mother!

After all the press and all of the trailers, I finally saw Darren Arronofsky's mother!.  I'm a big fan of Arronofsky's, as tough as his films are, and I particularly liked his The Black Swan, so I had to check this out.  However, I didn't like this nearly as much as The Black Swan, and in fact am not sure I can even recommend it.  This is a hard, endurance test type of movie, about as hard of a film as I've ever seen.  The premise of the film is that a husband and wife live in a secluded house in the middle of the woods.  The husband is trying to write, and the wife wants to have a baby.  As the film progresses, these two ambitions come into conflict.  The husband allows two guests into their home, which leads to more conflict, and then to an all out assault on the house by pretty much every force imaginable.  Harry Knowles over at AICN claims that this next part of the film, extreme as it is, shouldn't even be interpreted as true.  I, however, rather do think it's true, and I refuse to accept or embrace the film because of the severity of what we see there, which I won't repeat.  I will say that Jennifer Lawrence is exceptional in the film, while the rest of the film seems rather exploitative and beneath her (basically the opposite of what Brian Tellerico writes in his review).  You might want to listen to domestic audiences and avoid this one.

Letting Go by Philip Roth

I just got finished reading Letting Go by Philip Roth, which was recommended to me during lecture by my old college professor, Marshall Boswell (incidentally, Boswell has written two terrific books, Trouble With Girls and Alternative Atlanta, which you should check out).  This novel is very complex, very dense at over 600 pages, with at times very strange language.  Still, what a fascinating book.  I particularly liked the final sentence, which perfectly embodies Gabe's plight.  Not an easy book to read (I wonder if The Counterlife is more accessible), but worth checking out.

Next up: The Sellout by Paul Beatty

Se7en

Just finished watching this David Fincher classic tonight!  What a great film!  Arguably his most memorable, and his best (though I might prefer Girl With the Dragon Tattoo).  Features terrific performances by Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kevin Spacey.  Morgan Freeman, in particular, is incredible, capturing Detective Sommerset's cynicism and world-weariness to a t.  Very nice plot, with many memorable lines of dialogue, with terrific cinematography and set design.  Gruesome, but unforgettable.  Another 90s classic.

More Batman Adventures, continued

Batman: Black and White Volumes 3-4

These were all great.  I particularly liked the comic with Batman's son, and the science fiction Batman comic.

Batman: The Black Mirror

This is a very grim and gritty, and extremely disturbing, Batman story.  It features Commissioner Gordon's son as the villain, an utter psychopath who is obsessed with teasing he received as a child.  The story offers a very creative take on teasing, with the supposed victim ultimately becoming the abuser.  Just a tough, tough story.  I'll probably have to take a break from reviewing Batman comics after that one.  But I would still recommend it.

Alien: Covenant Unofficial Animated Series Episode 2

Recently, they came out with episode 2 of the unofficial Alien: Covenant animated series.  I'm not sure I understand what's going on exactly, since I don't follow the forums, but it's very scary and also very well animated.  Check it out:

http://www.alien-covenant.com/news/episode-2-the-alien-covenant-unofficial-animated-series-now-online

To be honest, the more time goes by, the more I'm not sure the whole Alien franchise is on the right track after Prometheus.  Believe me, I loved Prometheus, but I didn't buy the Alien: Covenant DVD, and going entirely from memory, I'm not sure that it's as good or as profound.  Their decision to focus on David instead of Shaw seems like a misstep to me, which might make the films less interesting as a result.  I might check out the next one, though, just to see where it takes us.  I've heard different rumors as far as whether there will even be a next one, but I will let you know additional information, as well as my take on it, as it becomes available.  Stay tuned!

Fight Club

Continuing my reexploration of director David Fincher's films, recently I rewatched his film Fight Club.  It isn't his best film, I don't think, and depending on when you catch me I wouldn't always even call it a *good* film, but as of right now, I think it's a very good film indeed.  It came out in 1999, a true watershed year for film, and though Magnolia is my personal favorite film for that year, it was also a truly memorable contribution for 1999.  It has a lot of the flair and raw energy of such films as GoodFellas and Wild at Heart, just a pure adrenaline rush with a crazy camera.  I love the twist ending, and the acting, and as always with Fincher, the pure LOOK of the film.  It's a true classic of the 1990s, and like Raging Bull, I find myself rewatching it every so often.  Recommended!