After watching Cloverfield this weekend and missing half of it because of my current tv's poor picture quality, I have finally broken down and ordered a new television. I am getting a respectable 31-inch, HD, flat-screen television. It will be glorious and will be in for pick-up this weekend. I can't wait. Then I shall rerent Cloverfield and see what I missed. Despite my television frustrations, however, I still managed to enjoy a bit of pop culture this week.
Television: In Plain Sight
I purposely waiting until Monday to post my choices this week; the reason being that I wanted to watch one more episode of In Plain Sight, a new series on USA Network. If you've never heard of the show, the storyline follows Mary, a US Marshall who works for the Witness Protection Agency. I should probably like this woman because she is a strong, smart woman who is career-driven. However, I don't. I've watched two episodes and I have to say that I won't go out of my way to catch any more. In truth, Mary is annoying. There is very little that is likeable about her. She is too flawed. Some might complain that if her character were played by a man, I would excuse the flaws. Not true. I also have no patience for the annoyingly flawed male characters on shows like ER and Grey's Anatomy. (And don't get me started with the god-awful show about four male friends who spent their time discussing their sexual escapades on the golf course. I don't even remember that show's title because I couldn't get through 15 minutes of one episode.) I like flawed, don't get me wrong. But there needs to be something to balance the flaws out. In Plain Sight's writers just haven't figured out what that is for Mary quite yet and, as a result, she has too many rough edges. The question is whether or not they will ever get the chance.
Film: The Assassination of Jesse James...
Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck are both excellent in this film, as is the much-ignored-by-critics Sam Rockwell (loved him as the over-the-top villain in the first Charlie's Angels film). However, this film did not need to be over two hours in length. When are filmmakers going to realize that excellent movies can be shorter than 120 minutes? Most silent films clock in at less than 90 minutes and some of the greats of the 50s and 60s fall between 90 and 120. Anyway, despite the slow moments here and there, the end of this film is excellent. I'm not going to tell you what happens because that would give it away. haha. Seriously, what happens to Robert Ford after he kills Jesse James is worth the long wait. The film really paints an interesting picture of the dynamics between Ford and James and the impossible situation both are in at the end. Rent this film but don't be afraid to fast-forward through much of the middle, especially if you know any history of the American West.
Book: The Historian
People have been after me to read this book since it was published in 2005. I finally got around to reading it. And I liked it. Historically, it is pretty true to the life of Vlad Dracula. I've read the history of the man and so has Elizabeth Kostova, the author. She's spot on. What I really like about this book, however, is Kostova's ability to simultaneously juggle far-past, past, present, soon-to-be-present, fiction, and history all at the same time. Her movement between storylines is seamless and that's no easy task for any writer. In addition, she weaves the information together into a cohesive whole without it feeling forced (for the most part). I would have liked a little more discussion of Dracula's mortal line but that's okay. It's a big book and by no means a quick read. But it's one of those beautiful stories that is worth taking the time to read.
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4 comments:
Jesse James is in my queue - so I haven't seen it yet.
There, I commented!
So I saw There Will Be Blood a couple weeks ago. It was thoroughly engrossing, of course, but the whole time I was watching it I was aware of how strange it was.
"There Will Be Blood" is a strange movie. There were moments - we're brothers from another mother - when I couldn't tell if Anderson was trying to be funny or not. I'm showing it in my film class to discuss acting. I paired it with "On the Waterfront."
Hmmm. What about the flawed female characters on Grey's? I think Meredith is the worst one. But, I still like to rent the DVD when it comes out! And I thought the commercials I saw for In Plain Sight looked good. I am missing cable right now as I surf over all the reality/game shows on the networks.
I read all of The Historian, but cannot say that I really liked it.
Why'd you pair TWBB with OtW?
How many of AFI's top ten top tens have you seen? My worst category is Westerns :) 0!
I've tried to watch Gray's Anatomy, I really have. I just couldn't quite put my finger on what I didn't like about it. I think y'all just spelled it out for me! It's all the wishy-washy stupid women!!!
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