Some films I have seen that I liked
Gangs of New York: I have been meaning to watch this for a while. It was pretty much just for the moustache/top hat combo on Daniel Day-Lewis, but his ridiculous accent was an unexpected bonus.
Full Metal Jacket: Thoroughly enjoyed about two thirds of this movie; I suspect I would have enjoyed the rest, had I not been asleep. When I woke up, the wankers down the drive had stopped having their loud party and I could go to bed properly. Will probably re-watch everything after their arrival in Hue before I return the DVD.
The Shining (I am on a Kubrick kick since revisiting the outstanding DS;o,HILtSWaLtB last week): I liked it well enough, but I was disappointed there wasn't more to it than "this one time, there was this Indian burial ground", and I thought Jack Nicholson's character shift was a little too abrupt (plus, it's Jack Fucking Nicholson: the man exudes evil, even at the start! He can't help it!) and his wife too alternately doe-eyed and resourceful. And I wanted the twist to be explained more, but then, King's never been good at that (viz., the end of It, which seems like he just went "shit, this book is faaaar too long! quick, gimme an ending, ayup!", and the last, what, three or four books of The Dark Tower, which were just lazy bullshit writing). Cinematography and scoring A plus plus (fucking creeeeepy to watch alone at midnight), plot and direction could try harder. Still, how cool would it have been to ride your tricycle around a deserted hotel at top speed?
Casablanca: I am ashamed that I am this old and I had never seen this film until tonight. It's pretty good. Plus, anybody writing dialogue who didn't write Brick or Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang needs to watch more of this stuff.
I also got my His Dark Materials books back today. They are in remarkably good condition for having been gone a whole year. They made me want to read them again, except now I have to lend them to L so she knows what her play is going to be about next term. Looking forward to the movie, but only because the conceptual art looks right compared to what is in my head, not because I need fifteen thousand movies made of everything I care about HOLLYWOOD I AM LOOKING AT YOU.
ETA: OW OW FUCK HORRIBLE LEG CRAMP FUCK OW I AM JUST SAYING.