no country for old men

So yesterday, having had to rearrange my day off as I worked on Monday, I went to watch 'No Country For Old Men'. I'd heard that it was meant to be pretty good (Oscar nominations are a bit of a giveaway) and I wasn't disappointed.

The bleakness of the landscapes, and bleakness of the situations in which the characters found themselves was wonderfully portrayed.

Part of me was a little frustrated that the audience doesn't get to learn a whole lot about the history of the characters, but I guess that just adds to the bleakness of it all.

I came away from the film not entirely sure how to feel. I'd enjoyed the film, but I wasn't quite sure why. I guess the ending was a bit sudden, it certainly wasn't a 'happy ending', though with the Coen brothers directing it was never likely to end in a conventional fashion. In some ways it was almost rather haunting, possibly depressing, that people could act in such a way. The fact that we don't know much about the background of the characters, for me, merely adds to this sentiment.

But don't get me wrong, it is worth seeing.

so i've managed to find time...

...to go to the cinema a couple of times in the last fortnight. Last week I went to see I Am Legend. Now I don't normall go in for things that can be vaguely linked to zombies, horror etc, but I'm really glad I went to see this film.

The whole undead bit is done very well, and fits with the story. It's not overdone, it doesn't feel too over the top.

I guess one thing I liked about the film was the kind of questions it raised, questions to do with purpose, destiny, suffering. All good stuff. Although the 15 certificate might limit its use in a youth group context it is well worth seeing. And might I add that it is well worth seeing at the cinema, rather than renting on dvd. I won't go into too much detail as to why, just trust me. (Assuming that cinemas across the country do what the Sheffield Odeon did right at the end of the film)

This afternoon I went to watch Into The Wild. I decided that work could wait, and that I'd go to the cinema instead. And I'm really pleased I did. Coming away from this film I remembered what it id I enjoy so much about going to watch films - the challenges, the emotions, the story-telling, the escapism. It has been a while since I've experienced sucha range of emotions while I watched a film, but this afternoon I've been angry, upset, sympathetic, envious, inspired.

You can go elsewhere to read reviews of this film, and you can go watch this film at the cinema or get it out on dvd. The photography/cinematography (whatever the correct term is) is absolutely stunning, and is done by the same guy that did The Motorcycle Diaries, another beautiful film. Much of the soundtrack is written and performed by Eddie Vedder, of Pearl Jam. Therefore, in my opinion, is also rather good.