Today's Mood

A happy birthday going out to Justin Timberlake.

Pilot Abilene,

Southland Tales

Okay, so I felt much warmer towards Southland Tales with my second viewing than my first, we've established that fact. A big part of that change in perception was due to coming to an understanding of the role of Timberlake's character - that he's essentially our narrator, and... a not altogether reliable one. I'm being kind there, because I don't want to ramble on too much about what the film's about since 99% of y'all haven't seen the film yet, but SPOILERS BE HERE, avoid your eyes if you want to see it first- he's totally unreliable, and the entire yarn we're watching is him spinning is him trying to make a hero out of his combat buddy who committed suicide after coming back from Iraq. You don't realize, at first how important Timberlake's character is; hell, I didn't realize it until halfway through my second viewing of the film. And I'm still unconvinced that that is anything but sloppiness on Richard Kelly's part.

But Timberlake, once you get what's going on, is quite good here; so much better than he was in Black Snake Moan, a film I really disliked and he shouldered plenty of the blame for its suckiness, from my perspective. Anyway, he redeemed himself to me, actor-wise, with Southland. I don't exactly think he's ever going to be the next Laurence Olivier, mind you, but he's always been terrific on SNL so perhaps his next role, in Mike Myer's comedy The Love Guru, will help him play to his comedic strengths.

Also his strengths, in case Mr. Myers is listening?

.