If you're wondering how I get such random movies on my DVR it's because I tend to just surf the listings looking for interesting stuff. Sometimes I just get a yen to see a specific movie and search for it on the listings. With that said, let's soldier on and review some of the films I watched over the weekend.

• Jesus Camp. If this movie doesn't scare you, then you aren't paying attention. Let me state here for the record I am a Christian and do not begrudge anyone their choice of worship, so I'm not hating. What's scary is the ages of these kids, seeing them entranced. I don't doubt that kids are smart, but how much of it is freedom of choice and how much of it is scaring the children into submission? Are they soldiers for Christ because they want to share his love or because they're terrified of the consequences (seeing the children collapsing in tears during sermons calling for those who have fallen away from God are particularly disturbing)? It's an interesting study and will be even more interesting when I can watch it again since my Netflix copy was scratched terribly and skipped over several parts. I think it's completely appropriate to do a follow up every so often a la Apted. Ten years would do. Look to the bonus features for an interesting segment from a Ted Haggard sermon.


• Film Crew: Hollywood After Dark. And why not. It's some folks from MST3K (Mike, Kevin, and Bill) doing what they do best. It's a movie starring Rue McClanahan as a burlesque dancer (yes, she does mention the movie in her auto-bio, and after you read the section about this movie you'll scrutinize it for what Rue reveals, and you'll definitely be able to tell). So I should like this, right? I didn't. I don't know if it was the movie they watched or if it was their commentary, but I just wasn't that into it. I don't want to get in a Mike v Joel argument because it's silly, and remember that Mike was a head writer when Joel was the host. So maybe I'll like the other Film Crew offerings. This one not so much.


• Freaky Friday. When I told mom I watched it she asked which one. I said the good one, then had to state which good one (I think the remake is every bit as good as the original, and if you haters disagree you can suck it. It was back when Lohan still had promise.). Sure, I've seen this movie many times but have recently discovered Patsy Kelly through the magical network of TCM. If you can find it check out "There Goes My Heart." It isn't available on Netflix but if you really want to you can find a copy. It's a cute movie about an heiress who runs away, gets a job, falls in love, etc. Patsy Kelly plays the stranger who takes in the heiress in "There Goes My Heart"--well, she plays the friend quite often actually; I saw her playing best friend to Marion Davies in a bleh comedy. She's a brunette after all, and brunettes are always the best friend (no hate mail, that is a JOKE). She frequently pops up in TCM gems and displays a sassy, wisecracking comic style that makes me wonder why she isn't better known. What this all has to do with Freaky Friday is that she plays the frumpy, drunken housekeeper Mrs Schmauss. I've seen enough of her as an ingenue, now it was time to see her advanced in life. She doesn't disappoint.


• Modern Girls. Ok, this was one of those random movies I found by surfing listings. I mistook TMC for TCM and, in addition, love to see movies about 1980s LA nightlife. That's really all I can say. It was short. The dude from "Just One of the Guys" plays a dual role ("Where do you get off having tits?"). That's about it. Crazy costumes and hair. OH! Early on they play a tiny bit of "Dancin" by a then lesser known Chris Isaak and Silvertone. Pretty much the only highlight of the film.

Labels: movies