(Pseudo?) Historical films
I am flabbergasted that someone has bothered to make a film about Romulus Augustulus; I would not have thought that enough people would know about him and the Goths to make it worthwhile. Maybe it is indicative of the perennial hold that the Romans still seem to have over the Western imagination and self-identity… or myabe because it is relatively unknown, the producers/director thought it would be easier to cut historical corners on. Who knows; I think I will go and see it, whenever it gets released, just for curiosity’s sake. Romulus is played by that kid from Love Actually – that, I am not convinced by. Nor am I entirely convinced by Colin Firth as Aurelius – nice choice of name though.
The other, more probably pseduo, historical movie that has caught my attention recently is 300, which is about the Spartans at Thermopylae. This has great potential, I feel – nice bit of self-sacrifice, high drama, etc. I am a bit dubious, though, because it is based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller… and, having seen the trailer, it has a very similar feel to Sin City. I imagine it will be very gruesome, probably highly sexual, and – I dread – a long way from any sort of historical accuracy. I am a fan of Gerard Butler, and heck, it’s got David Wenham too (hasn’t he done well from himself?), so maybe they will be saivng graces.
I guess this brings up the whole issue of whether movies ought to be ‘factual’ and ‘true to history’ or not, much like the Inga Clendinnen question about ‘historical’ fiction. Having not seen Alexander, I won’t even bring that one up, but… I’m really not sure where I stand with this issue. I like my movies that are based on history to be fairly ‘true to life’ (ack, such tricky waters… I know this brings up all sorts of issues about what we actually can know blah blah blah). That said, if a movie is blatant about the fact that they are not, in fact, striving for accuracy, but for a jolly good movie – and they actually manage a good movie – then I can forgive a fair bit….
Children of Men
…is great. Clive Owen is great. Of course.
It’s a very clever movie: it’s set in 2027, and women have been infertile for 18 years or so. The world seems to be going to hell in a handcart, the implication being that without children, there is no hope, so people give up. It’s a world that is very recognisable: not as London or the UK in general maybe, but Baghdad – Belgrade – Srebrenica – absolutely. In fact, the world as a whole and the ideas are very close to 2006, just taken to a slightly further extent – refugee camps that are like concentration camps, Britain closing its borders…. The movie doesn’t explain very much about the situation, which I think is a good part – there is no huge exposition of the situation to bore you stupid, you’re just meant to pick it up as you go along – which you can indeed do.
It’s a good flick. Go see it!
The Neverending Story
I am watching JTV, and the dude from Butterfly Effect has chosen the song from The Neverending Story as his request!! Ive never seen the film clip, which is of course just clips from the movie, with the occasional shot of the dude who sang it… who has really, really bad 80s hair: half blonde (the top half), the other half black; spiked on top… and long at the back. Urgh. It has, however, reminded me of just how much I loved that movie. And, to be honest, still do: I haven’t seen it in years, and I feel the urge to find it. Or to read the book, which was of course much better than the movie; and let’s not even mention the second (although at the time I liked it… only because of Jonothan Brandis…), and the third – which I watched only because of my sister – was enough to make me do something drastic.
The vid clip show Atreyu losing Artax in the Swamp… that was one of the saddest things I had ever seen on film at that point, barring only Watership Down.
Friday night movies
Faced with the prospect of watching either Polyanna or Shrek, I opted out and went for Midsomer Murders instead. That being finished, I have turned over to Polyanna…. I liked the book when I was a kid. I have even seen the original movie, with whatshername in it, Hayley Mills. And this movie has indeed lived down to my expectations: sappy and very painful (the priest is the disgusting cousin from the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice). The actress playing Polyanna is really, really bad, with a very stupid lisp (which, having said that, I hope is fake). But… since I know the story… it’s still a little beguiling.
The Inside Man
This was brilliant. Denzel Washington (magnificent; and not an entirely goody-goody character either), Clive Owen (why did that man not become Bond?), Jodie Foster (a very different role for her – and she was great). Kat saw it at the flicks in Edinburgh and said it was great then; I was sorry to miss it on the big screen. It’s actually something I would consider seeing again, in a while. Very, very clever.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Well, I tuned in half way through and I wish I had seen it from the start. Favourite line? “He no eat meat? What you mean, he no eat meat?? … Is OK; I make lamb.” Mahahaha.
It was so clever! And I was impressed that our Aussie Carides (Zoe or Gia… how bad that I can’t remember… I think Gia. Anthony La’Plaglia’s wife, anyhow) was in it. Reckon they must just about have hired the entirety of the Greek-American actors to play their family. And hurrah! that the dude from … that Alaskan show, with the moose (and if there were two, they’d be meese…)… ack, I can’t remember. Too late at night. Anyway, he was in it.
Just… stuff…
I seem to have lost the Warcraft CD. I don’t understand how, and I really don’t know where.
I’m watching “What Lies Beneath” at the moment; that is, it’s on the tv, and I’m deciding whether to watch something that may turn out to be just way, way too scary for me.
My friend A is deciding whether to get a momento mori tattoed on her ankle – a quote from Andrew Marvel – I’m not convinced, although at the same time it seems rather cool and at least it’s for a good reason.
I think the reason why I don’t like scary movies is because I tend to take movies a bit too seriously, at least while in the action o viewing. I guess I’m something of an ideal audience for this reason. But it’s not fun for me.
My plants are going quite well. My winter roses are beautiful – following the Ma’s advice, I’ve trimmed the flowers and put them in a bowl of water, so I can actually see them, since otherwise they’d be outside and out of sight. My daffies, though, have been beaten into the ground by the masses of rain of the last 48 hours or so.
Firewall
Well, it started off ok, but seriously, this movie has a really quite boring end. It was disappointing. Paul Bettany was great, but just wasn’t done justice. And three things really annoyed me:
1. The blue screens, while people were driving, were shocking.
2. They could use the interweb while driving. I want that technology, but I am not convinced that it is available yet, or at least not readily available.
3. The car exploded with almost no reason to. Pft.
The Sentinel
We went to see this movie yesterday – Michael Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland are always good (and for the latter, I have just one word: Stereotype). It was fun to watch, but I don’t reckon I’ll ever bother watching it again. It was pretty predictable – down to the twist at the end, even.
Basically, a fairly standard action flick. Didn’t particularly have me wondering what would happen next, didnt surprise me at all, but still kept me entertained for 2 hours or so. Kim Basinger and Eva Longaria were both quite good, too, when they had screen time.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
We’re watching this tonight, because it is rainy outside and there is nothing good on the teev.
However – one of the baddies is David Tenant! Dr Who!! So terrible.
And my goodness, didn’t all the actors grow up.
And th idea that pegasuses only drink simgle malt whiskey… love it.
Randomly Yours, Alex 