Real Life and Afterlife

An interesting day that began with an impromptu appointment with the dentist to check the fit and appearance of my new dentures, utilizing wax-based mockups. Two things were rapidly apparent. First, after many years of having far fewer teeth than is customary, it's weird to look into a mirror and see my mouth full of what appear to be normal, healthy teeth. That will take some getting used to. Also, I realized immediately that adjusting to life with dentures will be significantly more complicated than adjusting to life with no teeth at all has been. I've had to learn how to talk without teeth, but I think learning how to talk with dentures will be more challenging. At any rate, the finished products in acrylic should be ready for installation in another week or so, then we'll see. Mrs. bee was satisfied with the new look, which is a positive.

This afternoon, we went to see the new movie Hereafter, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Matt Damon. Clint Eastwood has become a trusted brand name as a film director, in the same way that Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese are brand names. With these guys, you know what to expect; even their worst movies are generally above-average, and their best ones are classics. I can't remember seeing a movie directed by Clint Eastwood in the last twenty years that wasn't worth every red cent I paid to watch it.

Hereafter begins with an exceptionally well-executed SFX scene, the kind that is made possible only with computers and digital technology, but this is no high-tech action flick. It deals with the issue of the afterlife, but in a subdued manner that doesn't rely on supernatural thrills or religious advocacy. Hereafter reminded me of movies like Babel, Crash, and 21 Grams, since it involves three separate storylines with different sets of characters, running in parallel for most of the picture, finally intersecting at the conclusion. 21 Grams was the first movie I remember seeing that utilized the structure, and it caught me off guard at the time. Clint Eastwood is now an AARP cover boy, and he makes good movies for sensible, mature audiences. Hereafter is rated an 8.5 and is highly recommended for any Eastwood fan.