First of all, in case you didn't understand my previous definition of "Joni Mitchell," here is a concrete example. This beer is the most Joni Mitchell beer I've ever seen!
You see, it could be very great. Who knows? (actually I do... and it was pretty fine) BUT it looks unBELIEVably boring! Would you pick this out of a lineup of beers? Nay. In the same way that you wouldn't jump to take a class on colonial times in a lineup of history classes. COULD be good, but SEEMS too boring. It's Joni Mitchell!
ANYWAY I saw two movies this weekend. Yes, after my well-over-a-month movie (in the theater) drought, I am finally going to start catching up.
MOVIE SECTION
1. Where the Wild Things Are-- Obviously getting a lot of hype. I thought it was VERY well done in terms of making a largely plotless book into a movie with a very discernible plot but, impressively, not compromising the integrity of the book. It was also visually stunning. BUUUUT I think the BEST part of the movie was that it was, I'm pretty sure, the BEST portrayal of a child and a child's world EVER! Or at least the best I've seen.
You know how most movies that have children in it take the "kids say the darndest things" approach? What I mean is that they treat children like idiots to the world, not in a mean way but in a way that doesn't match with my experiences being a child and being with children. But children really DO observe the world and have an understanding of things. They just aren't jaded by experience like we are because they haven't experienced the redundancies in life. They can still make connections that we can't see. They still see possibilities whereas we jump ahead to outcomes because we've seen it all before. ANYWAY, the point is that this movie REALLY captured that. And it REALLY captured the way children live in the moment so much where they can be having a blast and then the next SECOND they're crying or they're scared. It really got the energy (the child is ALWAYS running around) and the disregard for danger that children have. It got what I think is the exact level of sympathy and compassion that children have-- self-focused but just STARTING to understand and care about how other people feel. Plus all the monsters had very distinct, child personalities that were VERY true to life, I thought. And all of the monsters and Max had incredibly complex and real types of relationships.
-- SLIGHT SLIGHT SLIGHT SPOILER NEXT! (although it's not like you haven't read it...)!!--
Max doesn't even hug every monster when he leaves... even monsters that are nice... because a kid wouldn't.
--SPOILER COMPLETE--
Plus, Max's plans were child like. His relationship with his mom and sister were amazing. The way he reacts to everything was perfect. I really TRULY thought this movie is unmatched as far as insight into children. I could go on and on and on about all of the child real-ness! AMAZING!
Now, I did think that the ending was a LITTLE abrupt, but I didn't really mind. If they had drawn it out or made him too sad about leaving the world, it might have cancelled out some of the amazing child-realness (I can't think of another word). Also my friend Franki said that she was a little disappointed that the monsters weren't as carnal and beastly as they were in the book--instead they were just a little sad and frustrated with the world and their relationships (mirroring Max's sadness from life). That didn't bother me though.
BUUUUUT visually the movie was amazing!! And the child reminded me of Joseph Gordon Levitt... except maybe a better actor than Levitt was at that age.
So... I recommend.
The Invention of Lying-- I WAS really pumped about it because it was written, directed by, and starring Ricky Gervais, who is genius. Plus Tina Fey was in the previews. THEN I heard that my grandpa read mixed reviews, which included disappointment that Tina Fey was hardly in it at all. So I went in with shmena expectations. SO for the first... maybe 20 minutes of the movie, it was funny but a little much. Not only does no one lie, but they also blurt out everything that they're feeling right away. It was funny but after 3 minutes, I was over it. Although I must admit that that plot line is a brilliant way to get through exposition without seeming too contrived-- you knew where everyone stood right away. Although that's kind of the reason I got bored with it so quickly.
BUUUUUT then it got really good! Now reviews mentioned that there was a bit of a metaphor about god (again, reviews according to my grandpa as I don't typically read reviews and if I do, not until after I've seen the film)... but it was a HUGE, not even metaphor, about god. And obviously I can't know this, but I really don't know that you could enjoy the movie as much as I did without being an atheist. And what I really liked was that he introduced god into everyone's life, kind of on accident, and it kind of changed everything... but it also kind of didn't. It just sort of changed the purpose people had for being who they are. It was also a commentary on looks. And, of course, it was a commentary on love.
Basically, I thought it was pretty clever, but I thought it was even more honest. Ricky Gervais has great sincerity to him that is a little judgmental but is much more self-pitying and self-deprecating. For instance, Bill Maher constantly points out how everyone is stupid, but Ricky Gervais approaches the world in astonishment like "does everyone see this madness as clearly as I do?" coupled with "it's so unfortunate that I can see how crazy everything is but in the end I'm destined to walk and be judged as a chubby guy who's kind of funny." I hope you KIND OF understand what I mean... even though I see that my words aren't terribly clear.
Also, I don't know why the reviewer was upset by Tina Fey only being in it for a bit. It was obviously a cameo and there was no reason for her to be in more of it. Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, AND Jason Bateman all made cameos as well... and they were all BRILLIANT!! I love when cameos are brilliant!!
Basically, all in all I didn't get too much insight from the movie, but it reflected, essentially, how I see the world... but in a funny and less depressing way. So... I liked it.
ALSO, I want to point out that both movies dealt with fantastical solutions to not major or abrupt crises, but general sadness and frustration with things that aren't anyone's fault but still suck. I don't know if this is, perhaps, a tone of the people... or if I seem to be gravitating to those movies... or if it's a coincidence.
1 comment:
I think I feel the exact same way about The Invention Of Lying as you.. probably because I'm basically atheist as well. Although it was not the best movie in the world, I did thoroughly enjoy it. I can definitely see how people of religion would not like it at all.
Did you get sad at all when his mom died? that's the part that I got teary eyed in.. I think it's because I'm a little scared of death like his mom was, and you know that you want to believe what he is telling his mom, but it is obviously a lie. convincing yourself otherwise just distracts you from the truth. ahh I think it was a mixture of that, and I have a fear of my parents dying. whenever I think about them getting old, I just get so sad. It's just something I don't like thinking about, so it reminded me of that fear.
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