What TJ Watched: Week of Sept. 13, 2010

Hey all,

Here are some brief notes on some things I watched/read in the last week:

Thursday night, I saw "Machete" at a local theatre for $4.75. It was a pretty big disappointment. Robert Rodriguez's film, based on the fake trailer in "Grindhouse," tries to bathe in B-movie gloury and self-aware comedy. Unfortunately, this is no "Pirahna." The problem with "Machete" is that contradicts itself in its own purpose. It tries to be an exploitation flick that doesn't take itself too seriously, except that it does with some pretty shallow and heavy-handed commentary on immigration issues. I wouldn't have minded a few clever nods to the current political climate, but "Machete" gets too bogged down with trying to be a cultural critique that steals time from the trashy moments that should make it a guilty pleasure. There are a few here that I won't spoil in case you disregard my opinion and chose to see it. Danny Trejo's good. Bob DeNiro is pathetic. Jessica Alba is naked in the shower.
2/4

I finally got around to "The Player" which has been patiently waiting for me in its Netflix envelop. This 1992 offering from Robert Altman is an absolute blast, from its self-referential meta-comedy to its smorgasbord of stars. The script is tight and smart. Altman's direction is fine and reaches its high point in the films stunning and hilarious first 8 minutes. And that's what I didn't expect from the film: it's pretty damn funny. I've read some complaints about the film being too "insider." I didn't really get that. I felt included on the joke the whole time, like a crew member on set. It's easy to see, also, how Tim Robbins got such a career boost from this film. I'm taking a scenic route through the Altman canon in my free time right now, and I'd place "The Player" right after "Nashville," and "Short Cuts."
4/4

Slightly unrelated, but on my mind: I read a bit of James Baldwin for my literature class this week. We read about 6 stories from his collection "Going to Meet the Man." While I could really leave most of Baldwin's other stories (too repetitive, self-important, and blatant), I would highly recommend "Sonny's Blues." Baldwin adapts a first-person narrative that fits very comfortably and finds moments of grace in the search to fill poverty both external and internal. It's a moving story about the power of music.

-TJ