Hancock

I dig my heroes anti, so Will Smith's Hancock appealed to me the minute I first saw the trailer. A fan of Peter Berg's since Very Bad Things, I expected the dialogue to be tight and the scenes to emphasize the base humanity of the superhero.

In that regard, Hancock didn't disappoint. The dialogue and super-powered gags were the best part of the flick, along with Smith's ability to evolve his character from an unlikable bum to a sympathetic and endearing personality. In addition, Jason Bateman continues to out-do himself in recent flicks; his Ray Embrey may have been the best developed character in the movie.

Much has been made of the plot twist involving Charlize Theron. Although I won't discuss what the twist is here, I will say I thought it was unnecessary, and even detrimental to the film. I understand how the twist was used to explain Hancock's past and powers, but I prefered not knowing. I also preferred Hancock flawed, which he wasn't after the plot twist was uncovered.

Although the movie was entertaining throughout, I thought it's potential was greater than the final product.

3 Minutes And 53 Seconds Of Your Life You Won't Get Back

A fairly typical example of what a day-in-the-life is like in The Film Geek family.

WALL -E

I'm not a fan of special effects. I was the guy you heard in the theater during Forrest Gump, grumbling to my wife about the use of a blue screen to make it look like Lt. Dan had no legs.

"Act!" I would semi-yell at the screen. "Use an innovative camera angle, or something. Quit taking the easy way out!"

And, truth be told, I don't take animated flicks that seriously either. I can be entertained by them, and I can even really enjoy them. But I think of them as kid's movies first. I can't think of one animated movie that's on my Top 10 list of favorite films.

What are the chances of a computer animated film-- using new, innovative effect techniques-- ending up being a real favorite of mine, and possibly the best movie of the year?

Before seeing WALL -E, I'd have said: " Peshaw!"

After seeing WALL -E? I very well may be adding a new film to that Top 10 list.

The animated dystopian movie about the garbage robot with heart is just that damn good. And the message behind the flick--that we humans have to be better stewards of our home--isn't preachy, but subtly powerful.

WALL -E will melt your heart.

The Fantastic Four (1994)

If you've kept up with the headlines, you know all too well the scandal that recently befell West Virginia's most famous religious leader, the Reverend Elvis Drinkmo.

Being the middle of an Emma Frost / Elektra sandwich doesn't sound too much like a problem to me; however, the good Reverend maintained his innocence and, according to his blog, a jury of his peers believed him.

He's back in the pulpit, preaching the good news of DC Comics and Star Trek.

Can I get an "Amen?"

During the cleaning of the hotel room where the good Reverend wasn't, a copy of the Roger Corman-produced The Fantastic Four was discovered. The Fantastic Four wasn't intended for release, and was made simply to protect the copyright.

(Although the cast never knew.)

In his effort to reduce further temptation, Reverend Drinkmo is purging himself of any and all objects of sacrilege. Because he knows of my interest in super hero movies and my steely will-power, the good reverend shipped me a copy of the flick.

(Not that he had it in his possession, of course. I think it must have come from evidence in his trial.)

The Fantastic Four isn't a very good movie. The effects are awful, the acting is sub-par and the editing makes some porn flicks look like Golden Glob winners. But the movie is wonderfully fun, and a terrific way to spend a rainy Saturday morning. I thought the flick stayed pretty close to the comic (I actually kept a running list).

And I maintain that the Thing from the Corman production has a better look than the Thing of the recent Fantastic 4 flicks.

I feel kinda bad for the drama that's recently happened in the Reverends life. But, it did result in my getting the benefit of a really cool DVD.

Thanks, my friend.

Now, if only he'd give me the scoop on that threesome!

The Strangers

I can no longer watch movies that might fall into the torture porn category or --to be perfectly honest--those that are the slightest bit scary. I'm a sissy, after all. I'll stick to super-hero fare, animated flicks and Ed Norton movies.

But Mrs. Film Geek loves the horror. She likes it so much that she'll watch it alone, if need be. Which was just how she watched The Strangers.

Here's her take on the flick:

1. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being "Not at all" and 10 being "Jesus, a whole helluva lot!" where do you rank The Strangers in terms of scary?

MFG: "3."

