Paul's Place

Ridley Scott's "Director's Cut" of his excellent 1982 film Blade Runner. This version features a different ending, but the most noticible difference is the absence of Harrison Ford's narration. An excellent "alternate" version of the film.

Based on the Philip K. Dick novel, this movie has an excellent cast, including Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson, and Robert Downey Jr., among others. The movie was shot on film and then animated with the process known as rotoscoping, which produces an animation midway between say comic book and live action film.

Fred Arctor is an undercover cop in a world where nearly everyone is addicted to a mysterious drug known as Substance-D He sets up a sting operation to nab a notorious drug runner named Bob, only to find out that Bob is...him!

You know by now that I love documentaries. Well, this is a documentary on the hardcore punk rock "movement" of the early 80s. An excellent film it is well worth the watch for any music fan.

Matthew McConaughey stars as a sports prognoticator who's on a roll. Al Pacino plays the top "sports consultant" in New York, who recruits McConaughey to work for him. The question is, can he keep picking winners? Worth the watch, IMO, but then I'm a big Pacino fan...

Another oldie but goodie. Woody Harrelson stars as the notorious Larry Flynt, publisher of Hustler Magazine. The movie recounts the life of Flynt who has become, ironically, an important figure in the world of First Amendment freedoms and anti-censorship. An excellent movie...

An EXCELLENT and provacative documentary which investigates the workings of the Motion Picture Association of America. The MPAA, of course, is the organization that (1) was created and serves at the behest of the seven largest movie studios, and (2) assigns ratings to movies.

Anyone not familiar with the MPAA, except for their propaganda detailing how they are just out to protect children and aid parents, will be quite shocked to learn the truth about this secretive organization. This is an important film. A must-see if ever there was one.

What can you say about another Jackass movie (other than that it's not a movie for the easilly offended)? Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O and the gang reunite for more Jackassery (yeah, that's a word) and hilarity. Though, I must say that at least a couple of their "stunts" cross the line separating "Jackass" from "Dumbass", but hey, what the "F"? Well worth-the watch if you're into it.

This is not your parents' romantic comedy. No sir. A funny movie with a hilarious premise, Sleeping Dogs Lie tells the story of a woman who reveals a "dark secret" to her fiance' only to find that her fiance' can't deal with knowing her secret. I personally have always, well not always--I learned the hard way, but for most of my adult life have believed that what happened in the past before you even met your girlfriend/woman/wife/etc. is better left in the past. Nothing is served by the "let's tell each other everything about our pasts" idea. Great in theory ("I want you to know everything about me") but really dumb in practice. This movie explains why. Well worth the watch!

Matt Damon stars in this somewhat long-winded drama about the early history of the OSS/CIA. The story is told through the eyes of Edward Wilson (Matt Damon), a particularly dedicated agent. Recruited as a soon to be Yale graduate (and skull & bones member), Wilson goes to work for the CIA during World War II. Despite the repeated warnings of his mentor General Bill Sullivan (Robert DeNiro), through the years Wilson begins to feel the job filling him with distrust and wrecking his personal life.

This movie is told through the use of flashbacks (many, many flashbacks) which makes it somewhat difficult to follow, unless you are already familiar with the history of the OSS/CIA (or unless you take notes during movies).

Though this movie has received some outstanding reviews, I found it to be a little difficult to follow, though I imagine I'll better grasp the subtleties of this movie when I watch it a second time...

An oldie but a goodie. Based on the book "The Faith Healers" by James "The Amazing" Randi (though you won't find the book or author credited anywhere), this movie tells the story of fake healer, er uh, faith healer "Reverend" Jonas Nighingale and his band of holy shysters. When one of their trucks breaks down, the group finds itself stranded in a dusty midwestern small town. Hell-bent (get it?) on making the best out of a bad situation, Nightingale decides they should "play" the small town, despite the pleadings of the local sheriff (Liam Neeson) who tries to convice Nightingale that the small town is in the midst of hard times and his constituent can't afford his show/revival.

A very entertaining comedy which also stars Debra Winger, Lolita Davidovich, Meat Loaf, and one of my favorites, Philip Seymour Hoffman. A must-see classic.