Capote

"Capote" holds up even better on second viewing. In fact, I may even be giving it more credit than it deserves (and it deserves a lot), since it's been so long between seeing movies that actually preferred showing to telling. So much information is conveyed so seamlessly, almost invisibly in every shot of "Capote," with very little made overt or explicit. In this regard it reminds me a little bit of, I dunno, "The Insider," another movie that relies on the subtle nuance, expressions and emotions of its stars in conjunction with the brilliant direction and editing. I think it's called "acting," but I can't be too sure about that. Whatever it is, it's so nice to see a movie about people thinking that doesn't hit you over the head with what they're thinking about.

"Good Night, and Good Luck," which I just finally saw, is like the opposite of "Capote," in that it spells things out very clearly and specifically. But the strength of that film is that it does very little more than that. It allows newsreel footage - real, indisputable, part of the historical record - to do the preaching for it, a savvy way to link its themes to current events without drawing the ire of those willing to rewrite, forget or ignore history to serve their own purposes (or to serve their nefarious masters).

How anyone can see either of these two movies along with something far more traditional, hoary and definitely dull as, say, "Walk the Line," and consider all three on the same par, is beyond me.