Movies

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Movies

When I was a kid (not that long ago, thank you), movies made me dream

of what my life would be like when I grew up. After coming back from a

great movie, I could sit in my room for hours and fantasize about the

worlds I would see and the places I would visit outside my bedroom

window, the places that only exist in that narrow, nebulous space

between dreaming and waking. As I grew older, "wiser" and less

innocent, I realized that those moments of fantasy can only be

captured for a moment. As is the cruelty of adulthood, they are

banished in an instant when the alarm clock rings, leaving only

sorrow, regret and the slim anticipation that upon the next morning's

sunrise, that glorious moment may return yet again to taunt you with

that briefest of serjeanties.

Pleasantville, though not a perfect film, brought me to that place

again, if only for a few moments. Though critical consensus of the

film was mixed and audience reaction more muted than expected, I found

it to be a wonderful and moving fantasy, and one of the few films to

understand the medium of film and what stories are best told with it.

One thing I remember most about movies from my childhood is that they

knew they were movies. Today, we often just get glorified television

shows, desperate attempts at literary adaptations, or, worst of all,

video games blown up to big-screen proportions.

But, with Pleasantville, something many critics missed was that this

film could only be done through the medium of film. Its inspired

tableau of a black and white world turning to color could never be

conveyed with he written wor...

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...er interfered with the score.

Personally, I thought it was more interesting to hear than just the

isolated score by itself.

Also included is a 30-minute documentary on the special effects

techniques and art of the film, broken up into about five little

mini-features. These were actually better than I thought, though the

tech fellows interviewed did seem a bit uncomfortable in the

spotlight. But, the features are very informative and enjoyable.

Also included are the standard cast & crew biographies and theatrical

trailer, as well as a visually interesting Fiona Apple music video for

the obligatory single off the movie, "Across The Universe."

Interestingly, it is directed by Ms. Apple's current boyfriend, Boogie

Nights director Paul Thomas Anderson. Wonder if his New Line

affiliation has anything to do with this?

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