Four (Films) for Friday

I don’t end up having as much time as I would like to watch movies.  But over the holidays, my brother-in-law was in town and we generally go see a couple movies when we are together.  So with his help, I was able to see four movies in two weeks (unheard of) – two in the theater and two on DVD.  Here’s the rundown…

#4

I finally got around to seeing Inception on DVD.  I had heard great things about it and it definitely was one worth seeing.  There was lots to love about it…  the concept, cast, effects, and pace were all great.  What I appreciated the most were the observations about dreaming itself.  Like when we dream, we never really know how we got to where we are in the dream.  We don’t remember the events leading up to the ‘now’ of the dream.  Also, the idea that in a dream we are both creating the dream and responding to it simultaneously.  All fascinating.

#3

True Grit was as you might expect…  gritty.  The Coen brothers spin their tale (well, not really theirs), and do so with the sort of craftsmanship one has come to expect from them.  I thought the casting was superb and each played their part well.  One interesting note…  the movie is set in Arkansas (and I’m assuming Oklahoma), but the scenery in the film was so obviously neither.  Rather, it was New Mexico that had the honor to provide the backdrop.

#2

Ok, this one is sort of cheating, but we (the family and I) found ourselves watching The Fellowship of the Ring… again!  And because it is so good, it makes all others pale in comparison regardless of whether it is showing for the first time or the fiftieth…  one film trilogy to rule them all.

#1

Which brings us to number 1…  The King’s Speech.  And I have to say, this was something of a surprise.  Maybe it was because I had no expectations at all and that I knew absolutely nothing about the movie in advance.  But I don’t think that’s it.  For a host of reasons, this will be the one that my mind will return to repeatedly in the near future.

It was my favorite kind of movie.  A simple, almost insignificant, story that is told so well that one can not help but be drawn in.  It does what I wish more films would do… take the ordinary (ok, so he’s the king of England – not so very ordinary) and help all of us to see the beauty of the small stories.  I don’t want to say much more than that, so as not to ruin it for anyone, but in my opinion this is about as fine as film-making gets.  I’m thinking it is going to win some of those shiny trophies this awards season.