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Holy cow! I haven't reviewed any Netflix stuff since November! This should take awhile....

Wayyyy back in December, I watched "The Pursuit of Happyness" with Will Smith and his real-life son. This is the true story of a Chris Gardner, who goes from homeless to successful business man with some luck, some wit, and a hell of a lot of hard work in 1980's San Francisco. The scenes of father and son sleeping in in a public restroom because there is no room for them at the shelter are just heartbreaking. But the movie also delivers a powerful message about not letting life kick your ass. I found it very inspiring.

Up until this point, I had limited my Netflix selections to films, but I finally relented and did some television shows. The first was "30 Days", season 1. I had never seen it before, mainly because when it started, I didn't have access to the channel it aired on. "30 Days" is hosted by Morgan Spurlock, the genius behind "Super Size Me". He applies the same principle here, that of trying something new or different for a month, spending time with experts on the chosen subject, keeping a video diary along the way. These were one-hour episodes, some with Morgan doing the particular assignment and some with other people featured. One had Morgan and his girlfriend working for minimum wage with no credit cards and no insurance. Another had a conservative Christian live with a Muslim family and learn about their religion and customs. And in one, a homophobic man had to be roomies with a gay man. If you've seen "Super Size Me", you know that Morgan doesn't take these assignments lightly. He always has some ground rules to follow, and the person making the lifestyle change has to make an honest effort. Most of the time, the person featured comes away with a better understanding of how "the other half" lives, and many people are changed for the better. And, in my opinion, so are the viewers. What we don't know DOES hurt us. Each episode had bonus material in the form of deleted footage; most of it had only been cut for time. This is my kind of reality TV. I thought it was excellent. I have season 2 on my Netflix queue; I think it comes out on DVD next month. You can catch season three on Tuesday nights on the FX channel.

One movie I had intended to watch but never got around to was "The Full Monty". It is the heartwarming story of British steel workers who pursue an alternate moneymaking venture when the mill in their town closes down. Ok, it is actually more funny than heartwarming. When it is discovered that strip tease acts are enormously popular with the local ladies, they decide that they'll go for the easy cash and do an act of their own. Problem is, none of them have any idea what they're doing! The audition sequence is hysterical! But desperate times call for desperate measures, and they succeed in the (bare) end. I highly recommend this one unless you are offended by a little skin.

Here's a concept that is seldom discussed: what if the South had won the Civil War? "CSA: Confederate States of America" is University of Kansas professor Kevin Willmott's twisted take on the subject. It is done as though it were a British documentary on American history from the 1860's to present day. It is complete with various sales pitches that had me rolling on the floor, however inappropriate they may have been (they were, unfortunately, REAL products in the US at one time or another). And that's the most effective part of this film, how it takes every offensive black stereotype, blows it up to massive proportions, and dares you to laugh at it while squirming uncomfortably. And while I was busy snickering at the preposterousness of the re-writing of American history, I marveled at the ingenuity behind it. There is something very unsettling about how race in America is still the elephant in the room 140 years after the Civil War, and I am grateful that someone came up with such a thought-provoking yet amusing way to examine it. There is no denying the somber undertone that at times shines through when you realize that, outrageous though they may seem, some of these events could have come to pass had certain circumstances been slightly different. If you are willing to throw all politically correct views out the window AND think AND laugh, this is the film for you.

Wheelchair rugby, anyone? No? Watch "Murderball", and I bet you'll change your mind. This is a documentary about the sport of the same name, where quadriplegics strap themselves into specially designed wheelchairs and slam into one another like ferocious wrecking balls. This ain't no sport for sissies, and after you get over the initial shock of seeing the players crash into one another, it is quite exciting to watch. The rugby teams are comprised of members with varying levels of use of their arms and are set up so each team is roughly equal in ability to the other. The film covers the US team from the 2002 Paralympics to the 2004 competition in Athens. The team is also covered extensively off the court, and the players do not hold back in discussing how they became injured, what has changed for them and what hasn't, their sex lives, and dealing with the public. The filmmakers also follow a man who was recently injured and his struggle with recovery; he gets to meet some of the players, and you can see the enthusiastic change in him as he discovers a new motivation, that of learning a new sport. They meet young injured soldiers as well. If you are ready for an honest glimpse into the lives of quadriplegic athletes, "Murderball" is just the ticket. Don't forget to check out the bonus DVD goodies as they are excellent too.

