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| marantzo |
 Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:10 am |
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Befade wrote: Quote: Anne Archer plays the bride's mother and is a joy to watch. For me she was the sexiest one in the movie, looked great and she's in her 60's.
It's a good thing you're married Gary.......now we women in our 60's can feel safe again.
I thinks thats's the longest review you've ever written. If you had posted a big picture of a buff McConeghy.........I would have read it the first time....
Betsy, Marta is 60 and will be 61 around the end of January. She's not safe.
I wrote a number of movie reviews that were long in the past, but for some reason I've been very lazy about reviews in the last couple of years. A few of them are on the Third Eye Film Reviews. If you dig McConaughey without his shirt on, you'll love this movie. 
Sitting there during my private screening of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, I had just endured a short about cooking in Cartagena that was so full of extreme close-ups that I wanted to scream, the title shots of GoGP finally started. It was out of whack, elongated with the heads cut off etc. I waited for it to be corrected, but it wasn't. Being the only one there, it was on me to get to the projectionist. I directed a loud shrill whistle toward the projection booth, but nothing happened. I had no choice but to find an usher and somehow with my single digit Spanish vocabulary, let him/her know what the problem was. I found a female usher in the lobby and motioned for her to come over. Guessing at the language I told her, "Cinema malo" and motioned for her to follow me into the theatre. Surprisingly it worked and when she saw the screen she said something into her cell and it was fixed post haste.
Living here with an extremely limited knowledge of the language, is turning me into a slightly talented mime. Another side of me that can piss people off. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 2:21 pm |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9010
Location: Shanghai
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This is turning out to be a great year for animation. I liked Up! a good deal, but the hell with it, try Mary and Max, a harsher and less life-affirming relationship film.
Adam Elliot made a splash in 2003 with the stop-motion Harvey Krumpet, a 23 minute short film that gets down into the muck and unpleasantness of life, while also being humorous and quirky. Mary and Max is in the same mold, a tale of two losers a world apart who become pen-pals quite by accident, though their friendship becomes interrupted by death, severe anxiety attacks, a stay in a mental hospital and assorted social phobias.
There are some very funny visuals, ranging from simply the way a balled-up piece of paper is tossed into the garbage can, to the many ways that Max's fish meet their demise, and quick throwaways such as Max's brain smiling. While the characters are sketched in in odd ways, real characters emerge, sad quirky losers, who we can't help care about.
The narration and the letters form the heart of the film and the witty writing keeps it compelling film. Toni Collette does the voice of Mary Daisy Dinkle, while Philip Seymour Hoffman is Max. I liked the way that Mary's Australia is shown in browns and Max's NYC is in classic black and white.
I think this film is quite an achievement. A good deal of humor in sadness and dysfunction, in a laugh to keep form crying way at times.
Other top-notch animation from 2009:
Sita Sings the Blues
A Matter of Loaf And Death: Wallace and Gromit
Up!
Coraline
Half of my Top 10 for 2009 is animation so far. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 5:09 pm |
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The Men Who Stare At Goats has a great premise, a funny poster, pretty good acting and is often amusing but rather lightweight. Which is disappointing because you can see how it easily could have been a lot better. I suspect, though, that a lot of the humor is so low-key that it will be one of those films that takes several watchings. Jeff Bridges is very funny as the soldier who decides he wants to find a peaceful way to win wars through the powers of the mind*, and gets the Army to form a team of psychic warriors (Jedis) who will use their superpowers for niceness rather than evil. George Clooney (also funny) is his greatest pupil, Kevin Spacey the serpent in the Garden of Eden (well, duh), and Ewan Macgregor a reporter who gets sucked up in the project.
I particularly like all the things you are supposed to do to train your psychic powers. The hot tub training looks especially promising.
