Summer...

...draws to a close. And it was over too quick. I spent too much time working, and not enough time with friends. And I'm not ready for 310. Ack! But neither is anybody else...(right?)

Just saw "The Three Burials of Melquadies Estrada," which not only starred, but was also directed by Tommy Lee Jones. With some movies, things start out great and get boring, but in this case the opposite was true. It started out slightly rocky, but just kept getting better and better.

Part of the awkwardness in the beginning was the time continuity. Some movies tell stories out of order brilliantly and with a purpose (i.e. "Memento"), and some movies do it crappily ("21 Grams"...UGH!). Here, the first half-hour or so is told out of order, and it totally works and makes sense. What bothered me though, is that after a certain point this is abandoned, and things are told in a linear fashion. That's fine though, because from here the movie really picks up. Tommy Lee Jones delievers a great performance, as do everyone else, and everything is photographed beautifully. And Tommy's direction is top-notch too.

What was MOST fun about the movie, though, was that it took place in the modern day, yet still hearkened back to the old western tradition. Much of it was obviously lifted from "The Good the Bad and the Ugly," but I sensed some "Outlaw Josey Wales" too. Admittedly, my knowledge of westerns is patchy at best, and I'm sure that there were other movies it resembled also. Anyways, great movie, in the end.

And happy birthday mom!