If you are going to the movies and want to spend your money on something worth watching, there are two choices I can suggest....but only if you can appreciate things other than mindless idiocy like The Dukes of Hazard (and yes, I watched that. I work at cinema. I watch A LOT of mindless crap. But it's all free so what do I care): the black and white, Good Night, and Good Luck with David Strathairn as infamous journalist Edward Murrow or the dark comedy, The Matador with Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear.
First, Good Night, and Good Luck. The movie assumes you understand a thing or two about the era. If you don't know, it's about Murrow's editorials on CBS of the McCarthy trials and of Senator McCarthy himself. Great film. Strathairn made this film. His performance was absolutely brilliant as Murrow. I can't imagine anyone else in the role. With such reservation and calm in his dead pan face, I saw so much emotion beneath the surface. Brilliant. Bloody Brilliant performance. So often, you could easily pass Strathairn over in a film. He's just one of those actors that sort of blends into the film. I think that proves the excellence of an actor. Even though, he generally doesn't have these magnificently loud roles that puts him center stage, he becomes a vein of the film. Well, here...wow. He embodied Murrow. Made the film.
Now, The Matador. We are all so used to seeing Pierce Brosnan in these sexy roles. Remington Steele, James Bond, etc etc. He plays Julian, a middle-aged facilitator (aka assassin) who befriends a salesman, Danny (played by Greg Kinnear). Julian is oversexed, crude, rude, and perhaps bisexual. He is often drunk and unshaven. He chain smokes like there is no tomorrow. And let us not forget that he kills people for a living. And yet, you can't help but love him. My God...I think this is by far my favorite role I have seen Brosnan in. He is stunning in pulling on a coat of something that is not his traditional garb. The title is fitting, quite metaphorical....and I'm not going to explain it for those who want to see it. I'd rather you get the idea.
Ok....I'm off. Have some things to do. Then I'm off to the movies again. today is my second day off in a row. Woo Hoo! I'm going to see Brokeback Mountain this afternoon. Pick Em up and then we are going to watch Munich. And tonight we are screening Final Destination 3 (I told you I watch the fluff movies. I do fill my brain with nonsensical things. Hey, I LOVED..loved....loved Grandma's Boy.)
You should do these reviews more often. Bravo! Who else knows better than you?
Posted by: carrie | 13 February 2006 at 05:32 AM