The Lisa Life

Napolean Dynamite

Best line in the movie: "Kip can take care of me.  He's like 32."  You will only find this funny if you have watched the movie.

So rent it today.  It's subtle.  It's quirky.  It's very dry. 

I loved it.

And a great companion movie: Welcome To The Dollhouse.

Moon boots. 

And that's all I have to say about that. (Thanks Rose!)

Fahrenheit 9/11

Martin and I watched Fahrenheit 9/11 tonight. I'm not a huge Michael Moore fan, sort of lukewarm, but he does make some good points. I enjoyed Roger and Me tremendously. I really liked Bowling for Columbine. I'm not too hip on Fahrenheit just because it reminds me too much of JFK, the Oliver Stone film. Like if you didn't know anything about politics, it'd be a really skewered view.

It needs a disclaimer that this is one man's viewpoint. Still a movie worth watching.

Moore does make some very good points. Specifically, how the military recruits the kids who don't have a chance of going to college or learning a skill otherwise. They prey on them, to put not too fine a point on it. Dubya is way too far in bed with the oil business. Halliburton wins an inordinate amount of government contracts.

None of this is really news to anyone who follows politics.

Hey, I bill myself as Republican and I don't like Bush. I don't like Kerry, either.

If nothing else, Michael Moore makes you think. Who can argue with that?

We live in a country where you are allowed to make a film that questions the government in such a way. Who can argue with that freedom?

It gets people talking and isn't that where ideas and leadership come from? Who can argue with that?

Hey fellow citizens! You know what? We have a voice. We can use it. Let's all be thankful for that and exercise that right.

Mother's Boys

Mother's Boys, with Jamie Lee Curtis and Peter Gallagher.

A mystery/thriller type movie. Jamie Lee plays an corrupt, cruel, maleficent, malicious woman who abandons her three sons and husband for three years then pops back into their lives when the husband wants to divorce her to remarry.

Nobody got nominated for an Oscar for this movie but it does have some disconcerting twists and turns in it and a couple scenes that made me jump.

I do love Jamie Lee Curtis. Pretty good movie. Not for kids.

One Hour Photo

Martin and I had watched this movie when it first came out on DVD, but I didn't remember much about it, other than it was pretty good.

On a second viewing, however, I have to revise my thoughts. Robin Williams does a bang up job of portraying an isolated photo shop worker without any friends or family. He becomes obsessed with the Yorkin family, to the point where he envisions himself as part of the family. The whole premise is a good one, and there are some very tense moments in the movie, but it never quite reaches the crescendo it should. It works you up to that point, you expect the Yorkins to get axe murdered at the very least, but nothing really dramatic nor traumatic happens in the end.

Good idea, poor story line, not enough background as to why the photo shop guy is the way he is, the Yorkin family is just too smarmy for words.

So So.

Movie Reviews

Shrek II

I am a huge fan of Shrek. We have watched it many times, both with and without children. It's such a great movie because it is funny of two levels, both the child level and the adult.

Shrek II was very funny as well. Lots of slams to Hollywood and other movies. They lifted a lot. But it was so entertaining. Puss in Boots is a wonderful new character. Next on tap I am sure: Shrek and Fiona make baby ogres.

Also Watched:

My Blue Heaven

Starring Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Joan Cusak

Written by Nora Ephron and Goldie Hawn was one of the producers

Quirky under the radar movie about a Mob guy who agrees to testify and gets relocated as part of the Witness Protection Program. He gets up to some of his old crime tricks in Middle
America. Gee, do you think this might be a sanitized humorous version of Sammy "The Bull" Gravano's story?

Funny movie nonetheless. Lots of great overlooked comedic actors.

Movie Reviews

Current Favorite Movies

(In no particular order)

Best in Show
A Mighty Wind
Drop Dead Gorgeous
The Silence of the Lambs
The Deer Hunter
Welcome to the Dollhouse
Shreck
Bowling for Columbine
Pretty in Pink (cheesy I know)
Dazed & Confused

Recently Watched:

The Royal Tennebaums: good quirky movie. Only in New York.
How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days: pure fluff
Kill Bill: lots of gratuitous violence, no real story line or hint of motivation to the character's actions (Why did she become a Ninja? How? Why was she marrying Bill in the first place? etc etc etc)
Starsky & Hutch: funnier than you would think
House of Sand & Fog: Stirring but not as good as the book

On Tap:
Shreck II
The Stepford Wives
Elephant
Super Size Me