World's Fastest Indian

In July 2020, I watched The World's Fastest Indian for the first time on TV. The drama film was released in 2005. It stars Anthony Hopkins. 

The story follows Herbert James Munro, a New Zealander, who set the world's fastest speed record for motorcycles with engines less than 1,000cc in 1967 when he was 68 years old. 

Herbert Munro was a piquant old man. He continued to be passionate even in his sixties, which really impressed me. His line, "If you don't follow through on your dreams, you might as well be a vegetable," was quite gratifying to me. He is quite different from morons, who have no dreams and jeer at people who follow their dreams. Then how he keeps on trying to push the edge of the envelope reminded me of the pilots and astronauts in The Right Stuff, moreover, his evergreen spirit made me remember a genius driver at Ford's race team in Ford vs Ferrari. Men are absolutely cool when they are trying to stretch their limits. 

The lead, Anthony Hopkins, is diminutive and plump. Although his appearance is not so cool, yet he has continued to play well as attractive men with a brilliant acting ability. 

Except for the climax, several scenes were touching. I was quite impressed with the scene where a seemingly delinquent biker gang come to see off Munro just before he departures for the U.S. The bikers had heard about him and once challenged him to compete in an informal race. Many usual friends of Munro's have not shown up on the day, so he is surprised but delighted by the biker's appearance. Persons who continue to pursuit their dreams are recognized and respected by various people. They are also meant to be.

世界最速のインディアン

2020年６月、『世界最速のインディアン』をTVにて初観賞。2005年公開のドラマ映画。アンソニー・ホプキンス主演。 

1,000 cc以下のオートバイの最速記録を68歳で樹立した、ニュージーランド人バート・ジェームス・マンローの物語。 

痛快な爺様。年老いてもなお情熱を持ち続けている様がカッコよかった。そして、「夢を追いかけない人間は野菜と同じだ」という彼ならではのセリフが小気味良い。夢も持たずに、夢を追う人間を笑う間抜けな奴とは大違いだ。また、自身の限界に挑み続ける様は、『ライト・スタッフ』の野心溢れるパイロット達や宇宙飛行士達を思い出させてくれたし、彼の精神の若々しさは、『フォードvsフェラーリ』における、フォードチームの天才ドライバーを連想させた。何かを極めようとしている男達は、理屈抜きにカッコいい。 

そんなマンローを演じたアンソニー・ホプキンスは、小柄で小太り。見た目はカッコよくないが、それでも、その卓越した演技力で魅力的な男を演じ続けている偉大な俳優さん。 

クライマックス以外にも感動的な場面はあった。特に印象的だったのは、マンローがアメリカに旅立つ日に見送りに駆けつけたオートバイ好きの不良然とした若者達。マンローの噂を聞いて、彼に勝負を挑んだ事もあった彼等だが、普段付き合っている友人達の見送りが少なかったマンローには嬉しい驚きとなった。夢を追いかけ続ける人間は、様々な人間から認められ、敬われる。そうあるべきだとも思う。

The Dark Knight

In July 2020, I watched The Dark Knight on IMAX at Toho Cinemas Nagareyama Ootakanomori. The big entertaining blockbuster was released in 2008. 

I had watched it for the first time on TV when it was televised thanks to the movie Joker which would be released in October 2019. Although I had thought of it as not so good because it was based on Batman, an American comic, yet the action movie was so great that I came to desire to watch Joker and became interested in the lead, Christian Bale. I was also impressed that even Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman costarred with the other famous and popular actors. I of course planned to watch the great movie again on DVD, however, some movie theaters began to play it luckily on IMAX after the novel coronavirus pandemic was gradually settled. Then the viewers' reviews intrigued me very much, so I came to watch it on IMAX partly because I am kind of easily influenced. 

The pictures and sounds were fantastic. I spent a wonderful time. 

The story follows the battles between the villains with Joker and the police with Batman in the fictional Gotham City. 

Heath Ledger won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Joker. Although the movie Joker describes how a mentally ill man changes to Joker, yet Joker played by Ledger seemed to have completely been obsessed by craziness. I felt that Ledger was so possessed by the spirit of Joker that he passed away before the release. In other words, his acting was quite wonderful, which made me feel his death that way. 

