Just Checking In...

I just finished watching a 1953 Bogey movie called BEAT THE DEVIL.

I watched it because, apparently, animators use it to study character animation. And so My Genius Friend Dave (who animates) acquired it and let me watch it.

Interesting little flick. It's a John Houston movie, his last Film Noire flick and intended as a parody of the genre he helped create. At first you think you're just watching a Noir, but it starts getting more and more absurd, climaxing with an almost cartoon-ish twist ending. (A bit Tex Avery, actually, lol.)

Humphry Bogart (one of the stars in an all-star cast), who wasn't pleased with the final result, said of the film "Only phonies like it." But I've got to say that I like it. I mean, it's not one of my faves, and I might or might not ever watch it again. But it didn't suck, really. Not at all. It never gets boring and it does get funnier and funnier the longer it goes.

Not Broken-Lizard funny, but amusing. :)

If you're curious, the movie is in the Public Domain, so you can download it or stream it at archive.com.

Before that I watched THE MESSENGERS!

THAT movie RULES!!! :D

I jumped several times, was thoroughly creeped-out, and even screamed like a little girl a few times!

The last movie that made me scream like a little girl was the East Asian horror movie THE EYE. I don't remember if I blogged about it, but I still remember the incident very clearly: Brian was here, in his room (this a several years ago, when this room as his area and I had the rest of the appartment; we've basically flipped the areas we frequent since then) and I was in the living room watching it by myself. Something scared me so baddly that I yelled, and then I hear Brian in here laughing at me.

Turns out THE MESSENGERS is a Pang Brothers film, the same cats who made THE EYE! (I've read that they're currently working on an American version of THE EYE, so if you want to be scared -- like THE GRUDGE and THE RING scared) DO SEE IT!!! :D

I've got THE EYE 2, but I have yet to watch it. Sometimes it's because I don't feel like reading a film (it's sub-titled) and sometimes it's because I'm not sure I'm ready to be scared like that again.

I have to watch it now, though! I've seen 2 Pang Brothers films, and they were both EXCELLENT! I've got to see if THE EYE 2 keeps their reputation intact! (There is a third THE EYE movie, so THE EYE 2 probably is good.)

I kicked the night off with another My Genius Friend Dave movie, one he insisted I watch: ONE HOUR PHOTO.

Good movie.

I didn't want to see it because I know how great an actor Robin Williams is, and the promos made this movie look really creepy, in a not-supernatural/could-happen-to-you-tomorrow kind of way. I'm not a fan of real-life horror. I believe violence should exist only in storytelling, and that people should treat each other better than we do. So I had no interest in watching a great actor convince me that he's a homicidal stalker. If Robin Williams says he can play the part, I KNOW he can play the part.

That doesn't mean I need to watch him play the part.

But My Genius Friend Dave tried to convince me that the movie was different than what I thought it was.

And he was right.

Turns out it's just this quirkly little film -- beautifully written and shot and acted -- about this quirky little guy. Not nearly as insidious as I though it would be, and actually quite a bit sweeter than I could have guessed!

I probably will watch that one again sometime.

So that's 2 "Art films" in a sitting. If my film buddies give me hell about my taste in movies any time soon, I can ward them off with BEAT THE DEVIL and ONE HOUR PHOTO, lol.

Still haven't seen my baby. :( This concerns me, because she was ill, and she said she was feeling a bit better, but she also said "I'll see you tomorrow" (which was Sunday). And after we've missed each other for a few days, she usually doesn't come back online with "Sorry, I was having too much fun to say 'Hi'." Usually he absense means things are going badly for her or someone important to her. :(

Although, yesterday I did go to bed early and sleep late. So it's possible I just missed her, and she got busy today, but that all is well with her and her loved ones.

I'm gonna be optimistic and hope that this is the case.

If she's well enough to go back to work, I have another hour and 15 minutes before I know that she's not logging on. But I'm afraid I may not be able to stay awake that long. I've been at this computer for 12 or more hours now. It will be nice to stretch out in my bed, hehe.

Ooh... That sounds REALLY NICE... :)

Okay, that does it for me. I'll chat will ya's later. PEACE!!! :D