shows

In the last two weeks since I last posted (sorry it's been so long) I have seen two plays and two movies.  I had not planned on seeing movies while here because it is quite pricey but I ended up going the first time just because I wanted to hang out with certain friends.  I saw "Argo" with friends and it was so well-done.  It is movies like these that make me proud to be an American.  The risks that they all took to rescue the others was inspiring and the chance to see behind the scenes of a clandestine operation was fascinating.  I really enjoyed it.






The second time was because Elder Holland needed use of the Center for the evening so we had to vacate for about five hours.  I went with a group to the movies but ended up seeing "Lincoln" by myself.  I, again, really enjoyed it.  It gave me a similar feeling as "Argo" probably because it is another movie about the American people.  Daniel Day-Lewis did an amazing job as Lincoln and I found him totally believable.  But, it was sort of anti-climatic, though I would still recommend it to everyone.

The two shows I saw were "Les Mis" and "Phantom" both of which were great nights.  I couldn't help but think about the movie versions while watching the performances on stage which made it harder for me to just enjoy it for what it was.  I've realized this trip how much I love movies, maybe more than plays.  The talent of the cast in theater is remarkable and it is altogether a different sort of experience from the movie.  One of the reasons I think I enjoyed the movie version of Les Mis was because it was the first version of it, but more importantly, because I didn't react emotionally to the play like I did the movie.  I cried when I saw the film but at the play I was strangely unmoved.  For Phantom it was a bit similar, I still got goosebumps in the theater, but not as much as when I watch the movie.  I also love the close ups in film and the way that even whispered conversations are audible to even me while in plays I sometimes struggle to hear and understand.  Maybe when I watch the film versions again I will realize how much better the live play is, but for now, I prefer film.