we were battling the creeping crud, we watched Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle. It's stupid, with lots of crude humor, but it had some extremely funny moments. The dream sequence where Kumar romps with (and marries) a giant bag of weed is an absolute hoot, as is Anthony Anderson's Burger Shack scene. There are places where the plot doesn't make a particle of sense, and bathroom humor galore, but also some interesting and funny commentary on race and class. It's a stoner buddy movie about a road trip through New Jersey, and worth a Netflix rental. (It was a lot better than Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, even as it covered some of the same territory.)

"May I interject for a second? As a Burger Shack employee for the past three years, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that if you're craving White Castle, the burgers here just don't cut it. In fact, just thinking about those tender little White Castle burgers with those little, itty-bitty grilled onions that just explode in your mouth like flavor crystals every time you bite into one… just makes me want to burn this motherfucker down. Come on, Pookie, let's burn this motherfucker down! Come on, Pookie! Let's burn it, Pookie! Let's burn this motherfucker down! Let's burn it down! Let's burn it! So you guys maybe should just suck it up and go to White Castle."

Varjak Paw

Neil Gaiman mentions in passing that "Dave Mckean is going to be directing S.F. Said's lovely Varjak Paw for Hensons." This makes me incredibly happy. 2+ years ago, I was on a business trip in London and went into a bookstore in search of the latest Pratchett novel. While I was there, I found Varjak Paw on a table and bought it on the strength of the first chapter and illustrations alone. It's a lovely little cat story, with certain Watership Down-ish overtones, but very much its own beast. I can't wait to see what Jim Henson's Creature Shop and Dave McKean can cook up together— if it's half as visually interesting as Mirrormask, I won't be disappointed.

p.s. You can read the first chapter over at Powells.com.

Attention Hollywood: give this man a good script!

I love Jon Stewart. I think he is easily one of the funniest, sexiest men on the planet. The Daily Show rocks my world. I can't wait for him to host the Oscars. Why is it, then, that any movie that Jon touches— nay, breathes gently upon— turns out to be absolute shite?

I offer you empirical evidence: a graph displaying movies in which Jon Stewart has played a part (however small) vs. their rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The first data point is 1994's Mixed Nuts (wherein Jon has a cameo as a rollerblader); the final data point is the just-released CGI-fest Doogal (Jon voices the evil sorceror— Happy Meal tie-ins now available at a McDonald's near you). The average rating across the seven movies is 23%, buoyed extensively by Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back's not-entirely-appalling rating of 52%. (I like Kevin Smith, and I still thought that that movie sucked.) C'mon, people, give the man a chance. Someone send him a funny script, stat!

You oughta be in pictures

The Miss Albany Diner is going to appear in a movie! The Times-Union has more info on Grazing Miss Albany (which is not yet listed on IMDb).

[…] [Diner owner Cliff] Brown has agreed to close the diner for a few weeks for filming. [Film director Michael] Camoin has promised to pay him. They have not worked out the amount.

"You have to recognize it's a speculative endeavor," said the 78-year-old Brown between spoonfuls. "Recognizing that, you don't put demands on it right away, like 'I'll do it if you give me $1 million.'

That's about triple the movie budget of $350,000, which Camoin said he is almost done raising.

"I've always loved diners," Camoin said. "People feel safe in diners. There's a sense of community here you'll never find in a chain restaurant. You know, it's real." […]

They're going to close for a few weeks?! Where will people go for Georgian Eggs or Mad Irish Toast? (Speaking of which, I've gotta get out there… it's been too long. Anyone up for a road trip?)

And check out these diner pix, which are better resolution than the photos that are up on the missalbanydiner.com web site.

Shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die

Walk the Line (IMDB:8.0|Rot:83%)

Friday night is movie night: Walk the Line at the Strand Theater. Good stuff, even if it did veer into classic VH1: Behind the Music territory (poor/ tragic beginnings, sudden success, descent into drugs and madness, redemption). In fairness, I have to admit that I have a soft spot for Reese Witherspoon. She was great in Pleasantville, and simply amazing in Election. (Hell, even Legally Blonde had its moments.) But her performance as June Carter was phenomenal, and it was nice to see her get to play a part with some depth and dimension to it. June is an extraordinarily sympathetic character, and she gets the lion's share of good lines. I liked her as much for her strength of character and low tolerance for bullshit as I did for her loyalty and dedication.

