Hamlet is my Homeboy

So we've been reading Hamlet in class and watching the different film versions of it and I have to say, I guess I totally forgot what a genius Shakespeare was, and I genuinely like Hamlet. (and Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, etc., etc.) I think, in classes at least, if you dissect the work so much and hammer out as much meaning as you can and you just forget you're reading a totally legitimate, interesting piece of work. Hamlet is such an interesting character, especially for the period in which Shakespeare wrote it. I didn't watch the modern version with my class, but I did watch the Kenneth Branagh version (my favorite). He does a lot of the Shakespeare films and I think he's just a genuinely good theatrical actor. Also, Kate Winslet does an amazing job as Ophelia and doesn't get as much credit as I think is due. I really love the difference between Kate Ophelia and Julia Styles Ophelia, one crazy and the other depressed. Both versions are believable, both are sad. I also love the Branagh version for all it's beautiful archetypes. While Hamlet has the best lines in the play (by far), my favorite character is Ophelia, or at least, I pity her the most. Nothing is really her fault and yet she gets the shittiest end of the stick. Shakespeare seems to do that a lot, the good girl always finishes last it seems (Titus). Rosencrantz and Guildenstern I've watched and read before, and while it was witty and amusing, it's not something I wish to revisit.
In other culture, I saw Slumdog Millionaire and I think my life is complete. Usually, I don't like movies with unrealistic endings, but it was so believable, I mean, after all the hardships and getting let down, finally, FINALLY! the good boy got the girl, the money, happily ever after. It definitely deserves the Oscar for all categories. And the Bollywood dance at the end! I cried I was so happy. I haven't done that since I saw Peter Pan five years ago, and never before that. The film was shot wonderfully, the child actors were scary realistic, (plus they all seemed to actually look alike [I hate it when family doesn't look similar or young versions look nothing like the older characters, etc.]) the plot was only predictable in one instance, the soundtrack was wonderful, everything- I just loved everything.
I also saw (my high school's) production of Footloose, the musical. It was good enough to sit through, although the main character Ren (despite the actors best efforts) had spunk at best, and while he could dance probably better than other high school boys his age, was outshone vocally by the whole cast. The best performance would have to go to the man who played the father/Reverend. He played his part convincingly and with passion, which is a big deal for someone who's 16 playing a man with a dead and rebellious child, and in charge of a town's religious morale.
I saw two other movies, Push and He's Just Not That Into You. Push had respectable special effects, though the plot was poorly executed. He's Just Not That Into You was too much back and forth between sappy and dramatic, as life can be. All in all, good week, lots of culture. Woo!