Monday, February 7, 2011

"What the Dog Saw"

I had already read the individual essays in this book the New Yorker magazine, so they weren't new to me.  They look at topics from an unconventional point of view and that is what makes them interesting.  However, they were more interesting the first time.

My rating:  *** (out of 5)

"Another Year"

In general, I enjoy Mike Leigh's films, and Another Year is not an exception to this rule.  It spans a year in the lives of married couple Tom and Gerri as they deal with troubled friends, the death of a sister-in-law and meeting their son's new girlfriend.  Tom and Gerri seem like an ideal couple.  They enjoy gardening and cooking together, have a good relationship with their son, and are able to accept life as it comes.  Their friend Mary, however, has had one divorce and then wasted years involved with a married man who had no intention of leaving his wife.  During the time span of the movie she buys a car which brings her nothing but grief.  There's no narrative arc in this movie, it's just a slice of life, but an enjoyable one.