Watchable Week: Science Fiction Day

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet star in this fascinating tale of memory, angst and love. Winslet's Clementine decides she doesn't want to be involved with Carrey's Joel anymore so she has him erased from her memory and life. The service includes having all her friends refrain from reminding her of what she's lost.

Joel tries to get her back and then has his own erasing, but the whole thing goes weird. The people do the erasing use the clients and then erase their memories as well as some thoughts leak through and the clients sometimes find themselves in a state of confused flashing and gaps.

Interesting study about the nature of who we are.

Library: Bandon, Coos Bay, North Bend & SWOCC

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338013/

Amazon: Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (Widescreen Edition)

Fahrenheit 451

François Truffaut brings to screen Ray Bradbury's classic novel about a future where firemen burn books instead of prevent fires. Julie Christie and Oskar Werner star as the fireman and his wife. Christie also plays the girl the fireman becomes fascinated by. I didn't realize this until just now reading it off the Movie Database.

Montag, the fireman, finds himself dissatisfied with life and he meets a young woman with a whole new philosophy. She wants to read and know about books and society wants them burned and any independent thought stomped out.

Do watch the special features where Bradbury talks about his novel as it relates to the film. He tells some behind the scenes stories about how the idea came to him and how the film-maker adapted changing elements.

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

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060390/

Amazon: Fahrenheit 451

The Family Man

Nicolas Cage gets a glimpse into his alternative life with Téa Leoni. At first he HATES it but eventually he likes the different man he becomes. The path he took originally turned him into jerk of the year who makes his employees work the holidays.

In his alternative world he learns the value of family and love and tries to hold on tight to that place. It's quite Scroogesque in its contrasts. Pop some popcorn and have a nice watch. Well worth the couple hours.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0218967/

Amazon: The Family Man

Watchable Dramas

Exiled

Fong Juk

My husband had a neat name for this film. He called it a spaghetti eastern. You know how they have western films made in Italy in the 70s, well this film has a feel like those. Very Asian with an interesting dub job. If you can do subtitles, have a watch that way. It may prove even more interesting.

Members of a mob chase down a a man trying to start a new life with his wife and child. There's a firefight but the man survives and the assassins fix up the place and leave with him. I'm not quite sure how this happened, but seeing them repair the bullet holes and stuff was very surreal.

Have a look at this inventive creation. If you can figure out what's going on, write me and enlighten me. ;) Do read the Amazon page with other people's reviews. They give a more complete picture of the film that I can.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796212/

Amazon: Exiled

Empire of the Wolves
L'empire des loups

Now THIS film felt like live action Anime. A married woman tries to get her memory back and figures out she's being held prisoner by her "husband." Turns out she's a kick ass chick trying to defy being turned into a drug mule. She finds herself being manipulated by the government.

It goes so many twisted unexpected directions it held a ton of edge of your seat action. Who can she trust and who will betray her? Are we ever sure?

Check out the French dialog but the dub job worked well for me.

Library: Myrtle Point.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0402158/

Amazon: Empire of the Wolves

Empire Falls

This mini-series stars Ed Harris as a put upon everyman just trying to take care of his family. He works for the matriarch "owner" of the town played by veteran actress Joanne Woodward. Her real life husband, Paul Newman gets in on the act as Ed's troublemaker father.

We see Philip Seymour Hoffman in flashbacks as the wealthy husband of Woodward. He supposedly ran off with his secretary. Helen Hunt, Aidan Quinn and Robin Wright Penn round out the cast. Marriages, divorces and unexpected turns make this a very interesting HBO series to watch.

Library: Bandon & Coos Bay.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0376591/

Amazon: Empire Falls

The Emperor's Club

Kevin Kline stars as an outstanding professor who teaches wealthy young men. Every year he has a contest where one boy wins special recognition. A new student comes along and he tries valiantly to teach him but ultimately the boy cheats and disappoints his mentor.

Cut to years later and the now men have a rematch for the contest. The cheater vows that he was influenced by his obnoxious pushy father into misbehaving and tells Kline he'll prove himself worthy. Do leopards change their spots and grow into wise honorable lions? Check it out and find out.

Library: Coquille, Lakeside & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283530/

Amazon: The Emperor's Club (Widescreen Edition)

Mixed Up Week Watchable Monday

Since I folled around and didn't get reviews done last week, I'm just gonna mix it up this week! My list is FULL TO THE BRIM of watchables so I am going to just review a bunch of them today.

