Chasing Grace

I’ve been cooped up in this apartment for far too long. But winter is determined to linger, and I have been it’s prisoner. Thank god for Netflix! I’ve been catching up on some old movies I’ve been meaning to watch.

A slew of reviews:

Boogie Nights - Bleak and depressing. But very well-acted, and there are some genuinely funny moments. Worth one viewing, if you don’t mind the pr0nographic subject matter. Mark Wahlberg continues to surprise me with his acting. I think I just can’t get past his rap career, where he got his start. Maybe someday I’ll forget about it. Excellent performances by everyone, notably Philip Seymour Hoffman and Julianne Moore.

Orlando - At first I thought, ‘oh yay, feminist propaganda’. But, when you understand that the novel upon which the movie was based - penned by Virginia Woolf - was published in 1928, it’s feminist propaganda that was at one time relevant and necessary. It’s a wonderful poetic fantasy about gender identification, love, sex, spirit and growth. In this highly stylized and beautiful film, Tilda Swinton shines, as always. In fact, she is the reason I watched the film at all. I’m glad I did.

Mrs. Brown - Billy Connolly and Judi Dench. Queen Victoria and John Brown. England and Scotland. Friendship, politics, family, honor, and sacrifice. Great performances, cinematography, costumes, sets, direction and a good story. You can’t go wrong with this one.

Eat Drink, Man Woman - Good film. Not the best I’ve ever seen, but worth a viewing. All that cooking made me hungry. A nice story about family dynamics, and very funny in places.

Ratatouille - Awesome! Another gem from Brad Bird. Animated, but definitely for grownups. I’ve been raving about it since I watched it. It’s about cooking and creating, but more importantly it’s about being true to yourself no matter what and following your heart. “Not everyone can be a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.” I’ll be watching this one again. It’s a keeper.