Nov 05 2002

Right is wrong

Published by at 6:36 am under Movies

And then again, sometimes it’s not.

All the critics have been drooling over Punch Drunk Love, the latest movie from the brilliant Paul Thomas Anderson. I love Boogie Nights, a completely perfect movie of its kind, and expected to like the new one, too. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gone to see it in the theater, since there are so many annoyances inherent in movie-going (you have to go when they feel like showing the movie; you have to pay; you can’t pause it; there are other people there; you have to more or less sit up the whole time). But it turned out to be the first movie we actually walked out on in some time (the debate continues as to whether we actually left Leaving Las Vegas or just wanted to).

All the things that worked in Boogie Nights didn’t in this effort. The harsh SoCal light just made everything and everyone look horrible – and yes, I realize I’m shallow, but everyone looked absolutely terrible in this movie. If I were Emily Watson, I’d be first in line when the botox clinic opened. The story, such as it was, meandered aimlessly, things and devices that should have been funny weren’t even remotely, and it tried so hard to be hip and arty that I just felt embarrassed for everyone involved. Finally, the scene where Sandler and Watson start having sex made us flee before it quelled every urge we’d ever have for the rest of our lives. John restored himself with a cigarette while I restored myself at Mac.

I am one of the world’s slowest learners, but I have finally learned this: if the critics like it, I’ll probably hate it. And vice versa. And no matter what they say, I should just see it for myself and make up my own mind, even if I have to wait for it to be on HBO.

2 responses so far

2 Responses to “Right is wrong”

  1. # Amberon 05 Nov 2002 at 9:23 am

    Hmmmm….I think I’ll wait for it to be on dvd then :). off-topic: Have you seen Bowling for Columbine yet? I really want to see it, and heard amazing things about it.

    I might get slapped upside the head for saying this – but I didn’t like Boogie Nights. Granted, I saw it in the theater so perhaps I would have appreciated it more in the comfort of my home. I considered watching it again after it started winning all those awards. And Leaving Las Vegas was disturbing. I debated leaving that one too!

  2. # Amyon 05 Nov 2002 at 8:09 pm

    I loved Boogie Nights too but I wasn’t crazy about Magnolia, did hate it, just didn’t love it. I think I will wait for Punch Drunk to come out on DVD.
    Thank christ for MAC 😉 I just got some lip glass the other day – I just love it.