Anyway, movie stuff.
Sorry for starting a bit of a Facebook dust-up over Lincoln. Even without seeing the film, I will stick to my belief that the Aaron Bady article made interesting (and important?) points about the choice of storyline.
Over the last few weeks I have caught a few films.
One of my most anticipated films for the year was Save the Date. Putting Alison Brie, Lizzy Kaplan, and Martin Starr in a movie written by Jeffrey Brown sounds like an idea that I'd dream up only in my wildest, geekiest, loneliest of fantasies. So, of course, I loved it. It was funny yet meaningful. Some parts were so pukingly Jeffrey Brown that it made me wince with the feelings that his comics always bring out. I think that if anyone reads Every Girl Is the End of the World For Me, they will understand. Well, maybe not. Nevertheless, Save the Date is a fun film and everyone should see it and support it. You can rent it on iTunes right now.
Another film that I was really looking forward to was Zoe Kazan's Ruby Sparks. Not only did she write it but she also stars in it alongside long-time boyfriend Paul Dano. It's a smart comedy that - without giving too much away because I hope someone else will watch it - is kind of response to the whole "magic pixie dream girl" trope.
I also watched the documentary First Position. Enough people at work were talking about it to make me curious. Surprisingly, I found myself getting pretty involved in the characters and the ballet world it depicts. This was a very well done and produced documentary.
Last on my list of recent watches is The Painted Veil. I inhaled W. Somerset Maugham's novel of the same name several weeks ago. Too bad the movie (even with Edward Norton and Naomi Watts) doesn't even come close in comparison. The film made some curious changes to the story that I didn't think added much of anything at all.
TV Club
Even though I haven't been watching many films I have been staying current with a few TV shows. I feel like this season has been particularly strong for all the series I'm following.
The Walking Dead, which I've had a like/hate relationship with since it began, really brought it this season. There is tension, people are dying all over the place, and the show has moved back to focusing on the human relationships - territory that I thought was strong and wanted to see more of in the first season and felt evaporated a bit in the second.
Similarly, Sons of Anarchy is producing the best season in a few years. It feels like it's building towards the end game and I can't wait to see how it turns out. One of the most surprisingly emotional moments in TV for me this year was (Spoiler Alert) watching Opie killed.
Homeland continues strong in the second season. I never see what's coming next.
I know that Jeff and Chris were both upset to see Michael Pitt's character depart from Boardwalk Empire at the end of last season but the show has remained interesting even without him. It's been fun to watch Richard's character become a stronger presence and to see him courting a girl. It's kind of cute, actually. Is anyone else still watching?
And now this brings me to Treme. Perhaps I'm just feeling extra opinionated about this because I watched the Season 3 finale today but...this is probably my favorite TV show were I forced to rank everything that I've seen to date. Well, Star Trek: TNG might give it a run but that's purely for nostalgic reasons.
Jeff's friend Matt Zoller-Seitz said this in his Season 3 wrap-up at Vulture:
Treme is one of the subtlest, most life-affirming, and defiantly life-size dramas on TV: a crazy quilt of modern urban life that’s not afraid of the lyrical interlude, the pregnant pause or the unresolved emotion.Like when reading a really good novel, I sometimes I have to stop the show and just think to myself "well, shit."
I wish everyone would give this show a chance. It may be a little hard to get into at first but I think that's because, as Adam Kotsko says, Treme may be "one of the most radically experimental TV dramas ever done...on the level of form."
The first season can come off a bit "preachy" but it will totally be worth it in the end. I promise.
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