What have I been watching...

I've had a flurry of movie watching lately. A little of this, a little of that. A little good, a little bad. Let's check it out.
Moon- a dazzling and brilliant debut for Duncan Jones. Sam Rockwell, as usual, is a scene-stealer. Luckily, there's two of him. Which means twice as many scenes to steal. It's a a testament to Jones that he keeps the film working and engaging with virtually one actor at work.
Valkyrie- pretty standard action-thriller here. Lots of things were missing, a few things worked. Overall the storyline was actually pretty boring considering the material. Tom Cruise was, as expected, a poor fit. What was really surprising is the poor work on the part of some normally solid actors. Thus I concluded that it was a poor directing job by Bryan Singer. He was unable to properly give his actors things to work with.
Death Race- As you'd expect a Paul W. Anderson film to be. Fast, convoluted, silly. The action is furious. The story is not. It leaves a lot to be desired.
The Straight Story- a rare normal turn for David Lynch. A touching and refreshingly simple story. A man rides a lawn mower to meet his sick, estranged brother. Filmed eloquently. In a manner that reflects its simple pleasure.
The Last Picture Show- A classic coming-of-age story. Makes you pine for younger days, appreciate the time you have, and want to forget the seemingly aimless years in between. Excellent stuff, but too slow for some.