Upon recommendation by my sister-in-law, I recently watched the movie "Breaking The Waves" (she also does Netflix rental). It was directed by Lars Von Trier, the eclectic Danish creator of "Dancer In The Dark" and "Dogville". This movie took me three evenings to get all the way through it. I'm still kicking it around in my mind. I'm still confused as to if I found this movie artistically great or really just irritating. Emily Watson's character Bess McNeill ain't mentally all there, but yet I found it hard to empathize for her. Stellan Skarsgard (also the math professor in "Good Will Hunting") does a great job as her loving husband, Jan, who becomes paralyzed due to an accident on an oil rig. Though he advises Bess to take on other lovers, he is a much more likeable character. The ending is a little ironic, but I was at least happy with the resolution. I know this movie received all kinds of critical acclaim, but I had a really hard time with it. Check it out for yourself (maybe).
Tonight, National Geographic Channel had a program on Tokyo and how architects and city planners utilize such very limited space for its millions of residents. It was awesome! Though I've been here for 7 months now (!), every time I see something about Japan it still gives me that gut-wrenching feeling of nostalgic melancholy. Not sure what the hell I'm doing here in the U.S.
2 comments:
I watched "Breaking the Waves" again a few weeks ago on Sundance. I'd seen it years ago and couldn't remember much of it. I fell asleep before the end of it as it went on until nearly three in the morning. I'll try to catch it again. I love Stellan Skarsgard. He was good in "The Glass House" with Leelee Sobieski, aka Helen Hunt's mini-me. He's also in "Mamma Mia!" with Meryl Streep that comes out this weekend.
Oh yeah - that's right! He was really creepy in "The Glass House". I actually watched that on Japanese tv. It had Japanese subtitles. Can't say I have an undying urge to see "Mamma Mia!".
Post a Comment