Watchable Week

Empire Records

Anthony LaPaglia stars in this teen comedy ala The Breakfast Club where a bunch of quirky record store employees sort out where their lives are going. They're trying to save the store from turning into a homogenized conglomerate.

One clerk attempts to steal to make a point to his boss, another hopes to lose her virginity to an aging rock star and everyone generally has a fun musical time.

This boiler plate party film might not appeal to its intended teen audience, but it made me chuckle at the whimsical antics.

Library: Coquille.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112950/

Amazon: Empire Records

An Evening with Kevin Smith

ADULTS ONLY, this film has a lot of sexual language. I paired these together because the director of Clerks and Mallrats displays a lot of teen angst in his earlier work. Though he had nothing to do with the above film.

This film features Smith himself over two nights discussing every aspect of his process and elements of his regular life. Jason Mewes who plays Jay to Smith's Silent Bob speaks for a few minutes on both DVDs.

They discuss their work with Ben Affleck and even cover a little about Matt Damon. They do not mention much about Jason Lee. At least I don't recall much mention of him.

I found it quite interesting but Smith really has a raunchy sense of humor. Some may find that off putting if not down right offensive. I squirmed a bit during some commentary.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0346952/

Amazon: An Evening with Kevin Smith

Watchable Review: 8MM

8MM

Glorified violence turns my stomach. This film explores that kind of exploitation with its own brutality, but I believe to the purpose of good. I don't want to see this ever again, yet the compelling well acted story kept me at the edge of my seat.

A wealthy widow finds a pornographic film depicting the brutal death of a young woman. She assigns an investigator to discreetly research the film and he goes on a dance with the devils involved.

Nicolas Cage broadens his acting range in this role as vengeful protector of the innocent voiceless murdered girl. We see opportunistic porn producers glorify the worst deviant human behavior as Cage struggles to keep himself on the trail.

He meets up with a decent but slightly twisted young man, Joaquin Phoenix, who helps him explore the underbelly of the pornography world. I believe there are people that use the young and vulnerable without regard to their welfare, but thankfully I don't think there are very many who go this far. At least I don't want to know if this world exists as portrayed.

Myrtle Point has the DVD and look for VHS copies in Coquille and Powers.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0134273/

Amazon: 8MM

Good Review: Fallen Angel

Fallen Angel

I find it rare to see a story told out of order work so well. This BBC mini series tells the tale in three distinct parts, starting with the most recent events and going to the oldest.

We see the life of a young woman unravel to the point where she kidnaps a little girl, but her motives stem from her own childhood resentments. As the tale goes on, we see more how the older members of her family failed to get her the mental help she needed.

Emilia Fox plays the title role as Rosie 'Angel' Byfield. She manipulates a pedophile into helping her kidnap little girls and finally plots to take the daughter of her rival. In the second episode, we see her as a young woman struggling with a new stepmother and a mysterious drug using boyfriend. Finally, we see her childhood where her mother kills herself after being suspected of stabbing senile grandpa.

We need all three episodes for a complete picture of who this girl becomes. Each tale shines a light on a different corner of her mind, but leaves enough up in the air to draw us to the next part. It explores side plots of working mothers, relationship dynamics and faith without ever pushing any topic in your face.

Check out this intriguing drama from Coquille.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0939235/

Buy it from Amazon: Fallen Angel

Soso Tuesday

1st and Ten

This HBO series form the mid 80s shows us the story of the California Bulls, a fictitious football team owned by Delta Burke. The male owners try and dominate and manipulate her into doing their dirty work like getting the players to agree to random drug testing.

Generally the plot involves contrasts between players misbehaving in goodhearted fun or vicious abusive team destroying ways. Very little gave me any insight into behind the scenes. It attempted a "dramedy" air and didn't quite pull it off.

I laughed some and almost put this in a higher category. At the same time, other scenes just made me cringe. The first season (which I happened to watch second) had some female frontal nakedness and just seemed exploitative. The second season featured O.J. Simpson. Kind of sad that his was one of the better acting jobs.

