Saturday, March 07, 2009

Confession: Life of a Fool

Excerpt from my email to Soul Sister San in Santa Fe:

Tina and I watched a very cool movie (from the Producers of "Sideways," was it?) last night: "Smart People." Dennis Quaid, Thomas Haden Church,
Ellen Page, and the reason I initially dissed the choice, Sarah Jessica Parker. I was about to say that in my middle dotage I am hopelessly (and shamelessly, and unrepentantly) bigoted about certain things and people, SJP being one of them, but in truth, I have always been so bigoted, and I am probably even a little less so in this extended dotage. One of the notable characteristics of my bigotry is that I typically know very very little about those towards whom I am bigoted. I do not believe that I have ever seen SJP in anything. I question how she could possibly be married to Matthew Broderick. (My bigotry compounds.) All by way of saying that SJP was very good in the movie and I thoroughly enjoyed this little film about what the director kept referring to, lovingly, as a group of emotional idiots.


Tina once again questioned why I would doubt her 95% success rate in choosing movies. I question my questioning, too. My success rate probably hovers around 40%, and after my championing of "Landscape in the Mist," even that 40% is suspect (especially since I still champion LITM).

Labels:

11 Comments:

Blogger rebecca said...

I can understand your "bigotry" towards SJP. I was never part of the Sex and the City generation and though I watched a few episodes, I couldn't for the life of me figure what the big deal was. I thought it showed women in a bad light, was frivolous, inane, and just plain unrealistic.

However, though I have not seen "Smart People" and it is on my list of movies to watch, I did watch "The Family Stone" and she was great in that. The movie had a very good cast and had it only been her carrying the movie, I would not have bothered to watch. But the movie was good and she was, yes, good in it as well.

I guess sometimes we just get caught up in our little perceptions of people that we forget that they are more than one character, one image, etc.

11:01 AM  
Blogger Miss Alister said...

You’ve too many brain cells. I, on the other hand, can enjoy just about anyone in any movie.






Even Adam Sandler.

4:57 PM  
Blogger murat11 said...

Amen, rebecca. I'd like to say that all the walls have crumbled, but I know better...

Ms A: I just have too much poof. I should have followed in the footsteps of Fred Gwynne, Harvard Class of 1951. Now, there was a man who did not take himself too seriously...

I'm not sure the Zohan would appreciate all those returns...One of my 8th grade urchins wrote a hilarious movie review about the "silky smooth."

5:23 PM  
Blogger Devil Mood said...

One of the notable characteristics of my bigotry is that I typically know very very little about those towards whom I am bigoted.
Well, that's an essential condition for bigotry to exist altogether.

I for one also wonder how SJP could be married to Broderick, but probably not in the same way you do. haha

Is that on Dvd already?

6:10 PM  
Blogger murat11 said...

You are absolutely correct, DM, although sometimes I am just stupid about things and keep my mouth shut. Those moments, of course, are not very blog-worthy.

"Smart People" is indeed on DVD. And the entire ensemble was quite good.

9:15 PM  
Blogger floreta said...

meh, I don't watch Sex and the City either. Not once.

I wanted to see this movie in theater! I haven't seen it yet..

10:36 PM  
Blogger murat11 said...

Floreta: As I said to Ms Mood, all of the cast are very fine in the movie, but Quaid's strapped down grief-stricken brokenness is a revelation.

8:09 AM  
Blogger Tammie Lee said...

I think you said it with: Typically knowing very little about them. It is often(not always) a different story when we get to know someone...

another movie to see, thanks

4:06 PM  
Blogger murat11 said...

Often enough, Ms Tammie. And often enough, my pissiness is just that...

4:42 PM  
Blogger San said...

One to put on the netflix queue.

We got around to renting the Coen Brothers' "Burn After Reading." It was so much fun to see Brad Pitt playing a real dolt. I saw him do that once before--what was that movie with Julia Roberts where he drove around Mexico in an El Camino? Anyway, Mr. Pitt and Ms. McDormand and Mr. Malkovich and Ms. Redhead-Who-Was-the-Villain-in-
Michael-Clayton-but-Whose-Name-I-
Can't-Remember, all were great. And that supporting dude Jenkins--I'm getting to be a big fan of his. And how could I forget George Clooney playing a kind of over-exercised, over-sexed suave dolt? I like that about the Coen movies. They do give unexpected roles to actors who've been a bit pigeonholed. Like your SJP. Not the best from the Brothers Coen but a good one to rent.

5:59 PM  
Blogger murat11 said...

Ms San: Tilda Swinton, I think: she of, years ago, Orlando. I'll put your boys in the queue.

6:53 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home