Ivan Reitman, he’s a Geeenious.

1. Aside from massaging layouts and beating my head against dense computer literature, I’ve found time to watch a bunch of moofies[1] I’ve always wanted to see but haven’t — until now. Just watched Donnie Darko, dark, but not that dark, funny, but not that funny. I thought I’d be laughing harder at the idea of a giant evil rabbit telling people to commit acts of violence. Nice development of characters and the story, ultimately let down by an awkwardly paced ending that didn’t tie up all the philosophical themes, but also does not encourage any further thought into them. However it is still a thoroughly enjoyable movie.

2. It’s a shame that I did not see Donnie Darko earlier, because The Butterfly Effect has a very similar ending, and though I knew Butterfly Effect predates Darko by 3 years, I still couldn’t help feeling I’d already seen Darko before. If anything that says a lot about how good The Butterfly Effect is. I’d never thought Ashton Kutcher could act, and certain not be that good. Amy Smart was a show stealer, making it difficult to look away from her when she’s on screen. Overall another thoroughly enjoyable movie.

3. In a class of it’s own though was Eyes Wide Shut. While it probably won’t go down (no pun intended) as Kubrick’s greatest, it’s a Kubrick, which makes it sensational. I’ve read reviews and have talked to people who complain of it’s slow (and to them boring) pacing, but I found that to be the film’s greatest strength — the way Kubrick could take his time and yet you just can’t pull your eyes from the screen. It invites the viewer into a deeper level of intimacy, to watch the mechanics of marriage and relationships as the are lived, not as they are acted on screen. Match this to a perfect score and sensational performances from all involved made this a winner in my book.

4. Following along with the master filmmakers brought me to the other great moving pictures — animation. I finally had the chance to sit down and watch the bulk of Hayao Miyazaki’s films, from Nausicaa to Spirited Away (including my personal favourite, Laputa: Castle in the Sky). I love Miyazaki. I love love love love Miyazaki! He can turn a simple drawing style into living, breathing, expressive characters, his movement from frame to frame is beyond compare, his storytelling is so fluid yet detailed and can carry substance and entertainment at the same time. Is there no end to the man’s talent? I can’t wait to see Howl’s Moving Castle when it comes out!

[1] Sorry, the only people likely to get the joke (particularly the Ivan Reitman refernce) would be Australians aged over 21 that watched the ABC some years back. I’m ripping off Tony Martin’s impersonation of Arnie on The Late Show.

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