I figure maybe updating my movie blog wouldn't be so time-intensive if I did it more than once every two months! Last entry was 21 days ago. Three weeks isn't too bad... Here goes!
"Easy A" (2010) - This movie was pretty fun to watch. With the curly red-head title character having high school problems, it reminded me of Mean Girls (2004). I enjoyed the references to the 1980's John Hughes movies and thought it was a cute homage to his work. Doesn't seem to have landed the same impact his movies did, but the movie's effort can't be faulted for that. I liked the wink at The Scarlet Letter novel and how the movie was no justification for the book. I find it hard to believe that a person so cute as the title character really had so many problems being noticed prior to the rumor. She was very cute and put together from the get-go and the only difference was she slutted up her appearance more. I found this to be a pretty fun movie and would watch it again.
"Nine to Five" (1980) - I will admit, I didn't watch this movie in its entirity, but I really enjoyed what I saw (the last hour?) and the statement it made about women in the workplace. The fact that at the end, the corporate boss was supportive of all the changes except equal pay, really speaks to the ridiculousness of women's injustices in the workplace. It doesn't hurt my battlecry that I just finished reading "Sex and Power" by Susan Estrich which highlights the disparging statistics of number of women in top corporate positions and the variance in their salaries from the men in equal or lower positions. As far as the film itself goes, it was fun to see these powerful ladies in these roles. Actually, it almost enforces stereotypes of women and how they choose to exert power and force because of the lengths they took to maintain civility when kidnapping their boss. But even so, that says much about the differences between men and women. Even when taking a victim, these women could be more civilized, although vulnerable. The end message though is that even though we have come so far, we still have a long ways to go and we need to work together to achieve it. This is the theme of Estrich's book, as well. Wow, a lot to say about a movie I didn't fully watch!! ;)
"Dark Habits"/"Entre Tinieblas" (1983) I am a big fan of Almodóvar and was thrilled to get a copy of his early movie, thanks to Facets. As a recovering Catholic, I'm okay with seeing religion mocked ;) And when you ask me if I want to watch a movie about a nightclub singer who goes into hiding in a convent of gay and/or drug-addicted nuns, I say, sure! Right away, you can tell no one is safe. Every character has his or her own secret, even the deceased nun that went to a missionary in Africa. The fact that the characters are so bizarre is underscored by the fact that they find themselves to be so normal. I mean, why shouldn't a nun harbor a pet tiger? The funny thing is that God didn't seem to be such a presence in their lives. It was in the lip-service aspect. That was the primary reason for being a nun, but they all found ways to cope with being there. It made the nightclub singer not so strange, really. And isn't that so Almodóvar to take the person that should be the outcast and make them 'normal'? Well, maybe it isn't typical of all his films, but he doesn't hold anything back. His goal is not to protect ego of the religious folk. The thing about these characters is that even though they were supposed to be so holy, they weren't but they weren't very abashed about it. I could appreciate the irreverance and I hope you can too! ;O)
"Napoleon Dynamite" (2004) - Can I just say I liked this movie before it received all the hype? It's always fun to watch a movie about bizarre characters because they help you free your mind and bit and not take yourself or everything else too seriously. And it has a bunch of ridiculous situations. What I like best is that it is supposed to take place in 2004-2005 school year in Ohio, but even the cool kids seem like they are stuck in the 80s. Ohio must really suck!! ;)
"Zoolander" (2001) - I do like Ben Stiller a lot and this movie is always fun to pop in. If you can't tell, I really like movies that don't take themselves too seriously.
