Younger Bear and the DVR

I wanted to say something about the miracle of the DVR. For anyone who does not watch TV with one, well, you're still 'watching' TV. I was thinking earlier today that the DVR makes TV more like a book, than, well, like a TV. I mean that like a book, when I finish a chapter, I can lay it down and come back to it later. I was thinking this because I'd been doing just that with the movie Little Big Man. I was probably back to watching it for the 3rd or 4th time over the last week or so, taking it in in 20 or 30 minute intervals. And also like a book, if you don't understand a phrase, or mis-read/hear it, or realize that maybe your mind has been wandering for a minute or two, you can rewind/re-read/re-hear/re-see.

I really had forgotten how good a movie this was. In a lot of ways it could be Dustin Hoffman's best performance ever, ... but more than that it was/is this sweeping story (a little like Forest Gump) that encapsulates a lot of American history, no less so the 1970's, as the 1870's. This is especially enhanced by the sweeping scenery, the widescreen photography, the breath of america in its locations...

But above and beyond it has an ensemble cast that really put out some of their best performances, including Dan George, Faye Dunaway, Martin Balsam. William Hickey, Richard Mulligan (very good as Custer). Of special note, Cal Bellini as Younger Bear was hilarious.

The Next Generation of Nuts

So I've been guilty of watching a couple indie flicks, and well, of course, I've enjoyed them more than the few mainstream... well, I don't go and watch many of the mainstreams any more. I watched Brick which is sort-a High School Mystery... but was also very good (I had another story, inserted here, where I didn't really understand half the conversation in this movie, but nevertheless, it didn't seem to make a difference; i.e. bad hearing, etc.) Hmmm.... Tommy Solomon from 3rd Rock... Then there was Shia LeBouef ....??? Am not shure (sic) I spelled it right. But then for some reason over the last week or so, I heard this name: Shia LeBoeu... (Oh please forgive me if I've misspelled!) - on an advertisement for Saturday Nite Live, no less, and it popped up in some other TV conversation; but, then I had watched the movie The Battle of Shaker Heights a week or so ago, so I'd already heard of Shia, or at least seen this movie... But then tonight, I turned on this movie Manic, somewhat because it had the Tommy Solomon guy in it, but then there in his/Tommy's group therapy session is the guy that played LeBouef's best friend in Shaker Heights. He even has the same haircut.

Brick is really a very good movie on many levels (great sky). Shaker Heights was also entertaining, but then once I lived (briefly) in Shaker Heights, and then a little less briefly, on the border of Shaker Heights. The 'friends' house was something I'd drive by regularly... A little strange, but better than Ironman, no disrespect for Ironman intended...