Movie Blog: “The TV Set” and “Dead Man”

The last two movies I’ve seen have been good, though very different. First, “Dead Man” is a Jim Jarmusch flick starring Johnny Depp and Gary Farmer – perhaps the second-most steadily working (and famous?) Native America actor behind Adam Beach. It is slow, weird, black and white, and completely absorbing. Jarmusch has a knack for making weird things work. I need to see more of his movies.

Then – “The TV Set,” starring David Duchovny and Sigourney Weaver, who turns in an absolutely inspired (and inspiring?) performance as a TV network exec. “The TV Set’s” about a TV pilot getting made, or murdered, depending on your point of view. The satire is sharp, though it clearly plays to critics — the basic premise being that most of what’s on TV is crap on purpose. My favorite part involves the screenwriter’s nightmare of an actor – not the guy who can’t act, the guy who can sometimes act. It’s the funniest thing I’ve seen in a while. No surprise: Judd Apatow’s name is attached to it. He must never sleep. The man’s output is ridiculous.