Movie Magic
There was a time during my college and early grad school years that I was a movie addict. My roommate and I had all four big movie channels and I was constantly watching, taping and re-watching all kinds of movies. That habit has dwindled down to near nothing--the last movie I saw in a theater was "Goblet of Fire" and most of our DVD collection has sat untouched for months at a time.
In the last couple of weeks, on my off days, I've taken to dumping the clean laundry in front of the TV and folding while watching a movie. I've rediscovered a couple of old favorites in the process.
Strictly Ballroom is a wonderfully funny and absurd story, a combined sendup of professional ballroom dancing and a predictable but satisfying ugly-ducking tale. I love re-watching the dance sequences (I trained in ballet and several other dance styles for ten years growing up). I love the culture clash when Scott the pro ballroom dancer meets Fran's flamenco-dancing family. I love the over-the-top diva performances of Liz and Tina Sparkle. It's just all-around fun.
Dead Again is Kenneth Branagh's tribute to the film noir era. It features a complex script that weaves the story of a Hollywood society murder from forty years previously with a modern-day amnesiac woman's mystery, some brilliant casting and acting by the supporting characters (Andy Garcia has hever been so sleazily charming in anything else), and careful touches that allow the really alert viewer to piece together the puzzle before it's revealed. I am going to have to get this on DVD; my old taped-off-HBO copy is really showing its age, and I've heard that Branagh's commentary is quite entertaining.
Another treasured favorite will be out in three weeks...The Little Mermaid!
In the last couple of weeks, on my off days, I've taken to dumping the clean laundry in front of the TV and folding while watching a movie. I've rediscovered a couple of old favorites in the process.
Strictly Ballroom is a wonderfully funny and absurd story, a combined sendup of professional ballroom dancing and a predictable but satisfying ugly-ducking tale. I love re-watching the dance sequences (I trained in ballet and several other dance styles for ten years growing up). I love the culture clash when Scott the pro ballroom dancer meets Fran's flamenco-dancing family. I love the over-the-top diva performances of Liz and Tina Sparkle. It's just all-around fun.
Dead Again is Kenneth Branagh's tribute to the film noir era. It features a complex script that weaves the story of a Hollywood society murder from forty years previously with a modern-day amnesiac woman's mystery, some brilliant casting and acting by the supporting characters (Andy Garcia has hever been so sleazily charming in anything else), and careful touches that allow the really alert viewer to piece together the puzzle before it's revealed. I am going to have to get this on DVD; my old taped-off-HBO copy is really showing its age, and I've heard that Branagh's commentary is quite entertaining.
Another treasured favorite will be out in three weeks...The Little Mermaid!