The Golden Globes are fun because they're not nearly as formal and portentious as the Oscars, but they're still taken (possibly too) seriously by the industry, mostly because they're seen as a bellweather for Academy voting trends. They're big enough so that all the stars show up, but there's booze and food and lots of milling around at the tables, so people are more relaxed and potentially silly. There is a LOT of drinking at the GG's, God bless 'em.
Pre-show - Live from Red Carpet:
Pre-show bullshit interviews, blah blah blah. E! hosts are, to a soul, vapid and tedious. I wish they'd get that hilarious shit-stirring bitch Kathy Griffin back on the line.
Extensions. Overdone. I'm very tired of all the fake hair. It's all so Paris Hilton.
Speaking of hair, Jennifer Love Hewitt's crazy oversized up-do is making her look like the love child of Sigourney Weaver and an Alien. An extra set of projectile jaws should be snapping out at Seacrest's face as they chat. She should be vomiting acid onto his shoes. Implanting some overgrown fanged maggot in his solar plexus. Even her dress is glossy and bug-brown. Like an alien carapace. Hewitt, you'd better hope Bill Paxton doesn't catch sight of you, because he might just up and decide to catch a breather from all the Mormom wife-bangin' and take up bug-hunting again, and then there will be trouble.
Vanessa Williams - wow, lady, did you have a bad fright right before the show? Did someone from PETA threaten you and that ugly fur capelet thing of yours with a big bucket of Ralph Lauren Hunting Coat Red or something? If not, then what else could possibly explain the follicular supernova you're sporting on the back half of your head? Yeesh.
Hayden Panettiere has a jumbo piece of film wrapped around her waist. I know, I know, the dress is getting a lot of good feedback, but I think the middle bit's weird. Love the box purse with the little mirror flap on it, though.
Sienna Miller - the gown is actually OK, for once - but oh Lord, the Swiss-Miss-Goes-Bohemian hairdo.... Aw hell, should I even bother making fun of it? Kind of low-hanging fruit, really.
Why does Patricia Arquette persist in believing that her most flattering hairstyle is the one that's an homage to Max Headroom? Why can't she ever seem to get her hair-and-outfit mojo rising? And as for her sister Rosanna - lady, there are matrons in the Heartland that would not only declare that dress "too frumpy to wear in public", but also refuse to even use the lace for table doilies. Could you please both let your sister-in-law choose your outfits for you next time? She may not be able to act her way out of a paper sack on her new show, but she does know how to dress.
The kids from "Little Miss Sunshine" are awesome. Little Abagail Breslin kills me. She seems completely comfortable and unaffected by all the to-do, although you'd think that would just be overwhelming for a kid. She totally deflected Seacrest's insipid question about "there will be so many big stars here - Brangelina - who are you excited to see tonight?" by giving him sort of a "Meh, whatever" look then saying, "Wait hold on, watch this, you have to see this!", and showing off the same type of little purse with the mirror on the outside that Hayden was displaying before... There was nothing inside; but she was totally non-embarrassed by that, because, duh, "none of her stuff would fit". What was her stuff, anyway? Anyway, she's cute as a button and makes that preternaturally-poised Dakota Fanning kid look like a trained seal.
I love seeing the stars hovering in the background trying hard not to look like they're embarrassed to be standing in line to talk to E! so that they can log some air-time for their borrowed finery. Clothes whores!
Even Tina Fey is advertising her meager assets with one of those dresses. You know of which I speak. Seriously, sternums are totally the best accessory this season. She looks great - I'm not much in love with her show, but I think she's awesome.
Oh, Ellen Pompeo, there are so many solutions out there for THO management. Didn't you know it was going to be chilly tonight?
Dane Cook - is his fame timer @ 14:59 yet? Please?
Chandra Wilson has rallied. The Purple Pantsuit Incident is forgotten; tonight she is elegant, voluptuous and glam. Nice mulligan, lady.
Speaking of rallying - Felicity Huffman's dress is, honestly, about the best one I've seen this night. The deep peacock color is gorgeous, and the style is so much more flattering than the vampy lowcut stuff. Another rally.
I keep thinking Eric Dane is Leonardo DiCaprio.