Dan decided to watch "Fracture" with me. It's the story of a man, portrayed by Anthony Hopkins, who shoots his wife and knows just the right legal maneuvers to allow him to get away with it. The prosecuting lawyer, however, is determined not to let Hopkins remain a free man. The question is whether the lawyer, who is rather young and appears easily manipulated, will step outside the bounds of the law himself to ensure conviction. This movie seemed tailor made for Hopkins, who excels at playing quietly confident, intelligent monsters with an indulgent smile. He is convincing enough to be kinda creepy. Even if you have seen this one before, you might want to check out the DVD because it contains alternate endings. I found it entertaining.

Decided to do one more TV show: "30 Rock", Season 1. This was one of the programs I had intended to watch when it aired, but it conflicted with something else, and I didn't have the ability to record anything at the time. Just as well....it was nice to see the episodes back to back without commercials. I really enjoyed it, especially all the SNL alums sneaking in appearances. This is definitely Tina Fey's baby, and her character, Liz Lemmon, has just the right balance of exasperation and hope to make her really funny. Alec Baldwin is convincingly annoying as her boss. This is a comic behind the scenes look at an SNL type show, and Tracy Morgan literally steals it as a self-absorbed movie star brought in to boost ratings. Not for everyone (for example, Dan doesn't care for it), but worth a look for most.

"1408: Theatrical Version" AND "1408: Unrated Version": I did see "1408" at the theatre, but then I found out that there would be an alternate version available on DVD. Unfortunately, it was released separately from the theatrical version. So the only way to compare the two was to rent them both. I chose the theatrical version first because Dan had not seen it. Basically, it's the story of a writer of haunted hotel reviews who checks into a room where many deaths have occurred, most of them involving murder and/or suicide. He is told he won't even last an hour in that room. Sure enough, once inside, bizarre things start occurring, including visions of a daughter who had died a few years back. But are the visions real, or are they the manifestation of a grieving father? It's a Stephen King story, naturally, with John Cusack playing the hotel reviewer and Samuel L. Jackson the concierge. While probably not the most original premise ("The Shining" featured an entire hotel that was evil), I found it to be an enjoyable roller coaster ride with a few surprises along the way. The alternate version Dan and I watched a week later, so it was still difficult to compare the two, but the main thing is the non-theatrical version is eight minutes longer. The plot goes in a slightly different direction, which isn't necessarily better or worse, but it is interesting. I did think it was worthwhile to see both.

"Tying the Knot" is a documentary on a subject very much in the news right now: gay marriage, civil unions and same-sex relationships in general. This doesn't just cover legislation and protests but puts a human face on the issue by introducing you to individuals of various age and economic circumstance and getting to know them. You meet a woman whose partner was a cop who was killed in the line of duty; because she is not allowed to legally be a spouse, she is not entitled to survivor's benefits and now will lose their home and everything they had worked so hard for. You also meet a man whose partner died, and even though there was a will, greedy relatives have had it nullified, have seized the farm they lived on and have forced a grieving man out of the house he had helped build 25 years ago. Also, the documentary goes into the history of marriage in the context of religion and points out that the requirement of one man, one woman is a fairly recent one (recent compared to how long the concept of marriage has existed). And the filmmakers go to foreign countries where gay marriage is legal, showing ceremonies of happy couples. While I know that nobody who opposes same-sex marriage would ever watch this (and I think that's a damned shame), I encourage anyone with an open mind to check this out.

