About a month ago we caved in and signed up for Netflix, the home delivery DVD rental company. For less than $20 a month we can have three DVDs at a time with unlimited rentals. We’re finally able to watch all the movies we never get around to renting. So far we’ve seen The Gospel, Rent, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Identity, Batman Begins, Robin Hood, Batteries Not Included, Ice Princess, The Island, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Four, Robots and tonight we’ll sit down to watch National Treasure.

We would have racked up some more but friends let us borrow season one of Veronica Mars, so we’re half way through that. Upcoming rentals include plenty more popcorn movies a few obscure titles and some TV shows on DVD, like Thundercats and a few shows you can only get if you have real cable.

So far I love it. We’re not restricted to the video store’s selection, so we can get all kinds of obscure stuff. They’ve also got every TV show on DVD, which is a great way to check out new shows without having to put down loads of cash for the DVD set or commit to watching at a set time. It worked great to have something new to watch on the plane for my recent business trip. And as long as we go through three or four movies per month it’s still cheaper than the video store. I imagine the only downside is that it encourages even more TV watching. But we watch enough already, so I don’t think it’s making us watch that much more. We already had an addiction.

Oh the joy of end of the year lists. Well, I guess it’s the beginning of the year, but I was busy last week. Here’s my picks for top movies of 2005:

1. Serenity
Aside the fact that I loved the TV show Serenity was based on (Firefly), this movie just hummed on all the right points. Great action broken up with hilarious comments and then sudden rollercoaster drama. The stakes were high and it all paid off. I even compared it to Star Wars (well, I didn’t, Joss Whedon did), and I’d say that comparison still stands.

Continue reading Top 5 Movies of 2005 →

Maybe you thought I was exaggerating when I recommended the movie Serenity. Maybe you thought I didn’t mean it. Maybe you thought I was just full of hype.

Well, Orson Scott Card, the acclaimed science fiction author of Ender’s Game has compared Serenity‘s writer and director Joss Whedon to Shakespeare.

Shakespeare.

And you thought comparing it to Star Wars was a bit much. I don’t know if I’d make the Shakespeare claim myself. I think Card is more making the claim that Serenity has both deeper meanings and common fun, much like Shakespeare. I’d agree with that.

Just go see the movie already. (link via Inessentials)

First there was Saved!, now there’s Never Been Thawed, a spoof on Christian rock bands and frozen food enthusiasts (what?!). Sometimes I have trouble deciding what belongs on this blog and what should go on Real, but after watching the trailer it was a no-brainer. I think Never Been Thawed will go much farther than Saved! ever did. Odd that after the interest in religious movies like The Passion of the Christ we also have a trend of completely offensive Christian movies.

The spoof on Christian music at least has potential.

This looks like a movie worth checking out: Gunner Palace (watch the trailer). It’s a documentary about the Iraq war from the soldier’s perspective.

I don’t remember seeing popular culture engage the first Gulf War the way they are the second. If I remember, Three Kings seemed to be one of the first movies about the first Gulf War. I have to believe there were others, I just never heard about them.

But this time around entertainers (and I use that word loosely) are using the Iraq war much sooner. I suppose a documentary is a poor example, but I’ve seen lots of other fictional works using the war. Last week’s episode of E.R. being a prime example.

I’m not sure what that says about the conflict. I didn’t pay attention the first time around? More people are willing to question this war? More people are willing to examine this war? It’s dragging on longer and making more of an impact?

Check out the Oscar-nominated Guard Dog (supposedly available for today only on Salon.com, which means you’ll probably need to watch a short commercial to get free access to the site). It’s only 5 minutes long and well worth your time. It gives keen insight into the often troubling question of why on earth my dog barks at the stupidest things. It’s morbidly hilarious.