Well, of course Angelina and Brad are perfect. Boringly, smugly flawless. Aloof, terse Angelina could not be trying harder to shed the last vestiges of the old chick who used to wear a tube of hillbilly blood around her neck and talk about the myriad joys of wielding sharp knives in bed. Listen, Jolie, a few short years ago you looked like fucking Morticia Addams and you were making out with your brother on camera. We the viewing audience are like elephants, chica. We don't forget. Sure, people are allowed to mature and change. However, St. Angie, just know that we're patiently waiting for your Crazy to pop back up. Where there's faith, there's hope.
OK, Reese Witherspoon looks hot. I am so glad to see her vamping it up a little - it's precisely what she needed to do right now. That canary-yellow dress is bold and attention-grabbing, a definite departure from her more restrained vintage-couture look of recent years, and she's rocking an ultra-sexy haircut to go with it. Well-played! Mama is back on the market, and hotness is the best revenge.
I love Kate Winslet. I could listen to her talk all day. She's the heir apparent to Helen Mirren and Judy Dench. Fabulous.
OK, I'll give it to Renee Zellweger - she doesn't look nearly as much as usual like a drowned corpse in couture. She too is wearing a version of that rich peacock-greenish-blue color I'm seeing a lot of tonight.
Beyonce. What's with the Solid Gold Slut gown? Ick.
Cameron's dress, as usual, is a little too weird to work. Too many little clashing accents going on with the one perky chiffon shoulder-strap and the ribbon and the sequin belty thing. If you dropped all the unneccesary embellishments, it'd be fine. As is, though? Thumbs down.
Drew Barrymore looks good. Her dangerous bodice beasts are safely in captivity this year, thankfully.
Even Helen Mirren's doing the Sternum Flash (with optional dark peacock color - all she's lacking is the thin belt with sparkly buckle that's another recurring theme of the night. Someone's stylist is on the trends like a hen on eggs). However, it doesn't bug me as much on her because I'm pretty impressed she can still pull it off.
Award Show:
Best Original Song in a M.P.:
Prince did a theme song for cartoon? Honestly? Well, I'll be. And he won. But is not there to collect. Why am I not surprised? What's surprising is that the Artist Formerly Known as Symbol didn't send some tarted-up, purple-clad lady protege out there to accept on his behalf, a la Marlon Brando and his squaw. OK, the thing where Timberlake crouched down to accept on Prince's behalf was mildly amusing. However, I was still distracted by the dude's blatantly squared-off eyebrow waxing. Seriously, ask for a little blending next time.
Least Humorous Performance by A Female, aka Best Female in A TV Series Drama:
Kyra Sedgwick clearly didn't expect to win this one - she's definitely an "always the bridesmaid" sort. Good for her. So this year's euphemism for agent, manager, publicist, lawyer, etc. is "the team", apparently. Go team!
Best Actor, TV Series Drama:
I like how Hugh Laurie remembered to go back and kiss his lady. Wise man. Hilarious acceptance speech. Thumbs up.
Seeing that 40-something blond "ballroom correspondant" chick from E! - Nancy O'Dell, that's her name - wearing the plunging dressfront has most definitely caused this trend to jump the shark for me, and we're only a short way into the season. Gah. Too much side-boob! I can't take it anymore!
Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy:
It bugs me when nominees clap for themselves during the roll call. I never even heard of the Miss Potter movie with Zellweger's up for. Regardless, Meryl Streep takes it. Yet again. Really, like Meryl NEEDED another award? She must have a whole other house just to hold the statues. Can we just give her an all-time Awesomest Actress Ever Award and disqualify her from future running? It's really not fair. Zellweger is misting up. She's so disappointed. But did she really think she had a shot in this category? No one even saw her movie. For real, if anyone should be crying, it should be Toni Collette. They haven't shown her, but I bet she's holding it together. OK, all that being said, Meryl does always give good speech. She just made an excellent point about how, obviously, the wide distribution of her flick contributed to its success vs. smaller and less publicized films that deserved more attention, and the need to communicate with our local theaters about what we want to see. So OK, sometimes it's worth her getting yet another award just to hear what she has to say.
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture:
Hey, hold the phone and check out the audience camera pan. There, behind Eddie Murphy? That's fucking Prince! Hey, Prince? Did you notice you won an award earlier? And that the general guideline is to accept said award yourself if you happen to have shown up? Wha....?
I have some catching up to do before the Oscars/Emmys, without doubt. There are several actors in the mix I've never heard of.