"FernGully: The Last Rainforest" (1992) - I was thrilled to find a copy of this for $5 at Target and couldn't resist the chance to snatch up a movie from my childhood. In case you were wondering, Fern Gully IS the original Avatar, complete with tree spirits and creatures to fly on and destroying/saving the natural habitat. This one is more colorful though. Not just blue. ;0)
"Get Your Stuff" (2000) - This movie is a disgrace to the gay community if ever there was one (and I'm sure there's more than one). I was really disappointed with it. Not only did it seem like a film you were forced to watch because your friends made it, it relied heavily on stereotypes of gay life such as 'there's always a drag queen at a party' or 'you should beg your husband to come back to you even though he's cheating on you' and 'gay men always want to have sex, even if the door is open and there are kids in the house'. Not to mention the movie asked you to put aside issues of legality when it comes to foster children and a druggie mother who had her rights taken away but somehow manages to land herself in the gay mens' home so they can take care of her and her kids. And honestly, why the hell wouldn't they hide the liquor if there are troubled kids and women in the house?!?!? And if they are going to add the kids to the gym membership, why didn't they get them beds? This movie didn't sit well with me on many levels, obviously. I know the couple wanted 'a baby' but the fact that they apparently had no idea how to raise children and weren't ready to change their lifestyle made it absurd. And the social services lady wouldn't have done any of the shit she did. Gah, this movie. It could have been something great, but it was a terrible premise, terribly executed with terrible results. And terrible dialogue. but you should watch it! hahaha
"A Christmas Story" (1983) - T'would hardly be a Christmas without watching this flick. And I own it on VHS. :) This time I watched it with my rents. Mom reminisced about her childhood while Dad snoozed in and out (as usual). If you haven't watched it before, I'm ashamed you're reading this. No, I'm GLAD you're reading this. Isn't that the point of this blog? To get you into new movies? If you have some for me, leave a comment, please! Always need to broaden my horizons.
"Kiss Me Again" (2006) - Maybe not the typical Christmas movie, but it was available on Hulu. When I watched it, I was so very much reminded of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" (2008) which I just watched tonight and will be discussed in duality with "Kiss Me Again". VCB was 2008, so that threw off my idea of KMA copying VCB. But maybe Woody Allen saw KMA and decided he could do better. And yes, KMA definitely needed improvements. Similarites: artists, dark room, threesome, Spanish woman that are or look like Penelope Cruz (Mirelly Taylor bears a striking resemblance). Differences: KMA relied on visuals to titulate the audience while VCB allowed the threesome between the lovers to be of a cerebral delicacy based upon the theme that love is so hard to define (Cristina's premise of her 12 minute movie). KMA is closer to soft-core while VCB shows the beauty of love in its complexities. KMA shows how emotional people get when they aren't prepared for the results of feelings of a threesome but VCB doesn't show a threesome destroying the lives of the people in it; in fact in VCB it was the threesome that brought harmony to a tortured couple. Obviously I enjoyed VCB (I had seen it before, on the plane on the way to India) and purchased it. Watching KMA was an impulse and another example of a poorly done movie (see "Get Your Stuff"). There are some movies that just have it and others that don't. The element of narrator in VCB could be a little annoying, but at least for once, it wasn't Woody Allen's voice.! ;) In fact, it didn't completely scream Woody Allen, the movie and that was very nice. VCB was a very charming movie with beautiful people, beautiful views and an attractive soundtrack, to which I am listening right now!
And, it only took me just a bit over an hour to write about these 10 movies I watched in 21 days. Not too bad all around! :)
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Been a Long-A Time....
It really has been a while, so let's get down to business....
"Wristcutters: A Love Story" (2006) I have a dark sense of humor, so this movie was interesting. It's based on the idea for an afterlife for those who commit suicide. Worth a watch. Okay, I guess I can try to lure into it a little more. It has Shannyn Sossamon in it who starred opposite Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale. Fun snippet is that the frontman of Gogol Bordello is in the movie and so is his music. Pretty fun actually.
"Definitely, Maybe" (2008) Can you believe it was a guy who made me watch this movie? I had been avoiding it, but conceded if only to ogle Ryan Reynolds for a little bit. It's kinda predictable and tries to make a guessing game out of love, which is exactly what we do anyway, isn't it? 'Who should I end up with?' Not much for me to say on this movie as it was two months ago that I watched it. Gee, I should really update this blog more often. But then you wouldn't have so many movies to choose from.
"Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" (2010) Not a huge fan of video games or Jake Gyllenhaal but I will concede to enjoying this movie. There is something about movies set in the desert with beefy, sweaty men that I find appealing (also a fun of The Mummy series and The Scorpion King for this very reason. rawr!) I did enjoy this flick, not because it was amazing in any regards, but it was fun escapism. And b/c of the sweaty beefy guy, even if he wasn't a preference of mine. It was odd to see Ben Kingsley in that movie. Although know that I look at his profile, his roles are kind of all over the place. Gemma Arterton is easy on the eyes too, and I always like a movie where the female isn't completely helpless. :)
"Scrooged" (1988) I will always love this movie. It's one of the ones we taped off of tv.... I mean. Uh, scratch that. I love it because it's a very entertaining twist on the Scrooge idea. It's different and cheeky (kinda like me, I guess) so it's fun to watch. And we all know I love Bill Murray. :0)
"Ghostbusters II" (1989) Speaking of Bill Murray..... don't blame me. My host during that time span had these movies, which I enjoy, or anime, which I don't even try to understand. What's not to love about The Ghostbusters? I'd call them.
