Stagg is going to use a 12 point antler for his rating...on a scale of 1-12. Twelve being the best. I am going to use fallen gods, or archons...on a scale of 1-10. Ten being the best.
Sometimes just flicking the channel you come across a gem. Something New caught my eye when it was released but I forgot about the trailers. I have a little trick on how to get Stagg to watch some shows with me. If I can convince him that there is racial or soocial politics involved he is IN! Last year, Survivor divided tribes into skin color...answering to critics that not enough minorities were represented or given a chance in the game. (of course it turns out that even on Survivor people can learn that there is no such thing as "race") I interested Stagg in checking out Survivor last year because of the politics promised...he landed up watching the whole season for the first time. So...when I saw this chick flick on HBO...I suggested Stagg might be interested because the plot involved inter-racial dating. Something New is an awesome movie, written by Kriss Turner (Everybody Hates Chris, The Bernie Mac Show), and after seeing this movie, I will watch anything else she writes. The acting was perfect, natural and compelling allowing a bond with the characters to sneak up on you. The chemistry between many of the actors was incredible especially between the two main star-crossed lovers.and the script was thoughtful. Not only do we follow the concern of the female protagonist and her friends over her dating a man with a different skin color, but we see her remain strong and tough in corporate settings, and feel for her when her parents meet her new date. Stagg gave this one 10 points on the antler scale. I give it 9 archons out of 10. I cared about these two people and their personal challenges and desires, challenges more than skin deep. 40 years after Guess Who's Coming To Dinner shocked audiences...who would have thought we'd still have a need to examine the issues and emotions explored in this tight layered emotional story.
Inisde Man did not do very well by the critics or box office, but it was a really fun tense movie. Spike Lee directed a big sexy Hollywood movie that has entertaining characters and plot. Three fascinating characters hold our suspense,w e want to know who they are as well as what is going on? Impossible scenarios but the movie aims to give grownups a treasure hunt. We both really really liked this movie. A lot. The treasure hunt and heist aspect of this movie works as a metaphor for finding out who these three main characters are, plus, a rich entitled Christopher Plummer mixing it up with Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster and Clive Owen. Big stars, big motives. All kinds of political nuggets in this jewel. Stagg gives it a full rank of antlers, which is 12 points out of 12 points.
And I give it it ten archons out of ten.
Jiminy Glick in Lalawood is an improvised and very silly and funny movie. I love this Martin short character who is an awkward selfinvolved movie star reviewer. Glick is in Toronto for the International Film Festival interspersed with David Lynch smoking and talking about his vision," I see a dark road". A murder mystery of Lynchian proportions grabs Glick by the donut as he gets dragged and drugged at a Canadian hip-hop club called "Pimps and Hosers". Well, you get the idea. Stagg gave this one a full rack, 12 points! And I gave it ten archons. Full marks for this ridiculous delight: it might even be fucking brilliant...we went crazy for the Lynch "cameo".
I recorded Belly assuming Stagg would have seen it already, I hadn't and was going to save it for when he had a boy's night out. Turns out he hadn't seen it either, this was a huge surprise for me because he saw Get Rich or Die Trying on opening night. (I just saw the 50Cent movie about a month ago, and I thought it was excellent!) Belly was trashed by critics when it was released in 1998. It stars Nas and DMX...and is one of the sexiest looking movies I've seen. I really liked it, I especially liked the Jamacian gangster honcho. He was mysterious, languid and scary. This movie is directed by one of my heros, hip-hop video GOD Hype Williams. The cinematography is gorgeous in this film, sure maybe at first glance the plot is predicatable and standard fare gangsta but I think the critics made a mistake by assuming we don't enjoy this story. The movie offers some cool characters and interesting small parts and side stories. Did I mention it is fucking gorgeous? There are a couple of wonderful homages to Brian De Palma's Scarface which I enjoyed. But if you think you've seen it all, this movie isn't for you. Tight soundtrack. Stagg's heart gives this one 10 points, but for everyone else, he gives it 6-7 points. I give this one 7 archons.Something New
Hype Williams directing video of Busta Ryhmes What It Is. A beautiful song and beautiful video.
Bring Jiminy Glick to the Big Screen
definition of "hoser"
11 comments:
Say, you guys are pretty free and easy with those full scores, ain'cha?! As you know, I've never yet given any film 100%. I don't know if such a beast exits...
I love the diversity here in your viewing, though.
Inside Man was really good, for me. In my review gave it a pretty high 83.
Hey you did give that a good score didn't you. I didn't read your review because I hadn't seen it then...I never read movie reviews until after I see the movie. Sometimes, I will save clippings for after the movie.
