Like Water for Chocolate
Continuing my streak of finally seeing things everyone's already seen, I recently enjoyed Like Water for Chocolate.
Going in to it, I had heard it was a movie with lots of food in it. That it did. There was also tragedy, frustration, passion, love, taboo and humor. It's got
a great villain in the form of the protagonist's mother, a domineering, controlling, vindictive and utterly self-assured obstacle.
In the end, it has a happy ending, assuming you consider death and fire happy. I got the feeling that this movie was more of the magic realism
stuff which I seem to be encountering in piles, lately. Things happen which could be natural, could be supernatural and it's all sort of ran together
with a strong thread of subjective point of view to make sure one can't really trust any of the narration.
I wasn't so keen on the haunting by the mother but I did enjoy the transformation the sister underwent when she became more like the mother in appearance,
voice, and bearing. Those who do not remember the past are doomed to marry their mother, or something like that. Not exactly a funny movie or even really a
fun movie, but it was moving and passionate and parts of it will stay with me.
posted at 20:46 PDT (-0700)
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Well, What Do They Do?
There's a story out about a U.S. District Judge finding that the Federal Trade Commission exceeded their authority
by creating the National Do Not Call Registry. I suppose the irony in a judge ruling that the group responsible for regulating trade isn't
allowed to do so almost balances the subsequent aggravation at Yet Another Delay on some change to get peace and quiet. Evidently fifty million people were so delighted with an
opportunity, at last, to opt out of the use of their time and phone to try to sell them things that they leaped at the chance to escape that. Do you think this might indicate an
industry desperately in need of some regulation?
I was pointed at this story by PG.
posted at 15:54 PDT (-0700)
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Reductio Ad Absurdum
I recently had a chance to see The Reduced Shakespeare Company's
Complete Works of Shakespeare [Abridged]. Thirty-seven plays,
over one hundred fifty sonnets, three men and a dizzying array of condensations. It really works well.
Starting off with Romeo and Juliet, including an intermission,
and culminating in Hamlet, it's well worth the time to watch.
Clearly, these guys know their stuff. Watching it on DVD, there are even some amusing extras, such as video footage of
the first ever performance of the play. It's a breakneck paced tour through the plays of Shakespeare.
Time is saved by consolidating all of his comedies into a single convolute narrative.
The culmination involves the kind of tomfoolery with Hamlet you'll enjoy if you're a fan of Stoppard's
Fifteen Minute Hamlet. All in all, a cute silly abuse and homage of
The Bard, all at once. It seems they're touring with other shows, as well.
Probably worth the price of admission.
posted at 15:54 PDT (-0700)
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