Speaking of movies...

It had been quite the while since I had gone to the movies. Today I saw Munich. Even though it's a bit early in 2006 to be saying this, I'd boldly state it's a strong candidate to best movie of the year. I really think it's going to be hard to top it. Something in the imagery, apart from the blood and gore in the more brutal scenes, was quite reminescent of Saving private Ryan, which shuould come as no surprise, seeing as they are both directed by Steven Spielberg and set in similar moods. Eric Bana, with whom I was slightly disappointed after Hulk came back with a vengeance and a stunning performance.

Noteworthy as well was the music of John Williams, who had already proven his outstanding skill in Star Wars. The music for this film, although entirely different, was masterfully composed, especially the track for the final scene, in which shots of lovemaking are alternated withthose of gruesome slaughter.

The violence portrayed could be considered exagerated, but hardly excessive. Make no mistake, killings abound in this film, yet there is hardly any or no gratuitous violence at all. Hardly a movie for the faint of heart, at any rate. I remember being upset by the very horrible scene at Omaha Beach in Saving private Ryan and some scenes resemble that, yet aren't quite as strong.

On the comic side, I have no idea what came over the movie-going people around me today. The "comedy", if you will, started soon enough as a couple thought i was in their rights to take three seats: one for each of them plus one for their bag. Their lap or the floor between their legs couldn't possibly be good enough for an ordinary, plastic, shopping bag. Evidentely enough, that was my seat. Gladly, that was solved easily enough, as a mere "excuse me" beckoned them to free the extra chair. Very shortly after two ladies entered the room and found their seats also occupied... by the same couple. Turned out they weren't sitting anywhere near their designated seats. What was that all about? The seat numbers are printed on the ticket in large print, larger than that of the movie title. Just as they got up to take their seats, half of the people already in the room did the same. I've heard of some unwritten rule according to which, if a seat is empty by the end of the first half of the movie, you're free to take it, but the movie hadn't even started... how odd.

Lastly, I'm greatly expecting Memoirs of a Geisha, which I'm fairly certain has already premiered in several theaters near you, but not near me. I remember reading the book over five years ago and loving every single line of it. With the movie the book has gone to print again with Ziyi Zhang on the cover in full white make-up with bright red lips. ( Image from allposters.com)I'm assuming that's not her real eye colour. At any rate, I wonder how accurate an interpretation of Arthur Golden's words it is. I can think of at least one pair of blue eyes a shade closer to what I suppose Golden meant... and, to the best of my knowledge, they're real (you'd think one would nearly always mean breasts when using this phrase whenever a woman's anatomy is concerned... guess again). Nevertheless, I await it eagrly.

Animated, coloured and CG ridden farewells with plenty of special efects... and a mildly interesting plot.

ArabianShark would very much like to see one of his works of fiction made into a screenplay and a movie sometime. Any volunteers?