Saturday at the Movies #20 - Closeup: Moonlight

First of all, I've come to the conclusion that I need to see more movies. I do keep a list of movies to blog about, and there are still many that I haven't mentioned yet, but at the moment, my viewing tastes are running toward the small screen. Even though I live on the same street as a multiplex, I can't remember the last time I was in a theater. Best guess is over a year.

The existence of DVD compliations of entire seasons of television programs can be a big boost to the cinematically deprived, so I'm going to count those as "movies" for the purpose of this blog. I'll likely be babbling more in depth as well. A lot of the shows I've loved the most are long off the air. Loving and losing both New Amsterdam (which will get a closeup of its own) and Moonlight in the same year, well, that does things to a gal. Especially when said gal is a romance writer and will jump on a good romantic pairing like the starving hyena she is in the tv department.

Moonlight - absolutely in my top five tv series ever. Yes, it's a vampire show, and no, I'm not into vampires. It isn't so much about vampires in specific as the idea of "otherness." Past mistakes, second chances, redemption, secrets, truth, acceptance and the knowledge that those who love, will love no matter what. Heady stuff.

I have seen Alex O'Loughlin in the new Hawaaii 5-0 pilot, and may tune in for future episodes, but he's always going to be Mick to me, and my brain may do this at least once per episode:

Mick's one chance at being a normal human, and besides stuffing himself with everything he's wanted to eat for the past sixty years, he takes advantage of his literal day in the sun by having a beachside picnic with his Beth...then gives up his newfound mortality when it's the only way to save her life.

Not only am I not into vampires, but reporter heroines are a pet peeve of mine. Sophia Myles as Beth managed to avert the stereotypes; she can be determined and strong-willed with enough softness that it strikes a perfect balance, and when she learns the truth about Mick, she's well able to handle it. Mick, I loved from the get-go. A decent guy at heart, betrayed and turned into a vampire by his evil (really) ex-wife, Coraline, Mick first saved Beth's life when Beth was four and Coraline had, umm, other plans for Beth.

All this time, Beth has considered that it was a gaurdian angel who kept her safe and rescued her from Coraline's clutches. When she meets Mick again, as an adult, the chemistry is undeniable...and complicated, because Beth is already involved with her gentleman friend, Josh. Torn between two good men, Beth tries to find the right path, until that decision is made for her. That episode is both one of my favorites and extremely hard to watch on many levels. Excruciatingly hard choices for both Mick and Beth in that moment of decision and it does have effects on their relationship afterwards. I actually would have preferred the Mick/Beth/Josh triangle to play out over a few seasons, but since we only had the one, this works. Very much fodder to mine in a novel someday.

A) I find it amusingly ironic that a vampire show is on the "living" channel, and B) please note that though both Mick and Beth's characters are LA natives, Alex O'Loughlin is Australian and Sophia Myles is British. No Americans in this pairing, guys; great work on the accents.

I'll leave this closeup with the end of the episode 12:04 AM.