Snapshots

Brief comments on film by Amy.
Some old, some new.  Domestic films and foreign too.

Bridesmaids—I was stalking area Redboxes on a regular basis in order to get this one soon after it came out. While it was funny, I am uncomfortable with seeing woman stoop to the level of potty humor (literally) once reserved for guys like Jim Belushi and Chris Farley. If this is how far we’ve come, baby, I think a u-turn might be in order.

The Dark Knight—I tried. I truly I did. But I just don’t get it. Certainly, I have no objections to a bit of fluff but why do these Batman films take themselves so seriously? And why do they have to be so stinkin’ long? As the saying goes, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. (Cue silence and chirping crickets).

The Trip—For the first 30 minutes, I felt so uncomfortable watching this movie that I actually turned it off several times. This mockumentary about two friends who go on a food road trip through the north of England inspires such observer discomfort that I found myself cringing. It is difficult to decide who to have more sympathy for—Stephen, the commercially successful actor looking to prove he’s a true artist, or Rob, his less well-known but better adjusted friend. I kept turning it back on, if for nothing else than to witness the amazing scenery and eat vicariously through the film. The characters settle in and as they become more comfortable with one another, I felt like I could make direct eye contact without embarrassing anyone. Also, I was actually touched by the message. If you like food, England, Michael Caine or ABBA, this film is for you.

Everything Must Go—Will Ferrell is a stud of an actor. The guy can do anything. Anyone who has convincingly played an elf, an IRS agent, and a down-and-out alcoholic salesman must be good, not to mention (but in fact to mention) that he actually kept up with Bear Grylls in the Arctic. This performance was no exception in terms of quality, and though I didn’t think the film as a whole worked, it certainly wasn’t due to Ferrell’s performance.

Mentions, both Honorable and Otherwise—Homeschooling and crazy kid schedules have me curled up with the iPad and my favorite network apps lately. I know I should be ashamed but my brain just doesn’t feel capable of much more than mainstream television right now. I have been really enjoying Up All Night (NBC) and Case Histories (PBS). Is anyone else still trying to figure out if they like Once Upon a Time (CBS), by the writers of Lost? With certain shows, I can acknowledge their lack of intellectual content and love them anyway, like the bad jokes your kids tell you. They are beneath you but entertaining. But if I am going to watch a show about fairy tale characters suffering from amnesia and trapped in modern Maine, it better be good. Part of me is ready to blow it off but the other part appreciates the moral certainty of good and evil the show embraces and doesn’t want to lose bragging rights (i.e. “I watched it from the first episode,” as opposed to “I caught up with three seasons worth of shows in less than a month”).