Dressed to Kill

directed by Brian De Palma (1980)

Oh my God.  What a crazy movie.  I feel conflicted about how much I enjoyed this mess.  I don't think it could be made today, it's too offensive and ignorant regarding transexuals and mental illness.  It's such a lurid flick.  I knew I was in for something different when the film started off soft core porno with Angie Dickenson lathering her boobs and snatch up in the shower all lasciviousness while watching a hunky bare chested man shave with a straight razor.  It's bizarre slow motion with sugary muzak.  BTW who uses a straight razor?!!  Suddenly she's being attacked by another man in the shower who also has a straight razor, but that must be a fantasy, because next you see her in bed moaning while being piledrive humped by her husband.

That's all I wrote when I watched this back in February, so I think I'll have to watch it again.  Sometime I'll have a De Palma fest and watch everything of his I've never seen and revisit the ones like this, that I liked.  Lots of times though, a movie isn't nearly as good when you no longer have part of your brain trying to figure out what the plot is while you're watching.

I remember I kept thinking well this is just mental and preposterous, really similar to Argento in it's incoherency, but that didn't make me want to stop watching - far from it, I wanted to see MORE!

I really like Brian De Palma's flicks.  I think he's a nut though.  I read recently, that when he was making Carrie, for the final scene where Carrie is unleashing her fury at the school dance, he was told the fire hoses were too dangerous to use on scenes featuring the actors because the water pressure was too strong.  I guess he yeah yeah whatevered that, because he did use the hoses, and PJ Soles got pasted in the face.  The blast punctured her eardrum, and the pain made her pass out.  She was deaf for 6 months.  

He's most often compared to Alfred Hitchcock, and I can see that, because aside from the formalist similarities, Hitchcock was an asshole to his actors too.

Journey 2: Mysterious Island

directed by Brad Peyton (2012)

This was fambly night at the theatre.  Promos are usually packed and this one was no different; there were children everywhere, babies even.  At one point, a baby started to cry, and then when another one picked up the whimper, I was a bit worried there would be a chain reaction with the whole theatre erupting with bawling kids, but their moms got them quieted down quickly.

I was sitting next to one guy who was by himself and I don't think he was used to being around kids.  A boy was sitting next to him, maybe 8 or 9, and the kid was going in and out to the lobby for snacks or to the bathroom or whatever, just bouncing around like young kids do.  He did this back and forth business about 3 times politely excusing himself by the guy, and by the 4th time, old dude was getting huffy and breathing loudly with exasperation.  Jeez man, this is a G-rated promo, whaddya expect?

The movie was ok. It lacked tension, but the 3D special effects were really good, and there were some comical bits with Luis Guzmán, the helicopter dad - not that he was a father who hovered around his daughter, (in this case Vanessa Hudgens),  he's a for real helicopter pilot.  I liked his character best.  He was funny and silly,  and seemed to be having the most fun.  Michael Caine was pretty great too, but he usually is.  The Rock?   meh, he did his usual stoic, I'm a manly man, yet I have a marshmallow heart too.

It's so not a taxing or complicated flick, but it looks really good, and if you can channel your inner 10 year old, you'll have a really good time getting caught up in the improbable adventure.  Even though it's kinda boring for grownups, kids will love it. 

And maybe they'll be inspired to read the books by Jules Verne.  I really, really, liked them when I was a kid.  They're awesome oldtimey SF fun.

Also, while searching for an image for Jules Verne books, I discovered this collaborative mural project.  Some gorgeous gorgeous murals to be seen at that link - one of them at Jules Verne Elementary. :)