Creation

[realthog]

We got back late this evening from Philcon -- too late to do anything much more than eat the sushi we'd bought on the way home and gawp at the DVD which had finally arrived. That DVD was the movie Creation, with Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly, about Darwin's wrestle with his own and his wife Emily's religious sensibilities while he was working on Origin of Species.

We were just both knocked sideways by this movie.

I have no time to write up notes tonight -- see above comments re crosseyeddom. Here's what I sent to The Spammers as just a quick first reaction (including summaries of Pam's responses that may be inaccurate: she'll doubtless correct me if so).

We finally saw the movie this evening. Summary of conversation afterward: It's not completely perfect, so rather than being among the Top 5 movies we've ever seen, it's among the Top 20. It's certainly the best movie we've seen this year. Bettany should have an Oscar for this: no question: neither of us could remember a performance this good. Connelly should at least have been on the list as Best Supporting Actress. Pam made a case for others being on the Best Supporting shortlist, not least the kid who played Annie. Scripter and Director should likewise at least have been nominated.

All in all, a wonderful, wonderful experience. We don't have to get the DVD back 'til Friday, so we thought we'd try to squeeze in a second viewing.

Oh, golly: I never knew Bettany had it in him to be this good.

Comments

[smallship1.livejournal.com]

I never knew Bettany had it in him to be this good.

We haven't seen this one yet (it's on the list), but we've known since A Knight's Tale that Bettany was something special.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

I've seen him in a couple of other things and thought he was perfectly fine; but this time he's truly exceptional. He simply is Darwin.

[al-zorra.livejournal.com]

First, according to Pam, this is Your Day, dear Thog, so ¡feliz cumpleaños!



Second, thank you and Pam for alerting me that Creation is now dvd available. I've put it at the top of the queue.

Love, C.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Thank you! If you're currently in NYC, will you be at SFWA tonight? They're throwing a birthday party specially for me: how kind.

xx

[al-zorra.livejournal.com]

Nope.

In beautiful C'town until New Year's probably.

We are hoping to head to Norfolk, VA in December for a couple of days though.

Love, C.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Sorry we won't see you!

[al-zorra.livejournal.com]

Though you will probably see co-C'towners, Peter Heck and Jane Jewell at the event tonight.

It's kind of wild to think about: We hang out here at 'Sam's' and blither, and then they go up there for sfwa stuff. Jane loaned us single bed sheets for our guest beds here in the House, saving us from buying some that otherwise we never will have use for.

Love, c.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

We saw Jane over the weekend at Philcon.

[kylecassidy.livejournal.com]

this is the one that couldn't get a us theatrical release, right?

[realthog.livejournal.com]

That's the one.

Looked for you at Philcon, but without success. Did you skip it this year?

[kylecassidy.livejournal.com]

i did skip it. i was out of town when they sent the "would you like to participate" thing and then i had a big photo shoot and a huge party sucking up a lot of time. i wanted to go to the SFWA party at the very least, but it, sadly, wasn't in the cards.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Oh, well, we;ll miss you at SFWA, too!

[jongibbs.livejournal.com]

It was great to see you both at PhilCon. I'm sorry we never got a chance for a proper chat :)

[realthog.livejournal.com]

I never got a chance for a proper chat with lots of people! Several of the discussion group called The Spammers were there, and we tended to hang out together almost nonstop -- which was great fun, but it was a bit of a pain in the fundament that I wasn't mixing with other people.