No Review Today

I'll do reviews tomorrow.

I watched a gem the other day from the writer/director of one of my fav films called The Station Agent. Sadly, not in the library collection. This film, The Visitor, just happened to be on the new shelf for Murry to find. What is this guy's thing for "the" titles? ;)

Thanks for your patience.

Hey, while I'm posting, I wanted to make a couple comments about the Library and this blog. I notice how crowded the library is lately. I guess the economy is forcing people to find free stuff to do. Whenever I talk to some internet folks, I hear stories about how bad their libraries are. We should be happy and celebrate how great Coos County treats us.

If you're within the county, please join the sterring committee. The link is on the left side of the library website.

Ok, now a few words about he blog. I LOVE comments. Please feel free to comment about any film or let me know if anything is in error. I'm just one person and another set of eyes always helps. Plus, in case I haven't mentioned it lately, I don't see well so sometimes i'll miss something visually.

I include links for both Amazon and Internet Movie Database in every new post. Truly, if you want to buy a film, please feel free to use the link. Though my main purpose is all the interesting data and comments Amazon adds. I have a handful of films I'd like to get for the library. Say for instance The Station Agent. I should make a list and if anyone has copies, they could send them to me and we could donate them for everyone to enjoy.

That's all I have to say for today. Comments welcome!

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

4 Unrelated Soso films

The Affair of the Necklace

Hilary Swank should probably avoid future period pieces. I didn't see her as anything but an aggressive American kick ass chick. She does better when she's got a more psychological modern role on her hands.

As to the story goes, Marie Antoinette admired some stones and the jewelers went into debt to create a necklace for her. Being a fickle queen she didn't like the piece once it arrived so she rejected it.

Swank's character plotted and schemed to get close to the monarchy in order to restore her ancestral home. When that failed, she found out about the jewelry and plotted to steal it. She tried to manipulate Cardinal Louis de Rohan into beliving he was having a romantic affair with Antoinette herself.

I couldn't really keep up with the plot either.

Library: Coos Bay & Coquille.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0242252/

Amazon: The Affair of the Necklace

Down Dakota Way

This Roy Rogers flick seemed rather convoluted. A bad seed young man works for a bad seed rancher. He's the son of one of Roy's favorite teacher so he tries to help him out of the jam. The young man's boss tries to sell cattle with a disease that will infect others and the bad seed helps by burying dead livestock.

One story at a time I say. Don't try and tell too many or you leave most of us confused. If you really like Roy, you might really like this. I didn't.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041311/

Amazon: Down Dakota Way

Dorothy L. Sayers Mysteries

They took far too long to get this murder mystery plot going. I did find certain aspects interesting and had it in the watchable category for a day or so. Then I just realized I didn't want to watch it.

A 1920s British aristocrat investigator becomes infatuated with a woman being tried for murder. He sets out to figure out what happened and finds alternative theories for the crime. It reminded me of Perry Mason, only I like that tons better.

There are other episodes, but I didn't realize this until just now. If you've already seen this series, let me know your thoughts on those.

Library: Coos Bay, Myrtle Point and North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092396/

Amazon: Dorothy L. Sayers Mysteries (The Lord Peter Wimsey-Harriet Vane Collection - Strong Poison / Have His Carcass / Gaudy Night)

Drop Dead Sexy

I'm not a huge Jason Lee fan anyway, but this was worse than usual. He and Crispin Glover play a pair of morons sent on an errand to deliver cigarettes. Turns out the guy who send them was trying to get them blown up.

So they dig up the dead wife of a rich man in town in order to steal a necklace they believe she's buried with. When it's not there, they try and blackmail the rich guy for the return of the body. But wait, there's more. Glover's character finds himself enchanted by the dead girl. EW! If that's not enough reason to avoid this fim, I dunno if you should be reading my reviews.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0397401/

Amazon: Drop Dead Sexy

Movie Review: Eddie Izzard: Definite Article

Eddie Izzard: Definite Article

This featured Eddie at his best doing stand up. I find it interesting that he gets himself off on some tangent and has to think back to where he was so he can continue his routine. Messing up makes him even funnier. I like how it humanizes him.

Lets face it, the guy is a bit of a freak. You gotta like him, which I do. Apparently there's a way to bleep out all the swearing. That might be a funny thing to watch, but I didn't try it out. Maybe it's even funnier that way, I dunno.

He appears on stage in front of a giant book, and I don't know what's said on the pages because of my sight. If someone knows, I'd be delighted to learn.

