Saw a few movies since I last posted...

Pirates of the Carribean 2- 7/10 A bit of a dissappointment. WAAAAAAAAAAY too long. The tacked on ending was stupid too. I enjoyed myself, but a bit of a let-down.

Clerks II- 10/10 A BRILLIANT sequel to Clerks. The first is one of my favorite movies, and probably the reason I want to become a filmmaker, so this one had some high expectations going in, but it really delivered. I thought the movie was hilarious throughout, and I LOVED the ending. I can now say that the View Askewniverse is fine being over. (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back would have been such a down ending, nevermind the pun)

Lady in the Water- 8/10 Unlike all the critics, I liked this movie. Shyamalan-a-ding-dong did a pretty good job. I really liked a lot about this movie. Not the best thing ever and a slight dissappointment, but this is a worthy edition to his filmography.

I may see Monster House sometime. It looks like a fun movie. Next week, A Scanner Darkly opens wide and Miami Vice also opens, so that's a nice weekend at the movies right there.

Also, finished a book called...
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman- 10/10 A fantastic book that I wanted to read again almost immediately after I finished it. Gaiman is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, after this and Stardust and American Gods, and Anansi Boys. Plus his comic work. I swear the man can do no wrong. Check his stuff out if you haven't already. Here's his website: http://www.neilgaiman.com He has a great blog on there with some really cool stuff.

And for now, I bid you farewell.

Various musings on upcoming films....

(I'm not doing my top 20, it changes too much, if you want it go to http://www.ymdb.com/badfeelinboutdis/l32301.html )

This year has many good films coming out, as I've stated before. Some of them have been delayed (Zodiac, There Will Be Blood, Grind House), but others still remain. Scorsese's The Departed is coming out in October with a stellar cast (DiCaprio, Nicholson, Baldwin, etc.) Oliver Stone will hopfully return to making good movies with World Trade Center. And, my most anticipated of all, Francis Ford Coppola's return to cinema, Youth Without Youth.
The summer still has some good films left in it. The always fantastic Richard Linklater is coming out with A Scanner Darkly, based on the masterful novel by Philip K. Dick on Friday. Also coming out is the Pirates of the Carribean sequel. I'm looking forward to it with a lot of caution. I dig the first movie, but the plot to this one sounds too similar. I will see it opening weekend, anyway, but I don't know... The ever-so inconsistant M. Night Shyamalan is brining out his long-awaited Lady in the Water on July 21st. Also on that day, the controversial sequel to Clerks shall be released. The next week is a big one. Michael Mann is back after two years with the adaptation of his 80's television series, Miami Vice. Most of my friends are dreading this, but, hey, it's Michael Mann, I shall be there. Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep is released along with the ever-popular Snakes on a Plane on August 18th. I'll be seeing both movies opening day.
As far as films that have come out so far this year, there are some good ones. Superman Returns lived up to every expectation I had. Brilliant cinematography, along with some great character moments as well. V For Vendetta was a worthy adaptation of Alan Moore's classic graphic novel. Spike Lee's Inside Man is probably the best heist film since Tarantino's Jackie Brown. The new Pixar movie, Cars lived up to the company's high standard. Mission: Impossible III is superior to the previous two installments. Lucky Number Slevin is one of the better (and later) Pulp Fiction knock-offs. X-Men: The Last Stand was a MAJOR disappointment. Ratner lived down to all of the fan's low expectations, and delivered a character development-free action-fest that is nothing compared to X2. The Sentinel wasted a pretty good cast and made a boring, conventional thriller, diverting while watched, but quickly forgotten.
Overall, this year is shaping up to be better than last year and the year before. The return of many of the world's best filmmakers makes it an exciting time for all movie fans.