broken hearted hoover fixer sucker guy

Saturday night in my household generally tends to be a rather boring affair. The common practice is to curl up on the couch after the baby is in bed and catch up on some television shows that have been recorded on the PVR over the course of the week. However, given the writer's strike, most of the programs I watch are off the air or in repeats. We also cancelled the movie channel a few weeks back to save a few bucks, so I ended up doing something I haven't done very often in the past year or so. I went to the video store to rent a movie.

Although somewhat hesitant to admit it, when I left the house last night, my intention was to pick up Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. While that my seem normal to many who may read this, there are other's who are likely saying to themselves, "Duuuuuude. Noooo."

But I have my reasons. I saw the first Fantastic Four, so right there it almost requires me to see the sequel. Also, as many know, I'm a big comic book geek from back in the day, so to not see a big budget superhero film, regardless of anticipated lameness, is almost sacrilege.

Anyway....I got to the video store, and sure enough, they had a copy available. I snatched it up in my right hand and before heading to the checkout desk, had a quick look at what else was on the shelves. And that's when I saw it. Once. Being the type of guy who turns to the entertainment section of the newspaper and throws out the sports section, and watches shows like Ebert and Roeper, I was familiar with the low-budget musical that had received a fair amount of critical acclaim this year. I reached out with my left hand and plucked it off the shelf.

So there I stood, pretty much alone in front of a library of new releases at the local video store/laundromat/dry cleaner. In one hand, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. In the other, Once. I knew my wife was waiting at home, expecting me to return with the former, and that she very well might enjoy it more than the latter. But I also knew that I had really enjoyed the previews I had seen for Once, and although it was being dubbed a "musical", a term which will normally send me running from a movie screaming like a frightened schoolgirl, I couldn't put it back on the shelf. So I had a dilemma, because I knew I couldn't get both. (You see, once you have a baby, if you can stay up past 11pm, you've taken performance enhancing drugs. Seriously.) If I rent the big budget superhero flick over the low budget personal musical, will I be able to look at myself in the mirror. Will I be able to show my face to others? Will I irreparably damage my cinesoul and unbalance my box office karma? Can I afford that?

I could not, and so I put Fantastic Four back on the shelf and didn't look back. And while my wife may tell you now that she regrets that decision, I certainly do not.

Once is a brilliant little film that is certainly deserving of the accolades it has received. If you love (good) music, you will love this movie. The songs are simply mesmerizing and beautifully performed. The lead, Glen Hansard of The Frames is someone who I was completely unfamiliar with before now, but he gives a simple and wonderful performance. The other lead, Marketa Irglova is similarly enchanting with a lovely voice, and watching the chemistry between the two, it is hard to avoid a smile creeping onto your face. The dialogue is minimal and real and honest, and the real story is told through the music. This morning, my first task was to download the soundtrack off of iTunes.

I can't speak to Fantastic Four, because I haven't seen it. But I certainly recommend that the next time you're in the video store, to take a chance on this little movie. If you don't enjoy it, and the music doesn't move you, then go out and buy the latest Kevin Federline album. You deserve each other.

the dark side of hollywood

A few days ago, for no reason in particular, I found myself musing about George Lucas. More specifically, I was trying to figure out how the original Star Wars series could have been so good, and the second series so god-awful. I came to the ultimate conclusion that it was in large part due to the fact that when creating Episodes IV through VI, Lucas was a filmmaker. When creating Episodes Ridiculous through Lame, he was a businessman.

I think part of what I love about the first trilogy is that despite the lasers and spaceships and alien muppets, there is a gritty, tactile realism to the whole thing. You can suspend your disbelief about the story, because the components of the story exist in the real world. With the second trilogy (a.k.a. crapfest) there is such a reliance on computer graphics that I have difficulty suspending that disbelief. It lacks that human element which I believe the story needs. I liken it to a stage magician, doing the trick where he taps two metal rings together and links them. The illusion works, assuming you believe the metal rings to be solid. If you doubt the reality of the rings, the illusion fails. Jar Jar Binks makes me doubt the reality of the rings.

