Mike's Mini Movie Moments.

I took advantage of relatively inexpensive movie opportunities to catch a few flicks while home. On the flight to Canada, I only caught one movie, opting instead to read.

(ASIDE: I read Spider Robinson's Very Bad Deaths, really very good seemingly-autobiographical SF-thriller: think Telepath + Hippy + Cop meets Hannibal Lector.)










What I did see on the flight was Lucky You starring the Hulk, Boo Radley & Gertie. Pleasant, predictable & ponderous parable of Poker. Watch the Cincinnati Kid instead. (I'd take Ann Margret over Drew any day!)

New to DVD is Hot Fuzz and Clerks 2. Hot Fuzz was not as good as Shaun of the Dead, but it did have its jocular moments. Great extras on movie making though. I'll have to rewatch Clerks to refresh my memory, but I may prefer the sequel. Witty dialogue, great characterization and I found the romantic aspect as good as Chasing Amy.

Bourne to be Wild was the Ultimatum of action flicks. Thrills, chills and spills, but my main criticism is the constant use of the "SHAKY CAM". A few times would be okay, but expect seizures aplenty to strike the populus who view this. I also fear that we're in for a new trend of copycat movies using "Epilepto-vision" as the new "Bullet time".

It was a boy's night out to go see the Simpsons Movie and after a few pints, we were ready. Unfortunately, the paper had mixed up the times and the next show wasn't for another hour. So we all went to see Ratatouille. Excellent alternative, but I couldn't blubber like a school girl in front of my mates. It's over here in Japan under the title of: Remi's Delicious Restaurant. It might be worth seeing a dubbed version as a comparison.












The next night I caught the Simps and found it to be a superior episode with a few naughty sight gags but not quite cinematic enough to warrant a theatrical release. I'll see it when it comes to Japan next November though...It IS the Simpsons after all!








I managed to get to the Bloor to see Grindhouse. Rodrigues' movie, Planet Terror was brilliant. I loved every creepy moment of it. Tarantino's Death Proof, on the other hand, talked and talked and talked with some intermittent action thrown in. Good finale though. They plan to split the movies up for overseas release (no such thing as a double feature over here) so I may catch Planet Terror again for the extra footage. I can hold out for Death Proof until it's on DVD though.

Finally on the flight back, I forgot a book, so I watched all three movies. The Last Mimsy was pretty dopey, but passable kiddy SF. Blades of Glory was very dumb but very funny, the Frat Pack strikes again. And every flight needs your typical embittered ghetto kids who triumph over all odds to win the championship; this time it was Pride with swim trunks.

Stay tuned for the theatrical highlight of my trip, a certain nod to Sam Raimi. (Oooh, how enigmatic!)