I was also really impressed by Joaquin Phoenix's Johnny Cash (apparently Johnny Cash picked him for the role). He and Reese both did all their own singing and guitar/ autoharp playing in the film, and spent a lot of time preparing for these roles. Even simplified into a 2-hour flick, Johnny Cash's life still makes for quite a story— definitely worth seeing.

Ruh-roh.

On Friday night, Chris and I went out to see Acme Theatre's production of Anton in Show Business. Afterward, we went to the Coyote for drinks with the gang. As we walked home, we were talking about various movies that are coming out in December, and we made our Tomato-meter predictions for Aeon Flux. I guessed that it would come in with a 27% rating. Chris predicted 38%. (He was going to rank it higher than that, but bid lower due to the lack of prescreenings for critics— usually a bad sign.)

Current rating on Rotten Tomatoes: 13%. (When I checked it yesterday, it was at 11%, tied with all-time stinker The Musketeer!)

I am the edge.

Don't-miss comic from Mike Russell: The not-so-secret history of 'Aeon Flux'. Fantastic!

Whedon, you bastard!

Serenity (IMDB:8.4|Rot:81%)

If you haven't already, go see Serenity. Then read Ron Swartzendruber's extremely funny Serenity in 2000 Words or Less.

(No pullquote because there are so very many spoilers. Just go see the movie, okay?)

Mmm… chocolate.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (IMDB:7.5|Rot:82%)

Finally went to see Charlie at The Strand. Quite good, but it made me want to watch the original again. I think I prefer Gene Wilder's quiet malice to Johnny Depp's china doll creepiness. (As an aside, is there any movie that Helena Bonham Carter isn't in?)

With Edward Scissorhands-style flashbacks to Wonka's youth, songs by Danny Elfman and Roald Dahl, Bollywood dance numbers with Oompa Loompas, and kids who get what they deserve… what's not to like? Well worth the $5 ticket price. Go ahead— splurge on a Wonka bar at the concession stand.

Not even Wensleydale?

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (IMDB:8.1|Rot:95%*)

If you haven't already gone to see W & G: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, what are you waiting for? It's got everything you expect from a Nick Park film: delightful claymation, whimsical inventions, kindness to animals, and a surfeit of cheese.

According to this brief blurb from Sci Fi Wire, Gromit was initially supposed to be a cat(!):

"He was going to be a cat at first, and then when I was molding him, I found out it was simply easier to make a dog," said Park, who created the Academy Award-winning stop-motion-animated duo of a cheese-loving Englishman and his brilliant dog. "They became a couple, like an elderly husband and wife, and Gromit is the long-suffering wife, always rolling his eyes."

*Cream of the Crop: 97%

Nerdvana

Life is good: Serenity and Mirrormask both open today (although it looks like the few reviews posted so far for Mirrormask are not so hot). Not being the movie geeks we once were, we won't try to cram them both in on the same night. But we're definitely heading to Kendall Square tomorrow to catch Mirrormask. (And afterward, Toscis!)

Also, don't miss The Onion's A.V. Club interviews with Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean. Neil, on being cool:

AVC: Has having children affected your interest in children's books, or changed your writing?

NG: Possibly, but I think having been a child, and having been a certain sort of child, is probably the thing that made me the most interested. But it's certainly been incredibly useful for my credibility at home, doing children's books. Especially from my youngest, Maddy—it's been fun doing things like Coraline, and having a daughter to try them out on. It's simply lovely having somebody who thinks this stuff is fun. From Maddy's point of view, really, the cool thing is the fact that I know Lemony Snicket, that she got to have dinner with Daniel Handler, the fact that R.L. Stine says hello. I am now cool.

