(I had never heard of Major Dundee before it came up in this thread.)

I had to leave the theater during the torture scene in Reservoir Dogs. Nothing in this movie (which had scenes which were far more gruesome but far less humanly scaled) even tweaked me mildly.

I didn't get grossed out in that way, but I had to leave the theater about 3/4 of the way through the Marv saga. He just disturbed me and I couldn't watch the character any longer. (The only other movie character I've reacted to this way was the drug dealer in The Rules of Attraction.)

Which probably means Mickey Rourke did a really good job.

Bruce Willis is right about at the point where people are going to look at the whole of his career and start talking about him the way they talk about Harrison Ford.

I would love to think that, but I suspect Bruced Willis is always going to have the "started on TV/married Demi Moore" stigma attached to him, which will make people think of him as a lightweight until he's, like, 70 and due for an honorary Oscar.

Also, re: Hitchhiker's Guide -- I don't know what their budget was, but judging by the trailers it doesn't look like they spent a fortune on the thing. It'll probably appeal to the people who saw Galaxy Quest, and that didn't do too badly, did it?

Fans of '30s screwball comedy -- wanted to bring your attention to what may be the most unjustly forgotten comedy of the era -- It's Love I'm After.

Leslie Howard and Bette Davis play Shakespearean actors who loathe each other when they're not planning to marry each other. Olivia deHavilland plays a young woman who becomes infatuated with Howard after seeing him on the stage. deHavilland's fiance, who just happens to know Howard from some time back (his father helped out Howard financially when Howard needed it desperately), invites Howard to a weekend house party at the home of deHavilland's parents -- so Howard can act like a cad and disillusion deHavilland. Comedy ensues.

I first saw this on TV back in the '80s and have long cherished memories of it. I TiVo'd it from TCM the other day and, while I haven't finished it yet, so far it's as good as I remember it. Davis throws some of the best tantrums this side of Jean Harlow. Howard nails the ham actor part brilliantly, and takes much of his dialogue from Shakespeare's plays (yes, Angel fans, including "Angels and ministers of grace defend us"). deHavilland is delightful as the ingenue. Eric Blore provides some great moments as Howard's dresser and partner-in-mischief. With the added bonuses of Spring Byington (as deHavilland's aunt) and Patric Knowles (as the fiance).

I caught THE ANIMATION SHOW on it's last night at the Brattle (I guess it's going to be at Coolidge Corner at midnight Fri/Sat this weekend as well), and wish I had been on the stick and organized the Local-istas. Despite Mike Judge's role in the selection, it was decidedly not a sick and twisted type festival, and many of them were flat out mood-pieces. Also, except the usual Bill Plympton insanity, most of the funny (and several were not) was of the extremely dark variety.

I think this is touring the country, and I'd definitely recommend it if it comes your way. Just don't go expecting a laugh riot.

Also, except the usual Bill Plympton insanity, most of the funny (and several were not) was of the extremely dark variety.

You um, didn't think Guard Dog was a little on the dark side?

The thing people forget about Galaxy Quest is that it did most of its money on DVD, not in theatres. Movies with spaceships that don't have Star Wars or Star Trek in the title historically are NOT big theatrical money makers. Which isn't to say that H2G2 (or Serenity) couldn't be the first to break that mold, but their statistical chances of being huge hits are pretty low.

Willis has had worse luck picking roles than Ford, but I think he is pretty underrated. I always enjoy him in movies.

Glad to see the Willis love. I'm a fan.

You um, didn't think Guard Dog was a little on the dark side?

Well, maybe the very end, but it pretty much was what I expect from Bill Plympton. Compared to Fallen Art or Ward 13 it was straight-up funny.

Ward 13 was awesome. I also really liked Rockfish, which surprised me since I thought Gopher Broke was total crap.

Noir is Calvinist, fated. You don't die redeemed.

Well, Victor Mature in Kiss of Death would disagree. He sends his daughters into the country, stays in the city by himself, and gladly takes several bullets to guarantee their safety. (In fact, he doesn't even die at the end!) But it's a classic film noir.

I don't think noir protagonists usually are fated to die, so much as they make bad choices, either mistakes (Harry Fabian in Night and the City ) or intentional leaps into badness ( Out of the Past, Victor Mature's initial suicide-by-cop attempt in Kiss of Death ), get caught up in problems, and can't get out of them. It's pretty rare that a noir protagonist is just plain doomed; usually you can see the path of his downfall, often long before he can see it himself.

Ward 13 was awesome.

Indeed it was - I kept thinking "Tim Burton needs to start a production company (if he hasn't already) and sign this guy (these guys?) up pronto". Although, that was from Australia, right? So maybe PJ can scarf him (them) up.

I also really liked Rockfish, which surprised me since I thought Gopher Broke was total crap.

Never saw Gopher Broke but my one disappointment with Rock Fish was I was hoping it would turn out that the guy was just a sportsman/big game hunter, rather than a miner, and that we'd see the head of the big beastie mounted on a wall at the end . Visually stunning though.