We’re in troubles! Life and laziness have struck the Haircut/Pickles/Menno household and now we have to do a 5 film marathon over two days to complete our project. FRESH POTS sorely needed. Days 23-26 saw some good action (including a visit by our favourite parents-to-be, GCs James and Mimi):

day twenty-three

Adaptation (2002)

I have a mega boner for Charlie Kaufman, so my review is pretty biased. That said, I fucking love this movie. So brilliantly meta. Cage is outstanding. Again, not super over the top, but just so on, you know? This might be my favourite role of his (tied with Vampire’s Kiss - day 3). Chris Cooper and Meryl Streep are also terrific in supporting roles. I can not say enough good things about this movie, so I will just get more coffee and let you fill in the details yourself.

Best moment(s): Chris Cooper explaining all his past obsessions (“Fuck fish!”); Stoned Streep (“I wanna be an ant, oooooh they’re so shiny!”); “It’s like technology versus horse!”; etc

Menno’s rating: 8.4

Pickles’ rating: 8.3

Haircut’s rating: 9.0

Guest Curator James: 8.7

Guest Curator Mimi: 8.0

Overall Cage grade: unanimous A+

day twenty-four

Family Man (2000)

Ugh. What’s 31 DoC without some Brett Ratner? This movie is pretty brutal. It’s a sloppy alternate reality rom-dramedy featuring Don Cheadle as magical negro (for serious). This one frustrated me to no end. Cage is kind of a money-obsessed dick, but not all that bad, who does something nice before Christmas and gets rewarded by Wizard Cheadle fucking his entire life up. TWICE. Cage does what he can, but the script + Ratner = CINEMATIC POISON.

Best moment(s): not even worth it

Menno’s rating: 4.7

Pickles’ rating: (waiting)

Haircut’s rating: 3.3

Overall Cage grade: (waiting… leaning to B/B-)

day twenty-five

Matchstick Men (2003)

A pretty charming flick about con artists. Cagester is pretty darn good as the charmingly neurotic Roy Waller, and Sam Rockwell (The Rock!) is delightfully muggy as Zany Sidekick. I do find 22 year old Alison Lohman playing an alleged 14 year old a little creepy, but meh. The story is a little transparent and you can see the twist/reveal from two acts away, but the players are likeable and the images are pleasing (lots of soft light that works well). Well done, Ridley.

Best moment(s): Rockwell’s brief Walken impression; Cage yelling at Lohman for being a “nosy parker”

Menno’s rating: 7.9

Pickles’ rating: 7.8

Haircut’s rating: 7.5

Overall Cage grade: unanimous A

day twenty-six

The Rock (1996)

The beginning of the end for Cage, as one friend has put it. Hard to disagree. Fresh off his Oscar role, Cage goes for the big paycheque in this Michael Bay/Jerry Bruckheimer testosterone fest. It’s like all of a sudden people realised he was an Academy Award winner that also had Nice Abs, so action movies, please. Anyway, Cage is average but not uncool. Connery is getting by on being Connery. The movie itself is 135 minutes of tits, fire, and helicopters flying in formation (like any other Michael Bay movie). Forgettable.

Best moment(s): Anthony Clark as flamboyant hair-dresser

Menno’s rating: 5.4

Pickles’ rating: 6.7

Haircut’s rating: 5.1

Overall Cage grade: B