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originally printed 05.19.05 in the Eureka, California newspaper The Times-Standard.
Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
Durant: This is one of the first movies ever reviewed by Fat Guys, way back in December. I'm a huge Wes Anderson fan and this is probably my least favorite movie of his, which isn't saying it's bad. The DVD immediately came out as a "Criterion Collection" selection, as did his previous film, "The Royal Tennenbaums". Being that it was a Criterion selection, I expected a lot more out of the DVD. The only real bonus features, besides the typical moviemaker commentary, is 10 deleted scenes and a Starz! cable network behind the scenes special. Both of those are good, I mean the deleted scenes are great and would have made the movie better and the Starz! special is almost decent. The movie itself is good, but like I said, I would rather watch any of Anderson's three previous movies if I had the choice. Bill Murray is classic, Owen Wilson plays s different role than we usually see him in and Willem Defoe steals the show with not that many lines. As with most movies you notice more the second and third times you watch it, like Ned Plimpton (Wilson) in a not so hidden spot during the end sequence. I gave it an XL back in the theaters, but because of my disappointment in the extras I'm lowering it.
Rating: L/T
Faulk: This is a classic example of how some movies are made for the theater - Red beanies have much more dramatic effect if they're seen on celluloid rather than catharay tube. That being said, it's still a great movie. You hear Wes Anderson fans bicker about whether this movie ranks up to some of his others. It may, it may not, it mayonnaise - but for my money that white sandwich cream is far more important than such useless arguing. Each flick has to be viewed for its own particular goodness - just like every rose has its thorn and every 80s hair band has its own dead drummer. C'mon, a yellow submarine? How original can it get?
On a different topic, the watching of this DVD was interrupted no less than four times by the sudden jerky pixelization that is prone to every DVD on the market. Wasn't this supposed to be the superior video technology? When you watch a VHS tape, there's one head clog for every hundred viewings. DVDs always have glitches - my mother wants everyone to know how much that sucks.
Rating: XL
Deadwood (Season One: Discs 1, 2, & 3)
Durant: HBO does it again. I don't pay for TV, but with DVDs now a days I still get to watch what the privileged do. It's a western done in true Soprano-ish fashion. I didn't know all the great cuss words we take for granted today were around in the 1870s. It's very realistic, I mean I wasn't around in the 1870s, but they don't hold back on showing the griminess, hard drunkenness and the underbelly portion that comes with plenty of whiskey, no running water and no laws. The violence is there and there's plenty of it. Sometimes the cussing and violence seems over the top, but it doesn't really take away from the series. At the same time, people sure were polite back then. Let me review it like the way they talk in the series: I reckon someone of your fine stature would appreciate and gain great enjoyment from a viewing of this fine television series at a time when your mind isn't preoccupied with goings on of camp. Or something like that.
Rating: XL
Faulk: Apparently I'm out of the loop. Durant here no longer lets me see the movies. Instead of Fat Guys on Film, it's now James and the Fat Guy. I liked being a fat guy. I eat, sleep and burp fatguyhood, but it's hard to keep the pounds on when the food supply is cut off. Oh well. "Deadwood" sounds stupid, anyway.
Rating: XS
7:00 AM
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