July 2010

This is the first in what will hopefully be a regular series, since going to the theater is one of the few things I do regularly. This was actually a slow week for movies--nothing I really care to watch came out this weekend--but I did watch a movie on DVD that I'd never seen before, so how about I tell you about that?

I Heart Huckabees (2004)

Things haven't been all right with me for the last, well, half-year or so. Back in late November I had a painful break-up with my long-time boyfriend--initially mutual, but though the blast radius seemed small, over time the fallout spread a lot wider than anyone could have predicted. I am still dealing with a not-insignificant amount of unpleasantness as a result. It was with the understanding of my situation that a friend of mine recommended I Heart Huckabees. And it was a great choice.

This is a film about existential crisis, about feeling adrift and alone in the world, and those times when you're watching your life fall to pieces around you and there's nothing you can do about it. It's about using suffering to find connection and meaning in the meaninglessness of life. Perhaps counterintuitively, it's also quite funny. It's not afraid to ridicule its characters, who are all, in their own ways, a little broken, a little lost, and a little ridiculous.

I can't really speak for the film's merits for those who have never felt like they're trapped helpless in the downward spiral of life (I'd have to watch it again sometime when I wasn't upset), but if you're close enough to the right situation, this is one of those movies that resonates. It was comforting, reassuring me in a way words alone never could that, even in the most miserable chaos of life, everything will be okay. "If nothing's okay, it's okay." And that was exactly what I needed to hear.

I haven't really been to that many concerts over the course of my life, but since I find myself developing more of an interest in music nowadays, I figured I should remedy that. And what better way to start than by going to see the Dead Weather in Denver? I like the particular blend of rock, country and blues that follows Jack White to every band in which he plays a major role--the guy's music is positively energizing--so I figured this would be a cool show.

After buying the tickets, it occurred to me on a lark to join the Third Man Vault, which is a sort of fan club for Jack's record company, with perks like exclusive online content, receiving complimentary limited-run records and swag that can't be purchased in stores (this was the primary reason I joined), and at some shows, a chance for early admission. I entered the early admission drawing for Denver and, a couple days before the show, I got an e-mail saying I had won, with instructions on how to redeem it.

So I was positioned dead center, pressed against the stage right in front of the main vocal mic. And it was amazing.

I know only about three people read this blog regularly, so I would like to ask them: Would you like it if I did some kind of weekly movie round-up, every Sunday night or something, where I post short reviews of the movies I saw that week? Would this be useful or interesting to you?

I go to see a lot of movies. It might be an interesting way to actually provide regularly scheduled content on this blog.

Please answer in the comments--if you're a regular reader, I'm not interested in boring or alienating you by talking a lot about something you don't care about.

If you've been paying any kind of attention at all, you've heard of this movie. Inception is the new film by Christopher Nolan, about a man who commits espionage by going into people's dreams. This summary is rudimentary at best, and it says nothing about why you should see this film. No, you should see it because it's very smart, and because it's very, very good.

My friend Cathy has already posted her insights. She's already discussed the strange emotional tone of the film, for example, so you should go and read her entry. I'll try not to repeat anything here that she's already said.

Most people recognize Nolan's name from The Dark Knight, but he has been working on this film for over ten years and it shows. It feels a little like Memento. Like that film (and like the dreams the characters construct in Inception), this movie is a puzzle; it's a maze, and it requires more mental engagement than some viewers may be used to. It's not really a confusing movie if you're paying attention, but there are a lot of complicated things going on in the way that the film toys with the meaning of time and reality.

I was fascinated by the rules for constructing dreams and interacting within them. This movie made me wish "dream architect" was a real job.

At its core this is a heist movie, and that heist is depicted brilliantly. Despite the infiltration taking place entirely within dreams, there is still a real, palpable sense of danger and a vital need to evade capture--the penalty for being caught is a great deal worse than jail, and in some ways worse than death. I've heard a little talk that the movie could handle a sequel, but I'm not sure it could. The most difficult form of dream invasion was already handled in this film.

I just saw the film tonight, so my brain is still sort of spinning. I may have more to say about it later after I've rolled it around in my head for a while, or I might not. It is a fascinating film, though, and it absolutely redeems this year's terrible summer for movies. You should see it. Maybe even more than once.