Note: I am writing this entry before having really delved into the bonus features or DVD commentary tracks.

This movie grew on me as it progressed. Started out seeming a bit disjointed and uncertain of purpose. (Huh? There's supposed to be a purpose?) "And just how impressed are we supposed to be that the director knows how to make excessive use of tinted lenses?"

But I stuck with it, and was glad I did so. Just sit back, enjoy the journey, and trust that the film makers knew what they were doing. Hah.

A ship crash lands while on a cryogenically frozen passenger transporting journey, the details of which I was never quite clear on, but ultimately, that doesn't never end up mattering much to the plot anyway. The point is that these people are stuck on a crazy desert planet with three suns. And they've gotta find a way off.

The photography effects of the sky were pretty cool. Like I was saying above, the "blue sun" lens seemed a little distracting initially, but in the long term, I think it worked well for contast. Or some kind of mood setting psychedelic experience. Yeah, that's it.

Um, I'm not making much sense now, am I?

Well, like the majority of good movies, the real strength of this one came from the development of its main characters. Vin Diesel as Riddick, a convicted killer, who's really got the psycho vibe going. Radha Mitchell as Fry (Sure sounds like Futurama, but it ain't; and yes, I'm just reading these off the cast list), the captain of the ship. Her character proved to be interesting too.

If there's one thing we learn from this movie: Ya don't know who the real villian will be just by watching the first five minutes. The story kept me guessing all the way through to the end. And yes, there was a story. A pretty good one. Some cool visuals too.

Ick, this movielog entry is horridly random. Too much like ramblings. Maybe that's all it is anyway. In that case.... total irrelevant tangent ahead...

I was wandering around in the Video Station earlier this evening, trying to decide what I wanted to watch. I was thinking about getting Any Given Sunday, just because it was an Oliver Stone film. He may be a goof who plays fast and loose with history, but he does know how to make a film with pizzazz. I wasn't quite in the mood for that though. Then, I saw Pitch Black. I had actually thought about buying it last week at Best Buy, but I had decided against purchasing a movie sight unseen. Now was the time to watch it. I had my rental pick.

As I was waiting in line, I overheard the guy in front of me talking to the girl behind the counter about this very movie. About how the DVD unrated director's cut had scenes that weren't in the theatrical version, and how the commentary tracks told all about it. A really good film.

When my turn to step up to the counter, and I said, "Pitch Black directory's cut please."

She grinned, and was like, "Gooood choice." I think she thought I had just decided to get it after hearing that conversation, when in fact I had made my choice prior to getting in line. This was just a happy coincidence. I wasn't even going to try to argue and convince her that I intended to rent this film before getting in line. Too ridiculous.

So anyway, after handing me my film, a box behind the counter caught her attention. A Chow Yun Fat film (I didn't see the title clearly) with a new release sticker. Muttered something about not having heard of this movie yet (as if the existence of a movie she wasn't familiar with was a highly unusual occurence). Studied the box for a minute, and then proceeded to ring me up, and punched my movie viewer's card.

Do I have a point in all this? Is there some deeper meaning which underlies the anecdote here? A reason it is being told? Only this, if I may summarize: Film chicks are cool! (And yes, the words "out of my league" are most certainly a part of my vocabulary.) thank you.

Um, this is a movielog entery, right?

Pitch Black. Watching the Unrated Director's Cut, I have to wonder... Was the theatrical release really cut in the first place because the MPAA had some stick up their ass about one scene or another? If so, I can't imaging what that was. I mean, there were only lots of scenes with people being dismembered and having their flesh eaten alive as they screamed their last breaths. That's just standard nightly prime time fare, right?

[You know it's a bad sign when two consecutive paragraphs end with the word "right" followed by a question mark. The only thing worse is when you see that every sentence you have written in the past five minutes begins with the word "well" followed by a comma.]

Well, this movielog entry is obviously deteriorating rapidly. Or should I say, has deteriorated rapidly. I will now take my leave of this console and return to the bed. It's about time.