"Get Smart" (2008) I do so love a movie in which the female is clearly smarter than the male. Oh, and the Rock was in it. HOT. (see Prince of Persia note about Scorpion King and my obsession with beefy, sweaty guys. Hmm, is it a healthy or unhealthy obsession?) I really would like to see the original movie/tv show so that I can appreciate the humor. I'm sure the original release was a little more appropriate/timely b/c of the then-contemporary James Bond movies.
"Bolt" (2008) I'm pretty sure I enjoyed the movie while watching it and that it was funny, but I can't remember anything right now. Good flick for kids with some fun jokes. I think that's probably safe to say...
"Japón" (2002) I have NO idea why this movie is called 'Japan', when it has absolutely nothing to do with Japan. It's a Spanish movie, filmed in Argentina by a Mexican. After watching the movie and then watching parts of the director talking about it, it just seemed to be pretentious, or at least the director did. He seemed to really get off on the movie. I couldn't say the same. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't terribly wondeful either. You could tell it was cheaply made. Apparently, the director filmed it out of pocket. For me to criticize him and conclude that he is a self-important person with enough cash to pay people to go along with his projects, probably isn't fair as it looks like he's earned some awards with this and other work. But I wasn't completely blown away. Not saying every movie has to be extravagently made, but this was very slow and left me waiting and waiting. What I noticed from this and another movie "Los Muertos" (2004), another Argentinian-made movie, is that there is animal killing. In Japón, a bird, in Los Muertos, a rabbit. I guess PETA can't really regulate other countries, eh? I think that is something interesting though. I mean if you are showing people in rural areas in Argentina, yes they will kill animals for food and not think anything of it. It is what it is.
"Hocus Pocus" (1993) "Witches? There be no witches here, sir." "Just three old spinster ladies spending a quiet evening at home." "Sucking the lives out of little children!" It's been a long-standing joke that the Sanderson sisters are my sisters and myself. I happen to be the big dumb one that cans sniff out children. Ironic, b/c of my choice towards no child-bearing. lol I have to watch this movie every Halloween anymore, so whenever I can find friends or family to enjoy it with me, I'm quite happy. It just helps to ring in my favorite season. I would like to have a re-do actually of Halloween, since I was a little ill. :(
"50 Ways of Saying Fabulous" (2005) I was jonesing for some subtitles for a bit of this New Zealand feature. But other than that, I really enjoyed the storyline and the characterization. What I most appreciated in the film is that the parents and other adult figures didn't completely seem negative towards the young boy's homosexuality. The aunt let him dress up in girl's clothing, even. I liked the suggestion at adults that can protect children by supporting them. I liked this story a lot. It was a gay-friendly movie that wasn't based arond the club-life and I thought it was a sentimental look at the 70s and self-discovery.
"Let the Right One In" (2008) Låt den rätte komma in (original title) The Swedish predecessor to 2010's "Let Me In" which I still have yet to see. I thought this foreign original was a fantastic additon to the vampire genre because it is distinctly different to what has been produced before. It is a more realistic portrayal to what vampiricism (is that a word) would entail in the modern world. And yes I just talked about a vampire movie being realistic. It wasn't overly romanticized or glorified as we've seen in other films. And it had to be pointed out to me the subtlty of gender in the film.
"Girls Will Be Girls " (2003) This movie is probably the definition of camp. Men dressed as women, playing women. And lots of sexual jokes. I did enjoy this movie. I think the intention was to put you on edge with some of the racy-ness, but I enjoyed it. If you are one who enjoys gender-bender movies, you will enjoy this one.
