Brains’ll Only Get You So Far & Luck Always Runs Out
June 20th – June 26th
Zombieland and Celtic Pride — The result of a really lazy Saturday afternoon. I had little desire to do anything besides lay on the couch watching TV. It just so happened that Zombieland was just starting on the Encore HD channel. I’d liked it the first time I saw it, so why not catch it again? Then after that one, I was extremely lazy so I just didn’t even bother to change the channel. Celtic Pride came on next. Very middle of the road. Not particularly original or funny. Interestingly, however, the script was written by Judd Apatow.
Somewhere – Sofia Coppola’s latest. I really liked it. Sofia’s movies seem to be quite divisive. A lot of people dislike them because they seem to deal with the problems of the privileged. I think they work because a viewer can empathize with out sympathizing. Also this one takes it’s time. Nothing really happens. But it’s those slow, less dramatic moments that really give this film meaning. Plus, Elle Fanning is wonderful here. Can’t wait to see some of the other stuff she is starting to show up in.
Iron Man 2 — When the need for lighter fare hits, why not look to what’s streaming on Netflix. Not much different from the first one. It does some things better, some worse. But whereas the first one, along with The Dark Knight, seemed to make the comic book movie seem a little fresher and more interesting to the non-geek audience, this one seems less interesting simply perhaps because it is a sequel. We’ve already seen the grittier, more based-in-reality origin story (of The Dark Knight and the first Iron Man) so that it has lost some of its novelty.
The Tree of Life — Sarah’s already posted her thoughts on this one. I have to say that I liked this one more than she. I still haven’t really unpacked it all. That would require multiple viewings. But I already think it’s a masterpiece. It’s not one family’s story so much as it’s one man’s fragmented and nostalgic look back at a particular point in his childhood. As an autobiography, I think this is filmmaking at its very best. Of course one man’s story is not going to resonate equally with all people. But I was certainly happy to be along for the ride. It was quite surprising to see a packed theater for a Sunday afternoon show. I guess not too surprising was the fact that there were at least a half-dozen walkouts (from about 15 minutes after the start of the film to about 5 minutes from the end of the film).
Thelma & Louise — Another one available on Netflix Instant Viewing. There’s plenty of that early 90′s-ness to it that makes it feel a bit dated. But it’s dark and original enough to still hold up. And regardless of the gender politics of it, it’s just kind of nice to see a movie with two strong (in their own way) female leads.
