haven't done a whole lot. basically waiting to go on tour because it means:
a. i get to tour
b. i get to see more pals
3. i get to go home for like 2 weeks
d. i get to go on tour more, like a lot more, like pineapple a LOT
5. i get to see ze country
+ like 200 other reasons. at least 200. no i'm not going to list them all.
last few days i've watched:
scrooged
- not that great. definitely not bill murray at the height of his powers. i think when he's locked into comedy mode he has a hard time pulling anything else off like anger. the bits in this where he gets angry are just...bad. the production design is kind of cool, very 80's which i love. that weird production design/not production design that looks real but fake. like that horror flick house. or re-animator. it was directed by richard donner which was a weird choice given he could have done a lot better (and HAS done a lot better). dude directed omen, superman 1 (and 2, though his cut only came out two years ago), all the lethal weapons, goonies...sigh. whatta guy. it ends with a stupid kitsch-y singalong that just makes you groan. oh well.
escape from absolom
- filmed in nsw which is kind of rad. ray liotta gets sent to a prison in the future where you never get to escape and the prison is run by a big corporation. never fear, liotta just baddies himself out of there and onto this island called absolom where there's tribal warfare and such. after baddie-ing himself out of one tribe and into another, he just continues to rule all over the place. this film isn't great but is kind of cool. initially you're like "hey, is that lance hendrickson?" and it is, and then you're like "IS THAT ERNIE GHOSTBUSTIN' HUDSON?" and it is. and then you're like "oh man, is that kevin dillon? dammit" and sadly, it is. martin campbell did this little doozy. who'd have thought he had goldeneye in him after this fun mess. side note: i'm a little cut it was filmed in 2.35:1 but the region 4 DVD is in 1:85. stupid oversight.
hard eight
- cool little flick from paul thomas anderson, his feature writing/directing debut. such a tight little story for the d00d who did boogie nights and magnolia (though i guess punch-drunk love and there will be blood didn't have many characters). i'm still not 100% sold on philip baker hall's acting. his presence is unquestionably awesome but some of his deliveries are a little stale. john c reilly does real well playing a dunder-head. gwyneth paltrow isn't bad as clementine, the sluzza with the heart of fake gold. for some reason, every character samuel l jackson plays that holds a gun at some point becomes the same guy. i see his arms dealer from jackie brown, i see julius from pulp fiction, i see d00d from snakes on a plane. oh well. i love paul thomas anderson (i don't know many people that do, sadly) and it was cool to see where he started before getting all robert altman for his next two features. he really divides people, it's hard to 'kind of like' his movies. love or hate. i like that.
before the devil knows you're dead
- i'm starting to become a legitimate sidney lumet fanboy. after seeing network, 12 angry men, equus, the verdict and dog day afternoon (a film i bought when i was about 13 and loved to death, not knowing who it was by) and now this, he's one of the greatest directors still alive. not the most consistent, for sure, but when he hits he really hits dead on. this film hits dead on. ethan hawke is good as a bitch, albert finney is super intense with that distinctive voice of his. philip seymour hoffman kills it, as usual, same with marissa tomei. i only noticed that it was shot on HD when ethan hawke is pulling away in the getaway car near the beginning of the film, the rest was indistinguishable, which took me aback. maybe sidney just knows how to use it properly. the structure is excellent and those breaking glass transitions are pure sweet 70's technique. could have done without seeing philip seymour hoffman and marissa tomei get it on though.
the deer hunter
- can't believe it'd taken me this long to see it. i suppose the infamy surrounding cimino's heaven's gate made me a little reluctant. can you blame me? this is a character piece, through and through. i was talking to aaron last night about it and he said it was slow, boring and draining. i think it was meant to be slow and draining, but i never found it boring. every moment in it built to the events that took place. i've never seen walken act so well (except for catch me if you can). de niro kills it, as usual. cazale...man, cazale. i wish he had lived long enough to make more flicks. every film he was ever in was nominated for best picture at the oscars. that's impressive role choice. meryl streep in like, her second starring role is real good too. cimino's direction is solid. the scene where michael refuses to lend stan his boots is one of the best in the film. i loved the first deer hunting sequence set to the choral kinda music. really beautiful. the vietnam sequences were brutal, amazing how little of the film they take up too. cimino...you did well. shame about everything that followed.
double indemnity
- not much needs to be said about this. billy wilder really knows how to make a picture. i don't think i'd ever seen a 100% legit noir film and this is the grandaddy of everything anyone tries to do that's remotely noir. it's shot well, acted well, the production design is legit, the writing is great. just a sweet flick.
tonight i'm seeing paranormal activity. it will be scary. very scary.
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