7 posts tagged “movies”
Saw Verhoeven's Black Book at the Embarcadero tonight. Turned out to be for the best that none of my friends came with, because it was one of those really personal experiences where you suffer right along with the characters and at the end don't really feel like rehashing the experience with idle chatter.
The movie reminded me of Alan Furst's novels, which I've spent many afternoons and evenings listening to while wandering the streets of San Francisco alone. They all deal with regular people caught up over their heads in espionage activities and resistance movements during WWII Europe, scraping along as best they can, coping and surviving, and doing their bit to fight back.
I don't know why these stories are so compelling to me. It's hard for me to imagine being in that kind of situation. I don't think we really appreciate here in the States just how comfortable our lives are. Just try to imagine what it would be like if a hostile foreign power occupied the place you lived, and you and everybody like you was persecuted, jailed, or killed, and there was no way to escape. For us Americans, it's pretty much inconceivable. My own struggles are pretty much limited to becoming more healthy and figuring out how to have a fulfilling and successful career. Not exactly the same ball game.
I guess in some sense they let me safely fantasize about being an adventurer from the safety of my armchair. They make me want to get rid of all my shit, leave my responsibilities behind, and get back out on the road. But of course I never do, because I'm always able to come up with some important reason for staying here (currently it's losing 30 more pounds and training for the marathon), or in other words, rationalize being a pussy.
Speaking of books, for the last couple of weeks, I've been obsessively taking every available opportunity to progress through Kim Stanley Robinson's "Science in the Capital" series (didn't know they were called that til I read his Wikipedia page). I've found over the last several months that I've been thinking more and more about global warming and if there's anything I can do professionally to make some kind of difference there. I haven't found anything yet, but then, I guess I haven't really looked very hard. I've been too busy wasting my time with World of Warcraft and Guitar Hero 2. Something really needs to change there.
Since i've finished season two of Battlestar Galactica, Netflix has started sending me actual movies again. Last night's screening was The Interpreter. I wanted to see this one in the theater but couldn't quite motivate to make it out. I wound up being pretty happy with it at home though.
I didn't have high expectations, cos the trailer made it seem like a run of the mill thriller. It certainly wasn't groundbreaking. The obligatory plot twist flies past so quickly and with so little consequence that I felt a bit cheated. But then, I think the movie was trying to be more of a character piece, and in that sense, the twist itself is less important than what it winds up meaning for Kidman's character.
Speaking of which, I was surprised at how much I liked both main characters. Sean Penn is actually quite affecting as a husband mourning for his newly-dead wife. He does good work when he keeps the talking to a minimum (guy totally ruined that Sam Shepard play a few years back with his cheeseball overacting). And Kidman is sexy in that naughty librarian sort of way. No ass shots this time unfortunately though.
I remember there being a bunch of chatter about how the the movie was actually filmed in the UN building, and that was supposed to be so special, but really, i wasn't that impressed with the place. I liked the street scenes more, especially the ones in Brooklyn, and the peeping tom scenes too - that's where I regretted the PG-13 rating the most.
early review of Wicker Man at AICN. ai yi yi. now i can't decide whether or not to see the original first.
apparently it's opening at the Embarcadero this Fri (8/25). make sure to buy some popcorn when you go see the flick (shameless plug for my buddy who runs the joint).
