MOVIES THREAD

Guesstimated interval between theatrical release and DVD offering: 12 minutes.

 

Finally saw Tropic Thunder .... meh.

 

I thought all the actors in it were great -- I agree on Walker, who just nailed the Wolf, especially the scene in the studio where he cuts "Smokestack Lightning" -- but the movie was kind of a disjointed mess, and I hated the voiceover. Show, don't tell.

 

Saw Wendy and Lucy last night. I have no idea why this is on so many best of lists. It clocks in at 75 minutes but it seems like it's a four hour movie. Michelle Williams is all right as a homeless drifter, but I was expecting more.

 

I own it on VHS.

But they've FINALLY put it on DVDs.

Reifenstahl's Olympia.

Considering when it was made, the greatest sports movie, ever.

And the brilliant use of music is an added bonus.

If Netflix doesn't have it, I'm sure they will, shortly.

 

Careful examination of the blurb quotes featured in the TV spots for Valkyrie reveal mostly one-word blurbs, mostly from third-drawer reviewers.

The. Kiss. Of. Death.

 

Saw the trailer for this yesterday when I saw "Day the Earth Stood Still" (Review: Not as full of suckness as I thought it would be).

I've never seen the original Disney thing, but this one looks like a standard aliens thriller. In fact I was wondering why the hell they named it "Witch Mountain," which made it sound like a very different movie, but then again I'd forgotten the original.

 

A lot of my friends who are into Wes Anderson flicks talked down the Darjeeling Limited. Finally watched it the other day, and maybe it's because I had low expectations, but I really liked it quite a bit. Especially when they finally meet the mother, and you see that Francis does everything like she does to the letter. Something about Jason Schwartzman ... dunno, kid has some serious charisma. Loved him in Rushmore and I Heart Huckabees, and he was fantastic in Darjeeling, too.

 

I saw "4 Christmases" yesterday. It was OK. Same ol' Christmas with the families stuff. But it's been done a million times.

That's why I left the theater wondering, again, why there isn't the definitive, or more of, Hanukah movies. If Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn, from San Francisco, can make it to their 4 parents' homes in Arizona in a one-day dash of zany trips, imagine what Adam Sandler and (insert Jewish actress) could do with the 8 days theme. Jewish families are every bit as manic and crazy as Christian families during Christmas.

 

Movie Theater Voice: "Adam Sandler and Sarah Silverman star in "Unhappy Hanukkah" a tale of two lovers forced to spend eight crazy nights with their respective families!"

I'd watch it.

 

little one's watching Elf right now. great little flick. when she goes down, not sure what we're gonna go for ... might dust off some VHS tapes and get the old machine hooked up - kiss of death, maybe? pretty sure that's Christmas-y. not sure. already did willow and the godfather, so might as well continue the VHS theme.

 

I like it. And the spinning dreidel predicates everything they do for those 8 unhappy days. Of course, the final day it lands on gimmel, in which all becomes good again.