Yin Yang and Yutz

With the strains of Metallica's Kill 'Em All album streaming wickedly through the earphones of my ipod, I sit here contemplating the grand balance of nature. My faithful green chair is the perfect place for me to briefly reflect upon the wonder that is the duality of all things. Yesterday and today (thus far) seem to be falling right in the middle of where I am most comfortable: the lukewarm existence of neither good nor bad (though unlike Hamlet, there will be not too much thinking to make anything so). I had the great good fortune of enjoying a rather spectacular weekend. Good times with good friends. A few affirming phone calls from my very pretty friend who lives in another state, and the general cheer that accompanies a feeling of accomplished joy. Immediately following the weekend of bliss came the week of blight. As it would seem, for everything that made the weekend content, there came a bone to raise contention on Monday and Tuesday. Now I'm not one to rant and rave over the absurd little things, but it would certainly appear as good as the weekend was, the week would prove to be as bad. Fortunately, the ship has righted itself, and things are back on track for complacent mediocrity. This is where I'm most productive, and this is where I hope to remain for a while (though some more touches of the bliss will be welcome, as long as there is no accompanying blight.
Despite the ups and downs, I was able to get some more movies under my belt. Once again, I'm seeing a trend of experiencing the cinematic good, bad, and ugly (and, yes, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is on the list of movies to be watched). So with as little ado as marks a man of my means, here come the reviews!

5.) AGAINST ALL ODDS
I have a theory going that, despite The Fabulous Baker Boys which had the good fortune of the equalizing presence of Beau Bridges, every movie that Jeff Bridges made prior to The Big Lebowski was merely a dress rehearsal of characterization. With that in mind, it's only fair to include a subtitle for each of his previous films (i.e. "White Squall: The Dude on a Boat"; "Starman: The Dude in a Spaceship"; "Tron: The Dude in a Video Game", etc.). Therefore, we have "Against All Odds: The Dude Plays Football". This is a mostly forgettable insert in the Dude's oeuvre. The story of a football player who falls in love/lust with a hustler's girlfriend and chases her through Mexico to save her from her murderous boyfriend (played with a true "phone-it-in" performance by James Woods). The scenery is nice when they're traipsing through Aztec ruins, and cavorting on the beach. But the story is fairly ludicrous. I wanted this to be more of a football movie, but, alas, the producers truly fumbled when it came to the atheletic subtext. One fun spot has Alex Karras playing a trainer/hitman for hire finding the couple in Mexico, revealing his true friendship and concern for our protagonist, before taking a bullet in his forehead. Touching, and with the right amount of cheese.

6.) AGNES OF GOD
A few years ago, I was reading scripts for a theatre and I came across a play that really grabbed me and didn't let go. It was mystical, full of intrigue, drama, passion, and characters that were so complex that you couldn't get them out of your mind. I was pleased to find on our shelves that there was a film version of this play that I had once enjoyed. Putting in the DVD player did not disappoint. This is a great adaption of the three-person play. Here, the screenwriter addded scenes to flesh out the narrative, all the while giving the movie an honest and gripping feel. Meg Tilly is absolutely heartbreaking in her portrayal of the young novice nun being tried for the death of her newborn baby. I don't want to spoil this one for those that haven't seen it (or even read the play), but rest assured, nothing is as it seems. Jane Fonda and Anne Bancroft are both equally potent in their roles of Psychologist and Nun, respectively. This was one of those moments when I made a mental note to give this one another viewing when the time was right. I especially appreciated the spirituality that this film dealt with. It raised great questions without worrying about sacrilege.Pay close attention to the conversation between Fonda and Tilly in the belltower. It it doesn't move you, you are wearing concrete shoes.

7.) AIR AMERICA
I knew I would come across an awkward buddy flick before too long. I wasn't let down by this 2 hour trip through the jungles of Laos. While I have my beefs with Mel Gibson, for the most part I've enjoyed his contributions to cinema prior to The Passion of the Christ. This may fall into that category of paycheck films that also plays home to Bird on a Wire and What Women Want. Robert Downey, Jr, on the other hand, is still stuck in his emolation of the Brat Pack. If these actors had met and teamed up a decade later, this movie might really have been spectacular. The action sequences were great for the popcorn bowl. The story line about the corruption of our government during the Vietnam War is fun and funny (at times). It just really seemed that this movie was willing to settle for a "B-" when it truly could have been of "A" quality. It's easy to see Mel Gibson still having trouble shaking his "Riggs" persona from the Lethal Weapon films.

8.) ALI G INDAHOUSE: THE MOVIE
Sacha Baron Cohen is a genius. His ability to play beyond dumb is a mark of someone who is certainly the smartest person in the room. Granted, I still haven't seen every episode of the Ali G Show yet, but what I've experienced so far has whet my appetite for only great things from this man. At first I was a little wary since this movie was going to be more like a traditional film rather than the pseudo-documentary style of his show and his other movies Bruno, and Borat. I had nothing to worry about. He is certainly just as capable doing a straight comedy as he is doing a guerilla-style attack. Yes, the plot is absurd, but you don't go to Hooters just for the wings. The general humor in this film had me doing several spit-takes. I thoroughly enjoyed this. The fictional character makes a run at Parliament, and his co-opted African cultural philosophy suddenly rings very true with the citizens of England. Of course, there are the machinations of an evil chancellor that our hero must overcome. Along the way, the comedy is unsettlingly funny, absurd, and coupled with a wink and smile that reminds you it's ok to laugh when he lets you in on the joke.


I feel the smell of success overpowering the smell of breakfast as I look into the eyes of this video collection. While I'm making slow and steady headway, I realize that I have reels to watch before I sleep. I'm not afraid. But I do hope that this much escapism doesn't alter my own reality too much. Hell, people may need me one day.