If it wern't for the Internet, I'd watch a lot more movies...
Why the hell do I always watch the reality TV show Survivor?
Another season is over and another million dollars handed out and I still cannot figure out why the hell I like this show. Is it because of the excellent weight loss that occurs? Is it all the camping? Is it because I can make fire without matches? Is it all the breast augmentations? (fake breasts don't loose weight)
Maybe I want to be with Brenda on a desert Island and talk trash about other people!
I was longing for a Supersized helping of classic Bruce Bruce Campbell Cheese.
What I got was a bunch of bad fake beards. Bruce You have failed me...
--Two ours of my life I'll never get back.
This week was an interesting DVD run to BestBuy.
House on Haunted Hill - Classic Vincent Price
Little Shop of Horrors - The orginal with Jack Nicholson, not the musical!!
Donnie Darko - The Directors Cut!!
Shaun of the Dead - A Romantic Comedy with zombies!
Dawn of the Dead - another directors cut with zombies!!
--Good Stuff
This was based on a Stephen King story.
I saw it coming a mile away. I gotta say I was disappointed. I expected more. Even Johnny Depps performance was flat for him. The secondary characters were not fleshed out at all.
--Not recommended.
It did not die a natural death. It was murdered.
Moving it to Friday night killed it. You'd think the dumb-ass execs would have known better than try to go head to head with the SciFi Channels best Friday night lineup ever. Not ALL Star Trek fans have TiVo yet, dammit. (even though they should!)
Enterprise never managed to find it's stride. Never got the right balance between the arc episodes, character development, Trek mythos and new stuff.
It's been 4 years worth. Paramount will still make a mint in syndication and DVD sales.
--Let's hope the "Next Trek" Rocks.
A man awakens in a hospital not recalling the last two years as he begins to find out things from his past he discovers his ability to move from the year 2002 to the year 1999. By doing this he meets a link between the two time periods.
My TiVo recorded it for me and thought I might like it.
--Confusing and not quite good enough.
I always watch Ebert and Roeper every week on TiVo. I am usually very in tune with Roger Ebert. He loved Dark City when the entire rest of the world just couldn't get it. He even liked the new Assault on Precinct 13.
But why does he hate The Village?
--I am launching an investigation.
So I am watching the show on HBO called Carnival.
It is so haunting. So well filmed. And totally, completely and extremely whacked. I enjoy the show and the acting even though the plot is so thick and wicked. Clancy Brown, Mike Anderson, Adrienne Barbeau and Amy Madigan are all favs of mine.
--But I don't know how anyone could just start watching it now.
The Village - Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle - Doogie Houser gets work
The Professional - Leon gets pissed off
The Fifth Element - So good, yet so bad.
I have some serious special features lined up!!
--Who's comin to movie night?!
Don't ask me why but I can't stop watching the Dennis miller show. I can't help it. It's funny, he invites cool liberals to be on his show, the regular contributors are good, the Varsity panel is usually excellent and the special guests use the F-word!
--I do miss the monkey though...
LOS ANGELES - In 1987's "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors," Patricia Arquette played someone with psychic powers. Now, she'll do it on a weekly basis.
In "Medium," which premieres 10 p.m. EST Jan. 3 on NBC, Arquette plays Allison Dubois, a real-life Arizona woman known for her apparent ability to communicate with dead people. Married to an aerospace engineer and the mother of three, Dubois was studying law when she discovered her psychic abilities could provide research in solving murders and missing-person cases.
--Based on the pilot I will keep watching.
Carnivāle Season-Two Premiere Next week With "Los Moscos"
I love this series. It stars Nick Stahl, Clancy Brown, Michael J. Anderson, Adrien Barbeaux and Amy Madigan. It was created and written by Daniel Knauf and directed by Jeremy Podeswa.
HBO Premieres Sunday, Jan. 9, at 9 p.m. ET
Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman) is a torts lawyer taking on the gun lobby. Rankin Fitch (Gene Hackman) is the jury consultant for the Defendants and between them the battle is for the hearts and minds of the jury. But there is someone on the inside. Nicholas Easter (John Cusack) is a juror with a girlfriend, Marlee (Rachel Weisz), on the outside. they have a past ..... and their own agenda.
