Some Movies
United 93 - like Bryan i found this movie to be excellent. totally gripping. totally appropriate in my opinion. didn't try to make the event into a grandiose heroic thing - just felt really real and horrifying.
Slackers (not the Richard Linklater one) - Jason Schwartzman is hilarious and charismatic as "Cool Ethan" in this college comedy. the problem is he's the guy we're supposed to be rooting against. The lead character who is the one we're supposed to want to get the girl is completely unlikeable and not in a good way. Just an issue of miscasting I think. Still had some pretty funny parts in it. Many good lines from Schartzman.
The Sentinel - Kind of blah. It was good for a rental.
Tremors III - Just what I expected - almost. It had horrible FX, bad writing, stupid plot, and some pretty campy moments. The problem with this one is that they dangle Michael Gross' gun-toted fanatic in front of you at the beginning showing you his weaponry and huge cement re-inforced compound but they don't really utilize it. He doesn't even shoot a gun after the first five minutes of the movie. That was disappointing.
Funny Ha Ha - First independent feature from writer/director/editor Andrew Bujalski. His stuff has been compared to Cassevettes and Mike Leigh's. He just finished another one called, "Mutual Appreciation." The budget for "Funny Ha Ha" was next to nothing. It's shot on 16mm and all the actors are non-pro and non-paid as well as crew. Bujalski himself plays a hilarious supporting character named Mitchell. While watching the movie I was alternating between bored and fascinated. It's like a Woody Allen with less plot and less jokes. But even in its boring moments its kind of fascinating in the way it feels so real. If you like naturalism then this movie is for you.
Freeks and Geeks - Finally started watching this series. And so far it's living up to the hype. The writing is just great. I find myself asking, "how could a show like this only last one season when Malcom in the Middle has lasted like 7 or 8 or whatever." Not that Malcom in the Middle is a horrible show but it's just not anywhere near as good as Freeks and Geeks. Airing after The Simpsons helped Malcom quite a bit I'm sure.
Slackers (not the Richard Linklater one) - Jason Schwartzman is hilarious and charismatic as "Cool Ethan" in this college comedy. the problem is he's the guy we're supposed to be rooting against. The lead character who is the one we're supposed to want to get the girl is completely unlikeable and not in a good way. Just an issue of miscasting I think. Still had some pretty funny parts in it. Many good lines from Schartzman.
The Sentinel - Kind of blah. It was good for a rental.
Tremors III - Just what I expected - almost. It had horrible FX, bad writing, stupid plot, and some pretty campy moments. The problem with this one is that they dangle Michael Gross' gun-toted fanatic in front of you at the beginning showing you his weaponry and huge cement re-inforced compound but they don't really utilize it. He doesn't even shoot a gun after the first five minutes of the movie. That was disappointing.
Funny Ha Ha - First independent feature from writer/director/editor Andrew Bujalski. His stuff has been compared to Cassevettes and Mike Leigh's. He just finished another one called, "Mutual Appreciation." The budget for "Funny Ha Ha" was next to nothing. It's shot on 16mm and all the actors are non-pro and non-paid as well as crew. Bujalski himself plays a hilarious supporting character named Mitchell. While watching the movie I was alternating between bored and fascinated. It's like a Woody Allen with less plot and less jokes. But even in its boring moments its kind of fascinating in the way it feels so real. If you like naturalism then this movie is for you.
Freeks and Geeks - Finally started watching this series. And so far it's living up to the hype. The writing is just great. I find myself asking, "how could a show like this only last one season when Malcom in the Middle has lasted like 7 or 8 or whatever." Not that Malcom in the Middle is a horrible show but it's just not anywhere near as good as Freeks and Geeks. Airing after The Simpsons helped Malcom quite a bit I'm sure.
posted by Jordan at 3:54 PM
5 Comments:
My favorite line from the Freeks and Geeks second episode is when The Groucho hugs the mom and says, "If we were any closer I'd be behind you." Then Joe Flaherty looks disturbed and says, "Hey, knock that off."
I think United 93 will be best picture. I remember when Bryan first reveiwed it he said the same thing. At first I was a little shocked by this. Then I saw the movie and I think that it deserves to win. I guess my early expectation of it were more along the lines of what it would have been like had Michael Bay directed it. But Paul Greengrass did an excellent job. It was not pretentious, it didn't take sides, it just should the events. And, being in aviation myself, I loved all the Air Traffic Control stuff. It was perfectly done.
Freeks and Geeks: HARRIS! He is the kid that is also in Royal Tenenbaums that Bill Murray is studying. He is perfect!
joanna and i laughed at the same groucho moment. that kid is hilarious. also joanna told me about the deleted scenes from the episode where Sam and his friends watch the porno. she said that while watching Sam was saying things like, "Sick, she doesn't even know that guy." and stuff like that and that Bill kept throwing lines out like, "Hey that dog should be on a leash." and "Where'd that hampster come from?"
the other actors couldn't stop laughing because of the stuff he was adding in there.
Harris is hilarious - i didn't realize that that was dudley. he's brilliant.
i think that so far united 93 definitely deserves at least a nomination and possibly a win for best picture. having said that we're just rounding the corner into the releases of all the heavyweight contenders. it should be interesting.
I'm surprised Harris hasn't been in more movies. Maybe he'll be in Wes Anderson's next one.
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