Film Recommendations

[El Gordo]

A rare visit to the cinema today, on the occasion of M's absence.

I spoiled myself. And indeed, almost soiled myself.

11 a.m., while most party people were still a-bed, I was gazing up at the huge surround-sound screen tucking into Walk The Line, the Johnny Cash biopic. I'd forgotten just how thrilling a trip to the pictures is. The opening scenes are thunderingly good. I could feel myself throbbing with expectation.

Perhaps the remaining 95% never quite catches up, but still, it's a great movie, with Oscar-contending performances from Reese Witherspoon as the grounded, engaging June Carter and Joaquin Phoenix as the flakey, enigmatic Cash. It helps to like the music, but isn't essential.

I emerged at 2pm, wondering what to do. Looked at my watch. M wasn't due to return from Glasgow for 3 or 4 hours yet. Damn it. How about another movie?

So I turned round and went in again, this time for George Clooney's Good Night, And Good Luck.

It's a different animal from Walk The Line, but no less impressive. A truly superb piece of work. Shot in black and white, and extremely intense, this is perhaps the most convincing period movie I have seen. It centres on Ed Murrow, the legendary American TV presenter and journalist, and his confrontation with McCarthyism. The movie creates an oppressive, intimate atmosphere, and along with the superb script and performances, is another film certain to feature heavily in the Oscar shortlists.

Clooney is a man I must reassess. I saw him last night being interviewed by the equally lovely (for men of a certain age) Kirsty Wark, on the BBC, and he struck me as a hugely impressive man. Articulate and enlightened, and a man of true integrity. And with looks like his, Christ I hate him even more.

Seriously, this man is talented.

Two quite different films, even if both deal with 50s America, but both are highly recommended. Fabulous pieces of cinema.