What Swanky Things are you Watching?

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

The Brothers Grimm, which I enjoyed a lot more than I expected to, even despite it's flaws.

My Bodyguard (on cable...hurrah!)

Satisfaction. Oh my suckage, and yet...I watch...for Liam Neeson.

The Elephant Man. Again. And again.

The Princess and the Warrior. For some reason, this is one of my all-time favorite movies. It's Twyker. It's not well known or well loved, as far as I can tell. And, yet, I have seen it many, many, many times and it never bores me. I'm riveted each time. I love the actors, the coincidences, the fairy tale aspects. I just want to kiss this movie all over its movie body.

[CoasterMatt]

The swankiest thing I've been watching? this

[Ghoulish Delight]

We've just finished watching Home Movie, from the director of American Movie

If you've seen and enjoyed American Movie, you'll likely enjoy this. It's a documentary profiling the residents of 5 very unique domiciles. A gator keeper that lives on a Louisiana house boat (sadly, we couldn't help but wonder what has become of said house boat), a technician who has created for himself the house of the future, a couple living underground in an abandoned cold war missile launch facility, an elderly retired American actress who used to have a #2 sitcom in Japan living in a treehouse in the remotest parts of Hawaii, and a couple with 11 cats who have given their home over to their furry family (3 guesses which one is from California).

It's saying something when you've got a bunch of people and the MOST sane, by a long shot, is the gator keeping hick on the Louisiana house boat.

I'd particularly recommend this film to € and NA. NA, the cat couple should serve as a cautionary tale , for €, the guy with the house of the future may very well become your hero after viewing. His entire house is automated using classic relay systems. He's got circular doors that iris open, dressers that split apart to reveal doorways, a rotating living room, a robot, Monsanto-style kitchen cabinets that lower and raise. And it can all be controlled reomtely from anywhere in the world simply by dialing into the phone and entering the pass codes. Sure, the old man's a little nutty and has a 33 year old girlfriend whose equally so. But damnit what a house!

And, as an added bonus, the DVD contains an extensive 12 minute promo for Monsanto's House of the Future. Sadly, the print they had has seen better days.

All in all, short but thuroughly entertaining.

[€uroMeinke]

I finally saw The Life Aquatic last night and loved it for it's twisted-hyper-reality, crayon sea ponies, candy crabs, etc. The closing scenes with the entire cast in a tiny submarine had me rolling. I loved the quirky characters and agreed with NA who thought it would be a perfect pairing with Buckaroo Bonzai. We own this one, now to pick up the other Wes Anderson pics.

[Tito's Kitten]

I am very excited about this new show Hand Made Modern with Todd Oldham on HGTV. A couple of the projects are already sparking my interest but I was very excited to see him do a little feature on my favorite melmac dinnerware designer Russel Wright. The only issue with the show so far is he had Elizabeth Berkley come and help him do this string art project and I can't believe how tan-orexic and scary she really has become.....creepy...

[€uroMeinke]

Being sick, I've had some time to spend with the DVD collection. I watched I Heart Huckabees again and followed it up with a viewing with one of the commentary's. I swear this is one of those films that I imagine someone made just for me, becasue I honestly can't see many people really appreciating it for it's playfull take on philisophic issues. As with the first time I saw it, I desperately wish I could be an existential detective in real life.

Last night I started to view one of my favorite films, The Unbearable Lightness of Being. An extrememly sexy love story set around the Prague Spring of 1968. I love the characters caught in the midst of politics as they struggle with their own needs, desires, and weaknesses. Its a film that often has me weeping in anticipation of some of the sadder scenes, but I love each character's quest for happiness amidst the tummult of the world and other people.

In my mental queue is Wim Wenders Until the End of the World - I recently acquired a copy of the 3 disk directors cut, and am thinking about blocking out a day to indulge myself with that one.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I heart I Heart Huckabees. I really had little hope for it going in. Something about the ad campaign made it seem too pretentious . But by god did they make a brilliant movie. "How am I not myself?"

[BryceCal]

I recently rented Gotcha, a 1987 film with Dr. Green from E.R. with a full set of hair, freakin amazing I know! Also rented Final Destination 1 and 2, never saw them before, made me freak out about death for a couple of weeks, always a good thing!

[Prudence]

Almost Live reruns are swanky! I love late-nite teevee.

[€uroMeinke]

For Christmas, Not Afraid got me the complete Matt Helm. We saw the Silencers on Christmas Eve - OMG what a swank-fest! Dean Martin as an over the top secret agent, ridiculous gadgetry including a station wagon that converts into a bedroom with a mini-bar. I can't wait to see the rest.