Well, perhpas it seems like we gave out high scores willy nilly, *...but Stagg and I don't always agree on movies and quality. This was an unusual set...and we saw them all fairly close together...so it was a great run.
I can imagine some people might not rate Jiminy Glick very high...I noticed the Ebert didn't like it too much...yet I think it was so funny and weird and I loved every second.
We also saw an old Bill Murray film, from ten years ago...called The Man Who Knew Too Little. I enjoyed it and laughed quite a bit, but I rate it at 7 archons out of ten.
I am trying to watch a version of Twelfth Night (with Ben Kingsley and Helena Bonham Carter). And right now it's getting 3 out of 10...I may change my mind if I can actually stay awake and finish it.
So I can be very fussy. I think Penelope Cruz can't act a damn as you well know. Who started the rumor of even letting her show her herself on film HELP!!!!
Now back to Telfth Night... my god if those film makers can't capture MY attention, surely I must be one of the few people in the world who is their target audience...well they have really failed miserably...I'll keep ya posted.
Funny you should mention... I watched Inside Man last night!
I REALLY liked it. Don't know if I'd give it a full 5 stars, (boring rating system!) but definitely 4 1/2. The Jodie Foster character didn't sit perfectly with me. Though I like her!, just not her character so much.
I watched the Inside Man - the first part of it about four times before I could quit being interrupted and finish it. I liked the music, but like Wylie - Jodie Foster didn't do it for me....the only thing I ever liked her in was Hannibal - after the movie of the isolated girl living in the country with a dead twin - my sister and I spoke in that dialect for months.......In inside man, I guess maybe her character wasn't developed enough - she was supposed to be a hard hitting broad - but I was buying.
speaking of hard hitting broads, I started the spy book - what a book!
Interesting that people are hating on the Jodie. In my review, I wrote: "although I like macguffins, this one could have been dropped altogether, doing away with Jodie Foster entirely, and it would have been a far stronger picture". She just didn't fit.
Now see, I LOVE Jodie Foster. I don't think she can do wrong...and I loved the character she played in Inside Man. I thought it was a cool concept. I could see a whole movie based on her character in that movie...I would love to see a sequel in genral with Clive Owen's next superhero heist.
This movie reminded me a bit of Runaway Jury, with the high concept heist theme/con.
Thanks for the reviews Candy. I Loved the Jiminy Glick tv shows and will probably appreciate the movie very much.
Candy, maybe that was what was wrong - she didn't get enough time in the movie to become really credible, or her character was yelling out for more development - more - it was like glimpses into an undeveloped film - more was needed - yeh, let's demand a sequel - I was fascinated with the Albania part thrown in as well, because I have traveled there and love the country and through that experience became fascinated with Balkan history. That movie could go so many places!
Oh, well, where was I yesterday? It's all been said: Inside Man, great film; Jodie Foster in it... eh, not so great.
Do you really think Jodie can do no wrong? I used to think that too, then I sat through ten minutes of Nell and then (why, oh why?) I sat through Flightplan. Nope, for me she has gone the way of Robin Williams and Bill Murray... I would actually boycott a film on the strength of them being in it, unless they are in a bit part, as in Inside Man. In the old days Bill Murray was good though. Have you ever seen What About Bob? That was so much fun!
Very cool. I've just added all these to my Netflix queue. (which is approximately the size of my TBR pile. *rolling my eyes*)
Gardenia, maybe that was it, that kind of part needed more...but I actually looked at Jodie Fosters role as a cameo. It was a little misleading to have her in the trailers or on the credits. And...maybe she could have been jsut a little icier? I thought the Albania part was very very funny...and another good example of the levels of pace in the movie overall. I think that is a large part of what I enjoyed was the different speeds the movie took. It's wasn't all one note "action film" or "drama" and the political jibes were so perfectly under played.
Red, yep...I found Nell a little slow as a movie...but I thought Foster was excellent in it. I have not seen Flightplan...it reminds me of Panic Room, so I shall probably enjoy it...weird I haven't noticed it on my movie channels...Maybe I will be devasted by her in it...we'll see.
I love Bill Murray...loved What a bout Bob, can still laugh when I think of it. Loved his cameo in Coffee and Cigarettes. Loved Lost In Translation. I have a huge crush on him actually. I would still love to see Murray in a strange action film with very steady suspense. I haven't seen Williams in anything for a couple of years...don't know why, but I love him too. I'll watch for one of his more recent films ok?
Darla, I hope you like a couple of these movies at least. i have full confidence you will enjoy Inside Man and Soemthing New.
Oh my god...I need to do my Thursday Thirteen list....you just reminded me Darla, thanks!
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