Día de los Muertos

Corpse Bride (IMDB:7.7|Rot:83%*)

Went to see Tim Burton's Corpse Bride with Sean & Chris. Extremely reminiscent of Nightmare Before Christmas— especially Danny Elfman's songs. (Elfman voiced Bonejangles, too.) The look of the film is beautiful; it's like a 3-D Edward Gorey claymation fest. The characters and sets are amazing, with an unbelieveable amount of detail. I couldn't get over the oil paintings in the background of the scenes at the Everglots' mansion. Sometimes it's a little too familiar, too reminiscent of Nightmare, but it's sweet and funny and extremely well done.

*Cream of the Crop: 91%

Dare to be stupid

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (IMDB:6.6|Rot:61%*)

Last night was movie night: Mr. & Mrs. Smith at the Strand Theatre with Sean & Chris. Didn't order cheese fries, so I don't know if the theatre's cheese-o-meter is still finely calibrated. (Previous visits have empirically demonstrated a correlation between the number of cheese containers served with an order of fries and cheesiness of film. Example: Almost Famous = 1 container; Charlie's Angels = 3. As I recall, X-Men rated a 2.)

*Note: The Rotten Tomatoes "Cream of the Crop" rating currently holds at 43%.

Yes, its plot is totally ridiculous, with holes big enough to drive 3 BMWs through. But there are more than a few entertaining sight gags, a plethora of cool gadgets, passably witty repartee, and explosions… lots and lots of explosions. As a cheap-ticket, burger & beer, movie-night movie, it has its moments and does just fine.

Erich Becker's review pretty much nails it:

While the dumbness of the plot and non-existent, lame-brain story may turn off a few, the promise of big guns, lots of fire, and Miss Jolie in a bra will pack the house full. A smart film? No. Fun? Hell, yes.

In the jungle, the mighty jungle…

Madagascar (IMDB:6.4|Rot:54%)

Went to see Madagascar at the Strand Theatre with Sean & K. last night. It was cute, if a little slow in spots. Definitely worth the $5 ticket; the theatre was air-conditioned, and my burger and beer were just fine. Best scenes in the movie: Grand Central Station, the riff on American Beauty, and anything involving the penguins.

Amusing

Lesser-Known Movie Prequels, by Sarah Garb.

Ocean's Three

Borderline-Inappropriate Dancing

There Are Plenty of Mohicans […]

Professor Xavier should check out this place

Sky High (IMDB:7.0|Rot:66%)

I made a deal with Chris and Sean last week when we went to the movies. I said that if we went to March of the Penguins on Saturday, I would go see Fantastic Four or "any crappy movie" that they wanted. (Going to see movies with Poz has taught me to negotiate up front for good movies, in order to offset things like The Musketeer. Alas, I failed to heed my own advice and went to see Van Helsing with them against my better judgment, but I digress.) In this case, however, the delay really worked in my favor. During the intervening week, Sean and Chris checked out Fantastic Four's abysmal rating on Rotten Tomatoes (26%, at last glance) and decided that maybe they'd rather wait for cable.

So, this left us in a bit of a dilemma. Of the 14 options at the cineplex, we'd already seen three:

• Star Wars (82%)
  
• Batman Begins (83%)
  
• Penguins (94%)

And you could not pay me enough to watch:

• Bad News Bears (44%)
  
• The Dukes of Hazzard (18%)
  
• The Island (39%)
  
• War of the Worlds (72%) (Yes, I know that's a pretty good rating, but Cruise + Spielberg = Bad)
  
• Stealth (11%) (Yikes—that's as bad as The Musketeer!)
  
• The Devil's Rejects (52%) (If I'm in the mood for a zombie movie, I'm heading to George A. Romero's Land of the Dead)

That left:

• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (81%)
  
• Must Love Dogs (38%)
  
• Wedding Crashers (75%)
  
• Sky High

We eliminated the obvious chick flicks and a questionable remake, leaving us with our clear-cut choice.

Sky High is better than its mediocre showing on Rotten Tomatoes might lead you to believe. It's somewhat predictable, but it's funny and sweet and a little cheesy. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and if you return the favor you'll be entertained. Plus: Bruce Campbell! Lynda Carter! Superheroes! Sidekicks! Dave Foley and Kevin McDonald from Kids in the Hall!