Best TV Series Comedy:
Oh, look how excited the Ugly Betty crew is. They're a raucous bunch. I'm actually a little verklempt for them. Now I need to start watching it.
Jamie Foxx just gave Prince a shout-out, and yet, no camera shot. Are they not allowed to film him? What the hell is the deal?
Best Foreign Language Film:
It just seems weird that Letter From Iwo Jima is winning when it's barely even released domestically (it came out in limited release on Christmas)... And yet, Children of Men was in the same situation and didn't get dick. Bah.
What the jive-talking Jesus is up with Hugh Grant's hair? It looks like he let some mentally challenged kids loose on it with some mousse and a hairdryer. That whole tousled look is about 5-7 years stale.
Ah, apparently Prince was stuck in traffic when they gave out his award. OK then. Next time, Pimp Dandy... Less primping, more hustling.
Best Actress - TV Comedy or Musical:
Ugly Betty takes it. America Ferrera. She should win just for her name. And... let the weeping begin. Heh. OK, she's making me a little weepy, with all her talk about the regular girls who write her and say that her character inspires them. Audience pan of all the teary eyes. Ha, she's making everyone cry. Word to the girls-with-great-personalities of the world!
Warren Beatty is still kinda hot. Batty, but hot.
OK. who didn't tamp down Reese's hair for her before she went out? What is with the overly-mussed hair on these presenters - ooh, or could it be that Reese and Hugh were making out in some dark corner behind the scenes? Hmm.
Actor - Motion Picture:
So Borat wins. And we finally get to hear Sacha Baron Cohens' unaltered voice. And he proceeds to talk mostly about... balls and ass. Righteous.
Movie- Comedy or Musical:
Dreamgirls wins? That's... Wow. Bill: "So some old gay Jewish guy wins an award for a film about a black girl group?" Tess: "... and that's Hollywood."
TV Series: Gray's Anatomy - great, so we have to keep hearing about McFuckingDreamy for the foreseeable future.
Actor - Motion Picture Drama:
Forrest Whittaker. Baby, what a big surprise! I saw him on the Actor's Studio and he seems like a very cool guy. Very intelligent and introspective, a true chameleon of an actor despite his unusual looks.
OK, I'm done here. A bit underwhelming, the whole affair, and the overabundance of camera cuts to that hammy old rascal Jack Nicholson made me think that it was him getting the lifetime award, not Beatty. Anyway, there were a couple of pretty good speeches and a small but pleasing smattering of crazy fashion choices. And I definitely think Reese Witherspoon and Hugh Grant should get it on if they aren't already.
We commence our awards show season with the People's Choice Awards.
The producers of The PCA's are shrewd schedulers. They know that they need to be the first show on the scene in a given year if they have even a halfway shot at some decent Nielsen ratings. The PCA's are the warm-up lap of the awards show races. They are the Rodney Dangerfield of entertaiment accolades. Little girls, upon winning the title role of Little Orphan Annie in their first community theater production, don't lay in their beds that night starry-eyed and dreaming of the moment when they'll be on stage holding a ginormous, dangerous-looking hunk of glass with a couple of hands floating inside of it - looking for all the world like something you'd see advertised in the back of Parade magazine as a Lennox Limited Edition Jesus' Healing Hands of Prayer Crystal Sculpture, yours for only 36 easy installments of $9.99 +S&H - and sobbing, "You! The people! You've chosen me! You love me!" If you see a PCA recipient wielding a tissue while they're expressing their gratitude, it'll be because they have post-nasal drip, or else the blow habit is getting a little off the hook.
For the actors, writers and producers, it's a blip on the radar screen - the first twinkling indication of how their productions are going to fare when the larger awards come along. And yet, let's face it, no one in Hollywood really cares what The People vote for... At least, not that segment of people who volunteer to go to a website and click on their favorites from a pre-compiled list based on national ratings averages, box-office grosses, and album sales. The PCA voters are strictly civilian pop-culture sheep. They are neither industry insiders like the Screen Actors' Guild or the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, nor high-profile industry outsiders such as the New York Film Critics Circle or the overinflated but inexplicably relevant parasites who call themselves the Foreign Press Association. The only "people" votes that matter were already provided with wallets or TV viewership throughout the year, and the PCA's are, simply, an excuse to generate publicity and ad revenue for its sponsors.
