But wait! Have you entered our free DVD giveaway of Mirrormask? It’s easy and painless and requires only 2 ounces of blood and your first born. What a steal! Contest ends tomorrow, so don’t be slow.
Speaking of slow, that’s a good way to describe this week, although those of you clamoring for big busty blockbusters have a bit to chew on.
Hancock –
Such high hopes had I for this one (I know, I know, silly), primarily because director Peter Berg is one of my favorite guilty pleasure directors (another? Tony Scott). He’s the auteur behind such classics as The Rundown, which many of you know I bring up any chance I get. I apologize if you’re sick of it; it will likely continue to happen. So, Will Smith is a down-n-out superheroic bum who fights crime whilst downing Jim Bean. It has enjoyable moments, but the 3rd act veers off into la-la land, hand in hand with Charlize Theron.
Recommended if you liked I, Robot, Mystery Men, or I Am Legend.
Still Life
If Up the Yangtze was the documentary version of the widespread changes taking place, both personally and sociologically, as the 3 Gorges slowly filled up with water, displacing 2 million people, then Still Life is the fictionalized account. A husband and a wife return to their submerged village and attempt to repair their lives, only to discover that the water has buried more than their home. Seems meditative and emotionally moving, just like Yung Chang’s spellbinding doc was.
Recommended if you liked Up the Yangtze or are at least a tad bit curious about life in China.
Fred Claus
I love how the marketing machines for Christmas flicks are always delayed till the following holiday. When DVD turnaround is anywhere from 2 to 4 months (depending on the crappiness of the movie – the more crappy, the faster it hits DVD), having to wait a full 11 seems like an eternity. Not that I was waiting with baited breath for Fred Claus, the story of Santa (Paul Giamatti) and his good-fer-nothin’ brother Fred (Vince Vaughn) – I just think it’s funny. It felt like this movie came out an eternity ago. Does anyone still care?
Recommended if The Wedding Crashers meets Sideways meets Santa Claus Vs. The Martians is your idea of a good time!
Space Chimps –
Lord, save us from ourselves. Quickly.
Recommended if lemon juice enemas just aren’t masochistic enough for you anymore.
Still Life was here for about a week and I missed it. Thanks for the reminder. I’m sure I’d like it.