Free is Key: a week's worth of borrowed rentals

Started off last Sunday screening (finally) SHAUN OF THE DEAD, the cheeky zombie flick from the Simon Pegg and the same folks who brought us this year's RUN FATBOY RUN. It was on Comedy Central, randomly. On a Sunday!

SHAUN OF THE DEAD
plot: A romantic comedy. With zombies. (yes, that was lifted from their press kit)
thought: Random plot, good follow through.
in five: 3.5/5
find it: http://www.shaunofthedeadmovie.com/noflash.html

And it somehow made sense to move from matters of the undead to matters of the sick and living. I'm not usually into documentaries (and I also lazily roll my eyes at 'based on a true story' flicks), but Michael Moore usually presents his bombastic and at times annoying--and usually depressing--tirades in a humorous light, so I thought, why not?

SICKO
plot: American health insurance sucks hard.
thought: I'm moving back to France.
in five: 3.5/5
find it: http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/dvd/

From the same friend who gave me SICKO, I was able to nab two more pictures, both centered around the industry in which we work. The first already is hailed as required screening for film and tv kids who dream of 'making it big.' The second should be.

SWIMMING WITH SHARKS
plot: Be nice to your assistant.
thought: Or hire a better assistant!
in five: 4/5
find it: http://www.amazon.com/Swimming-Sharks-Kevin-Spacey/dp/1573624047

Unlike the kid who played the less-than-mediocre assistant in SWIMMING WITH SHARKS, David Duchovny (did I just compare him to Frank Whaley???) shines in THE TV SET. And so does Sigourney Weaver! This movie is an hilarious look at how a tv pilot makes the trek from script to production to eventually--often unfortunately--reach our living rooms. It's honest and bleak and funny and pretty much good stuff.

THE TV SET
plot: Studio butchers project for cash.
thought: And isn't that the point?
in five: 4/5
find it: http://www.netflix.com/Movie/The_TV_Set/70063592?lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=656221981_0_0