Blue Valentine (2010)

Ugggghhhhhhhhhhh! Blue Valentine makes me want to die.

But on the other hand.

Uggggghhhhhhhhhhh! It was so good.

Michelle Williams (whom you already know I very much admire) and Ryan Gosling play a couple in a gut-wrenching failing relationship, familiar to anyone who has ever really opened themselves up to another person and watched that connection disintegrate.

We are treated (or maybe subjected) to the whole arc of their relationship from its sweet beginnings to its crushingly meaningless and empty end.

The hardest thing about Blue Valentine is that you're not asked to like or dislike any of the characters. This is also the most valuable aspect of this film. It doesn't take a side. That's up to you, which is incredibly difficult and if you're anything like me could lead to melancholy bouts of relationship oriented introspection.

I can't say I'd recommend this movie to anyone. Not good for anyone looking for a happy ending, obviously, but also surprisingly not so cathartic. More frustrating overall.

Excellent acting, excellent, bold filmmaking. Brave choices all around for everyone involved in making it.

True Grit (1969)

Just as valuable as the 2010 reboot but in different ways.

Props to Kim Darby (Yes, this Kim Darby), for bringing emotion to the table despite the silliness of her voice, acting style, and astoundingly Justin Bieber-like haircut.

When you watch this you'll be treated to another serendipitous and excellent minor role for Dennis Hopper. The more I see of his older work the more I want to watch of everything he's ever done.

I think my favorite part of watching this John Wayne classic was gaining a greater appreciation of the richness of the modern adaptation's roots. Each actor in the update really drew from and yet moved beyond the now charmingly outdated original.

It helped me understand even more why the recent adaptation of True Grit was nominated for best picture. Yay!

Harry Potter Update

So. As some of you may have noticed, I have NOT been keeping up with my self imposed goal of writing one Potter review a month leading up to the big night (which is tonight).

This comes as a result of extreme busy-ness on my part, which, while not unforeseen, nevertheless could not be helped.

As it stands I have Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince sitting on my desk waiting to be watched, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 in my Netflix queue, and a ticket to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 safely tucked away in one of my rendezvous's wallets for later on.

After I finish this post I'll be heading upstairs to prepare coffee for the midnight viewing, which I will be attending with friends who are willing and eager to share in my extremely nerdy enthusiasm for "the end," which sadly and also awesomely begins tonight at midnight.

I'm going as Luna Lovegood, re-imagined as a college student or maybe a young adult going to her Hogwarts 10 year reunion. This is my thinly veiled excuse for not having enough time to brush up and create my props anew. I do, however, still have the wand I made and the robe I grudgingly* bought, both of which will be coming with me tonight to help me fully realize my true potential for ridiculous dress-up play.

Anyway. The long and short of it is that the Phantasmagoria of Potter will continue longer than originally planned.

Thereby prolonging the end a bit longer for you all, which if you're anything like me, isn't such a bad thing at all. -sniff-

*(They didn't even have one in Ravenclaw colors, so I'm hoping I won't catch the eye or the wrath of any rabid purists this evening before the show!)