Ratatouille — No shocker there. I’m a Brad Bird nerd (I love The Iron Giant) and every day I wish I worked for Pixar. Ratatouille isn’t a kid’s movie, really (I dragged my nephews to it, along with my mom, sister, and grandmother), but it’s got enough neat stuff to look and laugh at to keep kids entertained. It’s really meant for an older, artier crowd, one that includes foodies and cork dorks. I love Patton Oswalt, so hearing him voice Remy was a treat. Paris illustrated was amazing; every time I see Paris in a movie, I am struck with an intense longing to visit. When a cartoon can make you want to visit a city, you know it’s special.
Transformers — Why, yes, Michael Bay, I would like you to blow some shit up and show me giant cars and trucks and planes and tanks anthropomorphizing and beating the shit out of each other, thanks! And while you’re at it, let that cute Shia LeBeouf kid wear a Strokes T-shirt, fall from skyscrapers, and make out with that cute Megan Fox kid (who was born in Memphis!) for my entertainment. It’s Independence Day week and there is nothing more American than automobiles battling to the death in a city chock full of people itching to become collateral damage. Oh, and eBay jokes. Those are American, too. (Seriously, I know it sounds like I’m being sarcastic, but I did actually like this movie. I imagine my ignorance about Transformers as an institution grants me such freedom.)
Movie I saw this week that creeped me out something fierce: Happiness
Ratatouille was great. I was never a Transformers fan as a kid (I’m an old man. I admit it.), so going to the movie doesn’t really thrill me.
I am certain that this indicates all sorts of hidden (or not so hidden) pathologies, but I love Happiness. I think it is one of the funniest, most disturbing movies ever made. It is undoubtedly the blackest of black humor, but I can’t help myself.
I really love the dark humor of Welcome to the Dollhouse, but for some reason, Happiness just struck me as being pointlessly dark. I’ll agree that it’s one of the most disturbing movies ever made. I just kept squirming for the kid actor who had to play the son of the pedophile. Yikes!
Transformers? Really? I had already mentally dismissed that one. Gunter (remember him? He’s working at the movie theater in Corinth now) said it was pretty good, too. Maybe I’ll have a look. Maybe.
The new Die Hard, however…I’m there. I’ll respect myself less in the morning, but I’ll have a good time tonight.
i hated Happiness. i liked Welcome to the Dollhouse too, but i completely agree with your assessment of Happiness. It felt to me like Todd Solondz was just trying to be as blackly misanthropic as he possibly could, just for shock value. And I have no patience with shock art. I actually think he’s gotten even worse since then – Palindromes was total garbage. I’m done with Todd Solondz; mindless pessimism isn’t really any more artistically interesting than mindless optimism.
I wasn’t a fan of Palindromes, either. Ya know. Just in case anyone asks.
How random, we rented Happiness this weekend, but haven’t gotten around to watching it due to our addiction to watching DVD’s of The Office in a marathon fashion. Is it cheating to get rid of your tv, just to watch TV shows on your computer? I think not! Will let you know how we liked happiness for sure.