I swear I didn’t plan for this to happen. I usually don’t really have a pattern I follow when I decide to tackle old movies. I’m more of an ADD kinda guy. I just browse whatever is available and grabs my attention and just play that. I might get suckered into a genre or a specific director or actor if they are awesome (I think I watched 30 westerns in a row a few months ago), but I certainly never gave too much thought about watching a couple of movies this week that were very similar and at the same time, diametrically the opposite in themes or message.
These are the films I watched since last Friday. It was a weird week because usually I don’t see so many new films. But I had free time and friends invited me to the movies often. I rarely say no to that.
- The Expendables
- The Great Escape
- Salt
- Rosemary’s Baby
- Mamma Mia (late night on cable. Shut up)
- Patton
- The Last Exorcism
- Exit Through The Gift Shop
- Gandhi
Based on the first paragraph of this blog, can you guess which two films hit me the most, are similar in some ways and completely opposite in others?
If you guessed Salt and Last Exorcism, you are retard. (or Jake)
But if you guessed Patton and Gandhi, you are totally awesome and deserve to treat yourself to a cookie!
Patton might seriously be my favorite war movie ever. It just blew me away by sheer force. They just don’t make them like this anymore. The scope of the film, going from Africa through the entire WW2 up until Bastogne is incredible. The locations are simply stunning. Wide shots of entire battlefields never looked so impressive and the amount of soldiers, tanks, airplanes and explosions that were used in each battle are nothing short of amazing. Specially in Blu. My god the transfer is gorgeous.
In the center of this three hour display of military history is George C. Scott giving a performance so good that he had to refuse to accept his Oscar because he knew, the man just had to know, that he was well above any category the Academy might place him in. He didn’t need an Oscar to say he was the best actor that year. He simply knew.
What I also loved about the movie is the peek inside the German side of all of this. Rommel and his reactions to the Allied strategy and Patton himself. I thought their constant guessing of each others actions were some of the best parts of the movie. War has never been better represented.
Then last night I happened to watch Gandhi. Which is another three hour biopic with stunning locations, photography, an incredible central performance that proves movies used to be more than quick edits and filming in studios with green screen.
Ben Kingsley’s work as Gandhi is already known to everyone, his transformation from the young and energized attorney in the beginning of the film to the old and fragile peace preaching walking energizer bunny is fantastic and deserving of all the praise in the world.
India is a beautiful country and the film doesn’t miss the chance to showcase it’s many amazing views and settings. Another fantastic Blu experience.
Peace has never been better represented.
War and Peace contrasted in two incredible three hour movies with fantastic locations and stunning central performances. It was kind of an awesome week.
*Little childish moment of the night = giggling like a retard whenever Mola Ram or the other Indian bad guy from Temple Of Doom showed up.