I have never spent more than a few days in California, but I watch enough television and movies to feel like I know it much better than I actually do. Somewhere between The Hills and The Shield, I learned both where to eat sushi and why I should avoid Armenians. The O.C. taught me where the well-heeled live and which side of the tracks to avoid. Definite images spring to mind when I hear Wilshire Blvd, Lombard St., Castro, Rodeo Dr., and Silver Lake. I also know that we all should eventually move there because the weather is nearly perfect.
Over our four days in California on this trip, we got to go to a game at Dodger Stadium, drive up the coast on scenic Route 1, do a few winery visits, and go to Monterey Bay Aquarium (well…everyone but me). It was very relaxed, and I think that everyone had a good time. If I’m honest, though, my favorite part of this leg was that I got to get away from everyone for a little bit and go to the movies. I’m a person who needs a lot of time to myself, so traveling in a minivan for weeks at a time is a little trying (and I’m sure traveling with me is too). I snuck away to the quiet of the movie theaters a few times in California…here are my quick thoughts on what I saw. There may be some mild spoilers:
Public Enemies – This is one of those mediocre movies that probably had a great movie lurking inside. Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Billy Crudup all gave interesting, nuanced performances and Michael Mann’s direction was occasionally very artful, but there always seemed to be something missing. It was never slow and most of the scenes were interesting as one-offs, but they didn’t seem to fit together well or build off one another. I imagine it is one of those movies that will be infinitely re-watchable on cable in a few years, but I came away a little disappointed. It could have been more.
Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince – I don’t remember if it was my sister Meaghan or one of the Rammages who originally got me into the Harry Potter series, but I’m glad they did (I do remember that Kevin correctly predicted that Emma Watson was going to grow up to be hot…she was 11 at the time). The books were as page-turning as can be and the last few movies have been consistently strong. This one was no exception. The action becomes tenser and a beloved character dies, but this one dually plays as a teenage romantic comedy. I definitely enjoyed it, but I wonder how difficult it would have been to follow for someone who has never read the book. Even though it runs 2-and-a-half hours, it feels rushed at points and probably could have benefited from greater exposition. This is just nitpicky, though…these problems are unavoidable when trying to condense and 800 page book.
Bruno – This movie is exactly what you expect. Hit and miss jokes. Lots of male nudity. Plenty of jokes at the expense of the homophobic. Some staged scenes. Any movie that targets the intolerant can’t be all bad and there are a few classic scenes (such as the stage parent interviews), but overall I was pretty underwhelmed.
Transformers II: Whatever the Generic Subtitle is that I am Too Lazy to Look Up – Didn’t actually pay for this one, but I had two hours to kill as I waited for 500 Days of Summer. Missed the beginning, missed the ending, but doubt I missed much. If you thought you would like this movie, you probably already saw it and realized how terribly, terribly wrong you were.
500 Days of Summer – I almost feel bad reviewing this movie, because my praise is going to be so hyperbolic that I’m sure it will eventually cause some of you to be let down by it. This movie absolutely owned me. I had very high hopes, but they were exceeded in every respect. It was clever, it was sad. It was witty, thorny, and joyous. There were more scenes than I could count that left me with a smile that I couldn’t remove. There were scenes where the pain was visceral. The soundtrack was fantastic. Zooey Deschanel is my (and everybody else’s) celebrity crush. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was my favorite actor before I saw this movie…now I’m certain that he is about to become a household name. It is only July, but I’d be shocked if I see a movie that I like more all year. Just see it.
The Hurt Locker – 500 Days of Summer is my favorite movie of the year, but The Hurt Locker may very well be the best movie. This is the type of movie that should win multiple Oscars, but will be lucky to even sniff a nomination. Iraq war movies have notoriously poor at the box office, but this one deserves to be the exception. It is haunting, tense, and claustrophobic. Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie are fantastic in the lead roles.
What I’m Listening To: Sweet Disposition – Temper Trap, Here Comes Your Man – The Pixies, & There Goes The Fear – The Doves
Next Stop – Twin Falls, Idaho
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