The Cinema.
Oh the joy of the cinema! There is nothing like being in a movie theater, people sitting around you, everyone engaged in the experience of catharsis together. This weekend I was able to catch two movies that I had my eye on for quite some time.
The first was Fantastic Mr. Fox. And it really was fantastic. Wes Anderson never dissapoints. I must say I was a little unsure as to how his directorial style would translate to the world of animation—but what he produced is seamless, truly beautiful, truly spectatcular, art. I especially enjoyed Jason Schwartzman’s portrayal of Ash… which was splendid in its pathetic hubris. Overall, brilliant.
Secondly, I saw Up in the Air, which was enjoyable but not Jason Reitman’s best (who I happened to weirdly see at the showing of FMF the night before). Up in the Air is clearly defined in its style and script, but seems to wax poetic on the philosophical virtues and vices of loneliness. The theme is pretty obvious within the first 5 minutes, and after one hour and forty-nine minutes, it all seems just a little trite. However, the acting throughout the film was consistent and engaging, making the experience absolutely worth it. I left the movie happy I had seen it. Not floored, but certainly entertained.
