Movie Round Up

Nothing like being bedridden for a couple of days to help get one's movie watching in. These are movies I've watched over the past couple of days, with comments.

SHAUN OF THE DEAD/HOT FUZZ - These two movies will forever be linked, I'm sure. Same stars, same type of humor, same homage to their respective genres. And great films. I had seen Shaun before this weekend, but it was my first time watching Hot Fuzz. SOTD is an homage to zombie films, particularly the work of George Romero. I've never been one to appreciate the zombie genre, or any other horror movie for that matter (with a few exceptions like The Exorcist or The Shining). SOTD succeeds in being funny, scary, and poignant all at the same time. It's one thing to show lots of graphic violence, but if you don't care about any of the characters, what's the point? Hot Fuzz, on the other hand, is an homage to cop movies. The two examples referred to and copied in the film are Point Break and Bad Boys II. I haven't seen either of those movies, don't want to, but it was a lot of fun watching these two cops in a serious situation emulating some of the more absurd moves (have you ever fired two pistols whilst jumping through the air?) and trying to come up with witty banter. I would highly recommend both movies, just as long as you're prepared for the graphic violence (and there's at least one scene in both movies that I would cite as extremely gruesome, but I won't say which here). I also would like to point out that these movies are not spoofs - at least, not in the sense that Blazing Saddles or Airplane! are spoofs. These are pure homages, with a little good natured ribbing thrown in.

SCHOOL OF ROCK - It's an old story. Someone comes in, usually reluctantly, takes a bunch of kids that shouldn't be able to succeed at something, winds up learning as much from them as they learn from him, and in the end, they are all heroes. I don't know who was really the first to do this, but I call it the Bad News Bears story. It's been done thousands of time since, usually with sports (The Mighty Ducks), but there have been other variations. In this variation, Jack Black (slacker) comes in, takes a class of private school students (gifted), turns them into a rock band and learns the true meaning of being a teacher. The biggest change from the standard formula is that the kids here are not your typical hoodlums and under-achievers we see in these movies. Nevertheless, the outcome is the same. By the end, everyone at the Battle of the Bands is chanting "SCHOOL OF ROCK! SCHOOL OF ROCK!" (If you haven't seen the movie, I'll create more suspense by not telling you if they won the competition or not.) Anyway, it's not a movie I would think I'd like, but it is awesome. It is very funny, Jack Black gives his best performance ever, and the kids, while not necessarily the greatest actors, still impress with their musical ability. Definitely recommend.

I also watched episodes of the Muppet Show and 24. Both are great shows...you can't beat the Muppets. As for 24, it looks like the writer's strike is coming to an end. Jack Bauer should be unleashed soon!