Greetings from the Land of Enchantment

Seen at the Cinema and other theatrical notes

The Pursuit of Happyness

This new vehicle for Will Smith and his son is beautiful, intense, and it doesn't let you off the hook--even with the happy ending postscript. I am continually amazed by the nuance of Smith's performances over the years. For a guy who started out in comedy, he can really play the edges of a character. He's seen running in the film so often that it could become comedic if it didn't haunt you with the desparation the running, running that is modern poverty. There are moments when his face so elegantly and painfully portrays his will even in the face of defeat. His desparation. His determination. The poignant relationship between he and his son.

There's so much and I don't think I can adequately speak to it all--so I'll just leave it at this: It's a hard movie to watch and you don't walk away feeling all fuzzy inside. It's intense and it doesn't let you go.

On other fronts:

I watched The Best of Youth, a six-hour Italian drama that was produced for television. It was so amazing. I just loved it. The perfect thing to do on a Saturday when you're not feeling well and just want an excuse to lay around. The story of two brothers and the divergent paths over 4 decades. Beautifully told. Richly embellished. And with enough left unsaid that you get to walk away with a few unanswered questions--which is a feat given the length of the film. Rent it and hunker down in this snow storm we're getting and enjoy with hot cocoa....

posted by Sat Purkh Kaur Khalsa @ 5:05 PM