fine whine

Well, I just finished watching Formula 51, with Sam Jackson, Robert Carlyle, Rhys Ifans, Meat Loaf and scads more recognizable people. I enjoyed it greatly. From beginning to end it was an enjoyable ride. At times it was absurd, very often hilarious, at others brilliant and only occasionally slightly disappointing — I'm no fan of the textish sort of ending that marred Unbreakable — but it was always stylish and all the while I really liked it. I'm reminded in part of my thoughts regarding The Transporter: here was another stylish film that wasn't quite as intelligent as its swaggering would imply, but still it made mainstream fare look like Steamboat Willie in comparison. See also The Salton sea. When my wife wants to watch a movie she means one that doesn't require thinking or full attention, such as anything Reese Whitherspoon's done lately. When I want to watch a movie I want it to be smart but fun. Like Formula 51.

What is it that makes these films so enjoyable? Stylistic near-excess? Explosions and car chases? Really I think it boils down to how much fun those involved admit to having had. EPKs and supplemental materials have the actors and crew flat out boasting to loving the whole process and its resultant celluloid wonder. I'm sure counter-examples exist, but I doubt they'd be able to dig up some archival footage of Bob Hope crowing about how fantastic the making of Ishtar turned out to be.

Of course you realize the whole point of this entry was to use "dig up" and "Bob hope" in the same sentence, har har har.