Society Dome: I Just Don't Know What To Do

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Syriana (2005)
For all Gaghan's attempts to introduce characters into this morass of ideas, it still feels too much like homework and not enough like a movie. You'd really be better off reading a book, or even a good article.
Birth (2004)
I got this for camp value but it wasn't half-bad, as it turns out. A bit lugubrious and certainly too ponderous in moments when the camera slow-zooms into characters faces for an excruciatingly long time, but they manage to make a preposterous situation seem fairly interesting, and many of the characters reactions are quite believable. Unfortunately the film keeps you out of the loop for so long that at the end you're not entirely sure what was supposed to have happened, but I think I have a pretty good idea. Nicole Kidman looks elfy (sic) which is cute but she's sort of unlikable and unbelievable, and I'm not sure that that's not on purpose. Nice music (excpet for the Wagner) keeps things interesting, as do surprising (but small) roles from an unusually subdued Peter Stormare and a totally unrecognizable Anne Heche.
The Pink Panther (2006)
We actually stopped watching this. It just wasn't funny. At all.
Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter (2001)
Now this is awesome. Okay...I fell asleep, but I'm pretty sure if I'd stayed awake for the whole thing it would be my favorite movie. It isn't just low budget, it's like a bunch of friends got together and made a movie, only instead of being tedious and lame as such endeavors often are, they pretty much hit a homer. Three words: "critical lesbian shortage."
Transamerica (2005)
This was okay, but I guess I should've known from the Oscar noms that it wasn't a great film. I warmed up to it by the end but I found Felicity Huffman's mannered voice and dialogue to be distracting, and Fionnula Flanagan was so totally over the top, it was like watching a soap opera screen test.
Nacho Libre (2006)
Hmmmm. This was okay, but considering the level of talent involved, it should have been a lot better. Too many cooks, perhaps? Still, there are a few inspired moments of greatness, even if there's too much fighting.
Orange County (2002)
I still liked this the second time around. Ending is a little too long and sappy but there's some great stuff in here, especially Catherine O'Hara as a proto-Lucille Bluth. Cheers once again to Mike White. Here's hoping Nacho Libre, his third team-up with Jack Black, is another winner.
Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005)
The Secret Lives of Dentists (2002)
I think I was confused and thought Alan Rudolph was some kind of importatn director (rather than the guy who butchered Breakfast of Champions), so this film was not what I was expecting. I find Campbell Scott (The Spanish Prisoner) sort of endearing, and he doesn't get many leading roles, but this film just wasn't very good. Scott and his wife are dentists who work together and raise three daughters. Scott believes his wife is cheating on him. Scott has poorly directed fantasy sequences starring Denis Leary, distractingly dressed like Tyler Durden. It's just dumb. And it really never goes anywhere. I've sat through worse, but I just felt like I'd really wasted my time with this film.
In Good Company (2004)
Next in our family drama trilogy, we have a love triangle featuring Scarlett Johansson, Topher Grace, and....Dennis Quaid (okay, Quaid's the dad). We've also got smaller roles from David Paymer, Selma Blair, and Philip Baker Hall, plus a cameo from Malcolm McDowell, who doesn't really seem worth it. Anyway, I was kind of in the mood for something light, and a little Scarlett never hurts, plus I'm weirdly obsessed with Paul Weitz due to his participation in Chuck & Buck, a film about weird obsession. It wasn't awful and it sort of evaded the typical Hollywood plot structure and ending, but it wasn't all that relevatory, either.
The Squid and the Whale (2005)
This is a lovely, upsetting film about everyone in a family treating each other horribly. Fortunately it's short and often funny so it doesn't bury the viewer in gloom. Written and directed by Noah Baumbach who wrote The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou with Wes Anderson.
Thunderball (1965)
I think I need a break from Bond.
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
Hey, it wasn't a total disaster after all! Hooray! Definitely a geek's wet-dream (they could've stood to introduce characters more clearly for the rest of the audience) which stays pretty true to the first two films, even if it wasn't quite as visually stunning. They do try to pack an awful lot into this last film, probably too much, but they stay true to all the major characters and keep hope alive for the future of the series without cheapening the severity of several key moments. I could've lived without Juggernaut's dumb helmet (even with the "dickhead" joke) and several uses of the word bitch which were out of synch with the rest of the film series, but for the most part I have little to complain about. The biggest omission, obviously, and one of the few things I agree with the ranting maniacs at AICN about, is the lack of Jean's "Phoenix Force," which in the comics manifested as a giant bird of flames surrounding her. This would've looked really cool, it was hinted at in the end of X2, and would've been easy to do with CGI -- it would've also made the name Phoenix make a lot more sense, becuase here instead of relating to her rise after death, it's supposed to be something inherent within her ever since she manifested her powers. So: they really dropped the ball there, but with all the explosions and shit flying around it's hard to say "there should've been more special effects." I'm actually looking forward to seeing this again.