Bandon has the only copy of this comedy special. If you're new to him, Try Circle first. I found that better than this or Dress to Kill. Though he's more famous for Dress to Kill.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116066/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Definite Article

Movie Review: O Brother, Where Art Thou?

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

To my mind, this film finally convinced me that George Clooney could act. Based on Homer's epic poem the Odyssey, directors Joel Coen and his brother Ethan Coen, send us on a wild tale set in the depression era.

In order to prevent his wife from marrying someone else Clooney's character Everett convinces his buddies in the chain gang that he has a big score. They escape together and wander about the countryside, Everett looking for his ex and the other boys hoping to make big bucks.

To make a little spending cash, they record a song for a radio station and it becomes a huge hit. They were wet when they wandered into the studio so they called themselves the Soggy Bottom Boys.

The melodic tunes throughout helped drive the action to many a mini climax. Sirens sing the boys to sleep, leaving one to believe his friend has turned into a frog. Everett's daughters sing on stage, helping him find the ex Mrs, played astutely by Holly Hunter.

Look for outstanding performances by John Goodman, John Turturro, and
Tim Blake Nelson. I don't remember his name, but watch for the kid who helps the boys escape from one of their cousins. He steals every scene he's in. He wants to R U N N O F T with them as they leave. Sadly, they tell him he has to stay with his pappy. I wanted to see more of the kid.

Multiple copies of the DVD at these libraries: Bandon, Coos Bay and North Bend. VHS copies at: Coos Bay, Coquille, Dora, Myrtle Point and Powers. Also look in Coos Bay and Bandon for a VHS and CD titled Down from the Mountain featuring artists and music from the film.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0190590/

Buy the DVDs and CDs from Amazon: O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Down from the Mountain (The "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Concert)

CDs:


O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Down From the Mountain: Live Concert Performances by the Artists & Musicians of O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Yet another Three Dog Night

Dominion
Exorcist: the Beginning

The makers billed as a prequel to the famous Exorcist film about demonic possession of a little girl. Just after World War II a priest goes to an African town to retrieve a demonic artifact. He finds a long abandoned church there and local stories of evil goings on.

This depicts typical horror stuff with death and destruction from mystic forces we aren't meant to understand. I had a tough time following the story really. It made little sense to me. Plus these faith based scary things don't really mean anything to me.

Library: VHS & DVD; Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0204313/

Amazon: Dominion - Prequel to the Exorcist

The Dragon's Infernal Showdown

Just a crummy badly acted Kung Fu film. The film to DVD didn't look very good either.

Library: Bandon & Myrtle Point.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165267/

Amazon: The Dragon's Infernal Showdown [Slim Case]

The Draughtsman's Contract

This film had annoying music that distracted me so much I just flipped through it and didn't even figure out what was going on. Apparently, a man is asked to do drawings of an estate by a wealthy landowner's wife. The drawings take on special significance when the estate owner turns up dead. Wow, I so didn't get that from the flipping through. It's real dull. Avoid.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083851/

Amazon: The Draughtsman's Contract

Movie Review: Affinity

Affinity

An upper class lady begins visiting a woman in prison and finds herself drawn into the girl's life. Set in the 19th century where the lesbianism would not be accepted, the main character seems to have more of a forgiving heart than most.

She tries to sort out if the girl has real mystic powers and examines her life carefully. We're not even sure. She seems to know things she can't possibly know.

We see that the lesbian romance isn't the well to do lady's first. Though her first girlfriend married a man and left her grieving.

I vacillated between putting this in the watchable category. I decided to bump it up when I realized that it did hold my interest throughout. If Dickens were permitted to write about such things, he could have written from this point of view. It's his kind of dreary. Look for Amanda Plummer as one of the prison guards.

Pick up a copy of this one from Bandon Library.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1116182/

Buy the DVD from Amazon: Affinity

Tuesday's Weird Soso List

Dreamcatcher
Evil Slips Through

Morgan Freeman should make a film better but alas he can't save this. We gots our psychic, we gots us some aliens and we gots us some plot points I really can't figure out. A group of boys save another mentally challenged boy from some bullies. They stay friends into adulthood. The four men are on a road trip up in the snowy mountains when alien's land.

Freeman plays the insane commander of the army guys fighting the aliens. It just got weird. No wonder, they took their cue from Stephen King.

