Well, since yesterday, not a whole heck of a lot has happened except kicking back and watching a few movies after getting stuff ready for my trip yesterday. Oh yeah...and I'm working early again...but it leaves my afternoon and evening free to attend the going-away party of my buddy Nell as she moves to Denver for a new job. We wish her the best...and we'll gladly get drunk enough to tell her, so that she knows it's the truth.
Yesterday afternoon, I watched one of the coolest action movies ever made for the first time. One of the great action movies from director John Woo, "Hard Boiled" (1992). All I knew about this movie beforehand was that John Woo directed it before he came to the states and it was the basis of the video game that he just helped develop called "Stranglehold." The show was extremely awesome. Be prewarned, that it had subtitles...but stars Chow Yun Fat & Tony Leung and a spitload of guns. There are probably more bullets fired than frames of film in the movie. It's a great story about cops, undercover cops, gun smugglers, loyalty, babies, betrayal, explosions, honor, courage, sacrifice, and a lot of slow motion shots, slides down armrails, jumping through windows, sliding on tabletops, spinning away from oncoming bullets, diving behind cover, it's just a great movie and shot with extreme precision so that you feel like you're one of the cops going to war with them or something. If you love action movies...and I know you do, you NEED to check out this movie. That's right, I said "NEED" to check out this movie.
Miss JL Clyde stopped by last night so that we could continue her zombie research for her paper (I'm not joking, by the way). We watched "28 Weeks Later" and I know that I've gone over how zombie movies don't really scare me that much...but this one was actually pretty good. It stars Robert Carlyle ("Full Monty" & "Formula 51") but that's really about it...and a bunch of bloody extras. Some of the gore seemed...a little unnecessary...but whatever, it's to be expected. The movie was shot with a plethora of different quick, jaunted, first-person camera views with made it feel like watching Blair Witch or some Bigfoot hoax video...and on the big screen can make you feel kind of queasy and dizzy...but it adds to the element of "Did you see that?" "See what?" "When it panned over, did you see that thing in the corner?" "What the hell are you talking about?" RAAAR!!! "Ah zombie!!!" Also, I don't know what it is about kids with the English accent...but I always want them to die in movies. Violently actually. It happened with Narnia. It happened with this movie. Even with that live action Peter Pan movie a few years ago, I'm not sure what it is...but that accent just makes me wanna rage like the 'zombies' in this movie. "I wont to see me brutha, guv'nah." RAAAR!!! The only accent that could be more irritating is a French accent. Oh...by the way, "28 Months Later" is in production. Sorry if that kind of spoils it for ya...but if you haven't seen it before Halloween, then you probably don't care.
Instead of watching another zombie movie, we decided to watch "Spiderman 3" which was pretty good. Still not over the fact that Topher Grace is Venom. Anyway, I've already talked about this movie before. Fingers crossed, I hope "Spiderman 4" is the whole Total Carnage series into one movie...but I'm kind of a nerd like that. JL Clyde & I also had the whole logic discussion about "Where does Spiderman's web comes from?" and that led to it being really sticky...and shooting out of his hands...and well, you can kind of figure how the humor went when he was trying to shoot it into the bad guy's eyes or he & his girlfriend were lying back in a web, looking at the stars. "Peter, this web is...really messing up my dress." "It's okay MJ, just don't get it in your hair."
I Was Way Off - Ladies & Gentlemen, it has just come to my attention that the best backsides in all the world, allegedly, do NOT come from Brazil. Apparently, they're from the Balkans. Yesterday, a 19-year Bulgarian woman named Kristina Dimitrova and 24-year old Romanian Andrei Andrei (not a typo, that's the dude's name) won modeling contracts from a backside beauty contest in Munich. Some 15,000 people from 29 countries sent in their entries (also accepted at this site if you think you can top it). I have to say, that is a nice backside. I'm also very intrigued by the blue tattoo on the leg but somehow, I feel my eye drawn back towards the center of the picture. Anyway, so yeah, good for them.