This is also the time of year for designers to begin courting celebrities who will pimp their couture for the cameras, and the PCA's are an opportunity to trial-run their designs - although the event is such a minor one that no one, not even E! Entertainment Channel, sees fit to waste airtime on the red carpet arrivals. (During this year's show, they had a brief segue halfway through the broadcast with Steven Coju... Cujo... Cockatoo... Whatever the hell that freak's name is, harrassing the celebs as they came in - but not long enough to really get a gander at the fashions. Which, for me, represents a big chunk of the entertainment value of the whole awards show experience. Yet another way in which the PCA's underperform.) However, I was able to glean some small observations from the audience pans and, of course, presenters and accepters of awards.
On that note, without further adieu, let's dig into my recaps (presented, as with past recaps, solely in the form of bulletized talking points - if you really care about context, you're mostly out of luck):
- Queen Latifah is the host - hmm, interesting faux snakeskin pattern on that dress of hers. I have to hand it to her undergarment rigging crew - they have her secured like the President's declared a Threat Level Red on backfat.
- Latifah's conducting quite a hugathon with the audience. That little boy she accosted looked downright fearful of getting crushed to death in her ample bosom. Gah, she had to go and call Dempsey "McDreamy". Goddamned McDreamy. I don't even watch that show, and I'm sick as hell of that lame nickname. Enough, I say! Whichever of that show's writers McDreamed up that McFucking McNickname should be McBeaten to within a McInch of their McSorry McLife.
- And here, with Felicity Huffman, we get into one of the first fashion trends I'm noticing this year - scrawny white chicks in dresses with navel-grazing necklines. Oh Felicity, I like you just fine and you're a sexy lady even though you were a little too good at portraying a transvestite; however, you need to know that despite what the fashion industry is trying to sell you, that leather-bound shoehorn wedged between your nipples is not an acceptable substitute for cleavage. You could open beer bottles on that sternum of yours. Here's a primer: Breasts = soft and curvy. Breastbone = hard and scary.
- LL Cool J's wearing a English tweed ivy cap. Did I miss something... When exactly did he get a British peerage? Should we be calling him Lord Cool J now? Was he fox-hunting before the show?
- So I know "Funny Male Star" winner Robin Williams has completed rehab, but has he split up from his wife? He brought his noticably unenthused daughter Zelda as his date, and he's dry-humping every other female who gets near him - first Latifah during her celebrity-hug session, then poor Halle Berry on stage. (Why do men think that when they're handed an award from Halle Berry, they're also getting carte blanche to sexually assault her? Would anyone do that shit to Nicole Kidman?). He shouted out to the "women in his life", but the only specific ones he mentioned were his mom and Zelda, who just looks pissed off. Then again, if my dad was behaving on national TV like a dog who's eaten his owner's entire bottle of Viagra, I'd be a little vexed as well.
- Our second torso-exposing blonde, and winner of the Best Use Of Double-Sided Tape In An Awards Ensemble Award: Emily Proctor. The rest of the dress sucks - it's got all the flattering tailoring of one of those square holiday gift bags that's been ripped open down the front.
- "Female Star - Movies": Jennifer Aniston. How nice of the people to throw her a crystal bone after her annus horribilis (no "what's so horrible about her anus?" jokes, please. -ed.) Quote: "Thank you for loving 'The Break-Up' - I did". Double-entendre - suh-nap-pay! Which breakup, though? I hope Vince out there in the audience isn't feeling like you just punked him in front of everyone. Anyway, on another note, let it be said that I'm so glad to see that she's gained back a little weight - just enough so that her upper arms aren't concave anymore. It suits her, and she looks hotter than ever.
- Note to Christina Appelgate: chiffon bodices should be fitted. If they're loose, and you're midway through your 30's, then even if that's not your actual boobflesh flapping limply over the ribbon around your ribcage? People may assume. That's all I'm saying.
- Johnny Depp, "Male Star - Movies" winner, what up with the repetitive scalp scratching while you're remote-accepting your award? I know you live in France, where soap and soap-related products are strictly for export and not something the locals believe in - but the magic of the Internet is such that a nice, big bottle of Head and Shoulders is a mere double-click away. Select the expedited shipping, dude. The Golden Globes will be here sooner than you think.
- Skeet Ulrich - the budget Depp. Good to see he's getting work again.
