The Last Kiss

I loved this movie. LOVED IT! The script, acting, even the soundtrack are incredible. I'm a big fan of Zach Braff, but it's Jacinda Barret who, even though I can't recall her in a single other movie I've ever seen, really stands out here as she carries the emotional tone of the film. Casey Affleck was great as always and Tom Wilkinson's speech to Braff near the end of the film seemed like gospel without being preachy. But this movie isn't for everyone. The turning-30 characters deal with hard issues like adultery, parenthood, commitment, etc., but with a certain humor to punctuate the drama. Some of the problems they have are actually pretty comic so that the movie isn't wholly depressing.

I equate The Last Kiss, in a way, to Closer starring Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, et al., not because the actions of the characters are so despicable, but because even though the main characters do things that seem so incredibly wrong (or right for that matter), they are immediately relatable and that's not a happy thought for most. I tend to gravitate to movies that lead to introspection, what can I say?

A note about the soundtrack: as I've said before, it's awesome. My favorite tracks in no particular order are "Warning Sign" by Coldplay, "Prophecy" by Remy Zero, and "Painkiller" by Turin Brakes. Each has a different style but all are quality music. The entire soundtrack is available on iTunes but they make you buy the whole album. If you want individual tracks (like I did), most if not all are available on their original albums on iTunes. Just do a search you lazy bastards.

The reason I like The Last Kiss so much is because I know every one of these people. Not the actors of course (though that'd be pretty cool) but the characters. I grew up with some of them, and some are my closest friends right now. I could even be one or two of them.

When it comes down to it, The Last Kiss exemplifies how I feel to be 29... or at least how I think being 29 should feel.

This is NOT OK!!

That's all I'm thinking at the moment. Nothing terrible is wrong, mind you... I'm just watching the horror flick The Descent which is out on DVD now.

SPOILERS TILL END OF POST (mostly minor): I'm only 30mins into the movie so far and I'm finding it hard to watch, not because it's a bad movie, but because the critics were right: this movie plays on your most basic fears (or at least mine anyways). These women are in a cave with no natural light. That's bad enough, but then they go crawling into narrow narrow narrow passages that I don't think would fit my wide butt. This movie is making me feel claustrophobic and tight chested, so yeah... that's why all I can think is "This is not ok!"

Despite all that, the movie's been really good so far and you have to admire a movie that can make you feel that way. I'm gonna go watch some more.

UPDATE: One of them got stuck in one of the narrow passages. She started to freak out. I had to take a break again.

UPDATE 2: Still in the narrow place. Cave in! So not OK!! I WILL make it through this movie but I doubt I'll be watching it again.

UPDATE 3: Why is she hanging from the ceiling like that?!? Leave it to this movie to play on one's fear of heights while in a cave. God, I sound like a complete wuss. But really... explain to me how spelunking can possibly be any fun at all.

UPDATE 4: I just finished the movie and it IS quite good, but it became less scary to me when the "monsters" show up, probably because the make the situation less real in my eyes. That being said, the bone thing was horrifying for several reasons. You'll know what I mean when you see it.

Doctor Who season 2 finale

A quick note about the new Doctor Who: it's one of the best shows on TV now. It's not incredibly deep or philosophical, nor will it change your life in profound ways, but it's really good fun. I'd never watched Doctor Who before, but then the 1st season of the revived BBC series started running on SciFi Channel. I was immediately hooked by Christopher Eccleston's engaging performance as the being known only as The Doctor (hence the name of the show. Get it?) His companion, Rose Tyler played by Billie Piper, is also an appealing character and brings balance to the show. After season 1, Eccleston left the show only to be replaced by the remarkable David Tennant who played Barty Crouch in the recent Harry Potter movie. The change is actors is well explained in the course of the show and the fact that Tennant is so good as The Doctor forgives any apprehensions one may have had. So watch the show. Season 2 just ended here in the US and I beleive season 3 just began in the UK.

The season 2 finale was excellent. I don't want to ruin it for anyone but I will say there may be some MINOR SPOILERS TO FOLLOW. Billie Piper has left the show as of the end of season 2. It's been in the entertainment news so it's no big surprise. What we didn't know was what the circumstances of her character's departure would be. I'm not going to tell you specifics, but it was... unexpected, and quite possible perfect. It was a tearful goodbye; hard-hitting and emotional. Many shows try to pull off moments like this, but they rarely succeed to full effect. This one did.

