NEW REVIEW!!
BLOW-UP

(1966, dir. Michelangelo Antonioni)

Goddammit. NEVER! NEVER, my dear cinephiles, pick a man over a movie. NEVER! After a lengthy argument over seeing The Omen, I agreed to see this film (which is running this weekend as part of the Antonioni retrospective at BAM) to make the guy I think is cute happy. And what did it get me? NOTHING! Not only did I not get laid but I also missed out on seeing Julia Stiles in a pillbox hat.

"You never seen it?!" was the exclamation leaving the film nerd lips of my paramour. As if life could not really be taken seriously until I trekked out to BAM and saw Antonioni on the big screen. For those of you who don't know, the easiest way to explain who Antonioni is would be to say that he's the anti-rock star of the late 60s- early 70s "existentialism is totally rocking" movement in European film. While undeniably cool, he has a detachment that's enviable. I'm saying this based on my impression of his persona alone since up until last night I had never seen any of his movies.

I was really bored for the first 40 minutes. David "I Was In Barbarella" Hemming prances around as a photographer photographing fake reality and indeed reality itself. I've never had such a bipolar reaction to a movie. Just when I was ready to blow my brains out I was suddenly enraptured. I was very aware of Antonioni during the film in the same way I am constantly distracted by the fact that Hitchcock is directing Psycho. By the time we to the point where Antonioni is mapping out a possible murder with images alone and not music... I nearly had a heartattack I was so impressed.

What does all this amount to? I still wish I had seen The Omen. Does that make me a bad person? I mean, yes, Michelangelo beautifully nails a updated cinematic version of The Stranger. But, you know, I could've watched The Omen, which I am only assuming is the cinematic equivalent of a box of donuts. Besides... I read The Stranger in college. Wasn't that enough? People who LOVE existentialism past age twenty-two are pretty much lost causes in the 21st century.

Bottom Line: If you're in college, you'll love it. If you work for a living, buy donuts.