What have you watched lately?

[anarky]

No joke, I've read it's one of the most despised movies in a long, long time. So I want to see it and expect it to be awesome.

[Rollo Tomassi]

I definitely wish I'd seen it in IMAX because of the action scenes. If they had more of that and less of the "story" it would've been a more epic film...

Also, as is my curse on most films, I figured out what happens from the scenes showed at Comic-Con and the trailers.

Speaking of such predictions, I predict Michelle Monaghan is the bomber in Source Code. If you've seen the trailers, you know what I mean.

[anarky]

My only prediction about Source Code is that it looks like a dumb movie, regardless of the positive reviews it's getting.

[Rollo Tomassi]

My only prediction about Source Code is that it looks like a dumb movie, regardless of the positive reviews it's getting.

My other prediction is that this movie came out a few years ago. 'twas called DejaVu and had a Denzel Washington type in the lead.

[Rollo Tomassi]

I rewatched Quantum of Solace and The Hurt Locker the other day.

It amazes me that when they finally get some momentum going with the 007 series, the fucking studio lawyers come in a grind everything to a halt. YOU FUCKING IDIOTS.

[anarky]

Just finished up The Last Unicorn. The first time I've seen it in at least 25 years.

Funny thing is, as a little kid, I took the ending as an allegory. As an adult, I realize the dialogue (which I apparently wasn't paying close attention to) makes it clear it's meant to be taken literally. I think it's a bit more poignant if all the other unicorns were dead.

[Rollo Tomassi]

Watched a few movies in the last couple days.

Secretariat. In relation to other films depicting real events, this one is kind of a snoozer. It's not by any means bad, but there are other films that can still make the ending compelling even if you know the ending. Apollo 13 is a good example of this. And there've been better horse movies (Seabiscuit). In hindsight, the best thing about this film was the trailer.

Love and Other Drugs. First off, lemme get this out of the way. CATWOMAN'S BOOBIES!!! YAYYY!! Anyway, not as wretched and sappy as I would've imagined. I found the Parkinson's plotpoint more intriguing than any of the meet cute or nekked stuff. Certainly not anything I would ever rewatch(except to scene select to the naked parts) but way better than the next film I watched that day...


The Tourist. Uck. A completely insipid plot twist at the end. What a waste of Paul Bettany and some other supporting actors. The movie had the pace of a leisurely bike ride. It's like everybody decided to get a paid vacation to Venice and shot a movie while they were there. The best part of the film was the director's name. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. That name is awesome. That guy should join vynsane if you know what I mean.

I've also been on a WWII kick lately and watched The Longest Day and A Bridge Too Far. The latter is a pretty great film from 1977 that tells the story of the disastrous Operation Market Garden. And the cast is truly epic. Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Gene Hackman, Robert Redford, Anthony Hopkins, Ryan O'Neal, James Caan, Laurence Olivier, Elliot Gould, Edward Fox, and a host of others. Think about that cast and the year 1977. I can't even imagine what the equivalent star power of 2011 would be. It'd be like the Ocean's 11 film, except having Will Smith, Bruce Willis, Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise, Gary Oldman, and Samuel Jackson in the movie too.

[anarky]

Inglourious Basterds: I'd say this is Tarantino's best flick. I was unaware of the twist, and, at the moment I realized there was no way one could attempt to reconcile this with history, I was happy. Seriously. Even if it's totally fictional, there's something immensely pleasing about watching someone unload several machine gun clips into the most evil asshole who ever lived. (If you're reading this, Caligula, I'm sorry. You were batshit insane due to some sort of illness, which isn't quite the same as evil.)

Dick Tracy: A re-watch, first time in ages. I never bought it because I've been hoping for something other than a barebones DVD. But I checked it out when I discovered Mrs A has never seen it. (She still hasn't, as she fell asleep.) Still as cool as it ever was: cheesy in just the right ways, perfectly overacted by a stellar cast (which seems to not make sense, but guys like Pacino know how to overact properly), and the awesome visuals. It'd be interesting to see what this might've looked like in the age of CG, where the limited color palette could've extended to the characters and backgrounds more. I consider it one of the most successful visual adaptations of a comic, and a direct ancestor of Sin City in that respect. The music is better than I recall; I remember Elfman's score well, and knew it was a masterpiece, but forgot how well the non-Elfman music worked. Even Madonna.

