Puntabulous

Evening and Nim’s Island – Reviews

Okay, I didn’t see any of your recommendations this week, but I got two of them coming in the mail, so don’t you worry. Except you ScottieC, you can still worry. I honestly really want to see Angels in America, it’s just that 6 hours is quite a commitment! I’ll get to it eventually. I promise. Got any normal sized movies for me to watch?

Netflix #40 – Evening

I remember seeing previews for this movie and immediately falling in love. It just looked absolutely stunning. Then it came out and the reviews were pretty tepid. So I let it go and never saw it. Turns out it was probably best that I watched this in the privacy of my own home instead of at the theater. I may or may not have gotten a wee bit weepy. It was so good! I can understand why it didn’t get great reviews, but it was just the kind of movie that I like. It was slow and personal and a bit soapy but I just had to know what happened next. Kinda like that Drew Barrymore movie Riding in Cars with Boys. It’s not that great of a movie, but it’s addicting because you really just want to know what happens. So overall I really enjoyed it. Claire Danes was totally compelling in the lead role, and everyone else (there’s about a million famous people in it) were all incredible. If you’re interested, don’t let the negative reviews keep you away!

Netflix #41 – Nim’s Island

I had pretty high hopes for this one. I love kids movies and this one had Jodie Foster in it! It had to be good! But it ended up being a major disappointment. I loved the look of the island, and the animals were all ridiculous and cute, and Jodie Foster was in total super silly mode, which was just so much fun to watch. But the story just didn’t make any sense, and by the end it totally fell apart and nothing really mattered and there was kind of no point to the entire thing. Oh well. Not every kids movie can be as good as The Neverending Story. Atreyuuuu!

MOVIES, REVIEWS | Craig | August 28, 2008 5:19 am

57 Comments

By Dave S., August 28, 2008 @ 6:53 am

I *loved* Neverending Story! I’m old enough to have seen it in the theater when it came out. It was a mediocre success back then, but now it’s considered a classic. I remember it got horrible reviews at the time.

What’s “Evening” about? I’m not familiar with it at all. I’m not a big fan of Claire Danes (she dumped my boy Ben Lee — my favorite singer/songwriter of all time — for some guy she was starring in a movie with) (though Ben wrote an awesome album because of it…), so I probably didn’t pay close attention to it when it originally came out.
By ScottieC, August 28, 2008 @ 8:48 am

Noooooooooooo! LOL Hey wait, I think this is the first time my name has been dropped in an article. I feel super famous now. Where’s my paparazzi at? Would it help, Craiggers, if I told you that Angels in America is broken into 2 parts of 3 hours each? You could watch it in two sittings? No? Fine!

Have you seen Hard Candy (don’t look at the imdb page – it has some serious spoilers)? It stars Ellen Page (2 years before Juno), Patrick Wilson, and features a small appearance by Sandra Oh. This is a seriously twisted movie. I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll just reiterate that it’s really good and definitely worth the rental. Also, it clocks in at 104 minutes, which should be much more palatable for you
By David, August 28, 2008 @ 8:50 am

I have a friend who cannot understand why anyone would ever hire Claire Danes to be in a movie, he despises her work so much. I wonder what he’d think of “Evening”

You’ve never seen “Angels in America?” I’m speechless.

Of course, I’ve never seen “Neverending Story” so you can throw that right back at me. Sort of.
By Craig, August 28, 2008 @ 8:53 am

Dave S: It’s about lost loves and regret and all that heartbreaking business. Anyone who saw my Facebook status that weekend knew I was seriously lovesick after watching it.

ScottieC: Indeed! You should be honored to be mentioned in a D-List blog read by dozens of people around the continental United States! And I already saw Hard Candy. (Sorry?) Definitely twisted, but the performances were excellent!

David: But she’s great! Your friend must also watch Stardust, which is one of my favorite movies ever.
By ScottieC, August 28, 2008 @ 9:03 am

I’m not disappointed when you HAVE seen good films, only when you haven’t. What about Nanny McPhee? Since you like kids movies, this should be right up your alley. Though you’ve probably seen it already.
By Tam, August 28, 2008 @ 9:04 am

“You should be honored to be mentioned in a D-List blog read by dozens of people around the continental United States!”

