July 5, 2005

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  Couch Potato Weekend

  
  

  We got off work early on Friday the 1st and I headed to Hollywood Video. I haven't bought any DVDs in a while, and they had one of their 3 for $25.00 "previously viewed" video sales. Even though I have promised myself not to make any needless purchases until I have paid down some of my credit card debt, I had at least two movie titles I wanted to get used. I hadn't yet completed my "Harry Potter" collection, and was itching for some more current titles. I spent about an hour and a half in the store, and  collected 6 new titles (listed at the end of this post) and rented three. Besides the three titles I already had delivered from Netflix, and the movies I wanted to see in a theater, I decided to do "nothing" except be a coutch potato all weekend, and stay home (or go out) and see movies. I did catch some fireworks from my backyard, but there was a cloud cover, so didn't see as much of a show as last year. I am glad the neighborhood kids don't have anymore fireworks to shoot off until at least New Year's.

  
  

  War of the Worlds 2005 I hate to admit that this was a "must see" film for me. I cringed when I heard Steven Spielberg was "remaking" one of my favorite films of all time. But knowing that Spielberg loves the original, I felt he would turn in at least an exciting retelling of the plot. I was a bit disappointed in his "story". The original movie, based on the H.G. Wells novel from the 19th century, has Gene Barry as a scientist enlisted to help in the "war". Spielberg dispenses with any attempt at "scientific explanation" and goes for the pure adreniline rush of a "let's run away" type actioner, where Tom Cruise, and son Justin Chatwin and daughter Dakota Fanning spend their time fleeing the alien menace. They aren't called "martians" at all in this movie. The special effects are first rate, as expected, but there isn't any real "movie" on which to hang them, and respected actors like Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, not to mention Cruise, are totally wasted. It's an adreniline rush, but nothing more, nor less. There is one scene in the 1953 version where Gene Barry's scientist is pulled out of his pickup filled with scientific paraphanelia by a crowd of crazed citizens. Even though the set is "backlot" and the scene looks as if it's in a movie, it is much more exciting and scary than a similar scene in the new film. I'm giving the new "War of the Worlds" a 6 of 10 on the Mikometer. I think it could have been a much better remake.  

  
  

  Land of the Dead 2005 George Romero "invented" the modern day "zombie" movie with "Night of the Living Dead" in 1968, a film that still has the power to shock an audience. His "Dead Trilogy" is a film studies course in zombie films. He turns it into a "quadrilogy" with "Land", which I liked immensely, even though it is not scary at all. A group of mercenaries goes out to outlying towns to scour for supplies, killing the dead as they go, and sometimes members of the squad are bitten, which of course means they too will turn into zombies. Rollicking good fun, directed by the master. George's "Dawn of the Dead" in 1978 is still the benchmark zombie film of all time, but George updates his story, and shows all the "modern" zombie directors that he's still king of the zombie hill with "Land". Neat to see Dennis Hopper as the villianous corporate type who runs the tower where the privileged humans stay now that zombies are running over most of the countryside. A 7 of 10 on the Mikometer.

  
  

  Bewitched 2005 Why did I see this film? Two reasons, well, three if you count the fact that I "sneaked" into the movie because I like to see more than one film for my eight bucks. They make me sit throught more ads at the movies than I do at home thanks to Tivo, so I try to get as many films into an afternoon as I can. I shudder to think of what I'd say if someone "caught" me, but they could have thrown me out of "Bewitched" and I wouldn't have minded. The two reasons are Nora Eprhon, who wrote and directed, and Nicole Kidman, who I see in everything she does, but after showing up in quality fare like "The Interpreter" she makes weird choices like "Bewitched". The less said about this "remimagining;" of a remake of the old television show, which probably isn't too popular these days, being a b&w series from over 30 years ago, the better. Nora is slumming. Nicole is wasted, (although I like her character here better than in "The Stepford Wives" remake or reimagining.) Will Ferrell can be likable, but not in this film. A 4 or 10.

