The countdown continues -- tomorrow's my official last day with orthopaedics, and today's my last night call. Am expecting anything from restful to hellish, and based on experiences in other rotations, my last call at any department always ends up as the worst. Wish me luck! :)

Anyway, this blog entry shall be kept light-hearted. Watched a whole lot of movies recently, so here's an update.

1) Men In Black II : My God, this one really sucked. Despite being an admirer of Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, despite rehashing an already popular storyline, despite spending US$140 million on it... the list goes on. I blame it on the scriptwriters -- who churned out garbage, the director -- who didn't direct at all, in my opinion, and the crazy makeup artist who did Lara Flynn Boyle's alien geisha face. I started fidgeting in my seat about halfway through the show, and by the last half hour or so, I was thinking of what to eat for dinner. Small wonder that it hasn't done well at the box office. If the producers are thinking about making MIB III, I suggest they get a new director and screenwriter(s).

2) A Walk To Remember : Borrowed this DVD immediately after watching MIB II, in an attempt to flush the latter out of my shocked system, I guess. :) Anyhow, AWTR is a terrific movie, thanks to its appealing young leads -- Mandy Moore and Shane West. This is an unapologetic weepie which steals from the Love Story premise, but done in a very understated manner. Moore shows promise in the acting department, but West exudes movie-star charm in ample amounts. Would love to see them in more interesting roles in the future. Definitely worth the time and money.

3) K-Pax: I rented a total of 3 Kevin Spacey DVDs ( he's been very busy lately! ), and this was the first one I saw. Now I am very very biased, 'cos I adore KS, and in my mind, there is no bad KS movie. :) However, I have to say that K-Pax was one of his least satisfying films. I don't know if it's the director's fault, or whether Spacey just decided to play his character this way, but having to sit for 2 hours and watch someone as dynamic as KS sleepwalk through his role is excruciating. Where's the fire? Heck, where's the bloody spark?! Jeff Bridges, another fun actor to watch, doesn't fare any better either. I can't imagine how this movie ever got made -- anyone read the novel? Is it one of those "Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil" debacles? Clint Eastwood really massacred that one.
Anyway, you'll be better off renting "Awakenings" instead of this clunker.

4) The Shipping News : This one is more interesting than K-Pax, but also falls short of expectations. Based on yet another novel -- some Pulitzer Prize-winning story, it says on the cover -- it traces the life of a loser called Quoyle, who lives in a drab little coastal town and leads a very very boring life. Spacey again looks like he's on another planet, but fares better here in scenes where his character slowly awakens and begins to gain strength. Watch the part where he finally makes a stand on something he wrote and gets the editor to take his side. Those 30 seconds where he goes from outright shock to realization and finally silent gloating and satisfaction is vintage Spacey. The rest of the movie isn't remarkable at all, but having the likes of Julianne Moore, Judi Dench, Scott Glenn, Cate Blanchett and Rhys Ifans ( Hugh Grant's quirky house-mate in "Notting Hill" ) in the same film is so rare, you really shouldn't miss this one.

I still have one more KS show to go -- "Ordinary Decent Criminal", a bank robbery ensemble piece set in Ireland. And since I'm on the subject, let me list my favourite KS films, in order of preference:

1) The Buddy Factor, aka Swimming With Sharks -- probably known only to ardent KS fans, but his finest role yet ( in my opinion, that is ). He plays a sadistic egomaniac Hollywood producer who tortures his new assistant to the breaking point. The dialogue sparkles, performances are fantastic all round ( Benicio Tel Toro makes a brief appearance as the outgoing assistant ), and Spacey is practically scorching in every scene. I rented the video from this place called Vision Ailanthus, along Hougang Street 21. I have no idea if this is the only place in Singapore that has this movie, but I highly recommend it.

2) American Beauty -- Spacey's most famous work, no doubt, and for which he finally won his Oscar. This one resembles The Shipping News in terms of plot, but is far superior for its sardonic humour, irony and excellent direction. This film exposes the dysfunction of outwardly perfect suburban life, and warrants repeat viewings.

3) The Usual Suspects -- Also known as "that other movie that Spacey won an Oscar for". Yes, he garnered his first statuette for Best Supporting Actor here, and what a role it is. Reminiscent of Edward Norton's turn in "Primal Fear", KS plays a character who is the complete opposite of his true self. Of course, credit also goes to the entire production crew and amazing cast. For better appreciation of this complex masterpiece, make sure you're fully alert and not preoccupied with anything else.

4) The Negotiator -- I meant to keep the list short, but couldn't leave this one out, since it's THE movie that made me a KS convert. :) When I first saw this, I knew KS only as the killer in "Se7en". "The Negotiator" is probably Spacey's first foray into mainstream action flicks, and a good job he does too. Samuel L. Jackson's theatrics look ridiculous when compared to the former's calm and collected, yet intense, performance. The only instance where KS loses it a little is during an impassioned speech in which he beseeches the FBI to spare Jackson's life. In fact, if it weren't for Spacey's presence in this movie, it would've sunk into melodrama and mediocrity.

More will follow next week, as I review the last of the KS DVDs I rented. Stay tuned. :)

By the way, if you'd like to check out the Kevin Spacey website, just click here.