Many More Movies
We’ve been on something of a DVD bender since getting a new DVR, high def TV, and Bluray player. While I’m not sure it was prudent, we did it anyway, and now might as well enjoy the fruits of our folly. The high definition takes some getting used to, as all movies now look somehow more like real life, whatever that is. But we figure, the more we watch, the more accustomed to it we’ll be. So it’s for our own good that we’re watching all these movies. Really.
The Social Network (2010) d. David Fincher. My husband declined to watch it, but I’m glad I did. No matter how much of it is really real, the story it tells is a compelling one, well acted, and intriguingly constructed and told. From IMDB trivia, some of the cameras used in production were lent by Steven Soderbergh, director of:
Ocean’s 11 (2001) My husband’s pick, and a continuation of our Soderbergh kick. We saw it originally in the theater. Cool, clever, fun and funny. An enjoyable and entertaining way to spend a few hours. That rarity: a well-crafted popcorn flick.
Zodiac (2007) d. David Fincher. WAY too long. Engaging in its focus on how the serial killing messed up a bunch of lives, instead of as a straight procedural and with good performances. Robert Downey Jr, much like Al Pacino, has come to a point where he tends to play a version of himself–a smart-ass, kind of crazy, substance abusing pain in the ass. He’s good at it, but I wonder if he’s able to play anything else, or if the public would pay to see him play anything else. And so…
Iron Man (2008) d. Jon Favreau. Robert Downey Jr. playing Tony Stark, a womanizing, drunk, pain the ass. This is a solid execution of a superhero movie. Fun, funny, tense, but not overly so, and not overly long. Great performances by actors who seem to be having a lot of fun. The next film seemed obvious…
Iron Man 2 (2010) d. Jon Favreau. With Mickey Rourke as the Russian villain, and Scarlett Johannson as the undercover agent. A bit too big for its britches, it overplays its charms and explosions, but still has some fun moments and snappy dialogue. Don Cheadle ably plays Rhodie, which Terrence Howard did a fine job with in #1.
What with Thor as our first Blu ray purchase, my husband and I are geeking out on Marvel’s well-orchestrated buildup to The Avengers. Joss Whedon. The Avengers. Squee! And in general I’m much more of a DC babe than a Marvel one, so whoever is driving this bus is doing a bang-up job.
October 21st, 2011 at 7:53 pm
See my list of Guilty Displeasures for my general feeling re: The Social Network.
But I agree with you on Zodiac being too long for it’s own good and Iron Man 2 not really living up to Iron Man. My husband and I saw IM2 at the drive-in movie theater and it was paired with Prince of Persia… We both agreed that we actually enjoy PoP a lot more than Iron Man 2, which was not how we thought our preferences would map at all!
October 22nd, 2011 at 6:49 am
Hey Kristin, wanted to check in after seeing you the other day to see if your blog was still running. Happy to see it is. There’s nothing I like more than reading about books and movies!
After months of so-so books and movies, this week I not only read a book I loved, but also watched a movie I thought was really well done. I read Sheila Kohler’s Crossways (came out of a Loft class from reading one of her short stories in the assigned text). Then watched “Twelve” Have you seen it? Wondering what you thought if you did. I really like the way it was filmed/narrated/etc.