Saturday, August 12, 2006

Scoop and Wordplay

So, Anna and I hit up a double header on Friday, at the AMC, which has movies before noon for an astonishing 5 dollars. So we got to see two movies. Scoop, the Woody Allen movie with the story of Scarlett as a investigative reporter who falls for a man who may or may not be the "tarot card killer." It's about her and Woody Allen trying to solve the mystery with help from a ghost from the past, looking for his last SCOOP. How cliche, you think? Well, it quite really is, but the movie is fun in that Scarlett is really channeling Woody Allen, in a freaky sort of way. The glasses really put it all together, but you can tell it's his lines she is performing. The movie is cute, and not as bad as Match Point, where you end up hating a bunch of the characters. And a very good ending, also unlike Allen's last movie.

Recommended? Yes, but only for the Allen movie lovers

The other movie we saw was Wordplay, one I've been dying to see for a long time, and this was the last theater in the city of Chicago showing the movie (including the suburbs)... guess I did put it off for a long time. A documentary film, that I had read about in the newpaper/or online and which Prof Yong mentioned that I might find interesting. Although Anna and I may be interested in crossword puzzles, we most certainly cannot be considered fanatics, like the people of the movie. Will Shortz does those amazing word puzzles that are aired on NPR, and the movie is about crossword puzzle solvers, himself (the editor), the creators of the puzzles, and the annual competition and its competitors. THe movie is somewhat reminiscent of Spellbound, except that this one is much much more interesting and still done well. There are bits in the middle with ex-President Bill Clinton, Jon Stuart, and the Indigo girls about their love for the NY Times Crossword. It's very fascinating and the movie is wonderful.

Recommended? For most -- except those bored by a tiny bit of an academic-type movie. :)

After all that, Anna and I went back to the crosswords we had been working on lunch before the movies, and inbetween the two movies, and finally solved one! Hoorah! My goal is now to attempt a crossword puzzle each and everyday. But maybe I'll start on Monday with an easy one.

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