Last Friday, D and I did our traditional movie marathon day at the local AMC. They weren't showing the two movies I really wanted to see--Children of Men and Pan's Labyrinth-- but we did catch four good shows:
Apocalypto - A brutal but effective chase picture. There's a lot of violence, graphic and otherwise, and a more modern story might have said something about that, but here it's just part of the scenery. A compelling visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.
The Good Shepherd - My favorite of the four. It's been a long time since I saw a good movie about spying--as opposed to a "spy movie" with more style than substance--and this one knew the game. It reminded me of John Le Carré's old-school, Cold War-era novels. Anyone who says this film was boring or lacked tension, didn't really understand what was going on.
The Pursuit of Happyness - Straightforward, solid, and down-to-earth. Props to Will Smith for inhabiting his character so well that I almost forgot I was watching Will Smith. (And thank you to the filmmakers for acknowledging, in the first scene, that "happiness" is correctly spelled with an "i." That had been bugging me ever since I saw the trailer.)
Charlotte's Web - I'm really glad they didn't screw this one up. A little lightweight when compared to the other three flicks, but if you don't get misty-eyed at some point during the third act, you are one cold-hearted bastard.
We were going to see Dreamgirls on New Year's Eve, before joining some friends for a party, but my intestines are acting up again. Liquid diet today. Dreamgirls soon.
~CKL
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