Enough with the lists already….

Since I promised a “best of” movies I’ve seen outside of a movie theater in 2008, I’ll do it, but only half-heartedly.  I’m tired of the categorizing of things and experiences from best to worst that runs rampant at the beginning of each new year.  I keep hearing that the beginning of the new year is a time for reflection and setting goals – shouldn’t that be done all the time and shouldn’t it be done at a time when its natural for you personally rather than en masse at a set moment?  Okay, so I’m a little tired and cranky… what else is new… here goes:

If push comes to shove, I’d have to say the best movie I saw on DVD or TV in the past 12 months would be…. drum roll…. uhm, …… uh…. I got nothing.  To me “best of” means something that immediately comes to mind, that so towered above all others that it stands out immediately.  I saw a lot of films and movies at home this year but right now – zilch, nadita de nada, nothing that I would call the “best.”  

If I had to pick the one thing I saw this year that opened up new avenues of awareness and thought, that introduced me to new concepts and new music to boot, it would have to be the PBS screening on Nova of the BBC made documentary “Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives.”  After seeing that, I went out of my way to find people to talk to about what I had seen, to explore the concepts, to read further about the Everetts, senior and junior, and their life’s work.    When a piece of film has that kind of an impact, perhaps it qualifies as “best.”  Here is what I wrote about the film in my previous entry if you are interested:

http://amoonshadow.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/reality-hangs-by-a-thread/

As for art and books, I saw and read some wonderful examples of each but I won’t demean them by classifying them as worst or best.   Alright, I grow weary of contradicting myself and all this self-righteous indignation at a question I posed for myself in the first place — I’m taking my cranky self away from the computer and off to do something constructive – like watching the Twilight Zone marathon on the Sci-Fi Channel.

Simplemente Carrie – A Sex and the City Rant

HERE BE SPOILERS:  Please scroll down to my post from a few days back about the Indiana Jones movie.  What I said there applies here.  If you haven’t seen the movie and want to remain virginal, read no further.  

Let me preface this by saying that I never saw the series as it was originally broadcast in all its supposed bawdiness.  I watched the series when it went into syndication and I could tell there were things being censored out for us simple and innocent non-HBO types.  If the movie is any indication of what was cut, the censors weren’t cutting the sexy scenes, they were just trying to shorten up the darn thing.  This movie is way too long and has the plot (and the pacing) of a Spanish soap opera.  I swear I think I heard the theme music to “Simplemente Maria” when Carrie is beating Big with her wedding bouquet.  I mean, come on, Big can’t get out of the car until he looks at Carrie’s face?  I know this is sacrilege to die-hard SATC fans, but I never liked Big.  I think Carrie should have stuck with Aidan – now that was a great guy and much cuter too.  I know its all in the eye of the beholder but, come on, John Corbett is adorable – Northern Exposure, My Big Fat Greek Wedding….. I’ve even forgiven him for taking to singing country music.. …. where was I?  Oh yeah, Sex and the City.  Also it struck me as the height of stupidity to blame Miranda for “scaring” Big the night before the wedding with her anti-marriage comment.  Carrie seems to think that this explains Big’s behavior – its all Miranda’s fault.  These don’t seem to be the same strong women that I enjoyed watching on T.V.   Perhaps the premise, the characters, and the story are only good in small chunks.  After two and half hours (at least that’s what it felt like)  and a lot of eye-rolling (from me at the sappiness of it all) I was just disappointed.  Its not a horrible movie – certainly its not as bad as say “The Mothman Prophecies” (I don’t care what the IMDB says that was just a bad movie).   It just felt contrived and actually a little dated.  With the state of the economy and the price of gas, the glitzy, designer name dropping, expensive shoe buying, jet-setting nature of the characters seemed a thing of the past. I know its only been 4 or 5 years since the show ended but a lot has changed.  Frankly, I was more worried about Samantha’s carbon footprint than with whether she could remain faithful to Smith.  The acting is, well, let’s just say that  I’d be extremely surprised if any one is nominated for anything come movie award season.  Simply put, its long and has no zazazu.

Indiana Jones and the, … the … what is it again?

Let me preface this by saying, if you haven’t seen the movie – don’t read the post.  I am an absolute fanatic about knowing as little as possible about the plot to a movie before I go see it.  I despise movie reviews that tell you the story in minute detail down to the last nuance of an actor’s performance.  Those are not reviews, those are re-tellings.  With that in mind, this is not a review.  Be forewarned that I may go into details of plot points from the movie (or I may not – I never know where I’ll end up when I start writing).

The complete title of the new Indiana Jones movie keeps eluding me.  Its not as catchy as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom or Raiders of the Lost Ark.  I think they should have gone with “Indiana Jones and the Saucermen from Mars” myself.  That title would have been an instant reminder that this is supposed to be a throw back to the old serial cliffhangers of the past and meant to be totally ridiculous.  And mind you, it is totally ridiculous but it is also entertaining, funny, exciting and completely worth the price of admission.  

Granted I am slightly prejudiced — Harrison and I had a little thing going when we were both younger — of course, Harrison never knew about it.  I was like many women my age in love with Hans Solo and Prof. Jones.  But that infatuation faded as the years went by… many, many years went by.  I will admit to a bit of shock upon seeing Mr. Ford back in the fedora up on the huge screen.  He has aged (I, of course, am as dewey fresh as I was 20 years ago).  But it was just an initial shock and it quickly changed into that warm feeling you get from seeing an old friend.  He has developed a Spencer Tracy-esque kind of quality and if not careful, one could easily find one’s self falling for him all over again….

But I digress, the movie is fun, fast paced and ultimately satisfying.  As much as I wanted to dislike Shia LaBeouf, I couldn’t.  He does an outstanding job carrying the arrogance of youth and still making the character understandable and ultimately loveable.  AND HERE IS A SPOILER WARNING – DON’T BLAME ME IF YOU READ ANY FURTHER AND ARE SPOILED:  It was evident from the beginning that he was Indie’s son.  It wasn’t completely telegraphed by Spielberg but neither was it hidden.  So that when Karen Allen appears and spills the beans, it isn’t quite a “Luke I am your father” type moment – but then really I don’t think its meant to be.  Ms. Allen by the way looks amazing and the chemistry between herself and Ford is still there.  Their relationship was completely right and believable and heart-warming.  I think it struck a chord in me and perhaps other woman may age – the fantasy of that great guy that got away re-appearing and everything just falling into place….

But I digress again.  The plot is silly but fun.  Ms. Blanchett is not as truly evil as previous Indie villains have been and her Russian accent slips away every so often but her performance is cartoony and entertaining altho’ I wish she had gone a little more over the top (a la Frau Farbissina from Austin Powers) but, who am I to tell Cate Blanchett and Steven Spielberg about movie acting.

All in all, escapist fun and well worth seeing.