* Spoiler The problem being that soldiers are actually reluctant to shoot someone standing right in front of them, so perhaps they should be trained to fight in a way that doesn't affect their sense of right and wrong. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 5:21 pm |
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| I should have mentioned that the psychic corps was called the New Earth Army, which sounds just about right. The movie also has the best tagline of the year. |
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I had a love and my love was true but I lost my love to the yabba dabba doo, --The Flintstone Lament |
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| lady wakasa |
| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:25 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 5911
Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
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FYI - Film Forum is doing a 4-week Kurosawa retrospective starting January 6... and "Madcap Manhattan" (1930s - 50s) the 2-3 weeks before that.
And IFC is showing Francois Ozon's Ricky, and the Uruguayan film Gigante, about a supermarket guard who falls in love by security camera.
There's some interesting stuff coming up... |
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| Marc |
| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:51 pm |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
Posts: 8424
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Richard Kelly's THE BOX is an intriguing mess. They use to make movies like this back in the 70s. Perhaps that's why Kelly chose to set the film in the 70s. If the idea of a mashup of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, Jean Paul Sartre
and The Twilight Zone tickles your frontal lobe, then you might like this quirky sci-fi oddity. |
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| lady wakasa |
| Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:53 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 5911
Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
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Marc wrote: Richard Kelly's THE BOX is an intriguing mess. They use to make movies like this back in the 70s. Perhaps that's why Kelly chose to set the film in the 70s. If the idea of a mashup of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, Jean Paul Sartre
and The Twilight Zone tickles your frontal lobe, then you might like this quirky sci-fi oddity.
I read a description of that a couple hours ago (I've been sorting through mail). It sounded interesting, although I'm not so much a fan of Cameron Diaz. |
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| chillywilly |
| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:43 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 8251
Location: Salt Lake City
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marantzo wrote: Quote:
I would be interested in your review.
It's one page back. Not a very well written review, but I was lazy.
It's a good date movie and I think you will both like it.
Just read your review. It's next on our list and should be here in a couple of days. Will give it a watch.
I don't mind Matthew in some films, although for me, my favorite of his is still A Time To Kill. |
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"If you should die before me / Ask if you could bring a friend" |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 1:05 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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lady wakasa wrote: Marc wrote: Richard Kelly's THE BOX is an intriguing mess. They use to make movies like this back in the 70s. Perhaps that's why Kelly chose to set the film in the 70s. If the idea of a mashup of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, Jean Paul Sartre
and The Twilight Zone tickles your frontal lobe, then you might like this quirky sci-fi oddity.
I read a description of that a couple hours ago (I've been sorting through mail). It sounded interesting, although I'm not so much a fan of Cameron Diaz.
Cameron Diaz is the very essence of the terrific actress who is downgraded because she's drop-dead gorgeous. One of her less interesting performances was in Being John Malkovich, but predictably she got some of the best reviews of her career for that one since she deglamorized. She did manage to win a NY Film Critics award for There's Something About Mary, in which she was delightful, hilarious, and sexy, but of course she failed to get an Oscar nomination for it. You see, it was a comedy and she's beautiful. Not smart if you want cred. Her best performance by far was in In Her Shoes, but she was greeted with generally meh notices.
Diaz can be very dull, never more so than in Gangs of New York (she was totally miscast), but when she's good she's close to great. |
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| Marc |
| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:08 am |
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Joined: 19 May 2004
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Billy,
Diaz does the best she can keeping a straight face while mouthing some preposterous dialogue. I can't tell if director Richard Kelly was going for a stylized retro 70s goofiness or if he's just plain inept at writing dialogue. The confounding thing about THE BOX is that I can't figure out if it's lame or sort of brilliant or both or...... |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 7:35 am |
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| There are some foreign movies here that seem quite interesting, but they are either in Spanish (mostly) or some other foreign language with Spanish sub-titles. I would see French movies in Paris, but I had a good enough knowledge of the language to see them. Also Italian or Polish etc. with French subtitles. I'll probably try some of the foreign language movies here if I think they are too good to miss. |
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| Trish |
| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:10 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 2438
Location: Massachusetts
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billyweeds wrote: lady wakasa wrote: Marc wrote: Richard Kelly's THE BOX is an intriguing mess. They use to make movies like this back in the 70s. Perhaps that's why Kelly chose to set the film in the 70s. If the idea of a mashup of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, Jean Paul Sartre
and The Twilight Zone tickles your frontal lobe, then you might like this quirky sci-fi oddity.
