Word Wars

Posted on by

It seems every sub-culture is getting a documentary these days. Someone ought to make a list. Someone probably has… in fact there’s probably a documentary about all the sub-culture documentaries, wouldn’t that be something! Anyway, this one is pretty good… There are some real characters playing scrabble out there. The end was especially hartwarming – considering who won, and what it meant to him and his Dad. I really felt genuinely great for them both. In the world of scrabble, there is nothing greater… and no drug testing either!

 

The Wind Will Carry Us

Posted on by

An Iranian film that takes a quite different approach. The plot concerns some filmmakers trying to make a documentary about a death-ritual in a remote village in Iran. Nothing in the movie is overly dramatized, all the action is very ordinary. Even an “accident” near the end of the movie is not over-played like most every mainstream movie is prone to doing. There are no big emotional scenes – you have to look for the emotion of the movie. Many of the scenes focus on things other than the main action (for example, a conversation is filmed, but the whole time the camera focuses on an uninterested 3rd party) At times it comes across as quite tedious and dull, but that’s how everyday life is. I’m glad every movie isn’t like this, but I’m also glad this one is like it is. (plus, the setting – the village – was really neat)

 

Willow

Posted on by

I remember the previews for this movie came out like 6 months in advance… which was a big deal back then. It had me wondering. Willow must be an amazing movie to deserve such promotion! Alas, it was only average. There wasn’t any groundbreaking anything in this movie. It was just your run-of-the-mill fantasy-adventure movie. In retrospect, this was done before hollywood “figured out” how to do fantasy-adventure movies.

 

Wild Wild West

Posted on by

God, what a dumb movie!!! I feel I should apologize for this even being on my list. I didn’t mean to see it, really! It was a total accident. Some idiot gave us the wrong directions to a theater and this was the only thing playing there. We meant to see Austin Powers II that night. Instead, I got to experience a new low in Hollywood moviecranking.

 

Wilde

Posted on by

The story of the rise and fall of Oscar Wilde. The witty playwright and author goes around poking fun at high English society and enjoying sex with young men. As he would argue – not that dirty, lust-filled bathroom sex, but intellectual mentor-protégé discourse… um, just like the ancient Greeks. Well, whatever it was, it was illegal in late 1800’s England. I never really knew much about Oscar Wilde… This movie seems to be a pretty good portrayal of his story. I’m not sure how technically accurate it is, but the acting, writing and directing are all quite good. (Yes, there are depictions of gay sex in it.) Also, I’m always impressed by “period” movies that really take you to a different time and place. Sometimes they try to hard, and make a big deal about how certain things were so different “way back when”. In a good period movie, nothing is too special – it presents a better picture of the reality of the day. Wilde did just that, the setting and characters were all believable. If you somehow missed the story of Oscar Wilde in the course of your life, this movie might be just the thing to make up for that.

 

White Squall

Posted on by

It took a while to “get going”, but it was OK. I think this movie suffers from what I call “little picture disease”. No matter how well it was done, it was nothing more than a little story about a unique series of events. It doesn’t really “comment on the human condition” or something like that. I know, not all movies have to do that, but it’s too bad that they all can’t. One thing… so is there such a thing as a white squall?

 

When We Were Kings

Posted on by

“We will be in ‘zee air’ till we get to Zaire”. A documentary of a specially unique moment – the Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. Ali is the favorite, the underdog, the champion and the challenger. George Foreman comes off looking like the chump he was (he’s almost like a completely different person now). This movie is less about fighting, and more about society, social dynamics, and funk. See it even if you abhor boxing.

 

What Dreams May Come

Posted on by

I really liked the concept of this movie – we all make our own afterlife, whether it’s heaven or hell is up to us. That makes a lot more sense than the dictatorial / judgmental Christian view. Well, none of it makes sense anyway, but I did like this movie. There were some annoying parts, but the movie was visually interesting enough to overcome any writing or acting shortcomings.

 

Weekend at Bernie’s

Posted on by

How long is it possible to stretch out one stupid joke? about an hour and a half. I think they ran through just about every possible situation and scenario and circumstance that has to do with a dead body. Oh, wait, I guess there were more – they made a sequel. I’m proud to say that I have not seen the sequel! At least I don’t think I have… I’m not really sure… how different from the original could it have been?

 

The Wedding Singer

Posted on by

Probably the best thing that Adam Sandler has done. I know that he’s a genuinely talented and funny guy… so why has he done so many freakin’ obnoxious movies? I dunno, I guess his crummy movies have made a lot of money, so maybe he’s smarter than I thought. And Drew Barrymore? she does the “adorable kind of girl you wanna fall in love with” really well. (although she can be over the top sometimes)

 

Wayne’s World

Posted on by

This movie had some good scenes… and some that should have stayed on the cutting room floor. I guess it was enjoyable, but there is just something that bothers me about this movie… I can’t put my finger on it. It’s almost like it was trying to be cheesy and classic at the same time… that just doesn’t work. I’d put this movie in the same category as Strange Brew, but Strange Brew doesn’t leave me with that same feeling… do you know what I mean? I’m not sure I do.