--Green Light! Good stuff. I always like Gene Hackman.
Follows the lives of eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in various loosely and interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London, England.
--I got this movie for BR for Christmas. I didn't hate watching it! It had some truely funny and touching moments.
Max has lived a mundane life as a cab driver for twelve years. The faces have come and gone from his rear-view mirror: people and places he's long since forgotten--until tonight. Vincent is a contract killer. When an off-shore narco-trafficking cartel learns that they're about to be indicted by a federal grand jury, they mount an operation to identify and kill the key witness, and the last stage is tonight. It is on this very night that Vincent has arrived--and five bodies are supposed to fall. Circumstances cause Vincent to hijack Max' taxicab, and Max becomes collateral--an expendable person who's in the wrong place at the wrong time. Through the night, Vincent forces Max to drive him to each assigned destination. And as the L.A.P.D. and F.B.I. race to intercept them, Max and Vincent's survival become dependent on each other, in ways neither would have imagined.
--It was way better than I expected. But whats with Toms hair?
Based on a more realistic portrayal of "Arthur" than has ever been presented onscreen. The film will focus on the history and politics of the period during which Arthur ruled -- when the Roman empire collapsed and skirmishes over power broke out in outlying countries -- as opposed to the mystical elements of the tale on which past Arthur films have focused.
--I should not have watched it right after Return of the King
One of my Christmas gifts this year was the extended edition of Return of the King. Not many movies bubble up into my top 10 best list ever. I Just finished watching the extended version and all the special features. Eight hours excellent entertainment. This is why I love DVDs, big screen home theater TVs and BOSE surround sound. Every piece of this movie rocked.
I still find it amazing that Peter Jackson pulled this off so perfectly. I can't believe they let him. Here was his resume at the time:
Dead Alive - directed by Peter Jackson (yes the LOTRs guy)
Lionel, a Mama's boy has the unwanted honor of having to look after his overbearingly evil mother. He ends up falling in love with a local woman who believes that they're destined together. In a moment of intentional sabotage of one of their dates, his mother is bitten by a mysterious creature that ends up zombifying her. It's only a matter of time before she rises from the dead a powerful, bloodthirsty zombie. It's only a matter of time before she starts infecting residents of the town and Lionel has to stop her...and them.
--When you have a zombie problem, go with the lawn mower...
The Good is Blondie, a wandering gunman with a strong personal sense of honor. The Bad is Angel Eyes, a sadistic hitman who always hits his mark. The Ugly is Tuco, a Mexican bandit who's always only looking out for himself. Against the backdrop of the Civil War, they search for a fortune in gold buried in a graveyard. Each knows only a portion of the gold's exact location, so for the moment they're dependent on each other. However, none are particularly inclined to share...
--One of my all time favorites Special Edition DVDs
Hero - Directed by Yimou Zhang
In ancient China, before the reign of the first emperor, warring factions throughout the Six Kingdoms plot to assassinate the most powerful ruler, Qin. When a minor official defeats Qin's three principal enemies, he is summoned to the palace to tell Qin the story of his surprising victory.
--Very Rashomon, I love this DVD
The Legend of Earthsea - The Sci-fi Channel
When I was a teenager I loved this series of books by Ur.sula K. Le Guin
When the young wizard Ged discovers that he possesses infinite magical powers, he seeks to master the ancient arts. As he journeys to manhood, he will combat dragons, fall in love, cross death's threshold, and ultimately wield the power to reunite a kingdom.
--Great Stuff. God I love TiVo!
Murder by Numbers - Sandra Bullock
'Murder By Numbers' is a psychological suspense-thriller that tells the story of a tenacious homicide detective, Cassie Mayweather (Sandra Bullock) and her new partner Sam Kennedy (Ben Chaplin) who become pitted against two malevolently brilliant young men (Ryan Gosling and Michael Pitt) in an ingenious battle of wits as they try to solve a murder case.