Elizabeth, the Golden Age

Cate Blanchett lords over this dramatic interpretation of real events where plots upon plots show how uneasy rests the head that wears the crown. The Spanish armada attempts to attack England and finds them thwarted by the sea and Sir Walter Raleigh. Look for Clive Owen in that role. He also makes eyes at the queen.

The costuming pushed it into being a better film than I think the acting and writing made it. The color, texture and sounds of the dresses were enough to make a designer fall in love.

They should have stuck to a more clearly defined aspect of the monarch without all the convoluted extras. Make references to the attempts on her life but keep us in the exciting bits. Save the other stuff for a sequel or something. I got bored. I shouldn't get bored watching a film about one of the greatest monarchs ever to live. Oh, wait, this IS a sequel. UGH.

Library: Bandon, Coos Bay, North Bend & SWOCC.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414055/

Amazon: Elizabeth - The Golden Age (Widescreen Edition)

The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill
But Came Down a Mountain

Hugh Grant went to the 'be yourself only not' school of acting and nothing about this film changed that, but it's quite a nice little two hours of quirk. A pair of surveyors go into a little village and determine that a local mountain sits just a few short feat below that designation.

When the townsfolk hear of the findings they get together and decide to "add" to the mound and make it a mountain again. Grant falls in love with a girl and the community and helps and stays to resurvey. Truly a story of the little town that could. It'll inspire you to make a mountain.

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

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112966/

Amazon: The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain

Fairy Tale: A True Story

Two precocious little girl cousins take photographs of fairies in order to cheer up their parents. Buoyed by the images, the adults consult with people interested in the occult and the images make their way to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle played by Peter O'Toole. He shows them to his friend magician Harry Houdini (Harvey Keitel) who tries to disprove the story but in this film does not.

I read that Doyle considered himself duped by the photograph, but the story isn't really about them. They even seem an afterthought. The family dynamics dominate the film. It's quite sweet and intended to ask us all about the nature of belief.

I once saw four different rainbows during a trip to Scotland. How can I NOT believe in fairies!

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119095/

Amazon: Fairy Tale - A True Story

Watchable Wednesday

Joss Whedon's Dollhouse

This futuristic tale of a company that enslaves people without them realizing they're enslaved. They sign contracts to give up their bodies for a period of years. Their minds are supposedly stored inside a computer hard drive like device.

Creator Joss Whedon likes to use actors and actresses from his previous series. Eliza Dushku stars as Echo, the most popular "doll." She worked for him in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel" vampire themed series.

The series still runs on Fox, but I suspect it's struggling with the final episode on the DVD appearing a series closer. I doubt it aired. The stories feed into conspiracy and serialized plot lines that pique our interest, but ultimately let us down when they end rather conventionally. Watchable none the less.

Library: North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1135300/

Amazon: Dollhouse: Season One

ER

The library has several seasons of this award winning series about a Cook County Emergency Room. For a few years the plots and trauma tended a bit on the unusual side and held my interest.

George Clooney honed his acting skills, Noah Wyle and Julianna Margulies started their carreers and many of us grew very fond of Anthony Edwards character Dr. Mark Greene. I started losing interest in the show when they started torturing the poor doctors. From HIV to brain tumors and beyond, it got rediculous.

Then they changed staff and started all over again with a new batch to torture.
Anthony Edwards played a doctor everyone loved to hate, adorable Goran Visnjic used his tall, dark, handsome and foreign wiles to make the nurses swoon and Maura Tierney went from beloved nurse to doctor.

With 15 seasons, I'm leaving out many people. Look over the IMDB for your favorites and feel free to leave a comment. The library appears to only have the first few seasons.

Library: Coquille & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108757/

Amazon: ER - The Complete First Season
ER - The Complete Second Season
ER - The Complete Third Season

Duane Hopwood

David Schwimmer plays an alcoholic divorced father just tries to keep his life together. Normally I don't like watching people who drink, but this guy does try and make his life work. Janeane Garofalo shows up as his ex-wife.

It's not for everyone, it's quite dark but well acted by all those involved. It felt "real" to me and the attempt at sorting out life and just failing miserably left me feeling so sorry for this guy.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398982/

Amazon: Duane Hopwood

Eclectic Shorts

Eric Leiser creates a series of image filled films that mesmerize and enchant. Though I have no idea what was going on, the sounds and images just look neat. Not something to gather all your buddies around to watch, but quite interesting to see once.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0829159/

Amazon: Eclectic Shorts by Eric Leiser

Funny Watchables.

