In Which I Procrastinate by Nattering about Films and Stuff

[botias]

Few firsts lately. I've never had my aura purified before, much less by having sage smoke blown over me with a bird wing. Neither had I watched hentai before. Hello tentacle sex and invisible penises. Cultural enrichment is a fine thing. I will certainly be doing the latter again. Apparently, I share many of the same kinks as Japanese men. Who knew?

I've seen a few movies lately I enjoyed. One was Penelope. It seemed to have a similar artistic sensibility to Pushing Daisies, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, and other recentish stuff: 'charming' leavened with varying levels of 'disturbing'. The adorable heroine has a pig snout, for ex. I recommend it. Another was Stranger Than Fiction, in which an IRS agent finds himself able to hear the author who is writing his life. I found it quite moving, not an experience I always have watching Will Farrell flicks. Speaking of which, Stepbrothers I found very funny, perhaps even as good as The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Stranger Than Fiction informed my viewing experience of Burn After Reading, which I found kinda 'meh', in that both films are relatively low-budget but peopled with Big Names, Really Big. I don't know if small-time directors can't keep these high-octane talents in line, but often their performances in these sorts of quirky films seem too big for the film and/or self-conscious. I saw this in spades in Lions for Lambs though I got to say Tom Cruise is a scary!talented guy regardless of the state of his sanity.

Comments

[beanbeans.livejournal.com]

Big time WORD on both Penelope and Stranger Than Fiction- I loved both of those movies. Oh, James McAvoy. ♥_♥

Good to know re: Burn After Reading. :) Thanks for sharing your reviews.

[botias.livejournal.com]

Penelope made me think of you! :D I thought it would be a movie you would enjoy too.

I dunno, if you like other Coen brothers flicks you might like it too, but... meh. ;)

[zanthinegirl.livejournal.com]

I loved both Penelope and Stranger Than Fiction. I agree, "moving" is not a term I tend to think of in regards to Will Ferrell movies, but in this case it fits! Though I did enjoy Ricky Bobby. :D

I loath Tom Cruise. He just creeps me out, the self-important little twit. I'm boycotting his movies. Aside from my visceral "eww" I want his movies to fail. Then maybe he'll go away, and loose his hollywood clout-- that can't be a bad thing!

[botias.livejournal.com]

Heh, maybe that's way he plays self-important, not-a-little-unbalanced characters so well. I thought he did a great job playing the megalomaniacal Hollywood producer in Tropic Thunder as well, and he makes a very scary conservative senator. I can understand your loathing however.

[mere-ubu.livejournal.com]

Hee! I love that the hentai rates a repeat occurrence over the aura purification. Priorities are important. I have a hentai weakness as well but tend to prefer comix over film b/c the soundtracks freak me right out!

Remember our old discussion about Knocked Up? I forgot to tell you that I re-watched it with a couple of midwives and an L & D nurse, and we were dyyying 'cause it's so freaking funny. I totally got the birth part wrong in my initial memory of it (maybe I had overlaid my fears about how they were going to treat it over what happened? who knows?) but I now unreservedly recommend as something that someone who likes Ricky Bobby would most likely dig in a major way. The dignity of both babies and parenting makes it through intact.

I've wanted to see Stranger Than Fiction for a while and keep forgetting. It's going on The List!

[botias.livejournal.com]

I think that's part of what I liked about the hentai, the soundtracks were OMG and the clunky translations in the subtitles were pretty entertaining too. No doubt I would like comics as well... *sighs at self* Clearly I prefer sullying to purifying.

I will have to take another look at Knocked Up :D Thanks for letting me know.

[louise39.livejournal.com]

I saw both 'Penelope' and 'Stranger Than Fiction' [thanks to Netflix rec] and liked them both. It was a delight to find off-beat movies that stirred me.
Good reviews.

[botias.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Am I the only one who thought she looked funny without her nose?

[louise39.livejournal.com]

Christina Ricci does have a blank look [without the snout to twitch]