Netflix update: 1/3/04

So the slowdown in my Netflix rotation has continued. I still haven't watched Rashomon and I've had it for a month now. But I need to watch it soon, as Seven Samurai is on its way, and I can't have two Kurosawa flick in my possession at the same time. It's like a rule or something.

Anyway, since my last posting about a couple of weeks ago, I've watched Collateral brilliantly acted and paced film... until Michael Mann decided to make it Die Hard at the end. I don't know, maybe it was inevitable, but the ending came off corny and contrived.

The Bourne Supremacy was fun. Not something I'll watch again, but it's one of the few action flicks I can watch with a straight face. Napoleon Dynamite - I'd heard so much about it and it was a bit of let down, but I still enjoy the occasional quirkiness. 1.5 thumbs up. Oh, and make sure you watch past the credits.

I also got off the Netflix circuit this weekend and rented Pieces of April and Capturing the Friedmans from Two Boots Video.

I enjoyed Pieces a lot. Wonderful acting from Patricia Clarkson in particular. But I have one gripe: I wasn't all that interested in the movie after watching the trailer, which presents the film as a more-or-less straight comedy. It's not. This is one of my pet peeves, when studios and record labels don't have faith in a work and misrepresent what it is. This doesn't help anyone - people who want to see the film for what it is end up passing over it and it ends up reachign the wrong targets.

Capturing was just disturbing. You know the old cliche about how some things leave you with more questions than answers? It's true here. And the bonus material with the Q&A clips from the premiers are must-see. Not something I want to watch again, but I'm glad I did rent it.

Previous update: December 20, 2004