A few movies I did like

I thought I should write something here after months since a second post. Last time I was complaining about Benjamin Button, the movie, so I guess I’ll pick up from there but with less of the bitterness and so rather talk about a few movies I did like from its year (2008) to the first part of this summer (May 2009). I know that trying to excuse myself and pose as positive-minded regarding movies would entail mentioning some twenty to fifty movies I was able to really enjoy… Let’s pretend four is enough.

4) Burn After Reading
I love the Coens and this movie further proves their genius. It seems one of their most simple-minded movies: they have a few ideas with a few big names and they decide to cram it all together into a new feature. Yet, once they start crafting the result is a complete, well-rounded work that sharply brings to life the stupidity of most of human “serious” endeavors. The movie is funny; it is also gripping if you do decide to go with its wackiness. The few CIA scenes bring it all together and make the whole quite powerful and satisfying.

3) Wall-E

Wall-E is an astonishing work that though has bigger flaws than most Pixar movies, still succeeds in its relatively-to-them grander ambitions. Its main, if not only, problem appears to be that it is a cartoon and so most formal recognitions simply dismissed it. It might not be as effective and accomplished as Ratatouille the year before it, but it is definitely more so and more awe-inspiring technically, artistically, and emotionally than most movies in 2008. Its succesful use of different genres, its little statements, its sheer power over the viewer makes it one of the best since that year and I am sure an important contribution to Film.

2) The Reader
Sometimes great movies have to be hated by some, but wholly worshipped by others. I was among those who really appreciated The Hours and I see Stephen Daldry has the power to take a good story and with beautiful execution render it with even more meaning than initially intended by the author of the original—or at least than the they got to accomplished in their book. I haven’t read The Reader, but I read The Hours and the movie is a much better accomplished work than the still beautiful novel. With The Reader, many criticized the risks Daldry took in choosing certain aspects of the book over others and giving it his own, in such instances unappreciated, focus. After seeing what he did with The Hours and the result of The Reader the movie, I simply trust whatever he did. This is not at all one of my favorite movies this decade, but I do think it is the best drama of 2008 (from major English-language releases I have seen).

1) UP

People might look down at those who consider cartoons the best movies of a given year or time period—worse if there are two out of four—but they have to realize Pixar is delivering something else entirely from just animated kiddie movies. UP is a magical, memorable movie that will become a deserved classic not only for its entertainment values, but also for its artistic beauties in execution and its contribution to storytelling. This is not merely, as some who do love it put it, a movie parents can be glad to take their children to because of its “valuable lessons”. Does a kid really leave the theater with a strong and lasting moral of the day? Not with this movie. If the movie does have a message, it is for adults, and spoken in “adult“. It has plenty of material where you could draw morals from, teach them to children, but it doesn’t directly speak to them. This movie goes beyond and, most interestingly, presents beautiful statements—regardless of lessons—that are only for grownups to savor; and yet, part of its genius is that it manages to be one of the most entertaining works for kids in quite a while.

There are still a few other movies I really enjoyed this last year and a half. Revolutionary Road might not become a memorable classic, but I really enjoyed its intensity. Forgetting Sarah Marshall was a lot of fun. I am sure I will get to watch and enjoy it many more times– as probably I will I Love You, Man. I didn‘t love The Wrestler, but I was happy to find somoe sort of thread in Aronofsky and that it isn‘t that bad after all. I also admit I haven’t seen that many movies this year.

The Curious Case of a Bitter Poster

Last post I was complaining I had barely done writing of any kind in the last few months, which is very true. Most of the very few lines I wrote were—I’ll use this space to admit—pathetically negative whines against nothing more than a miserable movie.

I would stumble upon online reviews or notes about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (or yes, often pathologically search for them), and I couldn’t—wouldn’t—stay shut. I would type with contempt about any praise; or I would praise the statements of those who accurately pointed at its terrible faults. And it isn’t even a movie I completely loathed having watched! I think I might even have enjoyed it more than Watchmen! Might.

Even just now, instead of posting something here or attempting to write anything of any higher quality, I replied to a post in some blog that spoke positively of the movie. And after the tedious rush of typing and posting my scornful comment (I don’t even enjoy these moments of craze), I feel dirty.

I am conscious of how pathetic it is to spend quality time thinking—and more: taking action—against a poor film and its soulless character. But I still do it/did it; though I hope accepting this publicly will keep me from doing it again.

Yet, the world is not only Internet (I kid not). I know that if I tragically encounter someone who happens to naively say something good about this movie, my world will have to stop its spinning and devote itself—just for a moment, considering the victim might find a way out of the situation—to detailing in a hurry (already conscious that they might not be interested in hearing ) why The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is not much more than a nicely executed charade with a pitiful dialogue, terrible characters, and an inexistent statement (or rather, and what is worse, a grossly unaccomplished one).

And there! I did it again!

First post

I start a new blog today to truly ramble. I had started one before with the word “ramblings“ in its title, but I was too shy to be able to casually write down conceitedly trivial personal stuff in it. I instead posted pieces on which I would invest a little more time than what I would on typing whatever triviality was in my mind; or else, I posted some fiction—in some cases but a short random paragraph with little literary wealth, if any.

After a few of these posts, I refused to use the blog for less than either of such endeavors. To date, I might not have had the creativity to be a frequent poster even for the low standards that had been set and have made an incredibly small amount of posts. Considering this–and also that I refused to post careless random thoughts on the blog which was supposed to be the boost to my writing–my actual writing time has become almost inexistent.

And so, to get myself to write more, I start this blog for random stuff; while the other remains for more fun—often a tad more interesting and relatively better thought out—writing.

Internet is, after all, a lot of space somewhere in the universe where you can cram stuff in—anonymously even, which in itself adds to the fun in it. Plus, I want to do more writing of any sort and such start-over makes it easier; and who knows maybe for so much writing–if it does happen–I might end up writing something I like and be happy about it! Being happy is also fun.

So enough apologizing, if you are reading, thank you and God bless you; if you are not, the same. Only you will never know I thanked and blessed you.