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

" It really got me in touch with alienation 'n stuff. "

This would explain why it seemed so humdrum to me. Being an Alien myself (in the 'new to this country' sense rather than the 'I just flew in from Proxima Centauri and boy arm my arms tired!' sense) it looked to me like a very bored man being bored in a city unfamiliar to him.

That's a significant amount of my life right there.

Maybe I'll watch it again when I'm more alert.

I never followed up here to tell you I finally watched "Fearless" It was interesting but I guess I was dissappointed. I thought it would be more magical realism or something. And Bridges' character was so hard to take through most of the movie. I never did get a chance to watch Pi again. And I didn't return the movies on time either. I hate that.

Hi HB, I get my movies from Netflix - so no late fees. Yay!

SPOILER: LOVE ACTUALLY

I watched Love Actually tonight, and it was actually very, very good. Don't know what ninny did the preview - I don't think the preview did justice to the film at all. Favorite bits: Father and son watching Titanic together; Colin Firth's character proposing in Portuguese; people greeting one another at the airport; and the sweet couple who are porn stars. I wish I had caught this one in the theatre. Will have to put this on my wish list of DVDs to buy, along with American Beauty and The Blues Brothers.

JEllen

Hi JEllen!
Reading in the paper about Love Actually it didn't sound like a movie I'd like, but seeing what you said I guess I'll look for the next time it gets to the cinematheque (I've got a member card or whatever you call these things, so I no longer bother to go to cinemas where you actually have to pay ).
Watched Kill Bill 1 last Saturday, shocking film but one hell of an adrenaline rush... and beautifully done too, the whole visual aspect is absolutely amazing!

I plan to rent Kill Bill, Lady P. Haven't seen it yet. I usually avoid very violent films, but this one got good word of mouth as being very stylish.

It's incredibly violent, yes... the only good thing is that the violence isn't very realistic - lots of severed limbs spluttering blood everywhere and stuff like that. I think the violence in movies like Sweet 16 is much more disturbing.
One of the most unnerving scenes in The Pianist (which I've also watched recently, and got pretty shaken) is a random execution when people are told to lie on the ground face down and the Nazi officer passes and shoots them in the head; when he reaches the last one he runs out of ammo, and the look on the guy's face when he's waiting to be shot, the officer calmly changing the magazine above him... can't get it out of my head.

I know EXACTLY which scene you are talking about. I walked out of the theatre after that scene. I just couldn't take it. I've been planning to watch it now on DVD, where it is a little less overwhelming, but I keep putting it off, it is just too painful. Another scene that really got to me was when one woman asks "Where are we going?" and he shoots her just for that. Violence in action movies and thrillers usually doesn't bother me, but the holocaust did happen, so you can't just shake it off. I'm trying to think of another movie that shook me like that - probably Clockwork Orange.

JEllen

Didn't watch it yet... another gap I need to fill. I have so many movies on my 'must watch this when I get the chance' list!

I haven't seen The Pianist yes, but I plan to rent it some time. I did try and rent it once but I got The Piano Teacher instead ... which was kind of disturbing movie (watching a piano teacher's mind unravel). But I was really disappointed because I was expecting The Piano. Is anyone else like that ... where their expectations of a movie can really affect how much they like it. If I hear from everyone how great a movie is, I almost never like (because it has been elevated to an impossibly high position that nothing could be that good.)

We went to see Van Helsing last night (which is really rare for us to see a movie on opening night ... usually we see things the week before the stop playing at the theatre.) I'm not sure what I was expecting (epic horror action, I think.) I took me a few scenes to adjust to an action movie with touch of humor. Once I adjusted I really liked it. It didn't take itself too seriously, and was fun to watch.

Is Love Actually the movie where there is some sort of time travel and two people from different times fall in love? I remember previews and wanted to see it. I'll have to rent it now!

Did anyone like Big Fish? I really liked this movie. It was so beautiful to watch. I like Tim Burton.

Love Actually was a very interesting movie. And definately one which defies the expectations (or some of them) I went in expecting a romantic comedy, but most of the parts I enjoyed were the other relationships. I also suspect that parts of it were written in protest about the world as it is today and that the real title of hte movie is Truth Actually - the aging rocker telling everyone on the press circuit that his record is a piece of poo - the prime minister managing to tell it like it is (what would we give for Tone to do the same). I also wanted to know more about the relationships that i was interested in - Father and Step-son, Emma Thomson and Alan Rickman...

Kill Bill - only recently saw part one, probably ought to try and make it to part two, but maybe I'll wait for that on video too. I mean it was stylish and beautifully shot, but, well... I dunno, maybe an overload of style, with not much else? Also watched a Jackie Chan movie earlier that week, not a great film maybe, but the contrast between the man who can do really do the moves and an actress who has learnt the moves required for the shots is very marked.

I haven't yet seen the Pianist, and maybe I will one day, but right now I couldn't. It is all very well to remember the mistakes of the past, but only if we learn from them for the present and future.

Glad to hear that Van Helsing is fun. Was a bit worried that it might be all special effects and no humour! But if it is true to the spirit of the Mummy then I think I'll enjoy it.

I the Pianist the one where Tim Roth plays a Polish Jewish pianist - there's this lovely scene where he sits and plays it at the station which is milling with people and everyone stops to listen.

Tim Roth is a really really great actor.

Big Fish was awesome.

There is no reason to NOT watch Big Fish.

Go and see Big Fish. While you're there, grab Fight Club and Memento too.

BIG FISH SPOILER

Big Fish had such lovely images in it - the shoes tied on a line, the field of flowers, the mermaid underwater, and the circus with everything frozen in time. Great stuff.

I had a hard time buying that the son was so exasperated with his father, mainly because I was so charmed by the father's stories. It made the son come across as almost petulant.

UPCOMING MOVIE

Anyone else excited about Troy? I love historical epics.

I have really high expectations for Troy!!!! I hope we get to see it while it's still at the theatres!!!

I have been meaning to come and post here some about films I've seen recently but it's been so long since I've been to the theater and I've rented only three DVDs in six months!

I rented "Big Fish" two weeks ago or so, and I LOVED it!! I want to talk about it more when I have more time, and have watche dit once more.

I'm totally NOT into chick flicks (spent hours convincing my friends that "Reform School Girls" is one ), so I have avoided "Love Actually". I did get a kick out of "Down With Love" though!

How could "Troy" not be enjoyable? Brad Pitt AND Orlando Bloom?

I agree with PC on this one - !


Besides, after studying the Illyad this year I want to see it so I can cry out "Oh, this is all wrong!!!" every five minutes...

One of the nice things about Troy is that it will have something for everyone - Brad and Orlando for the ladies, some swordfighting and violence and Helen of Troy for the chaps and enough historical and classical howlers for the nerds to rant about.

Should be good stuff.

Troy started today here in Germany. I could have gone to the cinema at midnight last night to see it but am happy to wait. The (probably mainly nerdy) critics don't like it - they all say the battle scenes in Lord of the Rings are far better.