THX 1138 (1971)
Lucas' director's cut, replete with "Special Edition" critters and other effects-twiddling, is actually pretty okay. There are really only a couple of points where it becomes distracting or inappropriate; for the most part these additions are well-integrated and look much better than the changes made to, for instance, Star Wars, in the annoying digital fakery that goes on in the Mos Eisley scenes. And thank God he didn't touch Walter Murch's sound mix or Lalo Schifrin's musical contributions. I'm happy to report that this film holds up very well for me. I know I like a lot of crappy sci-fi, but if you haven't ever seen this film, I highly recommend it.
A History of Violence (2005)
I was a bit underwhelmed by this at first, but it grew on me the more I thought about it. Cronenberg's commentary is a lot more interesting than most.
Logan's Run (1976)
Hey, I stayed awake for the whole thing!
A League of Ordinary Gentlemen (2004)
Hey documentary fans: this film has been unjustly neglected in the wake of your spelling bees, penguins, quads, and stunt-gluttons. It looks and sounds great, which I can't say for some other big hit docs of late, although it suffers a teensy bit from unclear chronology here and there. For the most part, though, this is a fascinating history of bowling and the shifting place of bowling in our culture. And then there's Pete Weber's patented "crotch chop." Check it out.
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Couldn't help myself. It's not bad; certainly better than the book (which isn't saying a whole lot). There were some moments where I was laughing at the film, and Hanks' speech at the end nearly had me gagging, but Audrey Tautou makes the whole thing eminently watchable (McKellen, Reno, Molina, et al don't hurt either). Considering the whole package was directed by Ron Howard, who I usually hate, this was surprisingly entertaining.
My First Mister (2001)
I wasn't sure if this would be a creepy pedophile movie or the sarcastic comedy it claims to be on he back cover, but with Albert Brooks I thought I'd give it a chance. Holy crap. Instead I was drawn unwittingly into a Hallmark Hall Of Fame Tragic Family Drama sapfest. And what the hell is Michael McKean doing here? Leelee Sobieski is actually pretty good, but Kelly pointed out that she has an unpleasant Helen Hunt thing going on.
The Pink Panther (1963)
Gotta love those Hollywood sets.
Amazon Women on the Moon (1987)
From Russia with Love (1963)
Vinterkyss (2005)
There was nothing particularly original or unusual about this, but it was good. Fairly well-drawn characters with a plot that doesn't get too neatly tied up but doesn't leave you hanging. Certainly not a waste of time.
Innocence (2004/I)
WOW. This is what cinema is all about. After the relative let-down of KussKuss and one of the worst Manhattans of my life at the downtown Luce (Phillip's "Union" Whiskey is, indeed, atrocious), we trudged back through the rain to a surprisingly short line for this film, which grabbed hold of me from the very begininng and never let go. I can't remember the last time I was so tense and curious while watching a film. The sound is incredible and sparse. The David Lynch comparisons come through most obviously in static shots of empty spaces with exaggerated "natural" room sound, as well as the filmmakers' ability to produce tension out of seemingly innocuous objects and interactions. I think the Peter Weir comparison is less apt than the Brothers Quay; think of the Quays and Lynch working together, without the idiosyncratic cliches of those creators, and you end up with a hypnotic, captivating, disturbing film that benefits greatly from the extremes of picture size and sound that the theater provides.
KussKuss (2005)
A film in which a somewhat interesting idea is played out to the detriment of character and audience involvement. It doesn't help that the subtitles were atrocious, full of inaccuracies and, in some cases, simply absent (Katjas and her father speak Russian which is never translated). There are also some really bad, obvious plot devices which we've seen a million times before (girlfriend unexpectedly returns to apartment because of forgotten keys, walks in on boyfriend grappling with other woman), in addition to a story potentially lifted from Margaret Atwood's "The Robber Bride." Ultimately it's a film in which people try to help one another but end up only hurting everyone around them, and no one seems to learn anything. Sort of depressing, but mainly disappointing.

