Movies at the Theatre
The Triumph of Love
A young princess learns that her father stole his throne and the rightful king and queen had a son who has been hidden away in the care of a philosopher and scientist, who are brother and sister. They have sworn off love and teach their charge to hate everything feminine. The Princess falls in love with him at first sight and comes up with a grand scheme to get him away from his gaurdians so that he will fall in love with her. This begins with her and one of her ladies dressing as men before heading in. It's a little silly and definitely over the top, but if you just enjoy it for what it is, then you will really have a good time. Wonderful performances are given by all, Mira Sorvino, Ben Kingsley, Fiona Shaw, etc...
The Cat's Meow
November 1924 Hollywood. A mysterious death occurs that was never investigated. Based on a true story for which very little details are known. The lead in tells you that this is the story most often whispered about happened on this Hollywood yacht trip. Amoung the famous guest are Charlie Chaplin and Louella Parsons, a famous and feared gossip columnist. I think this movie was fairly well done, if a little slowly. I was left feeling a little dirty at the end. It sucked me in so completely that I felt like I had been a little too close to the cover up of a murder by the rich and powerful.
Movies On Video or DVD
Original Sin
Very strange, but very pretty. Set in Havanna, Cuba... probably around 1900 but I don't think they ever said for sure. From the previews I thought it would be a straight betrayal/revenge movie. But no it was a bit more complicated. Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie devour each other and you as the viewer. This one starts near the end and goes back to tell the story. It's been done, but can still be done effectively. I have mixed feelings about this one. I think I can safely say that it was worth seeing once.
The Prophecy
It is probably fair to say that this is a B movie. But then I have to say that I love it. I like stories that use religious themes in a dark and unusual way. In this movie there is a second war in heaven that has been in stalemate for thousands of years. It's about some angels being jealous of humans having souls. They are led by Gabriel, played by Christopher Walken. I love him. He's such a freak. He calls the humans talking monkeys, and he keeps a couple alive, right at the brink of death, to drive him around and such. But the crowning glory of this film is Viggo Mortensen as Lucifer. It's a small part near the end, but it is magnificent. It is the best portrayal of Lucifer I have ever seen.
The Long Good Friday
This is a British ganster movie with some bite. You spend most of the movie just as confused as the main character, Harold (Bob Hoskins). Something is happening and he doesn't know why. His men are being killed, bombs are going off in his establishments and he doesn't know why, or who's behind it. Fairly well acted, and it does make a point at the end. It's just that you might have fallen asleep or just not be paying attention when it finally does.
The Anniversary Party
It's Joe and Sally's 6th anniversary. Of course they were split up for awhile, but everything is 'wonderful' now that they are back together. As guests start to arrive for their party things get more and more complicated. The neighbor they hate, their uptight accountant, Sally's best friends, one critical and one just crazy. Joe's leading lady for his new movie, and his long time best friend, also a women. Sally is jealous of both. They spend all day and very late into the night together, and things just get crazier and deteriorate as you go. At the end I wasn't sure how I felt about it.
Books
Forests of the Heart (novel) - by Charles de Lint
I could hardly put this one down. In an effort to savor it a little I forced myself to. Where it normally takes me about a month to finish a novel, this one only took two weeks. de Lint always does an amazing job of keeping track of many characters as they come together in a story. They are rich and complicated. One has lived with her link to magic and the spiritworld all her life, and another dismisses such things as childish fancies only to find that she is very attractive to spirits and fey folk because there is a strong magic in her. They are brought together with many others because of some greedy spirits that came to America along with some Irish immigrants. They have no real home here and they've decided they should have one even if it means they have to take it away from someone else. The native spirits who already call it home won't like that.
Hedgework and Guessery (short stories) - by Charles de Lint
Printed in 1991, I think this is the first collection of de Lint's short stories. Sometimes it's hard to find this one because the official name is something like Pulphouse #22. Which I think is very obscure. I like de Lint's short stories, and a lot of the older ones are hard to find. If you are not a collector I'd say go and pick up a more recent and still in print collection of his work. He continues to refine his craft, getting better every year.
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