Recent Acquisitions – November 21, 2008
Have a few more movies to list, bringing me pretty much up to date for the last couple months.
Transsiberian (Blu-Ray)
This is a sort of mystery/thriller that takes place on the Trans-Siberian Express. I love this sort of stuff, so it’s no wonder I loved this movie. Trains are just plain fascinating, and the setting outside the train makes it even more so. Some have said the plot is confusing, but I got through it just fine. I tend to not ever get confused in movies. Probably a side effect of watching so much crap; my brain just starts to fill in the blanks itself after a while. In this case, though, I’d say any confusion is the fault of the viewer and not the film. Pick it up if you have any love for a bit of classic mystery.
Iron Man (Blu-Ray)
This is definitely one of my favorite superhero films. As a general rule, I’m not that big of a superhero fan. I’ll admit that even if it does damage to any nerd cred I have. Maybe I shouldn’t say that, because there are a few superheroes I do enjoy a lot. I think one of my problems has always been a super hero attitude. Many of them share a sort of superficial sense of justice, often accompanied by a severe amount of angst. The best thing I can say about Iron Man is that it manages to keep a sort of emotional depth with a very unconventional super hero character. I think the character and performance of Robert Downey Jr. makes this a movie everyone should see.
Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D (DVD)
In some ways I regret buying this movie. It’s actually rather mediocre. There are two main reasons I bought it. The first is that it (at the moment, anyway) offers a 3D version of the film and glasses to watch it with. This is the first movie I’ve ever viewed this way, and it might very well be my last. I’m not a huge fan of it, to be honest. Watching with those glasses on made me ill. The second reason was I got a free yo-yo with it at Wal-Mart, which I have since managed to break. It’s not a bad little movie, really. I just wish the home 3D experience was a little better. As a 3D movie with some cheezy fun, it excels. Without the 3D, it’s still a fairly entertaining B movie filled with decent CGI.
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms & Them! Double Feature (DVD)
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms is another Ray Harryhausen film, and a sci-fi classic. The acting is mostly not good, but the monster is one of my personal favorites. It’s definitely a somewhat silly and cheaply made movie, but it has a homemade charm to it. Thankfully, Harryhausen was able to work with better overall movies later on. This one still holds a special place in my heart despite all that, though. The other film, Them!, is one I haven’t even seen yet, so I can’t comment on it. I had the choice of buying The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms separately for more money, or the two of them together for less. No brainer, there. I’ll just add that I hear good things about Them! from others, and it is also a sci-fi classic.
Miracle on 34th Street (DVD)
This movie actually has a connection with the last one I mentioned. The actor who plays Alfred, the Macy’s janitor, also shows up early on in The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms for a tiny role. The only reason I noticed him in that movie is because I’ve always been rather fond of his character in this one. Alfred isn’t a huge part of the movie, but I think he’s one of the little touches that makes it special. This movie is special. I would probably say that it’s my favorite Christmas movie, especially because it’s essentially about more than Christmas. I think this is an important point because Christmas should be about more than Christmas. I might have to write a bit more on it when Christmas actually rolls around. Oh, and stay away from the colorized version included with the DVD. Ish.
Krull (DVD)
Krull is a classic of our time. It’s just a fun, zany movie in that sword and sorcery genre that seems forever tied to the 80s. You have your barbarians, your magician, your flaming horses, your aliens, and a dozen other random things. What more do you want? Fine, I’ll throw in a weird throwing weapon that goes “boing” and a resolution that defies all logic. Just as it should be. I got it for like five dollars at Wal-Mart too.
Go forth and love movies.
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