Nothing to Do, Nowhere to Go
February 9th – February 15th
I Am Legend - I needed something for a late Monday morning that found me ill on the living room couch. Unfortunately, the OnDemand HBO channel in my area is not available in HD. More than the higher definition, I like the HD TV programming because the movies are in the correct (or at least more correct) aspect ratios.
The Order of Myths - A very nice documentary about the racially segregated Mardi Gras celebrations in Mobile, Alabama. I want it to be the last vestige of pre-Obama America even when I know that it cannot be. What lingers in my mind are those shots of the white celebrations and festivities and how all the servers and attendants seemed to be black.
Young @ Heart - The Young at Heart chorus as well as this documentary both say something about vitality in old age (if somewhat ironically). You can’t beat a bunch of septuagenarians singing The Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated.” There is something so perfect about it. The movie has a touching immediacy with its anticipation and resolution of impending death among the group. At once, you feel both the joy of life and the crush of inevitable death. Like everyone else, I really liked Fred Knittle’s take on Coldplay’s “Fix You.” But still, something left me cold. Maybe my discomfort of old people extends to film. Maybe it felt a little exploitative. Or maybe it’s just my innate assumption that all documentaries narrated with a British accent are nature documentaries. And to my befuddlement, there were no cute penguins to ooh and aah over.