2. Does The Strangers compare to Hostel? If so, how?

MFG: "Not really. The killers in The Strangers seemed to get more thrill out of scaring than killing for the most part."

3. Is torture porn true art?

MFG: "Torture isn’t art. Porn isn’t art. The 2 together-- not art. However, the plot twists and turns of the Saw series are art, even though they involve torture. "

4. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being "Not at all" and 10 being "Jesus, a whole helluva lot!" where do you rank how much you are in love with me?

MFG: "10."

5. If you had to watch The Strangers again alone, or Iron Man again with me, which would you choose and why?

MFG: "Iron Man, because Robert Downey, Jr. is extremely hot… er, I mean, because you are extremely hot."

The Savages

Late at night, when everyone else in the house is asleep and I'm lying awake trying to get there, I do the math. And it scares me.

If I'm alive when my youngest son (now 5) is my current age, I'll be 81.

I've spent a significant portion of my professional career in nursing homes. I've seen the really bad ones, and I've spent time in the ones that are savvy enough to pretend to be safe and homey during visiting hours. I've carried out professional workshops and educational trainings to the staff of long-term facilities, and witnessed first hand the glazed-over eyes that come with people forced to sit and listen to something they don't care about, or that they don't believe in.

So, growing old --and needing cared for-- scares me.

It's tragic, when you think of it: we parents raise and care for our children until they become adults, then rely on them, many times later in life, to care for us.

What if we didn't teach them to care?

What happens if we parented our kids so poorly that they become emotionally distant, and selfish?

What sort of adults will our children become if we fail to teach our kids to appreciate and respect family?



The Savages answers those questions.


In my late-night fears about growing old and frail, I think I worry most about being processed.

Being forced to live in a facility that has visiting hours, or that has regulations about the types of cleaning solutions that can be used in day-to-day maintenance. I worry about eating from a menu I didn't create, and being fed by someone who has no investment in me as a person. And I struggle with worries about being cared for by people who not only don't know my life story, but who have no interest in learning it.

The Savages is a well written, wonderfully performed flick about two middle-aged siblings who are forced into shepherding their father through this end-of-life processing. The experience, although emotionally difficult, provides some insights that the relationships one builds over the years effects our quality of life throughout the lifespan.

Particularly near the end of life, when we may need people the most.

Larry Harmon 1925-2008

Here's hoping the Big Parade ends up at the Big Top.

A Quarter-Effin'-Century

Most of the time, I'm in denial about my age. The denial isn't intentional, nor is it the product of real delusion. Mostly, it's just that I don't perceive myself as middle-aged. If fact, I'm always caught off guard when someone mentions that I'm no longer in my early 30s.

Because I think I am.

It's been a quarter of a century this month that I left the home of my parents. (That's 25 years to you and me, Russ.) Nearly three decades have passed since I packed up the U-Haul and headed a couple hours down routes 39 and 60 to college.

Swear to god, it seems like just last month.

It's been twenty-five years since I hugged my Dad goodbye, and saw him cry for the first (and only) time in my life.

A quarter of a century has passed since I said "I do" out loud to my high school girlfriend, even while on the inside I was screaming: "I don't!"

It's been twenty-five years since the last day I can recall not having at least one real worry in my life, and since I last rolled up a comic book, stuck it in the back pocket of my jeans and shimmied up a tree to read it in complete, peaceful privacy.

Twenty-five years of evolution has caused the question: "What are you going to do with your life?" to now become, "What do you do for a living?"

And it's taken nearly twenty-five years for the answer to: "Where are you from?" to change.

25 freakin' years. Un-be-lievable.

They've come and gone in a flash.

Eastern Promises

Not the Sopranos,
But harsher, grittier, mean.
Fuckin' excellent!

High School Quotes I Remember: Quote # 6

(I make no judgements about content. I'm simply purging some of the clutter that's been inside my head since 1983.)


"Listen, Chuck. Uh...you don't know what a dingleberry is, do you?"

~Me, to my friend Chuck, just after a gorgeous blond walked past us in the lunchroom during our sophomore year. In a failed attempt to impress her, Chuck loudly expressed his desire to kiss her on something that's not typically on the list of things people pucker up to.