I only watched the first disk of the three available. If you have seen the other seasons, please comment and let me know what you thought.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086660/

Amazon: 1st and Ten - Complete Collection

Against All Odds

Disgruntled football star Jeff Bridges gets involved in a scheme to find the girlfriend of his mobster buddy James Woods. We're not exactly sure why Bridges gets sent or why the girl and he get together but they do.

Rachel Ward plays the daughter of a wealthy woman real estate developer. Bribery, intrigue and murder follow. My beef comes from not having any heroes. It seems everyone craps on everyone else. Powerful people bribe politicos, mobsters manipulate their "friends" with blackmail and women betray their lovers.

I'd just take a pass and find something else to watch. Try The Last Boy Scout with Bruce Willis. Much better film and has a similar feel.

Library: VHS; Bandon. DVD; Bandon & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086859/

Amazon: Against All Odds (Special Edition)

Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls - I just found out this is no longer available in DVD format so I'm going to not review it.

Thursday Dog Pile

Because I missed last week's Dog post I am tacking on a couple extras. You will NOT enjoy these films.

Against All Hope

I know I've seen this film before, but I haven't review it and I don't know why not. A drunk starts to talk to a preacher who tells him that God will make everything better. Terrible production values mixed with stupid plot just made this confusing and AWFUL.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0235166/

Amazon: Against All Hope

Even Money

Good people don't always make a good film. This follows the lives of a bunch of degenerate gamblers and how they get themselves in over their heads. Lots of death and mayhem.

Here's a part list of who's in it: Danny DeVito, Forest Whitaker, Kim Basinger, Kelsey Grammer and Ray Liotta. Some of them use their talents well in this film, but they couldn't begin to make it entertaining. If you want to see something interesting about gambling, watch The Cooler.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0404163/

Amazon: Even Money : Widescreen Edition

Evil's City

I've seen better acting in a high school play. Just don't even bother. This is what the library entry says: Two reporters from a college newspaper track down a forgotten California town, only to find it inhabited by murderous zombies. Maybe I need to invent a "Dead Dog" category just for crap like this.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0400329/

Amazon: Evil's City

Factotum

I cannot begin to tell you how deeply this film offended me. Matt Dillon plays a man who supposedly wants to write, but along the way he screws over employers, women and friends. He drinks and gambles too much and hits his degenerate drunk girlfriend. Marisa Tomei needs to find another decent part someday. AVOID.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417658/

Amazon: Factotum

Fair Game

Memo: if they say "that was impossible," after a big stunt, turn off the film. Cindy Crawford and William Baldwin star in this clunker about a Russian mobster trying to kill a pretty lawyer. She stumbled upon the existence of an asset for a client, a boat the mafia guy was using to make a heist, and nearly dies for her efficiency.

Baldwin plays a cop who tries to protect her. Look for a cameo of Salma Hayek as his hot tempered Latina girlfriend. Or better yet, don't. Even the stunts don't save this poorly written and acted mess.

Library: Bandon & Coos Bay.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113010/

Amazon: Fair Game

Falling Down

Michael Douglas can act and he does convince me he's this guy, but I just couldn't grasp the point of the film. We're really not given an idea of what his stress points are that make him so crazy as to go on a rampage after being stuck in traffic. It just seemed all random and erratic. I want a setup and then an evaluation by a cop or counselor or someone.

Library: VHS; Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille & Dora. DVD; Myrtle Point.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106856/

Amazon: Falling Down

The 300 Spartans

This film depicts a more accurate and less mystical version of Spartan King Leonidas efforts to fight off a Persian invasion of thousands with just 300 of his own men. He did have some untrained fighters from other Greek states, but they were quite ineffective.

