Margot at the Wedding is a quite funny, well acted, but somewhat chilly and uninvolving look at a dysfunctional family. Nicole Kidman is excellent as the toxic title character, a semi-famous short story writer who judges everyone around her but has very little self-knowledge. Jennifer Jason Leigh plays her sister, engaged to a slacker played by Jack Black. Black tries hard but is as miscast in a high comedy of manners like this one as he was in an action spectacular like King Kong. It's hard to see this actor as anything but a variation on the dude from Tenacious D. (That's why he was perfect in High Fidelity). Leigh is fine but not the Oscar hopeful she had been touted as when the movie came out.

I (final-fucking-ly) watched the two consecutive extended parts of Grindhouse last night.

It struck me that the two parts, whilst linked with characters and ideas, are essentially very different beasts.

Planet Terror is goofy, hilarious, and essentially a piece of well-done minor satire – in fact, it was a lot like Hot Fuzz, without the self-consciousness, in spirit and inspiration.

Death Proof, on the other hand, might be that best film of 2007. Impeccably stylish, brilliantly made, rich with character and a far more symphonic sense of genre’s possibilities.

Finally another person who liked DEATH PROOF. Sure it's got its flaws, but I liked it...especially the first part.

The first part???!!!?? I could sort of stomach the second part with the car chase and the silly but interesting stunt work, but the first part was the part with Sidney Poitier's daughter giving the most annoying performance of the decade so far, smugly spouting the most ridiculous, inane dialogue ever written by Tarantino or just about anyone else.

The first part???!!!???

Just finished watching Southland Tales. Holy hell, it's a mess. But a really, really fun mess. I hope the powers that be still allow Richard Kelly to keep making movies after this.

I left the theater before Death Proof began (it was 3am at that point), but I caught it on DVD. I loved it. Maybe seeing it on DVD makes all the difference?