Just got back from the video store (Yeah, it was Blockbuster. Can't help it anymore. All the nice local chains have closed, except the two that SUCK. If "Air Force One" is still a new considered a new release, I don't need to be there.)

First off, to get it out of the way, I rented "Fog of War" and "Melvin Goes to Dinner."

You ever notice on the covers of movie boxes for romantic comedies that the characters almost always have the same expressions? I think I've narrowed the traditional boy/girl romantic comedy covers down to two:

The boy looks nervous and the girl looks self-assured (imagine a guy looking right at the camera with both eyebrows raised while the girl has her arms crossed in the back ground, with a knowing smirk on her face).

The girl looks off into the distance, with either an expression of wonder or calm, while the boy looks at her with marvel and/or envy.

Basically, in romantic comedies ("rom-coms" Ugh.), boys are stupid and scared, and girls are smart and spiritual (lot of S's there).

I like paying attention to stupid traditions in movies almost as much as I like noticing stupid traditions in speech. I'll try to always provide new ideas, at least one notch above "Ever notice how many trailers start with 'In a world...'"

How horrible it'd be to write about some social pattern when it has already become part of a stand up comic's standard routine. "And what is the deal with airline food...?"

I especially enjoy looking at the cover of "Paycheck" (Oh, how poor PKD is mangled on the screen.). Here's what the characters are thinking just as their pictures are being taken: Ben Affleck: "I think something terrible is about to happen to me, coming from RIGHT OVER THERE!" Uma Thurman: "What? Something terrible? Right over WHERE?" Aaron Eckhart: "Heh-heh. I'm doing something terrible-- Right. Now."

Didn't bother seeing the movie, though I did like the short story. Someday, maybe. (If I can watch "Timeline" after reading the book, I can probably get through this.)

Stuff I almost rented but didn't:

"Rundown" Looks like a lotta good bonus features. And I always like a good action movie.
"Dogville" Wasn't in the mood for it tonight. By the way, I don't like Bjork's music at all.
"The Weather Underground" A fine documentary, by all accounts.
"My Voyage to Italy" The Martin Scorsese documentary that all film dorks will watch.

And that's all I can remember. They had a three for twenty-five sale on used movies. Too bad the only one I wanted was "American Splender."

I love movies.

I'm out of comments. Tommorow's my birthday.