Library: Dora & North Bend.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0285531/

Amazon: Dreamcatcher (Widescreen Edition)

Cloverfield

Again with the aliens. Only this time it's shot shaky cam style. UGH. We see some friend's at a going away party and then explosions and destruction happens. We don't see much for the first two thirds of the film, then we get flashes of crab like creatures attacking people and giant stompy things. I'm not a fan of horror, but this has it's scary moments so it earned a better than dog rating.

Library: Bandon, Coos Bay, Powers & SWOCC.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1060277/

Amazon: Cloverfield

A Double Life

An actor becomes obsessed with his role as Othello and murders a girl believing she is Desdemona. Look for a young Shelley Winters. I wish I'd had a lot more set up of why this guy got so carried away. I felt cheated out of his motive.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039335/

Amazon: A Double Life

Double Vision

A Taiwanese cop fights a mystic cult. Really, that's about all there is to this film. We're left to figure out what's really happening in this surreal flick. Oh, it has David Morse in it. He plays an FBI agent send in to help figure out what's going on.

Library: Bandon.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0284066/

Amazon: Double Vision

Movie Review: Eastern Promises

Eastern Promises

Though this falls on the low end of good, I found it compelling throughout. A London midwife tries to find out about a pregnant girl after she dies giving birth to a baby daughter. She finds the girl's purse with a diary in it, but she can't read Russian.

From Russian ancestry herself, she first asks her uncle to read the dead girl's diary. He gets angry and tells her the girl was a bad girl and he wont read the filth. She found a card for a Russian club inside the book. Her father used to visit the club regularly. While there, she catches the eye of the driver for the owner's son.

Charmed yet suspicious of the owner, she brings him a copy only of the diary. It turns out with good reason as the club owner heads the London arm of the Russian mafia. Though we know this, our heroine proceeds unaware.

Things get really complicated and the girl and driver flirt. When he's asked to kill her uncle for knowing about the diary, we wonder who he really is. He gets asked to be part of the mob's inner circle after the uncle comes up missing.

I'm not normally a fan of mafia films but the whole backstory drew me in. There are some violent bloody scenes that I just looked away. Too good to be merely watchable. Have a look for yourself and let me know what you think. Naomi Watts and Viggo Mortensen star as the midwife and driver.

Look in Bandon, Coos Bay, Lake Side and Myrtle Point for this DVD.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765443/

Buy this interesting DVD from Amazon: Eastern Promises (Widescreen Edition)

Movie Review: Duma

Duma

A kindly father and his little boy find a baby cheetah on the roadside. They take it home and raise it as their pet. When the cat gets big, the dad says they need to return it to the wild. When he passes away suddenly, the boy sets out on a journey to take the animal to its wild home.

He runs away and meets an interesting fellow traveler in the desert. They battle elements and nature watching for signs the cat has learned to be a wild creature. We're not sure if the guy is a bad or good.

I have some concerns about the film from the perspective of it's probably not a good idea to take a wild animal into your house. Plus, once you have, it's probably not a good idea to let a little boy try and return him to the wild. It IS a movie though. So I let a lot of that go.

You'll learn a few things without having anything shoved down your throat. Love animals and like Africa? You'll dig this sweet family film. Look for the DVD from Coos Bay, Dora or Myrtle Point.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361715/

Buy this DVD from Amazon: Duma (Widescreen Edition)

Not Much to Sing About for this Three Dog Night

Dreams of the Sparrows

I skimmed this documentary about Iraq. The biggest problem were the subtitles, but even just watching the images, I couldn't recommend it. First, it's a changing, uncertain environment. What and who we see may no longer exist in a country just a few short years from major combat operations. Second, it lacked a cohesive point for the program. Watch for news productions of current conditions.

People on IMDB loved it so take that for what you will.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0463971/

Amazon: The Dreams of Sparrows

Dreamland: Area 51

This documentary explores the idea of flying saucers at Area 51 in the Nevada desert. I'm a big science fiction fan and you might think I like this stuff but you would be wrong. I think it's kinda silly. Plus, really this program didn't make any compelling arguments. I wish there were real evidence of something happening, I'm just of the mind that the likelihood is so slim as to make these people seem laughable.

Again, IMDB folks disagree.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436251/

Amazon: Dreamland [Slim Case]

Driving Force

I'm so sorry I don't like thinking of people in the ways I thought of these folks. These have to be the dumbest people on the planet. John Force and his daughters drive drag racing cars and they evidently make enough money to keep doing it. While I like the idea of race chicks, this series depicts every one of his family members in a bad light. Dad's the biggest dufus of all.

If you want to watch a guy embarrass his daughters and himself, party on. Otherwise, find something else to watch. Hey, at least the IMDBers didn't much like this one.

