Entertainment

Continuing the theme of racial tension, the selection for grown-up movie night today was Crash (2005,R). From Wikipedia:

Crash is an Academy Award-winning drama film directed by Paul Haggis. It premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2004, and was released internationally in 2005. The film is a commentary on racial and social tensions in Los Angeles. It won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing of 2005 at the 78th Academy Awards. Crash (which opened in wide release on 6 May 2005) was a critical and box-office success in the early summer of 2005. The film's budget was $6.5 million (plus $1 million in financing). Because of the financial constraints, director Haggis filmed in his own house, borrowed a set from the TV show Monk, used his car in parts of the film, and even used cars from other staff members. It grossed $53.4 million domestically, making back more than three times its budget (roughly 60% of the box office takings of a movie do not return to the financiers but instead pay for distribution costs). Despite its success in relation to its cost, Crash was the least successful film, financially, to win Best Picture since "The Last Emperor" in 1988.

Lisa and I thought it was a great film. I give it 5 out of 5.

The kids' movie night selection for today was "Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit." From Wikipedia:

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is a 2005 Academy Award-winning stop-motion animated film, the first feature-length Wallace and Gromit film. It was produced by DreamWorks Animation and Aardman Animations, and released by DreamWorks Pictures. The film was directed by Nick Park and Steve Box and shot entirely in Britain. The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is in part a parody of the horror genre, and contains many images that parody or pay homage to specific horror films. The directors have oft referred to the film as the world's "first vegetarian horror". Peter Sallis (the voice of Wallace) is joined in the film by Ralph Fiennes (as Lord Victor Quartermaine), Helena Bonham Carter (as Lady Tottington), Peter Kay (as PC Mackintosh), Nicholas Smith (as Rev. Clement Hedges), and Liz Smith (as Mrs. Mulch). Gromit remains silent, communicating only through body language.

The Moore boys weren't especially impressed. We probably didn't get the references to specific horror films.

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Today I finished watching Grizzly Man (2005,R). From Wikipedia:

Grizzly Man is a 2005 documentary film by German director Werner Herzog. It chronicles the life and death of environmentalist and bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell. The music in the film is by British folksinger Richard Thompson.

To call him an enthusiast is a gross understatement. The guy was obsessed and obviously a bit of a wack-o. But he was living life his way. I give it 4 out of 5.

From an AP story on Forbes.com, Luke Duke was arrested for drunk driving in New Jersey. I guess he hasn't gotten over the movie.