Movie #344 - King Kong

King Kong
2005 - Rated PG-13 - 3 hr 7 min
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Colin Hanks, Andy Serkis, Jamie Bell

I remember when this came out, how big a deal it was. Peter Jackson does Kong... and it's bigger, better, and hairier than the original!  So there are some things about it that make it a unique experience.  Jack Black for one, who seems to play Peter Jackson in this movie.  And the giant bugs for another.  Scary, creepy giant bugs.

I'm not really sure what's up with the bugs, actually.

I also can't quite figure out why this movie needs to be more than three hours long.  It almost feels like they're trying to force an epic from this story.  While Naomi Watts does a great Fay Wray impression and creates an even stronger tie to the unlucky ape, I feel like much of this update was unecessary.

Movie #270 - Hollywoodland

Hollywoodland
2006 - Rated R - 2 hr 6 min
Director: Allen Coulter
Starring: Adrien Brody, Ben Affleck, Diane Lane, Bob Hoskins, Robin Tunney

I love a good murder mystery, espeically one like this.  A mysterious suicide doesn't look right to one investigator, and it's not just any suicide either.  It's Superman's (or the actor that played him, anyway) and there are lots of reasons for him to kill himself but even more for others to do the job instead.  So is it suicide?

The resulting flashbacks aim to tell the story while Adrien Brody tries to get to the bottom of the story.  Ben Affleck embodies the legendary George Reeves well, donning the famous red and blue suit like a champ.  I'm not sure how much of the movie is truth or theory, but they unfold this mystery with just the right amount of suspense and intrigue.

After I finished the movie, I wanted to learn more.  If you're curious, there's a whole article on TruTV.com that will fill in the blanks for you.