Five Easy Pieces

This film seemed very much ahead of it's time. Or at least, I haven't seen anything from this era (1970) that was so heavy on character, and fairly light on plot. I enjoyed it, despite the fact that Jack Nicholson plays a real asshole, and his girlfriend is so annoying, I can almost sympathize with his cheating on her. It really explored a wide range of characters and causality.

East of Eden

For some reason I wasn't expecting, and didn't notice at first, so much biblical symbolism. I've never actually read the book. It's a very intriguing modern telling of the story of Cain and Able..

I wonder how much of the character was re-written for James Dean, or if he was chosen because the character fit him well. I like the parts James Dean played, but I'm a little confused as to why he's held in icon status with Marilyn Monroe, or Elvis Prestley. The character's he played (and the same with early Marlon Brando work) don't really fit the macho cool character I imagine in the fifties. Today we'd call them emo.

A Broke Down Melody

This was a movie about surfing. That's really it. They traveled around. Talked about surfing. Showed people surfing. Not much else. I enjoyed it. I've never done anything but the occasional vacation boogie-boarding, but I love the grace and power of the ocean so much, I hope one day I'll ride it. That day isn't in the near future for this resident of frozen Ohio, 'the heart of it all.'

Yesterday I called my brother who lives in LA. He was driving to a hotel near the shore that he was staying for the weekend. When he got out of the car he took a deep breath and said, 'oh wow, I can smell the ocean from here.' It was 70 degrees there. Then he said, 'so, when are you moving out here?' I need to come up with an answer to that question.

Breach

This was one of the most believable spy/FBI films I've ever seen. There's little to no action, but it's filled with suspense. There were a few details which seemed that they were stretching a little too far to keep true to the actual events, but overall I enjoyed it. I don't think I've ever seen a movie with Chris Cooper that I didn't love.

Baraka

The first shot in this movie (second actually) shows a bunch of monkeys relaxing in natural hot-spring pools on a snow covered mountain. That is awesome. Those monkeys really have it made. With all the snow and ice and cold outside right now, I would love to join these monkeys more than anything in the world.

What followed was a very interesting montage of interesting things. It was a lot like a video version of flipping through a stack of National Geographic magazines. There's no story, or documentary purpose, but it provided a lot of beautiful imagery paired with contemplative music.

One of my old roommates, Jim the stoner, showed me a video that may have been this or something very similar. He said it was great to get high to. I can see that.

Beowulf and Grendel

The absence of any recognizable actors and somewhat awkward makeup and hair job in the beginning led me to believe that I was in for a low-budget Lord of the Rings bandwagon film. As it progressed I changed my mocking tune. I really enjoyed this movie. It gave a very interesting, and somewhat revisionist, telling of this ancient story. Afterwards I found out that this was actually made in Denmark by Danes, which lends it a bit of credibility. And explains the beautiful landscapes.

Road to Bali

Starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. This was one of those one dollar bin dvds that my mom picked up from target and gave to me as a stocking stuffer. I really only watched it because Netflix didn't deliver yesterday as promised. And I can't leave my house due to an ice storm. I was pretty bored.

This story didn't actually take place in Bali. It was on a small island in the Indian ocean. Overall it was pretty stupid. Two old guys (even then) fighting over girls, but then afraid of actual marriage. If nothing else it was an interesting peak into a influencing culture once removed from ours.

Down by Law

This is a Jim Jarmusch film starring Tom Waits. I loved it. Overall it was slow, or maybe more properly minimalistic. Not a whole lot happened. But the things that did happen were very interesting. And the characters were fantastic.

In the special features Jim tells that he and the crew would make up and tell Roberto Benigni (who was learning english at the time) fake english words and sayings, which he would unknowingly adopt and use in everyday speech. That is amazing.

Poltergeist

This seemed much sillier than I was expecting. Maybe it would have been more intimidating on a big screen (by the way I don't have a tv, so I watch all of these movies on my LCD computer screen). There were a few times that seemed a little creepy, but on the whole it pretty much seemed like a family film, except for the parents smoking pot in their bedroom. That seemed more like a PSA.

The Exorcist

I was really disappointed. Simply being old, doesn't make a film a classic. I expected this film to explain or address so much more than it did. And there seemed to be so many character details given which seemed that they should lead to important plot points, but never lead anywhere. A more recent movie The Exorcism of Emily Rose did a much better job of discussing the issue of demon possession.

Letters From Iwo Jima

I think that Clint Eastwood's concept of telling the story of the same battle from opposite points of view and culture is amazing. Both this and Flags of our Fathers confronted important issues in each culture. Both very different from each-other. I'm very glad he used Japanese actors speaking Japanese instead of English with accents. It probably took away from tho box office dollars, but it lent the film so much more authenticity.

Crooklyn

The more I watch of Spike Lee the more I like him. Making a movie with a child as the lead character can be a major undertaking, and he's got a whole family of brothers and a sister. Maybe the structure could have used some polishing (maybe). But the characters, dialogue, and acting were terrific.