Just Movies

I did get to go to the movies yesterday and I saw The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I recognized some of the adult actors - especially that good looking Rupert Friend - who was playing against type very convincingly as a cold-hearted Nazi. The movie is based on a book by the same name. It is a good story, with good acting, including the children. A little boy and his family move to the country, as a result of his father's promotion. His dad is a high ranking Nazi officer, and he is now the director of a work camp. There are not many other children nearby, except for what the little boy thinks are farmers all wearing pajamas. There is an electrical fence separating the work camp from the residence, and the little boy finds it, as well as a Jewish prisoner his age, one day while exploring where he has been told not to go. I really liked this movie.

Movie Challenge results - Seven movies in thirteen days. Well, that's seven more movies than I would have seen otherwise.

I've also watched some DVDs lately:
Firstly, I cannot believe that I never reviewed In Bruges! It is a really good movie. The proverbial “they” call it an action comedy, but the comedy is very.very.dark. Collin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson play two hitmen who are sent to Bruges, Belgium as a way to regroup after a difficult hit in London. Ralph Fiennes plays their boss. While in Bruge, they meet people involved in a film shoot, and interact with the natives – all making situations more difficult for them, as they are waiting for instructions for the next hit. It was good, I say.

If you like the first one, then you will like Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2. The same girls are in it: America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn. The story takes off where the girls finish their first year of college. They all spread out across the globe with some really cool summer jobs. It is light fare, but cute.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Dollars is a documentary chronicling the world of video gaming – specifically that of Donkey Kong. Twenty years ago, Billy Mitchell set the world record that has held up until recently, when Steve Wiebe seriously challenged him. Mitchell had set up the Twin Galaxies organization. It is the official scorekeeper in the electronic video gaming world, and Mitchell is its king. It was a fascinating look into this rivalry that continues today.

Interview was an interesting look at the world of journalism. Steve Buscemi, who starred and directed this film, plays a political correspondent who is assigned the task of interviewing a celebrity. Katya, played by Sienna Miller. He is not too happy about his task, and the fact that Missy Thang arrives very late for the interview, as well at the fact that a big story is breaking at that moment in DC, does not help matters. It was a character study, but I don’t think it was Buscemi’s best work. He seemed a little self aware in the role, but it may have been due to his dual role. I think it would be hard to direct oneself. Miller was good playing a skankish celebrity.

Tropic Thunder is a satirical farce starring Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey, Jr., Steve Coogan, Tom Cruise and Nick Nolte. It was funny, and the fact that Tom Cruise has been nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe for playing a crazy person is very interesting…as it is not much of a stretch. (Did I say that in my outside voice?)

The Ten is an interesting little movie. It is a series of skits illustrating the Ten Commandments. I don’t think I fall into the demographic of the target audience, because, while I could appreciate some elements, it was just.not.for.me.

MK out.