Clooney Is Everywhere
Posted on | December 19, 2005 at 9:44 pm | 6 Comments
It was a Clooney-a-thon weekend, as I saw both Good Night, And Good Luck (which George Clooney directed and co-starred in) and Syriana (which Clooney starred in). Good Night, the story of CBS newsman Edward R Murrow’s tussle with communist-hunting senator Joe McCarthy in the 50s, served well as a character study, an historical reenactment, and a somewhat triumphant but cautionary tale about how one must defend one’s liberties or lose them. I’m sure no parallels to the current political climate were intended. The film had a nice black and white look, and every curl of smoke from every cigarette (of which there were many) looked alive.
Speaking of the current political climate, Syriana was about the effects that oil, and the Mideast hold over it, has on the world. It’s a thriller with multiple plotlines much along the lines of Traffic, which was also penned by Syriana writer/director Steven Gaghan. And, as Lisa noted, it had the doctor from Deep Space Nine in a major role. I enjoyed it, but I’m not real sure exactly what happened. As opposed to lengthy scenes of exposition that you would find in most movies of this kind, the short scenes would always end just as you figured they were about to explain something for real. It kind of reminded me of Japanese horror movies, where you’re not supposed to understand it so much as absorb it. Although I think I understood more than the couple seated in back of me, who seemed completely baffled. When the wife asked the husband during the end credits, “Was the point that the Arabs were fighting amongst themselves?”, he replied “We’ll discuss it on the drive home”. There were some real hard-hitting scenes in it, and at least one person appeared to walk out during the torture scene (just like at the showing Lisa attended). One thing I did take away from it was a depressing feeling of hopelessness. The cinematography was gritty in almost a digital video or documentary way, and yet was also very clear and detailed. The colors were mostly whitish, and almost washed out, but they fit the locales of the movie, especially the middle eastern scenes.
Yeah, I know I said I was going to mostly avoid movie-going in a theater from now on unless it was something I really wanted to see, but I just had to get out of the house this weekend. And the Broncos were playing a Saturday night game (record now 11-3 – playoffs clinched!) so I had Sunday afternoon free. So how was the movie-going experience? Both theaters (one an arthouse cinema, the other a megaplex) were very cold inside. True, it was also cold outside, but I guess the theaters want to save money on natural gas just like the rest of us. Neither showing was very crowded and people were mostly respectful. However, at Good Night someone in back of me kept making a loud continuous noise that sounded like walnuts being cracked or something metal being struck on the ground. I kept glancing back and making frowny faces, but never caught the culprit or figured out what they were doing. None of the other patrons seemed to be concerned, so maybe it was just the voices in my head again or something. The trailers that played before Good Night had a sound problem where you couldn’t hear the dialog very well, but luckily the feature didn’t have the same problem. And neither films stalled and burned, so that’s always a good sign.
I give both of these movies a Wait and a half and on the movie rating scale. Be sure to bring your brain with you.
Latre.
Comments
6 Responses to “Clooney Is Everywhere”
December 19th, 2005 @ 10:44 pm
“someone in back of me kept making a loud continuous noise that sounded like walnuts being cracked or something metal being struck on the ground”: I think this was supposed to be during Syriana – which, innovatively, is featuring onsite tortures to add to the horror of what’s depicted onscreen. (What hath Rocky Horror Picture Show wrought?) Imagine how embarrassed both parties must feel! “Well, hell – it said ‘George Clooney’!” “Mmmph!” “What? Oh – forgot to remove the cayenne-smeared ball-gag from your mouth…”
December 20th, 2005 @ 1:37 am
You might be interested in this review: http://www.regdeveloper.co.uk/2005/12/19/droid_maker/
December 20th, 2005 @ 11:51 am
It took me a couple minutes to realize it, but the plot of SYRIANA does hold together. I think GOOD NIGHT is a better movie, though, because SYRIANA doesn’t let you concentrate on any of the characters long enough to get involved with them, except maybe the prince.
Oh, and Denver has a better record than both SF Bay Area teams combined.
December 20th, 2005 @ 1:22 pm
Jeff (notbunny), it was actually Good Night that featured the audience-provided torture.
John, looks like an interesting book – did you read it?
Joe, I agree on GN being the better movie. Despite the distance afforded by that cold 50s emotional detachment, you did get a better feel for the characters. (Detachment – cue Matt Damon’s character in Syriana.)
I’m somewhat sad that the 49ers aren’t doing well (they have a history to live up to), but have no sympathy for the Raiders. The Denver/Oakland game this weekend should be real exciting (not)…
December 27th, 2005 @ 11:05 am
One thing I loved about GNGL was Robert Downey Jr and Patricia Clarkson’s terrific married-people chemistry. I totally bought them as a couple.
December 27th, 2005 @ 11:24 am
Really? I had a little trouble with that. I know that Clarkson is only 6 years older than Downey, but the age difference seemed even greater in the movie. Downey still has that boyish look about him.