Library: Dora

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499385/

Amazon: Driving Force - The Complete Season One

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

Soso Documentary List

Deep Blue

Whoever wrote the text for Pierce Brosnan to read sure needed to go back to writing school. It earned the film a soso rating even though it has beautiful imagery. Lots of neat ocean scenery, but watch the ones for kids instead. They are just as pretty with less annoying narration.

Library: Bandon

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365109/

Amazon: Deep Blue

The Corporation

Who knew corporations are bad? Evidently these guys did. I agree with a lot of what they're trying to say but the documentary just bored me to tears. Watch Affluenza instead. It's a much better presented argument. The folks on IMDB disagree and seemed to love this one. Well, you might feel different too. Who knows.

Library: Bandon & Coos Bay

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379225/

Amazon: The Corporation

Noam Chomsky
Distorted Morality

Just like the previous film, the topics Noam Chomsky presents may indeed be powerful concepts, but listening to him speak ain't for the mildly interested. I found it rambling and dull.

Library: Bandon & Coos Bay

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361959/

Amazon: Noam Chomsky - Distorted Morality: America's War on Terror?

Don't Look Back

Huge fan of Bob Dylan? You'll love this. Though I think he's alright, I found the documentary made him out to be a jerk. Or maybe he is one, I dunno. It shows him touring London in the 60's and all the inane questions reporters ask. Coupled with over zealous fans, band controversy over disrupting hotels and other "star" life scenes.

Library: DVD; Bandon. VHS; Coos Bay.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061589/

Amazon: Bob Dylan - Don't Look Back (1965 Tour Deluxe Edition)

Movie Review: Duel at Diablo

Duel at Diablo

James Garner stars as a scout who works for the calvary in Indian territory. He finds a woman held hostage trying to escape her Indian captures. He managed to get her free and take her back to her husband, but she wants to go back. We're not sure why until we find out she has a child with the Indians.

It's quite a complicated story exploring race relations among white and Native American tribes. It's quite progressive for 1966. Toss in Sidney Poitier as a horse trainer who ends up helping Garner and you have a very intriguing set of concepts.

Garner finds out a white man murdered his Indian wife and took her scalp. He agrees to help move supplies from one fort to the next because he's told the perpetrator of his wife's murder may be in the next settlement. The caravan gets ambushed and they have to fight it out in the desert heat.

Check out the DVD from Bandon. Fur such an old film, I'm surprised there's no VHS copy.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060355/

Buy this really interesting DVD from Amazon: Duel at Diablo

Movie Review: Eagle vs Shark

Eagle vs. Shark

I dream of a film like this. I never woulda had the chance to encounter a gem like this without the library. I LOVE YOU COOS COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM! Ok, enough of my affectionate drool. Brace yoursef, this post may take a few paragraphs.

Romantic outcast fast food worker Lily dreams of being loved and accepted. Her co-workers and manager make fun of her behind her back and she dreams of being asked out by a young man from a neighboring store. When he comes in to invite another girl to a "come as your favorite animal party," Lily saves the invite from the trash and goes herself.

She shows up at the party as a shark and finds a crowd of nerd boys standing around being quirky. They play a karate game and she beats all the competition until she comes up against her object of desire who is dressed as an eagle. She doesn't even play and just stares at him so he wins.

He seems oblivious but then they're sitting on his bed and he asks if she wants ot kiss. She says "yep" and they try and kiss with their costumes on. He asks if she wants to lay down, she says "yep" and they do. Then he asks if she wants to have sex. "Yep."

They agree to go out another day and he flakes. He shows up at her house acting all weird several hours late. Somehow she agrees to go with him to visit his family. On the road there, her brother and her count horses and boyfriend Jarrod thinks it's a stupid game.

At his family home she find out he has a young daughter and they have to sleep in a tent in the backyard. He seems to be acting out for the affection of his father. His family likes her more than they like him. He shows her a "reject" candle he made and she likes it. She likes him.

Jarrod has it in his head to beat up a high school rival. When they agree to meet for a fight, his whole family shows up for the big event. I won't spoil, lets just say our odd leading man could use some therapy.

The humor runs very subtle and strange throughout this film. Kind of Muriel's Wedding meets Napoleon Dynamite with a bit of Revenge of the Nerds thrown in. Anyone who's found themselves the object of ridicule for their dress or personality, will first cringe then laugh.

Bandon has the only copy of this sweet little gem.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0494222/

Buy this great quirky DVD Amazon: Eagle vs. Shark