Saving Private Ryan
I watched this film for the second time. You pick up quite a few missed details when you see a movie for the second time. Anyway, this has replaced Starship Troopers as the best movie I’ve seen this year. I won’t say too much else about the movie, except that during the first half hour of the movie – you won’t speak, or even eat – it’s that graphic and gripping.
When you watch it for the second time, you also have a chance to observe the difference in reactions of the audience. The first time I saw it at Hoyts at Broadway where the theatre was half full, and the second time at Greater Union in Liverpool (that complex is just awesome) in a totally packed cinema. In an answer to clapping after movies (see the entry I made a few days back), this was the first movie I watched where people clapped afterwards (albeit it was a half-hearted attempt – soft, and didn’t last very long). It’s also interesting to note the bits where people either gasp, and where people laugh in each of the viewings. The number of people in the cinema (half-full or completely filled) makes a big differences in the atmosphere.
I don’t think anyone got the joke where they are talking about Edith Piaf’s song. They are talking about why she sounds so sad and one guy says something along the lines of, “She’s sad because she’s lost her lover, but everywhere she goes, she sees his face.” The reply comes from a soldier standing in front of a backdrop of a totally ruined French town, “Yeah,” he says gazing out at the city, “that’d do it.” Now do you get it? No? Ah forget it… it’s not that funny :).
2:00am (GMT +10.00) tomorrow 
