Do You Like Movies? I Like Movies

A few films of the past week.

Three Kings. I mentioned this last week. Worth all of the hype I heard. I think this was one of those movies I held off on; cuz of the hype. Great performances, especially by Spike Jonze. Surprised by Jamie Kennedy...all I could say, was good for him for landing a role opposite so many heavy hitters; and he did well w/ his bits. A few difficult moments (the mother being killed), and some very creative explanations (the visuals of how a bullet kills you from the inside). It was a great deal of fun.

Pretty Persuasion. Evan Rachel Wood is soooo on her way to super-stardom; and Oscar attention. (No folks, I'm not that stupid; I know this film is older; I'm just saying for future roles). Part Donnie Darko, part The Chumscrubber and part Election, this dark, dark comedy was a treat. I've loved Evan Rachel Wood since I was a Once and Again fan. She showed immense promise even back then. Great ensemble cast, a sleazy, nasty James Woods, Ron Livingston, Jane Krakowski and Selma Blair. Quick synopsis: Wood is a 15 year-old aspiring actress; living in a horribly dysfunctional Beverly Hills family, and attending a high-end, elite school. She's conniving, manipulative and would rank highly in one of my "psycho-bitch" movie marathons. I won't give too much away, but Wood's desire for fame moves her to do some pretty sketchy things. Great fun. Amazing performance from Wood.

Poltergeist. It was playing in select theatres for one night/one showing only, in honor of its 25th anniversary. I've never seen this on the big screen, so it was a "have-to-go" situation I was facing. Last night, along w/ the other half, friends Reb, Chris and David, and a sold-out theatre downtown, I experienced one of my all time favorites on the big screen. There were some sound issues, and many scenes not in widescreen (I don't get it), but overall, it was a fun audience (some of whom had clearly not seen it before), and a milestone for me. The big screen allowed me to see some continuity errors which I had never seen before (Beatrice Straight's on again/off again glasses during her initial exposure to Carol Anne's TV voice), and certainly the chance to see it w/ so many other fans. Here's a link to a previous blog entry; where I discuss how much I love this film; and why. A great experience.

http://klugula.blogspot.com/2006/07/trip-down-memory-lanein-cuesta-verde.html