Crowe Out On Bale

When I lived in Missouri and would see a regional disaster or hard luck story on the television with P in the room, she would shake her head at the TV and say, "Why don't they just move?" I knew there was something wrong with this sentiment in my gut, but I couldn't articulate it until much later, when I knew my opinion no longer mattered. That happened to me a lot with opinionated people--they would speak some forceful version of their truth to make it more truthful with the force of it, and I would be so stunned by the force and conviction that I just sat silent, presuming what they said was probably true.

This is the reason why I could relate so easily to Christian Bale's character Dan Evans in the movie "3:10 to Yuma," which opened this weekend. Dan is struggling with all his mistakes of his past, all of his past that weren't mistakes but feel very much like mistakes, and not seeing the strength of what could be good. When someone hurls a "truth" at Dan with force, he stands there, numb and mute, taking it for gospel. Sometimes he'll even hurl a "truth" at himself just to keep it a lighter blow. It isn't until the end of the story that Evans remembers the real truth.

I could tell you in greater detail about the plot of the story and how wonderfully executed the plot is, but I would rather you see it. Instead, I will offer a few aspects that struck me...

Some westerns are good because they have an actor we like to watch in a western, like John Wayne or Clint Eastwood. Some westerns are good because they are well written, but don't necessarily have a big name in them.

Some westerns are almost a different genre when they have great actors and superb writing. I can only think of two movies I would rate this way: Unforgiven and 3:10 to Yuma. If you liked Unforgiven, 3:10 to Yuma will also entertain you. If you have a beef with Unforgiven, don't watch 3:10 to Yuma. It will be wasted on you.

Bale and Crowe are fantastic in this movie, but the supporting cast is quality all on their own...Ben Foster as Crowe's sidekick, and the boy who plays Bale's 14-year-old son should get an Oscar. (Not only that, but I could swear he looks like Christian Slater in the old chestnut "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves.")

The music is also stunning...sort of a Tim Burton's "Batman" score meets a guitar and trumpet. And a little something kooky on the credits--you know how when most major players of a film list their personal assistants it lists them as "Mr. Connery's Driver" or "Assistant to Mr. Gibson?" This is the case for Bale and Peter Fonda in the film, but Crowe's personnel are listed according to his character's name, not his. "Ben Wade's Dialect Coach." Huh? It's almost off-putting, but I guess if you're a nerd enough to be paying attention to the credits like I am it's not that important...LOL...

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Referencing back to Bill Paxton for minute here, just to a "Six Degrees of Twister" or somthing, but there is one more creepy thing with "3:10 to Yuma." When I saw "Twister" in the movie theatre way back in Missouri in the 1990's, I entered the theatre on a clear, muggy, hot day and walked out to tornado weather and thunderstorms. COOO-oooool.

When I went into the 1 pm showing of "3:10 to Yuma" this afternoon at Century Theatres downtown, the end titles started to roll at--you guessed it--3:10 pm.

Can you spell S-E-R-E-N-D-I-P-I-T-Y?

Selah, dear reader. Enjoy the week.