Another Funny Anecdote
Aug. 5th, 2004 12:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rachel_swirskyThe other day, Mike and I were driving across the hill from San Jose to Santa Cruz and listening to NPR. The host of Fresh Air introduced her guest, the director of the recent remake of Manchurian Candidate.
"I so don't trust that movie," I pontificated out of an almost total lack of knowledge. "I saw Angela Lansbury interviewed on television. A bunch of reporters were shoving microphones in her face - it seemed almost like an attack, you know, like interviewing the defendent on the court steps after the trial. Her response was 'I think we made the movie well enough the first time.'"
"It might be good," said Mike, arching the car around a tight turn. Blurry stalks of golden grass whirred by.
"I don't trust it," I repeated. "They've probably hired some stupid chicky-babe actress to play Angela's part. Like, whats-her-name, the chick from the Star Wars movie."
"I don't think they'd do that," Mike replied.
"Why not? They hired Densel Washington to do it."
"Densel Washington is good," Mike said.
"Is he? Maybe I need to see him in something other than what I've seen him in," I replied, oh-so-gracefully yielding the point. A large cement truck lumbered next to us in the slow lane, followed by a trail of frustrated little cars.
"What have you seen him in?"
A frustrated Kia darted out of the slow lane in front of a red Mustang whose speedy driver was forced to step on the break for probably the first time in his sporty little life. "Uh, he was in Independence Day, wasn't he? And Men in Black?"
"You're thinking of WILL SMITH. Densel Washington is not Will Smith. Densel Washington is good."
"Oh."
My pretentiousness deflated. Relieved of the weight of my hot air, the car sped up. We were giving Mustang man a run for his money.
Meanwhile, on the radio, the director of the Manchurian Candidate remake announced that Meryl Streep was playing Angela Lansbury's role.
I suppose I should see this movie. Anyone want to come with me? I'll be bringing both crow and my hat along, so there are snacking options.
"I so don't trust that movie," I pontificated out of an almost total lack of knowledge. "I saw Angela Lansbury interviewed on television. A bunch of reporters were shoving microphones in her face - it seemed almost like an attack, you know, like interviewing the defendent on the court steps after the trial. Her response was 'I think we made the movie well enough the first time.'"
"It might be good," said Mike, arching the car around a tight turn. Blurry stalks of golden grass whirred by.
"I don't trust it," I repeated. "They've probably hired some stupid chicky-babe actress to play Angela's part. Like, whats-her-name, the chick from the Star Wars movie."
"I don't think they'd do that," Mike replied.
"Why not? They hired Densel Washington to do it."
"Densel Washington is good," Mike said.
"Is he? Maybe I need to see him in something other than what I've seen him in," I replied, oh-so-gracefully yielding the point. A large cement truck lumbered next to us in the slow lane, followed by a trail of frustrated little cars.
"What have you seen him in?"
A frustrated Kia darted out of the slow lane in front of a red Mustang whose speedy driver was forced to step on the break for probably the first time in his sporty little life. "Uh, he was in Independence Day, wasn't he? And Men in Black?"
"You're thinking of WILL SMITH. Densel Washington is not Will Smith. Densel Washington is good."
"Oh."
My pretentiousness deflated. Relieved of the weight of my hot air, the car sped up. We were giving Mustang man a run for his money.
Meanwhile, on the radio, the director of the Manchurian Candidate remake announced that Meryl Streep was playing Angela Lansbury's role.
I suppose I should see this movie. Anyone want to come with me? I'll be bringing both crow and my hat along, so there are snacking options.
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no subject
Date: 2004-08-05 11:22 am (UTC)The thriller/sci-fi element of the story is a mess as far as plot consistency goes.
But see it anyway.
To risk spouting one of the great movie-going cliches of our time, "It worth seeing simply for Meryl Streep's performance."
tim
p.s. Will Smith is also underrated as a serious actor. See the film version of "Six Degrees of Separation." Also "Ali," I'm told.
no subject
Date: 2004-08-05 01:42 pm (UTC)Worth seeing, however, is Napoleon Dynamite. Quite good.
-Paul