Sunday, August 20, 2006

I'm no Ebert, and Mimi, you go girl!

I bought school supplies today and sadly, I was more excited about the process than my second grader. I loved the beginning of the school year when I was a kid! New teacher, new pink eraser, full compliment of Laurentian's (freshly sharpened all equal length!), white running shoes and best of all, new clothes.

And speaking of clothes, I took myself to see "The Devil Wears Prada" this evening. I wasn't expecting much and am happy to report that it was very entertaining. Why were my expectations low? Well, I read the book (ages ago - and loved it!) and Hollywood never seems to do a very good job at cramming a 350 page novel into a 2 hour space. Too many things get sacrificied - entire main themes sometimes - characters, sub-stories, - all just get lost in the translation. "Girl With the Pearl Earring"? They ignored the essence of the main characters' relationship! Not one Stephen King novel has been given justice (ok, maybe Stand By Me - but technically, that was a novella. Oh wait - that one with Kathy Bates was pretty good, too) and none of Ludlum's works have ever come across well. "Bourne Identity" you counter? Come on, the movie barely resembled the book. Yes, I concur, it was a very good movie, but it wasn't the same story as in book. Not even close! They just took the Jason Bourne character and basically made a new adventure for him.
Anyway, while I've been debating myself, I just remembered another exception. "The Constant Gardener" was a fine adaptation.
I really don't argue with myself very well, do I. Not sure which side of my brain won...

Also in movie chatter - I watched "Door in the Floor" with Jeff Bridges (who plays a writer) and Kim Basinger. I vaguely remember it being in theatres last year - maybe the year before.
Excellent movie! Kind of. I wasn't sure if I liked it while I was watching it though it was extrememly thought provoking, in a life-is-shitty-now-deal-with-it sort of way. By morning - after my brain had the night to sift through the obvious and subtle symbolism and metaphors - I decided I liked it very much. Goes without saying that the acting was suberb (!) and it lacked the typical wrapped-up Hollywood ending, sadly but gladly.
The full frontal nudity of Mimi Rogers, I could have done without, but hey - got to give a 48 year old props for bravery! Go rent it. You won't regret it -- especially you authors!!

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