Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Burn after Reading

Saw the new Coen Bros movie over the weekend. So, you know how No Country for Old Men made you feel like life was not worth living and humanity was a worthless pile of fashiz? Burn After Reading is kind of like that, only funnier, and with less people getting killed. Although people get killed. Oh yes, they do.

I have to wonder if we shouldn't all have an intervention with the brothers Coen. Just a check-in. A little head tilt. How you guys doing? Everything ok?

Burn After Reading
is about a couple of kind of dim-witted exercise trainers (Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand) who think they've found some top-secret information. Other players are John Malkovich, George Clooney, and Tilda Swinton. Talented actors, all, but I was a bit disappointed by the characterization. They seemed less rounded and more of a series of (extremely well done) ticks. All the characters were either deceitful, hateful, or complete idiots. Pitt, in a horrible dye job, seems like he might be going through another 12-Monkeys-I'm-more-than-a-pretty-face phase, but I do have to admit he was hilarious, "staying hydrated" by suckling on an ever-present water bottle like a teat.

In other entertainment news (though less timely), I recently finished up the second season of Big Love, which I love to hate. It's a well-crafted show, but it just makes me insane. Will Barb leave the marriage soon? I hope so! (Don't tell me!) I thought Rhonda singing Happiest Girl in the USA was about one of the top singing-on-tv moments I'd ever seen. I can't get it out of my head.

Does anyone watch Monk? I thought this season blew. Big disappointment.

Other than that, I'm crazy hooked on Mad Men and have a bizarre, non-feminist crush on Donald Draper that leaves me both confused, and... with another feeling.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't watch Monk anymore, he kind of wears you out, if you know what I mean.....you ought to try a ballgame every now and then, you can even find some MAD MEN there!

Carrie said...

Oh, I love Don Draper and all the Mad Men, but more than the guys, I love the house wives in the suburbs. That writing is the best. Did you see the special festures on the DVD or watch it on cable? If you have a chance, the special features are very good.

clterry said...

I have seen Monk a few times. His compulsives wear me out. Brian seems to really like it.

We are big Burn Notice fans, even though we know that each episode he is going to be helping some poor idiot out who got himself in trouble, while he is trying to find the person who burned him in the FBI.

Are we going to find out this season who the mother is on How I met your Mother?