Another serious subject documentary is "Maxed Out". The subtitle is self explanatory: "Hard Times, Easy Credit and the Era of Predatory Lenders". This came out in 2006, and seems even more relevant now given the current horrors of record high foreclosures and investigations into dishonest lending practices. Yes, there are a few people in this movie who could have gotten themselves out of their current financial nightmare by downsizing their lifestyle to something more reasonable (it opens with a Las Vegas realtor showing oversized trendy homes), but then there are the folks who were genuinely preyed upon. Like the mentally disabled, the working poor, people who have never held a job, students, people already in bankruptcy. Why? Because credit card companies make the majority of their money from these situations in the form of high interest rates, adjustable rates, annual fees, late and over the limit charges, etc. And then there are the really dirty tricks: "losing" payments so late fees and higher rates are charged; new laws that greatly restrict a person filing for bankruptcy; over-the-top harassment from debt collectors. There is also some lighter material in the form of a cheesy educational video from the 1960's about the "wise" use of credit. Thing is, it really would do high school kids a great service to teach them all about money management before graduation. Financial guru Dave Ramsey makes an appearance, but I wish they had spent more time on his truly useful tips. Overall, though, a real eye opener, fairly well done, and I think it should be required viewing for all students.

There are times I can't resist the allure of a strange but true tale. "The Hoax", which came out in 2006 and stars Richard Gere, fits the bill perfectly. It is directed by Lasse Hallstrom and is about the antics of Clifford Irving during the 1970's, based upon the book by, you guessed it, Clifford Irving. In case you are too young to remember the scandal, Clifford Irving attempted the most outrageous publishing hoax ever when he claimed to have access to legendary recluse Howard Hughes and was writing his authorized autobiography. He actually gets a million dollar advance for this! As one might expect, once Irving begins the ruse, he finds himself coming up with new lies to cover up the old ones. After awhile, this really snowballs. The funny part is, the more outrageous the falsehood, the more certain people are apt to believe him, because this was supposed to be coming from the eccentric Howard Hughes, after all. And the more Irving pretends to be speaking for Hughes, the more like Hughes he actually becomes, and he eventually reaches the point where he starts to believe his own hype. He even sets up fake appearances by Hughes. Irving goes from desperate but amusing to creepy but sad. Even the best roller coaster ride, though, must come to an end. Hughes himself is the one who ends up coming forward to set the record straight. I found the story fascinating, and I was quite willing to go through the gamut of emotions elicited. And the bonus DVD material was awesome, a must if you want to find out more about the real Clifford Irving.

"The Other": ok, I had actually seen this one before, but Dan hadn't, and I wanted to show him an example of the type of "horror" movie I was accustomed to watching on late night local TV in the '70's. The basic premise is that a mischievous boy growing up on a farm during the 1930's has an even more mischievous twin brother. The twins' Russian grandmother has taught them a "game" in which they can enter the mind of a person or animal and control them. But it becomes evident that the more evil of the twins is not merely playing, he is hellbent on revenge for any perceived slight. And the innocent twin? Not so innocent. As tragedies on the farm mount, the grandmother must confront the truth. Written by Thomas Tryon based on his novel, I believe. John Ritter makes an appearance. While "The Other" is probably not considered a horror masterpiece, the fact that I remembered it so well 30 years after I first saw it indicates that it makes a lasting impression. As with most old school stuff from the early '70's, not much gore, but plenty of psychological twists and turns. Worth checking out if for nothing more than nostalgia's sake.

Decided to check out another Pedro Almodovar film (I saw "Volver" last year). This time, I chose "Talk to Her". Like most Almodovar works, the storyline is unusual, and describing it doesn't really give it justice. Here, two men are in love with women in comas. One has been the nurse of a ballerina for some time. The other, a journalist, is totally at a loss when his bullfighter girlfriend is gored nearly to death. He asks the nurse what he should do at the hospital. The reply is, "talk to her". The two men strike up a friendship. But the nurse is not just in love with the ballerina, he is obsessed, and this has tragic consequences. There are a variety of emotions evoked by this film; it is by turns funny, sweet, shocking, disgusting and sad. The use of flashbacks and fantasy sequences give it a dream-like quality. I enjoyed it very much, and I think others will like it if they don't compare it to a typical American film.

