Stuff seen recently

I caught a few movies over the past week or so, and here are some brief observations on what I thought of them. Enjoy!

1962's Lonely Are the Brave (seen via a Netflix DVD) is a terrific Kirk Douglas movie about a mildly unlawful but basically likable cowboy having a really tough time making it in the modern world. Gena Rowlands and Walter Matthau lend great supporting performances to the proceedings, as does Douglas's wonderful horse.

2009's The Unborn is a well-crafted, genuinely creepy horror film about a young woman being haunted by her twin who died next to her in the womb, or more specifically, by the evil spirit who tried to unsuccessfully inhabit the twin and is now gunning for the young woman. Also saw this via Netflix.

George Romero's Survival of the Dead (2009) is an okay horror film about two feuding families living on an island off the coast of Delaware, and how the zombie apocalypse is complicating their feud. This odd but watchable film is the latest in the director's "Dead" series. I saw this via a DVD that a friend lent to me, and didn't like it quite as much as Diary of the Dead, the previous film in the series. Still, it's worth a look for horror fans.

My wife and I braved the icy roads and took in The King's Speech at a local theater this past weekend. Longer review to follow, but for now I'll tell you that we found the movie to be fascinating, intelligent and very moving. We highly recommend the film, especially to those who hold out for high-quality fare when it comes to the inconvenience and expense of traipsing out to the movie theater.