Quote of the Day from Sean: "It's like City of Heroes meets The Breakfast Club."

p.s. Instant feeling of "Wow, I'm really old"… Nearly every single one of the songs in the movie soundtrack is an 80s tune covered by some band that I've never heard of. (The lone exception is They Might Be Giants, covering Saves the Day's Through Being Cool.)

The Emperor's New Film

March of the Penguins (IMDB:7.9|Rot:94%)

I'm a sucker for nature documentaries. If there are birds and/or David Attenborough, I'm there. No David Attenborough this time, but narration by Morgan Freeman makes up for that. And penguins!

Amazing close-up shots of penguins, eggs, and godawful-cute baby penguins. I had no idea that the little guys could "sing". It's a nature documentary, so of course there are some Bad Things That Happen. This is not a movie for people who were traumatized by Bambi, The Lion King, Old Yeller, etc. But if you are looking for a way to beat the heat, going to your local air-conditioned cinemaplex and watching a movie about penguins surviving the Antarctic winter gets my vote.

Brains…

Thumbs-up to air-conditioned theaters and Land of the Dead:

''What's a good summer 100-degree weekend without a zombie movie?" said Williams. ''It's about surviving the heat, baby."

(The New York Times has a more in-depth review, calling Land of the Dead an "excellent freakout of a movie." Registration required, or use rv333/rv333.)

And so, it begins.

Well, we went to see Batman Begins yesterday. The only 2 complaints that I have are this:
1) Earsplitting volume levels (for no reason!). Not just at the exciting parts, but through the entire movie. My brain hurt.
2) The idjit family who sat next to us. They brought 2 young kids (7 or 8, tops, by my guess) to this scary, dark, violent, loud, PG-13 movie. The daughter bailed with Mom partway through, but the son sat on Dad's lap, fidgeting and asking questions through the entire frickin' movie. "Are those the bad guys?" I wanted to smack the father. Hard.

All right, enough with the complaints, and on to the good stuff.

The movie itself did not disappoint. It dragged in a few parts, but I really enjoyed it. I've seen Tim Burton's Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992). I saw Val Kilmer and Val Kilmer's pouty lips in Batman Forever (1995), but I don't remember much about it. I purposely avoided Batman & Robin (1997) and the egregious Catwoman (2004).

I liked Batman Begins better than any of the previous offerings. It's much more angsty (think Dark Knight Returns), and much less brightly-colored and campy. As you watch the once-shining, moderne Gotham City deteriorate into a cess pit of corruption and predatory self-interest, you know why the Batman is so damned angry all the time.

The bat-suit does not have nipples. The Batmobile looks like it could shoot through schools. I particularly liked the Arkham Asylum scenes and the introduction of the Scarecrow. (I'd devoured Grant Morrison and Dave McKean's Arkham Asylum when it first came out in 1997, and I'm now eager to re-read it.) In short, it was worth seeing, even for $9.25 (choke, cough), in a non-stadium-seating theatre, while sitting in a busted seat. But next time I'm bringing dueling gloves to smack the idjit.

Totoro!

Cool New York Times article on Hayao Miyazaki. (Registration required, or use rv333/rv333.) I can't wait to see Howl's Moving Castle this weekend.

May the Farce be with you

Someone (or several someones) spent a lot of time doing this. I think it's the silliest thing that I've seen today: Grocery Store Wars.

The letters speak to me.

I just watched a strange little vidlit about Scrabble and hidden meanings, entitled Craziest.

Wow, what a week.

Things without which I could not have survived this week:

• Arisia, Shaolin Soccer, and Samurai Champloo
  
• Back-Saver snow shovel and studded Hakkapeliittas
  
• City of Heroes (yay, 60k debt! I *&^%ing hate Crey's Folly), the n00b l33tsp34k email thread, and P1r4t3s 0f Teh C4r1bb34n: Teh Curs3 0f teh Bl4ck P34rl
  
• lovely Christmas gift of a shopping bag filled with all kinds of goodies from Trader Joe's
  
• The Onion, mimi smartypants, and Spamusement!
  