I, however, got kind of tired due to the absence of a healing character like Benji in Mission: Impossible and C-3PO in Star Wars. Although it was certainly a great entertaining movie, yet I want to watch a movie with a smile. Then the big bike driven by Batman reminded me of Kaneda's bike in Akira, which I watched on IMAX the other day. I then felt that Kaneda's were far cooler than Batman's. Moreover, every time Christian Bale's face was closed up, I remembered that Ford vs Ferrari and I felt like watching the drama movie more than the Batman movie. Besides, after watching it, I felt that I might should have watched one of four Studio Ghibli movies instead as a Japanese. Those Japanese films as well as the American film have been rerun since the settlement of the novel coronavirus pandemic as if they try to relax and heal the people. All the same, the entertaining movie is definitely comparable with the Mission: Impossible movies and the Star Wars ones.

ダークナイト

2020年７月、『ダークナイト』をTOHOシネマズ流山おおたかの森にてIMAXで観覧。2008年公開の超娯楽大作。 

『ジョーカー』公開記念でTV放映された時に一度観た。原作がアメコミの『バットマン』だから、大した作品ではないだろうとタカをくくっていたが、結構面白く、それきっかけで『ジョーカー』を観る気になったり、バットマン役のクリスチャン・ベールにも興味を持った。出演者も、マイケル・ケインやモーガン・フリーマンが脇を固めるという豪華さ。そして、いつかDVDで再観賞するつもりだったが、コロナ禍を経て再開した映画館で、しかもIMAXで放映され始め、また、ネット上で絶賛している書き込みが多数あったので、根がミーハーな事も有り、観る気になった。 

観賞時は、映像・音声が素晴らしくて、本当に楽しい時を過ごせた。 

架空都市ゴッサムにおける、司法機関とバットマン対ジョーカーと悪党達の死闘が描かれている。 

ジョーカーを演じたヒース・レジャーは、本作でアカデミー助演男優賞を受賞。映画『ジョーカー』では精神を病んだ男が狂気に目覚めてジョーカーに変貌する様が描かれていたが、レジャーのジョーカーは、魂そのものが狂気に憑りつかれていて、公開前の彼の早逝は役に憑依し過ぎたせいではないか、と思える程強烈で素晴らしかった。 

ただ、良質な娯楽作品だが、『ミッション・インポッシブル』のベンジーや『スター・ウォーズ』のC-3POのような癒し系キャラがいなくて、少ししんどかった。映画は、やはり笑顔で観たい。また、バットマンが乗っている大型二輪車を観ながら、先日、同じくIMAXで観た『AKIRA』の金田が乗っていたバイクの方がカッコいいなとか、クリスチャン・ベールの顔がアップになる度に、彼が主演していた『フォードvsフェラーリ』をIMAXで観たかったなとか思ったりした。そして、観覧後、コロナ禍で疲れた人々を癒そうとするかのごとく各劇場でリバイバル上映されているジブリ作品を観覧した方が、日本人なんだし、良かったかもしれない、とも思った。もちろん、本作が『ミッション・インポッシブル』や『スター・ウォーズ』に匹敵する娯楽作品である事は間違いない。

A Rainy Day in New York #1

In July 2020, I watched A Rainy Day in New York for the first time at Movix Kameari. The movie was written and directed by Woody Allen. It was released in 2020 in Japan but it has not been opened in the United States due to some reasons. 

The story describes Gatsby and Ashleigh whose parents are all wealthy. The young couple consist of a handsome guy and a pretty girl who met in a local university and has fallen in love with each other. One day, Ashleigh has the opportunity to go to New York as an interviewer for the newspaper of their university, so Gatsby, a former New Yorker, plans to hang out with her in his town, however, some unexpected events occurs to each of them in the Big Apple. The story goes that way. 

Although the romance between the couple seemed ordinary until toward the end, yet I felt comfortable and never bored thanks to all the characters' smart conversations in the script written by Allen. Then the story became intriguing when Gatsby's mother confessed her secret to her son. I am really fond of the film and I could watch it many times. 

Elle Fanning was really adorable. She gave a good performance as Ashleigh, a beautiful college girl with a good character, as well as a difficult girl in the movie Teen Spirit. Fanning as Ashleigh was really charming especially when she was drunk. I was kind of stunned when I watched the middle-aged guys fall in love with her one after another, though I felt that they could not help it because she was really beautiful and attractive. 