Ace Ventura, Pet Detective

Someone steals the Miami Dolphin's mascot and they hire the title character to find the animal. Jim Carrey slides on the scene with his hilarity and investigates what happens.

To call this character and film weird would be an understatement. Toilet humor and making funny faces tend to be Carrey's stock and trade so to expect anything less would be to be in denial about him as an actor. Still, it has a lot of laughs and twists you wont expect.

Library: VHS; Coquille & Powers. DVD; Coos Bay.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109040/

Amazon: Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

Get Smart

Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway charm as Control agents 86 and 99 in this remake of the classic TV show. It worked even if you either didn't see or weren't a big fan of the original series.

They took an approach of paying homage to the original while making a serious plot film with funny circumstances and dialog. The bits made sense and weren't just shoved in to be funny.

Fans will love the cameo with Bernie Kopell who played Siegfried a KAOS agent on the original series. Watch Careful for his appearance, it comes and goes quick.

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

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425061/

Amazon: Get Smart (Single-Disc Widescreen Edition)

Ellen Degeneres : Here and Now

I like her comedy style, just with this one, I felt it was everything I've heard her do before. If you're a fan and don't mind seeing the jokes she did on Carson or Letterman again, grab it and enjoy. It's good, I just want something new and fresh.

Library: Bandon & North Bend

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365156/

Amazon: Ellen DeGeneres - Here and Now

Watchable Wednesday

Absent Minded Professor

Fred MacMurray stars in this silly tale of an inventor who creates some amazing rubber like substance that bounces super high. He coats the basketball team's sneakers and they begin winning.

In typical Disney form, a corrupt business man tries to steal the formula. This is a nice family friendly film from 1961. It's in black and white, but your kids will still like it.

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

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054594/

Amazon: The Absent-Minded Professor (Widescreen Edition)

Dragnet

Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks pay homage to the classic TV series with this madcap comedy film. A straight laced detective, Sgt. Joe Friday, tries to break up a mysterious cult looking for a virgin to sacrifice.

He and his scroungy partner find the girl, but the cult captures her. Sure they took a drama and made a comedy out of it, but that's alright. No one is really as stuff as the original Joe Friday.

The library system has several copies of the original series. They're quite watchable too. Look for the film at the branch below.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092925/

Amazon: Dragnet

Elf

Not really a huge Will Ferrell fan, but I LOVE Bob Newhart. Buddy finds out he's not a true elf and he goes to find his real father. How far wrong can you go watching Ferrell sit on Newhart's lap.

In general the cast just makes for a laugh party. Look for Edward Asner as Santa and James Caan, Mary Steenburgen and Zooey Deschanel will charm you with their comedy antics.

Library: VHS; Powers. DVD; Bandon, Dora & North Bend

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319343/

Amazon: Elf : Widescreen Edition

Wallace & Gromit. The Curse of the Were-rabbit

Quite an entertaining pun filled romp about a pair of kindly exterminators who take all the animals and put them on the farm of their lady friend. One of them pair gets exposed to a Were-rabbit (like a were-wolf only in bunny form.) He then goes around terrorizing the town until his partner figures out it's him.

It might take a couple of watches to catch all the pun goodness. Many of them go by so fast. Husband Murry liked it more than I did, but I laughed enough to give this the watchable rank.

Library: Bandon, Coos Bay, Coquille, Myrtle Point and Powers.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0312004/

Amazon:Wallace & Gromit - The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (Widescreen 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

Watch List

Dreamer

In the world of horse racing one false move or one injury puts you out of the game. Second chances are rare. Ben Crane played by Kurt Russell doesn't believe in second chances anymore. Luckily for racehorse Dreamer, his daughter Cale, Dakota Fanning, still has hope.

Cale begs her father to let her keep the broken down horse to sire her to another champion, but they soon find she cannot reproduce. While exercising, the horse gets spooked and takes off running and Ben notices the injuries that put her to pasture have healed.

The family plots to get her entered into a high stakes race. Sometimes a little hope goes a long way.

I can't help but think there are much better horse films with much better plots, but this nice piece of family fluff is a sweet way to spend a couple hours.

Library: Dora, Lakeside, North Bend & Powers.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418647/

Amazon: Dreamer - Inspired By a True Story (Widescreen Edition)

Drumline

A talented, yet undisciplined young man goes to college on a band scholarship. When he gets there, he's convinced he's the greatest drummer in the universe and the band leader has to take him down a couple of pegs.

