I saw this in London and loved it. I can't imagine making it into a movie, but the text is wonderful. I always wondered how it did on Broadway since it has lots of French, which I would imagine works a bit better in England than the States.

They actually kept the french in there, with no subtitles. I found that terribly endearing. Luckily I was sitting between two people who spoke french and they filled me in on what the hell was going on with the pants. Oh my god it was so funny. And I loved Rudge's random bits of Latin. Honestly, the whole thing was just a giddy pleasure to watch. It made me remember what I loved about the classroom.

to continue, I mean, how can you not love these:

The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - which you had thought special and particular to you. now here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out and taken yours. (Hector)

I'm a Jew. I'm small. I'm homosexual. And I live in Sheffield. I'm fucked. (Posner)

Timms: You've got crap handwriting, sir. I read Irwin as "I ruin". Significant or what?

Irwin: It's your eyesight that's bad and we know what that's caused by.

Timms: Sir! Is that a coded reference to the mythical dangers of self-abuse?

Irwin: Possibly. It might even be a joke.

Timms: A joke, sir. Oh. Are jokes going to be a feature, sir? We need to know as it affects our mindset.

[about A. E. Housman]

Timms: Wasn't he a nancy, sir?

Hector: foul, festering, grubby-minded little trollop. Do not use that word. He hits him on the head with an exercise book.

Timms: You use it, sir.

Hector: I do, sir, I know, but I am far gone in age and decrepitude.

and those aren't even the best ones! and they're so much better when they're performed!

bon bon, we had the same question and, given the relative complexity of everyone's double life . We settled on the simpler explanation of Dignan's actions, i.e. revenge killing . Pretty much out of sheer self-defense and fear that our heads might explode from the figuring out of things.

It was a doozie, that plot line. One of my companions complained of exhaustion afterwards.

Our other big question was, who's baby it was Matt's or Leo's. We settled on Leo. More for the sympathy vote than any real evidence.

I also saw The Last King of Scotland this weekend.

Also exhaustingly intense.

I'm now in the mood for something in a "My Pretty Pony" movie, but alas, 'tis Fall...the season of deep.

Last King was amazing. I was swept along by the direction, which could be the good news and the bad news being the same...as I noticed the direction.

But, wow, it was whoa.

I had no doubt that Forest Whitaker would play the hell out of Amin and was not disappointed. But, to be perfectly frank, hangs head in shame I went to see this movie, for James McAvoy. Since Children of Dune he's been my sooper sekrit sellebrity boyfriend. He did a fantastic job.

Nothing about the horror in the film suprised me. It was so well crafted, I was literally on the edge of my seat most of the time, even when I knew what was about to happen.

The one thing that DID surprise me came during the epilogue. I had no idea that Amin lived so long in exhile . Given everything that he had done, how is it that nothing unfortunate happened to him ? And, who paid for his exhile ? I can't imagine that he got a job in at the car wash to pay his expenses for 20+ years !

I was curious, too. Seems the Saudis kept him on a stipend to keep him quiet because he was "hurting Islam." Hmmm. [link]

Huh. I guess it worked, considering the dimness of my memory of any mention of him during that period, but still. There is conveniently quiet and then there is paid his debt quiet.

Not a movie, so forgive the momentary lapse, but Beej, MacAvoy was also wonderful in Shakespeare Retold's Macbeth on BBCA recently.

I'm sooo tracking THAT down, Beverly! I introduced Fela to Children of Dune over the last two nights and he was just as taken with McAvoy as I am. Such presence. (a bit too with the scrawn for my tastes, but oh, those eyes and that delivery...)

Saw The Prestige last night...I wanted it to be better than it was. I think Nolan was just so much in love with the cleverness of the structure that he lost track of the movie within it.

Oh nooooo. I skipped The Illlusionist in favor of patiently waiting for the Prestige. I just assumed it would be a better movie.