When Paul Newman died back in September, I realized that I had never seen a Paul Newman movie (well, except for Road to Perdition and Cars, but really...). So, I decided to remedy this by checking out some of his best-of movies. Starting with...
Somebody Up There Likes Me
Somebody is about the true story of Rocky Graziano. Rocky is a young hoodlam in NYC. He and his gang 
steals and cheats and robs from everyone they meet. He doesn't have any respect for his parents or any other authority figures. He is arrested and continues to get in trouble in jail. Immediately after being released he is drafted into the army. He goes AWOL and begins to do a little boxing for some easy money. The army eventually finds him and it's off to prison, where he begins to realize his potential when he starts boxing.
steals and cheats and robs from everyone they meet. He doesn't have any respect for his parents or any other authority figures. He is arrested and continues to get in trouble in jail. Immediately after being released he is drafted into the army. He goes AWOL and begins to do a little boxing for some easy money. The army eventually finds him and it's off to prison, where he begins to realize his potential when he starts boxing.Paul Newman is pretty great in this movie. Early on, you really get the sense that the doesn't care for anyone but himself and trying to get by. He really seems like a thug. The way he grows throughout his life is organic. He doesn't go from a jerk to a great guy. It takes big changes in his life for him to even begin to change. It really is a fantastic movie.
It's not a boxing movie at all, it's all about Rocky and his life, boxing is just what he turns to to get by. Mrs Titan and I were both glued to this film. It didn't feel slow like many movies made before 1990 can sometimes feel for me. It was a great two hours and worth it for anyone, Newman fan or not.
We also got out to see the new Bond movie this weekend. I'm not really sure what to say about 
it. It was good, but a lot like Casino Royale. There was plenty of action, and all kinds of world hopping excitement. Daniel Craig is the model of ice-cold killer/secret agent. He will do whatever he needs to to get the job done.
it. It was good, but a lot like Casino Royale. There was plenty of action, and all kinds of world hopping excitement. Daniel Craig is the model of ice-cold killer/secret agent. He will do whatever he needs to to get the job done. It's a good movie, but reminds me much more of a Bourne movie than a Bond movie. It has the same jerky-camera action shots, which is not my kind of thing. I kept wanting the camera to pull out so that I could actually tell what was going on. I also misss the light-hearted goofiness of Bond. I want gadgets and girls with silly names (although Strawberry Fields ain't bad). I want more witty banter and wild evil minions.
Overall, it's a very good movie. I know the Bond series is growing and changing, but it still takes some getting used to.
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