Oh, and we just saw Sky High, which was fun in a cheesy wholesome old-fashioned kind of way. Very predictable, but well-executed, and a pleasantly surprising attention to detail.

X-posted with my journal:

Rent film soundtrack clips are up.

Quick reactions: Rosario Dawson sounds much, much better than one would expect on "Light My Candle," though "Out Tonight" is just adequate. (I'd been nervous about her casting because it seemed like such a bonehead Hollywood let's-get-a-starlet move, but she can sing.) Tracie Thorns also has a very nice voice.Adam Pascal is, regrettably, not as good as he was on the original recording. Most of the others sound pretty much like they did eight years ago.

Only three months until the film is out.

Adam Pascal is, regrettably, not as good as he was on the original recording.

Sigh. And I almost hate him even on that. I DO hate him on the Aida soundtrack, oh my God the PAIN.

I'm really glad they got everybody else back, but I wish they had recast Adam Pascal. The fact that he continued to open Broadway musicals after Rent is one of those things that annoys me to no end.

ETA: Actually, I'm rather glad they recast Mimi too. The oddness of the girl's voice in the OCR (and I'm blanking on her name right now for some reason), though often appealing, would probably have issues in the movie.

I saw 40 Year-Old Virgin this afternoon. Pretty much hilarious through and through, and it made me sympathize with a Steven Carell character when I usually wish for them to be victims of drive-by shootings. The wax removal scene had me laughing so hard I teared up, as did Paul Rudd's psychotic break in the electronics store with the camcorder. I only had two qualms: (1) the vibe between Carell and his co-workers quickly began reading as too long-term buddyish for them to have befriended him so recently. (2) Catherine Keener's character having the volcanic accusatory reaction to finding out about Steve's borrowed porn stash just felt completely unreal to me. This is supposed to be a fortysomething woman with three children and a grandchild, who got the former by involvement with bad boys—I just cannot buy that the concept of men enjoying porn came as such a life-altering shock to her. That's a reaction I'd expect from a sheltered co-ed dating away from the watchful eye of her parents for the first time .

But she was also already freaked out and hurt and confused by his seemingly pathological refusal to have sex with her. Having a gigantic and personalized porn collection added to that? I'd be thinking serial killer too.

Oh yeah, I also saw 40-YOV today. I, too, greatly enjoyed it.

My favorite part, actually, was the reference to Space Nuts. This was especially funny to me because, well, I've watched that movie. I have it on my computer, in fact. It is one of the funniest science fiction comedies I've ever seen - I watch it regularly, skipping through the sex scenes, just for the brilliant one-liners. I wish they had shown more of it. (I didn't spoiler any of this because, well, it's such a minor spoiler that I don't think it even possibly matters.)

For other thoughts, see Matt's post. I agree with him.

My favorite part, actually, was the reference to Space Nuts.

Ha! That's awesome. I know of it through the aforementioned Pornucopia.

Watched Coffee and Cigarettes last night. Don't know why we didn't get to it until now, as we are both massive Jarmusch fans. Really loved the Waits/Iggy segment and the Molina/Coogan one. And Cate Blanchett killed.

Not top of the line Jarmusch. but worthwhile nonetheless. It needs to percolate in the back of my mind as all his films do.

We also saw 40-year-old Virgin. I think it's the first comedy I've realy loved in quite a while -- the humor seemed to grow out of the situations, not be imposed from without, and I always appreciate that. I liked that the characters felt real (even Trish's teenage daughter was a person, not a hissy fit on legs), and the last scene had me gasped over in hysterics. (And then Patrick told me it's an exact tribute to Hair, which I haven't seen, and I lost it even more.)

Awesome movie.

Damn. From the trailers, I didn't really think it was that hysterically funny, but everyone's been saying it...is.