Stranger Than Fiction

Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

Directed by: Marc Forster
Written by: Zach Helm
Starring: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emma Thompson, Queen Latifah, Dustin Hoffman, Tony Hale, Tom Hulce, Linda Hunt

I haven't done a lot of posting lately and I apologize. I kind of got stuck, but I blame the weather. It was making me depressed and pulling me down.

Anyway, this is that movie about the guy who finds out he's actually a character in a woman's novel and that she's going to kill him. Good premise, no?

Yep, I liked it a lot. Usually I really don't like Will Ferrell (nothing wrong with Will Ferrell, exactly, just his choice of roles. I liked Anchorman, but that was just about enough), but he was really good in this. Very... relaxed.

I like Queen Latifah, too, I'm sorry. I don't listen to her music, but I think she's pretty cool. And Emma Thompson. She's great.

(I'm afraid Maggie Gyllenhaal is conspicuously missing from that paragraph - I do like her, she just freaks me out a little bit because she looks exactly like Jake, but she's a woman. It's rather off putting, I'm afraid)

Anyway, I always thought this would be a good idea for a novel. Now it's been done. Thanks a lot.

From an artistic standpoint I thought it was pretty neat, too. All those white lines and shit coming out of his head? Great. They kind of cut that out a little once the novelty of it wore off, but it was still cool while it lasted. Of course, that does create a conflict within the artism of the movie - what does that have to do with the novel? I don't know. I guess it was just there to look cool, and wouldn't have made much of a movie all by itself. It just reminded me of some computer game or something (not that I really play them... heh heh (no, I don't play computer games. I read books. That's right...)).

Anyway, that wasn't particularly irksome. I thought it was pretty cool. Also, the movie was very well written, and I laughed heartily. I don't have a very hearty laugh, I'm afraid. It's more of a wheeze, but it's the thought that counts. I think hearty thoughts.

Dustin Hoffman was funny, I'm sorry. He's kind of repulsive, but he was funny ("Aren't you glad you're not a golem?" HA!).

Yeah, I thought it was really silly and bizarre, but handled in a really good way. It was tragically funny, which is important. Tragedy is always important in comedy.

And, even more important, it was about DEATH. Yay for death.

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