Not as much different stuff was watched over the past month, due in large part to binge-watching Item Three.
Life of Pi. Actually saw this the previous month, forgot to include it, which shows how memorable I found it. The allegory goes on too long, then has to be explained so everyone “get” it. The explanation is heavy-handed and full of holes; the overall effect is to provide the illusion of depth. In the end, it’s thought-provoking on a level of Boone and Katy getting high in Animal House. (“You mean the tiger’s not really a tiger? Oooohh, wow, man. You just blew my mind. I mean, like blew it. [insert explosion sound effect here]”)
All is Lost. Including our interest, after about 45 minutes. This fell into a category of films that can best be described as, “I have no idea what I’m supposed to take away from this.” An artistic take on the modern thriller, where things get worse and worse until…I don’t know. Maybe they got better at the end, though, after the film’s opening, even that would seem to be a bit of a cheat.
The Shield. After our interest in All is Lost sank, we had an evening to fill. Several friends have recommended The Shield, and we’re currently between TV series to watch whenever we have a story hour, so we gave it a shot. Now we’re in for the long haul. Michael Chiklis creates a marvelously three-dimensional character, and the interplay between the cops is fascinating. The interrogation scenes are also a lot more nuances and realistic than most television and movies. In some ways, there’s more character development here than in The Wire, as the people are more the focus than the environment.
(One more thing: Happy St. Patrick’s Day, boyo. Stay hydrated, ye bastards, but don’t get shite-faced and drive into a sheugh.)
Liked all of the above.Like the idea a story can be told without words. Liked the idea of a story too painful to be told as it happened.
ReplyDeleteI liked the ideas of both stories. It was the execution I felt fell short, in both cases.
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