Thinking Movies

Every so often I come across a movie that really makes me think. Although I'll often watch a movie for the express purpose of not thinking for awhile, I must admit that I'm never disappointed when I wind up thinking anyway.

I went and saw "The Prestige" over the weekend, and although somewhat disappointed that there was no "real" magic, the movie did something nearly impossible. Normally when presented with a cast of unlikeable characters I find that I couldn't care less about the movie or its conclusion, but even after this movie was over, I couldn't help wondering about some of the plot details.

In the end, I've decided that the movie doesn't entirely make sense (and wouldn't, even after a second viewing), but I can't help feeling that there are some subtle (and interesting) things that I might have missed. That said, I wouldn't mind seeing the movie again.

Fantasy (Finally)

My boss has been begging me to join his fantasy football league. His argument is that it's free, so why wouldn't I join? Well, "Because I don't want to" apparently wasn't a good enough answer, so this year I'm managing my own fantasy team. I have no idea how to do it, and little inclination to learn, but as a lifelong (overcompetitive) sports fan I think I can figure it out. Besides, I fully expect the Jets season to be in the toilet by game 5 this year, so I'm going to need something to look forward to on Sundays...

Take the Lead (or Leave It)

Last week I saw Take the Lead, and although I was dragged there by my sisters (who were actually thrilled with it) I found the movie to actually be tolerable. It was formulaic, it was nearly pointless, and at various points I felt like I was watching a montage of Dangerous Minds, Bad News Bears(?!), and Dirty Dancing. There is, however, a silver lining to this cloud. It wasn't The Blair Witch Project or Moulin Rouge.