Thriller, Dog Day Afternoon head for U.S. film registry

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2009/12/30/films-preserved.html

Transporter 2 (2005) sucked. Really. But there are reasons to watch it. Jason Statham is so sexy and athletic and so beautiful in the efficiency of his movements that he makes you want to crazy things like tonfa kata in your living room. And it was great to see Keith David (of "Gargoyles") in a live-action role (he's been in tons, but I haven't watched much of his live-action stuff). But it was shallow and fluffy and crappy in so many ways.

From a feminist perspective, it wasn't as degrading to women as The Transporter. Light-years ahead, really. And in some ways it was actually a bit feminist. I wonder if someone said something.

Darktown Strutters / Get Down and Boogie (1975) is a satiristic tribute to the blaxploitation film. I think. Really, it was probably the strangest film I've ever seen.

City by the Sea (2002) is underrated. It's an American cop movie, right up until it becomes a movie about families and relationships--about regrets and making things right.

The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005) was a movie I really wanted to like. But I could only like parts of it. Loved the premise. Loved the messages about friendship and opening up. But awkward humour isn't my thing. Still, a good movie.

Infamous (2006) was . . . wow. Anyone who loves literature and the crazy lives of writers should absolutely watch this movie. The cast and the acting was superb--and who wasn't in this movie? Sandra Bullock and Daniel Craig (as an American) gave shockingly great dramatic performances.

What's it about? Truman Capote writing In Cold Blood. Who appears as characters? Harper Lee, Gore Vidal, and so many others.

What it about . . . thematically? Artists, in creating a work of art, might die a little in service to that art. And in creating a great work of art, sometimes they have died completely.

The Bridge (2006)

A filmmaker hired a crew and he and they filmed the Golden Gate Bridge every day for a year. What were they looking for? Those who chose to jump off.

The Bridge is a documentary about the suicides that happen every year at the bridge. 24 in the year they were filming. Sometimes they caught only a splash. Sometimes they filmed everything.

They also spoke to the families and friends of those who died. They share their loss and grief and shame.

It's a great film and one definitely worth watching.

http://www.thebridge-themovie.com/

The Time Traveler's Wife (2009). Beautiful movie. Eric Bana naked. Rachel McAdams and Bana and the entire cast (even the kid) were likeable and real and the whole thing was very moving. I get the sense that the book had more and was more. I should read it.

Moon (2009). It was a good movie. And a good SF movie. Great worldbuilding; a very believable vision of future Earth. Likeable character . . . almost singular. :) Small cast movie. Great message.

Winnipeg bathhouse fire was arson: police

Owner angry blaze was deliberate

Arson was the cause of a fire at a Winnipeg bathhouse that killed two men, police said Tuesday.

Steven Yablonski, 23, of Winnipeg and a Saskatchewan man, Robert Clark, 62, died in the Oct. 11 blaze at Aquarius Bath House on Notre Dame Avenue.

Const. Jason Michalyshen confirmed Tuesday that both men died of smoke inhalation.

The fire broke out at 7 a.m. on the second floor of the 12,000-sq. ft. facility.

Homicide investigators are now leading the investigation and are working to identify suspects, said Const. Jason Michalyshen Tuesday.

Police are asking any patrons of the bathhouse who may have been present the morning of the fire and have not yet spoken with investigators to call 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).


Get more of the story here at CBC.ca.

From CBC poster Wessex:



It just makes me think about all the things that never get reported on.

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed The Rookie. It's one of those movies made for people, mostly Americans but Canadians will get it, who have had all their dreams smashed by the cruel hand of fate. Which is pretty much the entire human race. So it has broad appeal, despite being a baseball movie.

Jim Morris is a real guy, and this movie is based on his life. And he does motivational speaking.

And I'd already known that Dennis Quaid could act, since I saw him in the amazing Far From Heaven, and he was good in The Rookie, too.

Please tell me if I've posted this already. It's hard to believe I haven't.

Yeah, I'm behind in my movie posts. Yes, I did see it on opening night. And yes, there is a strong possibility I pulled my polyester Star Trek: Deep Space Nine uniform out of the closet.

Star Trek was a wonderful movie. And what can I say about it that hasn't been said?

It made me happy. I had high hopes, and every one of them was satisfied. Well, except for the little one where they take science seriously. But that's small compared to all the things they get just so right.

Just see it. :)

I don't get it. I just don't get it.

And why wasn't her fiancé more upset? Like, really.

The Lost Boys (1987). Yes, I'm an oddball for having never seen it. I expected it to be crappy teenage schlock, but I was pleasantly surprised at how awesome it was. This film is an object lesson in "show, don't tell." Although, I admit that they do "tell" quite a bit as well. Still, great performances, great writing, great direction, great editing, interesting use of music (didn't like it at the very beginning, thought it was great throughout the rest). Very worth watching.

I watched A Soldier's Story (1984). It was kind of earnest and overblown in that way that movies made from plays often are, but it was a movie made great by all the wonderful performances. I found Adolph Caesar's performance particularly captivating.

And it was my second Denzel Washington movie that day, after Cry Freedom, which I can't report on here, as I didn't see it in its entirety, but that was a movie I will absolutely watch again. Wow. But it was great to see how Denzel Washington grew as an actor in three years.

Spoilers ahead.

( Read more... )

I'm not suggesting I could have written a better finale for Battlestar Galactica. But there were a few things that really ruined it, and I would have changed those, if I could have.

( A different ending. Spoilers ahead. )

At least municipal public servants are generally nice, because the organizations they're a part of sure aren't organized. No offense to anyone who works for any of them. You have great hearts, but there aren't organized people above you giving effective management.

There was a fire at 02:45 at the corner of Edmonton Trail and 41st Avenue NE (a map). The fire department responded and they and the police closed off 41st Avenue.

( Read more... )