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November 19, 2007

lt's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Fall has come and brought with it beautiful days! We are now on our way to Christmas time, and winter will come along with it! I love this time of year, for whatever reason it feels warm to me...and familiar and friendly...making any sense?

Anyway, along with majestic trees and cooler weather come great movies. This is the time of year when all the film companies put their best foot forward in order to garner nominations during Hollywood's self-love fest. That's right folks, 'Awards Season,' as it is often called, will be amongst us soon! The Hollywood Foreign Press begins the near-two-month extravaganza of flattery with the Golden Globes. It's when the 'American Beautys' and 'Magnolias' come out to play and we are left with thought provocing messages that leave us frustrated, sad, excited, motivated, encouraged, hopeful. Of course there are always the typical 'popcorn' movies around Christmas time, but it's the brave independent movies and the like that I enjoy so much.

I've had the opportunity to see a few films that fit the bill. I first saw Sean Penn's directorial debut, "Into the Wild," about a young man who graduates from college and leaves in search of peace from all humanity with a time of 'living off the land' in Alaska. Chris McCandless heads towards our Northern state and is taken on an adventure across the States where he meets people from all walks of life...although he seems to connect with most of them, his desire is to live off the land and in the wild mountains of the Alaskan frontier. The movie is based on a book with the same name that tells true accounts of people who reached out to Chris during his time of preparation for Alaska. Along with their stories we know much about his time through his diary as well. The film is beautiful and sad and adventurous and tragic.

In 'Micheal Clayton' George Clooney plays a lawyer who is sought after to do damage control for a billion-dollar client within his firm. Along the way shady business begins to rise to the surface. Tilda Swinton plays an incredible villian and will receive an Oscar nomination...she's incredible! Although the movie is quick and smart, it's basically an intelligent popcorn movie...nothing like Ocean's 16 or whatever that movie is. Go see it...you'll be on the edge of your seat the entire time.

Finally, I went to see 'No Country for Old Men' yesterday. If you haven't seen a thriller that could rival 'Silence of the Lambs', as far as scary-heart-beating-very-fast-movies goe...then see this movie. I had an open box of Swedish Fish and Reese's Pieces sitting right beside me that I didn't touch five minutes into the film. Javier Bardem plays the cool, calm, and collected Anton Chigurh...well, he's cool, calm, and collected until it's time to kill someone...which is often the experience. I'm telling you, every time he was on the screen I squinted my eyes because I was scared of what he was going to do next. The setting of the movie is Texas in 1980 and tells the story of a drug-deal-gone-bad. Llewelyn Moss played by James Brolin, finds a briefcase full of money and takes it, Bardem's character is then sent to find Llewelyn and to get the money back. Anton's chase after Lleywellen carries you through out the film. This is one of the best movies I've ever seen...but warning, it's not an easy movie to watch; be prepared to have your nerves tied in knots by the end. Be sure to watch in February when Javier wins an Oscar for this role.

Happy watching...and may the best man win. I'm sure whoever gets a golden statue will be surprised. Ha!

| By Nathan Gemayel | 8:34 PM

Comments

Posted by: Heidi Vincent at November 20, 2007 11:05 AM

Posted by: Heidi H. at November 20, 2007 12:38 PM

Posted by: Nathan Gemayel at November 22, 2007 6:58 AM

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