"Knocked Up": Dan watched this one with me. In this Judd Apatow vehicle, Katherine Heigl of "Grey's Anatomy" stars as a TV journalist who engages in a one-night stand with Seth Rogan after they meet in a club. Drunk and horny, Rogan tosses the condom aside at Heigl's suggestion; eight weeks later, Heigl discovers to her shock she is pregnant and must break the news to a totally clueless Rogan. Thus begins the extremely rocky road to figuring out whether they should even be friends, let alone raising a child together. Rogan is a loser, not so much because of his looks as because he is so lame that he doesn't even realize that his get-rich-quick project, a website that tallies nude scenes in movies, already exists ala Mr. Skin. He also choses so save his bong instead of Heigl during an earthquake. If Heigl's character were a snob, this movie wouldn't have worked at all. But she cuts Rogan a generous amount of slack, maybe too much slack, and she has a healthy sense of humor. Is this movie crude? Yep. Too many stereotypes? Affirmative. Did it make me laugh my ass off? Definitely.

Went back into Almodovar mode with "All About My Mother". This came out in 1999, and its title is a nod to the film "All About Eve". In it, a woman named Manuela witnesses her son's accidental death in Madrid on his 17th birthday while he sought an autograph from a famous actress. She decides to return to her former hometown of Barcelona to search for her son's father, a man going by the name of Lola who is a transvestite and doesn't know he had a child. She doesn't find Lola, but she does find an old friend who introduces her to a pregnant nun played by Penelope Cruz. Manuela ends up working as the assistant to the actress her son had admired. The plot is actually much more complicated than this, but you get the general idea. There are many satisfying twists and turns in the story and some very awkward situations, typical of a Pedro Almodovar film, but this may be one of his best. Manuela's old friend, an outrageous transvestite who seems very hung up on blow jobs, provides comic relief and nearly steals the show. The number one reason to watch "All About My Mother", though, is to see the perseverance of Manuela and the wonderful compassionate relationships she forms with people who can be quite difficult. By the film's end, I felt like Manuela's friends were mine too.

One more from the Almodovar zone: "Bad Education". The plot on this one is even more complicated than the others; there are actually three (or four??) different stories going on featuring the same actors. It starts with a filmmaker, Enrique, who gets a visit from a childhood friend, Ignacio, who was his first lover, actually. Enrique thinks something isn't quite right about his old friend put can't figure it out. Ignacio leaves a manuscript called "The Visit" for him to read. The script contains details of their childhood and abuse at the hands of a priest. This storyline is woven into the movie in the form of flashbacks. In "The Visit", the priest is confronted and blackmailed by his former victim, and we see this story as well even though it is a work of fiction. But what is the truth? Enrique starts investigating and uncovers some shocking answers. As with other Almodovar films, I thought it was excellent but cannot recommend it for anyone who is the slightest bit homophobic or (no total nudity, but it is rated NC-17 nevertheless). I believe this film was banned by some who construed it as an indictment of the Catholic church, but it is much more about the characters than the church, or at least that was the impression I got. I loved the convoluted intertwining stories and marveled at how deftly a single actor could play multiple roles which were variations on the same person or at least that person's character. The lines between acting and being who you believe yourself to be are blurred well here. Approach this with an open mind, and you may find it as fascinating as I did.

