What Swanky Things are you Watching?

[€uroMeinke]

Last night we went to UCLA to see some films of Ladislaw Starewicz with LIve music from the Tin Hat Trio.

Starewicz is credited for being one of the inventors of stop-motion animation. He was an entomologist, who wanted to film a documentary about bugs but found the lights of his equipment would burn and kill them. So he devised ways to articulate dead insects to mimic their real life movements - of course, then he realized he could do a lot more with this art form and made short films featuring bugs and frogs as lead characters, complete with tiny sets and props.

It was an awsome experience, especially with live music and follie. They hope to put this on DVD and I hope they succeed. This stuff is a must for anyone who loves the animation art form.

[Not Afraid]

We finally watched Closer tonight. Although I didn't love love love it, it certainly had its moments. I adore Clive Owen. He's really gotten a place in my pantheon of fine British men. Move over Hugh.......no, Hugh still makes my heart beat fastest. But, I enjoyed the film except I wanted to slap a few people at times. (Sheesh! Get over yourself!) Natalie Portman was wonderful! She CAN act! ( Padmé? Are you OK?) Jude, eh, I've seen enough. Same with Julia - although she was better in this than in anything else I've seen her in.

Clive had the BEST lines ever. His character was my favorite. Witty and snarkey at the same time.....brilliant!

[Ghoulish Delight]

We watched Jabberwocky, a Terry Gilliam film. In the words of Nelson Muntz, I can think of at least two things wrong with that title.

Ummm, it's Gilliam. If you like Gilliam, you'd enjoy the movie (we do, and we did). But it's nothing to write home about.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

I watched "The Battle of Shaker Heights" which won Project Greenlight a couple years ago. It wasn't a bad movie, just very incomplete.

Also saw Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Very good film. Very well done, although if it were any longer, the cuts and oddness would have started annoying me.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

The Office Special. Dawn and Tim, I heart you.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Just watched "The Apostle" last night and really enjoyed it. Robert Duvall never ceases to amaze me and this film was certainly no exception. He really nailed the role of the evangelical preacher so well that it was easy to forget that he was acting. Thumbs up!

[Not Afraid]

A collection of films of Ladislaw Starewicz are available from Amazon including The Cameraman's Revenge which was completely delightful! I will be buying this quirky, esoteric man's work.

[Claire]

Try not to be jealous.....with the girls, lately I've seen:

~A Cinderella Story
~Josie and the Pussycats (I SO love this movie though, and it was my idea to watch it. Again.)
~Parts of three different Star Wars movies prepping for Cass's Darth Vader party next week
~Princess Diaries 2
~Because of Winn Dixie

Also......Rushmore, Friday Night Lights, Ghost Ship, and The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer.

[libraryvixen]

Originally Posted by Claire

~Josie and the Pussycats (I SO love this movie though, and it was my idea to watch it. Again.)

B and I LOVE that movie! The songs aren't that bad... they're catchy!

I went to see Millions today. What a cute movie. There's something really sweet and innocent about it. The story... absurd in reality, but somehow I came out beleiving it. Worth my drive up to Sacramento.

I also went to see A Wake in Providence. Umm.... ... let's assume I fell asleep about halfway through for about 30 minutes, woke up, and STILL found the movie drab and boring. I didn't miss much because I could guess what happened.

[Prudence]

Mr. Romance is a funny teevee show. I particularly like the parts where Fabio dubs in the "other half" of contestants' phone calls home. My brain is a pile of civpro jelly and I was just cracking up.