Good Night and Good Luck

NetFlix: George Clooney's Oscar-nominated docudrama pits TV newsman Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn) against Sen. Joseph McCarthy and his single-minded crusade to quell the red threat at home. Despite corporate pressure to back off, Murrow and his CBS staff are determined to examine the lies and fear tactics perpetrated by McCarthy during his Communist witch-hunts. The impressive cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson and Jeff Daniels.

Me: Hmmm....Good movie. Interesting topic, interesting time period, interesting "view" into history (with some creative license thrown in) and some very interesting acting by David Strathairn, George Clooney and Jeff Daniels.

The Aviator

NetFlix: Martin Scorsese directs this Best Picture nominee about Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio), who turned a small fortune into a massive one by producing such classics as Hell's Angels, The Front Page, Flying Leathernecks and Scarface. He simultaneously branched into and transformed industry after industry, including aviation. Winner of five Oscars, including Best Cinematography, Art Direction and Supporting Actress (Cate Blanchett).

Me: I gotta admit, I didn't know much about Howard Hughes, unless you count the Spruce Goose, however this was a totally typical Scorsese flick with his use of big cinematography and the classic split screen dialog where you see two charecters as they converse over bizarre topics.

Borat

NetFlix: Fans of the HBO comedy series "Da Ali G Show" will be delighted to join one of their favorite characters -- the Kazakhstani reporter Borat (Sacha Baron Cohen, in a Golden Globe-winning role) -- as he travels to America to report on the "greatest country in the world." Camera in tow, the boorish journalist sets off on his cross-country road trip, but his original purpose is soon subsumed by a much greater quest -- finding and marrying actress Pamela Anderson.

Me: OK, I missed the type. I didn't fall into the trap. I didn't go along with the masses and rush down to see "funniest movie I've ever seen....hilarious....a riot." Yes, those were words used by friends who saw this movie. It was funny, but not THAT funny. Again, worth a view, but not worth the full ticket price, by any means. Oh, and I saw a couple of the Ali G shows. I thought they were stupid, so no wonder I'm only giving this 3 stars.

Children of Men

Netflix: Alfonso Cuaron directs this film version of P.D. James's classic dystopian novel (and Oscar nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay), a futuristic drama set in a world in which humans have lost the ability to reproduce and subsequently face certain extinction. Things change when a single woman mysteriously becomes pregnant, prompting a conflicted government bureaucrat (Clive Owen) and his ex-wife (Julianne Moore) to join forces to protect her. Michael Caine co-stars.

Me: If you're a SciFi fan, this will entertain you, but not blow your mind. If you don't like SciFi, then you probably won't dig this flick. I thought it was worth a watch. This one gets three stars at least since I didn't say "fuck, that wouldn't happen" more than uh 10 times.

Frieda

Netflix: Julie Taymor directs this Oscar-winning biopic of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek), focusing on her often rocky relationship with husband Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina). Also known for her controversial political and sexual reputation (she was a communist and a bisexual), Frida struggled with a life of wracking pain following an accident, the amputation of a leg, and finally, drug and alcohol abuse that killed her at age 47.

We dug this movie. I little on the long side, but an interesting story. The guy who played Doc Octopus in Spiderman was a great Diego Rivera. I would call this movie, worth the view.

Ned Kelly

NetFlix: Ned Kelly (Heath Ledger) and his brother Dan (Laurence Kinlan), the sons of an Irish pig thief, form a group of bandits called the Kelly Gang with two other men (Orlando Bloom and Philip Barantini). Tired of being mistreated due to his heritage, Ned roams the Australian Outback with his mob, robbing banks and evading police. First jailed at age 16 for stealing horses, Ned Kelly is most notoriously known for the battle at the Inn at Glenrowan.

Aussie style RobinHood flick...Geoffery Rush plays a great commander in this movie.

