The local Hollywood video had used video's out the wazoo.
Open Water
It was "BASED ON TRUE EVENTS" but that's a nonsense...Still don't let that put you off. This is probably the first/only good shark movie since Jaws, and considering there was 5(?) Jaws movies, plus Deep Blue Sea, plus who knows how many variations on the theme well...Couple go on vacation, wind up in water, and there are sharks around (I'm not really giving anything away), and IT'S DRAMATIC, and EXCITING, and STUFF! They use real sharks which is cool. You don't see the sharks allot, which actually is fine. This is actually a little bit of mix of a horror film, in addition to being a suspense thriller. It's well shot, and the acting is believable. Before the dramatic ocean seas there is some land-side stuff which is competent enough but really is nothing more then providing an excuse for the later stuff. It's not nearly as anything of the similar (well, not really similar) scenes in Jaws, but that's okay because we can't expect a film to be that good.
Really impressive job for such a low budget, and one of the best films we have ever seen in this genre.
***/****
Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World
Starring, Written, and Directed by Albert Brooks
Since he got did everything but produce it, Mr. Brooks (who has talent) must get ultimate credit for failing to delivering on this one. In the film Brooks get hired by a commission (played by possible GOP presidential candidate Fred Dalton Thompson) to find out what "the Muslims" find funny and write a 500-page report about it. But, if that proves too difficult, if he finds out what Hindus find funny then his mission fill be a success.
OK, first Mr. Brooks has lowered our expectation. The title says "Muslim world" which I figured implied some sort of intelligent picture, but the picture instead turned out to be well...not very intelligent at all. Mr. Brooks (he is playing himself) goes off to India, hires an attractive and annoyingly worshipful (to Mr. Brooks) personal assistant. He then goes around (and they must have spent at least 20-25 minutes of footage on this or what felt like it) having him ask random people, "What makes you laugh?" It's broken up a bit in different sections of the film, but it isn't funny, and it doesn't help to know that Mr. Brooks actually wrote this (including the unfunny responses) nonsense for himself to say. After that he decides to write his report he must set up a show to find what Muslims/Indians/whatevers find funny. The show actually has it moments, although it isn't that good. Blah blah blah.
He also starts a war, or almost, between India and Pakistan or this inane "comedians in Pakistan" bit. Also there is this inane idea of him meeting with the execs of Al-Jazeereh with him they want to talk about his important mission, but they want to talk about their having him star on a TV show about a Jew in a Muslim Apartment building. Ugh...
Weak. *1/2/****
Also got some stuff I saw before:
Donnie Brasco (Al Pacino, Johnny Depp). The pace occasionally got a bit slack, and I thought the violence was a bit brutal for my taste. Still, the story is competently adapted, and the acting is very strong. Everything else is on key.
***/****
19 May 2007, 10:55 pm
My last movie in the theater was the new Harry Potter. I went with my mum. It was her first time seeing a Harry Potter movie, lol.
