I randomly found this contest while looking for something related to M.C. Gainey. It sounds like quite a bargain.

On Todd’s recommendation, I finally saw Once this weekend and, to use a line from the movie, it’s fucking brilliant. It was beautiful little film, and everyone should see it. I was going to write more, but now I’m dead tired, so instead I’ll go hum Falling Slowly as I get ready for bed.

Sidenote: The amount of time I’ve had this DVD in my possession demonstrates that I am really not getting my money’s worth out of Netflix, so I think I’m going to discontinue my subscription. Goodbye, red paper envelopes.

On his blog, Irwin talked some trash about 24, but after some folks explained the wonderful campiness that is 24, he replied “well i feel better now, because I actually thought you guys were liking this show in a good way. but apparently, it’s one of those campy things that i never understand, that makes more sense. so basically it’s like watching a road runner cartoon, where jack is wile e. coyote.”

That is such a perfect description of the show. I love it.

My Tivo recorded Prison Song for me because Elvis Costello was in it. I’m still wrapping my brain around the fact that Elvis Costello was on BET, because Elvis seems like the opposite of BET. (Yes, I realize that most of the cast is black, as are the director and screenwriters, so it does make sense, once you get past the Elvis Costello part.)

As I was searching Netflix to see if they had Spaced, I discovered there’s a new movie coming out from the guys that made Shaun of the Dead. It’s called Hot Fuzz, and it looks to be just as funny as Shaun was, so I’m excited. The trailer is available here.

I know I just complained about a movie a couple days ago, but this one wins. Although not quite to the level of Flight 93, I have to ask: Is the world really asking for a movie version of Welcome Back, Kotter? And if they are, I’m fairly sure they’re not asking for one starring Ice Cube, nor do they require the writing/directing “talents” of the guy who brought us such classics as White Chicks and The Animal. Wasn’t Dukes of Hazzard enough?

Does this movie seem like a bad idea to anyone else? Sure, there have movies about other historic disasters, but this just feels different.

First, it’s just too soon. After less than five years, September 11th still evokes strong emotional response. Perhaps this is a movie that could be made 10, 20, 50 years after the event, when there is a generation that doesn’t remember a time where you could go through airport security without taking off your shoes and throwing away your nail clippers.

Second, the events of September 11th is not a day anyone will soon forget. Unlike an event like Pearl Harbor, the world experienced 9/11 in real time. We all sat in front of our televisions in shock as we watched video of the planes hitting the World Trade Center. Over. And over. And over. Everyone will forever remember where they were when the planes hit the WTC. I think this may be the first tragic event where this is true . (Remember, people do not remember where they were when Kennedy was shot. They remember where they were when they heard Kennedy was shot. Even then, they didn’t immediately turn on the television and watch angle after angle of planes colliding with those buildings.)

Third, something I feel very strongly about. This is not (as the site claims) “the story of the fourth” plane. This is a story about what may have happened on the fourth plane. I feel that it disrespects the memory of the passengers of Flight 93 to pretend to know what happened. While we can deduce that some number of passengers did an extraordinarily brave thing, we just don’t know . “Let’s roll” is not a story. It’s a sound byte. We should honor their actions with a memorial, not a movie by the same guy who brought us The Bourne Supremacy.

Dear Peter Jackson,

After seeing King Kong, I must say to you: Less is more, my friend. In case you were unaware, movies are not actually required to be 3 hours long. If you decide they should be, I recommend using a greater percentage of that time for things like “plot” and “character development” and less for “dinosaurs fighting with each other then chasing the aforementioned underdeveloped human characters.” And if you’re going to cut things out to move the story along, make it the boring things. I’d much rather have watched the crew try to get a 25 foot tall gorilla onto that boat than watch them fight bugs. In fact, them getting King Kong onto the boat would have been more interesting than about 90% of the movie.

Also, I sincerely hope you didn’t mean for the audience to take this film seriously. I tried to, I really did, but you officially lost me when the dinosaurs started falling down a hill and crashing into each other like they were cars in a John Landis movie. I do love John Landis, but there’s really no place for him in this movie.

Thanks,
Bryce