walk the line

this is certainly one of the best movies i've seen all year, and perhaps the best love story i have ever seen (eternal sunshine, the shop around the corner, and a very long engagement are all up there!) joaquin phoenix and reese witherspoon are incredible, they have amazing chemistry, especially when they are performing music. i can't believe that reese fought tooth and nail to not sing; she nailed june carter's sassiness! i also can't believe that i really enjoyed witherspoon in anything. i have also had somewhat of a distaste for her, especially after watching legally blonde two on an flight last year. (i don't know why i always have to watch the inflight movie, but i do, and i'm a cheapo and use my own headphones, so i get a bit of an earache from hearing the sound out of one ear!) she always seems to pick roles like elle woods in legally blonde-ugh. but i likened her performance in walk the line to jim carrey's in man on the moon; it was so good because she wasn't playing the typical reese witherspoon character.
i liked that the plot was kept simple-johnny cash's life and mainly, his relationship with june carter. it is a beautiful story, and so much more beautiful because it is true. it also was not watered down, didn't glamorize cash or carter, they were both very human. compared to other films about musicians, this felt more honest and down to earth. i thought ray was a good film, but to me, it lacked the intimateness of walk the line. perhaps this is because i am more familiar with cash's music and life than with ray charles'.

both joaquin and reese (i'm on a first name basis with them) deserve oscar nods for their performances. great film, can't wait to see it again!

**** 1/2 (out of *****)