Last night I finally got out to my local small town theater to see a movie. The last movie I saw in theaters was Megamind, back in October. Most of the movies I watch are watched on my computer, or on the smaller laptop. Even when I watch a dvd on my television it's still underwhelming because of my relatively small t.v screen. So it's good to get out and experience the majesty of the movie theater. It really is an experience that can't be equalled, not even by huge home theater systems and surround sound and whatever else. There is something magical about going to the movies. I love it. I love sitting in the dark with a bunch of strangers. I especially love sitting through the coming attractions trailers. Not necessarily because of the trailers themselves, I've usually seen them already. But usually because in my theater there's no guarantee that any particular film will ever come to our town. However last night heralded the arrival of two films I'm interested in, Tron Legacy and Sanctum. Finally, I love the experience of waiting for a few days to see a movie, getting excited and then finally arriving and seeing it on the huge screen with surround sound, seeing the movie the way it was meant to be seen. Last night, that movie was True Grit.
A masterful period piece. An incredibly beautiful film. Jeff Bridges is incredible. These are all quotes that the distribution company should feel free to use on the dvd box when it's finally released. The truth is, True Grit was an incredible film.It tells the story of a young girl named Maddy Ross who hires and acompanies a bounty hunter on a mission to hunt down the man who killed her father. That's all you need to know. It is so good.
The Coen brothers direct this film and though their sly humor pops up here and there throughout the movie (mostly near the start) it's really a film that stands on its own, seperate from any and all of their previous work. (Though arguably their last film No Country For Old Men stood on its own as well, but that's another story) The cinematography by Roger Deakins is beautiful, the man deserves every inch of the praise that is heaped on him.
The acting is note perfect. If Jeff Bridges hadn't won Best Actor last year, he would have been my pick for this year. He plays the roughest, toughest, drunkest bounty hunter in the old west, Rooster Cogburn. Correction. He doesn't play Rooster Cogburn, he is Rooster Cogburn. After watching this film it will be impossible to imagine anyone else in this role. John who? (Yes I know, the Cogburn that John Wayne played was a very different character from Bridges' Cogburn. I was being humorous.) Matt Damon does an excellent job as texas ranger LaBeouf. Josh Brolin's Tom Chaney is exactly what he needs to be. But the show is stolen by the incredible Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross. Actually that's a fib, she doesn't steal the show because the show is her's from the start. She absolutely owns the film.
I know some are upset that Steinfeld is nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category when she is clearly the lead actress, but sometimes you need to compromise. The fact is with incredibly heavy competition from some very talented actresses in a category that (this year) literally belongs to Natalie Portman, Steinfeld doesn't have a hope. It's much better to put her in the Supporting category where she is almost certain to win, and she undoubtably deserves it.
I would just like to point out that though i briefly considered the thought that The Social Network might be better than Inception, True Grit is the only movie that has a legitimate chance to rob it of the highest honour Inception can achieve this year. Which is to be my second favorite film that was nominated for best picture.
Sorry for rambling, it's kind of my thing.
Alex
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