I’d never seen it all the way through – just snips, mostly of the end, as best as I can tell. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly was playing today at the Michigan, and Keith was dying to see it on the big screen. So we went.

I really wanted to like it. I wanted to see what everyone else seems to see in it. Mostly, I was bored. I mean, there were beautiful shots and some very comic moments. But oh the l o n g meaningful stares. And that whole war thing. Was that really necessary? Or was that the point? I couldn’t tell the difference. And the pacing was so s l o w. It seems as though I’ve seen too many borrowed scenes, too many parodies to enjoy the actual source material at this point.

Clint Eastwood is an interesting actor. He has such a distinctive way of moving. Deliberate but not stilted. Tense but smooth and gliding. I don’t know how he does it, but there’s an otherworldy quality to him. Maybe that’s what everyone likes about this film? Clint onscreen for three long hours?

I did do my best to keep an open mind, but I’m afraid this one just isn’t for me. Sorry, boys. I tried.