OK Billy:

I saw Modern Romance last week. Did like it. Brooks' character was such a fucked up, hyper screw-up, neurotic that it was impossible to sympathize with his predicament. ...I think Defending Your Life was a better movie. I think it depends on different tastes, who would like one better than the other. Close call.

Movies I see so that you don't have to: "Insidious"

This follows a storyline fairly similar to Poltergeist, but with an astral plane that seems to have been swiped from Argento. The only rays of light are two small supporting roles by the psychic's assistants, who inflate their own importance and bicker with each other. Patrick Wilson is Craig T. Nelson, Rose Byrne is JoBeth Williams. Add lots of dark interiors, tilty-cam, dry ice... rinse, lather, repeat.

Of the Brooks films I've seen, I think Lost in America is his best. And I didn't write much about MR, which I should have. Brooks really doesn't sugarcoat his character, as Billy mentioned.

The scene where they are trying to edit loud footstep into the movie they are working on even though they are walking on carpet is wonderful in a loony way. It reminded me of one of Bogie's pictures (I think) when there was a car chase on a snow covered road on a mountainside and the cars were screeching around turns. Ridiculous. Living in a city familiar with snowy streets I can assure you that cars don't screech on snow, in fact there is no noise whatsoever.

I think MR is probably one of the only movies where the leading character is a professional film editor and the only movie with a Foley scene.

But for sure, the Beverly Hills Cop movies all had several (Axl) Foley scenes.

Of the Brooks films I've seen, I think Lost in America is his best.

I checked out Insidious a couple of weeks ago when I was deciding what to see. I actually wrote about my tiny search. Definitely not for me. Ended up seeing Limitless. Easy choice and a very good choice.