Can't wait for season 3 to get here to the US. And the Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood too (which I just read is a anagram of Doctor Who... who knew?)

Son of Jor-El, kneel before Richard Donner

Christopher Reeve = best Superman ever!!

Just wanted to get that out of the way. So, it seems as though everyone and their grandmother wanted to see Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut because even though it was at the top of my queue, it took me almost 3 weeks to get it from Netflix. Anyway, I finally got it and popped it in immediately.

HEAVY SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT: This is definitely a different version than the original. There's a lot of new footage as promised... the entire Niagara Falls hotel segment has been replaced with footage from a Margot Kidder screen test. It's not as bad as it sounds, and actually the scene plays out better than in the original movie. Clark doesn't just fall and "burn" his hand anymore. Lois freaking shoots him with a gun to prove what she already has figured out: that Clark Kent is Superman.

Let me jump back to the beginning and see if I can remember the major differences between the 2 versions. First off, the entire Paris/Eiffel Tower elevator thing is gone. Zod, Ursa, and Non are not released from their Phantom Zone prison by the hydrogen bomb attached to the elevator that Superman tosses into space. Instead, the are freed by the explosion of the nuclear missle set loose by Lex Luthor at the climax of the first Superman, that Superman intercepts and tosses into space. I like that fact that the 2 movies tie into each other. Seeing as though they were shot concurrently, this makes a lot of sense and it gives the audience a time frame of reference.

Maybe I haven't seen the original version of Superman II recently, but if you ask me, Luthor's escape from prison and his subsequent travels north play out better this time. There's more humor and it all seems less forced. Amazing what you can do with a good editor. Also, when Lex gets to the fortress of solitude, Marlon Brando's Jor-El gives him a lesson on who the greatest Kryptonian criminals are and what happened to them. Again, this may have been in the original but I don't remember it.

And was Marlon Brando even in the second film or did they replace him with someone else? I think they actually had Superman's mother as the guiding voice in the Fortress. Oh well. It's always nice to see Brando.

I already mentioned the Niagara Falls bit. Oh, I forgot one thing about that too. Lois doesn't throw herself into the water to have Superman save her. That's been cut out entirely.

Clark still gives up his powers for Lois, although the scene plays out differently as Clark argues with Jor-El over his decision. When he finally loses his powers, the crystal console explodes preventing him from ever undoing it... which is not entirely true because it obviously gets undone. But when that comes about, what we now see is a very heart-felt scene between Clark and his father.

The last major difference that I can remember is the way the end of the film plays out. The Fortress of Solitude is still the setting for the final showdown between Lex, Zod and his cohorts, and Superman. Gone are the ridiculous elements of the ensuing battle such as the teleporting Kryptonians and the giant cellophane "S" that Superman tosses at one of the villains. I can't tell you how glad I am that both of those things are all gone.

And finally, a few things that I didn't like: the film doesn't show you what happens to Lex Luthor at the end, although one can assume that he goes back to prison. I'm just saying that it'd be nice to see. Also, Lois doesn't forget who Superman is by the stupid "kiss of forgetfulness" or whatever it was from the original movie. Instead there's a break-up scene between her and Superman which is kinda touching but not really. It would've had more effect if it weren't for the fact that Superman then spins the world backwards/goes back in time so that nothing in the movie actually happens. At the end, Zod, Ursa, and Non are still in the Phantom Zone spinning mirror thingy floating away in space. SERIOUSLY?!?!? You're going to finish the superior version of Superman II with the same lame ending of the first? COME ON! That was the only thing that I didn't like about the first and I'm disappointed it was added back in here. If you ask me, Superman is less super if he can't accept responsibility for his actions. That may be over-simplifying, but I think it's a valid point nonetheless.

Overall, the Richard Donner cut is way better than the original. If you can get past the screen test footage (easy) and the lame ultimate ending (not so easy), you'll really enjoy this film. Go rent it, buy it... whatever it is you do.

Silent Star Wars

Yeah yeah yeah. I know I haven't posted in over a month. Instead of giving some lame excuse like "I didn't know what to write about," I'll spare you. Here's the truth: I'm lazy... and this post isn't much of a remedy, but it'll have to do for now.

Check out the version of Star Wars as if it were made in the silent film era. Pretty funny, although they could've done more with it. Who am I to complain though? I can't even blog regularly...