Hey AND Canada baby. You’re international! And someone posted the other day who is in the UK I think. You are world-wide honey. Revel in the glory.

I haven’t seen those movies but LOVED Stardust. It was pretty classless however of Claire to hook up with a guy who’s girlfriend was pregnant. No level of hotness merits that, and he’s not even that hot.
By ScottieC, August 28, 2008 @ 9:05 am

Heh, I didn’t even catch that blunder Tam. I’m a Canuck too
By Craig, August 28, 2008 @ 9:10 am

Okay fine. I’m a superstar.

Agree about the hooking up bit though. I forgot about that.
By ScottieC, August 28, 2008 @ 9:13 am

Oh, speaking of Canadian… A long time ago, I proposed you watch Imaginary Heroes, a Canadian film starring Sigourney Weaver, Emile Hirsch, Jeff Daniels, and Michelle Williams. I can’t recall if you had already seen it.
By Craig, August 28, 2008 @ 9:14 am

ScottieC: Not yet, but it’s on my queue also.
By Tam, August 28, 2008 @ 9:17 am

Hey my fellow Canadian! Hi Scottie! *waving wildly*
By Dave S., August 28, 2008 @ 9:24 am

Tam, ScottieC: Alright, enough with the Canadian enthusiasm already. It’s not even hockey season yet!
By Tam, August 28, 2008 @ 9:31 am

Oh, its coming Dave. Only 23 days till the first preseason game. Go Sens!
By Dave S., August 28, 2008 @ 9:33 am

Goes to show how much I know about hockey: What the hell is a Sens?
By ScottieC, August 28, 2008 @ 9:33 am

Craiggers: Yay!

Dave S.: Canada rules, stop being jealous.

Tam: *waves* Good to see another Canadian on here. Unfortunately, we can no longer be friends. Sens? GO LEAFS GO!
By Tam, August 28, 2008 @ 9:45 am

OMG!!!! I’m never posting to you again Scottie. LEAFS?!?!?!?!?! I scoff at you now.

Dave Dave Dave. Sigh. Its a “Senator”, made it to the finals in 2007 (we won’t discuss the whole choking thing). But the “Leafs” never even made it to the playoffs last year. *cough*losers*cough*

Fine, hockey is off my list of topics for discussion. *humph* Leafs! *bah*
By ScottieC, August 28, 2008 @ 9:48 am

To be fair Tam, I’m not a huge hockey player. I just cheer for the hometown boys. Sens are great too… I guess

Wow. Too much about sports. Can we discuss Cher or Abercrombie & Fitch models now? (jokes)
By ScottieC, August 28, 2008 @ 9:49 am

And by hockey PLAYER I meant to write hockey FAN. I need more coffee.
By Dave S., August 28, 2008 @ 9:51 am

The Columbus BlueJackets are all the rage ’round these parts. Outside of Ohio State football, probably one of the hottest tickets in town.

This city nearly literally shuts down during any OSU football game. It’s weird. Traffic is sparse, stores are nearly empty. Everyone’s either on campus, at home in front of their tellies, or watching the game at a bar.
By polt, August 28, 2008 @ 10:14 am

Not much of a hockey fan, although I LOVE Toronto, so I’m kinda with ScottieC and the Leafs. Got to see them play the Cap a few years back. Twice I think. And yes, ScottieC, LET’S talk about the A&F models…and maybe Howard Roffman photographs…or the models in Bel Ami films, eh?

As I said, I don’t know much about hockey, but FOOTBALL starts next Thursday night, BABY!!! Hmm, I can watch McSame give his acceptance speech, or I can watch the Giants TROUNCE the Deadskins…what to do, what to do….

HUGS…
By Bernd, August 28, 2008 @ 10:41 am

Neverending Story, the movie, was an early 80′s attempt of a German studio to do a movie of hollywoodlian proportions. They got into a HUGE fight with the author, because the movie shows only the first half of the book and changes some important details. The second movie deals very loosely with the second half of the book, but I liked it better than the first. Do I need to mention that the book is better than the movies? du’h.

