Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Archaeometry in the movies

Anyone see this? Any suggestions for other appearances of archaeometry in the movies?

Movie Review from the New York Times:

Opa! (2005)
October 16, 2009
Love and Archaeology

By NEIL GENZLINGER

Opa!, a sweet, nontaxing movie set in the gorgeous Greek Isles, has a bit of a black hole at its center named Matthew Modine. But the film’s female lead, Agni Scott, and some fine supporting players make this small film a pleasant if predictable diversion.

Mr. Modine plays an archaeologist named Eric who comes to Patmos in search of a particular religious relic that eluded his archaeologist father his whole career. Eric has something his father didn’t: a computer gizmo that enables him to find likely locations for buried treasures using satellite imagery.

Eric is supposed to be shy and awkward, but Mr. Modine makes him too bland to be interesting, which leaves you wondering why the lovely Ms. Scott’s character, Katerina, would fall for him. The vivacious Katerina owns a popular tavern, and when Eric pinpoints what he thinks is the location of the object he’s after — well, there’s a choice to be made.

Richard Griffiths does some nice work as an old-style archaeologist, conveying with just the occasional melancholy expression the wistfulness of an academic breed being swept aside by new methods.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Frost/Nixon



What began as a frustrating afternoon at the movies -- no accessible parking spaces, long lines, and an automated ticket kiosk that didn't work -- proved extremely worthwhile, as "Frost/Nixon" did not disappoint. The film, which portrayed the extensive 1977 television interviews by British journalist Sir David Frost of disgraced former U.S. president Richard M. Nixon.

Not having lived through the Nixon presidency and Watergate scandal, my opinions are formed mostly from textbooks. While "Frost/Nixon" reinforced a number of my beliefs, it also challenged some of them. I could relate to Frost's situation, as depicted in the movie. I'm no famous TV personality, but whether I'm arranging nursing care, handling medical issues or coordinating publication of my book, I know what it's like to put your time, your money, or your reputation on the line and assuring those around you that everything's going to be okay, all the while having serious doubts yourself.

All in all, it was a thought-provoking, entertaining film. It was definitely worth all of the aggravation of getting into the theater!