Wednesday night Aimee and I finally bit the bullet and went to see Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Despite much appreciation for Ewan McGregor's and Ian McDiarmid's performances, especially considering the material they were given, I was completely underwhelmed by the whole spectacle and found many parts of the story downright distasteful. I appreciate that George Lucas is trying to speak out unequivocally against war, but watching Anakin slide into violence and evil was just depressing to me. Outside of the movie proper, I've also been disgusted by the glut of cross-marketing designed to spread the Star Wars brand. From Dark Chocolate M&M's ("Dare to go to the Dark Side") to Lava Berry Blast Pop Tarts decorated with Darth Vader's mask to Twisted Cheetos that turn your tongue Yoda Green or Darth Vader black...spare me the rampant consumerism.
While Revenge of the Sith created a strong desire in me to go back and view the original Star Wars movies, Thursday night I chose instead to watch Kramer vs. Kramer on DVD. I thought the movie did an excellent job of showing how wretched a custody battle can be for all the parties involved, and it gave me reinspired appreciation for divorced parents everywhere. It perhaps painted the situation a little too black-and-white with Dustin Hoffman as the noble father and Meryl Streep as the unbalanced mother, but that's Hollywood for you. I was amused that I found Hoffman's Manhattan advertising job so attractive, like I would enjoy working in my current field if only it were the 70s and I had a wood-paneled office and a handsome secretary yelling my messages to me as I rushed boards into a meeting.
Instead I sought escape from work pressures by running down to Los Angeles for the weekend. Five years ago I would have laughed at myself for saying this, but a few days in L.A. is damn good for my soul:
-dear god, they rented me a PT Cruiser
-the line for the Pixies show at the Wiltern
-kitty socks, sparkly socks
-drunk before 8pm
-Maker's + Coke and an Australian cowboy at the Kibitz Room
-mishmosh and cherry jello with whipped cream on top at Canter's
-a pre-movie Corona with lime at the Arclight
-the awesome skater-boy soft porn of Lords of Dogtown. of course it's not as good as Dogtown and Z-Boys. see it anyway
-shortbread and chocolate thumbprint cookie
-substitute cat-warmers Petunia and Mr. Shrimp
-chicken and mushroom crepe at Dusty's
-warehouse shoe-shopping
-strawberry smoothie from Alegria
-Giant Robot, street art, and vintage clothing stores
-a wine and cheese sunset picnic in the Hollywood Forever cemetary
-Carole Lombard and John Barrymore in Twentieth Century
-Newcastle Brown at the Drawing Room
-clearing the dancefloor by putting Bjork on the jukebox
-eggs benedict at Millie's
-contemporary sculpture, low-flying planes, and iceberg wallpaper at the Hammer
-hand rolls and udon at Mishima
-Carlos Garaicoa's floating rice-paper-lamp city and his pin-and-string architectural renderings at the Pacific Design Center MOCA
-sunset over the wing of the plane
I can't wait to go back.
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Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Posted by nightfall at June 6, 2005 09:10 PM