Warning: If you find yourself here via a google search for such things as TV shows or films, recipes or cities, this blog has some facts. However, this blog is one author’s very twisted musing on many weird things. It is sometimes graphic in content. If you read on, don’t write to yell at me.
Fourth Quarter Blues
The season has ended for the Philadelphia Eagles at 8-8. Ah well. I have suffered through much worse. There was times in the 70s and 90s were we prayed to end at 500. I remain a staunch fan who will wear the jersey during the playoffs. I think team fans should remain supportive no matter what. I really admire Ron Moore this season for his continuing support of the Miami Dolphins. And there are up sides for me with the season being over. Truth be told, I enjoy the playoffs more when there is nothing at stake for me. I can now just enjoy the games and hope for a great Super Bowl that doesn’t involve the Cowboys and has some good movie trailers. My biggest regret at this time of year is that all too soon, there will be no football until the Fall
The Bad and the Ugly
I can’t say I received any seriously snarky notes after last weeks rant about snobs. I did, however, get some really pointed ones. Most wanted to know if there was anything in film that I would consider bad. In a word hell, yes. I just don’t think I’m superior for having a taste for certain kind of films. I don’t have the time to list all the films that I considered bad and why. Though I will mention the worst film I had to sit through (I was a film critic at the time) was The Villain with Kirk Douglas, Ann-Margaret and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Allegedly, it was a live-action version of The Roadrunner cartoons. I got that. Everyone meant well. They just couldn’t pull it off.
However, there are some films that seem to aim at being awful. There is a production company called The Asylum that seems to have such aims. Aside from their titles looking very familiar. My particular favorites wer Snakes on a Train and The Transmorphers. Rip off titles like that have no right to take themselves seriously, but they do. And that’s disappointing. A title like Snakes on a Train should be hilarious with tongue firmly planted in cheek. I lament the wasted opportunity.
A wasted opportunity phrase is more accurate than whether I think something is bad. I usually can see where a film maker is going. It’s when the film doesn’t reach it’s goal that there is a problem. With Soul Plane, it was clear where they were going. They got there, and it had an anudience who enjoyed it. Whose Your Caddy had an aim that was a bit lower. It didn’t hit that and it didn’t get any kind of audience. Sometimes a film can reach it’s goal and still not have an audience. A prime example is Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. When Jon and I saw the first trailer we knew two things: we would be crazy about the film and it would have no real audience. The film was critcally acclaimed, had an astonishing look and was everything the film makers wanted. And it had Angelina Jolie! It just failed to connecy with a mainstream audience. Jon thinks it was too much like the film seriels of the 30s it was emulating, and thus, didn’t connect with an audience accustomed to a different pace and very different leading men and women. At any rate, yes there are films that I view as failures. I tend to be harder on films that are near misses like Resident Evil (yes, I know it made a pile of loot, but it just missed being a really great film) than ones that just are what they are (the Saw Franchise). I make no judgement on fans of films I view as failures. However, if anyone insists I go see one or insists on talking about them in hopes of changing my views, they they get an earful for a very long time.
The other question I got this past week was an example of advnaced film watching I’d recommend. Easily, that’s Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang. It is brilliant, hilarious, profane and fearless. It’s one of those films that critics love to analyze, but anyone into action and comedy will adore. Run out and rent it, but make sure there are no tender, young ears about. There be a lot of cussing.
Year’s End
I’ll post the New Year Blog tomorrow night or on New Year’s Day. I’m still mulling over how I feel about the year that is about to end and what my hopes are for the one that is about to begin. That said, I hope all my readers ring in the New Year safely. But you should have some fun!
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