I know that a chief criticism of this film is that Errol Morris just isn't serious enough about it, and that he indulges too much in the very tabloid pleasures that he's ostensibly exploring. But I think that's a bit unwarranted.  No doubt, it was really enjoyable to experience Errol Morris inhabiting a tabloid narrative, delivering up the very thrills he ought to be (and we ought to be) suspicious of. But it was thought-provoking to reflect on my varied reactions as the crazy, conflicting details of Joyce McKinney's tabloid odyssey unfolded -- and I think that's very much the point.  And Spirit Booger.  That's the point, too.

I'll admit, I was not into the idea of this film when I first heard about it.  But now that I've seen it on DVD, I'm feeling all DANGIT that I didn't see it in 3D at the theatre.  The flying sequences are super joyous, even in a 2D rendering, and I can only imagine how great they were with that extra D.  I guess that's what you get when you hire Roger Deakins to be your visual consultant... But, alas, there's a lot more than zippy flying sequences to love here, namely a wonderfully imagined dragon sidekick named Toothless, and a big sincere message about friendship and trust that's delivered in smart and sweet ways.  What can I say?  I'm a softie.  And also a big fan of any movie that can make Gerard Butler's (even animated) presence palatable.   

Now that I've been in New York for four years, it just seemed right to revisit one of my favorite Scorsese movies. It's a real treat, not only to see that cast (Whoah, Will Patton!  Whoah, Linda Fiorentino! Whoah, Terri Garr/Catherine O'Hara! Whoah, Bronson Pinchot?) but also because it's kind of a marvel to see Tribeca back when it looked more like Bushwick than Tribeca. This film captures the paranoid-but-exhilarating essence of every semi-secret little party I've ever been to in a not-supposed-to-be-a-loft building in Brooklyn. So awesome.