Think I'm Goin' Back to Massachusetts

The Bee Gees song keeps running through my head after viewing a couple of Oscar-tracking movies these last few days.  Before we get into a discussion about what a dork I am for liking the Bee Gees, let's move on to the film discussion.

First up was "The Town."  I didn't want to like this movie, for many reasons I won't go into.  The one reason I will state is that I have a rough time viewing a film with an open mind when there is a bit of "over-hype" surrounding it.  And in my area, especially, there was some over-hype.  Alas, I really liked it.  My knee-jerk nutshell description of the work was that it was a cross between "Heat" and "Good Will Hunting," which isn't necessarily a positive description, despite those two movies being high on my list of favorites.  Yet the more I discussed the storyline and other aspects with my viewing partner, the more reasons I found to love it.  I didn't want to like Ben Affleck, and I really liked him (especially his temporary tattoos).  I didn't want to believe Jeremy Renner, but I believed him so much it was startling.  Yet thinking of this film in a "Heat" and "Good Will Hunting" framework brings out some of the films negatives:  I wasn't rooting for either side (remember being confused in "Heat" about whether to root for DeNiro to get away with it, or Pacino to bring him down?) and I didn't feel satisfied by the leading man's shot at redemption.

Continuing on with the themes "Massachusetts" and "over-hype," I went to see "The Social Network."  I found myself in the exact opposite scenario from above as I walked into the theatre for this movie.  I really wanted to like it.  I really liked the book Accidental Billionaires, the theme is timely (making all of us a part of the film in some distant way), and the story is a classic tale of greed, deception, and the exploration of what makes a relationship valid and how the digital age is transforming the details of that definition.  Yet I think I'll have to save a discussion of the film for another post, because as I sit here trying to process it 17 hours later, I am finding there are so many layers and levels to the film that I'm almost not sure HOW I felt about it.

So Much Time on My Hands

Remember when Sandra Bullock smelled gas on Keanu Reeves after he came up from under the bus? Upon hearing his explanation, she chastises him by saying, "You felt you needed another challenge?"

I think she'd be saying something similar to me these days as I continually stretch the reaches of The Challenge.

I have turned my attention to the category of Adapted Screenplay, a bit by accident. Even with all the hype surrounding "The Social Network" I didn't realize it was based on the novel Accidental Billionaires until I spied the book on my boss' desk. I borrowed it and set about reading it before the October 1st wide-release of the film.

Following that exercise, I thought why not do it with all tracking contenders? So I have borrowed the following from the library: Never Let Me Go, Winter's Bone, Flipped, and Between a Rock and a Hard Place (which has been adapted into Danny Boyle's film- "127 Hours.")

Yes, I must have tons of time on my hands. Either that, or I am teaching myself yet again about the type of commitment (and obsession) it takes reach a goal and to do something that makes your heart soar.


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