"The Visitor" (2007) I thought this was a beautiful movie that highlighed music and our interconnectedness on this planet. It also gave a window into the deportations that occur to good people. I urge anyone who has a hang-up about 'illegals' to watch this movie and open their hearts. It's one planet, we just created the borders. And Richard Jenkins is a doppelganger for a theatre teacher I had in college....and, after I looked at his page, in another movie I will be discussing in this post.
"Father of the Bride" (1991) Got to watch this on the big screen with producer Howard Rosenman. This movie makes me think of my own father, only because I remember him watching this and other Steve Martin movies. (As well as Chevy Chase and maybe a couple other actors). It's a sentimental movie that really holds up over time. It's almost 20 years old and a remake of a Spencer Tracy movie. It's always fun to see different generations of comedians try on roles, especially when they execute it so well. I can't help but see how young the actress is. Maybe I'm just new-fashioned, but I think people should wait a bit longer than their 20s to tie the knot. But that's neither here nor there! ;)
"El Norte" (1983) Oh boy... I know I mentioned in my words about 'The Visitor' that people with strong views on immigration should watch that, but this movie is incredibly powerful. You never know what immigrants are up against when you close your mind and just shout that they shouldn't be here. You never know what situations they are trying to avoid by leaving their country and what situations they live through to try to find a better life. Not saying all immigrants are holy, sin-less people, but there needs to be more understanding towards their dignity and humanity. The movie is nearly 30 years old, but very relevant and moving.
"The Taste of Tea" (2004) Cha no aji (original title) This bizarre movie quickly won over the hearts of me and my family members, due in part to The Mountain Song. It also happens to be a movie of interconnectedness, however random. Soooo many stories happen in this film and it's bizarre to watch them unravel. It is one of my family's favorites now, and we often find ourselves asking each other: "Why are you a triangle?"
"Agnes and His Brothers" (2004) Agnes und seine Brüder (original title) Quite a bit darker than I expected. In fact, I expected something 'fabulous!' but those Germans never give you what you want ;) It's the stories of three brothers and their messed-up lives. It definitely has very little happiness to it and left me with a weird feeling after watching it. I don't regret watching it, I just regret watching it alone and so close to bedtime. I had to completely disconnect myself and try to forget I'd seen it. It's striking, to say the least.
"Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" (2010) Yes, I enjoyed it, and yes, I made an avatar of myself, even though I watched the movie only after it was out on DVD. I'm a little slow/preoccupied with lots of other stuff (as if you couldn't tell by how long it takes me to update). I enjoyed the format of the story as unique and entertaining. I do so like Jason Schwartzman as well. Fun times to be had with this movie. I like the colorfulness of the characters and even though I'm not a gamer, I was pleased with that aspect and could appreciate it. It was a playful romp, for sure :)
"And the Band Played On" (TV 1993) Woo-wee, if you want a heavy movie that teaches you important stuff, that would be this one. It chronicles multiple characters at the discovery and classification of AIDS. It shows what the scientific community had to go to erase the stigma of it as a 'gay disease' and invoke sympathy from the hetero community. Powerful and truthful movie.
"Nothing But Trouble" (1991) After watching this movie, you will view Demi Moore differently. Fun flick but bizarre. I could have sworn my father and I had seen this movie on tv once, but a few years ago when I bought the DVD and watched it with him, he couldn't remember it. John Candy (RIP) and Dan Akroyd must have had tons of fun with their costumes :) And Chevy Chase is not silver-haired in this movie which is surprising to look at after watching him on TV recently. :(
"The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela" (2008) After spending a lot of time watching the glitterific world of RuPaul on his tv shows, it really is something to see the reality of being transgendered in other countries. It's described as such on the trivia page: "The film is inspired by actual people and events - was originally supposed to be a documentary but was changed to a semi-fiction feature." So I'm currently confused to know if it was really about Raquela's life or just a made up story. The style is a little off-putting as the acting isn't stellar when it comes to re-enacted segments, but there's something okay in the style of the piece. I liked the introspection and humanity it brought to a segment of the world population that is often ignored.
