MOVIES THREAD

Yes, definitely ugh. But I liked Pineapple Express.

 

IJAG ... a friend of mine made a good point about Broken Flowers, that the movie was really much more about the journey than the outcome, so to speak. Put in that context, I liked it a lot more. I pretty much watch anything with Bill Murray in it any more, because he has such tremendous range as an actor.

 

Cosmo: I agree completely. Sure, in the end, you might not get the result you want...but you see his journey. Go find Ebert's review of it.

 

I really liked "Broken Flowers," but I usually like anything Bill Murray does.

 

I'm so confused ... two movie threads running around and I just don't know what to do.
just finished taken. bit of bourne but with a different dynamic. liam neeson does a great job with the part, though the film isn't exactly filled with great story telling or fresh ideas. just fun to watch.

 

I don't think Bill Murray has much range at all.

Steve Martin, he is not.

 

Really? I dunno Simon. I just think the Murray that was in Caddyshack and the Murray in Lost In Translation and Broken Flowers are completely different. Maybe because of who he is, he has an ability to add sort of a dry humor to most situations. Probably why I liked him so much in Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic.

 

Also, I had never seen the original Night of the Living Dead until the other night. I didn't expect to have two "holy shit!" moments in a 40-year-old movie. But I did.

 

Great flick. Stands up very well.


ALSO: For all you Springsteen fans: The Wrestler by the Boss won best song at the Globes tonight. Has Springsteen won an Oscar yet? Maybe for Streets of Philadelphia?

 

OK, I have three movies at home from Netflix:

1. Leatherheads. I added it long ago because of my love for Clooney. I'm well aware of how bad it's supposed to be.
2. The Visitor. "Widowed professor Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins, in an Oscar-nominated role) discovers an immigrant couple, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and Zainab (Danai Gurira), squatting in his Manhattan flat and becomes wrapped up in their lives when Tarek is thrown into a detention center. A wonderful Hiam Abbass co-stars as Tarek's mother, who forges an unlikely connection with Walter. Thomas McCarthy won a Best Director Independent Spirit Award for his touching drama."
3. Grace Is Gone. "Director James C. Strouse's indie drama stars John Cusack as Stanley Phillips, an ex-military man trying to find the courage to break some devastating news to his two daughters: Their mother has died while serving in Iraq. As he works through his complex feelings about his wife's death and the war, Stanley delays telling his girls the truth, instead taking them on an excursion to a theme park. The film won the Dramatic Audience Award at Sundance 2007."


Anyone want to weigh in?

 

I think I've made it well-known, the thing I have for chick-flicks, so I announce this without shame. Bought "The Family Stone" for $3 at the grocery store over the weekend. Hadn't seen it. Loved it.

Great cast (Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Rachel McAdams, Claire Danes, Luke Wilson, Dermot Mulroney -- only one downer, with my out-in-out hatred of Sarah Jessica Parker), sweet little flick.

 

IJAG, I liked The Visitor a lot. But I can never get a handle on your tastes, so I don't know if you'll feel the same.

I've kind of wanted to see Grace is Gone, but it seems so damned depressing.