3 posts tagged “characters”
When I first saw The Devil Wears Prada in 2006, I, too, was a naive college graduate like Andy Sachs. I remember identifying with her, but not really caring for the film all that much, except for Meryl Streep's killer performance as Miranda Priestly.
Three years later, I rewatched the film on FX and suddenly loved the movie. In fact, every time FX shows Prada, I MUST stop and watch it. Perhaps, it's because I've been in more job situations since 2006, but for some reason The Devil Wears Prada is like a fine wine to me, better and more meaningful with age (I'd also like to think of this as a metaphor for me and my career!).
What is it about some movies that don't resonate the first time, but hit it right on the money the second time around? I also feel this way about Something's Gotta Give for some reason. Is it that sometimes people have to change before they can appreciate a film? I find it amazing that I couldn't appreciate a silly little movie until I lived just a little bit longer.
I actually think Prada is an important movie for anyone to watch following high school, college, or any sort of graduation. It's about more than a first job opportunity. It's about maintaining self-worth and integrity in any job and knowing when to leave when either one of these is compromised.
Now I wonder what other films distance might work on. I never cared for Streep's film Prime from 2005. Maybe I should give it another shot. Nah, I don't think anything can save that one.
I finally finished the "Lost" season finale and actually cried when Dr. Juliet Burke was pulled down the shaft to her electromagnetic, tearful death (or life -- who knows what J.J. Abrams and crew have in store for her). But Juliet wasn't the only one to bite the big one. Dharma Initiative member Phil also got it -- bad, with metal rods thrown through his body like a piece of straw through a brick (they say it can happen in a tornado!).
I liked Phil. Not because I was rooting for him, but because actor Patrick Fischler plays him! For the past year, I've seen this character actor pop up almost EVERYWHERE -- including stints on "Pushing Daisies" and AMC's "Mad Men." I also spotted him in Old School and Ghost World recently. And although I didn't watch "Southland" or "Cold Case," he also appeared on these shows.
What I like about him as a character actor is that he plays the villain so well. First, I found him on "Mad Men" where he played Jimmy Barrett, a Jerry Lewis-type comedian who brutally insulted a couple of fans in one episode (the scene made me totally uncomfortable, which is the mark of a good actor). Second, I spotted him on "Pushing Daisies," where he played "The Waffle Nazi," sporting a fake German accent in order to fool Ned, Olive, and the entire "Comfort Food" contest. Lastly, on "Lost," he was the ultimate in his repertoire of villains, shooting and killing people and trying to keep Jack and Co. from detonating the Hydrogen bomb (better luck next time, Phil).
Even though he presumably won't be appearing on "Lost" any longer," I know I'll be seeing him soon in the near future on another television program or movie. He's EVERYWHERE!
It had been a few years since I had last watched Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the claymation classic from 1964 that airs every December on CBS. While watching Rudolph and crew battle everything from the Abominable Snow Monster to the mean bastard reindeer who made fun of Rudy's nose, I was struck by the importance of one of the main characters: Hermey, the elf who didn't want to make toys, but would rather teach children the lesson of flossing.
Hermey was a monumental elf in that he was the first openly gay character on network television, which was pretty crazy for the early 1960's when the only gays were still unhappily married to their wives (and vice versa). Throughout much of the film, Hermey claims to be a "misfit" that doesn't "fit in." Yet, through it all, he finds his way and maintains his independence, eventually becoming a dentist at the end of the film.
"Dentists" was 1960's lingo for homosexuality. I can't believe it took me 20 odd years to realize this. The message of Rudolph is still to be true to yourself, but suddenly, it has taken on a stronger significance for me. If not for Hermey, there would be no Ellen. No Anderson Cooper. No Tom Cruise Top Gun volleyball scene.
Each year, entertainment commentators count how many openly gay characters there are on network television. Since the demise of Will & Grace, these numbers have dwindled. However, recently Grey's Anatomy fans gained an openly gay character (Dr. Hahn) to embrace, only to suddenly lose her when she was let go from the show for reasons unknown (perhaps because she was not a dead character from two seasons ago). Some message boarders lamented, "Another gay character off of network television." Well, my friends, Hermey fills that void. Maybe not on a weekly basis, but at least for one day a year, spreading Christmas joy and the message of tolerance. Score one for CBS.
