Daily Archives: October 8, 2008

Good Dick

Film Reviews

The title summons forth all sorts of jokey impulses, not to mention visions of dumb Hollywood studio comedies or aching indie projects a lot more pat and self-satisfied, but the spare, intimate Good Dick proves that, well, size doesn’t matter. The story centers around a sullen, emotionally deadened, pathologically introverted young woman (multi-hyphenate Marianna Palka) and an equally adrift Los Angeles video clerk (Jason Ritter, below) who slowly draws her out of her claustrophobic world. At first he merely recommends more artistically satisfying pornography, but soon he’s camping outside her apartment and pursuing a relationship with her. After chipping away at her sexual antipathy and deflecting her prodigious flashes of anger with Job-like patience, the two reach an impasse. The question for both: is it permanent, or just a final hurdle en route to more firmly rooted happiness?

If Tidal-era Fiona Apple were able to spawn a movie, Good Dick would be it; it’s essentially a threadbare character drama of swallowed anger and despair, but studded with moments of dark humor and a few nice supporting turns that make it seem fleshed-out and real. Writer-director Palka also doesn’t use a limited budget as an excuse to punt on production value; the movie is gorgeously, smartly shot by Andre Lascaris, in a manner that feeds the shuttered worldview of its wounded protagonists, who are a couple in real life. Unconcerned with and unburdened by traditional notions of both feminine centeredness and masculine chivalry, Good Dick is about awakening to the notion of a life lived looking forward, and how one good, hard… friendship (what did you think I was going to say?) can serve as a tethering lifeline in a sea of intra-personal turmoil. The other stuff? Benefits, don’tcha know… (Morning Knight/Present Pictures, unrated, 86 minutes)

A Little Humpday Paranoid Redneck Bigotry

Irritations, Politics

Wow. This is most assuredly not the video to attach to international tourism entreaties. It does chillingly explain the political persistence of xenophobic character assaults, though — because there are still (always?) easily impressionable bumpkin loons like this. We get it, m’am… you don’t at all like Barack Obama‘s middle name. (As a side note, I like the background plea of “Don’t spill that beer!”) On the plus side, though, she also says, “Black ain’t got nothing to do with how these Arabs are trying to sneak this guy into our country.” So… one small step, I guess?


Caillou’s Winter Wonders

Blu-ray/DVD Reviews

A kids’ favorite on PBS for over seven years, Caillou helps children discover the wonder of being a little kid in a big world. Caillou’s Winter Wonders collects a quartet of snow-filled, thematically similar episodes, so with winter just around the bend in many parts of the country, the disc could make a nice stocking stuffer or autumnal birthday gift for smaller children.

Heavy on primary colors and soft, thin lines, and eschewing any of the harsh angularity of more complex, adult animation, just looking at Caillou makes me want to slip on a pair of galoshes and mittens… and I now live in Southern California, for God’s sake. The show is all about the capacity for exploration and wonderment in everyday life, so most episodes are constructed around ostensibly pedestrian events.

This title is no exception. In four new-to-DVD episodes that include 14 exciting, winter-themed adventures, the delightfully adventurous young Caillou does almost everything seasonal except race Todd Palin on a snowmobile. In “Caillou the Snowman,” he explores all the fun activities of winter, including building a snowman, playing ice hockey and making snowflakes out of paper. In “Caillou’s Christmas,” Caillou learns about holiday traditions, from caroling with his friends and family to different cultural festivities in playschool. “It’s Cold Outside” finds Caillou having more fun playing in the snow, including sledding and making snow angels, while the aptly titled “Winter!” finds Caillou discovering the joys of yet more winter sports, like ice skating and skiing. All in all, Caillou’s wonder-filled exploration of everyday life will inspire children to join in the role-playing fun as the world becomes limited only by their imaginations.

Housed in a regular plastic Amray case, Caillou’s Winter Wonders is presented in 1.33:1 full screen, and also includes interactive games, character bios, parents’ information and even coloring pages, to help extend the hours of fun and entertainment. To purchase the DVD via Amazon, click here. B (Series) B- (Disc)

Nick Nolte Flees From House Fire

Ephemera

So Nick Nolte is apparently OK after having first broken and then jumped from a window to escape from a fire at his house yesterday. The electrical fire started in the living room in the late morning and Nolte smelled the smoke from an upstairs bedroom, according to Fire Inspector Frank Garrido. It took firefighters about 26 minutes to douse the blaze, which caused roughly $3 million in total damage — half of it structural damage and half damage to the contents of the home, including “collectibles, artwork and furniture.” No word about Nolte’s diary, though.