Cleanflix
Mormons can be movie lovers too. The problem is that their religious leaders strongly discourage R-rated content. As one Mormon prophet explained, “The mind through which this filth passes is never the same afterwards.” In order to better serve their Mormon clientele, enterprising video stores in Utah started to offer “clean” versions of popular titles like The Matrix and Titanic. Using digital editing software, self-appointed censors removed nudity, gratuitous violence and profanity, then mass duplicated the clean versions for DVD rental. Soon the idea took off, and multiple franchises sought to capitalize on brands like Clean Flicks and Flick’s Club. For a brief spell, it seemed like the perfect business.

Unfortunately, no one consulted the copyright holders. Hollywood figures such as Steven Soderbergh, Curtis Hanson and Michael Mann became vocal opponents of having their work re-edited. As quickly as the clean movement blossomed, it started to unravel, with legal threats from Hollywood, accusations among rivals and even a sex scandal in the backroom of a clean video store.

The documentary was curiously unfulfilling. It does ask questions about ownership of copyright material. At what point does a movie become “yours” and to what extent? You’re allowed to edit it any way you want for your own viewing pleasure. But what about selling your edited version to to others? How about if you buy an original, unedited DVD of the movie for every edited copy you sell, so that the makers suffer no financial loss? It doesn’t help answer the questions though. I guess it can’t.

It does provide an opportunity to engage in some light schadenfreude at the hypocrisy of some religious people though. It’s not a Ted Haggard or Jimmy Bakker size scandal, but the hypocrisy and shady business practices of some of the religious people are documented.

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The Men who stare at Goats
The Men Who Stare at Goats takes war to its illogical conclusion, with hilarious results. George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges are in top form in this uproarious tale about a top-secret brigade of psychic soldiers trained in New Age warfare. Amazingly, it’s based on a true story.

The source is Guardian columnist Jon Ronson’s surreal non-fiction account of the U.S. army’s attempts to harness psychic and paranormal power in the wake of the Vietnam War.

The all star cast does well. This is going to be in cinemas soon, most people are going to see this. It’s worth watching.

The part of the movie I enjoyed most was a running series of Jedi references, that were really funny because Ewan McGregor was involved. I’ll give you an example, the first one in the movie:
Clooney: “You have to think like a Jedi!”
McGregor (aka Obi-wan Kenobi): (looking perplexed) “What is a Jedi?”

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The Loved Ones
In order to avoid a ghostly figure in the road, high-school senior Brent Mitchell (Xavier Samuel) wraps his car around a tree, killing his father. Constantly confronted by his mother’s emotional collapse after the accident, Brent escapes into a marijuana-fuelled world of loud metal music to block the pain and guilt. Dejected and out of sorts, he has a shot at happiness with his girlfriend Holly (Victoria Thaine), a grounded, caring girl with drop-dead good looks – a dream date for the high-school prom. But his plans are thwarted by a disturbing series of events that take place under a mirrored disco ball, involving pink satin, glitter, syringes, nails, power drills and a secret admirer. Brent has become the prom king at a macabre, sadistic event where he is the entertainment.

This is a great low-budget Australian horror / action movie. It’s Jeffrey Dahmer meets Pretty in Pink meets Carrie. Watch it on DVD.

Good date movie too.

My favorite bit of dialogue:
Crazy person: This hot water makes your brain boil (about to pour hot water into hole drilled into victim’s skull)