The Life of Birds

Netflix: Presented by world-renowned naturalist David Attenborough, The Life of Birds is the definitive series exploring the most colorful, popular and perfectly adapted creatures on Earth. Researchers traversed the globe, exploring 42 countries and examining more than 300 species of birds using a variety of techniques, including infrared, slow motion and computer-enhanced effects.

Winged Migration it wasn't, however not a bad documentary on our little feathered friends.

Friends of God: A Road Trip With Alexandra Pelosi

HBO Documentary: The estimated 50 to 80 million evangelical Christians living in America today have become a formidable force in our culture and democracy. But the evangelical movement is a big tent. To try and get a better understanding of the range and diversity of this community, intrepid filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi hit the road to meet some evangelicals and learn about what their influence may mean for the future of the country.

My Take: Liberals, Moderates, Free Thinkers, and those who tolerate others and their points of view. We are now under attack. The message of God via Jesus wasn't tolerance and love, it was to BASH the unbelivers. The behemoth Job cites in the bible is a dinosaur....Yes, contrary to years of scientific evidence and overwhelming data, we as human kind DID share the earth with dinosaurs. Dinosaurs existed. Humans exist. The earth is only about 6000 years old (acording to evangelicals) therefore we rode, ate and cohabitated with nasty gay dinosaurs! (I don't know if dinosaurs were gay, but it seems like they could be.) If this documentary doesn't scare the hell out of you, nothing will.

He he. I did like the fact that they added to the documentary in a foot note that Ted Haggard the president and Evangelical leader/spokesperson takes it in the poop chute for dollars. Hang on. Does he pay to get or pay to deliver? Good Lord the allmighty, I have no idea. Perhaps in Pastor Ted's meth induced state, neither does he?

Technically old Teddy, didn't acutally ADMIT to gay sex. He bought the meth and then threw it away. However, his "lover" says they met nearly every month for more than 3 years.

Jackass Number Two

In the second film based on the infamous MTV series of the same name, Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Bam Margera and the rest of the gang continue to shun dignity and embrace danger in a series of idiotic feats. As always, the gross-out factor is high in stunts involving horse semen, a fake beard made out of pubic hair and more as the crew travels to India in this Jeff Tremaine-directed sequel.

Not bad, but they didn't quite capture the raw essense and finite juxtapositions for the true charater dynamics (antagonist/protagonist) of the first Jackass movie.

Bob Marley - Catch a Fire

Netflix: Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh are credited with introducing reggae music to the masses with their first album, "Catch a Fire." This documentary goes behind the scenes of the making of this legendary album. Through interviews with the musicians and Jamaican home movies, you'll follow the album's production from the 8-track recordings in Jamaica to the polishing touches in London. Songs include "Stir It Up" and "Stop That Train."

Cool Rasta Cool

30 Days - Season 2

What better way to give people a crash course in empathy than to have them inhabit somebody else's life for 30 days? That's exactly what Super Size Me director and star Morgan Spurlock does on this popular FX Network show. Season 2 opens with "a border-patrolling minuteman" moving in with an undocumented Mexican family and continues with episodes on abortion, New Age healing, prisons (with Spurlock himself spending time behind bars) and more.

Of the 6+ (?) episodes in season 2, there was only one I didn't really care for...Some how they missed the mark on the binge drinking mom, however all other scenarios were really good.

Munich

Netflix: In this thriller based on actual events, Palestinian terrorists hold hostage and ultimately kill a group of Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. In the tragic aftermath of the infamous murders, a Mossad agent (Eric Bana) tracks down the assassins. Ciaran Hinds and Geoffrey Rush co-star in this film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Tony Kushner (award-winning playwright of "Angels in America").

I say: This wasn't that great....The story wasn't really that captivating....Jesus...Jews killing Arabs, Arabs killing Jews. I kept expecting more, but alas, I should have learned to be now dissappointed with Spielberg movies....This bastard kinda drug along. Certainly not as bad as Schindler's List, but really fucking close. Gotta say that I really like Geoffrey Rush, and I thought he was really good in this movie, (as he always is, a magnificant actor), but even his amazing talents can't carry an entire 3 hour Dreamworks SKG bore-o-rama. Skip it.

