This movie’s missing ingredient = A plot.
But Natalie Portman wears super cute outfits in it! So there’s that.
Category Archives: Flicks
Plane: Lions for Lambs
I can see why this tanked at the box office. It’s really a three-part movie. The part with Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep? Pretty much sucked. The part with Robert Redford and the snotty stupid boy in his office? Also pretty much sucked. The part with the two hotties who became soldiers? (This one and this one). Fucking rocked. But sadly they didn’t get that much screen time; certainly not enough to save this movie from the suck pond. p.s. Peter Berg was hot but had even less screen time than they did.
DVD: The Descent.
Well. I may never sleep through the night again. Completely mind-twistingly scary and freaky and gross and OH HOLY SHIT! NO NO NO! RUNNNNN!!! RUNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
Dad LOVED it. In his top five for last year. I am not quite as much a fan of the horror genre as he, although I do get just as scared (thanks for passing that one down the gene pool, pops). In fact, if you ever want to have a really good time laughing at other people, you should sit between the two of us at a horror film. And wear ear plugs.
Really well done. Strong performances from unknowns. Great great locations, well chosen. Totally creepy-ass filming. I’m getting shivers just thinking about it and it was over a week ago that I watched it. *SKEEVES*
DVD: Becoming Jane
While I know all the Austen fans are up in a flurry over this one, I thought it was charming and well done and really solid performances from both Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy. My heart broke right along with hers.
My Dad really liked it too. In fact his constant refrain has been “Years from now, nobody’s going to be rewatching Michael Clayton but this movie is still going to be fresh and enjoyable.” I have to agree.
DVD: Lucky You
Too bad 90% of the dialogue sounds like it comes straight out of “Gambling for Dummies”.
DadReaction: Leatherheads
I thought it was a lot of fun. I don’t generally like Renee Zellwegger but I thought she was really good. And I thought Clooney really did that screwball comedy stuff that they were trying for. It was really funny and they played off each other really well. John Krazinski was good as this kid who’s a nice guy and is in trouble really through no fault of his own, so you kind of feel sorry for him.
I thought it was cool, and it had this really nice golden light. You know, that world still existed when I was growing up; these old railroad stations with wooden seats and the college stadiums with red brick around them, none of the glitz and the domes. That older slower world. I enjoyed the whole setting.
Randy Newman wrote the music and it was a great score; got the tone just right.
I enjoyed every part of it and I came out expecting to see a bunch of great reviews. I was in complete shock when I read EW’s negative review. They called it slow, said it drags? And not funny? My jaw dropped.
Thumbs up from me!! [Dad, that is. No GirlReaction YET! But clearly it’s now on my list!!!]
Recommendation.
I didn’t even realize that Anthony Minghella was the director of one of my favorite guilty pleasure films and yes although I do love The English Patient (one of the rare combinations where I love both the film AND the movie) and yes I thought Matt Damon was great in The Talented Mr. Ripley but no that’s not what I’m talking about.
Mr. Wonderful. Rent it. It’s sweet and funny and Matt Dillon is completely irresistible in it and William Hurt is as icky as ever and it’s got New York City and bowling and big Italian family scenes and (sort of) karaoke and all kinds of good stuff. And I have already seen it oh 78.9 billion times. I’d happily watch it again tonight.
Best of February
I know the rest of you complain about it, but February is my favorite month, even when it’s one day longer than usual…
The best movie I saw in February was probably There Will Be Blood, but I actually liked Cloverfield better. And honestly, why is no one going to see it? Monsters! Mayhem! New York mashed up! So much to enjoy there.
The best book I read in February was The Good Soldier Svejk by Jaroslav Hasek, a rollicking tale of a misfit, fumbling soldier’s sojourns. But I did LOVE both the sci fi/fantasy books I read this month as well (here and here).
The best gig I went to in February was a tie between Jason Isbell and Griffin House, both of whom havewho has serious stage mojo and far more rockingness than you can hear on theirhis studio albums. Isbell was fiery and intense and rocking out; House was sassy and sarcastic and living it up. [I’m an idiot, Griffin House was in March! Doh!]
My favorite tunes in February were Bon Iver “For Emma, Forever Ago” (never found a copy of the 2007 release, could barely hold my breath waiting for this one and it was soooo worth it, absolutely gorgeous heartaching music); Missy Higgins “On a Clear Night” (husky and gorgeous); Nada Surf “Lucky” (awesome and rockin’ and leading off w/ my favorite single from last year); and Clare Bowditch & the Feeding Set “The Moon Looked On”. Also loving some previews of new tunes by the Counting Crows (featured on Fuel/Friends). Enjoying, but still getting to know, The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, new Mike Doughty “Golden Delicious” (“I wrote a song about your hips!” Yay! first heard in 06, finally on an album!). Bought a few others but haven’t listened enough to have an opinion — hopefully soon!
Random personal highlights: French movie night resurrected (and thanks for chili, Carla, and the Tarte Tatin, Jess!); long weekend in Vegas visiting Monica and Charlie (and Buddy and Ella!); annual milestone passed successfully; meeting Baby J for the first time (Curious George #1 recipient).
Lowlights? Not really a “lowlight” per se, but man I have been eating like crappyassola for at least a month. Gotta get back on track before my pants don’t fit! Not that I regret having sour cherry pie for breakfast and molten chocolate cake for lunch on the same day. Not at all!!
Best of January
The best movie I saw in January was Atonement, which was both really beautifully costumed and filmed AND the most faithful screen adaptation I think I’ve ever seen of a book. Lovely.
The best book I read in January was a tie between You Must Be This Happy to Enter, by Elizabeth Crane (short stories), who I’ve read and enjoyed before but this time I felt took the bar even higher, and Native Guard, by Natasha Trethewey (poetry), an xmas gift from my pops, really beautiful and entrancing poems about her personal history as well as civil war history.
The best gig I went to in January was Bon Iver. It was the only gig I went to in January but it was really, really good (and I’m going to see him again in April! And you know I only go see the same artist again that soon if I LOVED it).
My favorite tunes in January were Cat Power “Jukebox”, Matt Costa “Unfamiliar Faces” (quirky and fun!), and an old album Chris Bell “I Am the Cosmos”, which I picked up in San Fran. Bell (now deceased I believe) was in Big Star, who I started listening to last summer thanks to Rob Sheffield (yes I am a loser and didn’t know about that band back in the day). Also enjoying tunes from Zoey Deschanel and M.Ward (as “She & Him“), Crowded House offspring Liam Finn‘s debut I’ll Be Lightning, and another San Fran purchase Tracy Johnson (which to me is good old-fashioned female-vocaled pop music!).
Random personal highlights: Brunch in Chicago with Carrieoke and Cathy!!!; dinner with Cinnamon; rainy weekend in San Fran visiting Ms Silvia.
Lowlights? A month and a half later, I don’t remember any so they must not have been that bad!!Oh, I know! Four to six hour flight delays in both directions. Airports = hell on earth.
Big Screen: Be Kind, Rewind
Very funny, sweeter than it looks. Some nice friendship, small town, community stuff. Love the tie-in to the jazz stuff: the final movie they make is really great and such fun. The concept of “sweded” is awesome and really all I want to do now is run around with a videocamera making my own versions of everything. A Duff-sweded Matrix? Come on, that would be HILARIOUS. And it was nice to find that Mos Def really doesn’t have to talk in that crazy ass high voice he used in 16 Blocks. Not half as annoying as I thought it’d be. Pleasing, even.