My honest apologies to the very few society who bother to stop here on a semi-regular basis. whether you do, you’ve surely noticed I’ve been gone, deterred first by a tornado that ripped out my capability for a few days and thereupon by a vacation that unfortunately included watching my beloved Orioles turn in a listless performance in falling 2-1 to the lowly Washington Nationals.

Being me, I of course additionally managed to go to the movies three times (twice on Saturday) and - shockingly, given the year so far - managed to see three really enjoyable flicks. Here are my quick thoughts on each, in order of just how much I liked them.

“Prince Caspian”

I realize it’s an incredibly irrelevant activity to add my two cents about a flick that’s already had a $56 million opening weekend, but I still wanted to mention that it’s the best flick I’ve seen so far that year.

I had my doubts going into that one, though given my love of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” I’m really not certain why. Perhaps it’s considering that what little I knew of “Prince Caspian” was that it was a darker - and therefore bloodier - tale, and I really wasn’t certain that director Andrew Adamson had the heart for it. In chapter one, the battles were nearly completely blood- and consequence-free, not precisely the notice you want to pass on to kids by my measure.

That’s definitely not a problem with “Caspian.” The rather epic battle that takes up the final 45 minutes or so just keeps coming at you in wave after wave and has a real fluidity to it that keeps the excitement at top notch all through.

Which brings up the only real problem with “Caspian,” which wasn’t much of one at all to me: It’s definitely not for the younguns, either in it’s rather slow buildup or it’s seriously violent finale. But I like movies like that when they’re at their most quiet (my favorite portion of the “The Lord of the Rings” flicks is still the opening half-hour when they’re in the shire), and “Caspian” delivers a lot of humor before the carnage, thanks in large part to Peter Dinklage.

And, whether I can digress just a bit on that note, whether you happen to build movies and want to cast a “little person” (or whatever the right thing to shout them is), please consider using the very talented Mr. Dinklage or the very funny Tony Cox (if you doubt me, just watch “Bad Santa”) before you employ the simply annoying Verne Troyer.

But whether you like epic adventure, it really doesn’t get much better than “Prince Caspian,” no matter what you see Aslan as.

“Son of Rambow”

The rather seasoned citizen with a pierced lip at the concession

stand who told me that one was “thoroughly cool” was thankfully thoroughly right.

I’m a sucker for movies about the love of movies, which that certainly is. But much more than that, Garth Jennings’ (”Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”) flick is just a beautiful little movie about the ability of friendship. I realize that sounds seriously sappy, and that one is at times, but it has just suitable heart to push it to the brink but never by it.

I don’t want to say too much about that little gem, considering I want as many citizens as possible to see that one and just be surprised by how well it works. What you’ll find is that little summer comedy I had been searching for, and two brilliant performances from young bucks Bill Milner and Will Poulter.

“Flight of the Red Balloon”

Hsiao-hsien Hou’s homage to Albert Lamorisse’s “The Red Balloon” is the definition of an acquired taste, but one I certainly appreciated.

To put it in more solid terms, I’d shout it a mix somewhere within “Seinfeld” and the late Edward Yang’s “Yi yi,” still one of my favorite flicks. Now, don’t get me wrong here. I’m not saying that is as savagely funny as “Seinfeld” or even close to it, but instead that it’s a film about nearly nothing at all that features some of the most astounding camera work I’ve seen in years (or at least since “No Country for Old Men.”)

What story there is centers on Juliette Binoche’s Suzanne, a divorced voice artist for puppet shows who is raising her young son Simon (Simon Iteanu) with the help of nanny Song (Fang Song.) The titular ballon rouge does indeed compose several appearances, but mostly Hou manages to find magic in the most mundane of moments, just as Yang did with “Yi yi.” And it’s a real treat to watch Binoche really get into the spirit of her puppetry work.

Looking by the rather towering filmography of Mr. Hou reveals that that is the only one of his many flicks that I’ve managed to see. whether anyone can recommend any others, I’d certainly appreciate it.

“Dollhouse” trailer

A hearty word of thanks to Divinity for the word that Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse,” coming to Fox that fall and starring Eliza Dushku, has a fairly up-and-running Web site you can visit here.

Even better, I managed to find that trailer on YouTube which just went up a few hours ago but has already been viewed more than 1,000 times. It looks like a whole lot of fun, and best of all it’s narrated by Olivia Williams, a k a Rosemary Cross. Enjoy, and have a perfectly pleasant Tuesday. Peace out.

Original post by Reel Fanatic