Saturday, September 18, 2021
I decided today, 9/18/2021, to add thumbnails ...
... to my movie write-ups, if I can find (or make) thumbnails that match the covers of the movie editions I own. So far (which is to say, not very far) I've been surprisingly successful. Take a look below.
This is a project that I expect to take quite a while, considering how many movies are in my collection. And, of course, I still have many write-ups to start, let alone complete. But, I like the look of the thumbnails. They jazz up the journal presentation.
Don't collect any more movies, Gail, do you hear me!?! Not for awhile, anyway.
This is a project that I expect to take quite a while, considering how many movies are in my collection. And, of course, I still have many write-ups to start, let alone complete. But, I like the look of the thumbnails. They jazz up the journal presentation.
Don't collect any more movies, Gail, do you hear me!?! Not for awhile, anyway.
Thursday, September 16, 2021
The Fountain
- Commentary: Under construction.
Interestingly, there is more than one commentary on this film at RogerEbert.com. There is Roger Ebert's initial review linked to the title of this post, written September 13, 2007. On September 11, 2006, Jim Emerson also wrote an initial review of this movie. On November 21, 2006, Jim Emerson wrote a second review of the movie for the website, as well. In September of 2007 Roger Ebert also wrote two meditations on the film, one published on September 14, 2007, and one, a response to his September 14th review, published on September 17, 2007. Once again, Jim Emerson chimed in on September 17, 2007, with his own third meditation.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Hugh Jackman Tomás Verde /Thomas Creo/Tommy the Space Traveler Rachel Weisz Isabella I of Castile/Izzi Creo Ellen Burstyn Dr. Lillian Guzetti Stephen McHattie Grand Inquisitor Silecio Mark Margolis Father Avila Cliff Curtis Captain Ariel Sean Patrick Thomas Antonio Fernando Hernandez Lord of Xibalba
My, this movie generated a lot of reviewer buzz, and not just within the Ebert Review Universe. Just check out this link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film. It's funny, because I remember checking it out of the library to watch it when it was first released on DVD. I was slightly gob-smacked by the entire production but was very busy at the time and wasn't able to watch it more than once before it was due back on the library shelves. I'm thinking that I missed quite a bit of the impact of the movie. It was the last year of my companionship of my mother, on to her death. I had no way of knowing she'd be gone in just over a year, but I was also so embraced in caring for her that, well, if she, or I, or we, watched a movie, there simply wasn't time to watch it more than once if it wasn't a part of our collection. At that time, this one wasn't. Now, it is, and I can contemplate it more fully.
Release Date: 2006
Directed by Darren Aronofsky.
Labels: §2, darren-aronofsky, ellen-burstyn, fantasy4, magical-realism, prophecy, rachel-weisz, romance5, spiritual2
Noah
- Commentary: I finally watched this movie a couple of nights ago, let's see, Friday night, the 17th of September, 2021. I think Darren Aronofsky's mind was in the right place when he approached making this movie, but the part of it that follows narrative sense quirked out on him. Truth is, Noah's story in the Bible, and Enoch, doesn't make a lot of sense. I think it's supposed to be a "testament of signs and wonders", so to speak, and, as such, isn't meant to make quotidian sense. So, any film maker can not only be forgiven for adding and revamping strict biblical material, but can be praised for off-official-story changes that the film maker chooses to make. In making a film with wild, misshapen material, it isn't, though, forgivable for a film maker to let a sense of giddiness take over when making choices. I think that's what Aronofsky did. In addition, he underplayed, to the movie's detriment, some of the original story's frank suggestions of moral turpitude and overplayed, also to the movie's detriment, some of the story's suggestions of Noah's moral rectitude and ardor.
Having said all that, and revealing a sense of disappointment in the movie, still, it's a spectacular attempt at a biblical epic, and better than any other Noah films I've seen (yes, I've seen a few, but, I think there are only a few). And, besides, I enjoyed the whole sub-development of The Watcher's story. It reminded me of the movie Watchmen (sorry, I never followed the comic book series), and kept me wondering what the whole deal is with men (male men, that is) and watchers. So I'm keeping it, because, as you may remember, Dear Reader, I have this thing about bible movies, mainly because my mother loved them so much. And, you never know, perhaps yet another agnostic atheist in the family will find them equally fascinating when I am no more of this earth. And, anyway, now I have a personal mystery to solve ... what is it with this male obsession with watchers/watchmen, anyway?
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Russell Crowe Noah Jennifer Connelly Naameh Ray Winstone Tubal-cain Anthony Hopkins Methuselah Emma Watson Ila Logan Lerman Ham Douglas Booth Shem Marton Csokas Lamech
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2014
Directed by Darren Aronofsky.
Labels: anthony-hopkins, apocalyptic, bible-movies1, darren-aronofsky, jennifer-connelly, ray-winstone, russell-crowe
