Sam’s Place

The Robinsons: Series 1 (2005)

Sam: ★★★

Martin Freeman who was so good in The Office (UK), stars in this sitcom, which is like part-Office part Coupling (UK). I tried watching Coupling a few times & thought it was unfunny, poorly written, and neurotic. Unfortunately, that also describes The Robinsons. I’m starting to think the Brits just aren’t good at sex comedy.

Emma: ★★★

Watchable but not amazing, nor groundbreaking like The Office.

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Meet Bill (2007)

Sam: ★★★

It was as if filmmakers got together & decided to make a movie as close to American Beauty as possible but different enough to avoid being sued. The movie meanders and ends badly. Still, I chuckled a few times.

Emma: ★★

Were the people who made this movie stoned? It goes on & on pointlessly & when there seems to be a point it’s something we’ve seen before.

Sudden Fear (1952)

Sam: ★★★★

This is a classic noir: ridiculously unrealistic in places but also dark & intense. Jack Palance is creepy & has a face unlike anything in movies today.

Emma: ★★★★

Still very watchable a half-century later. Has the Joan Crawford campiness but is also genuinely suspenseful. I also like that a-lot of it was filmed in SF.

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Martian Child (2007)

Sam: ★★★

This movie was really not very good: John Cusack doing his usual schtick, not much action, not much in the way of plot surprises, etc. The only halfway good thing about it was Joan Cusack’s comedic timing. I would have hated it before I was dad. But, as I’ve said before, fatherhood has turned my brain to mush, so I kinda liked this movie.

Emma: ★★★

I’m a John Cusack fan & a parent. If you are also both of those you might think this movie is OK.

The Duchess (2008)

Emma: ★★★★

Keira Knightley’s very good acting surprised me.

Sam: ★★★

This movie was too slow-moving & mannered for me, and the classicalish soundtrack music was a little too loud & intrusive.

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Run, Fat Boy, Run (2007)

Emma: ★★★

A few funny scenes but ultimately too predictable. Dylan Moran (of Black Books) was good as the zany pal.

Sam: ★★★

This directorial debut of David Schwimmer (formerly of Friends, which I’ve never seen) has some nice shots of London but is otherwise disappointing.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Sam: ★★★★

This movie was produced by Judd Apatow, and it shows. Like Knocked Up, Superbad, and 40-Year-Old Virgin, it uses that rauchy-teen-boy-flick-meets-sensitive-romantic-comedy formula that’s been so successful this century. FSM may not be a good movie but it is a good that-genre movie.

Emma: ★★★★

Surprisingly funny, and funnily surprising.