Monday, December 8, 2008

Brooke awesomeness times three

This weekend, I watched three movies with Brooke Smith in them. Before you ask, yes, I watched them just because Brooke was in them. I am that kind of a fan girl. The crazy-obsessed kind. Just kidding, I just enjoy discovering her work.

The first movie I saw was 'Vanya on 42nd street', which was actually more of a theatre play than a movie. They filmed actors doing theatre, but the cameras were on stage too, so the perspective was not really from the audience. According to Wikipedia, the actors rehearsed the play to better understand Anton Chekhov's play 'Uncle Vanya'. It was definitely a very interesting and rare way of making a movie. Brooke played Sonya, a young woman who was madly in love with a man who doesn't even notice her. Among the cast were Julianne Moore and Wallace Shawn, who we all know from The L Word's notorious 'Inconceivable' quote-fame (Yeah, I totally made that word up, sue me!). The general feel to the movie was very sad and despaired, but the pace and the great acting make it a special experience. I probably wouldn't have watched it if Brooke hadn't been in it, but afterwards I was glad that I did.


On the same day, I also saw 'Iron Jawed Angels', which had an amazing cast. The movie mainly deals with suffragettes and the life story of Alice Paul. I don't want to give too much away, I mean I guess the ultimate ending to the story should be pretty clear to everybody - if not, read a book, really, just any book, you clearly need it!! - but there was one scene that I found incredibly beautiful and hot at the same time. Hillary/Alice, in a bathtub, thinking about the man she loves, pleasuring herself. And that's all I'm going to say.
I found the picture on the official website of the movie, just so you know. The cast consists of Anjelica Houston, Frances O'Connor, Lois Smith (not Brooke's mother), Molly Parker, Patrick Dempsey and the incredibly beautiful Julia Ormond. I loved the movie because it was full of strong women fighting for their rights and the fact that it's a true story makes for a good learning experience.


Sunday, I watched Getting Off aka Remembering Sex, which was easily the strangest of the three films. Also very sad, the main character is so different to the suffragettes that I squirmed through parts of the film. Again, I don't want to give anything away, the movie was good, but not very encouraging for the female population, IMO. Brooke was pretty amazing, as she always is and like in the first movie, her character was in love with her best friend who didn't love her back the same way because he was gay. Unfortunately, she had short hair in that movie. Not the best look, as much as I love her, but it just doesn't suit her. At all.

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