a few movies that i’ve recently seen:
28 Weeks Later: I was pretty much crawling out of my seat during the 2nd half. great genre piece !
Black Sheep: Not Peter Jackson, but very much in the same style as Bad Taste, Dead Alive, and his other early, indie films. Quite entertaining.
Hot Fuzz: One of the best shoot-out scenes of all time. It’s no Shaun of the Dead, but stands up on it’s own. Great follow-up film.
Hostel: now that’s f’d up.
Next: Yet another Philip K. Dick story turned into a movie. A guy can see two minutes into the future. But only two minutes into his future.
Forest Whitaker was great as the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
Initially, the film was very entertaining, until you realized exactly how bonkers Amin was. Then it started to get scary.
James McAvoy, playing Admin’s personal physician, came to this same realization throughout the film (based on the real Nicholas Garrigan), as well.
“Do you have monkeys in Scotland?
No we do not have monkeys in Scotland.
If we did, we would probably deep fry them.”
- from The Last King of Scotland
Of course, not in Arkansas. The closest place is Oklahoma City. I thought this would be a great way to welcome my birthday !
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In celebration of the upcoming Oscars, AMC Theatres will host an “AMC Best Picture Showcase” event Saturday, Feb. 24, at 78 select AMC theatres nationwide* (check local listings for availability and show times). The day-long event will showcase the five films nominated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for “Best Picture.” Guests are invited to attend the event through an exclusive offer of an AMC Best Picture Showcase All-Day Pass, which allows moviegoers to see all five films for one ticket, priced at $30. AMC Best Picture Showcase All-Day Pass holders will also receive a large popcorn and a large drink, with unlimited free refills on both concession items for the entire day.
The five films, Babel, The Departed, Letters from Iwo Jima, Little Miss Sunshine and The Queen, will play back-to-back throughout the day in one dedicated auditorium. Guests who purchase an All-Day Pass will also receive a keepsake lanyard with a hanging collectible pass, which features the five nominated films and allows guests to come and go as they please. The AMC Best Picture Showcase is valued at more than $55.
El Laberinto del Fauno aka Pan’s Labyrinth (imdb) was incredible. Take your favorite fairytales, and add this one to the list.
If you disregard the historical inaccuracies, Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto was a really good film.
the story was good, the set design, costumes, scenery, and cinematography was excellent.
but the film kept mixing up Aztec and Mayan cultures. I even heard some didgeradoo as part of the soundtrack.
even though the film’s details are sketchy, I still recommend a viewing.
find more info via it’s wikipedia entry or on imdb.
guy: [gives his girlfriend an engagement ring]
girl: you got that from a cracker jack box !
guy: yeah, but i had to eat 17 batches before i got the right one
great lines. too bad that was wasted on “texas chainsaw massacre: the beginning”
Idiocracy, the latest film by Mike Judge (Beavis & Butthead, Office Space)
Private Joe Bowers (Luke Wilson), the definition of “average American”, is selected by the Pentagon to be the guinea pig for a top-secret hibernation program. Forgotten, he awakes 500 years in the future. He discovers a society so incredibly dumbed-down that he’s easily the most intelligent person alive.
In many ways, this movie is a really good satire of the degradation of American culture, society, and the educational system. There’s no comparison to Office Space, however. The sharp wit of OS was replaced with some pretty lame humor, and less subtle jokes and references.
Ironically, Idiocracy seemed relatively dumbed-down for the audience. I’m not sure if this is a fault of Judge’s or the movie studio. Mike Judge’s cameo as Officer Collins was pretty entertaining though.
If you’re looking for an evening of comedy, I’d recommend watching Idiocracy.
We went to the movies last night and saw Stranger Than Fiction.
The cast was great. Will Ferrell playing a “straight” role, without his usual comedic asshattery. Emma Thompson was brilliant (as always). Dustin Hoffman played a great eccentric literature professor. Maggie Gyllenhaal was cute as ever. and let’s not forget Queen Latifah. I like it when she gets to play a real character.
Parts of the movie reminded me of “I Heart Huckabees” meets “Adaptation”. Quirky, and brilliant writing, with a cast that can make it work. Go see it.