Made in 1962, this film looked old and worn. it lacked as much entertainment value as 300, but told the tale well enough. I think a good documentary with reenactments would be better.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055719/

Amazon: The 300 Spartans

Anchorman the Legend of Ron Burgundy

This 70s era comedy depicts a male dominated newsroom where a fresh faced new gal comes on the scene threatening the lead anchorman. Will Ferrell and Christina Applegate star.

Yes, there are laughs here and I'm sure fans of Farrell will love it, but I don't like when films just think stupid equals funny. Seems lazy and boring to me. Oh and not suitable for younger viewers.

Library: Bandon & North Bend

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0357413/

Amazon: Anchorman - The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (Unrated Widescreen Edition)

The Day the Earth Stood Still

Keanu Reeves stars as alien Klaatu sent to decide the fate of the Earth. As much as I loved the original, this one disappointed a lot. The filmmakers failed to realize the subtle message of the original that gave humanity a chance to change.

In this version the alien is dispassionate for the most part. Then he changes, but we're not really sure why. We also don't know why the woman helps him. Why destroy mankind when they have such powers. Why not just create a new planet and save species there.

It really seemed like an excuse to do a bunch of special effects. Get the original and avoid this one.

Library: Bandon & Coos Bay

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970416/

Amazon: The Day the Earth Stood Still (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)

Donnie Brasco

Al Pacino and Johnny Depp do a good job, I just find mob flicks generally boring. An undercover FBI agent feels more at home with his mob buddies than his regular civilian life. You'll have to decide for yourself if these actors will inspire you to see this based on a true story flick. I forgot the plot and to me that's a bad sign.

Library: VHS; Lakeside. DVD; Coos Bay & Dora.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119008/

Amazon: Donnie Brasco (Special Edition)

Unrelated Watch List

Bridget Jones's Dairy

A Brit girl flirts with her boss and lands him only to find out he's a philandering jerk. Renée Zellweger stars as Bridget with Hugh Grant as the boss man.

Eventually she comes to her senses and takes up with Colin Firth, but things go a bit wrong and they have a disagreement.

Lots of funny scenes of a single girl trying to manage a modern career. Bits of it smack of desperation, but that's funny I guess. I find it sad. Still worth a watch.

Library: VHS; Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille & Powers. DVD; Coquille & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0243155/

Amazon: Bridget Jones's Diary (Collector's Edition)

Chicago

This musical features folks you don't immediately associate with singing. Ambitious singer/dancers Renée Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones find themselves on death row together. They team up to try and make their cases go away with the help of lawyer Richard Gere.

Look for an outstanding performance from Queen Latifah as the prison matron. A lot of times when they take a successful play to film, they lose something. I think they managed to keep this Oscar winner just as entertaining as the stage version.

Library: Bandon, Dora, Coos Bay, Coquille, Dora & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299658/

Amazon: Chicago (Widescreen Edition)

A Doll's house

This classic Henrik Ibsen tale features Anthony Hopkins as Torvald Helmer a controlling husband who's wife Nora borrows money from a scurrilous character to save her husband's life. We see the couple now doing well and stable and Torvald wanting to fire the lender for being of low character. Nora, Claire Bloom, pleads with him to give the man his job back, but control freak Torvald refuses.

The money lender writes a letter threatening to expose Nora's borrowing and Torvald over reacts and hits her. He tells her she's unfit to be a mother. The money lender takes pity on her after a friend of hers asks him to and suddenly Torvald loves her again.

She realizes he's too erratic for her and packs her bags and she sets out ot find herself. She leaves her husband bewildered. I just love the strong confident woman she becomes.

Library: SWOCC

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069987/

Amazon:A Doll's House

Soso Rom Coms

Knocked Up

I cannot even begin to imagine that a tool like Seth Rogen could wash the CAR of Katherine Heigl. I don't care how much alcohol she pours down her throat, no way no how she'd give him the time of day. Biology keeps us within a couple degrees of hotness when picking our mate.

Then they try and work it out after they're pregnant? In what universe? The premise lost me but a few scenes charm with their sex humor. Rogen and his friends act like children but nothing about this film is suitable for kids.

