Category: flicks

If I recall correctly, I am somehow contractually obligated to use the term “rousing tale” with the phrase “adventure on the high seas.” Fortunately in this case, it’s an apt description. An amazing yarn from beginning to end– though it ends with the hint of another adventure to be had, which is fitting, considering the twenty book series whence it came. The title is an amalgam of two of the book titles actually, but whether the story is as well, I know not. I’m sure I’ll soon be reading these books to find out.

It somehow manages to fit neatly in the “white guys having adventures” genre I so adore (see Mountains of the Moon, et al.), plus it’s great to see Paul Bettany in another meaty role.

I haven’t read the book, but my wife tells me that the first two acts of this film (the ones I call “maddeningly intriguing”) are the closest to the source. It all comes together in the end, but the re-emergence of Finn’s benefactor took the film on a seemingly unnecessary action-adventure bent.

That said, most of the film is still maddeningly intriguing, and in a good way. I love the way an enormously long shot in the middle of the film (even though it’s actually composed of four shots in a nearly seamless blend) draws you into Finn’s blind panic. Good show!

4 stars.

James Stewart being upstanding, Jean Arthur being lovely and encouraging, and Claude Rains being shocked– SHOCKED!– that there’s corruption in the U.S. Senate. A wonderfully clean-cut fairy tale of right and wrong in the Federal Government. We could use more movies like this one. What the hell happened to Frank Capra, anyway?

Oh.

Well… crap.

4 stars.

So, for the first time tonight, during the umpteenth time of watching Groundhog Day (which is an excellent, excellent movie, by the by), my wife pointed out that it features two songs from other time warp/travel movies, namely Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, which forms the basis for John Barry’s score for Somewhere in Time (one of my wife’s favorite films, which while interesting, I find incredibly creepy) and Almost Like Being in Love, which is Gene Kelly’s big song from Brigadoon.

I wonder if there’s any more time movie references in there. Anyone catch another?

Oh, and Groundhog Day? Highly recommended. 5 stars.

A really slickly edited documentary about the evolution of 70s surfing into what we know as modern skateboarding. I never really got into the whole skate “scene,” probably mostly since even when I was young enough to not worry about my own mortality, I had nowhere near the coordination (or, honestly, mere lack of clumsiness) necessary. I do, though, recall seeing folks like Tony Hawk and the Bones Brigade in magazines and videos down at Mike’s Bikes in SoMD, and being mightily impressed at what they could do with a half pipe and some air. Now I know all about the forefathers (and one foremother) of the sport. Recommended. 4 stars.

Just realized, I gotta get my movie review macro set up on here ASAP, since I’m planning to watch a movie-a-day (or more) during my winter vacation. Hopefully, I can get ratings up for all of the movies on my Netflix “rented” list as well, though we’ll have to see about that.

I’m seriously looking forward to getting back in the swing of things with Netflix– I’ve been slacking off for waaaaay too long (all but one of the eight rentals on my shelf date back to September or earlier). If I can work back up to 4-5 rentals and reviews a week, I’ll be very, very happy. Hell, even if I can only do two per week, I’ll be pretty pleased. Anything to keep ’em from sitting on my shelf for more than a month. 😛