Movies

There's a great video store in our neighborhood, just steps from our house. (Really great--the owner is just about the nicest person I've ever met and there are monthly outdoor movie screenings, where they give you popcorn. This month I went to see Stop Making Sense. I'm not even sure how it's properly considered a movie--it's a recording of a concert--and I'm not sure I would have liked it under other circumstances. But I thought it was great. And best of all, it was close enough to my house that I could go home and nurse the baby when he woke up.) Anyway, we joined the movie store to get unlimited movies for a month, so we've been watching a movie an evening to make sure we get our money's worth.

So far:

Still Alice: Sort of heartbreaking at the end. It's all about love.

Diplomacy: A movie made from a play, and you could tell. Very talky. But very intriguing and very well done.

Mr. Turner: For many reasons I would have thought I wouldn't have liked this: It was pretty slow moving; nothing much happens. The characters are not good looking (that's an understatement) (actually--there was one good-looking guy, but he was onstage for two seconds). There's a lot in it about the abysmal conditions health-wise of the time. (For instance there's an unattractive housekeeper who has a skin condition with whom Mr. Turner ... you know. Anyway, it couldn't be less romantic if it tried.) Plus, it was two and a half hours long. All that said, I really didn't dislike it. Which is really saying something.

Granchester: Dreamy Anglican vicar teams up with a policeman to solve murders, all the while managing his affections for a woman otherwise engaged. (The dreamy Anglican vicar was the only attractive character in Mr. Turner (above).) I have a weakness for a good (or bad!) detective story and the British ones are the best (except for the Australian ones). (I could only force Francisco to agree to this because he loves movies with great English scenery.)

I'm sure I'll have more movie comments for you soon.