Double feature time
I ended up seeing two movies today, taking advantage of the weekday off. First up was X-2, which was exactly what I expected from a summer blockbuster. It was done very well, and I think I liked it better than the first film, mainly because the story seemed to flow better than the first one, which had to introduce everyone. I'm not that clued into the comic books, so I'm watching it with a completely different eye.

A few observations about the film:
-- Alan Cumming seemed to have an odd Paul Reubens vibe about him.
-- It's hard to believe you could actually market this by saying it has two Oscar winners. The Anna Paquin thing confounds me all the time. The hair and the accent really threw me. I still keep on thinking that, "This is the same girl who won for The Piano?"
-- Who is Brian Cox and how has he ended up in so many movies that have come out in the past year? There's not even a pattern to the types of movies in which he appears. With that said, he made for a great villain.

Movie No. 2 was Bend It Like Beckham, which exhibited a real My Big Fat Greek Wedding vibe, at least in the clash of cultures. However, the acting was a bit sharper here -- it wasn't as over the top. Then again, the spotlight was on Jess and her football, and it was done very well. There were plenty of laughs around, but it was still very touching, although I think I could've done without some of the love story between Jess and her coach. I had to chuckle a bit as well when Jules (played by Keira Knightley -- a lankier version of Winona Ryder) was gushing over playing in the WUSA. It is a big deal among women soccer players, no doubt about it, but it's such an afterthought in the grand scheme of things. Then again, it's a bit hard to believe in a place like England that's mad about soccer, the women have to come to the US to really hit it big.

One thing that strikes me about movies like Greek Wedding, Beckham and even Better Luck Tomorrow is how much "traditional" culture/norms/expectations of "foreigners" is both cherished and mocked at the same time. There's a healthy respect for what's going on, yet it often seems a bit stifling, especially to the younger generation. I sorta feel the same way. There's a pride for our heritage, yet we want to adapt to the culture around us. While we want diversity and to show respect for other cultures, it's often those other cultures that show less respect towards the world at large.