Let's All Go to the Lobby!

Today I caught a press screening of "Be Kind Rewind." Michel Gondry has nearly escalated to the echelon of auteur with the works "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," and "Science of Sleep." His latest effort, however, does not quite meet the standards he has previously delivered. While at times amusing, imaginative, and fun, the film is starched, stilted, and yawn-inducing. There are several clever methods employed to re-create movies that have been erased by Jack Black, but the film overall just falls flat. Poor acting, lackluster chemistry, and Jack Black's shtick wearing thin have doomed this movie to be dumped in the wasteland that is February releases. The bad taste of this film was quickly washed away as just a few hours later I caught a screening of "El Orfanato." The biggest draw for this film will be that it is "presented" by Guillermo del Toro. At turns suspenseful and mysterious, it's no surprise that del Toro is backing it, as it is very similar to both "El Espinazo del Diablo" and "El Laberinto del Fauno." A fun night with old Billion, which hasn't happened quite enough lately.