• Waaay too much coffee, Pacific Soup at Yoong Tong, and Chris's special homemade macaroni & cheese
  Posted by rv at 04:16 PM | Comments (0)

Blazing Saddles

It's hard to believe that Blazing Saddles is 30 years old. (I also didn't remember that it came out the same year as Young Frankenstein— Mel Brooks must have been really busy!) At any rate, AMC was showing Blazing Saddles the other night, and I tuned in. I was hoping that AMC wouldn't completely butcher it, but they did. It's practically impossible to appreciate it when they bleep the word "nigger" throughout.

My favorite part from the whole movie: The Waco Kid (Gene Wilder) consoles Sheriff Bart (Cleavon Little), saying "You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know… morons."

Got my superhero fix

On Friday night, we went to Udupi Bhavan for dinner-- yummy vada (savory doughnuts) with coconut chutney and dosai (lentil crepes). Afterward, we headed over to see The Incredibles (IMDb: 8.6 | Rotten Tomatoes: 97%). It was worth the wait— extremely sharp and funny, with a lot of sweet moments. Mad props to Brad Bird; I liked it even better than Iron Giant.

Zyzzyvas!

Scrabble junkie that I am, I loved Stefan Fatsis's Word Freak (refer to the popplers entry from 2002-01-23). Imagine my geeky joy upon reading that Word Wars is playing at the Coolidge Corner Theatre this week!

Anyone else want to go see Scrabble masters strut their stuff?

p.s. I think these people should teach their dog how to play.

Haarrr, matey!

Overheard on the radio yesterday: Johnny Depp is going to reprise his role in the sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean. Depp is asking Keith Richards to appear in the sequel-- as Jack Sparrow's father.

In space, no one can hear you scream.

So, we're eating dinner and Chris springs this bit of news on me. Three words: Hellblazer. Constantine. Keanu. One response: Aieeee!

<comic_book_girl>What microcephalic studio executive green-lighted this train wreck of a project? No wonder Alan Moore has divorced himself from the film, "[washing] his hands of the entire debacle." Worst. Idea. Ever. I must register my disgust on the internet for all to see.</comic_book_girl>

Update (9:57 a.m.): Neil Gaiman refutes the above claim, stating:

Oh, it's true that Alan's rejected the money for CONSTANTINE and assigned it to his cocreators, but he's now done that for all films of his and things he's done that might one day be filmed. This was because he was deeply hurt and offended and irritated by being accused in the Larry Cohen lawsuit of having written League of Extraordinary Gentlemen as some kind of studio shill, and because Alan never does anything by halves. Up until the lawsuit his position was that he didn't care about the films people made from his work, but was happy to cash the cheques; after, he decided that he didn't even want to cash the cheques.

Movie update

While foamtotem.org was down, I saw a lot of movies. Actually, I've been seeing a lot of movies lately. Here are some of the ones that I can think of right now that I particularly enjoyed.

Theatre:

Big Fish (IMDb 8.0/10.0 | Rotten Tomatoes 76%)
Some of the reviewers complained that Tim Burton's latest effort was sappy or maudlin. I couldn't disagree more-- I found Big Fish to be charming, whimsical, and very sweet. There are far worse ways to spend an evening than watching this excellent cast (notably, Albert Finney, Ewan McGregor, and Helena Bonham Carter). The one element that may have scarred me for life: Danny DeVito's naked butt.

Triplets of Belleville (IMDb 7.5/10.0 | Rotten Tomatoes 94%)
When Chris and I went to see Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, they showed a preview for Triplets of Belleville. I knew nothing about the plot, but from the moment that I saw the animation and art, I knew that I had to see this film. It is, without a doubt, one of the strangest little films that I've ever seen, but in a cute and amusing way (as opposed to a scary, disturbing, David Lynch-sort-of-way-- more on that later). This film should have won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, not Finding Nemo. The sequences involving Bruno the dog are incredibly imaginative and truly funny. And I've had that dang tune stuck in my head for weeks…

The Station Agent (IMDb 8.2/10.0 | Rotten Tomatoes 95%)
This is another case where I knew nothing about the plot. I wanted to see this for two reasons-- the excellent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and because we saw Peter Dinklage on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. I wasn't disappointed. The Station Agent is not a comedy, but it has some wonderfully funny moments, great dialogue, and a likeable cast of characters. The plot, while believeable, is neither simplistic nor moralistic. Dinklage is brilliant as Finbar McBride, and I couldn't help but identify with talkative, gregarious, food-centric Joe (played by Bobby Cannavale). Go see this.

