Post 94

This is not the post wherein I make the synthesis that I implied in my last post that I wanted to make, though I do hope to make that synthesis before the weekend is over--no promises that I'll ever make it, though. No, this is not that post; this is the post in which I review Maverick.

I love Maverick. It's one movie I am very proud to own--but that's how I feel about most of the movies I own, so I don't suppose that means anything. It is very hard for a comical movie--especially a modern one (meaning made in my lifetime)--to please me. Though I think that I, at heart, am a fun-loving kind of guy, I generally prefer my movies to have something in them that causes serious introspection. Maverick is one of the very few movies I appreciate that is just plain fun, and that earns it a good deal of my respect.

Though I call it "just plain fun," I don't intend to imply that it isn't quality because it really, really is. I could point to a few different examples of what makes Maverick a fine film, but the characters are what I really want to rave about; they are all very well defined and consistent. I find it amazing that, even though it's surprising at the end of the first viewing that Coop is Maverick's father, the movie is actually more fun during subsequent viewings when you are aware of that relationship. It's obvious that William Goldman (genius that he is) didn't just toss that surprise onto the end; he knew from the very beginning, and you can tell when you watch it. I love that! It's brilliant!

Another thing I love is that, even though the little supporting roles are all awesome--Joseph, Angel, the Archduke, Johnny--they don't take away from the awesomeness of Maverick himself, which strikes me as a hard balance to maintain. How can you have all these really amazing little characters running around without distracting from the hero? I don't know, but Maverick is proof that such a balance is possible.

Hm. My body just suddenly shouted, "HEY! I'M TIRED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I thought, "Hm. That's strange," but then I looked at a clock and realized that it's nearing 1:30am--so perhaps fatigue is warranted. So, I guess I'm done.