My opinion is changing of Bullock, she was great in this flick. The movie could have been better, but she was great.
Pavement - Robert Patrick, Lauren Holly
Samuel Browne is a tracker in Alaska. When his sister meets a grisly death in San Francisco, he goes there to hunt her killer. As more murders occur, Buckley Clarke, a police investigator, reluctantly joins forces with Sam. As they sort out clues - it's a slight person, perhaps a woman, who walks with a leg brace and rides the bus - they also find a mutual attraction. The brass are convinced this is a serial killer chosing victims at random, but Sam and Buckley discover a pattern involving health personnel who work in neonatal intensive care. Doctors aren't supposed to play god, but someone's decision years before has driven a killer over the brink. Can they find him?
This was a great flick. Lauren Holly is SOOOOOOOooooooo Hot! GREEN LIGHT
Changing Lanes - Ben Affleck, Samuel Jackson
An attorney (Ben Affleck) in a rush to make a court appointment to file legal papers involving a multi-million dollar trust accidentally collides with an alcoholic insurance salesman (Samuel Jackson), who also is a rush for a court appointment involving the custody of his children. Both end up on a roller coaster.
Ben Affleck couldn't stop me from liking this story of pride and redemption.
GREEN LIGHT
Mulholland Dr. - Directed by David Lynch, starring Naomi Watts, Laura Elena Harring
A bright-eyed young actress travels to Hollywood, only to be ensnared in a dark conspiracy involving a woman who was nearly murdered, and now has amnesia because of a car crash. Eventually, both women are pulled into a psychotic illusion involving a dangerous blue box, a director named Adam Kesher, and the mysterious night club Silencio.
It's deep film Noir. It's David Lynch. Nuff said. I liked it. It's whacked, but I liked it.
GREEN LIGHT
The Imposter - Gary Sinise , Madeleine Stowe
Originally a 30 minute portion for an anthology film, Impostor was retooled into a full length feature film. Based on the Philip K. Dick short story of the same name, it follows the lead character Spencer Olham's quest to regain his identity after being suspected as an alien android, in an future Earth at war with aliens that use the androids as bombs to destroy their enemies homeworlds.
I liked this movie but it had lots of problems. Way too many loose ends. I loves the way it depicted the near future technology. But... you can't show use a super weapon at the beginning of the movie and then not use it. I love the character development, but don't just toss out excellent characters we expect to see again.
I can see why this movie wasn't popular in the theater. It doesn't have a happy ending. It's painfully Noir (which I liked). It has some very graphic violence and torture scenes.
I still liked it.
GREEN LIGHT
Behind Enemy Lines - Owen Wilson, Gene Hackman
A Navy navigator is shot down over enemy territory and is ruthlessly pursued by a secret police enforcer and the opposing troops. Meanwhile his commanding officer goes against orders in an attempt to rescue him. Based on a true story.
This was a good flick. Very realistic and action packed. Owen Wilson painted a great character. Gene Hackman gave his usual reliable performance.
GREEN LIGHT
Curse of the Jade Scorpian - Woody Allen tries to gumshoe his way out of a wet paper bag...
An insurance investigator and an efficency expert who hate each other are both hypnotized by a crooked hypnotist with a jade scorpion into stealing jewels.
It looks like they rushed through this film, did it all in one take reading from cue-cards.
RED LIGHT.
Best in Show - Some pets deserve a little more respect than others.
A colorful array of characters competes at a national dog show. This was directed (and co-written) by Christopher Guest and he always cracks me up. This is comedy that tastes like This is Spinal Tap!
GREEN LIGHT!
Black Hawk Down - Leave No Man Behind
From The Director Of "Gladiator", Ridley Scott. This is a true story of a total CF when 123 elite U.S. soldiers drop into Somalia to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord and find themselves in a desperate battle with a large force of heavily-armed Somalis.
This is a brutal movie. Realistic to a fault, like Saving Private Ryan. Makes you wonder how shit like this can happen.
I liked it. But I can only watch it once...
GREEN LIGHT
"The medium is the message...".