It appears it has been over two months since I have written in this space. I keep meaning to, but just never get to it, settling for occasional facebook posts for the general stuff or tweets for soccer. But watching last night The Last Samurai, which features Tom Cruise’s character keeping a journal, inspired me to once again put fingers to keys (as opposed to pen to paper) with real ambition for this site.
It had been a while since I had seen that movie. I caught it about a quarter in while flippin through the channels so I figured I would pull out the dvd and give it a spin. I have to say it is the last great movie Cruise has done.
I like Collateral, but it is Jamie Foxx that makes that movie great. In fact, the casting of Cruise, whose best aspect in the film is the different appearance, was psychologically brilliant in an aesthetic sense as his small stature allows Foxx to more easily have the larger presence on screen. The third Mission: Impossible was just another good action pic while War of the Worlds was lame. I have yet to see the lightly-acclaimed (if that) Knight and Day and Valkyrie was ok for a World War II movie – would have probably stood out more if Inglourius Basterds had not been so good and unique in its presentation of the war. What particularly ruined Valkryie for me was seeing a documentary show about the plot prior to the movie on History channel or its ilk beforehand that was, well, more interesting. But that may have been the history buff in me spoiling things.
Speaking of peculiar war presentations, Tropic Thunder is the only Cruise film that stands out since The Last Samurai, but you can hardly count it as a Cruise movie considering his role is minor. Although; it was thoroughly hilarious and a breakthrough for him on the comedic side of things considering he has never really embraced that genre to the extent Mel Gibson, a peer in action and epic film making, has. Perhaps it is a sign of things to come as Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken and others have.
As for Lions for Lambs, I didn’t even place name to movie when I saw the title on IMDB, showing how little of an impression that movie left with me. Reviewing the trailer, I can recall why. He just is not believable as a politician, at least not in the fashion presented in the movie and for whatever reason nobody really seems to fit their roles. Even Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, who directed, were a bit off as it was so overtly clean and clear in style, losing any kind of gritty connection that it could have used to make it a more moving film.
The dramatic to comedic theme is fitting for the night. Earlier in the evening I watched a pair of episodes on Fox of The Good Guys featuring former West Wing star Bradley Whitford and Tom Hanks’ son Colin. Created by Matt Nix, who does another of my favorite shows Burn Notice, it is a great comedic buddy cop show in which Whitford has gone from being a bit of a stooge on West Wing, where he showed brilliant range, to full-on goofball to the point that watching it is like enjoying a sweet dessert for fans of West Wing. The best thing is that he has followed in the path of his WW peers and their many new shows on USA network in bringing in fellow WW co-stars. Last night, Joshua Malina, who has played a semi-regular role on In Plain Sight (USA) with his WW girlfriend Mary McCormack, guest-starred as a vindictive internal affairs cop out to get him, which was a blast to watch. Next week, Gary Cole goes from being ‘Cowboy Bob’ the VP to the ex-partner of Whitford’s character, which will no doubt be stupendous. The supervising lieutenant, Diana Maria Riva, is also a WW alum who played a part on the Santos campaign staff at the end of the series.
I love watching what these West Wingers have gone on to do over the past few years and am thankful the USA network seems to be a central place of congregation for them between In Plain Sight, Psych, Royal Pains and Burn Notice, which is now beginning to see its guest actors play roles on The Good Guys via Nix’s involvement.
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