We caught some movies over the break: bought used versions for ourselves, and others as gifts which we got to watch anyway.
Napoleon Dynamite: I got this as an Xmas gift for Joe. He likes the one-liners; I’m just enthralled with the solo dance routine. “Can we just fast forward to that scene?” I asked. No. My 4th-grader niece asked “How come everyone in the movie goes around with their mouth open?”
Strictly Ballroom: I guess I’m dating myself when I think of this as the romantic/feel-good/chick-flick movie of my niche generation. I love the Australian camp of early Baz Luhrman . . . along with . . .
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The flip-flop dress! Guy Pearce went from this to Ed Ecksley in LA Confidential (another one of my favourite movies)
Princess Chang Ping (Dai Nui Fah): I got this for my mom-in-law, a Cantonese opera. The duet in the final scene is about the only Cantonese opera song that is universally known: even I know it! The story is about the last surviving daughter of the Ming Emperor (who forced his wives and children to commit suicide, and then followed suit himself as the Manchurians invaded China). It was nocely done: M-i-L liked it. My dad-in-law and I could barely follow along the plot even though there were Chinese subtitles on the bottom of the screen.
Once Upon a Time in China III (Wong Fei Hong III) – I got this for my dad-in-law. It’s fun watching the older HK production films that featured the younger and sprightlier Jet Li (or Jackie Chan or Chow Yun Fat), as opposed to the Hollywood films that never quite ‘got it’. This particular one of the franchise features the interesting chicken and centipede ‘fights’ in a different take on lion dance-fights.
A Christmas Story: I didn’t like this movie the first time I watched it, at my cousin Terry’s, who really liked it. But it grows on you . . .especially when TBS showed it repeat non-stop for 24 hours.
Fishface 