Micmacs & Dragon Girls

I was able to work in several movies this weekend.  First, on Friday night, I headed over to Urban Grind to attend the Urban Mediamaker's Indie Cinema Night which featured a screening of Prince of Broadway.  The film was a gritty story about Lucky who works on the streets of NYC hustling knock-off handbooks and sneakers.  His world is turned upside down when his ex-girlfriend drops off his infant son indefinitely.  So Lucky grows up a bit and falls in love with his son.  Not sure where or when this film can be seen, but I will keep readers posted.

Saturday, I headed over to the multiplex to see the French film MicMacs by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the director Amelie.  Jeunet is a very provocative filmmaker capable of creating other worlds that are simultaneously modern and eccentric.  In MicMacs, Jeunet takes a decidedly eccentric and quirky approach to the very modern issue of arms and modern warfare.  The film's hero Bazil takes revenge on two weapons manufacturers when he learns that they are responsible for his father's death and for the stray bullet lodged in Bazil's brain.  He enlists a his "family," a vagabond group of junk salvagers to help him with his quest.  While not as good as Amelie, I enjoyed the mix of humor and introspection on a very serious subject.

Finally, I watched The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on Netflix.  I really liked it.  Lisbeth Salander is a kick-ass chick who is smart and not afraid to take matters into her own hands.  The film did a nice job of introducing us to the characters and then engrossing the audience into the mystery Lisbeth and Michael have to solve. [Warning--the film did have a very graphic rape scene and so if you're squeamish about the depiction of that subject-matter, you are hereby warned.] Of course, Hollywood is on course to remake this Swedish gem.  I hope they don't mess it up.  Meanwhile, the sequel The Girl Who Played with Fire is now playing at local theaters.  So get your Swedish on.