Two great movies

As we settle into life in the burbs, Moosh and I have started engaging in the most suburban of traditions – renting a movie and staying in on Saturday nights. Now before you start making fun of us, consider this – the closest club is a 30 minute drive away, and given the stupid DUI laws they have in this country, there’s no way one can go out and have a good time if you live in the burbs. Unless you decide to have a DD (Designated Driver) – which is essentially a game of tag adult’s play – you’re out of luck. Being the DD is the same as one of your friends coming over and tapping you on the shoulder and saying “You’re it - you have the privilege of ferrying us around town while we get pissed”. So you’re left with the only option of driving out to your nearest Hollywood or Blockbuster Video, trying to find a half decent DVD to watch, and stopping by to pick up a tub of ice cream and beer on the way back home. Normally, given the appalling collection of movies big box video stores actually have, this sort of Saturday night excitement ends with both of us falling asleep in front of the telly after consuming copious amounts of ice cream and beer, and wondering why we rented the movie we were watching.

Not this Saturday though. This weekend, we rented “V for Vendetta” and “Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story”. I loved “V for Vendetta”, the story leaving me with a sense of de ja vu – some of the dialogue seemed to be a mix of the Bush’s speeches mixed with Hitler’s. I thought Natalie Portman did a pretty fab job too. “Tristram Shandy” was an altogether different movie. Directed by Michael Winterbottom (the same guy who did 24 Hour Party People), this adaptation of the 18th century classic left me in splits. Steve Coogan was hilarious. This is British humor at its best. If you haven’t seen either flick, what are you waiting for? Go grab the DVDs and watch them. I may live in the burbs, but trust me – these are truly great movies you shouldn’t miss.