We've seen this plot played out in many films and it's nice to see music and choreography that isn't "like everything else." Pick it up from this fine library.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303933/

Amazon: Drumline (Special Edition)

Eight Below

Dog sled expert, Jerry Shepard, has better relationships with his canine friends than he does with people. He fails to see that his lady friend still loves him and he sometimes treats other men like misbehaving dogs. He fails to understand social interaction on a human level.

After helping a scientist out onto the snowy tundra, a huge storm forces him to leave his dogs behind for far longer than expected. When he finally does return, he expects to find them all dead. We see several break free from their chains and forage the frozen wasteland for food.

The dogs are cute and the story progresses nicely. Well worth a watch for dog lovers.

Library: Bandon, Myrtle Point & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397313/

Amazon:Eight Below (Full Screen Edition)

Oldies Watch List

Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome

and

Nancy Drew, Reporter

The first half of this DVD features Dick Tracy trying to solve a mysterious robbery where everyone blacks out. Made in black and white and filmed in 1947, it's still pretty entertaining. Plenty of melodramatic action, but nowhere near as campy the Warren Beatty film. There are a couple DVDs with this film alone.

Library: Combo DVD; Coquille. Alone; Bandon, Coos Bay & North Bend.
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039320/
Amazon: Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome

Teenager Nancy Drew enters a reporting contest and ends up helping a young woman accused of poisoning. Nancy searches for a vital piece of evidence to clear her. Looking through my notes, I don't remember this film that well. That usually clues me in it wasn't as good as the Dick Tracy one. But it's on the same DVD so if you like these old black and white films, have a look. Coquille has the combo DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031709/
Amazon: Nancy Drew...Reporter

Duel in the Sun

Troubled Pearl Chavez comes to live with her father's long lost love and falls in love with both of her sons. This love triangle drives the men and young woman wild. She feels guilty for liking the bad boy best, but their fiery passion consumes them both. Gregory Peck stars as the good son with their father Lionel Barrymore and bad seed son, Joseph Cotten.

Library: DVD; Coquille. VHS; Coos Bay & North Bend.
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038499/
Amazon: Duel in the Sun

Elmer Gantry

I don't really know what to make of this part huckster part preacher. Does he really love the woman or does he just lust after her, does he believe or just run a scam. Elmer, Burt Lancaster, hooks up with a revival encampment and preaches fiery sermons for them, bringing in loads of money.

He falls in love with the beautiful leader Sister Sharon Falconer played by Jean Simmons. Heck, we're not even sure if SHE believes or is just trying to pull a scam too. Who's who and what's what in this tale of faith and lust.

Library: DVD; Bandon. VHS; Coos Bay & North Bend.
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053793/
Amazon: Elmer Gantry

Action Watchable List

Bandits

Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton star as con men who rob banks. They get it in their head to kidnap the bank manager the night before, hold their entire family until the next day. They steal the money, but are very polite to their victims. Cate Blanchett lives a loveless terrible marriage and happens upon the guys and ends up semi kidnapped semi working with them. She falls in love with both men.

Now I'm quite morally against bank robbery, but these characters charmed with their friendly way. They made a point not to hurt anyone and the stories of the love triangle took an interesting twist I didn't expect. Very funny and entertaining.

Library: DVD; Myrtle Point & Powers. VHS; Dora.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0219965/

Amazon: Bandits

Double Jeopardy

A wealthy mom, Ashley Judd, gets convicted of murdering her husband and while in prison finds out her spouse isn't dead after all. She serves her time and gets out on parole and starts tracking hm and her son down. Her parole officer, Tommy Lee Jones, tells her he doesn't want any trouble from her when he finds a picture of her little boy. She promises she'll be no problem, but soon takes off to investigate the woman she asked to take care of the child.

Jones finds her and takes her back, but she escapes by dumping his car off the ferry. Later she tracks down her husband in another state and Jones barely misses catching up to her. She ends up finding her living mister in New Orleans and demands he give her son back to her.

Very dramatic and action packed. Though the legal aspects are suspect and it's too unlikely to be real. It's a real seat of your pants whole tub of popcorn kinda flick.

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

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0150377/

Amazon: Double Jeopardy

Entrapment

Again another charming set of criminals. Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones team up to make the biggest heist in history. They become close and as a test, steal a mask from a very fancy well secured display and give it to a man who is supposed to help with gear for the big job.

We're never sure who's trying to screw who in this tale of honor and love among thieves. I'm not really sure about a relationship between these two and, well, they could have gone to a few more acting classes. But it works well enough. It must have come out when I was in Europe in 1099 because I hadn't heard a thing about it.