January 17, 2005

I Just Don't Know What To Do

Without GBV I don't really know what this blog is for, even. Robert Pollard's From A Compound Eye probably won't be coming out until late Summer/early Fall, now, although there have been hints of some interim releases to tide us over (likely possibilities include a collaboration with his brother Jim and a live CD/DVD of the final GBV show). I'm not aware of any sci-fi/fantasy films coming out anytime soon (except for Keanu Reeves in Constantine, which actually looks pretty cool)...so pretty much I got nothin'. Oh, look over there, on the left! I bought some CDs and saw some movies. Hooray for me.

Meanwhile, I'm hoping to get my mind a-rotting with the help of this little baby but I haven't had a chance, yet. I've also got some sweet new music gear that I've hardly dipped into yet, but which promises untold hours of fun. This weekend will see the end of Christmas (finally!) as we head north for Christmas with Kelly's fambly. More presents! Yay!

Thank you for sitting through this nonsense; I felt like I had to get something up (especially in the wake of Space Waitress' hasty retreat from the blogosphere) -- it's pretty sad when I can't manage to produce quality or quantity.

Here's some stuff I'm curious about and/or looking forward to in the coming year (mark your calendars!):

Constantine - Feb 18
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - May 6
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - May 19
Batman Begins - June 17
War of the Worlds - June 29
Fantastic Four - July 1
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - July 15
Wedding Crashers (Owen Wilson & Vince Vaughan) - July 22
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride - Sept 23 (animated)
The Pink Panther (Steve Martin and Kevin Kline) - Sept 23
Serenity - Sept. 30
The Wallace & Gromit Movie - Oct 7 (aka "The Great Vegetable Plot"...or "Curse of the Were-Rabbit")
Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire - Nov 18
James Bond 21??? - Nov 18
Brothers Grimm - Nov 23
King Kong - Dec 14
Tideland
Shopgirl
Strangers With Candy
Watchmen?
X-Files 2?
V for Vendetta
Syriana (Clooney thriller)
Die Hard 4? (not bloody likely)

Pogues reissues, all with something like six bonus tracks each on them.

GBV on Austin City Limits - Jan. 22 (with Modest Mouse)

Bettie Serveert - AttaGirl - Jan 25 (on Minty Fresh)
Lemon Jelly - 64-95 - Jan 25
Low - The Great Destroyer - Jan 25
Stereo Total - Do The Bambi - Jan 25
Bonnie Prince Billy and Matt Sweeney - Superwolf - Jan 25

Skygreen Leopards - Life and love in Sparrow's Meadow - Feb 2
Wrens - Abbot 1135 (reissue) - Feb 2
Sage Francis - A Healthy Distrust - Feb 8 (features a track with Will Oldham!)
Enon - Lost Marbles and Exploded Evidence - Feb 22
Iron & Wine - Woman King six song EP - Feb 22
Crooked Fingers - Dignity and Shame (12 tracks, vinyl incl. 2 bonus tracks) - Feb 22

Flaming Lips mix CD on Azuli records (UK) - March 7
Beck - untitled - Mar 8? (pushed back from 11/04)
Decemberists - Picaresque - Mar 22
Sam Prekop - Who's Your New Professor - March
Yo La Tengo - Prisoners of Love: A Smattering of Scintillating - March
Senescent Songs, 1984-2003 (2 disc comp/3 disc version with rarities disc) - March 22
Daft Punk - Human After All - March 22
Brendan Benson - The Alternative to Love - March 22

Hot Hot Heat - Elevator - Apr 4
Damien Jurado - On My Way To Absence - Apr 19
Coup - untitled - Apr 26

Sigur Ros - ? - spring?
Sleater-Kinney - ? - ?
The Minders - ? - ?
Mary Timony - Ex Hex - April
Mercury Rev - The Secret Migration - 1/25 in the UK
Fountains of Wayne - ? - ?
Outkast - The Hard 10 - ?
Outkast - "My Life" soundtrack - ?
Gruff Rhys - Yr Atal Genhedlaeth (11 songs, 29 minutes) - ?
The Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics - summer?
The Flaming Lips - Soft Bulletin 5.1 surround mix - ?
Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson - ? - ?
The Band - 5 disc box set - May
Raging Bull soundtrack (Robbie Robertson) - February?
Mark Kozelek/Sun Kil Moon - unknown, untitled - ?
Stereolab 3 disc EP compilation incl. DVD - April?
Crooked Fingers - untitled EP - spring or summer?
Xiu Xiu - La Foret - August? (coming to Triple Rock March 26)

Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music DVD - March 8
Flaming Lips DVD - My Life With The Fearless Freaks - March 23
Yo La Tengo DVD - untitled - ?

Oh, and apparently Thomas Harris has another Lecter novel coming out, called "Behind The Mask," though after the atrocity that was "Hannibal" I'm not even sure who would want to read such a thing.

As I look back on the year that was 2004, I can pretty much conclude that nothing sums it up as well as this. Farewell, 2004, you big fucker. Hellllooooo 2005, I'm ready for ya!

06:55 PM in Film, In My Life, Music, Weblogs | Permalink

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Comments

Duchovny told USA Today X-Files 2 is going to be unrelated to the mythology, so I'm in between "Why bother seeing it" and "At least it's a guarantee."