- Ashley Scott - why, a blond with a belly-cut gown. How fresh! Ulrich is totally angling to ogle her well-ventilated rack as they go through their spiel. Oh, bless.
- The hell is that chick from Gray's Anatomy wearing? Chandra Wilson is her name. Seems like a nice lady and all. But that lavender satin pantsuit with the tunic flaring like a ballerina skirt over her generous hips is doing a short, plump gal like her no favors whatsoever. I keep thinking, "Lollypop Guild". Who is your stylist, lady? Fire them, tuit-suite!
- It still freaks me out that Howie Mandel has no hair anymore. And hoops in both ears. I keep thinking he should be wearing harem pants and a short vest, and granting wishes or giving housewives advice on how to make their linoleum sparkle or something.
- Cameron Diaz has gone goth! A reasonable reactionary switch-up in style after breaking up with the *NSync R&B white-boy wonder, I guess.
- I'm glad Ellen won for best talk-show host, punking Oprah; in the world of daytime talk show hosts, she's one of the few I don't find completely self-important and annoying. How cute that she brought two of her fans with her on stage, and let them tote their cameras with them. Although, what better way to underscore the total lack of interest recipients feel about winning this award than to turn it into a fangirl photo op? I almost feel bad for the show's producers.
- Rascal Flats ("Best Song - Movie") - country boys doing a pretty good job... of not looking like country boys. This is not a bad thing.
- Cameron claims in her "Leading Lady - Movies" acceptance chat (I can't really call anything people say on this stage tonight a "speech") that everyone in the business does it 100% for the people. That's sweet. It's also total bunk, but really the only platitude someone accepting a PCA award can offer up that makes them sound like they halfway care.
- Ugh, this show is pretty bloody dull, I have to confess. At least at other minor events like the MTV Movie Awards, the audience and producers are all in on the inconsequentiality of the thing (the statue's a big gilded bucket of popcorn, for God's sake), and they have fun with it. Come on, people! Where are the funny tongue-in-cheek speeches? The pranks? The hijinks? Are you all still hung over from New Year's? I'm guessing half of them probably forgot they even had to come to this thing until their assistants reminded them, like, the day before when the outfits showed up. "Oh yeah, that... Ugh, christ. Yeah, I guess I'll still go." They had nothing better to do on a Tuesday night, and at least they could network/gossip during the quite frequent commercial breaks.
- OK, I know a lot of gals are wearing short skirts and this fact practically begs for a Britney underwear joke - but more than three in one night is enough. It's played. Let's leave it alone now. Ooh, Tom Rothman (or whoever reads his mail for him) is gonna be teh Pissed at "Female Action Star" winner Halle for telling a million slobbering geeks to write him about making yet another X-Men movie. "Dood, U got 2 do xMeN4 bcuz it roolz!!!!1"
- I must start watching Heroes. Why am I not watching Heroes? This is a grave oversight. I blame Bill.
- That Hannah Montana chick has unreasonably long skinny legs. Spider legs. Crazy spider legs. She's a teen Shelob.
- Justin Timberlake, "R&B Song" Winner. Is Ray Charles not rolling over in his grave? I ask you. OK, maybe not for this award, but still.
- Eva Longoria, "Female Star - TV" - "I think it's unfair I won, I have a big Mexican family and I think they all voted twice. " Heh.
- Vince Vaughan ("Leading Man - Movies") looks awful! So pale, so grim. Someone check for puncture marks on his neck. Or maybe just knife marks in his back from where Jennifer stuck him with their recent split. You know it wasn't him calling that business off, and clearly he's pretty goddamned depressed even though they're both working overtime to sell the "We're still great friends!" schtick to the world at large. Or maybe he's just profoundly, epically hung over and can't be bothered to hide the fact for the People. His demeanor, the ennui with which he accepted the final award of the evening, and the get-the-fucking-camera-out-of-my-face-already look he had while walking out of the auditorium just about perfectly sums up how everyone seems to feel about these awards. Even Queen Latifah couldn't bring herself to be anything but blandly congenial throughout the show. Boooooring. I'm glad to be putting this one to bed.
Next up: Golden Globes! There's where the rubber will really be meeting the road on this tour...
"What kind of clown show do you have going on over there?"
- William Rhodes, half-asleep, upon being awakened this morning by the sounds of his wife spilling the red cup full of water on his bedside table, knocking over the empty steel flask next to it while mopping it up, and his alarm going off in the middle of it all.
