the armload
What a mixed bag I have for you today.
-GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK
-A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
(both in theaters)
Easily two of the year's very best films. I can't say enough good about them. Clooney's Good Night is especially surprising in its simplistic, easy strength, humor and message, which applies so directly to our country right now that it's just eerie. These are both winners, and worth your time and money to see in first-run release.
-SERENITY
(in theaters)
Having never watched an episode of Firefly but having heard everyone gush over Fox's now defunct space western, I was naturally skeptical of whether Serenity would be any good or not. Well, surprise. Highly entertaining, very enjoyable, and dark enough in places to make George Lucas jealous. And not so much CG that you forget you're watching a story unfold.
-THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (remake)
-THE FOG (remake)
(DVD/in theaters, respectively)
One is vile, the other just dull. Neither were really necessary. Both are chock-full of those slam-in-your-face, loud-blast-of-music scares that have become the norm in most contemporary movies. Unfortunately, this is also one of the most annoying and unpleasant devices found in film today. Note to filmmakers: please stop.. You're giving us headaches.
-MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRAIN
(DVD)
Yikes. Wow, I never imagined something could be so ineptly written and filmed that even Bruce Campbell wouldn't be entertaining. Unfortunately this Z-grade horror-comedy was written and directed by Bruce Campbell. So poorly done that the people of Bulgaria should feel deep shame for allowing it to be made in their country.
-IT'S ALL GONE PETE TONG
(DVD)
Pseudo-documentary of a drugged-out DJ who loses his hearing and then tries to clean up his act and become a human being. The last 30 minutes are quite good, but the hour that precedes them is an unpleasant, cliche-ridden look at someone whose habit has gotten away from them, and we've seen this sort of thing a dozen times before in far better films. Ask and I'll recommend a few. If that's your kind of thing.
-MY SUMMER OF LOVE
(DVD)
My annoying, boring, stupid summer of teenage girls acting out. It's like a luridly bad version of Heavenly Creatures, or Thirteen without Holly Hunter but with British accents.
-THE BROWN BUNNY
(DVD)
A jarringly static film. It leaves me wondering about director Vincent Gallo's intentions, what he wanted to show or achieve with this very admirable but complete failure of a film. I'm just shaking my head. Rent Buffalo '66 instead.
-SCHULTZE GETS THE BLUES
(DVD)
Really delightful tale of a retired German man who plays polka accordion, and then one day discovers Zydeco music and travels to America. Very nice film. Check it out.
-DOOM
(in theaters)
Nobody's going to mistake this for Good Night, and Good Luck. But it is fun and gory and exciting and fun. If you like that sort of thing, run right out and soak your toes in the grue.
Enjoy!
-GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK
-A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
(both in theaters)
Easily two of the year's very best films. I can't say enough good about them. Clooney's Good Night is especially surprising in its simplistic, easy strength, humor and message, which applies so directly to our country right now that it's just eerie. These are both winners, and worth your time and money to see in first-run release.
-SERENITY
(in theaters)
Having never watched an episode of Firefly but having heard everyone gush over Fox's now defunct space western, I was naturally skeptical of whether Serenity would be any good or not. Well, surprise. Highly entertaining, very enjoyable, and dark enough in places to make George Lucas jealous. And not so much CG that you forget you're watching a story unfold.
-THE AMITYVILLE HORROR (remake)
-THE FOG (remake)
(DVD/in theaters, respectively)
One is vile, the other just dull. Neither were really necessary. Both are chock-full of those slam-in-your-face, loud-blast-of-music scares that have become the norm in most contemporary movies. Unfortunately, this is also one of the most annoying and unpleasant devices found in film today. Note to filmmakers: please stop.. You're giving us headaches.
-MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRAIN
(DVD)
Yikes. Wow, I never imagined something could be so ineptly written and filmed that even Bruce Campbell wouldn't be entertaining. Unfortunately this Z-grade horror-comedy was written and directed by Bruce Campbell. So poorly done that the people of Bulgaria should feel deep shame for allowing it to be made in their country.
-IT'S ALL GONE PETE TONG
(DVD)
Pseudo-documentary of a drugged-out DJ who loses his hearing and then tries to clean up his act and become a human being. The last 30 minutes are quite good, but the hour that precedes them is an unpleasant, cliche-ridden look at someone whose habit has gotten away from them, and we've seen this sort of thing a dozen times before in far better films. Ask and I'll recommend a few. If that's your kind of thing.
-MY SUMMER OF LOVE
(DVD)
My annoying, boring, stupid summer of teenage girls acting out. It's like a luridly bad version of Heavenly Creatures, or Thirteen without Holly Hunter but with British accents.
-THE BROWN BUNNY
(DVD)
A jarringly static film. It leaves me wondering about director Vincent Gallo's intentions, what he wanted to show or achieve with this very admirable but complete failure of a film. I'm just shaking my head. Rent Buffalo '66 instead.
-SCHULTZE GETS THE BLUES
(DVD)
Really delightful tale of a retired German man who plays polka accordion, and then one day discovers Zydeco music and travels to America. Very nice film. Check it out.
-DOOM
(in theaters)
Nobody's going to mistake this for Good Night, and Good Luck. But it is fun and gory and exciting and fun. If you like that sort of thing, run right out and soak your toes in the grue.
Enjoy!
posted by scn at 8:20 PM
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