Friday, August 28, 2009

Double Feature


The ad campaign for Body of Lies made it look like a technothriller, but it’s not. The failure of technology to deliver on its promises in the War on Terror is one of the movie’s themes: “They’ve figured out they’re fighting an enemy from the future,” as a character nicely puts it. The interrogation methods of the CIA are treated glancingly as well --just enough to leave a chill --and the interagency rivalries, and then the story quickly gets down to the real business of espionage: the care and feeding of cat’s paws. This is a good one.

Blindness is a zombie story without the zombies. If you’ve ever doubted the need for zombies, for the distance they allow, watch this film. It is slightly easier to take than Spike Lee’s When The Levees Broke.

9 comments:

pattinase (abbott) said...

My husband really like the novel BLINDNESS but the trailers looked wan, to say the least.

Meseret Hailu said...

I agree. Saramago's novel is excellent - didn't bother with the movie.

Anonymous said...

C'mon back, Joe.
--Chris

rocky dennis said...

This double feature has been playing, like, forever. Looking forward to a new feature.

Joe Boland said...

As you wish, Chris.

Joe Boland said...

Yes, Rocky, I picture more than a few letters missing from the titles on the marquee.

Detourist said...

I think the Marquis is missing more than a few letters, but that's beside the point. I am just relieved to be done seeing Julianne Moore's pasty, shell-shocked face every time I pull up your blog. The "Honey" cover is pleasingly salacious, but is this really the kind of book your inner seven-year-old should be reading?

Joe Boland said...

Julianne "Spacewoman" Moore won my heart long ago. She never looks pasty and shell-shocked to me, but I should realize that she is, quite often, pasty- and shell-shocked-looking. I apologize.

Detourist said...

I know, she's great. I didn't see the movie, but if her character was supposed to be exhausted, desperate, and miserable, then she nailed it, as usual. That's what I was tired of looking at. All just my convoluted way of saying nice to have you back.