recent movies

Set in paradise, Vicky Cristina Barcelona is a masterful work of art filled with wonderful works of art (paintings, music), and has an added bonus of having Penelope Cruz playing a character that's never been portrayed on film if memory serves me well.

Of the highest-rated of Akira Kirosawa's movies, Rashomon is given the stature of Seven Samurai, if not more, but for me it's just a dumb storyline with bad acting. In fact I found its ridiculousness unbearable in this revisit. Regardless, Toshiro Mifune is really an interesting actor, but happened to be given a shitty role, where he practically is a madman.

Far better is Mike Nichol's Wit which chronicles the suffering and thoughts of an intellectual giant during an intense months-long cancer treatment.

[sidenote] I once said that the three guys playing characters who are sheltering selves from pouring rain in Rashomon were good, but on second look only one of them, the inquisitive one who wasn't a witness, was any good, but I maintain he overdoes it still (silly grins, forced laughter). The monk just sucks and the other guy is a good actor (he really shined in Seven Samurai), only his good skill doesn't show up here, due to the shitty role.