It was suggested that I make a weekly weekend post about the movies I’ve been watching in the last week. Well, here it is! Also, I’m going to keep this from just being a flat list of the things I’m watching, but sharing brief, two-sentence thoughts on the stuff I’ve consumed.
This week was an odd one in terms of movie-watching. I’ve had spotty access to the TV and so I haven’t been able to get to the things I really wanted to watch (like Fanny and Alexander) and the stuff I did watch was with the understanding that I might be interrupted.
The Movies
Inglourious Basterds (Blu-ray) - My umpteenth re-watch, and so much damn fun. I really cannot get enough of how ceaselessly brilliant this movie is.
Snow White and the Huntsman (Cinema) - Totally, absolutely surprising movie. I really enjoyed it and am aghast at the poor reception its gotten from most people. You can read my review here.
(500) Days of Summer (Blu-ray) – I put it on thinking I’d only get to watch the first 30 minutes and ended up watching the whole thing. A wonderful film that I identify with far more than I care to admit.
Prometheus (Cinema) - A flawed film, but one that has really settled in my mind as a worthy science fiction epic.
So that’s what I’ve seen this week. Not all that much, but a good selection. Let me know what you’ve been watching in the comments below. Anything I should be checking out?
Very nice, I’m actually watching Inglorious Basterds in a little bit. I think I’ve seen it twice so far. It’s great.
Can’t get enough Basterds.
I really need to see both Mirror Mirror and SWATH – both received reviews I did not expect in the slightest. I won’t quite go the “epic” distance on Prometheus, but I’m betting we’re very close in our opinions. I liked it a whole lot more than I thought I would – but its characters, their actions and some of the script pulled me out of the loftier aspects of the plot (though I usually found my way back in).
As for my past week, my faves were Bergman’s “Summer With Monika” (Harriet Anderson is a force in this) and “The Secret World Of Arietty” (it feels too short, but is pretty much perfect in leaving off where it does – fantastic sense of wonder about it).
Finally saw “The Avengers” (enjoyed it a great deal – but don’t see the huge deal) and “Madagascar 3″ is a trippy, weird, entertaining, though only sporadically funny mish-mash.
My son pulled me into rewatches of both “True Grit” (Coens) and “Youth In Revolt” – both were first time for him and both were successes. He also selected “Man On Ledge” which is by no means solid, but was still entertaining – it lost its way, but kept me mostly engaged. Can’t say the same for Bertolucci’s “The Sheltering Sky” though. Pretty to look at (Vittorio Storaro is a genius cinematographer), but otherwise empty, soulless and dull.
Also finally caught up with “We Need To Talk About Kevin” (stylistically fabulous, but really said everything it had to say in about 20-30 minutes) and – after years of putting it off – “Starship Troopers” which felt cheap and cliche until it suddenly became satirical and fun (though not quite the fantastic satire I keep hearing it is).
I have to get back to doing similar kinds of posts…
By the way, if you’re looking for any additional podcast guests, I’m always willing. I’ve been on Ryan’s as well as Cinecast. Don’t know how “good” I am, but it’s always been entertaining.
Now that the blogger meet-up is next week, I’ll need to squeeze “War Horse” in sooner than expected – I actually have Spielberg’s “War Of The Worlds” and “Minority Report” on deck (The Boy’s next choices), so it may not happen until Sunday…
Holy moly, I think this comment is long than my post!
TRUE GRIT! YAY!
I’ll definitely have you on the podcast if and when I do it.
Yeah, I like long comments…Makes the initial poster feel inadequate. B-) I should probably just cut and paste it and use it as my own new blog post…