I also laughed when raging hormones makes her toss him out of the car. He's forced to walk to the doctor's office. To his credit, he shows up still.

Many people loved this film. These are my opinions, you may think something different.

Library: Myrtle Point & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0478311/

Amazon: Knocked Up (Widescreen Edition)

Edge of Seventeen

A confused young man explores his sexuality and figures out he's gay. There are so many better flicks that explore the coming of age scene, pick one of them. I'd start with A Beautiful Thing.

I'm kind of not keen on how the kid once he starts figuring out his orientation, he keeps leading the girl on. That's not cool to the girl.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138414/

Amazon: Edge of Seventeen

Employee of the Month

Slacker Dane Cook vies for model worker status in the hopes of winning the affections of hot new employee Jessica Simpson. His rival played by Dax Shepard normally wins the title moniker.

It's a nice sense of camaraderie between the slacker and his work buddies, until he messes that up over the girl. Very much cartoon acting. Especially with someone like Andy Dick in the cast.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424993/

Amazon: Employee of the Month

Good Review: Failure to Launch

Failure to Launch

Parents Kathy Bates and Terry Bradshaw can't get Matthew McConaughey out of the house so they enlist fake girlfriend Sarah Jessica Parker to give him an incentive. The trouble is, she really falls for the goofy guy, and he still maintains his commitment issues.

I might have rated this higher, but the whole subplot about nature hating McConaughey's character turned me off. I didn't like the campy way animals kept biting him. Everything else made me laugh and feel for these parents and the childish guy friends.

Zooey Deschanel charms as Parker's quirky roommate. I just can't say how much I love Bates and she just proves how much she deserved Oscar notice. Watch out for Terry Bradshaw's naked behind though. This film isn't for kiddies. It's funny as hell and part of the plot, but I probably could have done without seeing naked old man butt.

Look in Bandon, Dora, Myrtle Point and North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427229/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Failure to Launch (Special Collector's Edition)

A couple Soso cult classics.

These two films hold cult standing among many folks. I prefer my science fiction with a more believable and purposeful plot. You may feel differently, please feel free to leave a comment.

Escape from New York

Meet former war hero Snake Plissken, now a super bad tattooed criminal send in to the prison that is New York to rescue the world's greatest leader. Gangs of thugs run the streets and Plissken, Kurt Russell, has to find the president and get him out fast.

To motivate him to get the job done officials promise a pardon and embed him with an explosive device set to explode in 24 hours. I'm pretty sure no one wants to live in writer/director John Carpenter's scary future.

Library: DVD; Myrtle Point. VHS; Coos Bay & Lakeside.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082340/

Amazon: Escape from New York

Escape from L.A.

This time the United States government sends Snake Plissken in to dismantle a doomsday device inside the bowels of the undesirable island of Los Angeles. I found it a little more entertaining than the first, mostly because I don't think Kurt Russel took his character too seriously the second time around. All the ridiculous plot elements just seemed to amuse him more.

Even so, it's virtually the same film with a different location. Unlike other soso films, I don't regret seeing these, I just don't think they're worth watching more than once.

Library: Bandon & Myrtle Point.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116225/

Amazon: Escape from L.A.

Dog Review: Escape Velocity

Escape Velocity

Science fiction tends to get my attention, but sadly this lacked any redeeming value whatsoever. A notorious intergalactic prisoner escapes and ends up on a shp run by a pair of married scientists who have a rebellious teenage daughter with them.

They don't realize he's an escaped prisoner until he tries to take their ship. First he starts out by trying to manipulate the daughter, but when she wont hurt her mother for him, he gets angry and tries to attack her.

He manages to lock the family into a compartment, but the mom uses some military training to fight him off. Apparently his buddies were asleep on his ship and he wakes them up and try and help the bad guy leader kill the family.