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

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137494/

Amazon:Entrapment (Special Edition)

Watchable Documentaries

Edward Burtynsky:
Manufactured Landscapes

For sheer wow factor you can count on Edward Burtynsky. These stunning photographs and scenery expose the vivid beauty in sludge, pollution and modern production.

I've often noticed the rainbow shine in oil on the road, this guy takes us into the world where whole ecosystems have been compromised. In the pursuit of mining coal, manufacturing products or recycling electronics in China, companies create inriguing vistas of sight and sound. Smell too I'm sure.

This stunning film could have earned a much higher rating if they'd given me a heads up of what I was going to see. I understand that the point of it going on a long time was to show the vast factories, but I got bored and hit fast forward. I suppose that lessens the impact, but I am mad with the power! ;)

I think it might be really neat to see his photographs in a book, but alas there are none at the library. Look in Bandon for the DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0832903/

Amazon: Manufactured Landscapes (US Edition)

Encounters at the End of the World

Meet the quirky types who end up traveling to Antarctica to do research or help those that do. Werner Herzog introduces us to these strange people with one on one interviews and clips of their daily frigid lifestyles.

We see some truly amazing photography of underwater exploration and discussions of how dangerous exploring can be. I like sciency stuff anyway, but this could have been on a special features DVD rather than it's own documentary. I'm not sure it stands on it's own that well.

Look in Bandon and Coquille and explore the lives and backgrounds of one of the rarer species in the coldest part of the world: humans.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1093824/

Amazon: Encounters at the End of the World

Enron:
the Smartest Guys in the Room

I am no conspiracy theory nut, honest. That would be my husband. But when Ken Lay of Enron passed away while in jail, I thought, wow he was so rich, someone helped him fake his death. This film ENHANCED my crazy suspicions.

These guys did what the banks did. They bundled energy into instruments and sold their investors a lie. They asked for and received the right to call profit estimates real profits. That's like telling your credit card company that you make a million dollars a year because you had a really good day on January first.

THEN they took down power generation stations for no reason. This forced a shortage and they raised rates. Madness, cruelty and murderous. Ken Lay and his crowd buddied up to the Bush family and got them to pass sweeping deregulation.

I know this isn't a political blog, but OMG this just has to be said. DO NOT invest ALL of your 401k in the stock of the company you work for. PLEASE. Get sound INDEPENDENT advice.

Wanna be scared and enlightened? Pick up this DVD from Bandon or Coos Bay.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1016268/

Amazon: Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
.

The End of Suburbia:
Oil Depletion and the
Collapse of the American Dream

I didn't rate this fascinating DVD higher because it's such a mega downer. They just told us what the world was going to be like, but didn't give any suggestions for what we might do as citizens of the planet to change. Without hope, sometimes people just throw up their hands and eat another bag of chips.

The title refers to how the suburbs will disappear after we run out of oil. They claim that the world hit it's peak a few years ago and now we'll go into a steep decline as a result of that. They say everything is dependent on oil and that no process can replace it.

They said that it's now harder and more expensive to get oil out of the ground. This will drive up costs to consumers and people simply wont be able to afford to live far away from work. Huge parking lots will give way to mixed use spaces and we'll see a come back to urban living for all.

I feel these pessimists don't take into consideration the ingenuity of human thought. More than anything we love a puzzle.

I do think that suburbs tend to isolate people and a more pedestrian friendly environment might make communities stronger. But this film just talked about all the problems that were for sure going to happen.

I'd be careful to take this as gospel. Feel free to watch though. Look in Bandon for the DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446320/

Amazon: The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream

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

Wednesday Watch List

Diary of a Mad Black Woman

I heard someone say how much they loved this film so I was kind of excited to see it. It wasn't what I expected. It reminded me of a one woman's Waiting to Exhale. Only she finds herself and forgives her ex husband for his misdeeds.

A philandering husband literally puts his wife out of her own house as he brings the new woman in. Devastated she returns to her hmm, I'm thinking grandmother Madea's home.

Though she's bitter and man hating, a gentle man comes into her life to help her through her strife, but she leaves him to exact revenge on her ex. After she's busted the cheater around a bit, she comes to her senses and forgives him. This frees her up to find real love.

This Tyler Perry flick shows him in drag, which is quite funny. I think he does a better woman than Eddie Murphy. Look for Shemar Moore who currently plays a detective on "Criminal Minds".

