The second movie in the marathon was “There Will Be Blood”, starring Daniel Day Lewis. What an interesting movie. The portrayal of the main character was so intense, so rich and so deep, I really felt like I would hate to meet the actor himself . The character radiated hate and greed, and the movie explored his behavior through all kinds of changes through his life. I was really interested in seeing how the movie would end, and I was not disappointed (especially considering the director). Great movie, although a little long. Excellent recommendation.
The next movie I watched was 50/50, about a very young man facing cancer (and possibly death). I wasn’t quite sure if it was a comedy or a drama, but there was plenty of both in the movie. The character of quirky best friend was played by Seth Rogen, and he did what he seems to do best – play a stoner guy telling dirty jokes. The movie addressed some heavy issues in a light way, but I think it was fair depiction. No unnecessary drama, but the ending was a little bit of a surprise for me. Again: good movie, good characters, tough topic. And Anna Kendrick was pretty hot.
The last two movies were movies that I had actually seen before. Only after starting 25th hour did I realize that I had seen it. Since I had forgotten the plot I re-watched it, and slowly it came back to me. As the story unfolded, I was struck how the main character (and his friends, for that matter) were just wishing for things to go their way. They wanted things, they took things, and others were left to deal with the repercussions of those actions. Spike Lee did a great job showing New York, and by the end of the movie I was sure that it was a place I’d never want to live. So much insecurity, aggressiveness and selfishness – no, thanks. That is the vibe that I got from the movie, and I think it was by design. The ending is quite powerful, however and I like the way it leaves the viewer. Also the location of the opening scene of the movie reminded me of the opening to Grand Theft Auto 4. Which came first, I wonder?
Finally, Chasing Amy. This movie made a bad impression on me the first time I saw it. I guess I saw it as kind of a spiritual sequel to Clerks, and thus was disappointed that there wasn’t enough Jay and Silent Bob for me. I later got what I was hoping for with Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, however. Chasing Amy was better this time around. I had trouble believing that Ben Affleck wasn’t Ben Affleck in the movie, but I guess that really didn’t matter much to the story. The ending was still preposterous (at least to me) and continued to be a deal-breaker for me. I guess I have a hard time relating with any of the characters, but I can understand the arc of the story and this time I could better understand the point of the filmmaker. It just seemed a little heavy-handed, but sometimes heavy-handed works.
That’s it for the movie marathon. Thanks to Drew for recommending the flicks, and I’ll be sure to go back to him if I have another big block of free time. Maybe in July I’ll have another week to kill…
