This Film is Not Yet Rated (2006)

Leighton & Sabine: ****
NetFlix Rental

Since I have the film's official website in the title link, here is the IMDB link. This is a documentary about the film industry, more specifically about the MPAA which assigns every film its G, PG, PG-13, R, or NC-17 rating. It's also about how this organization operates in total secrecy, and how it impacts what film makers are able to make and distribute and what we are able to see. It was very interesting, particularly its discussion of why there seems to be no problem with violence in movies but there is a problem with sexuality and sex. The movie alternates between the director hiring a private detective to determine who the people on the ratings board are and interviewing famous directors about the troubles they had making movies, including Kevin Smith (Clerks), Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don't Cry), John Waters (A Dirty Shame), and Matt Stone (South Park).

People Will Talk (1951)

Sabine: **** Leighton: ** 1/2
NetFlix Rental

Sabine had me queue up some old Cary Grant films and this was the first one on the list. I was thinking it would be a zany comedy ala Bringing Up Baby. Boy, was I wrong. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it...just not as much as Sabine. She really liked it. It was an interesting story, I just wasn't sure where it was going half the time. Cary Grant plays Dr. Noah Praetorius and Jeanne Crain plays Deborah Higgins, the young unmarried pregnant woman he falls in love with. And Margaret Hamilton, who played the Wicked Witch/Miss Gulch in The Wizard of Oz, even had a small role in it.

Eulogy (2004)

Leighton & Sabine: ****
Library Rental

Eulogy is another great movie in the "dysfunctional family" genre. And this one has a great cast: Hank Azaria (Birdcage), Debra Winger (Officer and a Gentleman), Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond), and Kelly Preston (For Love of the Game) are the grown children of Rip Torn (Men in Black) who has just passed away. Zooey Deschanel (Elf) is the granddaughter who has to give the Eulogy. Also in the cast are Famke Janssen (X-Men), Glenne Headly (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Piper Laurie (The Hustler), and Jesse Bradford (Flags of our Fathers). Very funny with moments where the family just makes you cringe.

Buffy Sings (aka Once More With Feeling)

Leighton & Sabine: ****

Friday night Sabine and I went with some friends to a midnight-showing of Once More With Feeling, the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was a big hit when it aired on TV back in 2001. Since then, it's been turned into a pseudo-Rocky Horror event. It was at the Music Box Theater in Chicago and it was a lot of fun. The place was packed and everyone was singing along and having a great time. The overall event didn't end until around 2am, and it was close to 3am when we got home. But it was worth it. The soundtrack CD of the episode is available to buy at Amazon.com.

Invincible

Louis: *** Angela: ***

We just can't get enough of these feel good, "based on a true story" Disney sports movies. Same formula as The Rookie and Miracle, this time focusing on Vince Papale (played by Mark Wahlberg), a 30 year old Philadelphia bartender who never played organized football beyond high school, who tries out for the Philadelphia Eagles during open try outs in early 70's.. Does he make it? Take a guess.

Not nearly as good as Rudy, but almost as good as The Rookie.