Robert Altman dead.

Robert Altman is dead.

When I was insanely infatuated with Paul Thomas Anderson (which wasn't too long ago, mind you), I was forced to find out more about Robert Altman. The names were always connected based on PT Anderson's inspirations coming greatly from Altman. I viewed an Altman double feature of The Long Goodbye and California Split. I thoroughly enjoyed The Long Goodbye, though I must admit that by the time California Split rolled around I was dozing off for most of the film. I loved The Player. And I made an effort to watch A Prairie Home Companion upon its arrival this past summer. Not a very thorough run in with the acclaimed director, but he was always on my list of "who I've got to check out." In fact, I remember missing another double feature that included Nashville, one of his most talked about films and one I've been dying to check out. I was very let down.

In honor of the death of a director I wish I had known more, I'm moving Nashville to the top of my Netflix queue. I'm sure as my knowledge of his filmography increases I'll feel worse and worse as I realize what a loss this was.

Happy Feet

Because of business for the past couple of weeks, I haven't been able to watch too many movies lately. My return to the cinema (for the first time since the opening of Borat) occurred with a viewing of the latest animated penguin musical, Happy Feet. I don't know what I was really expecting with this, but I was a bit let down. It was a fun little romp of a film, but it just lacked something. The dancing wasn't very exciting and the songs were just oddly amusing, if anything. I'll admit that the film won my heart during a few of the fun scenes, but it was just everywhere. I couldn't relax with it. Kids will enjoy it, if they're at the age where anything upbeat and musical will get them jumping up and down and screaming.

When watching the beginning of the film, I was reminded of last year's March of the Penguins. Happy Feet covers a lot of the same ground with the mating patterns and the warming of the eggs and such, with one exception: no deaths. I'm sure viewing the films consequetively would cause a stir about the little emphasis on the harshness of the penguin life. But, then again, it's a kids movie. An animated feature, at that. And to top it all off, it features songs ranging from Prince to 98 Degrees to Steve Miller Band. I'm sure people will be able to let if off a little easy.

Top movie of the box office in its second weekend? I really thought Casino Royale would have had it beat. But then again, I didn't see Casino Royale, and what I do determines everything.

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