Displaying Category: Review

It's been a really long time since I've seen the original movie or TV show, so I can't really compare this new movie to any of that. On it's own, though, this movie was pretty good. It's only real problem is that it's trying to cover too many characters and too many stories at once. Because of the very limited time for each character/story, all of the dialog seemed too important. Every line seemed to have some serious weight to it since every character only has a fraction of the total screentime. The result of that is far too much weight and not enough character development. Of course, we're there to see great acting, singing, dancing, and playing, right? All that was great, as you would expect, but it felt more like taking a sip of a really great drink, it just leaves you wanting to gulp down more, but there isn't time. I really feel this would make a great TV drama where every character and story could get its rightful time on screen and I realize it's been done... I'm just saying that would do this sort of story a lot more justice than the hyper-abbreviated presentation we get in this movie.

4/5

A heartwarming tale of loss, love, survival, and zombies. It's also rich with pulsing veins of delectable awesomeness and hilarity. I really don't have anything bad to say about this movie other than how unfortunate it is that it's only 81 minutes long. Though, while watching it, that did feel pretty much like the perfect length, so it's even difficult to fault that. I think this is definitely going to be a must-have DVD.

4/5

You know, when I saw the trailers for this movie, I thought it must take place in 1984 or something. Look at the way they dress and the cars they're driving and the music... but no, it takes place in the present, it's just that they're in the remote town of Bodine, Texas. Well, and Austin too. The point is, the further you get from a mainstream metropolis, the further back in time you go.

Anyway, Whip It is a fantastic movie mostly about female empowerment and "coming of age" and parenting and also about something called "The Squeeler." No, I won't explain what The Squeeler is, you'll have to go see the movie. Unlike Ellen Page's character in Juno, Bliss is shy and quiet and awkward and stuck living her mother's dreams of winning beauty pageants and hating it. Then she discovers roller derby and the tough, loud, and outrageous women who skate the oval for fun and glory. That's pretty much what you get from the trailer and I don't plan on revealing any more. The writing is witty and funny and moving. The music fit so well I can't actually recall much of it (I think that's good). I laughed out loud several times and even cried a couple times. I really couldn't find anything overtly wrong about it, though throughout, I kept getting this nagging feeling like something was just the tiniest bit off, but I have no idea what that thing is... Regardless, it was great fun and had that great feel-good value to it. Definitely go see it.

5/5

You think things are bad now, in a world where we all communicate virtually through email and SMS and tweets... Now imagine a world where we all live virtually. Based on the complete lack of buzz surrounding this movie, I'm not sure anyone really expected much of it. Oh look, another Bruce Willis film, except now he's wearing a terrible hairpiece. Except this movie was really good. Not just for the slightly twisted murder mystery, but for the rather challenging questions it raises about what it means to be human. At some point, we all question who we are, but wouldn't that question get complicated if we could be anyone? You just pick out a surri with whatever features you like (male or female) and you go live your life virtually through a robot while you lie in a recliner back at home. Then when mom tells you to go out and play, you just get in your chair and have your surrogate go out and play for you.

These surrogates wipe out human imperfection. They all have perfect skin, perfect teeth, perfect hair (hence the hairpiece), perfect body shape and tone. And everyone has one. Everyone is perfect! It's perfect! But is that the human experience? Part of what makes us human, part of what makes our personalities are these physical imperfections. This scar factored into my life somewhere. This baldspot is part of me. Hiding all these things behind the synthetic skin of a robot disconnects us from these things that make us human. I hadn't thought about this till now, but it would also seem to indicate cosmetic surgery (the completely elective type) as the tiniest of baby steps toward this artificial world. That and maybe video games...

So yes, I really enjoyed this movie, mostly because it kept me thinking the whole way through, challenging so many ideas and presenting new ones. Also, it was a pretty fun ride.

4/5

So I thought, "You know, I like some of Regina's songs, and she definitely has a different texture to some of her music, I think I'd like to see one of her live shows." So I did. It was a good show. For most of the show, the instrumentation included: drums, violin, cello, and piano. Then there was a section in there where Regina went solo and played keyboard, or completely a Capella, or even one hand playing the piano, and one hand playing the seat of a chair with a drumstick. I was impressed. I only have one of her albums, so there was plenty there I didn't recognize, but I was also pleased to hear songs I like and recognize as well. I now feel like I have seen a Regina Spektor show.

The opening band, by the way, was Jupiter One and they were also quite good. Two guys on guitar, one on bass, one on drums. However, the two guys on the guitar would also play keyboards and/or violin and/or flute. And they would use those other instruments to generate loops they would layer. This now seems fairly common, but it's always fun to see a loop take shape. I had a tough time classifying the music exactly, though the style definitely sounded familiar and comfortable. I guess check some of their tracks on the website if you're curious.

A one hour dramedy based on the 1987 movie The Witches of Eastwick starring Jack Nicholson, Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Susan Sarandon. This time around, we've got Paul Gross in Nicholson's place as the Devil (I think it was). And the witches are played by Rebecca Romijn, Lindsey Price, and Jaime Ray Newman, all of whom I sincerely love watching, and not just because they're beautiful... I've seen them all in other shows and they are funny and just a pleasure to watch. The writing on the show is intelligent and even a little more colorful than I was expecting. My honest expectation is that this show won't last more than a few episodes, maybe six tops, which is a shame, because I really think it's got legs. Really really sexy legs.

Look for it on Wednesday nights on ABC.

Hey look, angsty, broken, vampires in high school played by 20-something actors. Sound familiar? So yes, it's like Twilight, only it doesn't turn my stomach to watch it. Of course, it's exactly what you expect it to be, but it's still watchable and at this point, I'm half-way through my second episode (I missed the pilot) and I want to see more. We'll see how this goes...

Find it Thursday nights on the CW.

A half-hour sitcom about a lawyer forced to return to college after being disbarred for faking his credentials. The lawyer is played by Joel McHale and the show is made entirely of funny. Like, How I Met Your Mother funny, or possibly funnier. I'm not really the sort to laugh out loud when watching something alone, but god, I just can't help it! I just like me some clever writing... It's on Thursdays on NBC at 21:30 and I highly recommend you check it out.

Basically, go watch director Shane Acker's original short film that the feature length movie 9 is based on. While the stories differ, you pretty much get the idea of what goes on in this world and it doesn't consume an hour and a half of your life. That isn't to say there is anything especially wrong with 9, it's an entertaining action movie, it's just not a thinking movie. There aren't any particularly challenging issues to consider, it's just a simple and fun ride. Really, the most interesting parts to me were the tiny flashbacks to the times of the humans and to see glimpses of how they brought about their own destruction. I know, dark, right?

3/5

A film about two people trying to communicate. Simple enough. Except Adam, the title character, has Asberger syndrome, and Beth, well, she's female, so it's all sorts of complicated. It's actually a pretty good movie full of funny and touching dialog. Plenty of emotional goodness and honesty that I really appreciate in a movie. I found it quite satisfying.

4/5