CINEMANIA:

Dreamgirls (USA, 2006, Bill Condon) and Blood Diamond (USA, 2006, Ed Zwick) are given the old one-two one-two, snicker-snack, and then we all go galumphing back.

Why do we bother? Because they are there.

Ben Begins:

I am postponing the cooking of supper to be followed by the watching of... Dreamgirls... sigh; goddamn wife hit the video store. She also brought home Blood Diamond, about which I am considerably more enthusiastic. Seen it?

And Dan:

I've seen them both. Dreamgirls is awful, terrible shite. Worse than TV movie of the weak (pun intended). Enjoy. At least Blood Diamond is a step up from the movie of the week fare. Not a great film, with too much emphasis on action (and on the Europeans), not enough on ideas (or the way this all affects Africans).

Dances with Wolves (USA, 1990, Kevin Costner)

Wherein Ben and I wax nostalgic about the days when men wore mullets proudly and Kevin Costner had a career.

Ben Begins:

Saw only a period of this, thank god. Am I allowed to say that all of the political correctness in the world still does not make this movie any good? You can let Graham Greene deliver lines in Lakota all day and it still won't make up for Kevin Costner speaking in any language you choose. What a wet rag.

Hotel Rwanda (USA, 2004, Terry George)

Wherein Ben and I take a look back at one of the more subtle cinematic attempts to understand an African tragedy, while breaking out some really bad puns.

Ben Begins:

My professional travels of late have brought me in contact with a number of films and this is one of them.

The Silence (Sweden, 1963, Ingmar Bergman)

Wherein Ben and I run a little hot and cold, but mostly hot, on this piece of Nordic genius.

Dan Intones:

Just remember, The Silence was made about three years before Persona. Another incredible double header in the Movie Theatre of My Dreams

And Ben Begins:

Well, I feel you've pulled a bit of a Darwin's Nightmare on me because I can't help seeing TS as a prototype for Persona, almost an etude for it.

Even Dwarfs Started Small (Germany, 1971, Werner Herzog)

Wherein Ben and I get tangled up in blue. And I go first, for a change.

Dan starts:

A fucking genius. Herzog, that is. I've spent the last coupla days sampling the great works of this artist.

Even Dwarves Started Small may be the film that Bela Tarr wanted to make, and in a quarter of the screen time. Stunning.

The Contest

Yeah, I know, another cheap pop culture reference intended to evoke a giggle. However, as that is the ouevre of Mr. Chuck Palahniuk, I feel justified.

Okay, cheap shots aside, I rather sorta kinda like his latest, Rant, and I'm happy to announce that I have one up for grabs. So, the first person to correctly answer the trivia question below will be awarded a brand-spanking new edition of Chuck Palahniuk's latest screed, Rant.