We don't really understand who any of these people really are and what motivated them. We're given no set up for why the mom has all this magical training or why she's not getting along with her daughter.

Myrtle Point has the DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0176700/

Find additional information on Amazon: Escape Velocity

Good Review: Enemy at the Gates

Enemy at the Gates

Jude Law finds himself on a Russian battlefield trying to take out a German commander from very far away. His comrade, Joseph Fiennes, whispers, "time your shot with the explosion. " Boom, one German officer down, BOOM another.

Though they barely had enough to eat and command sacrificed foot soldiers by the thousands, Russia held the city named for their leader. Sniper Vassili Zaitsev. Law's charcter, became their greatest asset. Germany sent in their best shooter to take him down.

Ed Harris comes to town as Major König and enlists the aid of a Russian boy to attempt to manipulate his sniper rival into a trap. But the boy plays both sides.

Add Rachel Weisz as a love interest for Law and we have a war movie like no other. And despite being under used Bob Hoskins shows up as Nikita Khrushchev. How far wrong can you go with that?

This felt more like a psychological thriller than just another film about World War II. I liked the different point of view and recalling a time when Russia was an ally.

Check it out from Bandon, Coquille and Myrtle Point on DVD and Myrtle Point and Dora on VHS.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0215750/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Enemy at the Gates

Dog Review: Eys Wide Shut

Eyes Wide Shut

I've said time and again I'm not a fan of Stanley Kubrick and since this was his last film before he died, some people had huge hopes it would be great. I probably wouldn't have seen it at all save for a friend dragged me to the theater.

A man and his wife can't seem to quite get along so he kind of gets sucked into a decadent world of sex and drug experimentation. I think Kubrick missed the boat by pandering to get an R rating. I bet the shock value of making the sex more revealing might have pushed the envelope of convention and moved me.

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman displayed the last throws of their crumbling marriage on screen. I guess they just couldn't hide their contempt. The surreal plot keeps you guessing, but I walked away disliking Kubrick as much as before.

Love the director? Grab yourself a copy from Bandon and North Bend on DVD and in Coos Bay on VHS. This is an adults only film.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120663/

Buy it from Amazon: Eyes Wide Shut (Unrated Two-Disc Special Edition)

Good Review: Fingersmith

Fingersmith

A few months back someone suggested this was a better film than Affinity and they were right. Simply speaking, the filmograpy made for a lighter less dreary viewing. I wanted to be with them on the English countryside. I wanted to touch the beautiful gowns the women wore.

We view this in two parts. First we see a young pickpocket girl sent to dupe a young somewhat privileged girl of her fortune. A "gentleman" introduces the pickpocket to her as a maid.

These women become close friends and eventually intimate in what might be lovers if the one girl weren't trying to cheat the other. Tasteful lesbian scenes that made sense within the context. If you're looking for something pornographic, this wont suit.

The well to do young woman lives with her rather creepy uncle who deals in pornographic material. He's trained her as his secretary, so she has a truly warped view of the world. She has no idea that she would receive an income if she should marry.

Eventually she agrees to marry the "gentleman" and with her maid's help they go off to a cottage for their first night. The man and pickpocket/maid plot to drive his wife mad and put her in an insane asylum.

(SPOILER ALERT)

The doctors talk to both the maid and her mistress and encourage the man to bring his wife right away to spend some time getting "cured." As the carriage takes all three to the nut house the maid is captured and dragged inside while the lady sits calmly refusing to meet her gaze.

I liked that the first half they did NOT telegraph this AT ALL. It took me by surprise. In the second half of this fine film we see that the privileged young woman wanted to escape her degrading uncle and the "gentleman" proposed the whole replace her with the maid scenario.

Plots twist and turn and conspirators turn out to be family. The clever maid manages an escape of the asylum and envisions revenge on the man and woman. It seems everyone does these women a wrong turn.

