Friday, February 12, 2010

More Movies

The Blind Side
I like Sandy Bullock - a lot. And she's so likable as a done-up, tough-talking Texas woman that I am not sure I cared about the poor homeless kid. The "white woman saves black boy" theme annoyed me before I saw the film, but as a friend said, the character's courage was the quality we all want to emulate. The story was built for tears, the character for an Oscar nod, the men were pretty much set decor.

The Brothers Bloom
I'm not sure I understood the plot at all, but Rachel Weisz, you are gorgeous along the lines of Audrey or Grace, and what acting you seem capable of! Adrien Brody is surely a jackass in real life but I can't look away when he's onscreen. My darling Mark Ruffalo was maybe the weaker of the two, alas. The film had style and panache and all that, and was sweet and sentimental. Sometimes I confess I get a little tired of the precious ways of bad boy directors like Rian, but I like looking at their handiwork. A scene that stands out for me is in Mexico, the camera cuts away from a cabana as the main character walks toward us, the lights on the ground lining his path quietly pop on and then glow, slightly out of focus.

Up in the Air
If anyone doubts Clooney's weight as an actor, consider: he is a megawatt SUPERSTAR the likes of which we've not seen (in a man) for decades. His personal life is tabloid-documented. And he here chose a small, unassuming film about, say, AIR TRAVEL, with a well-connected but untested new director, unknown co-stars, and a plot that makes his character falter and trip. These women who share the screen with him gave me a lot to enjoy. I was more on the side of the confident lover when the perky co-worker (SPOILER) gets dumped and BAM - she's amazing! I really liked this film and know that if George hadn't been in it, it would have never been seen. So thanks again, Cloons.

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