It's been a slow movie month for me. I also haven't read any books...or studying Spanish, for that matter. What have I been doing with my time?
Anyway, this weekend I did watch The Third Man, a Carol Reed/Orson Welles film noir classic from 1949. It was a very good mystery film and made me wonder why we don't make movies like that any more. It seemed like it would have been a crowd pleaser but one that also makes you think. Now we get Mr. Brooks — a movie I have no desire to see. Kevin Costner, you are no Orson Wells or even Joseph Cotton. Anyway, if you're in the mood for a black and white pic, you should check The Third Man.
In the theaters: I went to see Oceans 13. It was entertaining...though not particularly thought provoking. However if you're checking out an Oceans movie for thought provocation, then there is no hope for you anyway and what are you doing reading this blog? You can't really be my friend. Anyway, Oceans 13. WAY better than 12 (granted, not hard to do). The plot makes sense. The inside jokes seem to be jokes the audience is a part of, as opposed to the self indulgence of 12. The actors are having a good time, you're having a good, the producers are having a good time. You don't even notice the movie is over two hours long. If your looking for a movie to take your mind off work or whatever, this is a good one for it.
Next up for review, according to my Netfix queue: Note On a Scandal. Cate Blanchett. Judy Dench. Bill Nighy. They could be reading the user manual for my DVD player and it would be good. But I'll try to keep an open mind.
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8 comments:
The Third Man is a great movie. And, yeah, the value of composition in the experience of images is underappreciated today, or maybe just not handled with as much sensitivity as some directors did. It's as if no one trusts their audience. But if there's a director who could inflect a scene with character like in The Third Man you'd think it would be Soderburgh.
Maybe next time....
By the way, can you think of any movies that deal with hypocrisy? and maybe some big deal moral issue? I'm trying to think of films to show for my ethics class....
Oh! And maybe there is hope for thought-provocation from Ocean's 13. Marc's friend Dan teaches Ghostbusters to his intro philosophy students, so anything is possible.
If there is anyone who can imbue deep meaning into a seemingly vapid film, it's a philosophy professor...or a literary theorist — there was a lot of that in the English department at LSU.
As for Soderbergh, did you see The Good German? See The Good German. It is The Third Man...only in Germany instead of Vienna.
Oh...as to your moral issue question, have you ever seen "Naked" by Mike Leigh? Well, come to think of it, most Mike Leigh movies deal with some big moral issue..."Vera Drake", might be a better one for what you want. And there's less graphic sex. There's also my favorite Mike Leigh film, "Secrets and Lies". I could do an entire class on that director. He's pretty much my favorite director...excluding those that I might have some personal bias towards that have little to do with their body of work and more to do with their body....oh, nevermind.
"What have I been doing with my time?" - You've been hiding out from creepy neighbor and writing a novel!
I'll totally check out those movies. -- Marc says he has all of Leigh's available work. And has a special love for Topsy Turvy?
What is there not to love about a movie musical about Gilbert & Sullivan?! Plus it starts Jim Broadbent, who could also read my DVD manual and would be absolutely fascinating to watch.
Uhm. I just watch Notes on a Scandal and can I just tell you, Cheri, that's some moral dilemma/hypocrisy for yo' ass. Holy crap.
And of course, in my original list of suggestions I forgot to mention sex, lies and videotape...always good for that sort of thing.
Thanks, M, you're a peach!
(I wonder if people with thick French accents are told by their English teachers to *avoid that expression*?)
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