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Showing posts from December, 2017

Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri

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Frances McDormand Sam Rockwell Woody Harrelson Martin McDonagh, Writer/Director  In order to stay ‘with it,’ to be hep and all, I updated my invention – TheSound of Music syndrome – to the Avatar syndrome.  Here it is:  Sometimes a movie is so hyped that a several things happen.  First, said movie cannot live up to the hype, no matter how good it is.  Second, people cannot/will not say what they really think of that over-hyped movie for fear of seeming ignorant or uncool.  Third, a moviegoer’s soaring expectations can lead to disappointment. I discovered this phenomenon in 1965 with the huge letdown of The Sound of Music.  Anticipation ‘way too high!  I remember watching Julie Andrews grinning and twirling and singing to the sky, and thinking what the heck?!  How’d I get suckered into this? Not that The Sound of Music is bad.  It’s not!  It’s good.  It’s just not that good.  Come on, admit it!  Do you want to watch it again and again?  Did you t