"Membership in the family of God is neither inconsequential or something to be casually ignored. The church is God's agenda for the world. Jesus said, "I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it." The church is indestructable and will exist for eternity. It will outlive this universe, and so will your role in it."
- Rick Warren
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Maybe the best movie I've seen this year. Or maybe that was Wall-E, not sure. But Benjamin Button is incredible.
The casting, the directing, the writing, the cinematography, the performances, the story -- all riveting.
Brad Pitt especially is amazing, and while I've always thought he was more than just a pretty face, this role confirms he's a really fine actor. These days when most moviegoers are trained to think Al Pacino "Hoo-ha!"'ing like a machete through the scenery or Samuel Jackson and Kevin Spacey out-yelling each other is "good acting," the understated, natural simplicity of Pitt in Button seems all the more wonderful.
This movie is a great meditation on time, and on permanence and impermanence.
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Comments on "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button":
2. Jared
- 12/31/2008 3:48 pm CST
No. Whoever's saying that stuff is wrong. :-)
The "nuances" are there, clearly. In fact, that is part of why his performance is so great. It is nuanced. He is not "acting like" certain ages.
Also, when he is visually an old man, he is chronologically a young child and he is clearly acting as such. When he is young looking, he is chronologically old, and he acts accordingly. I find somebody missing that bizarre, frankly. Maybe they thought he should act like an old man when he looked like one?
It's a really good movie. And I have low tolerance for sentimental shlock.
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I see less and less each year too. Most flicks I see in theater are kid movies.
Still want to see "Gran Torino," "Revolutionary Road," and "Slumdog Millionaire" especially.
3. nhe
- 12/31/2008 5:18 pm CST
no, James Berardinelli (a critic I like who actually liked the film) said that he didn't act like a child when he looked old, and visa-versa......he said he acted like the same aged guy all the way through.
I haven't seen it, but I'd probably like it. Our daughter saw Slumdog and said we need to see it. I'm very interested in Gran Torino too. Have you seen "The Visitor" from earlier this year? - highly recommend that one too.
6. Sharpton
- 01/01/2009 12:07 am CST
"Ten times better than that Batman movie. Really."
That definitely strikes me as a matter of taste. ;)
I'll admit that this movie doesn't make me want to go see it, but that's because of personal interest. The previews make it look like Pitt is doing an excellent job.
Incidentally, I don't watch Sam Jackson for "good acting". I watch him for fun acting.
7. Nightturkey
- 01/01/2009 9:21 am CST
Best movie I've seen all year? The restored re-release of Fritz Lang's Metropolis, the version that came out in 2002 with the original orchestral score soundtrack. I sincerely believe that's the best movie I'll ever see, and the more I learn about it, the more in awe I stand of it.
10. Paul walton
- 01/01/2009 10:44 am CST
Yes I guess it's all a matter of taste, when it come to films.
I don't think I'll ever really be impressed over a movie, that features a guy who used to be on my lunch box as a kid.
Some prefer mayhem and evil villains who are homicidal, as much better theater.
A grown man dressed as Bat riding around on a super-bike machine, blowing up stuff, yeah it's a matter of taste.
11. Sharpton
- 01/01/2009 12:34 pm CST
Well, that's also kind of ignoring the deeper themes about human nature, good and evil, sacrifice, etc.
I mean, Benjamin Button's about a dude who ages backwards. That's pretty wacky.
Anything sounds wacky in the right context. ;)
17. Paul walton
- 01/01/2009 3:31 pm CST
I saw a video recently, where a Pastor was sharing how he called his dad after the birth of his second child. His father's reply was, really so when are you going to get a real job? The Pastor was retelling the story with tears in his eyes. He was looking for affirmation from his father, and the man just wouldn't give it to him, sad. The older I get, the more I respect those who are called, and stay in the ministry.
19. Paul walton
- 01/01/2009 4:45 pm CST
I guess we are officially off topic now, oh well. My Pastor recently shared how several individual demanded that he meet with them in the evenings. That they couldn't afford to take time off work to meet with him during normal working hours.
They expected him to take time away from his own family to counsel them about theirs.
He asked them if they ever missed work for a doctor or dentist appointment, or to take their car in for servicing. They usually reply yes of course, it's important to take care of these matters, and in turn sacrifice the money that they miss out on.
But missing work to address spiritual matters was just not worth the cost, to them. They were demanding that he adjust his life to accommodate theirs, because it's his JOB.
20. nhe
- 01/01/2009 6:08 pm CST
segue transition back to topic - last week our pastor showed a movie clip that was mistakenly unedited - a "damn" slipped through, for which he apologized profusely when the clip was over. I found it odd that he didn't apologize for an almost "R" rated 300 foot fall of a character to his death, showing impact and all (in the same clip).
23. Jared
- 01/01/2009 7:31 pm CST
Heh (to the Road Runner quip).
Paul, thanks so much.
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nhe, what was the movie?
I remember about 15 years ago when the church I was in at the time was going Willow Creek and they showed the City Slickers "best day" clip, which includes a line of innuendo about "twins on a trapeze."
It was shown in ignorance, I believe. I don't think the pastor who made the choice had any idea what it meant (as hard as that is to believe); he was a naive sort about that kind of thing.
But I was 18 or so and I knew it was a sexual reference, so I knew I wasn't the only one who was thinking, "What the heck?" Couldn't believe it got shown in church.
24. nhe
- 01/02/2009 10:00 am CST
It was "Vertical Limit" with Chris O'Donnell - it was the scene where he cuts the rope (killing his father) so that he and his sister wouldn't also die.
The "damn" was the least of the issues I saw (not that I would complain though) there was excessive cleavage with the sister (Robbin Tunney), a "screw you", and a dubbed out R rated word that was obviously spoken.....not to mention the site of 3 people falling to their death, one showing impact.
Like I said (though clearly not safe for church) it didn't bother me personally, but I was perplexed by the pastor thinking that ONLY the "d" word was the issue - IMO it was the smallest issue of the ones I mentioned here.
Oh, and I am not familiar with the twins/trapeeze reference.......I'm sitting here trying to figure it out - hmmmmm, maybe I shouldn't.
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Really?.......I had read many places that the writing is weak, and that Pitt is kind of weak in it - the biggest criticism being that he didn't find the nuances in acting his "age" as the age changed. Its 2:45, I just didn't want to sit thru another 2:45 after Australia (which was decent).
I think I may put "The Visitor" at the top of my 08 films, followed by "The Dark Knight".......I'm seeing a lot less films these days (just nothing out there grabbing me), and I'm trying to drift more toward the indy stuff.......I am curious about "Defiance" coming up - directed by Ed Zwick (Glory, Last Samurai, etc.)