Tonight marks the advent of Award Show Season with our first televised gala, the People's Choice Awards.
Now, if you've read this crap I write here for a while, you know that Tess loves her award shows (so much so that I have to declare it in the third person just to keep from collapsing in verklemptitude on my keyboard). They are my Super Bowl, my Wimbledon, my Final Episode of American Idol OMG!!!1... They complete me. I can't say exactly why. Is it the fancy pre-show fashion parade? The thrill of artistic competition? The sheer concentration of overstyled, solipsistic stardom packed into in a confined, tense, intoxicant-drenched, velvet-lined powder keg? Or D, all of the above? I think D.
The girls at Go Fug Yourself have my dream job. They are my Elvises (Elvisi? Elviras?), and I could never aspire to their heights of catty cleverness. None the less, here's my resolution for 2007: I'll be watching every award show I can manage to TiVo, and I'll take notes and provide my editorial recaps of the action here. That is my promise to you - all three of you, my devoted readers. In fact, I'm even going to create a new entry category here on MG for "Award Shows" (as well as flagging my past recaps with same for easy reference). That's how much I feel, feel for you baby.
As resolutions go, it's not exactly up there with "run a marathon" or "start a charity" or even "floss every night"... But it's a goal toward which to work, and that's really all a resolution is about, right? That's what I thought.
Do you like "Blade Runner"? "Twelve Monkeys"? Dystopian sci-fi? Or just awesome movies in general? Then you really should go see "Children of Men" if you can find a theater that's showing it. Absolutely kick-ass movie. You won't come away with the warm glow of happy in your heart, but it's a hell of a well-written and well-filmed flick.
First of all, CoM is one of those rare future-fiction films, like "Blade Runner" or "Aliens" or even the original trilogy of "Star Wars", where an exquisite attention is given to the small details of a world to come. They aren't shoved in your face or over-explained or precious - they're just there. The logic and effort that were put into evolving current technology and culture into future forms are clear; the result is so subtely rendered, however, that the net effect is the exact opposite of calling attention to the effects. Rather, it just made me believe absolutely the world into which I'd been dropped, and in doing so drew me that much more into the story itself. I want to see it again just to pay more attention to the background details.
The movie was filmed with that same sense of pulling the audience right into and through the moment. It's filled with long, single-shot takes that create a sort of embedded reporter perspective. The camera tends to stay close to the main character, like the viewer is looking over his shoulder or sitting next to him much of the time instead of watching him at a distance. There is a lot of violence - blood and bullets a-go-go - but it happens so matter-of-factly and as part of a larger plot progression that it simply underscores the hard realism of the story; essentially, it's the sort of thing that you might see on the streets of Baghdad today. There's an ambush in one part that's one of the best-filmed action scenes I've ever seen.
Aside from the amazing setting and cinematography, however, the story itself is compelling and believable. The plot made me think about how quickly a modern society already under pressure from elements like religious conflict and racism might well implode from the impact of one final catastrophic event - in this case, a universal plague of infertility. I was consistently struck by the jarring contrast between the high-tech trappings of a Silicon-Age society and the base behaviors of its stressed-out, aging citizens, reduced to chaotic survivalism as humanity's final days slowly but surely approach. The movie definitely has some suspension-of-disbelief moments, especially toward the end; but Clive Owen's performance in particular goes a long way toward carrying the audience through the less plausible moments and making them work somehow. He renders the cynicism, repressed anguish, and lapsed-idealist heroism of his character with perfect pitch. There's a definite Humphrey Bogart quality to his performance, in all the best ways. I'll admit by way of disclaimer that Owen's been my moviestar-crush since all the way back to "Gosford Park" when he was unknown outside of the UK - but he absolutely owns this part, and if he doesn't get heaped with awards for this one, the sky may in fact fall from sheer injustice. He made the right choice in making this movie instead of taking on the baggage of James Bond (incidentally, I think Daniel Craig is the best Bond since Connery; so everyone wins).
Anyway, I could go on raving, but there are a lot of reviews out there that do a better job than I do of describing why this movie rocks... I'll simply say that it's the best movie I've seen in a long time. Why it's not in wide release yet, I can't fathom. It's one of those movies that's really best to see on the big screen rather than waiting for the DVD - so, if you can find it, you should definitely think about checking it out.