Seen any good movies lately?

The weekend before last, we went to see V for Vendetta. The Post gave it a so-so review, wondering out loud how anyone could empathize with a character hiding behind a mask. I can assure you, we had no difficulty at all identifying with the hero of this film. In a temporary fit of admirable restraint, there's no sex scenes in this first-weekend-top-sales blockbuster. But it definitely ain't for the squeamish. Some people have likened the near-future dictatorship depicted with our current presidency. While I'm no apologist for this administration, that's a bit of a stretch. Paul says it's "the best movie so far this year." He knows more than the Post.

One that I'm also sure to see (and if I'm too late, I'm getting the DVD) is the musician's documentary Heart of Gold, which stars Neil Young, a Canadian singer-songwriter and grandaddy of the 1990s "grunge" movement. I've been a fan of his for years. In high school, I learned to play harmonica with a neck harness while playing guitar at the same time. It was Young, not Dylan, who inspired me. The movie shows us a close-up of the artist's performance at (where else?) Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, with vignettes of the artist's personal musings, and preparations for the event. It's a musician's movie, but also suitable fare for any devotee of the "Americana" sound.

Coming in late July, we have Flicka, the remake of the 1943 original little-girl-loves-her-horse film My Friend Flicka. In the latter-day version, Alison Lohman is a few years older than Rita Johnson in her day, so we've got a love story at more than one level in the works. I'll go see it for the breathtaking scenery which I could have seen in Brokeback Mountain but didn't because... well, you know.

Sal will go see it because it also stars Tim McGraw.