My September 2007 Viewings

Includes my personal ratings. Recommended DVDs in bold. Underlined titles are direct links to review. For font size adjustment, hold down CTRL and roll mouse wheel.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia 1&2:2 09/28/07 (B)
Snow Cake 09/28/07
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer 09/25/07 (B)
Boston Legal 3:2 09/25/07 (B)
Ballykissangel 1:2 09/21/07 (B)
Boston Legal 3:1 09/21/07 (B)
The Ben Stiller Show 1 09/17/07 (C-)
Ballykissangel 1:1 09/13/07 (B)
Arrested Development 3:2 09/10/07 (B+)
Arrested Development 3:1 09/10/07 (B+)
Extras 2:2 09/05/07 (C)
Arrested Development 2:3 09/04/07 (B+)

Snow Cake (2007)

"Dazlicious"

Hippie child Vivienne (the adorable Emily Hampshire) has a knack for finding the quiet souls in life -- the ones who have a story in there somewhere. When she gloms onto Alex Hughes (Alan Rickman) in a roadside cafe, she soon grows on the man who definitely didn't want to be glommed onto.

Though at first he says no, he eventually yields to her request for a ride to get Vivienne closer to her mom's home. In a curious way, it's probably the best thing Alex has done for himself in a very long time. His long repressed smile and even a chuckle or two escape thanks to the vivacious Vivienne.

But then the unthinkable happens. Alex's car is hit by a semi and young Vivienne is dead. Alex is compelled by his own guilt to make a visit to Vivienne's mother to explain what happened and console her, and to give her some sparkly trinkets he knew Vivienne was taking to her.

Alex didn't at first know what he was walking into upon arriving at Linda's home in a small town in Ontario. Linda (Sigourney Weaver) took the news of her daughter's death without emotion, with a certain matter-of-factness. Alex is puzzled by this but upon watching Linda's "bizarre" behavior, he comes to realize what one form of adult autism is.

He stays on with Linda for the arrival of her parents and then for the funeral. The funeral means nothing at all to Linda. She lives in a world of her sparklies, snow, and dancing free-heartedly to her own music.

After the funeral, neighbors convene at Linda's house for the sharing of food and condolences but this proves to be much more than the suspicious, fearful, compulsive and antisocial Linda can handle.

I was pretty much mystified by Alex' romantic involvement with Linda's neighbor, Maggie (Carrie Anne Moss), but then realized that the relationship was merely a contrivance so Alex could reveal the specifics of his imprisonment for murder. I rather wish there would have been another way to reveal this information because I didn't feel the added character actually added anything to the story.

In the end, this is a story of acceptence even without understanding, and seeing Rickman share 50/50 in this bittersweet tale with the likes of Weaver made for a powerful experience directed by Marc Evans. James Allodi costars.

A marvelous soundtrack with music by the Stereophonics, Super Furry Animals, Broken Social Scene, and Feist.

This Canadian film is not rated by the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America).

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viewed Sep-2007

The Ben Stiller Show (TV Series)

This comedy series made its debut on HBO-TV in 1992.

Ben Stiller and some of his cronies do comedy skits.

Ben Stiller, Andy Dick, Janeane Garofalo, Bob Odenkirk.

Not worth the effort. Generally not too funny though there were a scant few decent bits.

My personal rating: C-

Arrested Development TV Series

FOX-TV comedy series.

Starring: Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Alia Shawkat, Tony Hale, David Cross, Jeffrey Tambor, Jessica Walter.

Guests include Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Scott Baio, Liza Minnelli, Charlize Theron, Ed Begley Jr., Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

My personal rating: B+