Michael Ende wrote a couple of (children’s) books unlike anything else. Very worth reading.
By Tam, August 28, 2008 @ 10:46 am

Geez Polt, I’m getting outnumbered. Like Scottie though I’m not a super-fan. I cheer for the hometown boys. I did see a Blue Jackets game a couple of years ago. Its way too expensive to go to many games here.
By Craig, August 28, 2008 @ 10:48 am

Bernd: I actually read the book a few years ago and loved it. I heard about the split in the movies, but never got around to seeing the 2nd movie. And you can imagine my surprise when I read the name Bastian gave the Empress after years of trying to understand what he yelled in the movie.
By john, August 28, 2008 @ 11:03 am

ScottieC. I know little to nothing about hockey, but I do personally know an A&F model.
By Dave S., August 28, 2008 @ 11:13 am

The A&F headquarters are located here in Columbus. I know a few designers that work over there. Absolutely beautiful campus. And, of course, it’s filled with beautiful people. :-/
By polt, August 28, 2008 @ 11:40 am

john and Dave S., you guys are on the receving ends of my envy!

If I lived in the city with their headquarters, I think I’d camp out in a tent on a roof of an adjacent building…just so I could watch the comings and goings……

HUGS…
By polt, August 28, 2008 @ 11:41 am

My GOD, Columbus has the BlueJackets, A&F AND Dave S.!!!!

Why the hell am I NOT there already?????

HUGS…
By Dave S., August 28, 2008 @ 12:04 pm

Not that I shouldn’t be reason enough to visit C-bus, but we also have a great gallery district (The Short North), an awesome bar scene (OSU campus, High Street, and the Arena District), and a really incredible local music scene. Not to mention Shakespeare in the Park (German Village), a huge internationally-renowned zoo (The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium), and (rumor has it) great shopping (Easton, Polaris).

And Obama and Biden are visiting here Saturday.
By Dave S., August 28, 2008 @ 12:05 pm

No, i don’t work for the Central Ohio Visitors Bureau…
By polt, August 28, 2008 @ 12:23 pm

All that’s nice and all, but really, having Dave S. there is enough to make me want to go there.

HUGS…
By Bernd, August 28, 2008 @ 12:30 pm

Craig,

no idea what Bastian yells in the US, in German it’s Mondkind (Moonchild) which was so lame after ‘die kindliche Kaiserin’ (childlike Empress?) You must have seen the movie while you were very young, it came out in 85 after all. Did you fall for the actor playing Atreju? Or did you want a flying Dachshund like Fuchur?

Bernd
By Michelle M., August 28, 2008 @ 12:32 pm

Craig – I saw Nim’s Island two nights ago, and I concur. Also, do you keep track of everyone’s suggestions? I wouldn’t want to keep repeating a suggestion unnecessarily. *cough* Better Off Dead *cough*

Scottie C. – I just read that the rumor about Christopher Nolan wanting Cher to play Catwoman in the next Batman movie was was untrue.
By ScottieC, August 28, 2008 @ 12:33 pm

LOL @ Michelle
By Craig, August 28, 2008 @ 12:36 pm

Michelle M: LOL! It took me a minute to figure out where the Cher comment came from. Well played!
By john, August 28, 2008 @ 12:37 pm

Polt: Envy isn’t your color, purple is.

Michelle: I want my 2 dollars.
By Craig, August 28, 2008 @ 12:41 pm

Bernd: In the US version of the movie Bastian shouts during a thunderstorm and you can’t understand what he is saying. After reading the book and knowing that he yells Moonchild, I rewatched the movie, and you can SEE that he’s saying Moonchild even though you still can’t HEAR it. They clearly realized that Moonchild didn’t translate that well and covered it up in the movie with thunder and lightning.
By Craig, August 28, 2008 @ 12:52 pm

Michelle M: My method of taking your suggestions isn’t very scientific. I usually just see what kind of mood I’m in that week and go back and reread some suggestions and see if anything fits the bill. Otherwise I’ll just get whatever I want.

