The Swan and Iris Take on Cinema

     No, well, yeah, sort of watched them last night.  You know, the Oscars (TM)? The show that happens in March where all things movies get celebrated? The one where a lot of women do odd things with their posture to make sure they don't fall out of their dresses as they walk the red carpet? Yeah, that one.
       The one I don't really get excited about because I prefer films. Both film and movies are species of the motion picture.  Let us examine their differences:

• Movies make money.  That is their raison d'etre. Their success is based on how much they make. Anything less than the GDP of a developing country is considered a flop. 
• Films make art. Their success is based on feedback from the critics. 
• Movies base their scripts on contrived formulas. Films use the conflicts basic to humanity, but encourage the development of new questions.
• Movies are for feel-good purposes. Nothing wrong in and of itself with that. We all need a good excuse to munch popcorn now and then. If you want to see a story unfold as it should, you need a film.
• Films place the emphasis on plot and character development.  Movies frequently use overblown special effects to override weaknesses in those departments.

     That, Gentle Readers, is why I choose films for review in S&I. We need the subtle, quiet moments as an antidote to an ever louder world. Some of my favorites are:

• Casablanca--a timeless story of love and sacrifice that may be the most perfect film ever made.
• Amelie--the tale of a young woman who struggles to make the world a better place for others and almost forgetting to do the same for herself.
• Le Quai d'Orfese (sp?) is a suspense/mystery in postwar France that keeps viewers guessing until the last minutes.

    My Netflix subscription makes me a very happy girl, indeed.