A Geek’s Month in Review: April 2012

It was a funny — you might say foolish — time this month. Despite a stack of videos of comic book adaptations, things were delayed, slow, and scattered, interrupted from time to time by unrelated screenings.

On top of it all, when making this list, I realized I couldn’t complete it. There was simply nothing disappointing or unliked enough to include . . . at least not from that stack.

We did, however, see other things which fit the bill just as well.

In fact the very first thing this month was perhaps the worst thing I’ve seen in years: Zach Galifianakis Live at the Purple Onion. Don’t misunderstand me here, I saw it — even bought it — because I loved Between Two Ferns and also Bored to Death. This is decidedly nothing like them.

And, as for a piece we saw theatrically, I was really hoping for more. I really want to be impressed by Joss Whedon. I hope it will happen someday. It didn’t happen with Cabin in the Woods, unfortunately. A terrible speakerphone sequence, a brilliant twist that never came, and derivatives cobbled together. Oh, and the cameo? Fair enough, but three other words: Jamie Lee Curtis.

Enough said. Here we go, my picks for a mixed-up April: favourite, surprise, disappointment, and least-liked, as well as an unseen suggestion.

Favourite
American Splendor (2003) on 2012/04/24

“‘It’s like the Treasure of the Sierra Madre or something. You go to thrift shops and you go to garage sales because you think you’re going to find something that’s real rare and, most of the time, it’s a total waste of time but, once in a while, you’ll come up with something that will whet your appetite.’ Something like American Splendor, in fact.”
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Surprise
The Adventures of Tintin (2011) on 2012/04/09
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“Spielberg has forgone traditional animation for the mocap approach, a process still too mired in the uncanny valley. Despite my objections, however, by the end of this one, I was ready for more Adventures of Tintin.”
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Disappointment
The Cabin in the Woods (2012) on 2012/04/26
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“Truman Show + Evil Dead + Cube + Sanctuary + Resident Evil
  = The Cabin in the Woods“
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Least-Liked
Zach Galifianakis Live at the Purple Onion (2007) on 2012/04/01
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“Anyone capable of operating the player necessary to watch Zach Galifianakis Live at the Purple Onion will only want their money, precious time and brain cells back.”
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Show Me
Elektra (2005) on 2012/04/21
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“Garner’s sort of perfect as Elektra. Impassive, muscled, subtly unhinged, Garner wears the red suit, obsessive compulsive disorder and a flashing pair of sai well. She’s just like the OCD overachiever in Juno but with roundhouse kicks and stabbing. You know, it didn’t suck.”
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