Saturday, December 18, 2004
Almost...
I just saw Almost Famous. Four years ago, when it came out, everyone was raving about it. About half way through the movie I was wondering why. But now I know. This movie is gooooood. The way everything works together and winds up at the end is just great storytelling. Period.
It follows this genius teenager as he follows a rock and roll band around the country, writing an article about them. Along the way he becomes immersed in the 70s world of drugs, sex and rock and roll. There's so many minor conflicts all going on at once, it really does seem like real life - I mean, come on, only reality could be that complex. One tiny thing, followed by another tiny thing. First it's how far he should go in his "partying", then it's whether or not to become friends with the rock group, then it's him falling for this girl, then it's how the article it's going to turn out...but the way they managed to have all these things going on at the same time, fully develop them, and still find a way to resolve them in a way that will satisfy the audience is incredible. My props to the writer.
*sigh* Ah, the 70s. A time I never saw. This movie made me feel like I was really there. It is about what people today are still doing: looking for meaning. Whether it's through music, drugs, sex, or any number of other things, we as a species just can't stop trying to find that one thing that will make us feel we have a purpose. Everyone can relate to these characters in one way or another. In that way, the movie was kind of depressing. Yet by the end, I felt like it was actually pointing people, in one way or another, towards God. In the midst of all the confusion that was the seventies, God was still there, after all. Although He is never specifically mentioned in the film, the movie ends on a rather hopeful note. As one character tells another, "There's still hope for you..."
In terms of a message, that's a rare thing for Hollywood these days. And in terms of script, themes, directing, and basically everything else, this movie is top-notch. I fully recommend it to anyone.
I also just saw 30 minutes of The Crow before turning it off. I don't see why some people love it so much. It's basically just this dead guy killing the people that raped and murdered he and his wife. Woohoo. In the mean time, the people he's killing get to do drugs and have lots of sex. This guy I met in the US named Jason Ford was right: this movie is basically just a really long and dark MTV music video. The plot was stupid. And overall, it's the closest movie I've seen in a while that I might actually refer to as "demonic". I've got no problem with dark, gritty movies, but this went overboard. Too gothic for my tastes. I don't think I'll be watching the rest any time soon.
But go rent Almost Famous. It's a good movie. Whoever that main actor was, he rules.
Now I want to be a journalist.
Quote of Da Moment:
"The only true currency in this bankrupt world... is what you share with someone else when you're uncool."
--Almost Famous
It follows this genius teenager as he follows a rock and roll band around the country, writing an article about them. Along the way he becomes immersed in the 70s world of drugs, sex and rock and roll. There's so many minor conflicts all going on at once, it really does seem like real life - I mean, come on, only reality could be that complex. One tiny thing, followed by another tiny thing. First it's how far he should go in his "partying", then it's whether or not to become friends with the rock group, then it's him falling for this girl, then it's how the article it's going to turn out...but the way they managed to have all these things going on at the same time, fully develop them, and still find a way to resolve them in a way that will satisfy the audience is incredible. My props to the writer.
*sigh* Ah, the 70s. A time I never saw. This movie made me feel like I was really there. It is about what people today are still doing: looking for meaning. Whether it's through music, drugs, sex, or any number of other things, we as a species just can't stop trying to find that one thing that will make us feel we have a purpose. Everyone can relate to these characters in one way or another. In that way, the movie was kind of depressing. Yet by the end, I felt like it was actually pointing people, in one way or another, towards God. In the midst of all the confusion that was the seventies, God was still there, after all. Although He is never specifically mentioned in the film, the movie ends on a rather hopeful note. As one character tells another, "There's still hope for you..."
In terms of a message, that's a rare thing for Hollywood these days. And in terms of script, themes, directing, and basically everything else, this movie is top-notch. I fully recommend it to anyone.
I also just saw 30 minutes of The Crow before turning it off. I don't see why some people love it so much. It's basically just this dead guy killing the people that raped and murdered he and his wife. Woohoo. In the mean time, the people he's killing get to do drugs and have lots of sex. This guy I met in the US named Jason Ford was right: this movie is basically just a really long and dark MTV music video. The plot was stupid. And overall, it's the closest movie I've seen in a while that I might actually refer to as "demonic". I've got no problem with dark, gritty movies, but this went overboard. Too gothic for my tastes. I don't think I'll be watching the rest any time soon.
But go rent Almost Famous. It's a good movie. Whoever that main actor was, he rules.
Now I want to be a journalist.
Quote of Da Moment:
"The only true currency in this bankrupt world... is what you share with someone else when you're uncool."
--Almost Famous
# posted by Andrew Johnson : 12/18/2004 11:28:00 PM 
