Cary Grant showering | 1
On my way home I was thinking about how some bloggers write Hello New Month posts, while others do monthly recaps, and couldn’t help but wonder what that says about our personalities. Probably not much, since I wouldn’t consider myself a nostalgic person. So now that we went through a pointless thought process, here’s what happened this month:
Work-wise, February marked the ending of a semester, and the beginning of a new one: there was the stress of finals, the frenzy of picking classes and schedules (which is not over yet, damn bureaucracy), some last minute applications (hello erasmus!), and the overall adjustments to a new daily routine.
I’ll something simple for Suits (two days everyone!) but I kind of (no, actually did) fail the post on Scandal. And this week’s premiere got me thinking that the show could be heading the wrong way in the whole Fitz/Olivia affair, I mean… it’s a bit too cliché now, isn’t it? Let’s hope not, but it is Shonda Rhimes we’re dealing with (even though I still watch Grey’s Anatomy…).
directed by NOAH BAUMBACH
with GRETA GERWIG
Though one of the most talked about movies of 2011, I somehow never got around to watch it until now. I’ve never encountered anyone who didn’t like it, and with good reason: here’s a good film that is also highly entertaining, that is both interesting and a good laugh. Emma Stone was great, Viola Davis brought emotional depth to the screen for the second time this month (first with Doubt), and I now worship Octavia Spencer. All in all, the cast was good and the story will have you glued to the screen, whilst shedding another light into the not so distant past of racial oppression. Did you also notice Mike Vogel, or was I the only one who watched Pan Am?
I watched Doubt for our Interesting Movie of the Fortnight special on actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. I’ve shared my thoughts on the film there, saying that it not only features a masterful performance from the late actor – and from Streep and Adams too – but it is also a movie that everyone should watch for the message it conveys.
Doubt tells the story of a catholic school nun (Streep) who raises questions about the relationship between a priest (Hoffman) and one of the students. She is certain that he is molesting the child, while he firmly asserts that her allegations are not true. Between them is a younger nurse (Adams) who can’t find firm ground to form an opinion on. Regardless of the truth, the priest’s life is destroyed, and in this lies the two main themes of this film: one, is the reckless impulse to judge based on irrational arguments such as a feeling, or an inner certainty; the other, is the devastating consequences of acting on prejudice, of spreading dangerous rumours – even if with the best of intentions.
Jarmusch’s vampire tale was a huge surprise. I expected a peculiar, atmospheric film with good performances, and it is and has all of that, but it also has a couple of simple yet inspiring messages that made it not only entertaining but also a meaningful watch.
I have one post lined up about the set design, and will be working on an article with my thoughts on the movie itself this week, so I don’t want to give too much away for now. In the meantime, be sure to catch this one when you can, knowing only that you may love it or hate it. One last word for Hiddleston and Swinton working together, that was one inspired casting choice.
– The Oscars Visual Diary.
– Actual reviews of films, and maybe, just maybe, the return of ratings.
So many great things here, I really liked Only Lovers Left Alive and loved Doubt and The Help, while the charm of Frances Ha was lost on me. When I saw the pic of the fox for a second I was worried you sat through Antichrist 🙂
god no! I tried once, but that movie is not for me. at all.
I love how you so elegantly describe films, so concise and eloquently put! I watched and reviewed Frances Ha myself and I understand when you say there’s something you can’t quite put your finger on. I felt quite ambiguous watching it myself.
I was also thinking of doing a book/film comparison series on my blog in the near future – great minds! Am looking forward to seeing The Help soon, thanks to Netflix!
Nell at And Nell Writes
Thank you, it’s very nice of you to say that Nell! I can’t wait to read your book/film comparisons!
Oh Netflix… if only we had that here.
I haven’t seen much films lately, but I liked Frances Ha. It did give me a bit of a mental freak out on how my life is moving though. I started watching Scandal, but it’s kind of hard to root for Olivia Pope and the president. I’m still in season 2, so that opinion might change.
It is the kind of film that makes you question certain aspects of your life, I know!
I’m not sure I get what you mean about it being hard to root for them: like you don’t want them to end up together, or do you think that they can’t? If it’s about the possibility of them being together I agree, but yes, wait until the end of season two to really see where things will stand.
Either way, from that point on, I think you’ll see what I mean about the clichés – their affair is starting to sound like a cheap romance novel! But I’ll watch it anyway.
Frances Ha and Doubt are great films, indeed, and you can’t go wrong with revisiting The Philadelphia Story either. 🙂
I can’t get over The Philadelphia Story, no matter how many times I’ve seen it (a lot!)