We are nearing the end of the traditional holiday season and I am sad to see it go. Not because I haven’t had enough Christmas time, or enough good food and drink, or even enough time with my lovely Christmas tree with all its sparkly lights and the warm feeling it brings me. Between you and me, I’m not exactly not looking forward to putting it out on the street this weekend. You can’t really argue with the facts that it is a bit messy and crowded sticking a big pine tree in your living room. And, of course, I am my mother’s daughter and my mother pretty much always wanted to stick the thing out on the curb late on Christmas morning. Ok, now back to why I am saddened about the end of the season: I haven’t seen nearly as many movies as I’d like. Christmas time means Movie Time! There are always a million that seem to come out this time of year and, living in Wisco as I do, the holiday movie season starts later and ends later than it does in other parts of the civilized world. What this means in reality is that I feel behind before movies have even arrived in town. For example, Sarayu saw Up In the Air at least a month ago, it seems, whereas I saw it just this afternoon. Sigh. I am so behind, in fact, that I just saw Julie & Julia this week. Geesh, Kate. Get it together.
I wonder if Jesus would have been a movie fan. I think so. He seemed to like a good story-telling and what better way to connect with your fellow man than to sit in a crowded, dark theater watching someone’s story unfold in a gigantic way just a few feet away from you. I wonder what he would want to see this season. Since I really have no idea, I’ll set out my list instead of speculating on his.
Up In the Air … Check! Done. And I really, really liked it. I’m not saying it’s Best Picture quality movie, but I think it’s damn close. It’s at once a unique, fresh story that has conventional plot lines and ideas. Sort of the best of both worlds as far as I’m concerned. Afterall, there’s a reason we return to convention (sometimes rudely billed ‘cliches’). It’s comforting. And as much as Up In the Air is uncomfortable — all that plane travel! the lack of real intimacy, the supreme attractiveness of Clooney and Farmiga — there is so much that is achingly familiar. The wedding scene felt so real I could hardly contain the tears of joy streaming down my face. Ok, I couldn’t control them. I very much recommend this movie.
Invictus.
Nine.
Sherlock Holmes (maybe).
It’s Complicated.
An Education.
Also, I saw two previews today for movies that aren’t coming out for a bit but will, no doubt, be given some Oscar buzz. Actually, I’m sure they already have generated some but, see above, we don’t always get that news in time, either. Or, more accurately, we might get the news but it doesn’t always register when it’s for a movie you can’t remember the name of because it won’t be in town for a couple of months. One was A Single Man with Colin Firth and Julianne Moore. It seems very Mad Men period-esque, but I really have no idea what it’s about. The preview was lovely, but it was only music and images, ie no dialogue at all. It gave me the impression, though, that it would be a movie that would make me quite uncomfortable in a Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf way. The second was Shutter Island. Martin Scorsese + Leonardo DiCaprio + mental patients + an island + possible ghosts = I’m intrigued. Frightened, but intrigued.
What are you seeing?
life and puppies 