Rocket Talk: When's the TTC Going to Roll Out More Fare Collection Methods?
Newsstand: November 9, 2009
Zack Taylor in Disney Mama Drama
Santa's Weston Workshop
The Daily Photoist: November 9, 2009
Feeling “Christmassy” yet? We aren’t either (we've just assumed you weren’t, apologies if you are, or something), and there isn’t that much on at the cinema yet to start ramping up the festive joy. It’s a Wonderful Life is showing at the Fox starting tomorrow and Bad Santa is going to be on at the Revue this Wednesday. To be completely honest, if you’re going to check out anything at those cinemas, we recommend you go and see King of Kong (which we talked up last week) when it’s on. The Fox is showing This is England, too. Not Christmassy at all, but fantastic.
We suppose there’s always Enchanted, which should still be hanging around in most of the multiplexes. It’s got an animated chipmunk in it, which allows us to segue right into this week’s sorry lot of films by talking about Alvin and the Chipmunks, which stars Jason Lee and David Cross.
Just last night we were sitting around thinking about how hard it must be to be David Cross in a film like that. After all, as a genuinely funny person, isn’t it basically impossible to bite your tongue and recite the dire, rubbishy lines you’re told to do? We mean, this guy, who we will admire forever for being in Mr. Show, has kind of made a career out of it. Seriously. He was in Scary Movie 2, for just one example.
But then we realized that if someone offered us thousands and thousands of dollars to act in terrible movies, we’d probably do it. We could fund our real career with it. So fair enough.
And, uh, that’s all we want to say about Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Similarly, we don’t really want to talk about Juno either. We feel like we’ve said all we need to already, and movies that get their own week on Entertainment Tonight don’t really need more coverage. Just… don’t buy the hype, folks.
We were kind of pumped for I Am Legend, but then Eye’s Adam Nayman informed us that it “omits the novel’s key twist.” So, uh, it’s completely pointless then. The only save we can imagine is if it ends with a “Big Willie Style” rap at the end. It probably doesn’t, though.
Also out this week: Mama’s Boy and The Kite Runner. And that’s basically it!
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I read The Kite Runner in book club somewhat recently. Despite being a diverse group, we all agreed that this was a great read. I am hoping the film will do this book justice and I highly recommend it to everyone.
Buy the hype. Juno is a terrific film, well worthy of its accolades.
No it isn't.
I agree with Mathew that Juno is not "a terrific film, well worthy of its accolades." (Did you see Ebert's hyperbolic review today?)
But, unlike Mathew, I still like it. It's cute, wonderfully-cast, and very well acted. On the other hand, the dialogue (while frequently clever) is often bafflingly awkward, and the songs become pretty obnoxious by the end.
Most of the movies I saw at TIFF this year were good, not great, but had one moment, scene, or sequence that really stuck with me. In the case of this film, it's the final scene.
Oh man Ebert! Your crusade against video games and now this! Why are you working so hard to make me not respect you!
Juno is just so empty - the snappy dialogue, which I did enjoy, couldn't cover the under-developed characters, fairly clumsy plot holes and faux-indie stylings.
He's a movie critic, what's to respect? Who else do you respect for having opinions on movies?
I don't understand what you mean.
It seems perfectly possible to respect someone for having the ability to write well, and express their opinions in a clear and interesting manner.
I Am Legend was such a piece of Hollywood garbage. I can't believe how it devolved into a by-the-numbers monster movie. Yuck.
Forget "I am Legend" and wait for "The Road" which hopefully someone is making based on the Cormac McCarthy novel.
I have heard "The Kite Runner" movie is pretty faithful to the book. I've just started the book, but so far, so good and from what I have seen, the movie "looks" good.
I loved The Kite Runner sooooo much when I read it. The first half of the movie is a bit "meh" and kinda treacly but the second half is really good, but read the book first, if you can. There were some misty eyes in the theatre, for sure.
Although perhaps that was because of the intensely bright aisle lights shining into everyone's eyes in the Varsity V.I.P. theatre.
They had the author, director and one of the Egyptian-British actors on Charlie Rose a few nights ago... great interview.
As someone who is trying (with no great success) to learn Spanish, I was impressed that the actor, who already speaks English, Arabic and French was able to learn Dari (spelling) in only 4 weeks! The author wasn't impressed with him at first, but 4 weeks later, he said he had the language, accent, everything down, cold.
Ooh, lunch, time to read the book: - )