Going Upriver with Napoleon Dynamite

This weekend I saw two very different films, both at the Arbor Cinema.

Saturday afternoon I got to see Napoleon Dynamite which has a minimal plot, yet still works. I laughed so many times at this film (see memorable quotes). The actor who plays Napoleon gives his character the funniest inflection. The costuming is so dated that my friend and I were confused about the time-period for the film: the outfits are from the 70s and 80s, yet mention is made of cyberspace and music from Jamiroqui and the Backstreet Boys is danced to. There was only one short period of time when I was wondering where the film was going; the rest of the time I was too busy laughing. This film is a shoo-in for cult status. I would be shocked if it didn't have a cult following already (Mel said she saw "Vote for Pedro" shirts on about three people at the ACL fest).

Sunday afternoon I caught Going Upriver: the long war of John Kerry. While not a groundbreaking documentary, it is PBS quality. There is no narration, only interviews. I learned a lot about John Kerry, and would suggest that anyone who has the slightest interest in Kerry check the film out. Ultimately, I left the film astounded at his presence and resoluteness. And at the fact that he was 28 when he spoke before the Foreign Relations Committee about what the VVAW was all about. I just can't fathom being able to do that.