Just got back from seeing PotC2. Short form opinion is as follows:

I liked large parts of it, but the story needed to be tightened up by a good twenty percent at least. Losing some of the cool effects shots and trimming some of the exquisitely choreographed action sequences would have helped with that considerably. One should not be thinking "enough already!" during a scene that would otherwise have one on the edge of one's seat. When it comes to the glitz of effects and action, I'd rather have just a few truly memorable sequences that leave me wanting a little bit more.

Snakes On A Plane (Bring It)--the video.

"A letter of marque came from the King / To the scummiest vessel I've ever seen / God damn them all"

t /Barrett's Privateers

There were some nice moments in GoF, and the kids are getting much better as actors, but since it's been years since I'd read the book, I honestly couldn't follow the story. Motivations were unclear, and so many scenes were inexplicable.

I still want to live in Hogwarts, though. Or the Weasley's tent at the World Cup.

And Raq shares my brainworm.

but since it's been years since I'd read the book, I honestly couldn't follow the story

I remember wondering if this would be an issue when I watched it -- it wasn't for me, because I remembered the book well enough, but they definitely chopped out HUGE swathes of plot in order to make room for the big set pieces.

Last night I saw Little Miss Sunshine, which was a huge hit at Sundance, and I think comes out in limited release either this Wednesday or next, and then gradually opens around the country.

It was wonderful. It achieves a perfect balance of an over-the-top hijinks-filled plot with really beautifully grounded performances, so even as you're laughing at the absurdity of the situations, you're always watching real people go through them. Steve Carrell and Toni Collette are SO GOOD in this. Go see it.

That's good to hear. The previews made it look like it could either be really, really funny or a disgustingly whimsical version of a Chevy Chase movie.

I'm just wondering if I can stand Greg Kinnear for that long in a movie without any hope of Geoffrey Rush or Pierce Brosnan killing him.

Netflix Guilt

As someone who's had Goodnight, Good Luck, Miller's Crossing and Hustle's Flow, at home for months without watching them (all very worthy movies, I've told), I empathize SO MUCH.

"A letter of marque came from the King / To the scummiest vessel I've ever seen / God damn them all"

NOOOOO... make it stoooop!

t /earworm

Thanks for the PotC recaps, y'all. I can now safely say I missed/didn't understand that entire subplot. Good thing I'm seeing it again this weekend!

I watched Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang last night and really enjoyed it. It's not flawless, but it's fun and funny and engaging. Robert Downey, Jr., and Michelle Monaghan both gave great performances; I was most disappointed in Val Kilmer's character (the gay detective), who was a little too stereotypical for my tastes without actually seeming, you know, gay. But he had some good moments too. I'd definitely recommend the movie to anyone who enjoys that kind of crime/detective story. (What is that genre called? KKBB definitely isn't noir, but that's the closest description I can come up with, at least plotwise.)