Movie reviews:
Saw a couple of movies 2 weekends ago. First up: Blindness.
Based in the present (as far as I could tell) in a city (not really known to be any particular location) people are going about their business just like we usually do… day in and day out. However, one thing is distinctly different…. people start going blind.
No cause. No symptoms of why they would’ve gone blind, they just… go blind.
What happens is of course— people panic. Any person who has come into contact with someone who has gone blind is then subject to quarantine to make sure it does not spread. People are rounded up like cattle and forced into separate areas of which they are cut off from the outside world.
Julian Moore plays a wife who does not go blind (magically… don’t ask me how….) but her husband who is an eye doctor does go blind. She then is thrust into the world that the blind people have to endure.
As one could only describe it… a sort of invisible hell. With Moore being the only person who can see, it’s shocking and stunning as to what then happens between the blind people within the confines of their quarantined zone.
The movie does a lot of things right though. Vivid colors and sharp contrast help make the movie stand out amongst others in what could’ve been an even more dark and more depressing movie than it was. So while I’ll have to say, the movie gave an interesting look at how disgusting and twisted the human soul can be, it also gave a look at how it endures— and I think ultimately, who we choose to be.
I give it a ** 1/2 out of 4
Next up: Appaloosa
Having now needing to cleanse the pallet after seeing Blindness, Appaloosa was a great movie to settle back into.
Set in the late 1890’s in New Mexico, we follow two fellows: Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and Everett Hitch (Viggo) who are “protectors” for hirer. While dancing around the “guns for hire” title, these gentlemen come into the town of Appaloosa who is living in fear from a “Randall Braggs” (Jeremy Irons) who is a rancher who lives out of the city limits and will kill who he wants and take what he wants when he wants it.
Virgil and Everett are then hired to restore law and order. The twist is… well, you’ll find out but it made everyone in the theater chuckle and I don’t want to ruin it.
So the plot revolves around them getting to know their new town, and whilist their doing that, Allison French (Zellweger) comes to Appaloosa to seek a new start. From there, the story starts to twist and turn between Virgil, Everett and Mrs. French.
The movie is visually conservative however Ed Harris (his directorial debut) gives each scene a very focused purpose. There is no wasted shots or dialogue in this movie. Each develops the character or the scene in a way that most movies these days just can’t do. All of the actors in the movie give a terrific performance and while I truly hate Zellwegger in her faux southern bell roles, she managed to not piss me off as much in this movie of which I have Ed Harris to thank for that.
The shoot outs are great and the ending gives you a wrap up a glimpse into what western life was back in the late 19th century.
Truly a movie you shouldn’t miss.
I give this one a *** out of 4.
