Movies I Watched Instead of Writing Part 13

The Demon Seed [1977] -- When the words "Based on a Novel by Dean R. Koontz" came on screen, we should have taken that as the warning it was meant to be. But no, it had Julie Christie in it. She was a classy actress, wasn't she? While watching her performance I had such trouble believing this that I actually had to get up and check IMDb to figure out what she had been in. Guess Doctor Zhivago had been a long time ago by the time she got involved in this mess. The physical manifestation of the computer was pretty cool, but the "social/political" overtones that others have sited are not only dated but half-arsed. Right up there with Orca.

The Entity
[1981] -- Way creepier than it had any right to be, likely thanks to the fact that it was based on a true story. Obviously certain things had been changed to make it more marketable, like the stupid ending w/ all the 'splosions, but when it was just trying to be spooky, it was a damn good scary movie. Ron Silver was perfectly typecast as the obsessive psychiatrist and Barbara Hershey gives a solid, sympathetic and engaging performance. Highly recommended.

Sympathy For Lady Vengeance [2005] -- Beautiful, lyrical, sick... Seriously dood, what more do you want from a Park Chan-wook movie? Yeong-ae Lee was surprisingly good in the lead, despite her tree-like performance in J.S.A. While still true to the whole "vengeance trilogy", it does have a distinctly "feminine" feel to it, which is odd since no doubt Park Chan-wook is considered a "male" director in North America because of the violent content of most of his films to this point. Elegant and epic. Also highly recommended.

Capote [2005] -- After waffling for a few years there, Philip Seymour Hoffman is again on my list of potential sires for my illegitimate love-child. A stirring portrayal of the breakdown of someone wracked with guilt over his own confused motives. An important film for writers I'd say. And of course, Chris Cooper, Bruce Greenwood & Catherine Keener are fabulous in supporting roles.

16 Blocks [2006] -- Fairly standard action/buddy/cop movie that gets derailed by a few too many endings. It was nice to see David Morse as a bad-guy (he's so good at it) and Mos Def is quickly becoming one of my faves, despite spending most of the movie doing what seems like his best Chris Tucker. Bruce Willis was practically a non-presence due to his efficiency as the drunken washed up cop, and part he seems to be able to play in his sleep at this point.

Block Party [2006] -- Funny, inspiring & humane. An important concert film and an eye-opener for people like myself who had never developed a taste for rap music. But really, with Dave Chappelle & Michel Gondry working together, how could I not like this movie?


Re-Animator [1985] -- Jeffrey Combs, also in the running for sire of my illegitimate love-child. I spent much of the film clapping my hands and squealing like a five year old at Christmas. My friend described his performance as "a special effect unto himself". Seriously, why has it taken me thing long to see this movie? I am going to dig up every scrap of Stuart Gordon I can find (bearing in mind that I have already sat through Robot Jox & Fortress).

The Squid & The Whale [2005] -- Devastating, beautiful, honest. And very, very funny. Not a good movie to watch if you're in the middle of a break-up though. Jeff Daniels gives a brave performance as a thoroughly unlikeable character. And the little kid, Owen Kline, is amazing (then again, what do expect from the spawn of Kevin Kline and Pheobe Cates?)


Next Stop Wonderland [1998] -- Intelligent, hopeful indie-romantic comedy of the sort I used to watch all the time with my sister. Neither of us could figure out how we'd managed to miss this one. Hope Davis' character is an inspiration and it was nice to see Callie Thorne in something other than Homicide.