theologygeek Reviews

The End of the Tour (2015)

I want to be David Foster Wallace's best friend.

[7/10 · 15 August 2015]

I first saw the trailer for The End of the Tour over a month ago and I was stoked. This was something that I needed to see. I needed to hear this man's thoughts and I became impatient and bought the audio book of, "Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself" which is the book that this film is based on. I listened to it on a long drive for North Caroline to Southern Illinois and back and got exactly what I was longing for; a little intimate bromance between Wallace and Lipsky and a lot of literature, philosophy, and pop culture c.a. 1996 which is a year that I remember well.

Last night I saw the film in Durham, NC and it is not the book. The book would make a horribly long and uninteresting movie except for the most ardent fans. The movie is re-edited to tell a story about a young author and a young journalist. The book, I believe, is a true story. The movie is based on a true story. Drama is added where there was none. It's a movie, not a textbook. It aims to tell the best story that it can in 1:38 and I don't hate it, but I do question the parts of the book that were added and the parts that weren't; thus the 7/10 review.

The movie is worth watching and I would suggest to anyone to see it. It's a quiet humble film without a lot of pretense and if you love it, read the book and then take the time to read Infinite Jest.

El monstro del mar! (2010)

It's crap, but good crap. Enjoy the ride.

[7/10 · 20 February 2011]

Three girls out having fun. By fun, I mean murdering, snorting blow, and raising hell. The official movie synopsis describes this flick as a Australian homage to Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Add in some crappy cgi/sock puppet with an attitude special effects, and that's what you get.

Our three gorgeous rockabilly-esque anti-heroines are driving through Australia, doing their murdering shtick. They stop at a shanty near the beach and decide to take a dip. There are curves galore, but no nudity. An old man who happens to live near by sees them and starts yelling at them to get out of the water. They laugh, and the following night El Monstro Del Mar shows up to devour the town.

Is this movie crap? You bet it is, but it's the enjoyable kind of crap that's best seen with friends and maybe a little buzzed. While I wouldn't call it strictly dark humor, it doesn't take itself serious at all. It's not meant to scare you or teach you something about humanity. It's meant to entertain and it succeeds at that. I saw this flick at the Nevermore movie festival, and that's a great kind of venue for it. See it with friends, have a good time with it. If you like cheesy movies, you'll love this.