When you can’t hibernate in winter…
Cats: Uncategorized, culture|I am at heart a hibernating mammal. Between the months of January and April, the instincts in the lower back part of my brain instruct me to do the following
1. Find cave
2. Bed down
3. Sleep for three months, give or take a week depending on the weather.
It’s unfortunate that I seem to live in world not set up for this sort of thing. Obviously this complicates my life enormously. So I must do what successful mammals have always done: evolve.
This winter my strategy is to find a good crop of 2006/7 flicks and curl up in my quasi-hibernation pit in the basement to watch them. I have been trawling newspapers and critics I respect to compile this list. It is in my “little book” which comes out whenever I visit the video store.
(Note: This list is also part of a tag challenge issued by my new best bloggie the Bad Tempered Zombie who has asked me to offer up a list of 100 things about myself. Being a mammal of shallow instincts, I cannot think of 100 things all at once so I will dribble feed over the next few weeks, starting with my flick list.*)
1. Lives of Others - German, Academy-award winning story about life behind the Iron Curtain.
2. This is England - British, Skinhead drama set in Thatcherite England.
3. Son of Rainbow (2008) - British, coming of age flick. Don’t know a lot about it other than there was a bidding war for distribution rights and it is at Sundance Film Fest.
4. Amazing Grace - British, 18th-century drama about William Wilberforce and his quest to abolish slavery in Britain.
5. 4 Months, 2 Weeks, 2 Days - Romanian, about a woman who assists her friend to have an illegal abortion in the 1980s.
6. Into the Wild, American, top student and athlete gives his money to charity and takes a journey to Alaska. Directed by Sean Penn.
7. Juno, American, teenager who becomes pregnant and deals with it. Lots of hype but looks interesting. Actor Ellen Page nominated for Academy award.
8. Atonement, British, liked the book, like Ian MacEwan who wrote the book. World War II (melo?)drama.
9. Beowulf, American, animated film based on old English epic poem, a sort of Anglo-Saxon Indiana Jones. Has Angelina Joli, but otherwise seems interesting.
10. Mataharis, Spanish, Private detective infiltrates the employees at a multinational corporation and confronts the line between what should be public and what should remain private. A comedy that is thought-provoking.
*100 things challenge count = 15
January 23rd, 2008 at 8:55 am
The difference is that when wild animals hibernate they go to bed fat and wake up skinny. We, on the other hand, tend to go to the den skinny and wake up in the spring fat.
I love winter and spend most of my free time outside. The full moon on the snow is a sight to behold, there are all sorts of animal tracks to investigate (something you don’t see in summer), it is so exceptionally quiet in the woods because of the snow, and there are no flies and no bears.
Getting back to the post, I would suggest you mix a bit of mindless, CG enhanced action into your movie line up.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:10 am
Too true about the hibernating animals vs. hibernating humans,Dick.
PS what’s CG enhanced action?
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:14 am
I thought ‘CG’ was more widely recognized. I guess it’s just for cool hip people like me.
CG = computer graphic, or more specifically computer special effects.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:24 am
AAAWWWWWOOOOOOO! Computer Graaaaaaphics.
Whatsat?
Give some examples of CG-enhanced flicks and I shall put them on my list. If you have kid-friendly examples all the better.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:43 am
It’s actually difficult to find a movie these days that doesn’t have some CG. It’s become the cheaper alternative to life sized sets, stunt men, and realistic props.
The first mindless CG enhanced child friendly movie that jumps to mind is “Transformers”. At least I don’t remember anything un ‘kid friendly’. Not to worry, I’m trust you’ll put it all into perspective for the zygotes.
January 23rd, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Ten films is a brilliant way to start off the 100 list. Thanks for playing along; you are such a sport.
A lot of these films are on my must-see list as well (This is England, Juno), and to make it perfect and realistic, there are a couple I have not heard of.
January 23rd, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Dick, Transformers. Been there; done that.
BB, ten down 90 to go. I don’t know how you came up with 100 excellent points in one post.
January 24th, 2008 at 10:41 am
If you run out I would suggest adding the following (best of all, they are all on DVD now)
49 Up - Micheal Apted, following kids every 7 years from 7-49 (”Give me the child at seven and I will show you the man…” Riveting
United 93 - Handheld camera deployed appropriately for once (as opposed to Blair Witch, Bourne, Cloverfield…)
The Queen - Helen Mirren at her peak, yet again (The Thinking Man’s Crumpet, as opposed to Jeremy Paxman, the thinking woman’s crumpet, although the real thinking man’s crumpet would be Nigella Lawson)
Pan’s Labyrinth - jaw droppingly amazing, heart breakingly sorrowful
Children of Men - PD James look at the (?rapidly) coming dystopia - the opening shot in the coffee shop alone was worth the price of admission
The Departed - finally, a wonderful worthy movie from Scorcese, even if Nicholson should have been given some Valium, if not reins and a bit…
January 24th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Thanx TB, will add those to my list.
I remember seeing documentaries on the 7up project. This should be a treat.
January 24th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
100 things about GT??? I personally love your “little Book” I have been there when it has been whipped out and notes have been taken….. My new years resolution is to start such a “little book” for myself…
January 24th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Nanc, my little books have recorded many great moments. Perhaps I should leave them to a museum when my time is done.
January 25th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Sleeping for three months sounds wonderful.
I haven’t heard of too many of the movies you named. I would probably watch “Into the Wild” just to hear the Eddie Vedder music.
February 3rd, 2008 at 7:06 am
BeckEye, I;ve only heard of a few of these before. You hear so much about the ones with the big marketing budgets - somethings the sleepers are a nice surprise.