Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

Director: Michael Moore

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By now, whether one has seen the film or not, pretty much everyone who's heard of the film has already formed an opinion about it. I won't say more than this: regardless of your personal politics you owe it to yourself to see this film. Yeah, Moore goes on his usual tangents that don't necessarily make sense within the context of the rest of the film, but when he hits, he hits hard.

October 23
apartment TV, evening

* * *

D

The Grudge (2004)

Director: Takashi Shimizu
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea DuVall, Bill Pullman

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The only differences between this film and the Japanese version are white people (obviously) and a kick ass opening scene in this one. We've certainly seen Bill Pullman be freaky before (Lost Highway, Mr. Wrong), but in this one's opening scene...well, it's disturbing in its subtle unnaturalness. For everything else: rinse, wash, repeat and repeat and repeat...

October 22
Mann Theaters, evening

* * *

D

I ♥ Huckabees (2004)

Director: David O. Russell
Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Isabelle Huppert, Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin, Jude Law, Mark Wahlberg, Naomi Watts

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My suggestion for approaching I Heart Huckabees is to watch the trailer five times in a row online and save yourself time and money. There are funny parts in the film, but they're all in the trailer. The trailer is unmarred by a too busy narrative. For a film about how everything in the universe is connected, I had a hell of a time figuring out how to connect everything in the narrative. Maybe I'm not so bright. Maybe the film requires a second (or third or fourth) viewing. I didn't quite get the sense of fulfillment that the main characters did. There's no logical build-up of events in the film. Just as it occurs in real life, events happen in sequential order, and there is, of course, cause and effect. What we don't get is a sense that the events in the film have a purpose as far as a narrative arc is concerned. Things happen, then the film ends. Everyone learns a valuable lesson by the end, but I'll be damned if I know what that lesson was. Here is a film whose concept is much better than its execution. Take my advice: watch the trailer a few times and be satisfied. You save yourself money and you still get to laugh at Hoffman's haircut.

October 9
Pacific Theaters, afternoon

* * *

D

Team America: World Police (2004)

Director: Trey Parker
Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Kristen Miller, Masasa, Daran Norris, Phil Hendrie

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While the dialogue and scenarios are pretty fucking funny in Team America--surely you've heard about the graphic puppet sex, but what about...puppet felatio?--the soundtrack is the best part of the film. This certainly isn't any surprise to those who have seen another of Stone and Parker's films, Orgazmo. I'd heard that some publications were touting Team America as the year's funniest films. To be certain: the film's a blast to watch. In fact, most of the film is absolutely hilarious.

Unfortunately, the film's gimmick starts to wear thin toward the film's end. Perhaps my tolerance for puppet actors has an hour time limit, but I would've been checking my watch after that limit's termination if I wore one. It certainly didn't help that the film also made fun of movie cliches. Team America falls prey to the danger of this kind of satire: by using cliches to make fun of cliches, it pretty much guaranteed that you're not going to see anything new in the film. I hadn't seen puppet sex before, but I had seen pretty much everything else.

The only thing that remains fresh by the end of the film is the soundtrack. From actually placing a specific monetary value on freedom (a relatively modest buck-oh-five, in case you were in the market) to a theme that's funny as rock 'n' roll but goddamn hysterical as a ballad ("AMERRRRICA! FUCK YEAH!"), the soundtrack has the goods that carries the movie even after the narrative loses its steam.

But is Team America still worth seeing despite its lack of focus toward the end of the film? I would give an emphatic and patriotic, "fuck yeah."

October 15
Pacific Theaters, evening

* * *

D

Shark's Tale(2004)

Director: Who cares

Starring: A bunch of really talented people who ought to have known better. Including; Will Smith, Robert De Niro, Jack Black, Martin Scorsese, Angelina Jolie and Renee Zellweger

Oh god... I want my 5 dollars back. My girlfriend Mandi, and I took her kids to this. Julian(6) and Matilda(4). To quote Julian: This movie was Stupid. But then according to Mandi, Julian thinks everything is stupid. What did Matilda say? Oh yeah... it was pretty but not funny either. Oh.. there were a few laughs. but thats it. This pile of shit isn't even good for little ones. So... don't go.

-N

Team America: World Police(2004)

Director : Trey Parker

Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Maurice LaMarche(yeah thats right. The Brain)

This movie is worth seing just to get to the special song at the ending credits. Its like a hidden song on your CD. Except if that hidden song were FUCKING AWESOME! No I wont tell you what that song is either. Ha. Go see the movie for yourself.

Its worth it just to see every porno position acted out with the puppets, and to see Team America go toe to toe with F.A.G.(Film Actors Guild). Now, do they have a point with taking Hollywood actors to task? Or is this just more hot air? Well the wether or not their point was made the jokes were still funny. and in a Comedy thats 80% of the job. Whether or not you agree or disagree with Parker and Stone... well thats up to you. However I strongly recommend this movie. It may be the funniest time you ahve this month. or until The Incredibles comes out Friday.

-N