The Spiderman Defense - Though many have effectively used the Chewbacca Defense in a courtroom setting...but none have been able to effectively use the Spiderman Defense. Case in point, an Australian man named Philip Spiers (hmm, close to Spiders...) kidnapped and raped a woman in 1997...and was convicted and sentenced to 8 years in jail on Wednesday. His defense - He plead guilty (and it still took ten years) but told a court that the poison from a funnel-web spider bite had left him with a viral illness which led to his actions. There was no medical records to back him up...so now he lives Australia in it's traditional fashion...as a prison. If I were in his shoes, I would have blamed it on gamma radiation or something. "Your Honor, don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." (That's a Hulk joke for the nerd impaired out there)Robin Williams Movies
Medal Winners
Gold - The Birdcage (1996) - Say what you will...but I think this movie is hilarious from beginning to end and I enjoy it everytime that I see it. He & Nathan Lane are hilarious...and Hank Azaria is right up there with them. It's the story of a homosexual couple (Williams & Lane) living in South Beach and William's son is coming to visit because he was recently engaged...to the daughter of a conservative senator/Presidential candidate (played by Gene Hackman) and they wanted to meet his family. Definite rental material.
Silver - Dead Poets Society (1989) - When he wants to be a more serious actor, he can do that too. It's a coming of age movie and through their English Professor, a group of Ivy League bound college kids learn to Carpe Diem - Seize the Day...and who else could teach them this but Mork from Ork??? I haven't seen "Good Will Hunting" (gasp) but I'm sure it'd be a very similar role. Also, oddly enough, three years before this movie came out, Mr. Williams was in a movie titled..."Seize the Day" about a salesman who lost his job, girlfriend, and sanity. I may have to check it out. I'm sure it's not related to this story. Just thought I'd share that with you.
Bronze - Toys (1992) - I liked this movie as a kid...and I still did when I saw it last year again. When a military general (Michael Gambon) inherits a toy making company and begins making war toys, his employees band together to stop him before he ruins the name of Zevo Toys forever. Also stars Joan Cusack and has smaller appearances by LL Cool J and Jamie Foxx. It's directed by Barry Levinson, so it's a crazy cooky good time. If you haven't seen it yet, I suggest checking it out. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention that on this list, I'm only including live action movies with Robin Williams, not all the cartoon and CGI stuff like "Aladdin", "Robots", "Happy Feet", etc.
Suggestion - Insomnia (2002) - You may not think that Robin Williams can be creepy. Think again. This was Christopher Nolan's follow-up to "Memento" and it's about a killer in Alaska (Williams) being pursued by a detective from out of town (Al Pacino). Though it mainly centers around the detective inability to sleep and the problems that it causes, Williams does a great job of creating an eerie feeling of self-righteousness and is genuinely creepy at some points. If that doesn't work for you, watch "One Hour Photo" (also 2002) about a stalker film developer. You'll buy a digital camera, the next day (unless you're into that darkroom stuff like my buddy The Mad Scientist).
Flush It - Father's Day (1997) - Maybe it was just the expectations of having Robin Williams and Billy Crystal in a movie together...or the plot of "Hi, I'm the mom of a runaway teenager...and I slept with both of you around the time of his conception. I don't know who the father really is...so why don't you guys go find him for me? That'll help." The ending was even better. "Surprise, it was the third dad that raised him the whole time. I so punk'd you guys. Tehehe. Now, if you'll help me move next week, that'd be sweet." Yeah, this movie really sucked to me...but whatever. It did have a special musical appearance by Sugar Ray.Future Watch - Old Dogs (2008) - Williams and John Travolta star as two friends and business partners who find their lives turned upside down when strange circumstances lead to them being placed in the care of 7-year-old twins. How could this not be a good movie? We shall see. Also, there's the Krazees (2008) where he stars as a schizophrenic psychologist. Ooooh, that's gotta be a good one. Anyway, I'd better get back to being a schizophrenic psychologist myself...so have a great weekend!!!
4 comments:
Fisher King comes to mind as damn good. Also Garp. Definitely check out Good Will Hunting!
Ah Fisher King. That one was pretty good. Never heard of Garp though. Like many people, I had a whole Matt Damon / Ben Affleck boycott thing going for no particular reason (Reindeer Games?) so I never got around to watching this movie...that & it won Awards, which usually means...not entertaining. Since the Bourne movies though, and the maturity coming up a little bit, I think I can take it now. I think I'm ready for Mr. Hunting.
the other famous name in 28 weeks later is catherine mccormack. she was in a film called dangerous beauty, which is is based on a booked called the honest courtesan, which is about a venetian courtesan in the 16th century. it is rather good, and there are boobies. she is also mel gibson's girlfriend in braveheart.
Was she in that movie? Oh yeah, a few three-second flashbacks and being strapped to a table. How could I forget? :) Courtesans are cool. You know how to make me watch a movie in two words - Boo Bees.
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