I just don't think that I can do a movie notes section by myself. I totally rebel against it. Ack. I'll look at sites and such and put up a nice one by someone who likes the medium. No. Better yet, I'll just ask all of my girlfriends to recommend movies!
A bit of background: The last movie that I went to see was "Dazed and Confused" at a movie theatre about 10 years ago. I was raised waaaaay in the country and never went to the movies growing up. Had some television, and definitely grew up with seventies TV, but hey, who didn't? Next to what my family was going through in the seventies, television families were normal! Even the Munsters kind of had a nice family thing going. As did those nice people on Petticoat Junction. And of course, Gilligan's Island and Star Trek. The Brady Bunch was a bit strange, though.
When my husband and I got together ten years ago, I hadn't seen anything. Well, a roommate I had in the eighties insisted that I watch Dr. Strangelove. Hmmn. The same roommate insisted that I watch This is Spinal Tap. Gosh, if those were the only movies that you watched in a decade, would it stimulate you to go out and see more?
So fast-forward to about 1993. I had never had a television (in my early thirties) and I ended up marrying a man who, at the time owned about five televisions, including "Stumpy," a large projection TV. My husband also owned about 400 laser disks of every movie that his heart could apparently think of. Obviously, I was in love.
We started with Star Wars. Ah. Finally I knew what the cultural references were about!
I have not turned into a huge movie fan and tend to like some oddball stuff (The Wicker Man and Tank Girl are two which come to mind. Zero Affect is another, but that's just because I know about 50 people like the hero.). However, I have learned to like some movies, and even watched about 20 minutes of Apocalypse Now the other day. (My husband was horrified. "You haven't seen it?" he asked, his voice practically breaking. Ack.)
But I'll say it: media is cool. Or, more to the point: it's here, it's real art, and it's not going away.
Where can I read about movies?
MGM has a site where they point to their new movies.
Who reviews movies?
Metacritic is a total kick. It compiles reviews from all over and you can get to them with one search.
Hollywood.com tells you when movies are showing at local sites, give you reviews, and lets you download movies too.
Movie Suggestions
Get Shorty
Yup. This one is excellent. Here's a review from metacritic, which gives it an 83.
Grosse Pointe Blank
It's John Cusak being very funny. A spin on the old high school reunion -- if you were a hit guy, that is. Metacritic gives it a 77, but Entertainment Weekly gave it a 91.
Groundhog Day
You know, it wasn't bad. Not bad at all. Mel reminded me of this one, and a good comedy is hard to find. Here's a review. And here is an essay talking about what an exceptional work of moral fiction it is!
High Fidelity
Introducing Jack Black and his obscene mime-dance. I heard a discussion on Fresh Air about this movie right when it came out and it didn't even sound mildly entertaining, but it's pretty darn funny. Metacritic gives it a 81. The Chicago Sun-Times gave it 100.
Legally Blonde
My friend Mel likes Legally Blonde. It was OK. Kind of mildly fun. Metacritic gives it a 61.
Pumpkin
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Mel also said that she had to vote for Rocky Horror Picture Show in memory of art school. Ah, yes, back when we were young...
Tank Girl
What can I say? The idea of talking, mutated kangaroos who are reborn Beat poets just tickled me. Plus Tank Girl herself has ... um ... a lot of energy.
Here's a site that contains both a pointer to the Tank Girl movie website, and the comic books from which Tank Girl was derived.
The In-Laws
Mel also recommends The (original) In-Laws, starring Alan Arkin, Peter Falk.) Rotten Tomatoes (never a pushover) gives it a 91!
The Usual Suspects
My friend Mel says that this is great. My husband says that it's "dark." Metacritic gives it a 77, but the list of critics giving it 100's are very impressive.
The Parent Trap
You know, if you have to sit around and watch a kid's movie, this is the movie. It's really sweet and very funny, and the music is grand. Amusingly enough, we rented the other Parent Trap to watch it, but we were really turned off. In the old movie, the ex-wife lives with her parents and doesn't really do anything, and is rather conniving. Also, it's a big joke that she punched him in the face and gave him a black eye. Hmmn. Right. No thank you.
Wicker Man
I personally found the Wicker Man hilarious. It's an obscure, pagan-laced cult movie from the early seventies.
And here, in cult film tradition, is a bona-fide cult-like link about the movie: Nuada.
One of the most interesting things about Wicker Man is that it was filmed in beautiful loctions in Scotland. These still get a lot of attention.
Zero Effect
I loved this movie. Bill Pullman was hilarious. The TITLE is hilarious. I know so many people just like this (remember, I am from the silicon valley.) It's just really really funny. Quirky.
