Low Resolution: Trend-Spotter!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

Trend-Spotter!

Okay, this is weird: earlier this week, I saw three movies in three days in which a dog was killed. You never see dogs killed in movies (unless you're watching Fear, but then you forget about the dog and only remember Marky Mark fingering Reese Witherspoon on a rollercoaster anyway). And now three in three days? Am I just seeing the wrong movies? Or the right ones?

One thing I do know: that one guy from the Michael Haneke Q&A last month is probably fuming right now.

11 comments:

Mathan said...: In fairness Joe, you neglected to mention you were attending the Michael Vick Film Festival.; 3:34 AM, November 15, 2007
Glark said...: 2/3 killed by Josh Brolin too.; 6:11 AM, November 15, 2007
Lis said...: is one of the movies I am Legand or whatever that Will Smith movie is called? My boyfriend wants to see it but refuses to watch movies where dogs are killed... even if they're just in the movie for a few seconds... freak.; 12:52 PM, November 15, 2007
Joe R. said...: No, I Am Legend doesn't open until Christmastime, I don't think.; 2:25 PM, November 15, 2007
Lis said...: Apparently I don't pay attention to these things. I thought since I kept seeing those previews it was sooner. Sorry!; 3:25 PM, November 15, 2007
Joe R. said...: No need to apologize. Maybe they will kill a dog in I Am Legend. That would be, like, a record.; 3:31 PM, November 15, 2007
Lis said...: Oh I'm pretty sure they will, and perhaps it will be a zombie dog before the actual death... or after the actual death as it were.; 4:38 PM, November 15, 2007
StickyKeys said...: So you saw American Gangsta? Or would that make four?

SPOILER!; 5:29 AM, November 16, 2007
Anonymous said...: Is there any chance you can tell us what movies they are? Because my husband & I are like Lis's bf - cannot stand dog-death in movies & it seriously wrecks our movie enjoyment. Spoilers and all, I know, but any way you can clue me in? (And thanks, StickyKeys for the American Gangster alert.); 3:48 PM, November 16, 2007
Joe R. said...: Sticky: Yup -- good movie. Should be blogging about it soon.

DON'T READ BELOW IF YOU WANT TO BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY DOGGIE DEATHS

Anon: American Gangster, No Country For Old Men, P2; 6:37 PM, November 16, 2007
Lis said...: Wow! I guess I'll be seeing all of those solo... No country surprises me the most I think. I mean I know it's uber violent but Doggie death is usually reserved for some director who's just not sure how to show us someone is truly evil so they resort to a dog death... I expected more from the Coen brothers. Unless of course no one kills said doggie...; 8:56 AM, November 17, 2007

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Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
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Pariah
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Shame
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The Week in TV:

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Fringe (5/6)
I have to say, this left me largely unsatisfied. Not the part about Peter at the end -- I'm confident that's going to get resolved in a way that'll open up season 4 in a big way. But that's actually part of my real problem: this whole episode didn't feel like a conclusion to everything Season 3 has built to but rather a beginning for the next arc. But without satisfyingly resolving what had been built up this season. Like we got an epilogue and a springboard into the next chapter without the actual climax. So much of this episode was spent trying to unbox everything we were presented in the flash-forward that by the time the actual action went down, we had less than 10 minutes to advance the plot in any real way. Still love the show, still think Anna Torv has had a breakthrough season, but this was a definite letdown.

Parks and Recreation (5/5)
How does this show do it? What for all intents and purposes seemed like a purely goofy, guest-star-driven episode with Parker Posey as Leslie's rich-town nemesis (with a b-story about Ron Swanson desperately trying to avoid a birthday celebration in his honor) managed to arrive at no fewer than three emotional high-points. Not one of them felt like cheap sentiment, either, they were completely earned and true to the characters. That Leslie/Ron birthday scene was set up so slyly, it was like the twist ending of a thriller. This is what a show can do when it's built on such a strong foundation of characters. Well fucking done.

30 Rock (5/5)
What a weird episode, with a random Kenneth moment at the end that I'd almost buy as an actual plot point considering how well it's supported by several seasons of "Kenneth is ageless" jokes. Liz being tormented by Tracy was funny, if honestly sad, and Jenna works best when opposite Will Forte. But really, this was all about Victor Garber, for me. Kudos to the show for nabbing such a great guest star for such a fun role -- I don't know why "wool" is so comedy-friendly a concept, but it just is. It's very wool.

RuPaul's Drag Race (5/2)
Not as explosive as past seasons' reunions -- the Shangela-Raven feud seems to be at least nominally active, but neither seemed all that invested in propagating it. ...Well, Shangela was, kind of. But besides one more tired rehash of the Heather vs. Boogers battle (my stance: the Heathers were throwing shade like good queens should; the Boogers took it personally because they're insecure and not seasoned; advantage: Heathers), and Alexis Mateo made a lame attempt to shame Michelle Visage for actually judging her, but mostly it was just a rehash of the season's big moments. The big story for me was confirmation that my love for Mariah was not misguided. She may have been eliminated for fully supportable reasons (she didn't have the chops when it came to performance), but she showed up with a killer face and a sparkling attitude. See you on Drag U, girl!

Game of Thrones (5/1)
Damn it, Game of Thrones! You got me hooked last week with that sweet scene of Jon Snow gifting his lil' sister with a sword. Why won't you just let me love you?? This week's episode took two steps forward (Catelyn continues to be a character worth cheering for; Jaime Lannister suddenly has layers beyond the clichéd sister-fucking), but then two steps back with even more tedious political hoo-ha, more indistinguishable characters, and more of Joffrey and Vinerys, possibly the most one-dimensional characters on television. On the bright side, I really think that child-bride sex slave and her hulking rape-monster of a husband are gonna make it!