A few in-flight movies

Whatever other faults they may have as an airline, there is no disputing the fact that Virgin have the best entertainment system in the air, with a choice of dozens of movies from which to choose.  Since I seldom make a point of going out of my way to view the latest blockbusters, I could easily have chosen more films to watch from their selection than time allowed or that I was sufficiently awake enough to comprehend.  Mind you, as I've said before, seeing films formatted for a tiny screen is hardly the best viewing experience, but at least it gives me a taste for those that I might want to see again in better conditions.

First up was "A Prairie Home Companion" which I've reviewed below.  I was so taken with that one that I immediately purchased the DVD and have in fact watched it again on my return.  The only other one that I really look forward to seeing again is "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" (2006).  I probably missed great chunks of this one, but since I found the first film in the series a delightful romp and since like many others I am a big Johnny Depp fan, I look forward to watching this one in its entirety soon.  Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom leave me indifferent, but Bill Nighy with his tentacled beard was good fun and much of the action was both amusing and inventive.  The critics may have hated it, but there is good reason that it made as much money as it has.

Borat... (2006):  Now this is a film that I may well see again, but not necessarily through choice.  I have read so many reviews claiming that it is the funniest film ever and that one can not avoid breaking up with laughter.  Not!  It is what I would call the comedy of embarrassment and while I may have grinned slightly a few times, I squirmed more frequently as Sacha Baron Cohen did his shtick and showed up the naivete of his clueless victims.  It is all very cleverly done, but it's not my idea of funny by any means.

New Police Story (2004): I watched this one since I have always been a keen Jackie Chan fan and this is his most recent actually made in Hong Kong, where he is still a very big deal.  As always he was very watchable and it is obvious that he was attempting to broaden his acting chops now that he is well into his fifties.  He plays a police superintendent who goes off the rails after his entireteam is slaughtered and who then must pull himself together to bring the baddies to justice.  It was all very professionally put together, but the script was something between weak and feeble and it just wasn't as much fun as Jackie's best action spectaculars.