I’ve been spending my copious spare time recently catching up on movies I’ve missed. Here’s some quick thoughts on four of them.
Fright Night
This remake of the original Roddy McDowell vampire flick was a pleasant surprise. It’s a wafer-thin piece of popcorn entertainment that I enjoyed quite a bit. Well performed (I especially liked David Tennant’s work here as “Vampire Hunter” David Vincent) and well paced, it’s a fun movie.
Attack the Block
Another surprise, this low-budget SF film from the UK about street hoodlums fighting aliens had me cheering. A fantastic movie that absolutely delighted me.
The People Vs. George Lucas
This documentary on the rise and fall of George Lucas (fall being the view of many fanboys who feel Lucas “raped their childhood”) is the perfect companion piece to the recent Star Wars blurays. Much more than fans complaining, it gives voice to the love/hate relationship people have with Lucas and his greatest creation.
World’s Greatest Dad
The oldest movie in this mix (it came out in 2009) and the one I liked the most. Directed and written by Bobcat Goldwaith, and starring Robin Williams, the movie is absolute genius, with Williams playing a father who has to deal with… Well, I won’t say anymore, because anymore will spoil it. The less you know about this movie before you see it, the better. A black comedy so dark it borders on the ultraviolet, this was one of the best films I’ve seen in the past year.