Anyone that’s been around me, or has talked to me about music, knows how much I love A Tribe Called Quest. I have been interested in checking out Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest.
The Oscar nominations were announced this morning.
Best Picture
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Best Director
Animated Film
Best Original Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Foreign-Language Film
Who are your picks for the Oscar in these categories?
I would like to see The King’s Speech this weekend. (I have been dying to see it for weeks.) I thought that I would mark my return to social media by seeing if I can drum up a group of people to see it together. A movie meet-up. It’s showing at a number of theaters around town, but the the Landmark E Street Cinema seems like a convenient central location. I’m flexible about theater, though, and we decide based on who wants to do the meet-up. The one catch, however, is that movies typically turn on Fridays, so I’m not quite certain that it will still be there. Nevertheless, if you’re interested in joining me to see the movie with me, leave a note in the comments. Hopefully, we’ll get a good group together. Maybe after the movie we could get something to eat or grab a drink and discuss the movie.
I am finally getting around to seeing a few movies that have been on my list. Last week it was Black Swan. Today, after an early brunch with the family, we walked over to the Regal Majestic in downtown Silver Spring to see True Grit.
I think it’s important to state right up front, that I have never really been a fan of westerns. I’ve enjoyed some of the classics, but it is just not a genre that I have gravitated to over the years. In fact, I never saw the original movie. (Although, given the all-star cast in that version, I’m now tempted to put it in my Netflix queue.) To take this a step further, — and I’m sure that I will get clowned for this — I have never seen Blazing Saddles all the way through. I know…I know, that was a comedy; but, to me, it was a western first.
Ok, I’ll make this brief. (If you want an in-depth review of the movie, there are plenty available.) Overall, I enjoyed the movie. I don’t know if it’s my issue with the genre, but there were a few patches of the movie that felt unnecessary and made the movie feel long. (My wife commented that she dozed off a couple of times.) Jeff Bridges, as Rooster Cogburn, was compelling. It seems that he’s developing a knack for nailing the drunken, prickly guy with a good heart character. Matt Damon, as LaBouef, was good, but not great. The same could be said for Josh Brolin. Brolin’s role was rather minor in the movie, so he didn’t really have a chance to shine too much. The person who kept my interest throughout the movie was Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross. I loved the way Mattie kept all the adult male characters in check with her stubbornness and quick wit. The pairing of Steinfeld and Bridges worked really well and didn’t feel gimmicky. I think the Coen brothers did a good job with the screenplay. From what I understand, this adaptation is much closer to Charles Portis’ novel than the original movie.
All-in-all, I enjoyed True Grit; though I can’t say that it swayed my general disinterest in westerns. Honestly, I think that my appreciation of the movie had more to do with the smart writing and acting. If someone can tell me that that’s the norm (good stories, dialog and acting), I would be inclined to check out more westerns.
If you saw True Grit, please share your thoughts. I am interested to hear from fans of westerns, particularly those who saw the 1969 original.
Wow! [pant...pant...pant] Whew!
This was all I could say and do when the end credits began to roll on Black Swan. My wife and I were, literally, exhausted. In case you’re wondering, that’s a good thing. Given that the movie is just in its third week of release, I’ll use this post as a place holder until it’s safe to discuss the movie without spoiling it for those planning to see it in theaters. (Don’t worry…I’ll give fair warning for the Netflix/DVD rental crowd.)
If, by chance, you immediately waived off Black Swan because you thought it was a ballet movie…think again. This movie is a beautifully written and acted story of obsession, neurosis. stage mothers, paranoia, repressed sexuality and schizophrenia. I’m sure that I’m leaving out some other apt description, but hopefully you get the idea. I’ve already seen or read an analogy to Fight Club. That’s actually a pretty fair comparison, if you add in a “I gave up my dream when I had you” obsessive mother. Think Fight Club meets Mommy Dearest — with a little bit of Session 9 thrown in for good measure. You will find yourself frequently trying to sort out what is, and what is not, real. Much like Memento, I walked away from the movie with more questions about the story than I did when it began. All the actors did a great job, but Natalie Portman’s performance is definitely worthy of Oscar discussion.
I think that I’ll leave it here for now. I’ll come back to this post in a couple of weeks to provide some more thoughts, and probably pose some questions. I will say this much; if you are easily spooked, you might want to see this movie during the day so you can walk to your car in the light. Otherwise, see it with a group of friends that will not give you a hard time for frequently shifting in your seat and breathing heavily.
If you’ve seen the movie, please respect other readers who have not, and refrain from posting any spoilers in your comments. If you’d like to discuss, feel free to email me at mdl@matthewdlyons.com or give me a call.