"Burlesque" (2010) Someone described it as a bunch of music videos and I can definitely see that. Prior to seeing it, I assumed it would be like Moulin Rouge and Chicago. I'm happy that most of the songs were done as part of the burlesque act, except for a song from each Cher and Christina Aguilera. Both of those songs, although done for dramatic purpose in the storyline, took me out of the movie and it's theme. I didn't really care for that. I couldn't see any other actresses but Cher and Xtina playing those parts, and I think they did pretty well. It seems like those parts were written for just them. The storyline was pretty predictable. I for one am glad it wasn't a 'true musical' but all the songs took place on stage. I may have grown up in the theatre, but I can only take musicals under special circumstances. Ya hear? Watching this movie DID make me wanna go out and shake it on the dance floor. Probably a good thing I didn't. Would have scandalized the place! ;)
"Keeping It Real: The Adventures of Greg Walloch" (2001) I've never understood why we have to always call things 'adventures' when there is nothing spectacular going on. Case in point: The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. There is nothing adventurous about a family so wholesome as that. Anyway, for this particular movie, the alternate title 'Fuck the Disabled' is more catchy, don't you agree? Gives a glimpse into the life of a comedian who is gay and disabled (cerbral pasly). This flick has a LOT of cameos. I didn't even recognize Stephen Baldwin until I just checked out the imdb page. I thought this movie was interesting. Seems like some of Greg's stand-up routine is/was less comedy and more relation of his thoughts on life. That was okay/interesting too, don't get me wrong. I thought it was very interesting to hear him speak on how he views his life and his art.
Okay, so that took 3THREE HOURS to type all this up. I get an award of $5 for doing this (money put to my travel fund) and you hopefully now have a few movies you want to watch! (23 in 2 months? not toooo shabby for a busy gal!)
"Wristcutters: A Love Story" (2006) I have a dark sense of humor, so this movie was interesting. It's based on the idea for an afterlife for those who commit suicide. Worth a watch. Okay, I guess I can try to lure into it a little more. It has Shannyn Sossamon in it who starred opposite Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale. Fun snippet is that the frontman of Gogol Bordello is in the movie and so is his music. Pretty fun actually.
"Definitely, Maybe" (2008) Can you believe it was a guy who made me watch this movie? I had been avoiding it, but conceded if only to ogle Ryan Reynolds for a little bit. It's kinda predictable and tries to make a guessing game out of love, which is exactly what we do anyway, isn't it? 'Who should I end up with?' Not much for me to say on this movie as it was two months ago that I watched it. Gee, I should really update this blog more often. But then you wouldn't have so many movies to choose from.
"Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" (2010) Not a huge fan of video games or Jake Gyllenhaal but I will concede to enjoying this movie. There is something about movies set in the desert with beefy, sweaty men that I find appealing (also a fun of The Mummy series and The Scorpion King for this very reason. rawr!) I did enjoy this flick, not because it was amazing in any regards, but it was fun escapism. And b/c of the sweaty beefy guy, even if he wasn't a preference of mine. It was odd to see Ben Kingsley in that movie. Although know that I look at his profile, his roles are kind of all over the place. Gemma Arterton is easy on the eyes too, and I always like a movie where the female isn't completely helpless. :)
"Scrooged" (1988) I will always love this movie. It's one of the ones we taped off of tv.... I mean. Uh, scratch that. I love it because it's a very entertaining twist on the Scrooge idea. It's different and cheeky (kinda like me, I guess) so it's fun to watch. And we all know I love Bill Murray. :0)
"Ghostbusters II" (1989) Speaking of Bill Murray..... don't blame me. My host during that time span had these movies, which I enjoy, or anime, which I don't even try to understand. What's not to love about The Ghostbusters? I'd call them.
"Get Smart" (2008) I do so love a movie in which the female is clearly smarter than the male. Oh, and the Rock was in it. HOT. (see Prince of Persia note about Scorpion King and my obsession with beefy, sweaty guys. Hmm, is it a healthy or unhealthy obsession?) I really would like to see the original movie/tv show so that I can appreciate the humor. I'm sure the original release was a little more appropriate/timely b/c of the then-contemporary James Bond movies.
"Bolt" (2008) I'm pretty sure I enjoyed the movie while watching it and that it was funny, but I can't remember anything right now. Good flick for kids with some fun jokes. I think that's probably safe to say...
