King of Kong

For my money, there is nothing better than a great documentary. The problem is there are only like five or six great documentaries that I’ve ever come across. I would call this a near-great movie. It comes from such a seemingly uninteresting premise – a rivalry amount the greatest coin-operated video game players in the world.

The story focuses on two men who battle each other for the all-time high score in Donkey Kong and the odd band of sycophants and alliances that populate the world of classic coin-op gaming. In a lot of ways it transcends plot, character, and environment to reveal something about people – their failed dreams, their arrogance and pride.

All in all, I would say this is probably the best doc I’ve seen since Spellbound (2002 documentary about the National Spelling Bee).

Once

This was really just a lovely movie. Very simple and uncomplicated, and I loved it even more for that. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t a great (or even very good) movie. It was just an entirely pleasant and enjoyable experience to see a small love story set amidst some fantastic music that seems to be created in front of you as the movie goes along.

The soundtrack is fantastic, I’ve had it a lot longer than than I’ve seen the movie. If you only opt for one, I’d just buy the soundtrack – but why would you just opt for one?

The Great Escape

There was a lot of attention and press behind the recent new Iraq war movie: Stop Loss. I haven’t seen it or any of the other recent Iraq war movies (neither has anyone else they’ve performed horribly at the box office). I have a theory why, and The Great Escape gives a good explanation of that. When I watch a movie like The Great Escape (or its far better contemporary: The Dirty Dozen) I feel good about being an American, I feel like we’re cooler and better than most everyone else (the Brits are OK, too).

Now take a movie like Stop Loss or any other movie that seeks to teach me of the bad stuff that’s going on in Iraq and with our military. I wouldn’t watch a movie who’s premise is how much Bevan sucked, even if it tried to show some of my good sides too. The soldiers in Iraq are fighting under my flat, and ostensibility as my proxy as an American citizen. Why in the world would (unless I were a sadist) would I seek to revel in my own personal failure in Iraq as a form of entertainment?

I don’t think its any more complicated than that – a movie that shows things are bad in iraq will only make me feel bad about myself – probably not a good choice for any form of mass media (outside of women’s magazines).

Oh yeah, the movie was pretty cool. I liked all of the scenes with Steve McQueen.

Hot Fuzz & Shaun of the Dead

For the right person, these two movies will be the highlight of their movie watching year. I lump them together because they’re made by the same writer – director and have the same two lead actors. You will like these movies, if the following is true:

• You enjoy movies that have lots of action or violence
• You enjoy the subtleties of British humor / sarcasm
• You really like violence in your movies
• You have a tolerance for incredibly flashy – or very fast edits – pretty much like Michael Bay on speed
• Violence doesn’t bother you in a movie

Did you catch my drift above? These are very funny, very violent movies that are a real treat if you have the stomach for zombies & blood.

Michael Clayton

This was a solid movie, not a great one – I don’t really understand the Best Picture nomination. George Clooney needs to be careful about his movie choices. He is the best movie star working today – bar none. But, I think he is kind of limited as an actor – he’s no Edward Norton or Shawn Penn. His strengths lie in movie star roles, not roles like this that require subtle emotion & pained expressions.

Now, you may think that is a knock on George Clooney to say he’s merely a movie star – it really isn’t. In many ways being a “movie star” or a screen presence is a higher achievement – there are very few people in the world who can carry this mantle. Carey Grant and Charlton Heston were the greatest movie stars of their era. Lawrence Olivier was the considered the greatest actor of his area. Who do you think will be remembered 50 or 100 years from now?

Eagle vs. Shark

A thoroughly delightful movie whose charms outlived its flaws. It stars Jermaine Clement who has gained a lot of popularity as half of Flight of the Conchords (I’m a big fan – I got a name drop on their latest album, I’ll write about that later). He was the only reason we rented the movie on the Apple TV and Evie and I were both glad that we did. It is a very simple movie that tries to drive a romantic comedy down the same comedic treads of Napoleon Dynamite. Odd-ball people who talk kind of slow and have delusions of grandeur. It manages to succeed even with this silly format.

What emerges is a simple, happy love story. I thought is was a lot like one of my past favorites, The Station Agent. I would recommend both, but suggest you watch The Station Agent first if you haven’t seen it.