Entertainment Watch

The Oscars are coming up here soon and I confess I don't have any particular interest in who wins what this year. Been a downer year for me at the box office. Oh I have enjoyed most of the films I have seen this past year like the 3-d version of Polar Express or the Christmas block buster Aviator but none of the films I have seen so far this year has either rocked me emotionally or awed me like the Return of the King did last year. Guess I should of seen it coming after the back to back to back journey of the LOTR's came to an end last December. This year I am anticipating a couple of films this upcoming holiday season. King Kong and The Chronicles of Narnia are on my radar screen and am particulary interested to see if Jackson can come anywhere near the high expecations he has set up for himself with his world wide fan base. Personally I think he will come through. Kong was his favorite flick as a kid and he apparently has a strong emotional ties to the story which I expect to translate into the overall quality and production of the film. Jackson is a film fan favorite because he appears so passionate about what he does and he always seems to keep fan nerds like me in mind as he weaves his cinematic magic.....Although this past year wasn't a banner year for me personally regarding movies here are some films and a few concert DVD's that I did enjoy and would recommend.......Sideways.....My favorite film that I saw at the theatre this past year. Interesting characters all around and solid performances by everyone. Has a unique feel in terms of how they shot the film. Can't really explain the technical aspect of what I am trying to say other than it just looks different than most polished Hollywood productions. Very funny movie, yet realistic enough to relate to. Felt like I wasn't seeing a movie but rather felt more like a fly on the wall watching an interesting story unfold before my very eyes......Touching the Void.......This film did not technically come out this past year but I didn't see it until it made it made an appearance at an old restored downtown theatre where I live. Best film I have seen since the Return of the King and apparently many of the folks who saw the film with me thought so as well when the entire crowd gave the film a standing ovation at the end. Have since seen the film three other times after I bought it on DVD. It's an incredible human interest story which involves two British Climbers attempting to climb a peak in the Andes which has never been climbed before. It's an incredible story which ranks right up there with the Ernest Shackleton story. You don't have to be interested in mountains or rock climbing to appreciate this docudrama masterpiece. This film is a testament to the human spirit. ....on the documentary front.....PBS production of Ansel Adams......I was mesmerized by this one and half hour documentary which I believe was originally an American Experience production. Adams was one of the great photographers of our time and this program is a great primer for anyone interested in photography or the wonders of nature. Adams spent much of this life hiking and photographing Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada's of California. His work is unique among nature photographers and I am convinced it will stand the test of time. One breathtaking shot after another. As with most artists Adams was a driven man and this production provides a peek into an interesting psychological world of obsessions, fears, and other human foibles. Buy it on DVD. It's well worth the twenty bucks if photography, a great biography, Yosemite, or nature is your cup of tea. This film inspired me to go out and buy a digital camera and pursue photography as a potential serious hobby......Music DVD's......Three I will briefly mention....Tori Amos Sunny Florida, Carlos Santana Sacred Fire, and Peter Gabriel's Play.....Amos packs an emotional punch.....Gabriel is absolutely electrifying and one of the creative genius' of modern rock, and Santana's live performance from Mexico City is a tremendous tribute to the integration of a wide variety of musical traditions. That's it for now. This is what we have been watching and listening to here in the Shire over the past six months or so........