Eddie Izzard - Glorious

Self-proclaimed executive transvestite and comedian Eddie Izzard brings his stand-up act to the Apollo Theater in Labatt. With topics including the nature of God, the search for a career, classical mythology and Scooby-Doo, Izzard presents intellectual and fast-paced comedy. His imitations include Sean Connery, whom he imagines playing Noah trying to convince God that a speedboat would be a better photo opportunity than an ark.

A comedian's genius is clearly in their wit, and ability to put together things you've thought about. Izzard is classic in this performance, however I think his later performances are more refined, and honestly funnier.

Bowfinger

Lame producer Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) has a script that's brimming with possibilities. The catch? To get seed money to produce the film, it must feature Hollywood's leading box-office star, Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy). Aided and abetted by a cast and crew of misfits, Martin makes one last stab at overnight success. Hilarity is the result.

I enjoy this show and on it, they talked about this movie, so I rented it.

I thought this was classic Eddie. Worth the view, easy

Hotel Rawanda

Amid the holocaust of internecine tribal fighting in Rwanda that sees the savage butchering of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children, one ordinary man (Oscar nominee Don Cheadle) musters the courage to save more than 1,000 helpless refugees by sheltering them in the hotel he manages. Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte and Joaquin Phoenix co-star in this powerful film (sort of an African version of Schindler's List) directed by Terry George.

Maybe the fact that this movie was a Netflix top 100, slanted my view and therefore I expected more. This was a good movie, with good acting, and a good storyline, but frankly nothing more. Don Cheadle's performance was quite stirring, but hell, how could you not envoke strong emotion and a convincing performance in this environment, even if it is on a hollywood set? I'm giving it 3 stars. Certainly worth seeing, but don't get your panties all raised up in a bunch over it, if you have panties, and if you do, if you can get them raised up in a bunch and if you can get the raised all up in a bunch, certainly don't do it over this movie.

Hollow Man

Description: Cocky researcher Sebastian Caine (Kevin Bacon) is a working on a project to make living creatures invisible. He's so confident he's found the right formula that he tests it on himself and begins to vanish. Problem is, no one can figure out how to make him visible again. Soon his invisibility drives Caine mad -- with terrifying results. The special effects are a knockout as Caine fades away organ by organ in director Paul Verhoeven's thriller.

My Promulgation: Hollow Man...aka Hollow Movie. Ok, I gotta agree, the special effects were good. Even the story line was plausable, however at the end, it just got amazingly stupid. So, I looked up Paul Verhoeven's movies. No wonder. Let me list a few of them out. Basic Instinct - Bluck. Showgirls - Stupid. RoboCop - OK, Total Recall - Decent, Starship Troopers - 2nd Worst SciFi movie I've ever seen. I mean how could he ruin something based upon a Heinlein book? Anyway, even with Kevin Bacon, the most famous nobody in Hollywood, this gets 1 star.

The Man Who Skied Down Everest

Description: Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1975, this engrossing film follows world champion skier Yuichiro Miura and his tireless team of adventurers as they grapple with frostbite, icefalls, altitude sickness and even death to ascend and then descend -- by slaloming -- the world's tallest mountain, Everest. A truly gripping film about a one-of-a-kind stunt, The Man Who Skied Down Everest is a landmark in the sports documentary genre.

My Promulgation: This movie came on a recomendation from Michelle, and I liked it. I really enjoyed the more philosophical naration by Miura himself. Since I have been to both approach sides of Everest, I really enjoyed the fact that they hauled all the gear 185 miles from Kathmandu. Today, we have it easy, we just walked from Lukla. In the end, you ask yourself, did he succeed, or did he fail?

Gummo

Description: Xenia, Ohio, is still reeling from a devastating tornado that ripped through the region 20 years ago, and the town's teens are having a difficult time adjusting. Solomon (Jacob Reynolds) and Tummler (Nick Sutton) kill cats, huff glue and generally wreak havoc, while Siren Dot (Chloe Sevigny) puts tape on her nipples and Bunny Boy (Jacob Sewell) skates around wearing bunny ears.

