Captain's Corner

I saw two films in the theater over the holiday weekend (I had scheduled 4 since I had so much time to myself… but I chose to clean house instead… I think I might be sick) and thought I’d share my thoughts on each of them with you:

Déjà Vu:

What’s the only thing that could save a Jerry Bruckheimer film it’s normal mediocrity of mindless explosions? The team of Denzel Washington & Tony Scott. Denzel plays Doug Carlin, an ATF agent assigned to investigate the bombing of a New Orleans ferry that kills hundreds of Navy sailors and school children. During the course of said investigation, the FBI (via Val Kilmer’s character) unveil their latest form of surveillance… the abilty to see absolutely anything and everything (within a certain area) exactly 4 days and 6 hours ago… They get only one chance to see it and then they move on, so Carlin is there to tell them where to look. So begins a process that becomes more and more “intelligent thriller” than “Everything Go Boom” that you normally get from Bruckheimer. Can we change the past? Or is it completely static, and our actions to change it only serve to play it out? To find out… check out Déjà Vu.

On a side note, Tony Scott, while having some elements of his earlier movies, stays away (for the most part) from some of his more stylized, innovation driving, cinematography and effects and focuses on really clean story telling… a let down for this fan of “Man on Fire” and “Domino”, but a good movie nonetheless.

Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny:

Rage Kage and Jables finally got their act together and gave the D fans a movie… and it rocked. And it rolled. The plot is weak (aren’t all D plots weak?) but carried by the metal/folk duo: Tenacious D. For those of you who understood only every other word of the previous sentence or two… let me catch you up. Tenacious D is an acoustic power metal duo of Kyle Gass (AKA: KG, Rage Kage) and Jack Black (AKA: JB, Jables). Yes, those are their real names, but they are also the characters in what started as a satiric comedy club act that has grown to cult status. The D thinks they are the best band ever (and in truth Kyle Gass is a very talented classically trained guitarist and Jack Black has a decent set of pipes), but unfortunately… they’re really not that good. But that doesn’t stop them from trying.

The Pick of Destiny opens with a mini-rock opera and gives us the back story of JB. His devout family doesn’t understand his need to rock, especially his father (played by Meatloaf who has a nice little solo). Because of this and prompting from his singing Dio (as in Ronnie Jame Dio, the poor man’s Ozzy Osbourne) poster… The child strikes out on his own to find his destiny and partner, KG. The two meet up and try to rock, but just can’t… so they strike out to find the Pick of Destiny, which is carved from Satan’s tooth (Because what’s satire of Rock and Roll and Heavy Metal without satirizing the exaggerated and over dramatized Satanic/Black Magic element of Heavy Metal?) and grants the user supernatural rocking. That’s it… that’s the plot. Throw in a wild mushroom-induced fantasy with Sasquatch and an epic battle with Satan and you’ve got the makings for low-brow humor that will keep you laughing.

Is this family film? Absolutely not… of course nothing the D has ever done has been family oriented. Is it funny? Heck yes.

That’s it for now… I hope to hit Casino Royale (and see if the new Bond can hack it… Stupid blond Englishman…) and also the Fountain sometime in the next week or so… if you’re lucky I’ll give you my two cents on ‘em!

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