I had the same reaction to the IDoA previews. What is it about dreamy African movies that make them b-o-r-i-n-g??
Well folks, I must announce: I paid my $1.50 and went to see American Beauty. Despite dissing it severely prior to seeing it (too cynical, plays up all the worst of American society, etc. etc.) I must confess I really enjoyed it, although I think "Best Picture" is a stretch. Some of the more memorable parts I liked: Kevin Spacey's face. He has a marvelous range of subtleties in his expressions, such as in the interviews with Brad the Boss, and when he is first agog at teen angel Angela. And then there was that house, that dreadful house where Annette Benning had an open house. The wall paper! The orange walls! The dark kitchen cupboards! And her cleaning the place in her underwear. Yeah, I could relate to those tears! The scene where she scarfs the martini olives while gushing all over (whazzizname, Peter something?) Buddy-the-Realtor King. The Nazi dish, of course. The smirky high school girls. The movie was actually quite funny. Worth every penny. I now retract my negative pre-viewing comments.
Jenerator was telling me that her buds in England resented the title American Beauty, saying that just because things are American hardly makes them beautiful. I pointed out to Jennifer that the ubiquitous blood-red American beauty roses in nearly every scene were, I presume, the inspiration for the title. Even Annette's sweater, in one scene, is a print of American Beauty roses.
