The first 2 minutes were in japanese and then the rest of the film was in English with Turkish subtitles.

I finally rented "Crash" It's dead serious and took me on a racial roller coaster ride. I think it's a standout but I heard it got panned and heavily critiqued in Oprah when it first came out in theaters. It's up for best movie for the Oscars I believe.

I saw "Office Space" for the first time on Friday night. Great flick, brilliant observational comedy but it goes a bit haywire when the "Plot" (yes, with a capital "P") kicks in. I suppose it was the pinnacle of office satire before, you know, The Office. I love me some John C McGinley, though; that fucker can star in a Theo Angeloupoulos flick and I'd be first in line, popcorn in hand.

Last night, I watched "Mean Girls" which was smart and funny. It does not usurp "Clueless'" title of "The Citizen Kane of Teen Flicks" but it does get close. The best thing about it is, like all great teen comedies, it understands the format as well as the contrivances and novelties that are its very raison d'etré, but rather than succumbing to the temptation to simply go along with them, it decides to play with these cliches, and never ironically. Irony sucks ass, by the way. Just thought I'd tell you what you already know.

Next up was "Van Helsing" which was fcuking dreadful. It was also pointless. Just a succession of bangs and not even good bangs. Not enough action, not enough comedy: in a barrage of cgi explosions and creatures, there is a sense of holding back, which was just bizarre. Like the batboy clones that the eponymous hero is trying desperately to vanquish, the film is stillborn. And can future screenwriters please borrow anything from the Good Book but the 23rd Psalm? I swear I can recite that fucker better than I can Istiklal Marsi.

I loved "Walk the Line" and even though I have feelings of ardent loathing for Greasy Reece Witherspoon, I have to admit that she was fcuking awesome. As was Joaquin Phoenix, whose hammy performance in that shittiest and most overrated of recent Oscar winners, "Gladiator", had put me off him for good. Or so I thought. Phoenix conveys Cash's defiance to a tee. Scintillating stuff.

"Pride and Prejudice" was OK, I guess. I have read so many Austen and seen so many adaptations thereof that anything new has to grab my interest almost instantly; otherwise, I just doze off. Which was kind of what happened with this particular version. Keira Knightley makes an uneven Elizabeth; absolutely amazing that she was nominated for an Oscar. And the direction is so fcuking distracting. It calls attention to itself by these little jerky zooms on characters at bizarre intervals, completely inconsequential with what is actually happening on screen at that given moment. Anyone can be clever with a camera; it is finding the beauty of simplicity that is so hard. So, meh...

"Jarhead" was enjoyable. I like Jake Gylenhaal and I love Peter Sarsgaard that I went along with it, even though, at times, it felt like "Full Metal Jacket"-lite. I wouldn't mind reading the book though; it's obvious the ending was rushed and I would like to see how the book handled it.

Don't forget everyone: "Moviemax" is showing "Crash" on Friday. Not the Cronenberg suckfest but the Oscar nominee instead.

Damn. You go to the theater even more than I do.

You are threatening my rep and I need to something about it.

Stat!

Jarhead:

It was an unique look at war. I think I like my climactic moments too much. It reall did not have any that did it for me. Jaime Foxx can act though.

I shall see Memoirs Of A Geisha soon. I don't think its a good idea to take your girlfriend to a movie about the ways of subtly-manipulating-your-man-into-good-being-a-ole-lapdog. Oh well.

Next up will be Dabbe.


Walking the line does not impress me that much.

Arikan, your movie reviews are highly enjoyable & enlightening. I'm an American Generation X'er and I can say that the one common movie that most of my friends own is 'Office Space.' As for my "Citizen Kane of Teen Flicks", I've got to go with 'Drop Dead Gorgeous' - have you seen it? It is a mockumentary based loosely on a real event, one where a mother in Texas arranged to have one of her daughter's competitors in a cheerleading tryout axed. The movie has Ellen Barkin, Kirstie Alley, Kirsten Dunst, Natasha Richardson, etc...but the comic highlight is definitely Allison Janney as a trailer-dwelling hair stylist. It is set in Minnesota, so I doubt those that grew up outside of the American Upper Midwest will find it as funny - but if you liked 'Fargo' you will like this one.

burbaco - thanks for the kind words. I heart snark, what can I say...

Many American friends of mine (imaginary, of course, like all my other freinds) think so very highly of "Office Space" and I can now see why. I would not deem it a classic (it needed tightening and more focus) but it is definitely funny. The traffic jam scene is sublime.

I have seen "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and find it underwhelming. The concept is funny, sure; but it is almost too mean at times. Also, none of it unfortunately rings true. You mention "Fargo", possibly the best film of the past decade. "Fargo" loves its characters and, albeit satirical, has not abandoned all vestiges of its humanity, its realism. "Drop Dead Gorgeous" tries very hard to be a satire and even though some concepts read great, it is their execution that would make them accessible to the public. Having said that, any film that has a busty blonde seranading Christ with "I Love You, Baby" can't be all bad.

And Allison Janney is one of my future ex-wives. Hands off, everyone...

A pretty impressive weekend's viewing Arikan! Good moviewatching stamina! Beware of bulimia, though.

To pull together some of the threads above, I agree that Clueless is a very, very good teen movie (and the only thing I have found to make Jane Austen paletable). If it can be separated as a genre from the coming of age movie (stand by me (Joaquin's brother); dazed and confused) then it wins hands down.

PS Love Cash so am cautious about Walk the Line.

JC: Go see it! It'll make you love him even more! And btw, if the EiT jet going to San Fran only has Maymunn, Gilly, jiffy and a bunch of other guys - how are you joining the mile high club?

Arikan: I see you're getting your money's worth out of your Sinema package on Digiturk! I finally got around to getting the February digiturk magazine (Why do they only sell these the day before the 1st of the month??! Are they not printed weeks in advance!?) and look forward to quite a few flicks this month. Keep up the great reviews!

Stewardesses?

Starman is the pilot (only joking big boy)?

Wrong, Starman is the camp air steward

I believe they refer to themselves as homosexual flight attendants nowadays.

i watched 2 days ago ''Memories of a geisha. it was really nice but little sad i dont like dramatic films . we are watch every night in these days ''4400 ''(we did get DVD of it ) it is 6 hours around so i can watch it everynight 1-2 part of it .İt has a interesting subject but sometimes its like exaggerated i like horror film . but i cant see since long time nice one

Walk the Line

Albeit on an aircraft , class movie about the life of Johnny Cash with Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon , my best sofar in 2006 by a "country" mile.

I will attempt to view on a really decent size screen though.

The only other movie worth watching was Dead Poets Society , thank goodness for I Pods

When I finally shuffle off this mortal coil and end up in hell, "Dead Poets Society" will be on in the background for all eternity (alternating sporadically with "Gladiator", "Dogville" [aka Dogshit] and "Moulin Rouge!").

So yes, I am a regular "Tickle me, Elmo" doll today...

Crash

I was boycotting this movie because sandra bullock was in it, but holy shit! what a movie!

Great acting by everyone and a great story, some parts are a little over the top but in general it's impressive.

things that are over the top (imo)
"mom, I have to hang up. I'm doing a white woman"

Watch this movie.