Timothee Chalamet as Gatsby was so handsome that he seemed to match Fanning. He also gave a good performance as Laurie in Little Women. I, however, stared with envy at the French American actor whose slender body can go with any clothes, at the same time, I lamented my ugly appearance. Then I determined to drop my extra weight so that I would have an average weight. I do not remember how many times I did to, though.

レイニーデイ・イン・ニューヨーク #1

2020年７月、『レイニーデイ・イン・ニューヨーク』をMovix亀有にて初観賞。ウディ・アレン脚本・監督作。日本公開は2020年。アメリカ公開は諸々の事情で未定。 

裕福な家庭でそれぞれ生まれ育った美男美女、ギャツビーとアシュレーが、地方の大学で出会い、恋人同士になり、そんなある日、アシュレーが、大学の新聞のインタビュアーとしてニューヨークに行くことになり、元ニューヨーカーのギャツビーもまた彼女に同行することになる。ギャツビーは、自分が生まれ育った街を彼女に案内する気でいたが、そのニューヨークでは予想外の事態が二人を待ち構えていた。そんなお話。 

若い美男美女の普通の恋愛物語なのだが、アレンの脚本なので、退屈することもなくその登場人物達の軽妙な会話等を楽しめた。そして、ギャツビーの母親の秘密が明らかになった当たりから話が俄然面白くなった。何度でも観る事が出来そうな、かなりお気に入りの作品。 

アシュレーを演じたエル・ファニングは、とても可愛らしかった。『ティーンスピリット』では、気難しい女の子を好演していたが、本作でも、綺麗で性格の良い女子大生を好演。特に、お酒に酔った時がメチャクチャ可愛かった。そして、オジサンたちが次々と若い彼女にメロメロになる様には、呆れつつも、彼女があまりにも魅力的過ぎるのでしょうがないよなと、も思ってしまった。 

ギャツビーを演じたティモシー・シャラメは、『ストーリー・オブ・マイライフ』でローリー役を好演していたが、今回も、エル・ファニングの相手にふさわしい美男子ぶりだった。そして、どんな服も似合いそうなそのやせ型の体型に羨望の眼差しを向けつつ、我が醜い体型を嘆きつつ、せめて標準体重までは痩せようと、何度目かの決心をさせてくれた。 

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

In September 2018, I watched Mission: Impossible – Fallout for the first time at Movix Kameari. Then I did it again on DVD in July 2020.

It is the sixth movie in the Mission Impossible series, which follows Ethan Hunt, who is an agent for the Impossible Missions Force, also known as the IMF, a division of the CIA, and his fellows.

It was very entertaining, however, less than the prequel.

Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt was 56 years old at the release. He ran and ran as if he desperately deny aging. Although he was excellent in action again, yet he looked kind of older than the prequel. All the same, he was a super cool middle-aged man.

Speaking of a middle-aged man, Alec Baldwin appeared in it following the fifth movie. He was unexpectedly cool when he was fighting with a villain despite his age, 59, at the release. He has kept his build which his fans narrowly could tolerate, though some of them might quit being his fans if he gets fatter a little. I think that he has seriously controlled his appetite and weight to keep his good looks. 

Rebecca Ferguson was coolly riding the motorcycle and was emitting her bewitching charm through like the last time. Then Ving Rhames with no mustache seemed like a healing man and played longer than the other stories, which made the feel of the story casual and friendly. The dialogue between Ethan and Benji also was comfortable and amusing like always.

As for the characters' lines, I was really impressed with "I'm working on it," which Tom Cruise as Ethan said, and "We're working on it," which Simon Pegg as Benji said, when each got stuck. Those scenes reminded me of the philosophy of Han Solo. I chuckled in spite of myself each time.

Ｍ：Ｉ／フォールアウト

2018年９月、『ミッション：インポッシブル/フォールアウト』をMovix亀有にて初観賞。そして、2020年７月にDVDにて再観賞。

CIAの極秘諜報部隊IMFのエージェント、イーサン・ハントと彼の仲間の活躍を描いたスパイ・アクション映画シリーズの第６作。

かなり面白かったが、第５作ほどではなかった。

イーサン・ハント役のトム・クルーズは公開時56歳。年齢に逆らうかの様に走りまくっていた。今回もアクションは素晴らしかったが、前作と比べると、若干オジサンになってしまった感有り。それでも、かなりカッコいいオジサンだ。