DVD:

Mystery Men (IMDb 5.8/10.0 | Rotten Tomatoes 60%)
This movie is too good to be called a guilty pleasure. I honestly don't know why it has such mixed reviews-- I really like it. Admittedly, I worship the ground that Janeane Garofalo walks on, and William H. Macy is priceless in this film. "We've got a blind date with Destiny-- and it looks like she's ordered the lobster." My new favorite quote from The Shoveler: "We struck down evil with the mighty sword of teamwork… and the hammer of not bickering." Wannabe (loser) superheroes, Tom Waits as a non-lethal weapons designer, and Geoffrey Rush as a super-villain… what's not to like? It's been on Chris's Wish List for months, so I finally bought it for his birthday.

Galaxy Quest (IMDb 7.2/10.0 | Rotten Tomatoes 87%)
As with Mystery Men, I often find myself quoting lines from this film (or, in some cases, about this film-- Rock: "Sigourney Weaver was a blonde?"). Gwen DeMarco/ Lt. Tawny Madison: "Look, I have one job on this lousy ship. It's stupid, but I'm gonna do it, okay?" Alexander Dane/ Dr. Lazarus: "I see you've managed to get your shirt off." It's parody, it's meta-humor, it's a loving tribute to the wonderful cheesiness of sci-fi (and the wonderful geekiness of fandom), and it's terribly silly. This one wasn't on Chris's Wish List, but I got it for him anyway.

TiVo:

Y Tu Mamá También (IMDb 7.8/10.0 | Rotten Tomatoes 93%)
I had wanted to see this when it first came out, but missed it when it was in theatres. I knew that Jenn had raved about it (but this is not always enough to get me to go see a film). I had no idea what to expect (and I was surprised at how sexually explicit it was…). (No complaints, though-- Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal are both fine to look at. Jenn was actually contemplating seeing Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights solely because Diego Luna is in it.) I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone who hasn't seen it, but I thought that it ended rather abruptly and that the denouement was a bit of a cop-out. Definitely worth watching, but go see The Station Agent first.

The Sting (IMDb 8.3/10.0 | Rotten Tomatoes 100%)
I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I had never seen this film. But then again, I only saw Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid a few years ago. And I still haven't watched Casablanca (although Denis and Karen gave us a videocassette, so now we have no excuse). The Sting is a classic in the true sense of the word, and a heckuva of a lot of fun to watch. The scene with the high-stakes poker game is a riot: "What was I supposed to do-- call him for cheating better than me, in front of the others?" Long-overdue, but worth the wait.

Mullholland Drive (IMDb 8.0/10.0 | Rotten Tomatoes 79%)
This movie encapsulates everything that I love and hate about David Lynch. As we were watching it, I kept having Twin Peaks-flashbacks… the red curtains, the midget, the pretty blonde, the hallucinations… I knew that this had been originally conceived as the pilot for a never-picked-up TV series, so I wasn't expecting it to wrap up all pretty (but this was bizarre even by Lynchian standards). I was mostly keeping up with it until the last third of the film, where I completely lost the plot. The film is visually interesting, with great use of color. Naomi Watts and Laura Harring's performances are intense. There are lots of twists and turns that draw you into the story (just like Twin Peaks) and it completely goes off the deep end in the final 20 minutes (just like Twin Peaks!). I think I need to watch this again so I can figure out what the heck I think of it.

Go see this movie! The Skeleton commands you!

What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than with an outstandingly cheezy B-movie? We actually got to meet some of the cast and crew of The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra on Saturday night after the show. For those who haven't seen the trailer, it's available at the official movie site (requires Flash and Quicktime).

Saucier than a killer tomato, more powerful than a 50-foot woman, this sci-fi send-up spoofs the best B-movie thrillers of the 1950s. Assisted by his clueless, overly hair-sprayed wife (Fay Masterson), a dedicated "man of science" (writer/director Larry Blamire) rolls up his shirt sleeves to save the world from radioactive monsters, mutant beasts, curious space aliens and an evil skeleton. Shot on location in Bronson Canyon and Lake Arrowhead, California—in some of the original locations of classic '50s sci-fi films.

