We saw a couple of good movies over my weekend. The first was "The Descent," which Art Boy rather surprised me by Netflicking. It concerns a bunch of women cavers getting chased by monsters, and sounded profoundly goofy to me, but he noted it was showing up on several critics year-end "best" lists. So into our movie-playing-device it went, and gosh, it was good. The cavers female-bond in a way that's realistic and cute, but never exploitative. I don't know that a movie about monsters pursuing ladies in tank tops can ever be quite feminist, but it is at least intelligent. As the cavers' adventure develops, they make a series of extremely reasonable decisions (except for one of them, who's confronted about it); their fate feels all the more horrifying for being so inevitable. And, these being women, there are complicated relationship issues going on. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who doesn't suffer claustrophobia...
We also went out to a proper theater to see "Children of Men," which my employer hailed as the new "Blade Runner." Not far off the mark. Clive Owen is impressively Harrison Fordesque with his brooding eyes, subtle pout and dystopian stubble. But unlike Deckard, whose inhumanity and self-loathing grow throughout "BR," Owen's character Theo is allowed to find redemption and hope. The movie is bleak but remarkably beautiful and upbeat. It's also full of animals - who seem to get special attention in a gray futuristic world without children - but none of the animals is ever hurt, which I appreciated. Alfonso Cuarón is a darling little lambkin.
What else do I like? Sally Timms, pink gin, my Nepenthes, Charles Dickens' "The Haunted House," reruns of "Arrested Development," the view out my computer-desk window (a square of perfect blue sky stacked on a square of pale yellow stucco: the house next door), Art Boy, my friends, having a heater. I hate pretty much everything else. Cheers!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Isn't the sky a wonderful shade of blue out here? It's this sharp, brilliant hue that cuts into the eyes and forces one to smile or turn away. Hope you're feeling better!
It is. I don't hate it either. I saw a documentary on Steve Martin recently where Billy Connolly, reclining by his pool, made an interesting observation comparing Martin's personality to the oddly sharp, brilliant quality of the light in Southern California. I can't remember it exactly but I remembered it when we got here. It's like nothing else.
Have you read the book Children of Men? I read it back in the college days, and when I saw the movie I thought, Huh, this has the same basic premise I remember from the book, but I don't remember it being pretty much violence beginning to end. So I found a summary at wikipedia, and it turns out I remember correctly - the book is almost completely different in every detail! Good book, though, if you're looking for one... :) .
Ooh, no, I have not read the book but have been curious about it since seeing the movie! I read somewhere that Cuaron deliberately set out to make the movie bleaker... the book might be a nice counter.
Hey AE! I just got around to noticing you have a blog. I saw both Children Of Men and The Descent with J-Will. We both like Children Of men but he complained that I kept screaming like a little girl during The Descent. Whatever.
When I lived in California, we used to describe the sky as "blistering blue". It really is different looking than anywhere else I've been.
Hi Eileen! Adding you to my blogroll has been on my list of housecleaning projects. "Blistering blue" is an excellent description.
I screamed during "The Descent" too, particularly at the monster's first appearance; something classic horror-movie like "OH MY GOD IT'S STANDING RIGHT BEHIND THEM."
Post a Comment