Capitalize? Remember? I don't see what any of that's got to do with it. It is simply one of the most dramatic and historic moments - - and as such, perfectly legitimate inspiration for storytelling ... whether or not money is made from the telling.

United 93, in particular, used most of the actual living persons to play themselves - thus arguing very strongly for that story being told while such casting was still possible.

But I don't think that touch of uber-honesty is necessary to "allow" for a story to be told of events so naturally dramatic. If the technology existed for James Cameron to make Titanic in 1919, would it have been too soon?

There's a documentary called "9-11" that fits the "put onto film to remember for future generations" category. It's very well done, but I found it very difficult to watch.

I don't know enough about this new movie to know whether this is crossing a line or not, but if Nick Cage is reenacting, that seems a little hokey to me (esp. given that there is already a lot of genuine footage). If he's a fictional character inserted into the events in a historical fiction kinda way, well, I think it's too soon for that, and that might count as "capitalizing."

Steve, the ambulance movie is Bringing Out the Dead, and we loved it.

Did they obnoxiously quote Monty Python anywhere in that one?

No. Despite the very familiar title, I don't recall them referencing it in the movie.

Tonight we watched The Producers - the recent version.

I really really really wanted to like it. Really. I like many of the people who are in it. The plot sounds very funny, and usually I'm fairly fond of award-winning musicals.

But, I kind of didn't. I didn't hate it, but if someone else was watching it I'd probably leave the room.

I periodically stopped paying attention during the musical numbers, which is so not like me. I didn't buy Nathan Lane in the lead, which was a little bit of a shock. I think I've seen so much of him doing sort of his stock personna that it's now hard for me to forget that it's him in the role and see the character. And there was a whole lot of "now what was s/he in?" during the movie that was a bit distracting.

It just seemed to be one set-up after another with some very boring filler in between. Which isn't really a good musical in my book.

See, Prudence's description is exactly how I feared I'd view it, based on the advertising I saw. I'm glad I haven't seen it.

I was pleasantly surprised that Jason Alexander managed to get me past the "Great, Jason Alexander's doing his schtick again" trap on stage. He really made the character his own, doing neither a Zero Mostel inpersonation (heavily inspired, obviously, but not imitated) nor George.

I think I know why Cage made me cringe in the trailer. It's because he's a big movie star type. It ruins my suspension of disbelief to see him in this role. If the movie starred actors that weren't easily recognized, like Pena, then it would work better for me. Cage takes me out of the situation at hand. (Like product placement does...)


I like Cage in the following movies:
'Raising Arizona'
'Moonstruck'
'Honeymoon in Vegas'
'Valley Girl'
and maybe 'Leaving Las Vegas'
:)

Yeah, but you can't always have unknowns. I agree it works better in many situations, but you'd have to have a fresh supply of unknows for every single movie.


Did the same apply with oldtime studio fare? Does the presence of bona-fide movie stars in every single film make it impossible for you to escape into the story?

It doesn't work that way with me. To each his own, but I won't hold today's films to a standard that I never held yesterday's to.

Unknowns have to start somewhere. Before you're discovered you're an unknown. And I don't mean every single movie. I'm talking about historical films like this one. The credibility seems to go when you cast Ben Affleck in a film about Pearl Harbor.
Nope. It depends on the movie. ie. It was hard for me to buy Bette Davis as Queen Elizabeth I. I think it depends on the degree of stardom. I'd cringe if Angelina Jolie dyed her hair blonde and tried to play Princess Diana in a film about her death. It would be too distracting. You wouldn't see Princess Di, you'd see Jolie with a dye job.

Cage is an A-List star. The movie wants to come across as being historically accurate. Seeing Cage removes you from that accuracy.