For Joseph

Everything is changed and nothing can ever be quite the same again. I'm writing in Magdalena, New Mexico, visiting my Mother and Sister, anticipating my return to my new home in Albuquerque. I have friends there, which happened really pleasantly and quickly. I've been mostly behaving myself, save a little drunken fooling around on couches, light merriment, etc. Job searching is heart breaking and being broke, broke, broke is quite worse.

To clear my head, a list of films I've seen recently.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The mixed reviews had made me a bit nervous, but I really loved this film. The best actress nod is a lock, and Pitt was quite good as well. This is the definition of a mature film; Fincher the auteur no longer feels the need to prove himself, and along with Zodiac, Button has firmed up his position as a modern great. Panic Room had me nervous, with its reliance on Fincher's proclivity for ultramodern cinematography over story and character, but those fears have been utterly banished.

Milk

This is not my favorite Gus van Sant film of 2008, but it's pretty fantastic. I had feared that this would operate in the same universe as van Sant's other more overtly commercial work (Good Will Hunting, Finding Forrester), and to a degree it does. What this film has going for it is a clear vision, SPECTACULAR acting (Emile Hersh, James Franco, I'm looking at you), and a good, if not great script. This is obviously a passion project, and it's kind of magical to see that seep into the frame, but it's just very good, it doesn't transcend.

Valkyrie

This is not as poor as it could have been. It's also not very good. I think Cruise is always strong, as he is here, but I yearn for Cruise the character actor (Magnolia, Born on the Fourth, kind of Collateral). Instead we have Cruise the leading man, more in a The Last Samurai way than anything else. Bryan Singer is despeartely overrated, and this film really could have been put together by any competant footage compiler, but the film isn't awful. I think the adjective I'm most inclined to use is slight.

OK Lightning Round

Flashbacks of a Fool

This was pretty wonderful, with the half-hour bookends staring Daniel Craig far outshining the interior love letter to Bryan Ferry and teenaged Britain.

Mongol

I'll follow Tadanobu Asano (Vital, Gohatto, Last Life in the Universe) to the ends of the earth, but this was fairly poor. Please, please please go watch Last Life in the Universe instead.

Sukiyaki Western Django

This was a borderline unwatchable, poorly executed disaster. Still trying to wash this out of my mouth.

Zach and Miri Make a Porno

I kind of love this film.

Twilight

The most idiotic fun I've had laughing at the screen in ages. Vampire baseball. I love it.


Gotta go,
Maybe more later,

Love you all.