I've already spoiled the major plot twist, I'll just leave the ending for a viewing. If you like Dickensian drama with intrigue and betrayal, this will hold your interest. The lesbian action is limited to a few scenes in the first half. It's quite tastefully done and romantic, rather than titillating. And you just have to love the play on words, Fingersmith?? Too funny.

Look in bandon for this fine DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0423651/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Fingersmith

Dog Review: Election

Election

I rather like Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon but this film flat out grosses me out. A teacher's best friend boinks his 16-year-old pupil and keeps giving details to Broderick's character. Who doesn't do a thing to stop it.

If that wasn't gross enough, after the big scandal the girl stays at the school and tries to become class president. Broderick hooks up with the wife of his friend and and then there's some election fraud shenanigans.

I can only imagine that someone thought this would be edgy and funny, but it just irritated me. Pick a better teen angst movie. Like Ferris Bueller's Day Off or Pleasantville. Much more going on in them.

SWOCC has the DVD and find a VHS copy in Lakeside or North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126886/

Amazon: Election

Dog Review: Burn After Reading

Burn After Reading

Some say these Coen brothers can do no wrong. I love a couple of films of theirs, but this isn't one of them. They love to confound us with weird plots that turn violent in what some call funny ways. Sometimes it works, sometimes not.

A disgruntled numskull of a CIA agent goes off the rails and decides to write a memoir telling all kinds of secrets. While Mr. CIA is at the gym, an employee there, Brad Pitt, finds the disk of his story and tries to blackmail him with it.

John Malkovich plays Mr. CIA. His wife, Tilda Swinton screws around with George Clooney and they plot to run away together as soon as Clooney divorces his wife.

Throw in Frances McDormand as one of Pitt's cohorts and another Clooney lover and we're just wondering WHAT the HECK is going on here.

Honestly, I've had more entertainment value watching a bunch of clowns try and stuff themselves into a tiny car. And that's really who all these people are. A bunch of moronic clowns. We wouldn't have a whole brain if we combined all of them together.

I know many other people have different opinions of this film. I just didn't like it. Feel free to leave a comment and disagree.

Look in Bandon, Coquille, Coos Bay, Myrtle Point, North Bend and SWOCC

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0887883/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Burn After Reading

Edgy Wilderness Watchables

Deliverance

Four friends take a river trip down a wilderness about to be dammed up and flooded. They wish to view the scenery before it's lost forever. Their adventure takes a terrible turn and they run afoul of some back woods folk. It's not a film for children AT ALL.

They have to fight for their survival to escape the abusive mountain men. A pleasant male bonding trip turns into life threating struggles with both nature and humans. Look for outstanding performances from Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox.

Do not see this film before a river trip. A long time ago a boss of mine took us all on a retreat of river rafting. On the bus ride out, he picked this as something we'd enjoy watching. Cruel!

Library: DVD; Coquille. VHS; North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068473/

Amazon: Deliverance (Deluxe Edition)

The Edge

A rich man takes some buddies into the wilderness to test his connection to the wild. It's clear everyone has a money agenda around this guy. Anthony Hopkins plays the quirky billionaire and Alec Baldwin smarms as his "friend" who is sneaking off with Hopkins wife.

A group goes off in a helicopter to view some scenery and something goes terribly wrong and they crash. Hopkins and Baldwin survive and fight for dominance leading the group to safety.

The scenery truly makes this film worthwhile. It's beautiful and foreboding. It seems the filmmakers were trying to teach the lesson that rich men have no friends. I didn't quite buy into it. I think there are plenty of people who value things beyond money. THIS rich guy just didn't know how to cultivate that.

Library: DVD; Bandon, Myrtle Point & North Bend. VHS; Coquille, Dora & Lakeside.

IMDB:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119051/

Amazon: The Edge (Widescreen Edition)

Easy Rider

Long haired hippy drug dealers Billy and Wyatt, Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda, set out on a motorcycle road trip to see the country. This film attempts to explore the counter culture of the late 60s.

