Another that really might, perhaps even should, become an annual tradition. I knew that this movie would be vastly improved on a second viewing and I wasn’t wrong. In fact, if anything, I understated it. This shoots up my list of faves on this viewing, it’s either amazing or downright frightening how the movie has “aged” in only 2 years, aged well I have to say, but the relevance is just shockingly tangible, and I think it will only become moreso in years to come (for better or worse).

I’m surprised by how much I wrote on the first viewing, because what I failed to mention then – what I thought I had said – was that I was honestly, bizarrely now I think back, underwhelmed by it the first time. What I also forgot to say there was, in short, it’s mindblowing … frightening, uplifting, hopeful, quirky, sexy, sleek, and at all times astonishingly consistent for all the turns and tones it takes.

Incidentally, I couldn’t help incorporating and egg-bread based snack into this viewing too, lol. Not quite eggy-in-a-basket – didn’t have the patience – but I think along with a November 5th viewing slot, this also should be incorporated into the ritual lol.

There’s tons more to say about it – luckily, there’ll be tons more opportunities to do so.

October 12th, 2006:

They’re comparisons I really didn’t want to make, but they’re kinda hard not to, so I’ll just get them out of the way – this is very much “1984” meets “Phantom of the Opera”. I kinda stole the Phantom reference from Roger Ebert’s review which I read while watching, but I think I would’ve come to the same conclusion myself by the end of the movie. Personally, I found V resembled less the Phantom and more Tim Burton’s Batman (certainly in the first 10-20 minutes, at least till he starts on the alliteration) or, even more than anything, Vincent Price’s Dr. Phibes (I think it was the jukebox in his lair that clinched it, I don’t know why) … but I definitely see the similarity. The “1984” comparison is particularly hard to avoid when you have John Hurt frequently appearing with in an almost emotionless face on a giant telescreen

But for all its familiarity, this movie is still quite a marvel, peaking with a twist part way that truly blew my mind for a moment, and finally delivering the Natalie Portman performance that I’ve been waiting for ever since 1996’s Beautiful Girls (Closer was close but, on reflection, no cigar). And any movie that has you running out of the room halfway to make some eggy in a basket has got to be worth recommending. I think this is one that will improve exponentially on repeat viewings.

ps. Oh yes, and mustn’t fail to mention the wonderful little girl who says, “Bollocks!” to the BS news towards the beginning of the movie, lol. Such things no movie should be without.