March of the robots

Under discussion:

The Transformers: The Movie  (1986)

Transformers  (2007)

So I was feeling down on the new Transformers flick. That is, until I read this review over at Geeks of Doom (http://geeksofdoom.com/2007/06/29/movie-review-transformers/). Here is a short expert:

"Well thank GoD I wasn’t forced to settle! This summer’s blockbuster has finally arrived people. Only it’s not a mere blockbuster, it’s a two and a half hour atomic bomb… strapped to a roller-coaster… filled with snakes… on fire!"

I read that and was in. Nerds love it. I'm in. I will be there July 4th with my friends and we will love it. To get ready, we are watching this tonight: http://www.spout.com/films/35751/default.aspx 

Under discussion:

The Graffiti Artist  (2004)

This was a really good movie that surprised me in that it dealt with a lot more than graffiti. There are other good hip-hop graffiti flicks out there like Bomb the System and Style Wars, but The Graffiti Artist ends up being more a  story about sexuality and finding your place when you are alone and poor.

Another interesting tid bit about The Graffiti Artist is that you have probably heard the soundtrack even though you have never seen the movie. NPR and This American Life use Kid Loco's powerful soundtrack constantly. You can get it on the cheap at emusic. 

Under discussion:

The Fountain  (2006)

I liked this movie, I really did. It is very slow, very tense, very emotional, very deep, very very. It is an Aronofsky movie. Somewhere I read that many view him to be the "next Kubrick." I think comparisons like that are generally unnecessary, but I can understand the desire to say that. Darren is definitely a director who values the lasting importance of his films. He is very choosy and generally hard to work with from what I have read. It is rare that a writer / director as young as him can get away with that anymore. He is one of a very few modern directors that seem completely in control of his cache of work. Wes Anderson is another that seems to be in that group.

 That said, The Fountain, big ideas, that almost go over the brink into self-indulgence. But he holds it together. Looking forward to more.