According to writer/ director Larry Blamire, the film is, depending on your point of view, "a spoof of, an emulation of, or an homage to the wonderful black and white, low-budget, sci-fi/horror films of the 1950s." The theatre was reasonably full on Saturday night, but not completely sold out. After the show, Robert Deveau (the Farmer) commented that we were a really good audience-- that we "got it". (I think he was just relieved that we were laughing throughout the film.) Cortney Skinner (designer and constructor of the Transmutatron and the Mutant) talked about the prop budget (he brought it in at under $200, thanks to Home Depot, Michael's Crafts and some creativity with foam rubber). Cory Blamire (skeletal manipulation crew and part-time Mutant) kindly modeled the Mutant's head, and agreed that he wasn't part of the crew just because he was the director's son.

The Landmark Theatres guy (Bryan) said that the best way to support independent cinema is to go see it and tell everyone you know. (Actually, he said to tell people that you don't know, too.) And he also said to go see the movie on opening weekend-- apparently opening weekend box office is a really important number to the studios. So, don't wait! It'll be at Kendall Square for one week only, but if it does well, it may be held over. Mrowr!

John Waters would be proud.

Maybe the lawn gnomes can audition for a part…

[…] Then, last spring, Meyer read an article in the Globe about Jill Hunter, a woman in a pricey Newton neighborhood who adorned her yard with plastic pink flamingos. A low-budget, "quasi-fictional reenacted documentary" called "Plastic Migration" was born.

To the surprise of even Meyer, the film -- an homage to lawn ornaments -- has piqued the interest of hundreds of actors, businesses, and others in the Newton community, who for one reason or another are drawn to this story about a quirky suburban rebel and have volunteered their services to help Meyer get his film made.

More than 200 actors from New England and New York have contacted Meyer, offering to act for free. The West Newton Cinema agreed to screen it, sight unseen. At least four businesses, including Whole Foods Market and Dunkin' Donuts, are donating meals and coffee to the actors and crew, who wrap up filming this week in Newton. Services have been donated by, among others, a piano mover, a dog trainer, a police officer who owns a snow-making machine, and a tree pruner who is lending his cherry picker to Meyer's (unpaid) cinematographer, also from NYU.

"The 'special thanks' will be longer than the film," said Meyer. "Every crazy idea I've come up with, everyone is going for it, mostly." […]

On the second day of Christmas…

My true love gave to me: 1,600 pairs of prosthetic Hobbit feet… and a huge boost to the New Zealand economy.

Perhaps in an attempt to atone for my geek sin of being the last person in North America to watch The Two Towers, we went to see Return of the King yesterday afternoon. Wow. Kick-ass. Words fail me. Yesterday's PvP cartoon pretty much summed it up. So, why are you still reading this? What are you waiting for? Go see it!

Plate of Shrimp

It's not exactly a holiday classic, but it is a classic nonetheless. A friend loaned us a copy of Repo Man because Chris hadn't ever seen it. It's been years since I've watched it (long enough that I forgot much of the "plot"), but it rapidly started coming back to me. My favorite quote: "It happens sometimes. People just explode. Natural causes."

Great soundtrack, too: Suicidal Tendencies, Black Flag, Burning Sensations... scary memories of high school. <shudder>

Lost in Translation

Went to The Strand last night to see Lost in Translation. Bill Murray is superb, as is Scarlett Johansson. This Onion A.V. Club review describes it well, but contains a few spoilers. I've stolen an excerpt (which doesn't reveal too much):

In a role that draws equally on Murray's remarkable turn as a depressed millionaire in Rushmore and his iconic career as one of America's most beloved comic actors, Murray stars as a Bill Murray-like superstar who travels to Japan to make a quick two million bucks endorsing a brand of whiskey. Alone in a luxury hotel, he finds a kindred spirit in Scarlett Johansson, a winsome, fiercely intelligent newlywed whose husband (Giovanni Ribisi) leaves for a business trip. United in their ennui, Murray and Johansson find solace in a relationship that defies easy categorization, hovering giddily and uneasily between friendship and romance. The disorienting culture of Tokyo plays a major role in Lost In Translation: It doesn't cause the leads' alienation, but its foreignness heightens it, giving those feelings a surreal quality as it tightens Murray and Johansson's ephemeral but strong connection to each other.

