Film Frustration

I wish that studios would make more of an effort to spread their decent releases across the year rather than to cluster them in the last two weeks. I understand that this is a forlorn hope. Thus, I am required to fit movies into a schedule that is already somewhat overloaded, what with grading, syllabus writing, job applications, Christmas shopping, and travel. I’m also relatively confidant that Omaha, Nebraska will not have the same theater options as Seattle, so my time is further constrained. Fortunately, I’ve done a better job this year of seeing everything as it came out, so the situation isn’t desperate.

That said, I’m planning to see these in the next four days:

The House of Flying Daggers
Bad Education
Closer
A Very Long Engagement

The last I’ve considered boycotting due to my desire to kill everyone associated with its production and marketing. In Seattle, most every film worth watching appears in a Landmark theater, and for some time Landmark has been playing a commerical for A Very Long Engagement before every single flick. In the last few weeks, the commercial has been accompanied by a trailer, which is doubly annoying. But, I really like Amelie. . .

These will come after Christmas:

The Aviator
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Fortunately, Million Dollar Baby doesn’t open here until January, which should give me plenty of time to wrap my mind around the notion that I should see a movie about a crusty old trainer and an up-and-coming young female boxer. It’s going to require lots of wrapping, let me tell you.