a dead end world
So I went to see (500) Days Of Summer this arvo after work.
It was exactly what I'd expected but actually surprised me at one point and ended on a note of pure relief and sweetness, wonderfully ironic.
Yeah, I had to see my favourite Aquarian boy's heart get broken and it was just as painful as I'd feared.
The unexpected bit though was when they did the little summary of her life at the start and, looking at Summer/Zooey Deschanel, I had this crystal clear moment of "Ah. You just lost all the women in the audience." I'm pretty certain that hearing all the advantages Summer's beauty brought her had every woman going "Okay, that's not me." And dri being dri, my reaction was "Okay, I Hate you." Seriously. I can't even remember the last time I had such a pure moment of utter loathing. It wasn't even anger, it was just undiluted sincere hatred.
Was that the point? That we always always know she's entirely the wrong girl for him and he never should have gotten involved with her? That we're not meant to like her from the very start, right from the inference of that so funny Jenny Beckman Bitch preface. I mean, I was pretty sure that's how the film would go but I wonder if I was the only one.
Because seriously, the moment she asks him if he really is interested in her, every fibre of my being revolted, sort of "No! Joe, no, sorry Tom, no! Get away from her, she doesn't want a relationship, you do. Walk AWAY, man!" God, it's the moment you recognise from every friendship, like watching a car crash.
So I pretty much had my cheek on my hand for most of the film, utterly resenting Summer's presence and Zooey's big empty eyes and whiny voice, and just so happy to be watching Joe on the big screen again. She was such a cliche, all the surface trappings of music and literature and art --- ooh lookit the kooky girl ... gah! trust me, as another example of the stereotype, I knew exactly what I was looking at and frankly it was an insult to all of us --- and totally lacking reality. Even her big evolution on the 500th day only made me want to slap her.
Her entire character proved that first reaction I had of losing the women because that made it quite clear this was a film made by a man aimed at other men. It's about the male fantasy of true love. Which is kinda nice to see in its own right but rendered me as a woman quite alienated.
Admittedly, I did relate far too much to Tom in his obsessive stalkery belief in soulmates and twu wuv fervour. But that's no revelation. I just love that I reacted to him exactly the same way as he reacts to the French films he watches. Such an awesome moment of circular postmodernism or wotsit. Endless reflections.
Which is why I utterly adored that last scene. It could have very easily ended without that tag but man, it totally sealed the movie with the idealism and the irony. It did so many things, that last scene, most excellent writing and staging and acting. And yeah, totally had me laughing out loud cos I was waiting with such keenness to hear her name. Awesome pay-off.
Ha, how funny that they referenced The Graduate in the film and today happens ... oh wait, no technically yesterday was Anne Bancroft's birthday. Nemmind.
Joe was wonderful. And yeah, no doubt every fucking review has done the Heath comparisons but it just occurred to me that the difference is Heath does angst, Joe does heart. Even in my favourite Heath film, 10 Things naturally, he does angst not soul, negativity not positivity, darkness not light.
Joe radiates humanity in all its lovely unforced subtle nuances. And when he lights up, his happiness quite literally transforms the world in this instance. I loved that. The boy can dance! Who knew? *lol* But oh, there's such an ease and authenticity about JGL's performances, the way he inhabits the skins of his characters that proves with every movie I watch of his just how talented my favourite Aquarian boy is.
Can't really call Rob a boy any more, can we? Whereas Joe's still in that youfful phase, aura-wise anyway.
I just wish I could edit Summer entirely out of the film. Then I'd love to own it. Gah.
And I got to see the trailer for This Is It on the big screen which was a bit unnerving because it was in the company of strangers and possible not fans. And because again I got gripped with the fear of it being far too emotional and upsetting an experience to have to go through in public. There is no way I could come out of that cinema with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.
But it has to be done.
It was exactly what I'd expected but actually surprised me at one point and ended on a note of pure relief and sweetness, wonderfully ironic.
Yeah, I had to see my favourite Aquarian boy's heart get broken and it was just as painful as I'd feared.
The unexpected bit though was when they did the little summary of her life at the start and, looking at Summer/Zooey Deschanel, I had this crystal clear moment of "Ah. You just lost all the women in the audience." I'm pretty certain that hearing all the advantages Summer's beauty brought her had every woman going "Okay, that's not me." And dri being dri, my reaction was "Okay, I Hate you." Seriously. I can't even remember the last time I had such a pure moment of utter loathing. It wasn't even anger, it was just undiluted sincere hatred.
Was that the point? That we always always know she's entirely the wrong girl for him and he never should have gotten involved with her? That we're not meant to like her from the very start, right from the inference of that so funny Jenny Beckman Bitch preface. I mean, I was pretty sure that's how the film would go but I wonder if I was the only one.
Because seriously, the moment she asks him if he really is interested in her, every fibre of my being revolted, sort of "No! Joe, no, sorry Tom, no! Get away from her, she doesn't want a relationship, you do. Walk AWAY, man!" God, it's the moment you recognise from every friendship, like watching a car crash.
So I pretty much had my cheek on my hand for most of the film, utterly resenting Summer's presence and Zooey's big empty eyes and whiny voice, and just so happy to be watching Joe on the big screen again. She was such a cliche, all the surface trappings of music and literature and art --- ooh lookit the kooky girl ... gah! trust me, as another example of the stereotype, I knew exactly what I was looking at and frankly it was an insult to all of us --- and totally lacking reality. Even her big evolution on the 500th day only made me want to slap her.
Her entire character proved that first reaction I had of losing the women because that made it quite clear this was a film made by a man aimed at other men. It's about the male fantasy of true love. Which is kinda nice to see in its own right but rendered me as a woman quite alienated.
Admittedly, I did relate far too much to Tom in his obsessive stalkery belief in soulmates and twu wuv fervour. But that's no revelation. I just love that I reacted to him exactly the same way as he reacts to the French films he watches. Such an awesome moment of circular postmodernism or wotsit. Endless reflections.
Which is why I utterly adored that last scene. It could have very easily ended without that tag but man, it totally sealed the movie with the idealism and the irony. It did so many things, that last scene, most excellent writing and staging and acting. And yeah, totally had me laughing out loud cos I was waiting with such keenness to hear her name. Awesome pay-off.
Ha, how funny that they referenced The Graduate in the film and today happens ... oh wait, no technically yesterday was Anne Bancroft's birthday. Nemmind.
Joe was wonderful. And yeah, no doubt every fucking review has done the Heath comparisons but it just occurred to me that the difference is Heath does angst, Joe does heart. Even in my favourite Heath film, 10 Things naturally, he does angst not soul, negativity not positivity, darkness not light.
Joe radiates humanity in all its lovely unforced subtle nuances. And when he lights up, his happiness quite literally transforms the world in this instance. I loved that. The boy can dance! Who knew? *lol* But oh, there's such an ease and authenticity about JGL's performances, the way he inhabits the skins of his characters that proves with every movie I watch of his just how talented my favourite Aquarian boy is.
Can't really call Rob a boy any more, can we? Whereas Joe's still in that youfful phase, aura-wise anyway.
I just wish I could edit Summer entirely out of the film. Then I'd love to own it. Gah.
And I got to see the trailer for This Is It on the big screen which was a bit unnerving because it was in the company of strangers and possible not fans. And because again I got gripped with the fear of it being far too emotional and upsetting an experience to have to go through in public. There is no way I could come out of that cinema with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.
But it has to be done.