At The Movies With Fr. Tom

I put up a review of "Hereafter" yesterday, and it seemed to get a few hits, which I like.  I'm bothering to write this stuff so people will read it.  But I had a friend tell me, via Facebook, that she wasn't going to see the movie based on my review (you know who you are Michele).  I immediately got this shock through my chest.  This is a great responsibility here, having people make their leisure time plans based on something I wrote.  I'm just one little old blogger out here in the big bad cyber universe.  To have Clint Eastwood lose even one potential customer because of something I wrote is a little frightening.  I mean, he may be 80, but I'm pretty sure he could still beat me to a pulp with one of his eyelashes.  Besides, what do I know?  I thought "Hello, Larry" was going to be bigger than "M*A*S*H" and moving Leno to prime time was a stroke of genius.

OK, neither one of those things is true, but the feeling of responsibility I have is real.  So guess I want to make a few things clear for my loyal readers.  When I review a movie it's not to end a conversation but to spark one.  If I think a movie is just unwatchable, I'll either write it, or not even bother to review it.  In the case of "Hereafter," yeah, I had problems with it's portrayal of religion and what I thought was a too neat resolution (really the whole thing was a little too neat in telling its story).  But Fr. Javier, one of my confrere here in Elizabeth, loved it. He was inspired by its affirmation of an afterlife, and it's appeal to science to back up the idea that there is life after death.  We had a lively discussion at the breakfast table, as a matter of fact. Which in the end, is sort of the point of my blog; to incite lively discussion.  Hey, I like pontificating as much as the next blogger, but it does get boring after a while; for both me and, I have to assume, you.   

And, like I wrote, I think Eastwood is a better director than actor.  He hits so many more emotional notes when he's behind the camera than when he's in front, and this goes back to his first directorial effort "Play Misty For Me" in 1971.  So I would never want someone to miss out on seeing the master at work.  But I have to be honest about how I reacted to the film, in this case not to dissuade you from watching it, rather to encourage you to continue the conversation.

And Mr. Eastwood, sir, if you're reading out there, I really do love all your movies, even the ones with the orangutan.  And if you see me in Carmel-by-the-Sea, please don't hurt me. And Michele, stop getting me in trouble with Dirty Harry!