Sunday, February 8, 2009

two nights; two films; one theme

It has been a movie-watching kind of weekend. We'll skip any discussion of the Friday night Netflix fare -- 10,000 B.C., a Hubby request. It was, umm... not so good. (Hubby's cute so it's ok.)

But last night we watched Sideways, a wonderful film from 2004 about two middle-age men who take a road trip through California wine country just before one is to get married. The two friends have very different personalities and very different agendas which leads to, shall we say, complications.

And tonight we went to the Kelso Theater Pub -- where you can eat pizza and have a glass of beer or wine while watching the movie which is cool -- and saw Revolutionary Road, the film version of the Richard Yates novel of the same name. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet play a 1950's American couple who, feeling trapped in suburbia, make plans to move to Paris. Difficulties ensue.

Both films grapple with the "big picture" issue of living life to the fullest -- and the cost of taking and/or not taking risks. Yet the approaches have little in common: Sideways interjects quirky humor along the way, and Revolutionary Road sticks with the pathos.

I think it's important to ponder the Big Questions in life, and Sideways and Revolutionary Road both get 'thumbs up' from me. But I'll admit when I ponder I do prefer the inclusion of a little humor...

9 comments:

Diane M. Roth said...

great reviews! We just started Netflix, and I think we'll put Sideways in our queue. (I like a little humor, too)

Processing Counselor said...

For us, netflix would be a bigger waste of $$ than the gym memberships we're currently paying for. Thanks for the great reviews.
Do you do the beautiful watercolors in your header? You're so talented!

Jennifer said...

Thank you for these great reviews.
Trundling off to add some of these to the queue...

Hot Cup Lutheran said...

you humor? why of course!!! i'm more inclined to the moody artist thing... crying... journaling... reveling in pathos... and then throwing paint on canvas and "it" is over.

Terri said...

I enjoyed sideways....haven't seen the other one...thanks for the reviews!

Lori said...

Liked Sideways. I'll check out RR on Netflix.

Humor? But of course! It is the leaven that keeps the bread from being.......flat....

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

We enjoyed Sideways, although we really disliked the one guy.

Haven't seen the other one. We aren't getting out to movies much these days because of general busyness.

Rev SS said...

humor? you? no!!!! -:)

Unknown said...

Thanks, everyone, for your comments.

PC, Nope I don't do the headers! (They are done by Julie Neidlinger of www.loneprairie.net.)

hot cup, that is a funny mental image!