One of us. One of us.

What I've Been Doing While I'm "Unemployed" (Part 188 of an eleventy-seven part series): watching horror movies. Without question, October is my favorite month for movies. TCM and AMC dig through the vaults and air "classics" like Scream, Blacula, Scream and Piñata: Survival Island. (Yes, someone green-lighted a movie about a haunted piñata—the evil spirits are released when drunken co-eds smash open the piñata.) So, last night we watched Tod Browning's 1932 classic Freaks. Based on Tod Robbins's story, Spurs, (which I've never read), Freaks is a morality play. The scheming trapeze artist, Cleopatra, uses her beauty to manipulate the circus midget, Hans, who has fallen hopelessly in love with her. Cleopatra and her lover, the strongman Hercules, aim to steal Hans's fortune. She marries Hans and tries to poison him on their wedding night. Neither Cleopatra nor Hercules are particularly bright, or else they would have known better than to cross Hans and incur the wrath of his extended circus family. 70 years later, it's still a creepy, unsettling film.

Worst. URL. Ever.

When we went to see Kill Bill, we saw a preview for that new Russell Crowe movie. It looked moderately interesting, but not something I'm ready to rush right out and see. The other night, I was watching TV and happened to catch a commercial for the same movie. Lots of action footage of sailors, ships, waves, etc. Gripping. Finally, they cut to the "credits" for the film, and flash up the URL of the web site: www.masterandcommanderthefarsideoftheworld.com. Of course you could scarcely read it, since they had to use such a small font in order to have everything fit on the screen. Why such a stupid URL? (Especially when www.masterandcommander.com redirects to the same site?)

This is my boomstick!

A much-needed dose of Bruce Campbell is coming soon to Kendall Square Cinema: Bubba Ho-tep. Director/ co-writer Don Coscarelli sums it up thusly:

[…] Bubba Ho-tep, based on the short story by acclaimed cult-author Joe R. Lansdale. Bubba Ho-tep tells the "true" story of a seventy year-old "Elvis" (still alive after trading places with an Elvis impersonator years before his "death") who finds himself stuck in a rest home in East Texas. Elvis teams up with another elderly resident, played by the legendary Ossie Davis (who believes himself to be President John F. Kennedy, dyed black!), to challenge a soul-sucking Egyptian mummy which has targeted their long-term care facility as his happy hunting grounds. […]"

(I loved the closing sentence of his essay: "If you plan on seeing one Elvis vs. Mummy movie this year I hope that Bubba Ho-tep is it."). Tangentially related: I just read on bruce-campbell.com that Bruce is working on a new book— Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way.

Merry and Pippin ride big wood

As of last night, I am no longer the only person in North America who hasn't seen The Two Towers. At long last, we went to Sean's place and watched the DVD-- great stuff. My only complaint: the Legolas/ Aragorn shower scene must be included on the 4-Disc Platinum Series™ Special Extended DVD Edition (available November 18th), because I still haven't seen it. Bummer. I guess I'll have to console myself by reading The Secret Diary of Legolas.

If Samuel Peckinpah filmed "Crouching Tiger"

Went to see Kill Bill on Friday night. Hadn't paid much attention to the previews, but it seemed to be getting a good reception on Rotten Tomatoes (holding at 80%, right now). Plus, I'd enjoyed the clip that ran when Vivica Fox was a guest on The Daily Show and I was in the mood for violent escapist fantasy.

Fortunately, I'd read the headline from the Boston Globe's review: Sure it's gory, but Quentin Tarantino's `Kill Bill' is gripping pop art. It's bloody for a Tarantino film, which is saying something. But in some ways, it's actually less disturbing than Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction. It's completely over the top, with amazing fight choreography by Yuen Woo-Ping (of Matrix and Crouching Tiger fame). If you're a Tarantino fan, go see it. Go now.