Truth, 24 Frames per Second

About a week ago or so, I went to the movies alone. This, in and of itself, isn't extraordinary. I'm one of those people who enjoys going out alone, particularly to movies in the early afternoon. I had spent the better part of the week alone in my apartment, and I decided I should utilize the movie theatre all of two blocks away (Landmark Century if anyone is wondering.) So, after checking the listings in the newspaper, I found two movies were starting at the same time: Milk and Che. Both started at 1:30, and I figured I would decide which to see at the box office, because I want to see both very, very badly.

I thought about it on the way there. Milk, in case you live in a cave, is about Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in US history. I've been wanting to see it since I heard it was in post production, and have only heard good things about it. Che, however, happened to be the limited release "Roadshow Edition" of Steven Soderbergh's biopic of Che Guevara. Soon, it will be split into two movies, the first chronicling the Cuban Revolution of '59, and the second his attempt at organizing a similair movement in Bolivia a few years later. For a while here, they are running them together as a four and a half hour movie with a fifteen minute intermission where they will break it into two movies.

I decided to take the opportunity to see Che. Yes, sitting through a four and a half hour movie seemed daunting, but completely worth it to see the movie in its entirety. It's pretty neat how they do it: there are no previews or credits at the end, but they hand out a pamphlet containing all the credits when you buy a ticket. I can honestly say I recommend going to see it in this format, if possible, even though you are spending all afternoon in a theatre.

It's true what they say. If you go in with a solid opinion of Che, you aren't going to leave being converted. Personally, I am a fan, and the movie only reinforced my adoration. Benicio del Toro was wonderful, and the way the movie is shot is just fantastic. They splice into the first half Che's visit to New York City to address the United Nations, all the footage being very grainy and '60s-esque. The second half was hard to watch, knowing what was coming and anticipating his capture the entire time. When it was clearly inevitable, my heart broke, especially after seeing the success in Cuba. It's certainly powerful, primarily due to Che's strong conviction in the cause. Seeing that unwavering, despite the end being clearly near, was very difficult.

I bought the book the other day -- Che's diaries. I can't wait to start reading it. In high school, I read a short collection of Che's speeches not long after reading The Communist Manifesto. If you haven't read Che or Marx yet, I recommend it highly.