Tuesday, September 15, 2009

QUICK NOTES

I loved Mike Judge's hysterical new comedy Extract (A-). I'm looking forward to discussing it at length soon and I'm already anticipating the DVD release. It's unfortunately dying a quick death at the box office in the same fashion as Judge's other two brilliant comedies, Office Space and Idiocracy. Just not fair. Jason Bateman is a funny motherfucker and he really kills it in this movie. Everyone in the cast kills it for that matter. Go see it.

Also, go out and rent Good Dick (A-), an extremely offbeat and highly emotional romantic dramedy from writer/director/actress Marianna Palka. I'll have some extended thoughts in an upcoming DVD round up.

Lastly, the local Blockbuster Video near my apartment is closing (too many other locations in the immediate area), and they are liquidating their inventory. At reduced rate, I picked up the following titles: Che Part 1, Che Part 2, Two Lovers, Little Monsters, Space Camp, The Squid and the Whale, Happy-Go-Lucky, I Love You, Man, I'm Not Scared, I've Loved You So Long, and Spaceballs. Each week the liquidated prices will get lower, so I'm expecting add more titles by the week.

6 comments:

giggles said...

Going to see Extract TONIGHT!!!!

Actionman said...

let me know what you think!

Chase Kahn said...

I liked "Extract", too, action.

It's maybe a bit too broad and obvious for my tastes and features one too many bad drug experiences, but Jason Bateman, while continuing to play the same character, is so genius in it.

I liked A.O. Scott's comment on it where he said something to the degree of how Judge is so observant and particular about how dumb various people are in society. "Extract" is almost like a companion piece to "Burn After Reading" -- I lauged a lot.

Actionman said...

It is a bit broad and obvious, but at the same time, it's subtle in spots, and very well observed about certain work place things. The drug stuff, for me, was some of the best stuff. The decision to have the space sound-effects while Bateman was tripping on Special K was inspired. And the digital bong hit smoke was priceless. Your comparison to Burn After Reading is spot on.

giggles said...

Well, I enjoyed it a lot...but my overwhelming thought during it was "Definately a guy's movie." I was thinking that cuz I usually go to movies alone, but had invited my dear girlfriend to with me on a "girl's night out" and we had already seen J&J....

It was insightful, delightful, and I also found the drug scenes great...LOL funny!!!!


I also kept thinking Ben Affleck looks like Jesus Christ... and found him oddly distracting in that way...was he s'posed to? (I often miss that kind of subtlety....) But I also thought he was hilarious in spots, too.

Overall, I agree with your A-, although I might go B or B+ if I were grading it. Glad I saw it though. (Jason B. is such a cutie... I never watched Arrested Dev....)

Actionman said...

Look for my full review, Giggles...but interesting thoughts, thanks for sharing!

i too haven't gotten into arrested dev but really want too. my wife is also a big fan of jason b.

the drug scenes were fantastic...great humor with those spacey sound effects during the special k scene.