life gets better & a movie review of sorts
This weekend things have finally been coming together again. It has been over 2 years since I have felt any kind of stability and calm in my life. It was definitely the big tax refund cheque that I got in the mail that really solidified the positivity that I've been developing over the past few months.
On Saturday night we were watching and excellent movie ("Centurion" -- see it!) and enjoying an excellent bottle of wine (Roodeberg, SA -- cheap but amazing!) and I suddenly realized that I felt contented and untroubled for the first time since before I left the Kootenays.
So the movie, Centurion. Really great. I have always been fascinated by stories of tribal Europe and this is one of the best films in that genre that I can think of. It's not as glossy as something like "Gladiator" and that is a good thing. The cinematography is stunning in a somber, dark sort of way. The story is original and riveting.
It's inspired by an alleged historical event where the most fearsome and elite of the Roman legions was sent into Pict territory to once and for all deal with them "by any means necessary". Legend has it the legion disappeared, presumably destroyed by the Picts. This film is the imagined story of what happened.
I find most battle scenes pretty dull, especially close-up hand-to-hand action, but the way these action scenes were filmed was really exciting. I think because it was approached in a very matter-of-fact way without all the over-the-top personal drama or fancy fighting moves of the big Hollywood epics. It was pure violent havoc. Period.
The cast was really exceptional. Micheal Fassbender was perfectly rough and tough. Dominic West was awesome as General Virilus (although at first I kept thinking to myself, "Oh there goes McNulty on a self-destructive bender again!"). And for once a film cast a believably fierce actress (Olga Kurylenko) as the female warrior nemesis. Never once did I expect her break like a twig the way I always feel when I watch Angelina Jolie try to kick someone's ass. And Olga's character is mute, so she conveyed all her ferocity without any words.
Overall the film was simply more gritty and realistic than other Roman-themed movies I've seen.
See it, it's good.
On Saturday night we were watching and excellent movie ("Centurion" -- see it!) and enjoying an excellent bottle of wine (Roodeberg, SA -- cheap but amazing!) and I suddenly realized that I felt contented and untroubled for the first time since before I left the Kootenays.
So the movie, Centurion. Really great. I have always been fascinated by stories of tribal Europe and this is one of the best films in that genre that I can think of. It's not as glossy as something like "Gladiator" and that is a good thing. The cinematography is stunning in a somber, dark sort of way. The story is original and riveting.
It's inspired by an alleged historical event where the most fearsome and elite of the Roman legions was sent into Pict territory to once and for all deal with them "by any means necessary". Legend has it the legion disappeared, presumably destroyed by the Picts. This film is the imagined story of what happened.
I find most battle scenes pretty dull, especially close-up hand-to-hand action, but the way these action scenes were filmed was really exciting. I think because it was approached in a very matter-of-fact way without all the over-the-top personal drama or fancy fighting moves of the big Hollywood epics. It was pure violent havoc. Period.
The cast was really exceptional. Micheal Fassbender was perfectly rough and tough. Dominic West was awesome as General Virilus (although at first I kept thinking to myself, "Oh there goes McNulty on a self-destructive bender again!"). And for once a film cast a believably fierce actress (Olga Kurylenko) as the female warrior nemesis. Never once did I expect her break like a twig the way I always feel when I watch Angelina Jolie try to kick someone's ass. And Olga's character is mute, so she conveyed all her ferocity without any words.
Overall the film was simply more gritty and realistic than other Roman-themed movies I've seen.
See it, it's good.