Day: November 14, 2015

Once, long ago, in the throws of a depression, I watched a movie called Last Night and man, did it stick with me in a god-I-hated-and-was-disturbed-by-that-movie kind of way.  But it’s also made me continually seek out end-times movies just to see if there is anything better.  This was well acted and engaging,* but still left me with the completely depressed feeling that all is not well.**

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home.

*Although it skimped on a ton of detail.  Where were they getting their gas?  I can’t imagine gas station attendants would still be coming to work.
**I should perhaps give up thinking that such movies can be anything but depressing.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2012/seeking_a_friend_for_the_end_of_the_world.html

I ran across this movie on a list of really great romantic comedies you haven’t seen* and I ordered it because the library had it.  This movie epitomizes two things: 90s’s independent film** and dating in Boston when in your 20s.*** I remember adoring the soundtrack and the structure of the movie, and, sadly, neither one of those things lived up to my memories.****

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home.

*Although I saw it in the theater when it came out in 1998.  Something went wrong with the sound, so the first couple of minutes were spent getting them to fix the sound, and then listening to people argue with the attendant that they should just start the movie over.  He wouldn’t (or couldn’t) and drink coupons were passed around, though I never got one.  There was much grumbling.  So this viewing, I finally heard what was said in the first few minutes.
**And man, did we put up with some not-so-great film technique when watching 90s independent films.  Viewing it from this decade, I found the shoddy film making and iffy acting rather distracting.  (Although Hope Davis and Philip Seymour Hoffman were fine.)
***Like Hope Davis’s character, Boston wasn’t a great town for dating for me, either.  But I was enchanted with the depiction of smoking in bars–I had forgotten we could do that–and just how not great looking the guys she dated were.  Also, I used to drink at the Bern, which is her go-to bar.  It wasn’t my go-to bar, but probably second-tier.
****Which doesn’t mean I totally pan it, but I would say it’s a so-so movie, and worth watching as a time capsule.

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/1998/next_stop_wonderland.html

Overall an interesting, well acted movie that illuminates the terrible trials* Mr. Robinson was put through in order to play baseball.  Harrison Ford manages not to be annoying.**  I felt like it could have been 20 minutes shorter.

Cost: free from library
Where watched: at home.

*One of the terrible trials involved the Phillies’s manager repeatedly saying horribly racist things as Jackie Robinson was at bat. I recognized the actor, but couldn’t place him. It turned out to be Alan Tudyk, who I most identify as Wash in the tragically cancelled Serenity series.
**This movie is packed with where-have-I-seen-that-guy? white men.  Some of which include the guy who played Billy Riggins on Friday Night Lights (Derek Phillips) and the not-Paul-Walker guy from Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift (Lucas Black)

poster from: http://www.impawards.com/2013/forty_two.html