Fred Claus. This is considerably more clever than I expected. There are some nice dialogue exchanges between all involved and some funny site gags. Performances are decent all around with Paul Giamatti faring the best as the jolly Santa. Of the things I didn't like, the big issues actually all seem pretty minor -- the cartoony sound effects, and the secret service elves. I warned you.
Space Chimps. This is a pretty dull film; you would be better off going back to Wall*E or Kung Fu Panda. Space Chimps quickly became a chore to sit through. Even the kids at my screening seemed to grow tired of it pretty quickly. However, I will admit that Patrick Warburton (Titan) is worth seeing (or hearing) in anything he does.
George Carlin: It's Bad for Ya. This is a recording of George Carlin's (RIP) last HBO special from this past March. It was his fourteenth such special, and I look forward to checking it out, I have seen far too few of his stand up specials.
Bottle Rocket. This is a new Criterion Collection release of Wes Anderson's debut film, co-written with Owen Wilson. I have not seen this in years, but I remember liking it very much. It follows three brothers who have recently been released from a mental institution and plan an elaborate robbery of a small bookstore before going on the run. Owen Wilson co-stars with his brother, Luke.
Meet Dave. If Space Chimps does not fill your quota of bad movies for one week, this one is sure to send you into overload. This is not a good movie -- the script is poor, the concept was not thought out beforehand, and the execution is a mess. You can probably tell all that from the seriously unfunny trailer (except for the cat encounter, I find that moment hysterical). In any case, this film would be best left to die a quick death.
Chungking Express. Wow, I have not seen this in years, probably around the last time I saw Bottle Rocket. This Wong Kar-wai film is what brought his name to the international stage. It stars Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tony Leung as two lovelorn cops who cross paths at a take out restaurant overseen by Faye Wong. I look forward to seeing this again, and with it being a Criterion Collection it should be well worth the time.
Lacuna Coil: Visual Karma (Body, Mind and Soul). I have seen some clips from this recording and bet the whole thing will be excellent. This melodic act puts on great live shows, or at least they did the one time I witnessed them live.
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