Quick Stop Movie Reviews

I'm thinking of doing a weekly part of my blog for the Quick Stops. Might contain music reviews, restaurants, plays, or tuberous nights at the Casbah. But always Quick.

Ever since I discovered the magic of film and the grandeur of seeing the talkies in a big, dark theater, on average I've seen about 3-7 new movies per week. I usually go alone because I don't have too many friends that can stand to watch 2-3 movies in one sitting. Read below for expert advice on how to do this, unfailingly well, for the price of one child's ticket.

Onto the Quickies:

Once-
This is probably going to be my favorite of the summer. I saw it twice in one night, just to listen to the music again. The story is more than simple-Irish Musician Boy meets poor Czech musician Girl with complicated past and present. They don't necessarily fall in love as much as discover their unique bond through music. And as someone who is musically-inclined and has been singing most of my life, yet has never fully been a part of a true-to-life band, this movie is equally heart-breaking and inspiring. We get to see the 2 put together a street-musician, ramshackle band and practice one evening before heading into the studio to record. If the official soundtrack is any indication, they did a hell of a job in 2 days. If this one cant make you believe in "good" in the world, not much will.

Moral of the story: If you possibly can, do what you really want to do, with someone you really want to do it with. Might only happen once.




Knocked Up-
If you're at all in the Apatow camp (Anchorman, Freaks and Geeks, 40 Year-Old Virgin), you know what you're in for. Grungy stoner jokes that somehow come from ultimately sweet, gentle people with Hearts of Gold. Doesn't Judd get that some of the loser/stoners out there really are assholes?

Comedy aside-and see it for the well-timed lines from Rogen, Rudd and Mann-there is a major problem with this movie. Utter and total lack of social responsibility in our over-populated, quickly crumbling world of 2007. Heigl's character hardly even considers abortion or adoption, even though she is a very successful, happy, beautiful single girl who's about to have a baby with a guy that like fart jokes, his bong, and his "($900) that will probably last about another 2 years".

As you already know, I'm completely biased when it comes to the life-threatening decision of having children. I know movies are supposed to get us to suspend our disbelief and all, but COME ON, I can't believe the

Moral of the Story is: No matter your situation, no matter the father, no matter the consequences for the child, babies are cute and cuddly and everything will work out just in time for the little nubby to pop out. Life is great. Life is simple. Irresponsibility will eventually turn into success and happiness if you just have a few rows and then make up.




1408
Oh god, its scary to even begin to write about this one. I'll be brief cause the Knocked Up review was bitter and lengthy. I love John Cusak and so should you. Though he's won my heart in many previous films, High Fidelity is still my favorite. It makes me believe that there is some good in the world, and some good taste to go along with it.

Anyway, John holds together this somewhat shaky, spooky film about a bitter man who is desperately seeking any shred of evidence of the after-life. He's lost his young daughter to cancer?!? and we discover the details of her life and death throughout the film. The best part of this movie is the pacing and the audience's ability to live through the experience with the character. Some horror films you're just a voyeur, watching the teenies getting picked off one by one. You might even have the satisfying view from the killer's side. But when you check into apparently haunted room 1408, you're discovering the story and the gory right along with him.

The one downside was that this film brought up some bad memories of when I used to believe in hell. Christians would be happy to abuse their child's mind by taking them to this movie and then saying something like "see, aren't you glad you accepted Jesus and never have to go through any of that?" Bastards.

Moral of the Story: Its ok to be live in things, sometimes. Atheists are bitter people who just can't seem to accept anything (lame, lame, lame). Sometimes movies don't need morals, just spooky fun.