1. I spent nearly an hour on the phone getting caught up with the Deke today: questions, clarifications, news, definite plans, tentative plans, a few laughs.
2. Does the phrase "political thriller" help you anticipate what a movie is going to be or help you decide whether to go? It's funny. I went to see The East today, and I later learned the movie is a "political thriller". Okay. I guess in the publicity/review world, every movie needs a genre designation. I experienced the movie as an investigation of the lead character's conscience and got so absorbed in her inner conflict that the "politics" themselves became less and less important to me. I guess what I mean is that I wasn't pulling for the character to decide one way or another. The intensity of her conflict and how she responded to it and worked it out, with ingenuity, courage, substantial feeling, and guile riveted my attention, not the politics of the anarchist collective, the corporations the anarchists monkey-wrenched, or the intelligence firm the woman worked for. If this movie had a thesis or a message, I was indifferent to it. The conflict of conscience, however, gripped me, dizzied me at times, and left me spent. I had to will myself to get up and leave the theater after the credits had run. Does that mean I experienced the movie as a thriller?
3. I bought groceries this afternoon, but when I arrived home from the movie and my mind settled down, I decided I'd like to go over to Jade Palace for some Chow Fun -- but the cook had used up all the Chow Fun noodles. So, I ordered the same House Special, but Hong Kong Chow Mein instead. The vegetables, nice and crisp, but not raw, and the beef, chicken, and shrimp were cooked perfectly, the noodles were delicious, and I especially enjoyed the meaty broth left on the platter after I had eaten all the food.
No comments:
Post a Comment