an ok movie, a great dvd

i was trying to figure out what to get my brother-in-law for christmas. my sister said 'oh, just get him a movie.' 'ok, which one?' i asked. 'i dont know, whatever.' gee, that helps alot, thanks. yesterday i went to the movie shop to find one he might like. he has a normal guy taste in movies- he likes dumb comedy and cool action. (and really, who doesnt?) so i was trying to think of a movie he might like that he doesnt already have. as i was walking around i remembered one that i actually kinda liked: cellular. its not the best movie ever, but it sure is fun! the plot is basic and regularly leaves the realm of logic, but over all, its a fun movie to watch. and it does have a pretty great cast: kim basinger, william h macey, and my favorite- jason statham. in fact, one of the best parts of this dvd are the extras, actually. there are a few documentaries on the disk. but, the thing is, the documentaries are just about the movie. they are a whole lot more interesting than that. the documentaries are about deeper social and cultural issues like 'how has cellular technology changed us as a society?' or 'is this new form of communication through phones and text messaging changing our culture for better or worse?' you know, real thought provoking documentaries.
anyway, i guess i was reminded of how good of a dvd it really is. even if you dont like the movie, i would recommend renting the dvd (i bet thats a first for ya, huh?)
ps. if you know my brother-in-law, dont tell him what im giving him for christmas please...

going to the theater

i really have got to start going to more movies. i have such a strong interest and passion for movies, yet i really dont actually see that many. i havent been to the theater in a long time. the last movie i saw in the theater was 'saw 2' (ill have to devote a whole post to what a rancid pile of feces that one was...) there are a ton of movies out now that i would really like to see, i just for one reason or another dont end up going to see them. and to be honest, i dont very often catch them on dvd either. well, ive got some vacation time coming up, so i hope to go and see all of these soon. the following is a list of movies still in the theater that are on my list of movies i really want to see: (in no particular order)
1. chronicles of narnia
2. king kong
3. walk the line
4. syriana
5. good night, and good luck
6. harry potter 4
7. munich
8. polar express imax

extreme days

there are a whole lot of christian movies out there. in fact there is a growing sub-sub-subculture of them around these days. most of them suck. hard. have you ever seen 'left behind'? if not, you are lucky. what about 'the omega code'? even worse. in fact, just about any movie made from this subculture is crap. they always have bad actors (or ok actors who are many years past their prime), really bad production quality, bad music, and if it has any sort of special effect- forget about it.
this stereotype is always true. almost. 'extreme days' is the only exception i have ever seen. sure, its not great, its not something that would win any major awards or any amazing accolades. but it is good. the story is about a group of friends who head out on a road trip around the country. they have some strange adventures and participate in a whole lot of extreme sports. there is some great music and some decent acting. and actually- its quite funny. the plot is thin, but the humor and fun spirit of the movie more than makes up for it. if you have the time, pick it up (actually, it would probably be really hard to find, so, nevermind...)

guarenteed box office sucess

i was rooting around some old stuff and i found some stuff i have not looked at in far too long. among my old stuff was this list. its a humorous list of the 'rules of the box office'. it was created by a guy named preston sturges. he was a pioneer of the the filmed comedy- one of the first. he was certainly ahead of his time and is considered by many to be a legend in the field. this is his funny list of how to make a successful film:

Preston Sturges' Rules Of The Box Office
1. A pretty girl is better than an ugly one.
2. A leg is better than an arm.
3. A bedroom is better than a living room.
4. An arrival is better than a departure.
5. A birth is better than a death.
6. A chase is better than a chat.
7. A dog is better than a landscape.
8. A kitten is better than a dog.
9. A baby is better than a kitten.
10. A kiss is better than a baby.
11. A pratfall is better than anything.

i think i should start creating my own list...

lunch time movies

lately in class we have been watching movies during lunch. partly because the kids really want to watch movies, and partly because it gets them to sit still and be quite... well, at least a little. it has allowed me to rewatch some of the kids movies i havent seen in a while.