"Away from Her": I told Dan the basic plot of this, and his reaction was, "Why do you watch such DEPRESSING stuff?" Actually, I didn't think it was all that depressing while I was viewing it, but, then, my grandmother died from Alzheimer's in a decidedly not cheerful way, so I guess it may be a matter of degree. "Away From Her" is about a woman whose Alzheimer's is growing worse, and after she becomes lost cross-country skiing in what pretty much amounts to her own back yard, she decides she needs to be checked into a facility over her husband's protests. The facility has a horrid policy of not letting its patients see family members for the first month they are there, supposedly to allow the patients time to "adjust", but probably more for the staff's convenience. So the husband promptly visits when the time limit is over. He is prepared for the fact that his wife might not recognize him, but he is NOT prepared for his wife to ignore him because she is infatuated with another patient. The movie then becomes more about the husband/wife relationship and what becomes of it. Julie Christie is awesome as the main character Fiona, and Olympia Dukakis as the wife of the man Fiona falls for in the nursing home. Despite the subject matter, this film reminds us to try to fully appreciate the good moments no matter how fleeting they might be.

Can you believe that neither Dan nor I had ever seen "The Dead Zone", the David Cronenberg film from 1983? Especially me being a big Stephen King fan and all. I guess these days it would be considered a classic. Christopher Walken practically jumping out of his skin every time he has a vision has become a cliche, but it wasn't as cheesy as I thought it might be. It was an enjoyable enough film even though there were a few parts that could definitely have used some computer graphics. Having read the book, I've always been partial to this story where a man through no fault of his own gains the curse of knowing too much. The moral dilemma of whether he has an obligation to do everything he can to prevent a tragedy is compelling. I think Dan would agree with me that this is definitely worth seeing.

Oddly, it was Dan that requested that I put "Curse of the Jade Scorpion" on the Netflix list. Odd because it's a Woody Allen film. Yes, Dan did like "Match Point", but that was mainly because Allen wasn't IN it. I think in this case, he just wanted to watch Helen Hunt. This is set in 1940's New York. Allen plays C.W., a skirt-chasing old school insurance investigator. Hunt is Betty Ann, his new no-nonsense boss, an efficiency expert who is disgusted with C.W.'s approach to his job and his lack of respect for female co-workers. Since they hate each other so much, the snappy one-liners fly around the room like daggers. And naturally, two people that doth protest this much are destined to be be together, although in this case, they have no control over the situation. That's because a hypnotist uses them as his subjects and his minions when he has them carry out a series of jewel heists. I found this hilarious, lightweight entertainment that reminded me of Allen's 1970's films. I don't think Dan enjoyed it nearly as much.

Since I have an English degree, I of course studied "Beowulf" in college as it is the earliest known epic poem in the English language. I was intrigued when I found out there was gonna be a film version. What I didn't know is the people who made this CG extravaganza thought that the original poem was BORING, so they "spiced" it up by re-writing most of it! The result gave me mixed emotions. I was disappointed that they dumbed down the language and plot to appeal to the average movie-goer (although they do just a tiny bit of old-sounding dialog between Grendel and his mother). I was disgusted with the amount of gore, with heads and bodies severed, blood and spittle flying everywhere. I was impressed with the image-capture technology and how they transferred realistic-looking movement to characters that otherwise did not resemble the actors portraying them (example: Crispin Glover was Grendel). The storyline, such as it was, did have some interesting twists (such as Grendel's mother being a seductress), but I wish they had called the movie something else, like maybe "Beowulf: 21st Century Edition" or "Robert Zemeckis' Beowulf" so people like me wouldn't be expecting something more closely resembling the poem. I know some were offended by the nudity, but I was amused by it (yes, I know I'm weird to be ok with sex but not with excessive violence). The dragon sequence was awesome and was more what I had in mind in terms of bringing a mythological hero to "life". All in all, I would recommend it for gore-lovers and people who don't give a damn about literature. For the rest of us, I think a love/hate relationship is reasonable.

Weeks have passed since I began this post, but I am at last caught up. I will be limited in posting the next several days (or weeks? or longer?) as work on the basement continues Monday morning and we'll have to cover everything up with plastic again. But I'll sneak in some updates as to what's going on with me if possible.