Wednesday, December 10, 2008

"Good" Movies

My younger brother is in town visiting, and has determined that I don't watch enough "good" movies. He's very likely right; I tend to watch movies merely as an escape, not really to think. Perhaps I need to change that viewpoint.
We watched Tropic Thunder the other night. I was looking forward to it; I enjoy several of the actors, the trailers were amusing. It was not a good movie. In fact, it was really just bad. It wasn't that I was offended or anything, it was just a stupid movie. That said, I did laugh once or twice (probably at whatever I laughed at during the trailer.) The movie ends, my brother expresses his displeasure with the movie, and makes fun of me for laughing. Then he asks, "what is the last "good" movie you watched? I know, you really liked IronMan, but I mean a "good" movie. Something that made you think." I had to think hard on that one - it's been awhile, but in the past 6 months Studmuffin and I watched "Hotel Rwanda" and "Juno", both excellent movies in their own way. So that's two. Two "good" movies in 6 months - maybe even the past year.
So brother has taken it upon himself to expose me to some of those "good" movies. Sunday night we watched "Stranger than Fiction", which I actually wanted to see, even rented at one time, but never watched. Excellent movie, I will watch that one again (and the soundtrack was fantastic.) Tonight we watched "Motorcycle Diaries", which describes the travels of Ernesto "Che" Guevera and his good friend Alberto Granado from Buenos Aires to Columbia in the 1950's, before Guevera became a revolutionary. It was based on books written by Guevera and Granado themselves, and describes the impact the hardships of travel and contact with indiginous peoples who have been displaced and mistreated by their governments, had on two priviliged and idealistic young men. The movie was thought-provoking; I will have to read further about Guevera and his ideals. This was definitely not my usual viewing pleasure, but maybe it's time I expand my movie horizons a bit. Oh, and the guy who plays Guevera? Seriously hot.

1 comment:

Amie said...

Don't let Duffy hear you say you didn't like Tropic Thunder . . . he starts laughing like an idiot at the mere mention of the title!

As for watching "good" movies, I'll take mindless entertainment over anything that makes me want to off myself any day. When I want a dose of reality, I watch the news or open my front door.