about last night

Last night I finally watched Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. Great film. Superb performances from Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei. Aronofsky is a personal fav, and The Wrestler displays his niche for capturing the grittier side of American life. Rourke is an ailing professional wrestler whose glory days are long gone; a trailer is his home and his love interest is a stripper (played wonderfully by Tomei). You get the idea. Despite the seedy existence of the film's characters, the viewer is drawn into the underbelly and, like Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream, the director makes these "dirty" people engaging objects of empathy. The acting is top notch, the dialogue is convincing and the story is timeless. Leave it to Aronofsky to masterfully capture this perfect storm of cinema.

Also watched John Patrick Shanley's Doubt. There are movies, and then there are films. Doubt is the latter. Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis were nominated for Academy Awards, and all four shine in this subtle yet gripping film about the paradox of faith. Doubt hits on all cylinders. If you want to see a film that relies on craft rather than style, watch Doubt.

Oh, and about the poker tournament. Well, I finished in a less than respectable position, but I can offer this helpful reminder to all poker players: after the flop, never overestimate the pocket aces pressed against your portion of the felt.

xx