Library: Powers

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0422093/

Amazon: Tyler Perry's Diary of a Mad Black Woman The Movie (2-Disc Special Edition)

Driving Lessons

Rupert Grint stars as a put upon child of a psycho Christian hypocrite of a mom and long suffering dad. He starts working for a quirky once beloved old actress who cons him into traveling all the way to Scotland to give a talk.

Julie Walters plays the heck out of the actress. She and Grint form a sweet bond where they start to grow up, just a little, together.

Library: Bandon & Dora.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0446687/

Amazon: Driving Lessons

Eddie

Though films couldn't get any more far fetched, I still found it amusing and plenty of popcorn time watching Whoopi Goldberg and Frank Langella. Superfan Eddie gets tapped to coach the New York Knicks basketball team by out of town owner Wild Bill Burgess.

The team starts winning and more important to the owner, filling the seats. Though I could do without all the extraneous stuff that kinda went no where, I found this kind of Cinderella aspect charming. You don't have to even like basketball to laugh at this silliness.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116168/

Amazon: Eddie

Watchable Children's Movies.

City of Ember

Tim Robbins and Bill Murray play adults in this very child like film about a buried city of survivors. Long ago some surface warring forced the powers that be to send people under ground to save the human race from extinction. The instructions for opening the city were lost during a city upheaval.

Faced with a failing generator and food shortages, The mayor attempts to deny any problems. A couple of children figure out the truth and try and leave the city.

I enjoyed the film until about 20 minutes toward the end. I still think it's worth a watch especially for kids. The scary bits are short lived and until the rushed ending, it's a cute fable.

Library: Coos Bay, Dora, Myrtle Point & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970411/

Amazon: City of Ember

Dungeons & Dragons

On the low end of the watchable scale for the bad acting, but I liked the story well enough to push it up one category. Modeled after the role playing game (a world with magic users, monarchs and dwarfs) we find a pair of unlikely hero thieves set upon a quest for a special magic weapon.

Probably the worst performance I've ever seen from Jeremy Irons. But the lead Justin Whalin convinced me of his bravery and loyalty. It's campy humor and simple plot lines would appeal to younger people and fantasy geeks who are young at heart.

Library: Bandon (DVD & VHS)

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0190374/

Amazon: Dungeons & Dragons (New Line Platinum Series)

Dust Factory

Nice to see Hayden Panettiere as a youngster. She befriends a boy in a mysterious world he falls into after an accident by the river. His senile grandfather helps him try and make his way around the strange place. Ole gramps walks through walls and drives through orchards that didn't exist during his time.

A mysterious circus show depicts folks from this world on a trapeze. If they catch they go on to heaven presumably. If they fall they turn to dust and go back to Earth. Panettiere's character fears the falling and refuses to try the trapeze.

Quite an imaginative take on the afterlife. Mostly for kids, but have a look and see what you think.

Library: Coquille

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329030/

Amazon: The Dust Factory

Watchable list

Desk Set

Spencer Tracy wanders into Katharine Hepburn's office measuring for a new computer. The girls in the information office expect they'll all get fired and do their best to deny the computer install.

Tracy and Hepburn flirt and charm each other throughout. While it's not like a super wower film, it's sweet in it's quirky old fashioned way. Made in the late 50's it's nice to see how Hollywood perceived engineering types and installing computers.

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

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050307/

Amazon: Desk Set

Down With Love

This RomCom reminded me of a Rock Hudson/Doris Day flick. Only they had way better chemistry and charm. Set in the swinging late 60's, Renée Zellweger stars as eager young writer girl who writes the best selling book advising women to act like men. Go forth, have sex, no strings, no love, no problems.

She manipulates columnist Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor) into falling in love with her. Of course there's the best friend's complicating the whole thing. David Hyde Pierce and Sarah Paulson kind of stumble through the roles, but they do well enough.

I kind of like how they make fun of the fabulous apartments. Catcher's bachelor pad is right out of James Bond with all kinds of girl snaring gadgets. Even so, I'd call it on the low end of watchable.

Library: Lakeside & North Bend has it on order.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0309530/

Amazon: Down with Love (Widescreen Edition)

Doc Hollywood

Michael J. Fox plays a big city doctor stuck in a small town while he waits for a part for his car to arrive. He gets roped into taking care of the community and falls for his ambulance driver. Desperate for medical help, the mayor tries to rope him into staying.

The nurse doesn't like him, the doctor he's replacing doesn't like him and he does NOT want to stay. Though he begins to see charm in the place, he goes on to his big city interview.

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

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101745/

Amazon: Doc Hollywood