h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've been debating whether or not to add "The Cat Returns" to the Netflix queue. I shall do so presently. Thanks for the recommednation.

Last movie we watched was "Monster A Go-Go", which was so stinky it was fun. We'd gotten the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version, so of course it was side-splittingly funny.

'At First Sight' with Val Kilmer http://www.vkn.com/movies/atfirstsight/

Possible I might be seeing either Jarhead or Brokeback Mountain later on this evening...

most recently saw: Catch Me If You Can. I avoided it when it came out, following on from AI and Minority Report I simply wasn't enthused enough to hand over money to see it. I did, however, record it at Christmas and finally watched it yesterday - and it was a lot better than I was expecting.

I'll be interested in a full report on Brokeback Mountain


I enjoyed "Catch Me If You Can" (saw it at the cinema) I thought the two male leads were spot-on, and it was even better that it was based on a true story.

Last night we watched "Scotland, PA". It's really good! A modern-day white trash Macbeth. Some parts are laugh-out-loud funny. The only thing I didn't like- but was still totally appropriate and just a matter of my personal tastes- was the fact that the soundtrack contained a vast number of Bad Company tunes. Cr*p music, but authentic, so I dealt with it.

Change of plans. Can't go tonight. However, I will report back when I do get to see it.

Just finished watching Manhattan - me for the umpteenth time but the first time for Noggin, if you can believe it.

One of the most wonderful opening scenes in the history of cinema (imho).


az

Just watched Ingmar Bergman's "The Virgin Spring". I'd seen it once, years ago, and K never had. Five stars!

saw memoirs of a geisha tonight.... can't believe it a 12A... although it didn't show full on sex it was still a very adult film....
i enjoyed it.. it was a sumptuous visual feast.. it maybe went on about 20 mins too long...breath taking scenery and gardens..although the town she lives in has a ghetto/slum feel to it...

probably a film that is more for the women...not a film to get all excited about.. but pleasant viewing and good historical culture value. these women were the marilyn monroes, and victoria beckhams of their time...glamorous icons that entertained with their looks and dancing and sex appeal...ok ok i don't think victoria has much sex appeal maybe shes a bad example

there were things that weren't explained like why she had to sleep with salt crystals on her pillow thing...but i've a copy of the book so will read it....hard to rate this film...certainly beautiful cinematography, maybe i'll say 8/10....

Just watched Adaptation.

I missed it when it was on general release, so it was on my list of "Fillums I really want to see".

It wasn't as funny as I thought, and even a bit scary in parts. And all that time hopping gets me confused. But cleverly written.

We were having a bit of a Cage-y weekend - watched National Treasure last night (although I'd seen it before)

Oh, and introduced my kids to The Birdcage on Friday night, which they absolutely adored.

Mmm...movie heavy weekend, in retrospect!

Can I ask a bold question?

Did you *get* Adaptation?

I was sort of fortunate and watched while at university with a English Literature postgraduate and he picked up on things I'd missed.

Afterwards I looked at the film in a whole new light and I sort of *got* it in a whole new way.

So what about the writing impressed you? I only ask because I wonder if it was the same things we noticed

Oooh er! interesting question!

I was intrigued by the script-within-a-script idea.

I liked the twins' different approaches to writing (and indeed life), but how they both needed to co-operate to make the whole thing work. Again, both script and life.

I liked the use of his dreams as a means of conveying what he was really thinking.

I'm sure that's not half of what you discussed! Ummmm....what aspects did you discuss?

Because Charlie Kauffman couldn't write the screenplay, he writes one about himself tryign to write the screenplay. But because he can't even do that he invents a fictional twin who is his diametric opposite and who trades in plot clichés. As charlie becomes more desperate to finish so the dichotmoy of Donald becomes more real (acquiring both a girlfriend and a movie deal) Donald's influence on Charlie increases and ultimately he seizes control of the plot from within Charlie's mind.

The last third of the movie is written by Donald, which is why there is a chase scene that Charlie so abhors and the orchids suddenly become narcotic and lots of aligators. With the movie completed Donald is no longer needed so is dispatched / dispatches himself.

Understanding that Charlie and Donald are aspects of the same person writing the screenplay of the movie we are watching about the process of writing that screenplay, is why Charlie attacks Donald's concept of "Three" so vehermetly because it's what he ends up doing, having the character of the writer played by two people who are in fact the same actor using trick photography.

Charlie has now finished the script, but he did so by sacrificing his cherished noions of not writing a typical holywood movie, but that is what he's done just to get finished. He has ..*dumroll* adapted and is content. He even includes a dedication to his "dead" twin in the credits.

In a word: GENIUS.

Actually this site explains the Dichotomy of Donald and the multiple layering of unreality in the film better than I could and with more examples. It's spot on about the three act structure.

http://www.beingcharliekaufman.com/index.htm?articles/polandadapt1.htm&2

I'm a little bit unsure of accepting "three" as a metaphor for Charlie relationship with Susan Orlean, but I do rather like the idea of the aligators that eat his persuers as monsters from his subconscious, which is literally a swamp.

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I haven't read the book or seen the film (yet) but I will make it my business to find out.

I do know salt lowers temperature so maybe that has something to do with ita good question to ask at Science Explained, I think.

A4108330

Be my guest, flakey-lady

Tomorrow morning, I have a choice of: Memoires of a Geisha or Brokeback Mountain. (neither of them roll over to next week so it's either or)

Clive, thank you so much for those!

I'm very tempted to watch the movie again now, before I have to return it to Xtravision tonight

Went to see "Jarhead" and liked it a lot.

The bloke out of Donnie Darko does his "I dont really like all this and its very confusing for me" thing very well again.

He also does a hell of a lot of other good things as do the rest of the actors.

Someone said I shouldnt watch it because its not much fun and you dont sympathise with any of the characters, but I think that *because* you dont like all the the characters or even any of them very much it is a very good film.

Another detractor said "its too much like full metal jacket" - No **** Sherlock!, but it has to be a lot like FMJ (same subject) and is better for being less endearing than that film was I absorbed the events without caring much for the characters and their concerns.

Watched Sin City for the 2nd time on Sunday. Not a fan of comic books, but this film is absolutely stunning. Every single shot is perfect. Great characters too, Mickey Rourke's especially.

There's a heap of interesting looking films out in the next few weeks. Terrence Malick's The New World, Walk The Line, Munich, Capote, Jim Sheridan's (?!) Get Rich or Die Trying, A Cock and Bull Story, Goodnight And Good Luck.

"Good Night and Good Luck" and "Capote" were both great! Haven't seen any of the others, though we'll be watching "Walk the Line" when the DVD is available.