Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have a great one. And, while I'm waiting for stuff in the oven and the dryer (I took the opportunity this morning to use the settings for some of my dry clean only stuff)... Salli's Movie Round Up. In order. Shall We Dance was fun. Richard Gere is particularly good in it, and I really like most all of you would enjoy it, if it's still showing where you are. Not as good as the original, particularly for a dancer. There are practically no cool "that's so the way it is!" moments, and there aren't many recognizable dance moves. Jennifer Lopez doesn't look like half of one of the top couples in the world. Yes, she looks like a dancer, but not like a top-flight ballroom champion. I know collegiate dancers who look more like ballroom dancers than she does. It's in the way you move. Also there were silly things like a Cha Cha/Paso Doble novice dance pairing, which makes no sense whatsoever. The verdict: You'd like it, probably. It doesn't do great things, but then it isn't trying, either. Ray is probably a perfectly good movie. My dad and his friend enjoyed it, and I was entertained for the first half. Ultimately, though, it's a muscian get's successful, does drugs, and has marital problems story. There are lots of "hey, it's that song" moments, which mean little if you aren't a Ray Charles fan, and weren't alive when these things were happening. The ending is muddled and slap-dash, and ultimately the story only speaks to people of that generation, or those who know a lot about the material. A good biography ought to transcend the era in which it is set, speaking to a wider audience. For all of the strengths of the movie, it doesn't accomplish that. (Rather like Ali in that reguard.) The verdict: Don't watch it unless you're a Ray Charles fan. I seriously contemplated leaving the room and reading my book in the lobby. Number three is the hardest to remember. Do you know what movie I mean when I say I saw After the Sunset? It's the heist flick with Pierce Brosnan and some other people. The title does make sense in context, but it doesn't stick with you from just the previews. It's good, harmless fun, not pretenious in any way. Not super clever, but then it doesn't try to be, never mind what the previews say. Enjoyable and light entertainment. The verdict: What the heck, go see it, if you're looking for something to watch. Or wait for a cheaper rental. And, finally, National Treasure. I would never have seen this movie on my own. Kat's right, it looks hokey. That's the perfect word. Sort of true, to. The history is awful, but if it doesn't upset my father, who is the early Americanist at the college, I don't see why it should upset you. Dad describes it as Da Vinci Code does American culture. There are problems associated with this transition (if you had an enormous treasure you wanted to hide and protect, why would you sent it on a perilous ocean voyage when there was plenty of space closer to home?), but that's to be expected. It reminds me of an old school Disney flick like we used to watch when we were kids. You know, the sort of thing we look back sentimentally on, not the Disney stuff we scoff at today. Geekly action hero pulls of hijinks, pursues and is pursued by villains, gets girl. We've all seen this formula. The verdict: Exceptionally silly, but fun. Be prepared for it to be silly, and you'll have a good time. (If you're like me, you might have to close your eyes when they keep lighting torches in a rickety wooden structure covered in cobwebs.) Afterwards, you can entertain yourself indignantly pointing out all the gaping holes and historical impossibilities. We had an in-home movie night and saw the original Alfie, then decided that we mostly wanted to see the new one to compare, and we'd just as well wait for the video for that. Each and every "we" in this post brought to you by the fact that I saw each of these movies with my dad and his Irish film-watching buddy, and we always discuss afterwards. I can hardly present group conclusions as my own. Enjoy your turkey. ~Erin, 1:12 PM Comments: Post a Comment
