Greg, Paul, and I went to Beverly Hills tonight for what is supposed to
be the best steak in California. An absolutely delectable steak
coupled with some outstanding wine really was a treat for the
senses. The place was insanely nice, and I expected the waiter to
make us a time travel device built of toothpicks and bits of
string. He was really gracious. Yes, it is his job,
but it was still nice. They also had this humongous guy that with
a CIA ear piece and everything that made sure everything with your meal
was ok. I was wondering who he would kill if my steak was a bit
undercooked.
Ay any rate, we had a wonderful time in the Hills at this
restaurant. After which we decided to go see Michael Bay’s latest
release… The Island. I’m not sure if you know Michael Bay
but he’s the same fellow that brought you Bad Boys… and Pearl
Harbor. So, Pearl Harbor is supposed to be really bad,
right? Well, honestly that was mainly the studio and its decision
to force Ben Afleck’s love story in there that didn’t fit at all.
Basically they were trying to appeal to the female audience to attract
more ticket sales. They had the action with Bay, so they shot in
a love story where it didn’t belong. Not saying that love
stories are bad… just this one. That said, I love Bay’s
philosohpy, "I always say, ‘Fuck the critics’…I’m going to make it so
big and so loud and so over-the-top that the critics will hate it and
the audience will come anyway."
The movie started out as very similar to George Lucas’ THX 1138, which
I of course love. Very existential with plenty of metaphorical
references to heaven (The Island,) hell (their ‘world,) and the ensuing
struggle and questiong of the powers that keep them or take them to
both places not to mention the places and the reasons for them in the
first place. Very wonderful storytelling.
And, just in case you forgot you were watching a Bay film a ‘copter
will fly through a window and pounding music will play. Am I saying
this was bad? I was really interested in the metaphorical and
existential story that was happening in the beginning, but then the end
turned in to something of a long chase. For me, though, it worked
because really the whole movie the protagonist was searching for ‘real’
life and such. The action in the end could definitely be construed as
gratuitas for some, but those same people probobly won’t be in the
theater to see this film anyway.
This film was raped by several critics, and I can understand that
because of their distaste for him. Bay stays true to himself with his
reputation for over the top style while telling a nice story. In
short; it was fun and I liked it.