オジサンと言えば、前作に引き続き出演していたアレック・ボールドウィン。公開時59歳にもかかわらず、格闘シーンが、まさかのカッコ良さだった。あれ以上太ったらファンが減るだろうと思える、ギリギリの体型を保っている。節制とかしっかりしているんだろうな。

前作同様バイクを運転する姿がカッコ良かったレベッカ・ファーガソン。今回も妖艶な魅力を振りまいていた。そして、口髭を剃っていたルーサー役のヴィング・レイムスの出番が結構長くて、彼のその癒し系の雰囲気が、物語をかなりカジュアルな雰囲気にしていた。また、ベンジーとハントの掛け合いも、前回同様、微笑ましかった。

印象に残っているセリフは、行き詰まった時に、イーサンが放った、「考える」、とベンジーが放った、「何とかする」。ハン・ソロの哲学に似ていて、思わずニヤリとした。

True Crime

In July 2020, I watched the movie True Crime on my television set. The drama movie was released in 1999 and is based on the novel of the same title written by Andrew Klavan. Clint Eastwood wrote and directed it. I watched it once years ago.

The story follows a capital inmate who will be executed on the following night. It includes the issue of racism. The film was fun.

Clint Eastwood gave a good performance as a journalist named Steve, the main character. Eastwood was 69 years old at the release. Steve apparently looked quite old but he came on to his colleague, a young woman, toward the begging, which made me chuckle. Like him, I want to have a crush on a woman even when I get older. The aged journalist confirmed the death-row inmate innocent and began to make every effort. 

Speaking of a false accusation, I remembered the movie Richard Jewell released in 2019. Then Steve's bad mouth reminded me of the stubborn aged man played by Eastwood in Gran Torino released in 2008. By any chance, those two Clint Eastwood films could have not shown wonderful workmanship if Eastwood had not filmed the 1999 movie. In terms of that, the older movie might have played the important role. 

Frances Fisher appeared in Eastwood's film for the first time since she acted in Unforgiven. Her daughter whose father is Eastwood played Steve's daughter in it, too. As well as Sondra Locke, Fisher looked strong minded. The former two Eastwood's lovers made me think that the Academy Award-winning actor and director was fond of aggressive women very much. Eastwood also had married and divorced two women, moreover, he allegedly had affairs with many women. He seems to embody the Japanese proverb, "Great men have great fondness for the sensual pleasures."

Lucy Liu, who acted in the TV series Ally McBeal and the movie Charlie's Angels, appeared as a toy shop girl toward the ending when Steve tried to pick up the girl like toward the beginning. That made me chuckle again. 

トゥルー・クライム

2020年７月、映画『トゥルー・クライム』をTVにて観賞。1999年公開のドラマ映画。クリント・イーストウッド脚本・監督作品。原作は、サスペンス小説『真夜中の死線』。かなり前に一度観ている。

ある死刑囚の死刑執行を巡る、人種差別問題も絡んだお話。まあまあ面白かった。

主人公のジャーナリスト、スティーブをクリント・イーストウッドが好演。イーストウッドは公開時69歳。見た目が明らかに老人のスティーブが、序盤で同僚の若い女性を口説いている姿が可笑しかった。私も、いつまでも恋をしていたいものだ。そんなスティーブが、その死刑囚の冤罪を確信し、奔走する。

冤罪と言えば、2019年公開の『リチャード・ジュエル』を連想する。また、スティーブの口の悪さは、2008年公開の『グラン・トリノ』でイーストウッドが演じた主人公の、同じく口の悪い頑固な老人を連想させる。本作が製作されていなかったら、もしかしたら、後に製作されたあの２作品もまた、名作と言える出来栄えにはなっていなかったかもしれない。そういう意味では、重要な作品だと思う。

1992年公開の『許されざる者』に出演していたフランシス・フィッシャーが、本作にも出演。イーストウッドとの間に生まれた娘も、スティーブの娘役で出演している。ソンドラ・ロックといい、彼女といい、イーストウッドは気の強そうな女性が好みのようだ。そんなイーストウッドは結婚と離婚を２回していて、他にも愛人が沢山いたらしい。英雄色を好む、だな。

最後に、ドラマ『アリー my Love』や映画『チャーリーズ・エンジェル』でお馴染みのルーシー・リューが、少しだけ出演。ここでもスティーブが、彼女が演じていた若いおもちゃ屋の店員を口説いていた。またかよ、と思いつつ笑ってしまった。