Got to see two pretty decent flicks this weekend. The first was Cold Mountain, a dark Civil War era love story that was nominated for several Oscars this past year. It's got enough action and gore to please the guys and plenty of romance for the female viewers. It's even got a bit of tasteful comic relief courtesy of Rene Zellweger's character. Nothing is too over the top either. The love story isn't cheesy, the battle scenes aren't overdone, and the comedy is appropriate for the mood of the film (which is generally dark). It's got some decent music (if you like old American Bluegrass) and quite a few familiar faces to boot. Check it out if you get a chance.

The second film I saw was Moulin Rouge, which while I should be ashamed to say I liked it, I'm not. Even though the movie is a "musical", it's one for those who don't even like musicals. Probably the most unique movie to come out in a long time. The sets, costumes, cinematograpy, and editing are all top notch. The brilliant use of visuals by director Baz Luhrmann is spectacular although at some points dizzying. The music used in the movie is taken from pop songs spanning the last 50 years or so, and done in a fashion where the lyrics are appropriate to the story line. This movie, unlike Cold Mountain, is bombastic, over the top, and in your face. Not something to watch if you are interested in bland, standard, traditional film making. This comes as no surprise since Baz Luhrmann was known mostly for his remake of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. He's currently working on the upcoming film Alexander the Great, although hopefully on a film like that, he'll take a more toned down approach to directing.

- these thoughts flowed through Jeff's fingers @ 12:40 PM