Tampa Film Fan

killer bunnies at the tampa theatre

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is playing at the Tampa Theatre this week. What fun! The Husband and I are looking forward to seeing it on the big screen.

home sick with the chronicles of riddick

Stayed home sick from work today, so I didn’t feel like watching anything that required concentration or intelligence. Sent The Husband out to rent mindless entertainment, so we ended up watching The Chronicles of Riddick and Exorcist:The Beginning.

I saw Chronicles in the theater, but the director’s cut on DVD adds in a few flashback/vision scenes that help explain Riddick’s background more fully. The theatrical release could have used those extra four or so minutes of explanation. Entertaining flick, but nothing life-altering. Vin Diesel will never have a role more suited to his looks, muscle and tough-guy act.

Exorcist:The Beginning — or, as I like to call it, Exorcist: The Snoozing — is a prequel that tells the story of young Father Merrian’s struggle to regain his faith and exorcise a big, bad, scary demon, blah blah blah. Stellan Skarsgard plays the young priest (played by Max Von Sydow in The Exorcist). According to Entertainment Weekly, there is another version of the prequel (also starring Skarsgard) that was filmed, shelved, completed, and positively received at the Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film in March.

roger ebert gets star on hollywood walk of fame

Roger Ebert is going to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on June 23. Also, the city of Chicago plans to declare July 12 “Roger Ebert Day in Chicago” and dedicate a plaque in his honor at the Chicago Theater. A much-deserved tribute to a lifelong film lover who has been successful at what so many others dream of — writing and talking about movies for a living. I’ve always found him to be a little pompous and arrogant, but a few months ago I read his book The Great Movies and changed my mind. The Great Movies is a collection of Ebert’s reviews of certain “great” films, which makes for an entertaining read. But his absolute, committed, passionate love for film came through so strongly that I couldn’t help but like the guy. He is also interested in the filmgoers’ viewing experience and is able to recall when and where and with whom he saw certain movies. He’s a strong supporter of non-Hollywood type movies — classics, foreign, independent. Of course I can’t pass up this opportunity to give a “thumbs up” to Roger Ebert and those giving him these tributes.

from pompeii to buffy

I’m going through the huge pile of videotapes I have stacked up next to my TV. I have no idea what movies or TV shows I have recorded, so each tape is a surprise. It’s like when you get a roll of film developed and have photos from a year’s worth of parties and holiday celebrations that you’d forgotten about.

Yesterday I watched the Discovery Channel’s movie Pompeii:The Last Day – a fascinating look at the destruction of the city of Pompeii (and surrounding cities) by Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. I had no idea that death wasn’t instanteous. Alot of people had time to flee, plan, worry, loot or panic. Amazing!

Continuing my addiction to Netflix, I watched the beginning of Season 6 of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. I love that show! BTVS has replaced Star Trek (any and all of them) as my favorite sci-fi/fantasy TV show.

exploring new worlds

I have no bleepin’ idea how to do this; so this will either be an intriguing look at the local film scene in Tampa or this will win some sort of “Worst Blog” award.