Thursday, January 15, 2009

Appaloosa & Other Fun Things

After a long anticipated wait, I finally got to see Ed Harris' latest film, the retro Western, Appaloosa. I've been wanting to see it since I first saw the trailer. So many Westerns these days try to be classic, but they get caught up in these complex, shades of grey plotlines that leave the viewer wondering, 'who's the real bad guy?' Fortunately, Appaloosa makes the good guys and the bad guys stand apart clearly. The only complexity is the relationship between the two main characters, played by Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen, and the love triangle they form with Renee Zellweger. It's a classic, brooding, macho Western at the top of its game. The music is straight from the 60s and 70s speghetti Western, with a little less twang - the only way you can tell it was written this decade. The cinematography is breathtaking. Dean Semlar was brought in by Harris to be the director of photography, and Semlar brings his special touch to the film. The man is a genius when it comes to shooting the background so that it resonates with the viewer. His work on Dances with Wolves was legendary and he brings the same eye to Appaloosa.




Harris and Mortensen are delightful in the roles of Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. The male relationship is a central theme for exploration in the film. Cole and Hitch are best friends, brothers in arms, wise leader with his journeyman apprentice, all rolled into one. In the age of the Hollywood bromance, it's delightful and refreshing to watch two men be men.

Other fun things I've been up to: ate out at Menya restaurant on Broadway. Totally delish little Japanese Ramen shop. I had the tonkotsu ramen which was scrumptious. Most ramen that I've had in the past has been miso based, or has had Western style broth. This style of rame comes in a pork-bone broth that is opaque, a little thicker, and totally tasty. The gyoza is also to-die-for. Be sure to order a meal set so that you don't have to share!

Watched Into The Wild starring Emile Hirsch. This is the first film I've seen starring Hirsch, and the first film directed by Sean Penn that I've seen in a while. I read the Jon Krakauer book last year and I'm glad I waited a few months to watch the movie. When details are super fresh, I always feel a little bit sad when the movie doesn't live up to the story that can be presented on the page. In this case, though, I loved how Penn adapted the story to the screen. The photography, the dialogue and voiceovers, and the flashbacks in the story all play perfectly to my memory of the book. Totally worth checking out, especially for all my adventure-loving friends up in Sun Peaks.

Tonight, (Monday!) I'm off to listen to Drew Hayden Taylor read at the Vancouver Library, then to a poetry reading at Cafe des Soleils. Literature for all!

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