So Dan is out of town this week, at a "business conference" he attends every year ... in Las Vegas. I'm pretty sure it's just a big excuse for a bunch of computer hacker nerds to get together and see who can come up with the weirdest things to do to one another's computers.
In any event, I'll have some time on my hands this week, and I've ordered some movies I've been wanting to watch on Netflix. Here are my selections: Monsoon Wedding, Everything is Illuminated, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, and The Office Season One (the British version, which I've heard is better than the American version).
Pretty much all of these come highly reccommended and I'm looking forward to watching them, but since I have a hard time making really stupid choices, I think I'll let y'all tell me which one to watch first. I'll post my reviews as I watch them, so if there's anything in that list you really want to hear about from my skewed perspective, or anything you have found particularly good, speak now or forever hold your peace (Chris Carr, you whiner, you and your wife better come see us anyway.)
Comments (5)
Daniel and I rented the british version on accident, and... it wasn't really that funny. But maybe we just don't have good tastes... I don't know.
Posted by Hannah | July 31, 2006 9:35 PM
Posted on July 31, 2006 21:35
Thanks for my shout out Haley! Even if you do call me whiney (which I am!) Oh how I'd love to come to New Mexico! Me and Linds will have a pow wow and discuss. We are also in the process of selecting grad schools, which might happen sooner than later.
Anyway, the only movie that I have experience with in that list is Everything Is Illuminated. I saw a preview for it a while back and have been wanting to see it since. Everytime I went to Blockbuster it was all checked out (that is why we need NetFlix!) I finally got it and me and Linds watched it one night. It was very good. Just remember...Sammy Davis Junior Junior!!
Posted by Chris | August 1, 2006 12:39 PM
Posted on August 1, 2006 12:39
yeah, the british version of the office is lame.
Posted by daniel | August 1, 2006 1:26 PM
Posted on August 1, 2006 13:26
For me, the British version is what defines hilarious. But then again, I'm partial to British Comedies and the weirdness of what I watch has no end. I've seen a couple of episodes of the US version and thought it was OK. So I guess it's really a taste thing. Monsoon Wedding I thought was a good 'artsy/indie' Bollywood movie. It's Bollywood minus all the funny break out into song in the middle of the meadow under pouring rain bit.
Looks like you have a good selection on hand. Have fun!
Posted by Susie | August 1, 2006 1:55 PM
Posted on August 1, 2006 13:55
Haley and I have already discussed this, but...the British Office is hilarious and definitely funnier than the American one. Though the American version has become quite good of late, especially as they make the show their own, instead of a carbon copy of the original.
It does take some getting used to, especially since the dialogue is spoken in a mixture of British slang and mumbling. And it is a very different show, with its own type of rhythm. But the more I watched it, and as I got used to the style and the slang, the more I liked it.
The other thing to be aware of, is that it is a dark comedy, frequently painful to watch because most of the characters are such idiots/morons/posers. The humor comes from the characters and their desperations and insecurities, which is why it is so great...unlike so many of our comedies, which are "funny" because of "gags" and "jokes."
Fair warning, though, the British Office is definitely a hard PG-13 or even R-rated at times. There is some vulgarity and "boys will be boys" behavior, but the series (albeit subtly) seems to actually frown on this and to be coming from a relatively moral standpoint. That becomes clearer once you've seen all of the episodes.
Plus, you'll get to hear the almost classic tune "Free Love Freeway"!
Posted by Cody | August 1, 2006 10:00 PM
Posted on August 1, 2006 22:00