My Promulgation: OK, so this is a slice of white trash Americana that no one would want to see, much less make a movie upon. Shot in Nashville, this director claims to have taken 30-45 minutes to find these actors and it clearly shows. No plot, no narrative, no story line, no good. If you enjoy bizarre movies that have little to no social redeeming value, this is perfect. If you want your own excuse to start your directorial debut, you have this as your guiding light. Hell, anybody could make this piece of shit. Unfortnately it wasn't me and for that and only that, it gets one star.

I first reviewed this movie January 26 in '05. Two years later, we STILL talk about it. I gotta admit, Gummo hasn't left my mind. I've seen countless movies on TV, DVD and big screen. There are three that I can not get out of my head.

1. Crumb
2. Pink Flamingos
3. Gummo

Therefore I'm upgrading this movie to 5 stars.

Six Feet Under

I'm back. OK, so I've not reviewed and DVD movies in a LONG time....Well first we had to catch up on the Sopranos, then we got hooked on Six Feet Under, then I left the country to go climb for 2 months, then then then.....So here is my SixFeet Under review.

Description:
This darkly comical HBO television series follows the members of a dynamic but dysfunctional Los Angeles-based family that operates a funeral home. It has an ironically grim but intriguing premise: Each episode is based on the death and extenuating circumstances of the family's current client. Captivating, original and utterly engaging, this Emmy Award-winning series is the brainchild of American Beauty screenwriter Alan Ball.

The second season of this darkly comical HBO TV series delves into the lives of the Fishers, a dysfunctional Los Angeles family that operates a funeral home. Each episode surrounds the details of the family's current client, and the Emmy-winning show's larger story arcs explore siblings Nate (Peter Krause), David (Michael C. Hall) and Claire (Lauren Ambrose), Nate's girlfriend (Rachel Griffiths) and the passive-aggressive mother (Frances Conroy).

The Fisher family is back for more darkly funny drama in this season of HBO's hit series. This time around, Nate (Peter Krause) has to cope with marriage and fatherhood, Ruth (Frances Conroy) gets caught up in her flighty sister's life, Claire (Lauren Ambrose) has her usual romantic misadventures, and David (Michael C. Hall) works on his relationship with Keith (Matthew St. Patrick). Lili Taylor, Kathy Bates and Patricia Clarkson guest star.

This season of HBO's hit dramedy series finds the Fisher clan dealing with the usual complement of angst and then some. Ruth's (Frances Conroy) impulsive decision at the end of Season 3 leads to problems; Nate (Peter Krause) is wracked with grief and guilt after a tragedy; Claire (Lauren Ambrose) finds romance in an unexpected place; and David (Michael C. Hall) endures a terrifying experience that threatens to undo him.

The fifth season of HBO's emotional dramedy finds the Fishers and their friends and loved ones in the show's typical state of angsty turmoil. Will Nate (Peter Krause) finally be able to make a relationship work? What is George (James Cromwell) hiding from Ruth (Frances Conroy)? Can David (Michael C. Hall) and Keith (Matthew St. Patrick) stay together? And is Claire (Lauren Ambrose) ready for life as an artist? Stay tuned....

My Promulgation: Best drama series I've ever seen. Period. As good as my other favorites, Sopranos, and Deadwood. I often wonder how HBO can produce such amazing TV? More pay? More prestige? Better actors? I mean, shit the networks would LOVE to be able to produce something like this half as edgey, half as insightful and half as good.

30 Days - Season 1

Morgan Spurlock (of Supersize Me fame) hosts this one-hour documentary film series that places subjects for a month in situations they're unlikely to seek out on their own. By subjecting themselves to such circumstances, participants help shed light on social issues plaguing America today, such as the rift created by religious differences between Muslims and Christians in America, the incarcerated and the lawyers who put them in prison, and more.

Dug it.