Friday, March 29, 2024
Miles from the Mainstream
D. R. ZUKERMAN, proprietor
LPR at the Movies

JANUARY 4, 2007 --

After a hiatus of several years, LPR has started to go to movies again, and will be offering clicksters brief comments on films.

How long since I was a movie-goer?

Still have difficulty distinguishing Brad Pitt from Leonardo di Caprio. Okay--here goes:

Borat. Boring (and in unredeemable poor taste).

Deja Vu. If you want to see Denzel in boxer shorts.

The Departed. Bloodier than Goodfellas, but not a contender. (Jack Nicholson does offer a neat Rip Torn impersonation, though.)

The Good Shepherd. Long on time; short on continuity.

Happy Feet. Environmental message for the children.

Night at the Museum. Nice ending; would have made a pleasant 10-minute short.

LPR's request to filmmakers: Would it be possible cut down on the sound and visual effects and let the story emerge from the script and the acting?



More on "The Good Shepherd" …

This movie, directed by Robert di Niro, includes a scene where a mafioso, played by Joe Pesci suggests to Government Man (played by Matt Damon) that his wars are on larger scale than the Mafia wars. LPR has seen one comment that says, in effect, the Skull and Bones Yalies-cum-CIAgents make mafiosi look like pikers. LPR would add that in this movie some traitors are not punished as severely as others. The Mafia, as indicated in "The Godfather," seems to give equal --and final--treatment to all traitors.