"Match Point" and "Matador" -- Written 12/31/05

Saw both of these last night at the Maui Film Festival's - First Light Screenings.

Liked both of them. Of the two Matador was the funniest, probably one of the funniest movies I've seen in a while - Greg Kinnear was lots of fun and Pierce Brosnan shows how good an actor he really is in his over the top performance. A very funny film.

"Match Point" - takes place in London, and is about what is required to climb the greasy pole and to stay there. Like Matador it's a dark film, with bits of humor thrown in. If your looking for a classic Woody Allen film, this isn't it, but if your looking for what he can do at the top of his game, well this is your film. Scarlett Johansson gives yet another brilliant performance. I hope she's able to work for years to come. It's quite an amusing send up of acting as well as a study of luck and human relations.

It's interesting that both films viewed luck being often more important than skill.

And both films showed Murder as a plausible way to solve one's problems. Not an idea I can support.