What Wednesday #27
Today I watch the sci-fi movie everyone is talking about…Arrival! Also, a very merry Muppet Christmas.
What Wednesday is where I talk about what I’m watching, reading, playing, etc, because for some reason I think you’ll find that interesting. If you have recommendations, I’d love to hear them :)
What I’m Watching: Arrival (in theaters, directed by Denis Villeneuve)
Clearly THE sci-fi movie of the season, Arrival is just like Star Wars, but instead of lasers, words are the weapons. Wait!! Don’t leave, I promise it’s more exciting than it sounds. Plenty of crazy, cool twists happen, though I won’t tell you about any of it, because it’s best to go in knowing nothing. The only thing I’ll tell you is that aliens come to Earth, and Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner try to talk to them.
Oh, and it’s directed by Denis Villeneuve, the hot new director of last year’s excellent drug war flick, Sicario. After scoring another knockout with Arrival, he’s quickly approaching favorite director status for me. He can secure that spot if next year’s hotly anticpated Blade Runner sequel is as good as this awesome teaser suggests. Villeneuve brings the eye of an indie director to big budget blockbusters. His movies are smart, tightly plotted, and a nice mix of critical cynicism and hopeful optimism. He’s like a softer, friendlier Christopher Nolan.
And don’t worry, I’ll review big daddy Rogue One next week, I’m just waiting to watch it with my family over Christmas weekend, in what’s becoming a holiday tradition I can fully get behind.
What I’m Also Watching: Voyage of Time (IMAX, directed by Terrence Malick)
Voyage of Time is Discovery Channel nature documentary, but as an art house movie. Wait!! Come on, stop doing that. Terrence Malick, director of visually spectacular but polarizing films like The New World and Tree of Life, brings his immense talent for extraordinary visuals to this unique and also polarizing nature “documentary.” I put documentary in quotes, because it’s only a documentary in the loosest sense: it’s a macro view of the universe and its creation, with small regard for detail. It is primarily an aesthetic film, primarily focused on capturing the visual splendor of creation. It’s not exactly a film to educate kids with.
My experience was even more esoteric, as there was no narration of any kind. Apparently the IMAX version is supposed to be narrated by Brad Pitt, but outside of a brief poem that opens the film, there was absolutely no narration of any kind to inform what you’re watching unfold. The universe is created, the earth is formed, life begins and flourishes, all without anyone telling you what’s going on. The incredible visuals on the ginormous IMAX screen, coupled with an equally incredibly moving score, created a moving and almost spiritual experience. (There’s a cut that is twice as long as the 45 minute IMAX version that has a more direct Cate Blanchett narration, but apparently it’s far inferior. I can understand why.) I would say go check it out, but I caught the absolute last showing on IMAX last Wednesday night at 10:15pm before it left theaters for good, so…tough cookies.
What I’m Hearing: A Christmas Together, by The Muppets and John Denver (Apple Music, Spotify)
There’s three constants at my parents’ house for Christmas: Jesus, Santas (plural, as in dozens of them), and Muppets. For as long as I can remember, my family has opened gifts on Christmas morning to the sound of the Muppets singing Christmas carols with folk legend John Denver in this wonderfully goofy and surprisingly heartfelt album. You best believe that will be the case again this Sunday.
Even ignoring the classic movie The Muppet Christmas Carol, the Muppets are forever linked in my mind with the holiday season. With a kid on the way, I know Christmas is often about making new traditions with your family, but I don’t think I could bear leaving this one behind. And after 5 years of experiencing it herself, I don’t think my wife finds it quite as weird anymore…
So apparently the album is taken from a 1979 TV special, which YouTube conveniently has online in its entirety. It’s 50 minutes of glorious 70s Muppet Christmas cheer. Skip to 22 minutes for the Kermit/Denver duet that will make your Christmas complete.
