I recently watched several movies. It's being a long time since I could watch it all in several days. Usually it comes to new movies in nearest cinemas. So, I was on this short business trip to Dubai and had a chance to finish "Curb Your Enthusiasm" season 4, enjoy "The Descendants," "Four Lions," and most of all when I came back I could enjoy 'based on true events and altered for dramatic effect" - "Moneyball," and a jaw-dropping "American History X." Well, yeah, it's all about the shows and movies that people have watched already, it's past history... But still, feel like it's worth writing about.
Curb Your Enthusiasm - hillarious show where each character is just fantastic! The very fact that most of the scenes are improvised is just brilliant. It's not only about "I'm the Seinfeld co-creator Larry David," it's about every single one of them! And even guest stars are just as cool. To note some - the usual Ross-Schwimmer, Ben "exploding" Stiller, and Jason "George" Alexander, and Elaine, oh, no... and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss :) And many other more... Well, I still got a lot to watch. Ted Danson :) Richard Lewis... etc. etc. etc.... Most enjoyable comedy show that I really can't stop watching.
The "slightly" manipulative Descendants... That's what I think. Well I actually have much respect for Alexander Payne and I won't say much until I see that movie for a second time, and until I finish "Sideways." I just read so much positive reviews about "Sideways" that I feel I'd be very dishonest if I don't see that movie. It's just that this itching feel that this movie (based on a novel) deliberately puts you in that artificial situation so that you feel cornered in many ways. You end up disliking everyone, and at the same time you're sorry for everyone (especially the littlest one, Scottie - this one I empathize, 'cause she'll learn more as she grows up - and that could be a different story - perhaps a better one). Although it attempts to put you in a real life situation - it still feels artificial. But, enough is enough, after I finish "Sideways" I'll have more to say. Perhaps it's more of a director style thing :) By the way - I enjoyed that small episode with Matthew Lillard. It's been a long time since I saw him... well anywhere. It's a small episode, but his looked much more effective in that that Clooney himself. All those lies and confusion, and fear, and love for his wife - all at the same time, in five or six minutes just great acting. Two thumbs up for Lillard! (Just like what Ebert would say :) )
"Four Lions" - is one of the best tragic comedies that I saw recently. And not many are coming out these days. It's quite well crafted. You must be very masterful so that you can start it with a comedy, with an absurd, and finish it all up with the tragedy. Hey, that's one movie that goes well along with my blog - absurd :) I think I gotta pay more attention to that. So, it's decided - it'll be the first movie to write about.
Moneyball is just great sports drama that you also don't see recently. The way it's filmed is all great. You're watching it and undrestand well that good oscar-like drama. That's good oscar-like directing. That's good oscar-like anger on Pitt's face. Although it significantly differs from what happened in reality, for the movie, it's dramatic effect is all good that's good about good cinema. I re-read what I wrote before and it looks a bit like teasing, well it's not. At least I need to say more about it when I review it. But all this drama is meant to inspire, while in the end, whatever they created didn't work. Therefore it's worth mentioning that "composite character" for the oscar nominated Jonah Hill - Peter Brand was not necessary. If it started from reality that Beane in fact "inherited" that "economic" approach from a previous GM you could have easily used the real guy behind Hill-Brand, the real economist Paul DePodesta. No wondre he refused to let his name use, because reality was quite significantly altered. In general - great drama, but certain things need to be mentioned. Powerful acting with Pitt as always, good acting from Hill (I was rather surprised to see him in that role and even more surprised with that oscar nomination). Good directing, cinematography, good sports. And as I am from Kyrgyzstan who has no idea about baseball and perhaps many other people too, I found that movie and sports very thrilling thanks to all that above-mentioned.
And finally, "American History X" - well that's something special. Most critics (and I'm not) tend to give movies stars or pluses or as many Thumbs as they have or can borrow from other people who are also critics and I don't like that for certan movies. I actually like that guy from Russia - Alex Exler - who for certain movies, great movies, important movies, movies that make you think and are one of a kind - doesn't give any of that crap. He simply says: This movie is a masterpiece, I will never give this movie any rating at all. I think he said such things about "Once upon a time in America," "Godfather" part 1 and 2, and some other really important and influential movies. So, on "American History X" I'm with him. Well, I think he said the same thing about that movie. It's truly a masterpiece that will always be important for many generations to come.
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| Edward Norton as Derek Vinyard |
pic from: http://static.megashara.com/screenshots/765460__american_history_x_avc.mkv_003347051.jpg
to finish it on a positive note: Tasteless, but funny. (pic from fugly.com)
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