Sometimes movies take us to places beyond our dreams. That’s at least one of the reasons I spend so many hours each year sitting in darkened theaters: for that chance to be transported to worlds far, far away.
And yet sometimes the wonderful world around us provides visuals more amazing than what can be conjured on the big screen. I got a glimpse of that last week over a much-needed vacation (that's Bandon, Oregon, in case you're wondering).
Now the blogger returns from paradise to the real world, which means a return to theaters and to the fantasyland that is film, which means the end of one vacation and the beginning of another: A vacation of the mind. About two hours at a time.
Movie posts to come, but as I’m catching up here’s a question: from movies released last year (to narrow it down a bit), which cinematic world would you most like to visit?
Just one of my votes? Paris. Not from Paris Je T’aime. From Ratatouille. That place looks awesome!
7 comments:
First stop on the Ghibli Express would definitely be the streets of Dublin from "Once." Grafton Street has never looked better.
Second stop would be the tanning booth that is the light scene from Sunshine. Warm and meaningful turned burning and deadly, the crux of the movie depends upon this strange conundrum.
Third, any part of the cinematic world of There Will Be Blood. I thought I would love scenes from other movies more for this, but I find myself returning to the silence the violence, the yelling and the telling of the story that is the world created by oil and a gifted actor. I can't get this movie out of my head and I don't want to.
Ghibli
The Matrix! ... No wait, MiddleEarth! .... no ,Matrix ... no, MiddleEarth .. etc.
What Little World would I visit?
One of the most compelling images in any film this past year was the therapy-holographic room in Sunshine and the image of the waves crashing up and making the young women squeal with excitement. Mace loves that image. I love it too. I want to be there. You can feel the salt spray and the excitement they feel.
Also, any scene from The Assassination of Jesse James. Though I'd be afraid to be taunted by Jesse James, I loved the scenes where he's eating dinner in the Ford house - and having breakfast in his house. I want to eat what they're eating. "Sure is good eating, Martha."
And quail hunting with Plainview and H.W.. Though filmed in Texas, it's California, and knowing California, I can feel the dryness, smell the dust and the eucalyptus and laurels.
I love to swim - and the first half of Atonement has some very stunning water imagery: the pond where Cecelia swims, the stream where Briony pretends to drown - all crisp and weedy - and the fountain. I would love to be anywhere near that fountain!
Some film imagery is so stunning you cry out inside, "Take me there now!"
By the way, your photo of Bandon is stunning too. In fact, it looks similar to a stretch of beach just south of Half Moon Bay in California. Speaking of which, there's the part in There Will Be Blood when they are surveying for the pipeline and there's a bay in the background that looks a lot like Half Moon Bay. Is it still Texas or was some of it filmed in California?
Gang: good picks!
Since I mentioned an impossible location in my original post (the digital Paris of "Ratatouille"), let me also give props to a very real one: the Moon from "In The Shadow Of The Moon."
Whenever we see clips of astronauts shuffling over the lunar surface, it's easy to forget that they got to enjoy a pretty awesome view from out there: Earth!
Which reminds me: In Chuck Klosterman's book "Sex, Drugs & Cocoa Puffs," his hilarious 23 questions to determine if he can love somebody include a "would you rather" scenario that pits a year in Europe with a monthly stipend of $2,000 against 10 minutes on the Moon.
Until this year, I would have always taken Europe: more time, more memories. Ten minutes is just too short. But after seeing "ITSOTM" and falling in love with space again, now I'm not so sure. Thoughts?
I'd have to go with Into the Wild. This is assuming I had more necessities than the clothes on my back. I think to be able to go on a journey and see the depths of nature would be amazing. I would just prefer to go with some food and a tent...I wish my life allowed me to just "go".
I love those Klosterman questions. Not sure they're quite as revealing as he thinks, but they're fun.
I'd take the Europe trip every time. Right now at least; I've changed my mind on that one, too.
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