Saturday, July 28, 2007

Seen in a house while working this week:

Not sure I see ANY need for a bidet when I have the option of showering should things get unnecessarily bad in the bathroom.

Movies watched over my "weekend" when I was trying to do nothing and get over this cold or whatever it is I have:

Flags of our Fathers - Better than expected. I guess with all the buzz and Oscar nods I should have expected a lot, but I've never been much into war films, especially when they're hard to follow and everyone looks alike. However, I found this film to be heartwarming and an interesting story about the famous Iwo Jima photograph that I'd never given a second thought to. Ryan Phillipe does a great job (as usual), and it was nice to see Canadian Adam Beach in a big film role, after he's done so much Canadian TV and film. I hear Letters From Iwo Jima is even better and I look forward to renting that soon.

Premonition - OK, I should have known what to expect after reading Mishy's review some time ago, and I seem to remember giving her crap for having watched it. But...I was sick...and feverish! And I'm a sucker for movies that play with time, and I like that guy from Nip/Tuck. I will say the movie wasn't half bad, but there was no real payoff for all the time tricks. This could have been a much better movie if it had had a much better ending. Why do I still find Sandra Bullock interesting enough to rent when she hasn't been in a decent movie since Speed? I do give her bonus points for doing that role in Speed. All in all, not bad if you're sick and half asleep.

Apocalypto - I admit, the reason I wanted to see this movie was so I could confirm that Mel Gibson has, in fact, lost his mind. I also admit I was surprised to find the movie rather enjoyable. It tells the story of Jaguar Paw, a young man living in a peaceful tribe in ancient Central America, who is captured and whisked away to the world of the new and mysterious Mayans. Driven by the power of his love for his wife and son, who he left behind in hiding, Jaguar Paw stuns his captors by escaping and outrunning them. Powerful love story, good against evil, blah blah. The thing is, I'm not sure I understand why this movie needed to be made. We've seen love stories of this caliber 1,000 times in other films. The only thing that makes this one unique is the time in which it takes place, and that it's done in yet another dead language necessitating sub-titles. Thank you Mel. I was unable to nap while watching this because I had to read! This film is like celery - there's nothing gained or lost by watching it.

Someone mentioned yesterday in the comments section that I should use Neil Diamond for the song of the day. I could swear to god I used him before, but Blogger says that is simply not so. "Sweet Caroline" was recorded by Diamond on his 1969 record the Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show. According to Wikipedia, the title song from the album was released and reached #22 on the charts. When Diamond recorded and released "Sweet Caroline" four months later and the song reached #4, it was added to the album and the record was renamed (after that song).

4 Comments:

Blogger Kings Fan said...

Flags of our Father was an awesome movie and I have Letters from Iwo Jima on my Netflix list. I also thought Premonition was pretty good, but not interested in Apocalypto (said in the way Ralph from K&B says it).

Love me the Neil Diamond and Sweet Caroline is one of my favorite. If we can make requests, how about Tony Orlando and Dawn?

10:53 AM  
Blogger Diane said...

I had Flags at home and never got around to watching it so sent it back unviewed.


If you like Bullock, check out Infamous. She is quite good as Nelle Harper Lee

Not interested in Apocalypto. If Mel made a movie I wanted to see, my dislike for him personally would likely prevent me paying to see his movie

11:48 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you for Neil! I love him. Not just cause my mom made me see him with her in the 80's either. So movie wise have you seen The Jazz Singer? Just saying if you're sick and such and it is better than those you've been watching. Flags was OK and so was letters, I just hate subtitles. Mel Gibson is truly insane- I love the South Park- the passion of the jew. BTW I am Jen (Fish) Bucher.
Sweet Caroline is great choice.

12:41 PM  
Blogger LA said...

So is that a bidet remote?

I, too, watched a bunch of movies this weekend, trying to overcome my cramps. (Cramps - 1, LA - 0).

I rewatched Waiting to Exhale and realized for the first time that (a teenaged) Donald Faison was in it.

I also watched Modern Romance. I enjoyed learning a more about the editing profession, even though it was an old school example. The other highlight of the film, for me at least, was the cameo by Meadowlark Lemon. Eons ago, he and my dad were friends, so I knew him when I was a child.

The last film I watched was Mad Hot Ballroom, a documentary of NYC elementary school students who complete in a city-wide ballroom dance competition. I smiled all the way through it. Delightful.

11:14 PM  

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