NEW MOVIE REVIEWS:
“Pirates of the Caribbean” (C-)
“Priest” (C) [Film.com]
MOVIE COLUMNS:
Eric’s Bad Movies: “Cutthroat Island” (1995). This is far from the worst movie I’ve dealt with in this column. In fact, seeing it the same week as the new “Pirates of the Caribbean” produced an interesting question: Which movie is actually worse? “Cutthroat Island” eventually wins because of Geena Davis’ wooden performance and Matthew Modine’s general charmlessness, but in terms of plot and story and whatnot, it isn’t appreciably any dumber than “On Stranger Tides.” Yet “Cutthroat Island” was a total box-office flop, while “On Stranger Tides” will make $100,000,000,000,000,000 this weekend alone. [Film.com]
What’s the Big Deal?: “Dirty Harry” (1971). This came up recently when I was chatting with some pals from The Film Stage movie blog. I forget how the subject arose, but these pals expressed puzzlement over “Dirty Harry’s” status as an iconic film. Good entertainment, sure, but what’s the big deal? And that’s why What’s the Big Deal? exists! For situations just like this! [Film.com]
MY OTHER STUFF:
Snide Remarks: “One Less Boogeyman” — The crackpots react to Osama’s death
Movie B.S. with Bayer and Snider: We review “Pirates,” “Hobo with a Shotgun,” and “Hesher,” and play a rousing game of Pitch Me with surprise guest Dawn Taylor. [Cascadia.fm] or [iTunes]
Reject Radio: Matt Patches and I were guests on this show, facing off in a news quiz and then discussing movies as art with host Cole Abaius. A fine time was had by all! [Film School Rejects]
In the Dark: Subscribe to this weekly e-mail and get all the latest movie reviews, DVD releases, and other pertinent info delivered to your electronic mailbox. [Eric D. Snider’s In the Dark]
MISCELLANEOUS MERRIMENT:
Few things in life are more entertaining than dumb people who think articles from The Onion are actual news stories. [Buzzfeed]
Fans of the movie “Network” — which should be everyone, really — may be interested in see screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky’s notes on the script. [New York Times]
Beloved fictional character Scott Weinberg gives us the rundown on the characters in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” juggernaut. [Movies.com]
