Maps and meandering and movies
If you haven't yet seen today's xkcd, you should check that out, especially USicans. California is kind of boring, but there are many more adorable other states. Missouri/Georgia tickles me, and also Virginiasaurus. And wee Elephantchusetts!
Flying to eggplant Florida on Wednesday! So excited. I had dreams about it last night. Unfortunately, they were simultaneously work dreams, which was variously amusing and disturbing.
#18: Take This Waltz - A happily married woman falls for the artist who lives across the street. [imdb]
I went to this on the strength of Michelle Williams' record, and for a side of Slings & Arrows reunion antics. The movie is as the summary says. Margot has an awesome husband (Lou, played by Seth Rogen) but meets an equally interesting option across the street (Daniel, Luke Kirby). She dithers for a long time between them -- felt too long, actually -- and the choice isn't easy for her or for the audience. Well, I had my opinion, of course (get therapy for her underlying issues), but both guys are pretty great. Going in, I expected to dislike the neighbor on principle, but he was actually a very sympathetic charcter. Plus, Luke Kirby is adorable.
Margot, though, is a piece of work, but one who holds herself together very well as far as most people can see. Ultimately, her issue isn't temptation, but repressed ennui and personal dissatisfaction, which she fails to ever recognize. It made her a frustrating protagonist. Michelle Williams is brilliant with her, of course.
In some ways, this movie was very difficult to watch in theatres, because it took intimacy way beyond anything you typically see. I don't just mean the sex scenes, which aren't a factor until very late; by the time that comes around, you're like "...okay then!" They're preceded by the camera living in Margot's bed, in her bathroom (ever wanted to watch Michelle Williams on the toilet?...that came out wrong), in the ladies' locker room at the gym (ever wanted to watch ladies of many ages and types shower, in great detail?), and most memorably, by Daniel's very quiet and very graphic verbal description of what he wants to do to her should they ever get naked together. Very graphic. I was uncomfortable sitting in a theatre with other people around during it. I credit Sarah Polley for pushing thsoe boundaries, but at some point all the naked ladies just got...not gratuitous, because it was absolutely not sexualized, but rather beyond making the point. Even if only because some people in the theatre couldn't handle it and disrupted the rest of us with their muttering.
The pacing was off, too slow at first and too rushed at the end, but it was definitely an interesting character study that took a tired situation and brought a different angle and nuance to it. Just because of the discomfort factor, I'd recommend this for rental rather than the theatre.
Flying to eggplant Florida on Wednesday! So excited. I had dreams about it last night. Unfortunately, they were simultaneously work dreams, which was variously amusing and disturbing.
#18: Take This Waltz - A happily married woman falls for the artist who lives across the street. [imdb]
I went to this on the strength of Michelle Williams' record, and for a side of Slings & Arrows reunion antics. The movie is as the summary says. Margot has an awesome husband (Lou, played by Seth Rogen) but meets an equally interesting option across the street (Daniel, Luke Kirby). She dithers for a long time between them -- felt too long, actually -- and the choice isn't easy for her or for the audience. Well, I had my opinion, of course (get therapy for her underlying issues), but both guys are pretty great. Going in, I expected to dislike the neighbor on principle, but he was actually a very sympathetic charcter. Plus, Luke Kirby is adorable.
Margot, though, is a piece of work, but one who holds herself together very well as far as most people can see. Ultimately, her issue isn't temptation, but repressed ennui and personal dissatisfaction, which she fails to ever recognize. It made her a frustrating protagonist. Michelle Williams is brilliant with her, of course.
In some ways, this movie was very difficult to watch in theatres, because it took intimacy way beyond anything you typically see. I don't just mean the sex scenes, which aren't a factor until very late; by the time that comes around, you're like "...okay then!" They're preceded by the camera living in Margot's bed, in her bathroom (ever wanted to watch Michelle Williams on the toilet?...that came out wrong), in the ladies' locker room at the gym (ever wanted to watch ladies of many ages and types shower, in great detail?), and most memorably, by Daniel's very quiet and very graphic verbal description of what he wants to do to her should they ever get naked together. Very graphic. I was uncomfortable sitting in a theatre with other people around during it. I credit Sarah Polley for pushing thsoe boundaries, but at some point all the naked ladies just got...not gratuitous, because it was absolutely not sexualized, but rather beyond making the point. Even if only because some people in the theatre couldn't handle it and disrupted the rest of us with their muttering.
The pacing was off, too slow at first and too rushed at the end, but it was definitely an interesting character study that took a tired situation and brought a different angle and nuance to it. Just because of the discomfort factor, I'd recommend this for rental rather than the theatre.