On a miserably cold and snowy night...

...I finally got the chance to see Sofia Coppola's film Somewhere. KJ and I had obviously been jabbering about it for months. KJ saw it weeks ago. Definitely read her impressions of the film, because I agree with everything she said. Going to the movies is always such an interesting experience...one that really can't be duplicated by watching them at home. In the case of this movie, it was kind of funny because when Chris and I walked into the theater, there was not one single soul to be found...and that was how it stayed. I usually like the hustle and bustle of a crowded theater but for the purposes of seeing this film...the quiet theater kind of worked. It felt like a private screening.

And the film...well, like all of Sofia's films (can I call her by her first name :) there is so much to admire ... they aren't usually perfect, but I even enjoy the flaws. She's proven that she is the master of casting a film. She is also brilliant at getting the most subtle and sometimes heartbreaking performances out of her actors. Her simple yet overwhelming good taste and style runs rampant in this film (as it does in them all). I think I most admire any filmmaker who can tell a simple story and still make it compelling...and she does. While it takes her insider knowledge to make a film about these 2 characters (a hot young Hollywood actor and his daughter), I never felt alienated by these people. Stephen Dorff's character is so interesting...he's not a punk, hot shot. He's not a booze-hound or a psychotic mess (I think I was expecting a 'Charlie Sheen' type). He is by no means perfect but he is just kind of good guy. Lonely and confused for certain, but someone you know will be ok. I love the fact that no matter what is going on, he always does what he's told by his agents et al. He shows up for all his appointments and shoots. Perhaps my favorite moment is when he sits for special effects artists who need to make a rubber mold of his head. Coppola holds the camera on his plaster immersed head for what seems like ages as we listen to him breathe...patiently. It nearly broke my heart.

Well, there is just loads to say...Elle Fanning is so right for this role that I am sure we have another indie darling on our hands. On the flip side, there were lose ends that never went anywhere and while I loved the opening of the movie, I thought the end was pretty weak. Nevertheless, I was hypnotized by the film...for so many reasons.

See it...and let us know what you think :)