Movie #119 -- Walk the Line

Title: Walk the Line

Director: James Mangold

Release Year: 2005

Plot Summary: A nice biopic of Johnny Cash.

Thoughts: I'm not much of one for hero worship, but if I was, it would probably be about Johnny Cash. There wasn't much he hadn't seen or done.

Joaquin Pheonix does a good job at imitating The Man in Black. He's not as good as Jamie Foxx was in 'Ray' but he's still pretty good. He'll probably get nominated for an Oscar. Reese Witherspoon, of whose movies (save 'Pleasantville') I am often skeptical is PERFECT as June Carter -- Best Actress Oscar, hands down. I can't say enough good things about her performance in this film.

Fantastic performances aside, Mangold's direction is par and nothing to write home about. Every once in a while, when a new character has been introduced, it isn't always clear who it is for a bit. The ending is kind of abrupt... That is, it doesn't end the way I thought it would and I don't know if that works in the film's favor.

Rating (0-10): 7.8

recommendations: Go see this film Johnny Cash was the man. Rest in Peace.

Book #13.5 - The War of the Worlds

Title: War of The Worlds

Author: H.G. Wells

Publication Year: 1898

Plot Summary: Martians invade the earth destroying everything in their path but eventually succum to a simple Earth disease.

Thoughts: I was more comfortable reading this book then most other works published in the same time period. I think this is because Wells wrote like SF authors still do today. Or more correctly almost every SF author that followed emulated his style in some form.

The book was well thought out and the only signs that it is set in 19th centuary England is the lack of cars and the occasional mention of horses and telegraphs. It is unfair to say it was planned as such. I believe it is simply that if the kind of destruction that took place in the book really did take place then mankind would be reduced to pretty much te same level reguardless.

The only thing I didn't like was how Englo-Centric (ouuu a new word?) it was. All ten of the Martian cylinders land in close proximity to London. Had this book been writen today they would have landed scattered across the globe. For Aliens to aim their "gun" at a tiny island across millions of miles and ignore the rest of the planet is just a little odd. Not to say that todays works arn't equally Ameri-centric but still, logically it didn't make a lot of sense.

Other then that? It was amazing.

Rating (0-10): 9.5

recommendations: Read it and understand today's SF with much more clairity.

(The spell check isn't working so forgive my rather grevious mistakes)

Movie #118 - Capote

Title: Capote

Director: Bennett Miller

Release Year: 2005

Plot Summary: During his research for his book In Cold Blood, an account of the murder of a Kansas family, Truman Capote develops a close relationship with Perry Smith, one of the killers.

Thoughts: I've long been a fan of Philip Seymour Hoffman, and this movie really exemplifies why. I didn't really know much of anything about Truman Capote going into the film, but I came away feeling like I really had a handle on who the guy was and what motivated him in his writing and his life. Now, this is Hollywood, and so this might be a completely false impression of the "true" man; but still, Hoffman's portrayal is nothing short of extraordinary.

As for the story itself - I really don't know what to think of it, and I mean that in the most positive light possible. We, like Capote, are shown two killers who are also real people, and it really is nearly impossible to reconcile the two viewpoints. I mean, how do you do it? I don't know. And it's a powerful question.

Rating (0-10): 8

Recommendations: A challenging film, but I think one of the best this year. Greatly worth seeing, and I've a feeling it's going to be winning awards.

Movie #117 - Good Night, and Good Luck.

Title: Good Night, and Good Luck.

Director: George Clooney

Release Year: 2005

Plot Summary: Broadcast journalist Edward Murrow looks to bring down Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Thoughts: First off - beautifully photographed. Don't recall the last time I saw a black-and-white film look so gorgeous.

Unfortunately, that's the best I have to say about it. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad movie, it just wasn't what I thought it should be. Good Night focuses pretty much exclusively on the time-window encapsulating the Murrow/McCarthy confrontation, and dispenses with such niceties as background information, complete subplots, an interesting supporting cast, or any sort of satisfying ending. The end result is a pretty good indictment of the current state of our media, but it doesn't really stand alone as a compelling story.

Summing up, I think I would have felt a lot more informed watching a biopic about Murrow on the History Channel than I was by the movie.

Beautifully photographed, though.

Rating (0-10): 6

Recommendations: Worth taking a look at, and an interesting peek at one moment in history. But I don't think it has much replay value.

Movie #115 -- Jarhead

Title: Jarhead

Director: Sam Mendes

Release Year: 2005

Plot Summary: The Operation Desert Storm chronicles of a United States Marine.

Thoughts: the first thing that i thought of when i saw the opening scene was full metal jacket. i don't like full metal jacket. but sam mendes does something that most all of kubrick's movies lacked: an element of humanity. and that's what sets these films apart.

the story follows swofford, a u.s. marine from basic training through to the end of the first gulf war. jake gyllenhall (who's resume is just becoming more and more impressive with each passing film) is fantastic as swofford, even though his character is a bit hard to figure out from time to time. maybe that was his character: a young man on the verge of something, but never really quite sure what. peter sarsgaard is quite good as troy. and jamie foxx proved that his work in 2004 was not a fluke with a fantastic performance as staff sgt sykes.

come oscar time, this film will surely be nominated for a bevy of those little gold statues. it has oscar bait written all over it and that's not a bad thing. probably the best american war movie this decade.

Rating (0-10): 8.2

recommendations: if you like the deer hunter you'll probably like this movie. not for the squeamish or the young, though.