"Japón" (2002) I have NO idea why this movie is called 'Japan', when it has absolutely nothing to do with Japan. It's a Spanish movie, filmed in Argentina by a Mexican. After watching the movie and then watching parts of the director talking about it, it just seemed to be pretentious, or at least the director did. He seemed to really get off on the movie. I couldn't say the same. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't terribly wondeful either. You could tell it was cheaply made. Apparently, the director filmed it out of pocket. For me to criticize him and conclude that he is a self-important person with enough cash to pay people to go along with his projects, probably isn't fair as it looks like he's earned some awards with this and other work. But I wasn't completely blown away. Not saying every movie has to be extravagently made, but this was very slow and left me waiting and waiting. What I noticed from this and another movie "Los Muertos" (2004), another Argentinian-made movie, is that there is animal killing. In Japón, a bird, in Los Muertos, a rabbit. I guess PETA can't really regulate other countries, eh? I think that is something interesting though. I mean if you are showing people in rural areas in Argentina, yes they will kill animals for food and not think anything of it. It is what it is.
"Hocus Pocus" (1993) "Witches? There be no witches here, sir." "Just three old spinster ladies spending a quiet evening at home." "Sucking the lives out of little children!" It's been a long-standing joke that the Sanderson sisters are my sisters and myself. I happen to be the big dumb one that cans sniff out children. Ironic, b/c of my choice towards no child-bearing. lol I have to watch this movie every Halloween anymore, so whenever I can find friends or family to enjoy it with me, I'm quite happy. It just helps to ring in my favorite season. I would like to have a re-do actually of Halloween, since I was a little ill. :(
"50 Ways of Saying Fabulous" (2005) I was jonesing for some subtitles for a bit of this New Zealand feature. But other than that, I really enjoyed the storyline and the characterization. What I most appreciated in the film is that the parents and other adult figures didn't completely seem negative towards the young boy's homosexuality. The aunt let him dress up in girl's clothing, even. I liked the suggestion at adults that can protect children by supporting them. I liked this story a lot. It was a gay-friendly movie that wasn't based arond the club-life and I thought it was a sentimental look at the 70s and self-discovery.
"Let the Right One In" (2008) Låt den rätte komma in (original title) The Swedish predecessor to 2010's "Let Me In" which I still have yet to see. I thought this foreign original was a fantastic additon to the vampire genre because it is distinctly different to what has been produced before. It is a more realistic portrayal to what vampiricism (is that a word) would entail in the modern world. And yes I just talked about a vampire movie being realistic. It wasn't overly romanticized or glorified as we've seen in other films. And it had to be pointed out to me the subtlty of gender in the film.
"Girls Will Be Girls " (2003) This movie is probably the definition of camp. Men dressed as women, playing women. And lots of sexual jokes. I did enjoy this movie. I think the intention was to put you on edge with some of the racy-ness, but I enjoyed it. If you are one who enjoys gender-bender movies, you will enjoy this one.
"The Visitor" (2007) I thought this was a beautiful movie that highlighed music and our interconnectedness on this planet. It also gave a window into the deportations that occur to good people. I urge anyone who has a hang-up about 'illegals' to watch this movie and open their hearts. It's one planet, we just created the borders. And Richard Jenkins is a doppelganger for a theatre teacher I had in college....and, after I looked at his page, in another movie I will be discussing in this post.
"Father of the Bride" (1991) Got to watch this on the big screen with producer Howard Rosenman. This movie makes me think of my own father, only because I remember him watching this and other Steve Martin movies. (As well as Chevy Chase and maybe a couple other actors). It's a sentimental movie that really holds up over time. It's almost 20 years old and a remake of a Spencer Tracy movie. It's always fun to see different generations of comedians try on roles, especially when they execute it so well. I can't help but see how young the actress is. Maybe I'm just new-fashioned, but I think people should wait a bit longer than their 20s to tie the knot. But that's neither here nor there! ;)
"El Norte" (1983) Oh boy... I know I mentioned in my words about 'The Visitor' that people with strong views on immigration should watch that, but this movie is incredibly powerful. You never know what immigrants are up against when you close your mind and just shout that they shouldn't be here. You never know what situations they are trying to avoid by leaving their country and what situations they live through to try to find a better life. Not saying all immigrants are holy, sin-less people, but there needs to be more understanding towards their dignity and humanity. The movie is nearly 30 years old, but very relevant and moving.
