Recent Viewings

Instead of studying for Microbiology this weekend, like I absolutely needed to more than anything in the world, I watched movies. Far more enjoyable, but now I think I'm going to pay. Oh well!

Stay Alive - I actually enjoyed this one, and I was not expecting to. The whole "die in the game, die in real life" was a little reminiscent of Nightmare on Elm Street "die in your dream, die in real life", but a couple of the deaths were pretty cool. Some of the effects were questionable, but the more subtle ones were pretty creepy. And the acting wasn't too bad! (Although Sophia Bush being a tough little goth girl kind of pushed the envelope). I really thought, "Oh man, is that Frankie Muniz?" but he kind of won me over by the end. Not bad at all.

Hard Candy - My favorite movie that I watched this weekend. I can't believe the message board postings on other sites for this one. A grown man meets a 14 year old girl online, then meets her in a coffee shop, and then takes her home. 14 year old girl proceeds to royally screw with his head - mental/emotional torture. This movie has a cast of 5 people, three of which barely make appearances - a coffeeshop cashier, an ex-girlfriend, and Sandra Oh as a neighbor.

This was a really good movie. My husband and I both just sat there and went, "Wow."

Population 436 - I avoided this for a little while, mainly because of the name "Fred Durst". He plays a sheriff, and, god help me, wasn't bad. He actually played a nice guy and was convincing of it. I pretty much forgot I was looking at freakin Fred Durst.

Anyway, the story behind this is that a US Census Taker (Jeremy Sisto) is looking for Rockwell Falls, and manages to get two flat tires just inside the town line. The town itself is extremely old fashioned, and proclaims itself to be the most perfect place on earth. Kind of like a really ookey Mayberry. He discovers that the population, 436, hasn't changed at all in about 100 years.

Nobody ever moves away, they just die. People that get the urge to leave, are proclaimed to have "the fever" and are taken to the town doctor for "the cure". If they try to leave, actually make a break for it, they all seem to die.

Everyone starts welcoming him as the newest member in town, and a man who came there 8 years ago tells him he has to stay because he spent the night in town.

This movie was ok. A little slow paced, too slow paced. And pretty predictable.

The Happiness of the Katakuris - A musical, of sorts, directed by Takaski Miike. A family opens a guest house, out in the middle of nowhere, because a big road is supposed to be coming through. They are slow to get guests, and unfortunately, every guest that checks in, ends up dying overnight. So, instead of notifying police, the family buries them out by the lake.

This was surreal, but hilarious! I loved the singing and dance numbers. And I loved the weird little animation at the beginning.