If they ever do a better DVD, a freaking guide to who everyone is would be helpful. Wouldn't hurt to maybe do a collector's edition and include a reprint of the 3-part comic prequel Disney released; I read it in the stores but never bought it, and recall it being one of the best comic prequels I've read. It set up a lot of the animosity between Lips and Big Boy.

Got Mongol, Ninja Assassin, and Persepolis on tap for the next few days. Also, I'm debating whether to rent Caligula, since the library has it. But I don't know when I'd be able to watch it; that's not one you want the kiddies wandering in on.

[Rollo Tomassi]

I heard Warren Beatty wants to give Dick Tracy another shot. I don't think he wants to play him, but he wants to produce an updated version. Maybe direct it.

[anarky]

Mongol: as good as Inglorious Basterds, perhaps even better, and almost as historically inaccurate. I just read it's the first of a planned trilogy, and can't wait for the next two.

[Rollo Tomassi]

I'm waiting for you to finish Ninja Assassin before I give my thoughts on it. My friend and I were invited to one of those test audience screenings eight months before it was released, and we gave copious notes about it. But I've never seen the finished product. I doubt there was too much difference though. Does Patton's 3rd Army still invade in the third act?

[anarky]

Should get to it tonight. I'll probably have to take Persepolis back without seeing it and check it out again sometime.

I figure the last Wachowski/Rain collaboration was FUCKING AWESOME!!!!

[anarky]

Persepolis: Not bad, a bit too artsy, though. It really seems like it would be a better comic book (which I haven't read, but have wanted to for a while).

The Bear: Ugh. I'd seen bits of this piece of shit years ago, and tried to talk Anarky Jr out of checking it out last time I was at the library. It's even worse than I remember. This must be the exception that proves the Universal Law of Bears, or maybe it's the dumping ground of all the sucktitude the bears take from anything else with their mere presence.

Picked up Thumbelina (ugh--crappy 1990s Don Bluth princess shit), some random Reading Rainbow DVD, Rashomon (again, and plan to actually get to it this time), There Will Be Blood, Ghost World, and Caligula. If they didn't have a self-serve kiosk they insist you use even though the place is literally crawling with employees and volunteers (who are so helpful in directing you to various kiosks to answer various questions), there's no way in hell I would've gotten that last one.

[Diabolical]

Persepolis: Not bad, a bit too artsy, though. It really seems like it would be a better comic book (which I haven't read, but have wanted to for a while).

I've got both the DVD and Complete Persepolis book. I liked the film and its artsy style, which I felt gave the film a uniqueness. This could have easily been turned into a typical animated flick. Haven't read the book yet (found it at a used book store for $3.50) but the film is the art of the book brought to life.

There Will Be Blood, Ghost World, and Caligula.

TWBB is yet another flick I've had for ages but still haven't seen.

I love Ghost World. Not a direct adaptation of the comic (which is awesome in its own right), but it still captures the overall tone of the comic, which is a good thing since Daniel Clowes wrote both the comic and script. Steve Buscemi is really good here, and call me crazy, but I think Thora Birch is way hotter than Scarlett Johansson in this flick.

As for Caligula, I see Netflix has it on Watch Instantly, but it appears to be the R-Rated version. Fuck that (or don't, as it were).

[Diabolical]

Oh, and I saw Your Highness last night. Pretty funny, and although I'm not the biggest Danny McBride fan, he was pretty good. Franco is good as (almost) always and Portman is crazy hot in it. And her thonged ass is worth the price of admission (even though you can see that sweet ass online for free).

Too bad the film only made like $10 million in a fairly disappointing weekend at the box office, which is a separate rant I'll save for tomorrow.