First two seasons of Millennium are on DVD.

FaCE is INFINITELY REPLAYABLE.

Posted by: anderton | January 17, 2005 at 07:32 PM

Oh god, what is wrong with her nipple?

Posted by: Crystal | January 17, 2005 at 08:43 PM

Hey, Anderton!

(1) I hadn't seen/heard that Duchovny quote. I'd have the same reaction.

(2) Millennium is gross. And I don't even own X-Files on DVD, which I plan to before year's end. Right now I'm on a Star Trek kick, though (GEEK! GEEK!).

(3) Totally. Even though I haven't been super involved in the whole online fan community, I have reaped great, great rewards as a result. Getting a copy of FaCE right after the Metro shows has made the aftershock so much more bearable. I haven't been able to get "Dancing Girls and Dancing Men" out of my head for days.

...

Crystal- please be more respectful (and honorable and proudful) of Tara's breastuseses. They are natural, beautiful, and simple, just like her tiny, acorn-sized mind. Oh, or- maybe her tits were carved open and stuffed full of junk to make her more "bankable." If only they could repeat the procedure with charisma or personality. BURN!

Sorry. I just...I mean- she dated Carson Daly. That alone should've stopped the Earth from spinning. Yet somehow we manage to carry on.

Posted by: Jonathan | January 17, 2005 at 09:25 PM

Who gave it to you? I got mine in the mail as a result of being a trustworthy community participant.

May I ask you to reconsider Millennium? I was an X-Files purist until Millennium came along. You may have seen every episode, you may have seen one, y'never know. It's my favorite show of all time, personally. My TV GBV.

You might want to make your own copy of "Triangle" when you get the Season 6 X-Files DVDs. FOX butchered the video on that one. I mean, I normally can't tell when it comes to these things. MP3, Lossless, whatever, all the same to me. But they REALLY killed it.

Posted by: anderton | January 17, 2005 at 10:04 PM

I probably got it the same way (starts with an "L" and rhymes with "arm"). I don't hate Millennium, but I have no fond memories of it. Given the time and access I'd certainly give it another chance, I'm just sayin' I got other stuff to watch first. I don't think I have a TV GBV, though. Er...except maybe for Mr. Show. Maybe that's it.

Posted by: Jonathan | January 17, 2005 at 11:23 PM

Oh hey - May 6 is Lorika's birthday. Hitchhiker's field trip!

Posted by: I Heart Chuckabees | January 18, 2005 at 04:13 AM

P.S. this is exactly what your blog is for dude

Posted by: I Heart Chuckabees | January 18, 2005 at 04:14 AM

Yay! Hitchhikers fieldtrip! And then dinner at a cheapy place. I say in 2005 we go to only cheap places for b-day dinners.*

I also didn't like/get Millenium. It seemed to be all about the women murdering serial killers, and that just doesn't turn my crank.

Love the X-Files though, and I don't understand the Duchovny quote. I hope it doesn't mean it's gonna be one of those dumb monsters ones.

*This has nothing to do with us not having any money. Ahem.

Posted by: Lorika | January 18, 2005 at 12:57 PM

I hope you will do a blog post soon entitled "Things That Turn My Crank."

Posted by: Jonathan | January 18, 2005 at 06:51 PM

As for what to devote your blog to, I vote for more record reviews. Yours are better than the ones on, say, allmusic or pitchfork. (I hope that's not damning with faint praise.)

Posted by: Carlos | January 18, 2005 at 07:38 PM

Thanks- I really would like to write more record reviews but I find it hard to make the time. Perhaps I can scrape something together about the Futureheads.

Posted by: Jonathan | January 19, 2005 at 11:15 AM

On Millennium - the first eleven/twelve episodes or so are the weakest run, and those are the ones everyone remember: The serial killer episodes. In fact, the second season only had one serial killer episode (two if you count one that could be excepted although I'd rather not spoil it). Besides, some of those serial killer episodes were really good.

I know LARM, I got mine from somebody else at DTS, though. Here's one for "Blessed in an Open Head"!

Posted by: anderton | January 19, 2005 at 04:26 PM

hey, i couldn't find an email address on your site anywhere, hopely you read your comments. very nice, informative site. wondering if you were willing to trade the new pollard (mp3s) for mp3s i have some things you may be interested in. email me if you're interested. thanks. jc

Posted by: carter | January 28, 2005 at 06:45 AM

They've always asked not to trade Pollard/GBV in MP3 form, but I might be willing to mail you a burned CD. I am not very quick about getting to the post office, however, I must warn you. "E"mail: c2h2[at]popstar[dot]com

Posted by: Jonathan | January 28, 2005 at 09:28 PM

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