Page 1 of What I watched this week (w/e August 6th)

On DVD:

Carnivale Season 2 - A great end to a great TV show. The writers beautifully lost or dovetailed the storylines into the final confrontation between Ben and Brother Justin and the very end of the episode just left me wanting more. :D

Bringing Up Baby - Howard Hawks` brilliant screwball comedy has Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn terrifically paired, the breakneck speed of the direction almost never allows you to draw breath and the script is hilarious. :D

A Very Long Engagement - Jean-Pierre Jeunet`s second collaboration with Audrey Tautou doesn`t have the innocent charm of Amelieperhaps due to the unflinchingly brutal and amazing First World War scenes and the lovely story has a fitting end. :)

Escape From New York - Although John Carpenter was perhaps a little ambitious to set the film in 1997, the story works, the low budget CGI doesn`t look too bad and Kurt Russell does what he does best. :)
Commentary - The first of two commentaries features Carpenter and Russell who have a great rapport as they have shown in such commentary tracks as those for The Thing and Big Trouble in Little China but it was a shame that the commentary for the special edition was the one recorded in 1994 as I would have loved to hear Carpenter`s take on the plane crashing into a building in Manhattan. :)

The Last Picture Show - Brilliantly directed by Peter Bogdanovich and featuring star turns by, amongst others, Cybill Shepherd, Jeff Bridges, Timothy Bottoms and Ellen Burstyn, this is a watermark film as it marks Bogdanovich`s debut, boasts set design so good it looks like it was made in 1951, and whilst the film shows the end of an era of the teenage characters the time it was released marked the end of an era of American politics as Vietnam took hold. :D

Viridiana - I have no idea what General Franco was thinking when he commissioned Luis Buñuel to make a film celebrating Spanish culture but it backfired! A brilliant film - full review here. :D

Exterminating Angel - With less politics and more surreal imagery than Viridiana, this is a different type of film from Luis Buñuel but is hugely enjoyable. Full review here. :D

Fateless - There have been several films made in recent years about the Holocaust (The Piano, Schindler`s List and Life is Beautiful) but I have to say that I prefer this to any of them. The cinematography and score are superb, as is the acting from the whole cast. :D


Cinema

Cars - As with the first time I saw it, a felt that the second act was slightly too long and that there were not enough gags but these are small complaints when you compare Cars to the other animated movies of the past few years. :)

Miami Vice - For a film that was supposed to be a `buddy movie`, I doubt that Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell shared more than 20 minutes of on screen time, the dialogue was largely incomprehensible and the hi-def video looked appalling on the big screen. :(


Television

England vs. Pakistan: Third Test - Dominated by the bat so far with more runs being scored in the combined first innings than in any other test at Headingly; I suspect that it will finish as a draw but a win for either side is possible.

F1 Hungarian Grand Prix - The best race since Japan last year saw rain, overtaking, changes of emotion for me and Jenson Button`s maiden win. Absolutely brilliant.

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David Beckett AKA wossname

DVD

Antitrust :)

All the Queen's Men :(

Let Him Have It :¦

Along For the Ride :¦

Buena Vista Social Club :)

Twins of Evil :D

Vampire Circus :¦

25th Hour :D

Agent Cody Banks :¦

The Haunted Palace :)

Mini reviews here for those who want to read them.






Mine Was Taller

This item was edited on Monday, 7th August 2006, 00:13

My Super Ex-Girlfriend: Superb movie, a laugh-riot. Uma thurman comes across very well as the clingy-needy girlfriend. Eddie Izzard is perfect as the baddie!

Cars: Thought it was very well done, perfectly filmed and characters were awesome!

T¦M3CH4S3R

"I am worst at what I do the best, for this gift I feel blessed. I found it hard... it was hard to find. Oh well, Whatever! NEVERMIND"