Saturday, August 19, 2006

Recently viewed movies

Alas I waited too long to jot down some notes on some of these, not much left to say with my ever more porous memory.

Prime

OK, normally I would not see a movie with Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep, buuut I like to see the usually formulaic romantic comedies that have a twist. Uma plays a 37 year old woman who gets involved with a 23 year old man, and Meryl sort of comedically plays her therapist who doesn't tell her right away that Uma's new love is her son. It's not formulaic in that Uma's character lets him go, but of course, we can't have that sort of May-December romance survive. It's well-crafted as movies go, but nothing special. I know, romantic comedies rarely are, but I'm a sucker for love.

Jarhead

War sucks. You knew that. It changes you indelibly. You should know that before you sign up.

Hamilton Mattress

Short animation out of the UK. Fun if you like animation.

Weather Man

People have a tradition of throwing fast food at this weather man when they're unhappy with his forecast. A man whose job is to be unreal tries to be real in his life, and isn't very good at it. Sadly overshadowed by his father, he's still treated like a boy by the supposedly wise author. Interesting to see a movie that dares to make the protagonist a lame person.

Combination Platter

An illegal Chinese immigrant in Flushing NY tries to get a green card. Many of the folks working in the restaurant are illegal. A neat inside look at the culture of a Chinese restaurant employing immigrants who barely speak English, with an endearing protagonist.

A Beautiful Mind

Wow. A beautiful mind indeed. It's difficult, but we need not be trapped by our genetic inheritance.

Inventing the Abbotts

Poor boys meet rich girls, while their parents have a secret from the past.

The Day I Became a Woman

Interesting film, but I fast forwarded through a bit of this, especially the bicycle race. One of those movies that would be great if you're in the right frame of mind. I wasn't, but at least liked the glimpse into the Iranian world of women in black robes and veils.

Being Julia

Older woman finds the giddiness of a younger lover who's using her, but recovers quickly and finds revenge as well as fodder for her own acting. Based on W. Somerset Maugham novel.

The Business of Strangers

Older career woman meets younger wild woman who lives for finding the inner madwoman in others, apparently. I always love Stockard Channing, especially here.

Bubble

Weirdly compelling indie style movie about a murder in a midwestern town. Local actors filmed in their own homes bring that sad realism to an odd setting.

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