thoughtcrumbs

Like thousands of other Americans, I was suckered into seeing Pearl Harbor this Memorial Day weekend. (Don't worry, no spoilers here - the movie is predictable enough to be its own spoiler anyway.) Lesson learned: the promise of outstanding computer effects isn't substantial when those effects are hung on a limp plot. Granted, there was a handful of beautiful scenes, but the rest of the cinematography was sterile, lacking detail and interest. Kate Beckinsale, who I adored in Cold Comfort Farm and The Last Days of Disco, couldn't even infuse her mediocre lines with any emotion. A hoky romance, trivial portrayal of race relations, and not enough attention to the more worthwhile characters (like Ewen Bremner's "Red") made this an overall failure. I debated with my uncle whether there were enough of us walking out of the theater to stage a coup and demand our money back. Instead I think I'll move to Ireland.