dcp, I think I'm movie-illiterate, because I didn't even recognize Laurence Olivier! I don't think I've seen any of his famous movies, but you'd think I would have seen pictures of him.

dcp, I wouldn't have "recognized" him, but I knew he was in the movie. But hee hee on the "Is it safe?" I haven't seen Marathon Man, but I know the line, although I didn't remember Olivier was in it, so I didn't put two and two together. And while we're in that scene, the "I meant throw something" was hilarious. I totally called it, but it was still funny.

And yep, dcp, I saw Godzilla. That was hilarious.

And Kate, you haven't mentioned the most ridiculous nitpick of all: this rocket was going to INCINERATE THE FUCKING EARTH with mere BOOSTERS.

I think the only movie of his that I liked was Marathon Man.

But...but...recognizing the silly technology and science isn't nit-picking, it's part of the humor.

Heh. See, there's a certain level at which I just turn off the rational brain and handwave away the most ridiculous plot widgets with ease, especially since half the time I'm not really following the made-up science anyway (see: Spider-Man 2, for another recent example). Like I wasn't sure whether it was the actual rocket that was going to DESTROY THE EARTH AND EVERY LIVING THING UPON IT! or whether it was something in the rocket that was going to communicate with the base and trigger a bomb or doomsday device of some kind there. At that point, all I need to know is "something BAD will happen, la la it doesn't matter how!" It's at the simpler, smaller level, where I actually understand what's going on, that I feel free to nitpick.

Was there ever mention of where the rocket was supposed to be headed once the Earth was destroyed behind it?

Barsoom, maybe.

Funny you should say that, dcp. I Googled to get your reference. But EW mentions Conran's next project is an adaptation of A Princess of Mars.

Conran's next project

Huh. I didn't know that.

I guess the rocket must have been headed for that empty planet next door, the one that everybody knows about, but no one mentions.

Just saw Deliverance. That's an intense 45 minutes in the middle there, especially when the wind and rain are doing their thing outside.

You'll never hear the phrase "squeal like a pig" in the same light again, I'd bet.

I love that movie. It's pure grit and horror, and captures the mind-set of the New South perfectly: in love with its past but terrified by those living closer to it.

I watched The Shining tonight.

I'll be huddled in a ball rocking slowly back and forth on my futon if anybody needs me.