Dogs, Coolers and Minds

Movie Review: Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

This is a great heist-gone-wrong movie. Pacino plays the leader of a small band of ill prepared crooks who plan to rob a bank in broad daylight. They are supposed to in and out in only 10 minutes. They end up getting stuck there for over 10 hours as everything goes to hell. After the cops show up and the media and crowds of people aren't far behind. The film takes on a political stance as Pacino's character revels in the spotlight, making incediary speeches to the cheering crowds. "Attica! Attica!" I'm sure it was quite powerful when the film first came out. It's great to see Pacino's character pulling all the strings as he jaunts around in the street as hundreds of police and snipers can do nothing but watch. Pacino is great, as is John Cazale as the both pathetic yet frightening Sal. I liked everything about this movie until it's revealed that Pacino is robbing the bank to pay for his boyfriend's sex change operation. That was a little too weird and unecessary I think. However it's all supposed to be based on a true story which makes it all the stranger. 8/10

Movie Review: The Cooler (2003)

William H Macy and Maria Bello star in this clever casino movie. Macy is a 'cooler', someone with the ability to project bad luck onto anyone who might be on a streak. The thing is, his bad luck is permanent. He's unlucky in love and life, a broken shell of a man. He's forced to work for an old-school casino boss played perfectly by Alec Baldwin because he owes him money. He's also got Baldwin to thank for his shattered kneecap. Macy's luck begins to change when he falls in love with a cocktail waitress played Bello. As his bad luck disappears so does his ability to pass it onto others. This doesn't impress his boss too much. 8/10

Movie Review: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Another movie from the mind and pen of Charlie Kaufman. Just like his previous hits 'Being John Malkovich' and 'Adaptation' this one is a mind blower. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet play an eccentric couple who've both had enough of each other and decided to have their partner wiped from their memories using a new futuristic technology. Things don't go exactly as planned however as it seems some things can't be truly erased. Kirsten Dunst and Elijah Wood have nice supporting roles as 2 staff members you'd never want involved in any sort of delicate prodecure as a memory wipe. 10/10

TV Review: 30 Days - Season 2 (2006)

From producer Morgan Spurlock (the 'Super-Size Me' guy) we get another season of people experiencing a new way of life for 30 days. I found season 2 to be a lot stronger than season 1. There were some real life changing experiences here. Such as the legal Cuban immigrant who is so strongly against letting in illegal immigrants that he arms himself and patrols the US-Mexican border. He lives with a family of illegal immigrants for a month and gets to see things from their point of view. He's pretty adamant in his ideas until he crosses the border over into Mexico to see his host family's old home. It's nothing but a bunch of brick walls next to a ditch. Not even any walls. It's very moving.
Other episodes include; an American worker going to India to meet the people who his old job was outsourced to; a pro choicer lives with a rabid group of pro lifers; an atheist lives with a family of devout Christians; and Spurlocks spends a month in jail.

Book Review: Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice 6: The Uncertain Path - Jude Watson

Obi-Wan finds himself in over his head when the planet he just helped free is on the brink of civil war again. The altruistic group of youngsters he was helping have changed since coming to power. Meanwhile, Qui-Gon finds himself embroiled in a string of thefts within the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.