Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

Very well done!

The film cuts between the present time & flashbacks in a unique way. & what a great story! It's not even sort of Bollywood-ish, but they give a Bollywood nod during the credits.

Slumdog Millionaire on IMDb

Ley Lines (Japan, 1999)

***SPOILER ALERT***

I haven't seen the other two films in this trilogy, but I'm not sure if I want to.

This story featured the escapades of three young, stupid, reckless Chinese men & a prostitute that left all of them mangled & eventually dead.

According to my brother, another of this director's films, Ichi the Killer, was the inspiration for Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill.

Ley Lines on IMDb

Encounters at the End of the World (2007)

I saw this as part of a double feature presented by Backyard Cinema, an event hosted by the Phoenix Independent, Foreign & ArtHouse Film Club. We were outside in very chilly weather, so it was a true sensory experience!

Werner Herzog directed & narrated this film about nothing in an Antarctic town. His commentary is sarcastic, impatient, & down-right pissy throughout the movie. The scenery was awesome, though, especially the underwater shots.

Encounters at the End of the World on IMDb

The King of Kong (2007)

I saw this as part of a double feature presented by Backyard Cinema, an event hosted by the Phoenix Independent, Foreign & ArtHouse Film Club.

The film makers did a great job of building up the rivalry, no small feat considering the subject matter. I'm just amazed that anyone could spend so much time on one video game.

The King of Kong on IMDb

Sin City (2005)

Great cinematography!

But what a guy flick.

Sin City on IMDb

Changeling (2008)

I really liked this movie, though it was a bit long. I like stories based on true events. Reality is often more interesting than fiction.

For the first time, I noticed that Angelina Jolie is actually a pretty good actress. Who knew? I guess I was so busy thinking she was sexy to notice her acting abilities. But the Academy didn't overlook her. She won an Oscar for Girl, Interrupted (1999).

Changeling on IMDb

Twilight (2008)

I saw this film for the same reason that I read the Harry Potter books: I like to be informed.

It was entertaining, but I didn't understand the whole baseball game scene. I mean, I understand that if they were going to play baseball, they had to do it during a thunderstorm, but why did they have such a need to play baseball in the first place? Perhaps it's better explained in the book.

Twilight on IMDb

The Burmese Harp (Japan, 1956)

This movie is a snapshot of the Japanese reaction to the end of World War II. It's always interesting to see how other cultures perceive world events. It reminds me how subjective the tale of history really is.

The Burmese Harp on IMDb

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Most people that I talked to who had seen this movie said it wasn't nearly as good as the book, that it paled in comparison. Of course the book is always better, but I got the impression that the movie was just bad. I enjoyed the novel & I like Tom Hanks, so I went ahead & put it on my Netflix queue. Even Netflix estimated that I would give this movie 2.3 stars out of 5. Still, I just had to see for myself.

It turns out that I really enjoyed the movie. I don't know if the long lapse between book & film has fogged my memory, but I was entertained. The ending was different than I remember in the book, but otherwise the movie followed the novel pretty well. I don't understand why no one liked it.

The Da Vinci Code on IMDb

Play Misty for Me (1971)

One of the first movies about a stalker, & Clint Eastwood's first attempt at directing. Wow. That guy has been around a while.

There are two montages in the middle of the movie that seem useless: a romantic montage & then a scene at a jazz festival. Just fast forward through those. The crazy lady did a great job of seeming crazy, & the ending was awesome!

Play Misty for Me on IMDb