Biggie and Tupac

For some reason, after the Bar Karma season finale, I just kept watching Current TV.  I'd seen a few bits and pieces of this documentary earlier in the year, as my DVR was left on the channel, but the story was genuinely surprising.  The filmmaker basically asserts that Suge Knight killed Tupac to steal his money, then had Biggie killed to throw suspicion off of himself and onto the so-called "east-west" rivalry.  I can't imagine the conversations between lawyers over these allegations.

Unfortunately I just didn't care for the filmmaker's voice and brash personality.  Almost any cheese voice-over narrator could have improved the work.

Biggie and Tupac
2002, 108 minutes, directed by Nick Broomfield

Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe

I like Burn Notice as a show it just works for me.  Sure it's all contrived and improbable, and bullets miss too much, but I enjoy the "how to be a spy" narration.  And I like Bruce Campbell.  So, when a made-for-TV movie pops up outside the normal season, and (at first glance) it looks like they're going to kill off his character, I have to take notice.

It turns out that was a false fear, as a few seconds with any preview bumper would show.  This is the story of how Sam Axe left the service, a short while before the TV show started.  And again, it's all contrived and improbable, but then again, Bruce Campbell thrives like that.  I enjoyed the adventure and look forward to more next season.

Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe
2011, 120 minutes, directed by Jeffrey Donovan

Oh, hey, look at that.  Jeffrey Donovan directed this.

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

I admit, I'm a Morgan Spurlock fan.  I understood and agreed with his point of view in Super Size Me.  I enjoyed his brief television series 30 Days.  With that full disclosure out of the way, I really enjoyed his latest film, POM Wonderful Presents the Greatest Movie Ever Sold.

Honestly the product placement isn't any more obtrusive than typical television.  If anything, it's better.  TV shows usually have one or two product sponsors, and those items stand out in a show otherwise devoid of specifics and filled with prop vendors and conspicuous black tape.  Here, the film was filled with advertisements, some subtle and some not, but that represents real life.  Just looking for corporate logos in my point of view right now, I see logos for: Texas Instruments, Seagate, LG, Dell, LEGO, Logitech, Optek, National Instruments.  I tune them out in life; make them prevalent enough in film and I'll tune them out there as well.

Morgan doesn't go into this film with a cause to bash over our heads.  Yes, there's some commentary about advertisement directed toward children, especially advertisement at school, but overall he takes the view that it's part of life, always there, and something you might as well use when offered.  It's a very reasonable position, something I admire from a documentary filmmaker.

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
2011, 90 minutes, directed by Morgan Spurlock

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

I'm astounded that somewhere out there is a studio executive willing to fund a movie this awesome.  Never taking itself seriously, the film dives into the quest to overcome our pasts and live for the moment by literally making it a quest, with coin and skillups and bonus lives.  I really liked this film.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
2010, 112 minutes, directed by Edgar Wright

I'd hoped to see this in the theater last year.  I even talked my wife into going with me - a rare occurrence given her dislike of cinema.  Then she came up with the great excuse of needing emergency back surgery. =P  (She's recovering fine, thanks.)  So Netflix it is.  This would have been even better in a theater full of fans laughing along.

Extract

I'd heard so many good things about this film.  Funny, quirky, enriching.  But it's not.  The lead is gullible and stupid - barely less so than the gigolo he hires to seduce his wife - who quickly and repeatedly falls for it.  Mila Kunis might act as instigator, but her part is completely secondary.  And the ending is contrived and, frankly, disappointing.  I regret seeing this and won't do so again.

Extract
2009, 92 minutes, directed by Mike Judge

Dead Like Me: Life After Death

I just finished a multi-day marathon of this short-lived Showtime series, capped off by this direct-to-video movie.  (Standard disclaimer: I don't review TV shows.)  The film lacked everything enjoyable from the series, and didn't really advance the plot any further than the last scene of the last episode in the graveyard on All Saint's Day.  If you've just sat through all 29 episodes in series and want be a trooper, go for it.  Otherwise don't bother.

Dead Like Me: Life After Death
2009, 87 minutes, directed by Stephen Herek

Sucker Punch

The second film of my Friday-night double header is Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch.  I'm not familiar with the franchise, though I know it has done well in the week since release.

The visual imagery is -absolutely- stunning.  I love the presentation of the battle scenes.  But - it's so sad.  I didn't expect that.  The ever-present layers of misdirection eventually must crumble and they are left with nothing.

Sucker Punch
2011, 110 minutes, directed by Zack Snyder

The soundtrack is awesome.

Source Code

Frankly, I'm surprised by the stream of positive reviews this film has received.  It was pretty decent, and I didn't have it all figured out from the start, but I anticipated each plot turn.  It may be the best science fiction / action film of the year - but the year is still young.

Source Code
2011, 93 minutes, directed by Duncan Jones