A wildly absurd, absurdly entertaining flick, with nary a thought in its pretty little head (though that's hardly a reason to hate it), and the best thing Michael Bay's ever done (by a long shot).
And Now, For Something Not Quite Entirely Different (Because Christmas, Still) But Pretty Close To Entirely Different (Because RHCP)
Inexplicably (To Me, At Least), Today's SVS Is About As Christmas-y As They Come
I watch General Waverly standing gratefully in the gently falling snow -- or standing tearfully on the barn dance floor as his men honor him for his uprightness and his perseverance and his courage -- I forget the sappy silliness and secularized, gift-wrapped, Hallmarked "Seasons Greetings-ness" of it all.
Today's Reminder That In Writing (And In Life), It's Often The Little Things That Make The Biggest Difference
"Little Drummer Boy" + A Train + Adrien Brody + Tracking Shots + Wes Anderson = All Of The Christmas Feels
Last Week, I Recommended A Sort-Of-Western. This Week, No One Can Question My Intentions.
It's the original True Grit, starring the unchallenged King of the Western in the lone Oscar-winning performance of his career. I don't think I like it quite as much as the Coens' more recent effort (either as an adaptation or as a film), and I'm not sold on the idea that Wayne won his statue based on the strength of this particular performance (rather than for his overall body-of-work). But it and he are still highly enjoyable, and it's streaming on Netflix.
Ennio Morricone's Been Making Movie Music For 60 Years. Just Let That Sink In For A Second.
I think the strengths and weaknesses of the "traditionally orchestrated" versions really underscore the fact that great artists often work as well (or better) with limitations as they do if they are unimpeded. (The Czech National Symphony Orchestra's version of "On Earth As It Is In Heaven," for example, lacks the vibrancy of The Mission's original. Somehow, the added layer of polish obscures the wonderful roughness and ethnicity of the film's soundtrack.)
Today's Short Is Basically One Long Set-Up. And It's Not Available In HD Anywhere On The Internet.
Kirk Douglas Is 100 Years Old Today, So That Means It's Time To Watch THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER Again, Right?
Sometimes, I Scare Even Myself. Just A Little.
Lastly, grasping at straws, I tried whistling the melodic shard over and over again, hoping to coax the faintest of memories from the back of my head, somewhere. Eventually, the word "Haugen" came to mind (which was weird), and then, the word "wedding." And that (and Google) took me the rest of the way home.