robots- i know a lot of people thought this one was total crap when it came out, but i actually enjoyed it alot. the story is simple, but i felt it was creative enough that i could see past the thin plot. the mechanical inventiveness of the city is worth watching it for at least once. my only problem with the movie is the crazy domino scene with the head inventor guy. it has no relevance to the story and totally takes you out of the experience.

lilo and stitch- i had only seen this one once. its not the traditional disney animated film at all. it takes all the standards- talking sidekicks, crazy musical numbers, the cheesy romance, etc- and throws them out. instead it is actually quite subversive. the little creature and the main character are always doing bad things and getting into trouble. the movie doesnt apologize for their behavior at all. not exactly the cookie-cutter disney movie, and it is rather good because of it.

the lion king- all those standards that were missing from lilo and stitch are in full force on this one. but the thing is, i dont mind. cliches become cliches because there is some truth to them. lion king takes these cliches and actually reivigorates them with new life. they may be cliche, but they are done so perfectly here that you dont even notice it because you actually care about the characters. and what an awesome soundtrack!

the longest yard

ive never seen the original film, but this one kind of sucked. it just felt like a lot of missed opportunity. the story is good, they just went the wrong direction with it. well, you have to figure, chris rock is in it so the only joke that will be played will be race related. ugh. and of course they use the tired cliches: the team sucks until they get black guys to join, 'basketballa wont be respecin til da white boy acts gangsta', the fat guy is constantly hungry, anything to do with the gay chearleaders, etc.
a much better version of the movie, i am surprised to admit, is the british remake that came out a few years ago called 'mean machine'. its got vinnie jones, and my favorite: jason statham. its a ton better and its got that crazy british humor. check it out!

movie catch-up

i was sick this weekend, so i got to do alot of movie watchin'. so, here is a quick rundown of what i wasted my time doing:

a series of unfortunate events- i started watching it, and then i actually stopped it after about 20 minutes in. i have read the first book in the series and i knew the movie was based on the first three books. i didnt turn it off because i didnt like it, rather, i turned it off because i was reminded that i actually did like the book. so i decided to stop the movie and rerent it after i read the other books. (all my rentals were from the library, so if i dont watch them, it doesnt matter bacouse its free anyway!) so, i guess ill have to postpone judgement on this one...

lords of dogtown- the beginning was interesting and held my attention, but i got bored quickly and actually fell asleep about an hour in. i didnt really feel compelled to go back and finish it. but i must say, the cameo by mitch hedberg was pure genius!!!

For love of the game- i really dont like baseball that much, but i totally love a kevin costner baseball movie! i must admit, actually, i love almost all costner movies- even waterworld and postman. the structure of this movie is actually quite well done. its the pitcher's last game of his career and also the night his wife walked out on him. the relationship unfolds in flashbacks as the game gets more and more intense. the pacing was really good, at the movie progresses the story pulls you in and you find yourself caring more and more about the game and his relationship with his wife. it is quite excellent.

Passion of the christ- i havent actually seen this one since it was in theaters a couple years ago. i was very impressed with it when i saw it the first time. the catholic symbolism almost takes you out of the experience. almost. for a new experience, i decided to watch it without the subtitles. i actually really enjoyed it without having any idea what they are saying. it amps up the emotions of the film, all you can rely on is the acting and expressions to understand what is going on.

steping into liquid- directv had a free preview of shotime this weekend. they really didnt have anything good on, but i gave this documentary a try after a recommendation from a friend. its about the world of surfing. it was fascinating. i didnt know that much about surfing so it was quite interesting. the best part was when a few of the guys decide to go in the middle of the ocean and try to catch the biggest wave they can. one of the guys actually caught a wave over 65 feet tall! the thing about this type of movie is that i always wonder how they can possibly get some of those amazing camera shots they get?!?