Entertainment

Earlier this week I watched This Revolution (2004,R).  Following a cameraman during the Republican National Convention in New York city (from Wikipedia):

...the docu-drama film blends fiction with reality, focusing on the effects of the media's bias in order to maximize profits.

Another nugget from Wikipedia:

During the filming of a protest scene, the cast was mistaken for an actual subversive group, leading to the arrest of several cast members, including Rosario Dawson. The entire third act of the film was rewritten on the fly to explain her absence. Footage of Dawson's actual arrest made the final cut of the film.

The film had an amateurish feel and somehow didn't really grab me.

I give it 3 out of 5.

During my few days of bachelorhood a few weeks back I watched Nacho Libre (2006,PG) (ScreenIt! Review).  From ScreenIt!:

A Mexican orphanage cook moonlights at night as a wrestler in hopes of making a name for himself as well as money for the orphans under his care.

I definitely like Jack Black, but somehow I wasn't really feeling this one.

I give it 3 out of 5.

Back at the end of May, Lisa and I watched Knocked Up (2007,R) (ScreenIt! Review).  From ScreenIt!:

A man and woman try to forge a relationship, despite their obvious differences, when she ends up pregnant after their one-night stand.

I was glad to finally see this one after hearing it cited so often in the same context as Juno (as a "I'm keeping my baby" kind of film).  Someone, I don't remember who, complained to me that he didn't like it because it was too crude.  I won't argue with that except to say that apparently I'm not particularly averse to crudeness.  I enjoyed it, though not as much as Juno.

I give it 4 out of 5.

Another featured film from a family movie night a month or two back was The Goonies (1985,PG).  From Wikipedia:

A band of kids from the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon, hoping to save their homes from demolition, go on an adventure to find the buried treasure of One-Eyed Willy, a legendary 17th century pirate.

I remember enjoying this one when I saw it in the theater at age 13.  I wouldn't say it has aged all that well, which I guess isn't a big surprise.  I realize now that they must have saved some money on the script by inserting "Oh my God" every few lines.  The boys enjoyed it I think.

I give it 3 out of 5.

Another recent family "movie night" featured Evan Almighty (2007,PG) (ScreenIt! Review).  From ScreenIt!:

A newly elected Congressman finds his personal and professional life disrupted when he gets the message from God to build an ark.

This was a cute one that everybody seemed to enjoy.  I give it 4 out of 5.