Nerd alert - Star Trek movie discussion

The trekkie/trekker community is practically vibrating over the news that J.J.Abrams (Mission Impossible III helmer) is doing a prequel movie involving Spock/Kirk's early encounters at the Star Fleet Academy. I, personally, am all for it. Anything that doesn't involve the dredges of the Enterprise cast members (i.e. Scott Bakula or Jolene Blalock) trying to make a diamond out of shit. I say, bring it on -- it could be the start of a beautiful relationship or a flaming pile of kitten poo but at least they're trying to rebirth the franchise.

Now hopefully back to many, many more movie reviews.

Slowly recovering more PFF movie reviews

When you have to work the film festival as well as work a full time job, it can get a bit stressful. For some reason, I always forget how exhausted I get after the few days.

8. Sometimes you need an afro to brighten up your day. Anyway, there was Tokyo Zombie. Not that exciting or that of a new concept. Two dudes (one with most excellent afro) fight off zombies only to have the city of Tokyo fall under a reign of zombie terror. So to combat this, the wealthy have built big condos in the sky and enslaved all the lower classes to work and yes, have a weird zombie/human death match. All in all it gets a 2 out of 5 angry zombies (especially for this cool animated sequence which kind of save the movie.)

9) Does Norway Make Comedies? Apparently not as is evidence with Kissed By Winter -- a dark tale about a female Dr. (Annika Hallin) who has just lost her own child to undiagnosed cancer. The screenwriter does get points for originality because the Dr.'s choice of substance to abuse -- medicinal alcohol. I'm pretty sure hardcore alcohol won't even drink that. Anyway, all her emotions (such as they) resurface when a teenage boy, may or may not; have been run over by the local snow plow driver. There could be, a la Ethan Frome, suicide by ski jumping (rather than sled.) The actual criminal investigation is quite interesting. I give this 3 out 5 medicinal alcohol toasts.

10) Cancer can almost be funny (well sort of.) One True Thing is very simply about a dying boy (Michael Angarano) who wants the chance to meet and (err) greet with the hottest supermodel (Sunny Mabrey) around. Their first meeting doesn't turn out so well so the youth and his friends decide to go to New York City in search of his crush. This movie had the real danger of becoming a hoakie Lifetime feature but thanks to able acting, particularly Cynthia Nixon and yes normally wispy Ethan Hawke, it's more bittersweet than saccharin.

3 1/2 out of 5 almost after school specials.

I can clearly see the wheels turning - More PFF observations

6) House of Sand is clearly not meant for those who like nice, neat packages. Fernanda Torres and Fernanda Montenegro (real life mother and daughter) play mother and daughter in this film. As the characters age, the actresses play the older versions of the characters. The people next to me were completely perplexed -- much to my annoyance -- started to chatter about how they didn't know what was going on. Just a hint, it's no longer a whisper when everyone can hear you. The plot is something like pregnant woman follows husband into to Godforsaken desert and spend the next 20 years trying to get the hell out. The film, although dragging, is so beautifully shot that you almost forget there's only a semblance of plot.

I give this 3 out 5 sand filled houses.

7) Unfortunately, almost nothing can save American Dreamz. What a waste to have so many talented actors only to suffer from a crap plot. Oy vey. This movie should be tailored made for people like me who both watch American Idol and think our president is a fargin' idiot. The only performance that is all the way tolerable is Willem Dafoe as the Cheneyesque Chief of Staff. Why have thou forsaken me Hugh Grant? Both he and Mandy Moore were phoning in their performances as AD host and contestant. I will say the AD contestant parodies were right on and that's about it. They completely wasted the use of the Arab family as well as Jennifer Coolidge and John Cho. Don't even get me started on the Dennis Quaid/Bush impersonation. The political satire was about as subtle as one of those Larry the Cable guy skits. Pissed me off.

2 out 5 (only because Hugh Grant looked hot) missed opportunities.

what day is it today - Bleary eyed and blogging

I've officially hit the point of exhaustion. I woke up Tuesday, thinking that it was Thursday so put a fork in me - I'm done.

Onto more PFF reviews:

5) Pet peeve - endings should match the rest of the feel of the film. Wristcutters: A Love Story (clearly named to be "provocative" is kind of in the I Heart Huckabees vain sliced with a little Drugstore Cowboy and a semi-coherent plotline. The film was sort of reaching beyond the capabilities of the director but at least it was thought provoking. The movie centers on some sort of limbo existence for people that committed suicide. Patrick Fugit plays Zia, a guy working menial jobs in the afterlife. He obsesses over his girlfriend who he later finds out is actually dead and somewhere in limbo too. He hooks up with Shannyn Sossamon, whom I normally find incredibly annoying, whose character firmly believes that she is in the afterlife by mistake. So they go on a road trip with Eugene (Shea Whigham) to see if they can find the People in Charge. So the movie is one of those "black comedies." It was trying a little too hard at times (thank God for Tom Waits and Will Arnett) but the ending was one of those cookie cutter happy ones that really sank the film.

I give this 2 1/2 out of 5 broken headlights.

Boone You! More observations from PFF

3) Boone is the best new curse word ever. Fuck, the Steve Anderson helmed documentary about the word, is uneven at times, a little predictable etc. However, you have to watch it just for the interviews with Pat Boone. Apparently because he chooses not to use the F-word, he replaces the naughty word with “Boone.” For example, “I booned that girl last night" or "That guy is a booning idiot." You do learn the historical usages of the word and some great clips. This gets 3 out of 5 Boones.

4) Romantic comedies should not have footage of children being gassed. Are you listening David and Layla? Yes, I know that you, beautiful Shiva Rose are playing a Kurdish Muslim whose family was killed by Saddam Hussein. Please don't bill your movie as a "My Big Fat Muslim Wedding" picture and throw that in there. The film overall was just o.k. It was very "I'm Muslim" and "You’re Jewish," how will we ever come together - snoozy plot line. But boy is that Shiva a vision on screen. Why isn't she in more stuff?

3 out of 5 hot Dylan McDermott's wives.

Observations of the 15th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival

1) Please see the silent film programs. I'm always stunned to not see a full house for the annual silent film features. The shorts that were featured proved to be funnier than about 95% of tv and movie comedies out today. The Buster Keaton's shorts were the real centerpiece of the collection. In particular, "Cops" showed of his sheer physical abilities and innate sense of timing. My own secret thrill was watching the Laurel and Hardy shorts, especially "Liberty," a simple and very funny bit about the two troublemakers fleeing jail and trying to hide out on a construction site. You actually find yourself gasping for breath as Laurel dangling dangerously off the side of the metal awnings and cheering for him when he makes it. There is also something very sweet about their relationship which you can't really see in the later talkies. The Charlie Chaplin short, "Work" was cute but only showed a small glimpse of his rare and wonderful talent. Not one of the better ones.

Overall, this program gets 4 out of 5 human seesaws.

2) Just because you get 4 stars in the Philadelphia Inquirer, doesn't mean you'll like it. Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man, is a good film but there should be an advisory. You have to like or at least appreciate Leonard Cohen. Also, besides the interviews with Cohen himself, there is footage from a Canadian concert tribute to him. In my personal opinion, this allows the viewer to really understand the beauty and power of his songwriting. His voice is definetely not for everyone. So all the impatient sighing needs to stop. Some of the film though plays like lost scenes from Twin Peaks. A real highlight is the saucy performance from Jarvis Cocker and normally reserved Beth Orton and the stunning version of Hallelujah by Rufus and the rest of the Wainwrights.

4 out of 5 deaths of ladies' men

More to come . . .