My Life Lately
… or “How I got them in before I jumped on a plane”
Man, how I’ve been busy lately. Pretty much too busy to do much blogging with my regular day job, some new freelance projects on the side (starting a new business!), celebrating BDays (apparently everyone I know was born at the beginning of Aug) and, you know, alittle bit of sleep inbetween. To add to that, I just hopped on a plane to go to Shanghai (in route now! pictures to come!) But I always seem to be able to get some movies in somehow and someway. Here is what I squeezed in last week:
Ruby Sparks. This movie is one of those great ones that is even more than what you think it will get. The trailer sets you up for a whimsical, date-night appropriate indie romantic-comedy but by the end you discussing symbolism and relationship dynamics with anyone who would listen. The all too real cute romantic sequences between the real-life couple, Kazan and Dano do add the lovey factor needed to make you smile but it delves so much deeper. The film was a smart, perspective look at a man who is going to great lengths to avoid everything he can’t control in his life - his family, his genius, and the perception of himself by other people. What that leaves him with is a lonely existence in a stark white apartment with only his dog as his only friend. In steps Ruby Sparks, literally straight out of his imagination with her purple tight, bright dresses and messy life. She is something else he tries to control with disastrous and intriguing consequences.
The Bourne Legacy. I had been anticipating this film for awhile, mainly because the Bourne series is by far my favorite trilogy of all time (…the thinking man’s action movie for those like me who don’t like action movies) and also because I love me some Jeremy Renner. I had been alittle apprehensive of them continuing the series (sans Matt Damon), but I was open to it since I loved the idea of this one paralleling the events of The Bourne Ultimatum. I planned to watch a marathon of all the films before seeing this but wasn’t able to unfortunately. I have to say, I thought this was the weakest of all the movies, with the only thing really tying it to the original series being a couple of Jason Bourne name drops and some catch up time with some of the major Treadstone players. It had the backbone of the original but without the smartness and sharpness I have come to associate with the name Bourne. Also, what I loved most about Jason Bourne was that he was just a man that just so happen to be a highly skilled assassin. I think making Aaron Cross a lab experiment with superhuman abilities stemming from fringe science did the series an injustice. I did find Edward Norton great in this and thought his no nonsense character was the most interesting part of the movie; I’m glad to see him back in the spotlight in great form.
Pop-Culture Randomness (Premiere-edition):
- the Los Angeles premiere of Ruby Sparks
- The cast at the New York City premiere of The Bourne Legacy