They experience commune life, prejudice and kindness all mashed together in a drug filled hazy attempt at challenging the "establishment." Some of the best commentary comes from Jack Nicholson's character George Hanson. He takes up with the traveling boys after they're tossed in jail for being vagrants.

He helps them get a release with their hair intact and they travel on to another town he has no status in. They're driven out of a diner and rejected from motels and at a camp out George expresses that people are afraid of their sense of freedom. He says the establishment can turn dangerous if you challenge them.

True to the foreshadowing words, someone sneaks into their camp as they sleep and beats George to death. The other two barely escape with their lives.

I found this a really interesting if convoluted film. Well worth a watch, but be aware, lots of drug use and sexcapades go on. It's for grown ups for sure. You'd think with all the reputation for drug use in the real life of these filmmakers, the story and filming would be a lot more erratic, but no, Dennis Hopper directed an enlightening film.

Library: DVD; Coos Bay, Coquille & Myrtle Point. VHS; Coos Bay.

IMDB:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064276/

Amazon: Easy Rider

Movie Review: Edmond

Edmond

I consider William H. Macy one of the greatest actors alive today. Though I wanted to figure out what this story meant, I just turned away fairly early. I didn't fast forward or stop watching, I did lose interest.

For reasons we cannot grasp, a businessman goes off the rails and leaves his wife just after they have sex. He tells her he's terribly unhappy with her. He wanders the streets trying to hook up with prostitutes. But disliking all the expense and arguing over price. Eventually he hooks up with a waitress.

Edmond kept looking for something that we could never discern. All we knew is no one gave it to him. He ends up in prison for slashing the waitress to death. The surreal way it happened doesn't make us care. We aren't invested in any "real" emotion.

Please avoid this. Not even Macy can save it. It's based on a David Mamet play and feels like a theater performance.

Bandon has the DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443496/

Look for additional information on Amazon: Edmond

Movie Review: Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting

I enjoy clever folks like the lead in this film. Though he never went to a university of higher learning he demonstrated genius level math skills. Matt Damon stars and wrote this great flick. He and his buddy Ben Affleck garnered an Oscar for the touching script.

An angry young man works as a janitor at a university where a professor puts a difficult math problem on a blackboard. Will Hunting sees it and solves it. The professor chases him off and is about to erase his writing until he realizes he wrote out the correct answer.

He offers to teach the kid how to use his talents, but first, he needs to find a way for him to deal with his anger. Along comes ramshackle therapy guy Robin Williams. The interaction between the curmudgeon and his young client show the value of a little self awareness.

Hunting falls for a pretty medical student brought charmingly to screen by Minnie Driver. These young men, Damon and Affleck show an amazing grasp of complex relationships. They keenly light up the deep joys and sorrows life brings to us all. The math professor and his therapist buddy lived a history not unlike Hunting and his best friend live.

They explore brilliance of the mind on the level of mathematics, but also on emotional awareness. We aren't even aware they're teaching us to live our own life, rather than follow a path dictated to us by others.

Watch this film. Savor it's nuances. Look in North Bend for the DVD and Bandon, Dora and Powers for the VHS.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119217/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Good Will Hunting (Miramax Collector's Series)

Movie Review: The Duchess.

The Duchess

Based on a true story of an 18th century Brit aristocrat and his wife. Keira Knightley stars as the lead herself. It being a true tale I did wonder about the facts. She finds her marriage loveless and so gets interested in politics. She begins to help make the career of a former playmate, which irritates her philandering husband.

The duke, Ralph Fiennes, takes up with her lady friend, who uses him to get her children back. He, in turn, uses his wife. Even going so far as to rape her in hopes of producing a male heir.

Though the acting and settings drew me to the story, the cruelty and intrigue turned me off. Though as a period piece, they did a better job of keeping clear who these people were. I think they're trying to show slavery to duty and social standing. It comes off as people too self absorbed to consider their choices.

Bandon and Myrtle Point have this DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0864761/

Buy the DVD from Amazon: The Duchess