The Savagaes

In addition to renting Strange Wilderness the other day, the lady and I also rented The Savages. I had seen previews for it, but figured it was something I could wait to come to video (can I still say that since videocassettes are no longer used?) since it didn't appear to be an action movie with a million dollar effects budget. You know what I mean? You spend $10 to see something like Iron Man or Independence Day on the big screen, or even something like Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind. But, movies like The Savages you save for home viewing.

ANYWAYS, the movie was excellent. Laura Linney needs to win some kind of award this year. Between this movie and the John Adams miniseries on HBO she has been stellar. Of course, this is only enhanced by an excellent performance by Philip Seymour Hoffman. The two play brother and sister who have been estranged from their father for quite a while (I can't remember if it was years or decades) but are suddenly reunited with him and are forced to deal with his newly developed dementia and deteriorating condition.

I wont give anymore away, so I'll just tell you that the movie was very good and very moving and that I felt it really conveyed the emotions of what its like to deal with a dying parent, even if they have been out of your life for some time. The movie was filmed very simply, nothing over the top and nothing horribly artsy, and I think that really worked with the piece. As a good descriptor, this movie was like a more realistic and far less whimsical Big Fish. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone.

The Savages gets 6 Beards.

Strange Wilderness

There was something very wrong with this movie. Maybe it was the bad acting, or the poor story, or the bad filming. Either way, I can't put my finger on it and I have to tell you all, Don't Watch It.

The movie was just bad, and even the presence of Allen Covert, Jonah Hill, and Justin Long couldn't help to salvage the thing. I mean, it had a few amusing parts and I chuckled a few times, but I spent most of the movie just wondering what the fuck was going on. And, the ending was just retarded. That's all I've got to say. Oh, that and the fact the laughing shark part was funny, but not 6 times in a row.

This review is over, Strange Wilderness gets 2 Beards for the couple chuckles it got out of me.