  
  

  DeGrassi Junior High 1986-1991 One reason I love the Netfilx service is that I always have a bunch of televsion series queued up and this is one of my favorites from the 80s. In the states, we had "afterschool specials" in the 70s and "Saved by the Bell" in the 80s, but my favorite "teen school" series from the late 80s is the Canadian "DeGrassi Jr. High" and "Degrassi High", which followed the same set of characters through high school. I taped the series on VHS when it originally aired on PBS in the 80s, but I've been catching up with Wheels, Joey, Caitlin, Stephanie, Yik, Arthur, Spike, Snake, and the rest on DVD. I highly recommend this series as some of the best children's programming ever presented. The series deals with abortion, homosexuality, drugs, coming of age, sex, insecurity, and shies away from nothing in it's plethora of stories about preteens and teenagers dealing with life. Each half hour episode is shot and acted like a miniature movie. I am getting to know the "kids of DeGrassi" all over again. 8 of 10 on the Mikometer.

  
  

  Cursed 2005 Wes Craven ("The Hills Have Eyes" "Nightmare on Elm Street") is getting pretty prolific in his old age, and this cheaply shot programmer about teen angst and werewolves starring Christina Ricci is passable entertainment. (You'd think it was Hallowe'en instead of 4th of July with all the horror films I watched.) Wes has always made good horror fare, and this one is no less enjoyable, with some solid scares, and some great tongue in cheek acting from the principals. I don' t remember it even being in theaters, and I rented the "unrated" version. 7 of 10

  
  

  Hitch 2005 This is Will Smith's first "romantic comedy" and it has a light touch and is genuinely funny. This is one of those "committee films" like, say, "Bewitched", but this film seems like a standard "committee film" on the surface, but is actually more "real" and heartwarming than usual. Andy Tennant directed. He hasn't much under his belt, "Fools Rush In", and "Sweet Home Alabama" were directed by him, and there's nothing really standout about this film, but it is enjoyable, and while instantly forgettable, is a delightful showcase for Will's comedic talents. A 6 of 10 on the Mikometer.

  
  

  Shaun of the Dead 2004 This English zombie movie about a group of slackers "led" by Shaun (Simon Pegg) and directed by Edgar Wright, an English television director, is an homage to G.Romero, and also the funniest zombie movie ever made. Suffice it to say that the slacker life is almost indeterminitely zombie like to begin with, and the comparisons made are underplayed but hilarious to watch. I'd skipped renting this film on numerous occasions, but I really liked it. I might even say it was better than Romero's own "Land of the Dead." A biting premise pulled off rather well. 8 of 10

  
  

  Bambi 1942 I'd never seen this Disney masterpiece, and it finally came ot the top of my queue on Netflix. My favorite Disney "cartoon feature" has always been "Pinnochio", and Bambi was made the year after. The animation is at the top end of top notch. This movie was six years in the making, and there are excellent making of features on the disc. No matter what excitement computer animation has in store for us, as far as I'm concerned, watching excellent hand drawn animation from the Disney studios in the 40s is the best there is. Nobody did it better. The story is simple and wonderfully told. Bambi "the prince of the forest" is born, participates in a series of adventures, falls in love, and eventually sires his own twin fawns. The animal kingdom lives in harmony, and is always on the lookout for their shared enemy, "man". A fairly prescient and involving film from start to finish. The songs aren't as well known as in other Disney films, but the musical numbers are fantastic as well as the action and interaction of the memorable characters. A 9 of 10.

  
  

  Team America: World Police 2004 This "Jerry Bruckheimer film" with puppets, directed by Trey Wilson and Matt Stone of South Park fame, didn't do too well at the box office. It is absolutely the best puppet satire I've ever seen. Some of the language is a bit over the top. (The theme song is really biting) And it certainly was made to offend a lot of people, most notably "actors" which Trey and Matt seem to hate with a passion. I rented the "unrated" version which has the "complete" puppet sex scene that was a bone of contention among the ratings board when it was released. The scale of the sets and the way the movie is filmed is just delicious. It's exactly like a Bruckheimer of Michael Bay film only with puppets. I didn't really have a high want to see quotient for this film, but I must say that it surprised me, but it really shouldn't have. I think Matt and Trey have an excellent sense of humor, even if it is a bit gross at times, and they have outdone themselves with "Team America". An 8 of 10 on the Mikometer.

  
  

  Below are the titles I also purchased on Friday. All in all, I had an enjoyable weekend as a "couch potato" in my own easy chair, and at the multiplex. Before retiring last night, I fired up "Sideways" again.

  
  

  Perfect Blue 1997, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2004, Hotel Rwanda 2004, Sideways 2004, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events 2004, The Aviator 2004

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