Anyway, the reason that I bring all this up is that yesterday while flicking though the channels, I happened upon an A&E special on Lucas and Star Wars. It made me remember everything I loved about Star Wars, and everything I hated about Revenge of the Sith. Lucas has said that the remastered first trilogy and the second are more in keeping with his vision of the story. I find that sad, since I think the original production is the one that stands the test of time. In the interviews, Lucas himself admitted that when he made the first films, he was a staunch supporter of independent filmmaking and loathed corporate interference in the creative process. At the same time, he admitted that over the years, he has become the corporate head that he used to rally against, much like Anakin Skywalker's spectacular fall to the Dark Side, where he becomes Darth Vader (who used to be the greatest villain of all time). It's nice to know that he at least acknowledges the fact....even though he somehow seems to think the Dark Side is where it's at, these days.

I'm curious what other people think about the subject, and given Lucas' recent track record, I'm wondering if there's anyone who actually is looking forward to the new Indiana Jones film.

Also.....THIS.

two reviews, one low price

It's funny how things work. Since Alex was born 7 months ago, I haven't been able to see a movie at the theatre. And yet this week, I made it to the big screen twice.

The first one I took in was earlier in the week while on training for work. We had a free evening, it was cheap night at the show, so a group of us got together and made our way into town. The movie I wanted to see was Hot Fuzz, but it wasn't playing at the theatre in question, and the ultimate decision by the group was to see Next. The general consensus was that if nothing else, it had Jessica Biel in it.

It had nothing else.

The basic premise is that Nicolas Cage is a precognitive who can see the future. But only his future. And only two minutes. Except in the case of Jessica Biel's character. He can see further where she is concerned. The FBI are tracking a group of terrorists who have smuggled a nuke into the country and are going to blow up Los Angeles. Julianne Moore is an FBI agent who thinks Cage is the key to finding the terrorists. Apparently, the terrorists also think this. These are superstitious times.

The entire plot for this movie is absurd. To believe that the FBI would abandon traditional investigative measures in a time of crisis to chase after an alleged precog who wants nothing to do with them requires an unreasonable suspension of disbelief. Add to that the fact that the minute the terrorists hear the FBI is looking for Cage, they decide they need to find him first?

The characters are revealed in such a two dimensional nature that it is almost impossible to feel anything for them. Cage is creepy and uncharismatic. Julianne Moore, who I generally enjoy, is completely ridiculous as an over the top FBI agent. The terrorists are....possibly French? It's hard to say, since it's never really revealed who they are or what their motivations are. The whole terrorist plot appears to be just a vehicle to have Julianne Moore chase cage down, and then team up to take out the bad guys.

I've heard that the movie wasn't screened for critics. It seems the people behind the movie could see into the future as well.

Next.

This afternoon, we took advantage of Alex's Aunt Sheri and had her babysit while we went out to see Spiderman 3. I had been eagerly awaiting this release for the better part of the last year. I've always been a big Spider-man fan, the first two films were excellent, the black Spidey suit is one of the greatest storylines in comics, same cast, same director. What could go wrong?

Everything, it would seem.

At least X-Men: The Last Stand was able to blame it's craperific-ness on a new director. Spider-man 3 has no such scapegoat. The writer's completely pooched the story. As I watched this 2 1/2 hour train wreck, I kept asking myself how they could possibly get things so wrong. I could list the problems.....in fact I will:

1. The retcon of Uncle Ben's death.
2. The convenient and unexplained arrival of the alien symbiote.
3. The strange and mind-boggling experiment responsible for creating the Sandman.
4. Mary Jane singing.
5. The fact that edgy Peter just came off as comical......and looking like Crispin Glover.
6. Peter dancing.
7. Uninspired action sequences.
8. The Twist. Literally.
   
9. Peter being so geeky the geeks would make fun of him.
10. Strange butlers who come out of nowhere to completely alter the storyline.

I'm sure there is more, but I've already started to wipe this traumatic experience from my memory. The one good thing I have to say is that Bryce Dallas Howard was well cast as the lovely Gwen Stacy.

Too bad she should have appeared and died in the first film.

'Nuff said.