This was a beautifully filmed, but mostly incomprehensible adaptation of James Ellroy's own speculative fiction about the real-life murder of aspiring movie starlet Elizabeth Short. The roles are actually prretty easy to sum up. Scarlet Johansson pouts and looks pretty, Aarron Eckhart broods, Josh Hartnett bumbles around with wrinkled forebrow, and Mia Kirchner hilariously overacts in the role of a struggling bad actor. Meanwhile, Hilary Swank steals the show with her luxurious 40's coiffure and smouldering gaze.

The movie is not without its redeeming factors, however. In addition to the gorgeous cinematography and the creepily alluring Swank, the seediness of 40's Los Angeles practically drips from the screen. In the end, however, Black Dahlia can't overcome its mish-mash of unrrelated storylines and contrived climactic scene.

Posted by ksmoker at 8:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

the tree bark shatters
as Sam and Buddy scramble
after squirrel's shadow.

Posted by ksmoker at 5:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This morning a brief reference to “challenging a Sicilian with death on the line” sparked the (somewhat daffy) thought that “Iocane Powder” would make a great band name. I'm not really surprised to find out that it's already taken. So check it out, there are lots of other Princess Bride-inspired band names:

Six-Fingered Man
Cliffs of Insanity
Rodents of Unusual Size
Dread Pirate Roberts
Inigo Montoya
Pit of Despair
Shrieking Eels
Unemployed in Greenland
I Am Not Lefthanded
The Spaniards (whose motto is, “I give you my word as a Spaniard”)

I'm sure there are more. I've decided my band name will be “Fezzik's Peanut”.

(thanks, Diana!)

Posted by ksmoker at 7:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)