Indiana Jones…
We saw the new Indiana Jones movie. I'll say that it was entertaining, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you are an Indiana Jones fan.
Also see The 8 Biggest Reasons Indiana Jones Is Better than Han Solo from Topless Robot.
Lars and the Real Girl
We watched Lars and the Real Girl last night. It's one of the best movies I've seen in a while, right up there with other popular independents like Juno and Little Miss Sunshine. It's billed as a comedy, but it was actually a moving drama with a comedic base. I almost cried, which means that the movie was very well written and directed - especially considering that the co-star is an inflatable sex doll. I think everyone would enjoy this movie, so see it if you get a chance.
Meanwhile, we're going to see the new Indiana Jones movie this afternoon. I'll report on that later...
There Will Be Blood
We saw There Will Be Blood last night. It was really good, except we're not completely sure what it was about. Was it about capitalism, family, greed, religion, or some combination? It may have been helpful to read Upton Sinclair's Oil! first, but neither of us have. The movie was based on the book. Despite the lost meaning, it was a captivating and memorable movie. I had nightmares featuring Mr. Plainview last night.
Charlie Wilson’s War
We saw "Charlie Wilson's War" this weekend. Although it wouldn't make the list of my favorite movies of all time, it was very well done. There was never a dull moment and I have no complaints about anything. Philip Seymour Hoffman does an amazing job in the role of Gust Avrakotos. He really should win some kind of award. The historical significance of the story is revealing and unsettling. Go see it.
The Dollhouse
Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, etc.) is coming back to television! His new show is called "The Dollhouse" and stars Eliza Dushku (Faith, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer)! It will air on Fox sometime next year. Unfortunately, the writer's strike will postpone it for a while, but Fox has already agreed to 7 episodes.
Twin Peaks – The Second Season
After years of waiting (literally), the second season of Twin Peaks has been released to DVD!! I got my copy in the mail today, and I can't begin to express how excited I am. I now have every episode and the movie on DVD. I guess I can finally get rid of my VHS box set.
The Battle of Thermopylae
We went to see 300 this weekend. I had great expectations after watching the trailers and reading the reviews. The battle scenes were some of the coolest movie scenes that I've experienced. As most reviews point out, they were very video-game-like, and very bloody. Unfortunately, outside of the battle scenes, there wasn't much substance. We're not given a lot of detail about the history of the Persians and Spartans, and why they are battling at the moment. The dialog is cheesy and not smart. I would have liked to see this as a 3 hour epic with more focus on historical facts, and, of course, more battle scenes. All in all, I'd give it 3.5 stars out of 5. To be fair, the movie is based on a comic, which is why I generously gave it 3.5 stars. My advice is to watch this unrated trailer, read this article, and then pick up the DVD when it comes out.