"The Taste of Tea" (2004) Cha no aji (original title) This bizarre movie quickly won over the hearts of me and my family members, due in part to The Mountain Song. It also happens to be a movie of interconnectedness, however random. Soooo many stories happen in this film and it's bizarre to watch them unravel. It is one of my family's favorites now, and we often find ourselves asking each other: "Why are you a triangle?"
"Agnes and His Brothers" (2004) Agnes und seine Brüder (original title) Quite a bit darker than I expected. In fact, I expected something 'fabulous!' but those Germans never give you what you want ;) It's the stories of three brothers and their messed-up lives. It definitely has very little happiness to it and left me with a weird feeling after watching it. I don't regret watching it, I just regret watching it alone and so close to bedtime. I had to completely disconnect myself and try to forget I'd seen it. It's striking, to say the least.
"Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" (2010) Yes, I enjoyed it, and yes, I made an avatar of myself, even though I watched the movie only after it was out on DVD. I'm a little slow/preoccupied with lots of other stuff (as if you couldn't tell by how long it takes me to update). I enjoyed the format of the story as unique and entertaining. I do so like Jason Schwartzman as well. Fun times to be had with this movie. I like the colorfulness of the characters and even though I'm not a gamer, I was pleased with that aspect and could appreciate it. It was a playful romp, for sure :)
"And the Band Played On" (TV 1993) Woo-wee, if you want a heavy movie that teaches you important stuff, that would be this one. It chronicles multiple characters at the discovery and classification of AIDS. It shows what the scientific community had to go to erase the stigma of it as a 'gay disease' and invoke sympathy from the hetero community. Powerful and truthful movie.
"Nothing But Trouble" (1991) After watching this movie, you will view Demi Moore differently. Fun flick but bizarre. I could have sworn my father and I had seen this movie on tv once, but a few years ago when I bought the DVD and watched it with him, he couldn't remember it. John Candy (RIP) and Dan Akroyd must have had tons of fun with their costumes :) And Chevy Chase is not silver-haired in this movie which is surprising to look at after watching him on TV recently. :(
"The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela" (2008) After spending a lot of time watching the glitterific world of RuPaul on his tv shows, it really is something to see the reality of being transgendered in other countries. It's described as such on the trivia page: "The film is inspired by actual people and events - was originally supposed to be a documentary but was changed to a semi-fiction feature." So I'm currently confused to know if it was really about Raquela's life or just a made up story. The style is a little off-putting as the acting isn't stellar when it comes to re-enacted segments, but there's something okay in the style of the piece. I liked the introspection and humanity it brought to a segment of the world population that is often ignored.
"Burlesque" (2010) Someone described it as a bunch of music videos and I can definitely see that. Prior to seeing it, I assumed it would be like Moulin Rouge and Chicago. I'm happy that most of the songs were done as part of the burlesque act, except for a song from each Cher and Christina Aguilera. Both of those songs, although done for dramatic purpose in the storyline, took me out of the movie and it's theme. I didn't really care for that. I couldn't see any other actresses but Cher and Xtina playing those parts, and I think they did pretty well. It seems like those parts were written for just them. The storyline was pretty predictable. I for one am glad it wasn't a 'true musical' but all the songs took place on stage. I may have grown up in the theatre, but I can only take musicals under special circumstances. Ya hear? Watching this movie DID make me wanna go out and shake it on the dance floor. Probably a good thing I didn't. Would have scandalized the place! ;)
"Keeping It Real: The Adventures of Greg Walloch" (2001) I've never understood why we have to always call things 'adventures' when there is nothing spectacular going on. Case in point: The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. There is nothing adventurous about a family so wholesome as that. Anyway, for this particular movie, the alternate title 'Fuck the Disabled' is more catchy, don't you agree? Gives a glimpse into the life of a comedian who is gay and disabled (cerbral pasly). This flick has a LOT of cameos. I didn't even recognize Stephen Baldwin until I just checked out the imdb page. I thought this movie was interesting. Seems like some of Greg's stand-up routine is/was less comedy and more relation of his thoughts on life. That was okay/interesting too, don't get me wrong. I thought it was very interesting to hear him speak on how he views his life and his art.
Okay, so that took 3THREE HOURS to type all this up. I get an award of $5 for doing this (money put to my travel fund) and you hopefully now have a few movies you want to watch! (23 in 2 months? not toooo shabby for a busy gal!)
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