Oh, and I also have a tendency to ignore 1980′s movies starring John Cusack. I hope that’s not a problem
By polt, August 28, 2008 @ 1:09 pm

Ya know, re-reading my last comment, it seemed to me pretty sappy. What I MEANT to say was that since Dave S. is there, and since he says they have a great bar scene there, and since he says he has been in a bar, drunk, showing his undies to any who asked, well ALL of those things are why I’d want to be in Columbus!

Yeah…I much prefer being slutty than sappy….

HUGS…
By Michelle M., August 28, 2008 @ 1:22 pm

How about 1980′s movies starring Joan Cusack?
By Craig, August 28, 2008 @ 1:27 pm

Michelle M: Getting warmer. I absolutely loved her in Addams Family Values!
By Bernd, August 28, 2008 @ 1:30 pm

Michelle, how about ‘The Sure Thing’. Just the title sequence of watching Nicolette Sheridan putting on sunscreen was worth the price of admission.
By Bernd, August 28, 2008 @ 1:32 pm

ok, I need reading glasses. TST is with John Cusak.

Carry on, while I nibble carrots
By Dave S., August 28, 2008 @ 1:33 pm

Michelle M: I definitely prefer Joan to John. Except for 1408, which he was excellent in.
By Michelle M., August 28, 2008 @ 1:45 pm

Joan is great! I love her scenes in In and Out (especially the wedding dress freak out).

Bernd: Are you sure that was sunscreen? In the eighties it was all about baby oil and iodine.
By john, August 28, 2008 @ 1:50 pm

Let’s no forget her supporting, but excellent role in Working Girl. Nobody can pull off big Jersey hair like Joan.

Michelle M.: Didn’t she have a bit part in Better Off Dead too? I thought she was in a halo and drinking from a water fountain or am I remembering another movie?
By Bernd, August 28, 2008 @ 2:27 pm

Michelle, no idea what she was using to grease herself up, even if she had a sunscreen bottle, could have been whatever on a movie-set.

Didn’t remember Joan in AFV, only Christina Ricci and how often the microphone was visible on screen. Christina had the best lines as Wednesday.
Prissy Camper: why are you dressed like somebody died?
CR: Wait
By polt, August 28, 2008 @ 2:36 pm

Joan in a halo at the drinking fountain is from 16 Candles, I’m pretty sure. Love the wedding dress freak out too. She’s just great in any part she has!

HUGS….
By Dave S., August 28, 2008 @ 2:38 pm

My daughter loved Joan in School of Rock — that was her first exposure to the comedic genius of Ms. Cusack.
By Nicky, August 28, 2008 @ 3:19 pm

Evening… haven’t seen it but I love Patrick Wilson so I will eventually. Mmmmmmmm PW….

I didn’t know you already saw Hard Candy! I recommended it a while ago, so at least I know why you never watched it!
But did you see my favorite actor and actress being in a movie TOGETHER, “Little Children”?!?! I died with excitement when I heard Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson were doing a movie together.
By john, August 28, 2008 @ 3:21 pm

Polt: I think you are right, it was 16 Candles.
By Michelle M., August 28, 2008 @ 3:53 pm

Yes, definitely sixteen candles. She and John are often in the same movies.

Bernd: She played Debbie Jellinsky. From the agency.

john: Two dollars!
By Burner, August 28, 2008 @ 4:24 pm

I didn’t like Evening. It was $5 bucks at Blockbuster and I bought it. I think it ended up in the trash (or it will when I go home tonight and see if it’s still there) after I died a little inside from watching it.

However, Claire Danes was good in The Family Stone. That movie is just too good.
By john, August 28, 2008 @ 4:44 pm

Michelle: I see your two dollars and raise you “French fried, French bread, French dressing and to drink: Peru.”
By Michelle M., August 28, 2008 @ 5:00 pm

john: Go that way, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn.

Have you seen the South Park episode where they reference Better Off Dead?
By john, August 28, 2008 @ 6:15 pm

Michelle M.: You totally rock. I’m not sure I have…wait, the ski competition one?
By Michelle M., August 28, 2008 @ 8:17 pm

john: I know. The episode is Asspen. Stan has to race down the K-13 (it’s the K-12 in Better Off Dead).
By john, August 28, 2008 @ 8:22 pm

Michelle M.: I did see it! “Darsh”.