Category Archives: Film & TV

Slumdog Millionaire at the RagTag Cinema

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Slumdog Millionaire is the story of how an impoverished Indian teen became a contestant on the Hindi version of “Who Wants to be A Millionaire?” This is a love story and a good one. But that description sells it short. It’s just a great story, well-told. It’s based on the novel Q and A by Vikas Swarup. [Trailer]

We saw the film at the RagTag Cinema in Columbia. Our first time there. The “theater” had about 80 or 90 seats, most of which were unmatched office chairs (not the swivel kind). I’m guessing the screen was about 10 by 25 feet.

Before the film, a young man came out and made a few announcements about upcoming films. All very casual. Some folks were drinking wine, others had a beer. There’s a bar in the lobby.  [Quote from their website: “A theater without beer is just a museum.” – Bertolt Brecht]

And I didn’t see/hear one screaming child. This was a much better movie experience than we’re used to. I’m sure we’ll go again.

Another Bourne movie

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The three Jason Bourne films, starring Matt Damon, are near the top of my list. Sort of hoped they wouldn’t push their luck and try for a fourth. But since the first three grossed more than $1 billion, Universal Pictures has signed Damon and director Paul Greengrass for another one, scheduled for summer 2010 release.

MGM got the rights to The Matarese Circle, another Ludlum Cold War thriller with Denzel Washington, due to begin production next year. And Paramount has the rights to The Chancellor Mansuscript, with Leonardo DiCaprio.

Dwight Schrute on how to deal with the elderly

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“Unfortunately, humanity seems to lack the backbone to demand that the elderly continue to contribute until they terminate. Instead we both indulge their laziness and demean them, locking them away in retirement homes while they slowly rot in a medicated stupor. The thought seems to be, the elderly, like most minority groups, enjoy being grouped together in a designated living area. But what if we stripped them of their pills and deprived them of their Rascal scooters, perhaps the elderly would stand up and face death like a man: head on, in a battle royal. Win or lose, they’d be more alive than they are now, even if the exertion caused them to cease living.”

Deadwood kidney stone scene

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Back in 2005 I posted a link to a clip from the HBO series, Deadwood. In this episode Al Swearengen (Ian McShane) is sick as a dog from a kidney stone. So sick he cannot speak. Doc Cochran is about to surgically remove the stone (which could kill Al) but at the last minute, they opt to let Al try to pass the stone, with help from Johnny, Dan and Trixie.

Bonus clip: I’m thinking of putting this on my answering machine (6 seconds)

Excellent interview with David Milch (The New Language of the Old West)

Things Davezilla learned from movies

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Davezilla.com shares "Things I Learned from Movies, Part III." (I missed parts I and II). My favorites from this list of ten:

  • The first hot woman to appear onscreen in a spy movies is the double agent.
  • Heroes simply bleed less than criminals, who tend to bleed in arterial spray patterns, resembling a Jackson Pollock painting.
  • Virginity protects you from serial killers.

Missouri Reality Stars

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One of the (perhaps THE) most important elements of a successful blog is focus. The narrower the better, and it really should be something you are passionate about. Missouri Reality Stars is a good example. From the About page:

“So I’ve been paying attention to pop culture for a long long time. I happened to notice that a lot of people on reality TV are from my home state…the Show Me State of Missouri. Apparently it really is. Being from the same state makes me feel like I should root for them, home team spirit ya know. So that’s what this site is about, finding and promoting Missourians who’ve made it on reality TV.”

M.R.S is the love child of co-worker Amy. Droll is the way she roll.