Movies, movies, movies… always the go-to subject for blogs, n’est-ce pas?
Edited to add: I didn't realize people might be worried about us what with all the fires in San Diego. The fires are awful, but we're fine, San Diego's about 700 km away, and as far as I know our area hasn't even been seeing refugees. Back to movies!
A while ago we took a flyer on Coffee and Cigarettes, which Netflix recommended to us apparently based on our renting history. I have to say, it was a good choice, and we’ve actually discussed this movie more than any other we’ve rented. It’s very arty; a collection of short and seemingly pointless dialogues* in different places, all between two or three people, always involving coffee and cigarettes. All the scenes are shot in black and white, so visually the differences are smoothed out and you’re free to concentrate on the other content. Figuring out the relationships, parallels and differences between the scenes is actually really interesting, if vaguely reminiscent of a first-year English class (but hey, I liked first year English). This is a very subtle and nuanced movie, which to some of y’all will mean “excruciatingly boring” but if you want a conversation starter, this is good.
On the absolute other end of the scale, we had to go see Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D. I was very pleased to find that the Disney 3D technology (polarized lenses, not the old red/green cellophane kind) actually works for my wonky eyes. Since this was a remake of original content, the 3D was rather understated... more 2.5D. You won’t find yourself dodging 3D-effect spears or anything but I still found that the dimensionality let me notice new things. Or maybe that was just ‘cause this is the first time since its release that I’ve watched it on a big screen. Either way, it was fun.
And lastly, we also went to 30 Days of Night, because hey, vampires! I had never read the comic** so I had no idea what to expect. A friend expressed surprise that I was going to see it since I don’t like horror movies*** and I asked ‘Isn’t it going to be sort of Anne Rice meets Northern Exposure?” Well, not so much. It’s a stock horror/shock film, with some pretty gaping plot holes, but at least the vampires were pretty smart**** and there was some good atmosphere. The film was shot in New Zealand, apparently! I guess the real Barrow didn’t look real enough, though I’m pleased to see that the film-makers got little details like the name of the airport and the houses on stilts correct. Also, the movie ought to have been called “67 Days of Night” but now I’m just being picky.
* There’s one scene in particular that gets tooth-grindingly repetitive but which has a moment at the end that for me completely redeemed it and made it fascinating. I emphasize “for me”; R:tAG still found it annoying.
** Graphic novel!
*** There is no way to covey that in-joke properly via typing, is there?
**** Favourite line “Yeah, the UV light worked, but they’re going to cut the power soo…” [[click]]
That was my favorite line too.
perhaps:
[flippy fingers imitating badly mocked ASL]"AAI DOOONNN LAIIIKE HORROR MOOVIEZ" (in a slightly nasal tone).
In my defense, I wasn't listening.
Nice to hear you're both out of fire range. Watching the news last night, I suddenly envisioned you having to choose just enough wool to fill a shopping bag with one hand and Guitar Hero with the other... it was a tragic image.
Gypsyhick, that made me actually laugh out loud. But the fires, or more accurately, hearing interviews with people affected by the fires, have gotten me thinking about what I would take in a similar situation...
(Guitar Hero didn't make the cut, actually)
But the wool did make the cut?
Like gypsyhick said, it's good to hear that you guys are safe. I've got some cousins out there on evac notice.
You shouldn't be too surprised about the outpouring of concern. I had people worried I was going to be engulfed in the Sydney bushfires of 2003 when I was living a good 4000kms away. And then during the Sydney 'race riots' (uhrgh, overstated) I was still a good 2000kms away when the same occurred.
It would appear that not everyone is as good with a map as you or I. :)
Hi A&R,
Lovely cemetary pictures. I always enjoyed seeing similar mausolea in Edinburgh. Best views in town, and wasted on dead people.
Has anyone seen "¡Vampiros en La Habana!"? It's a feature-length animation from Cuba. In the style of Max the Mouse or Professor what-his-nuts with the time machine. I stumbled across it on eMule, but I can't find a subtitled version.
...David