Saturday, June 2, 2007

Insert witty post topic here.

AKA, Will and Why Blogger Needs to Expand the Character Limit in Their Subject Lines. I tell ya, what I had was gold, but alas...

Anyways, first off, I'm sorry I haven't been able to contribute more to the blog as of late. I've been really busy finishing up my school shit and things are hectic enough without added responsibility. However, AJ seems to be posting enough for me, him, and maybe a...Third Man.














If you're any sort of movie fan (I mean, hey, why else would you be wasting your time reading our shit?), you're familiar with Carol Reed's classic noir The Third Man. Not only is it one of the best noirs ever made, but it's also one of the best movies in general. And just recently, Criterion decided to recognize this (for the second time, I should add) with a new two-disc DVD set. Now, admittedly, it was tough throwing down $35 for my copy, but it was well worth it. The picture on this thing is just fucking astounding for a film of this age; the wet cobblestones of Vienna have never looked better. And the extras...hell, I still haven't been through them all.

Bottom line? If you dig the flick (as well you should), run out and get it. And if you already own the earlier edition, I'd say it's worth the upgrade.

Now, I dunno how this happened, but somehow I managed to hit the movies not once, not twice, but three times this week. And to my surprise, all the flicks I saw impressed.






















Oh, what? Didn't think I was gonna hit one of the biggest movies of the summer? No...no, of course you did because chances are, you probably went to see it too.

I'd been jonesing for the next Pirates flick ever since the credits rolled on last summer's Dead Man's Chest, an action extravaganza that unquestionably (at least, in these eyes) wiped the floor, the walls, and maybe the ceiling too with the first film. So, with mad anticipation, I entered the theater...

I won't waste time giving you a run-down on the plot, as AJ already did that and then some. But in these days following my seeing At World's End, I've been having some serious deja vu. Honestly, where's Denzel when ya need him (hey, it was entertaining...)? I remember last year when all the fans of the first were expressing their disappointment with the second installment, while I was sitting there thinking, "What...the...hell is wrong with these people?" And now, with an even larger wave of displeasure upon us, I have only one thing to say.

What...the...hell is wrong with these people?

At World's End kicked ass, folks! Sure, in comparison to the almighty Dead Man's Chest it comes up relatively slight, but who cares? Captain Jack's as insanely hilarious as ever, Barbossa's back in action, and Davy Jones...damn, I like him more and more each time I see him. The flick's not without its problems (most notably, a first half that could've been cut down slightly), but getting to see these characters in action once again more than made up for it. And, jeez...the last half hour, which is basically one non-stop action sequence, is one of the most fucking mind-blowing things you're likely to see this year.

As far as the series goes, this one ranks second for me, and I'll definitely be picking it up whenever it hits the shelves. Arrgh! A-















To say the very least, I did not have high hopes for Disturbia when I went to see it. Hell, the only reason I was seeing it is because my theater, in its blatant stupidity, didn't get Knocked Up this weekend. However...to my shocking surprise...Disturbia was not bad!

I mean, yeah, it's basically Rear Window lite, but what're ya gonna do? Honestly, I really fucking enjoyed this movie. No, it's nothing great, and I've got a few complaints to toss out, but ultimately it's a decent film, as it's far smarter and way more intense than any other suspense-thriller out right now, especially for one directed to a younger audience.

What I really dug about the movie was that it took its time getting set up, something most other modern thrillers seem to avoid. The flick's very steadily paced, with just the right mix of character development and intense moments. And speaking of intense moments, the film's final fifteen minutes are fucking brutal.

I gotta say, David Morse was fantastic as the villain here - definitely some echoes of Raymond Burr. I've never been a big Shia LaBeouf fan, but he actually did a pretty good job as the lead. Of course he's no Jimmy Stewart, but he definitely showed more acting chops than I'm used to. This is the only flick I've seen from director D.J. Caruso (a lot of them look pretty iffy), but he's definitely got a good visual sense and has a knack for building intensity.

The caveats for this one lie mainly with a very mediocre array of supporting actors, some all-too-silly moments, and an opening scene that's...that's just not right for this movie. Should you choose to see it, you'll know what I mean.

I make no guarantees as to what you'll think of this movie, but as for me, I had a good time. And that's what counts...riiiight? B















I have saved the absolute best for last. When
I first saw the trailers for William Friedkin's latest effort, Bug, I really didn't know what to think. It was one of those that looked interesting, while at the same time seeming sort of lame. But, as things turned out, I found myself near a theater that was playing it and curiosity won out. And thank God for that.

Bug is, without a doubt, one of the strangest films I've ever had the pleasure of viewing. It starts out as a slow-paced drama of sorts, but slowly becomes a descent into madness and paranoia. To say any more would be to spoil all the little surprises that Bug holds for its audiences.

Based on a play of the same name, Bug takes place almost entirely in a single hotel room, which, naturally, is reminiscent of Richard Linklater's brilliant indie, Tape. For just that, I have to give the film credit. Any movie that can hold interest
and actually build intensity out of a single location deserves some recognition. But I tell ya..."intensity" is the understatement of the year for what Bug becomes.

As of now, Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon are easily my picks for best actor/actress this year. Their performances in this flick are just...amazing. Once again, I'll have to leave it at that, because going into detail would ruin the experience. I will say this, though. Remember the scene in JFK with Joe Pesci going apeshit in the hotel? Shannon's performance is very reminiscent of that...only multiplied by 1000000.

With Bug, William Friedkin proves that he hasn't lost his touch. The man behind such classics as The French Connection and The Exorcist, Friedkin's got expactations to meet and believe you me, he meets them and then proceeds to rise farther and farther above them with each frame. Bug's got some of the most interesting (and terri
fying) visuals I've seen in a long while, and I gotta give him props for the directorial choices he made.

Basically, you have to see this movie.
There's no telling whether or not you'll like it. In fact, chances are you'll dislike it (I know the other people in my showing certainly did). But you owe it to yourself to give it a shot...might come out surprised. A

And that's it for me this weekend. Hopefully in a few days I can get my ass to some showing of Knocked Up...and then proceed to laugh said ass off. As I write this, AJ's seeing it, so look forward to his thoughts on it.

That's all, folks...or something a little less clichéd. Your call.

8 comments:

Arlo J. Wiley said...

What was your original title?

The Third Man DVD looks sweet...but $35. Damn.

Always good to see Pirates love, even though I still think the third's the worst of the trilogy.

Damn it, leave it to you to be the one to actually get me somewhat interested in Disturbia...

I cannot wait to see Bug.

And no, unfortunately, I cannot see the William Friedkin pic at the end.

W. said...

'Twas something to the effect of: Buggin' Out with Pirates in Disturbia.

I dug it, myself.

Looks like I'll have to change the pic...

Arlo J. Wiley said...

Haha! That title is awesome!

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