I read a description of that a couple hours ago (I've been sorting through mail). It sounded interesting, although I'm not so much a fan of Cameron Diaz.
Cameron Diaz is the very essence of the terrific actress who is downgraded because she's drop-dead gorgeous. One of her less interesting performances was in Being John Malkovich, but predictably she got some of the best reviews of her career for that one since she deglamorized. She did manage to win a NY Film Critics award for There's Something About Mary, in which she was delightful, hilarious, and sexy, but of course she failed to get an Oscar nomination for it. You see, it was a comedy and she's beautiful. Not smart if you want cred. Her best performance by far was in In Her Shoes, but she was greeted with generally meh notices.
Diaz can be very dull, never more so than in Gangs of New York (she was totally miscast), but when she's good she's close to great.
Agreed, I liked her a lot in Vanilla Sky (and of course - In her Shoes - where she was great) |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:19 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9010
Location: Shanghai
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I don't know anything about this site and no doubt inla could give us the lowdown, but here's some early chatter about AWARDS SEASON. The Weed Guy will be happy to see The Hurt Locker listed as a near lock for a Best Pic nom and the front-runner for Best Director.
I'm c&p-ing the Best Pic list below, but the article also runs down Best Actor, Actress and Animation as well. A number of potential best pics aren't out yet. I have heard about Nine, but not An Education or Crazy Heart.
Here be the link.
For animation, I guess I'll give Fantastic Mr. Fox a try, but Mary & Max needs to be in there
BEST PICTURE
1. "Invictus"
It has only been seen by some WB execs, but the buzz so far is more than good. More importantly, it has all the elements to build a consensus from Academy members (which is what wins the final price): an inspiring true story, a beloved Academy-friendly cast and a filmmaker in Clint Eastwood who many in the industry believe can do no wrong. And if it's half as good as the trailer, it's in. If it's as good and moving as the trailer? It's the absolute frontrunner. For now, we're betting on the latter.
2. "The Hurt Locker"
It has the consensus Best Director frontrunner and should make almost every major top ten list of the year (and top many of them). Would be a shock at this point if it didn't make it as one of the critical picks.
3. "Precious: Based on Push a Novel by Sapphire"
How many converts who didn't believe the hype surrounding Lee Daniels triumph change their tune over this past weekend? Judging by the reviews and the grosses, a very significant amount.
4. "Up in the Air"
The chance for over-hype is always possible, but we highly doubt it. Those who will love, will love. It's this year's "Juno" or "Little Miss Sunshine" slot filler.
5. "Up"
It's almost impossible to believe with ten nominees an animated film with as much artistic recognition as this one won't get in just because it's "animated." If it doesn't, Academy be damned.
6. "An Education"
The celebrated coming of age drama could still be left behind, but it's hard to see it not making the final ten. A consensus of critics top ten lists and lots of its lovely star Carey Mulligan at awards scene cocktail parties wouldn't hurt either.
7. "Nine"
The scuttlebutt on this one is all over the place. Last minute edits, songs being cut and some unprintable tips, but we won't have to wait long to find out whether it's good or not. Press screenings will occur at the end of the week.
8. "Inglourious Basterds"
Quentin Tarantino's latest has defied all odds to become both a critical and box office blockbuster. Something suggests a good number of voters who watch their Academy screener Christmas week will seal the deal.
9. "A Serious Man"
Perilous #1: After a month of release, the buzz is starting to fade just a bit on the Coen brothers latest. The approximately $5 million in box office in more than 238 theaters is pretty good, but how soon will the star-less comedy hit its natural ceiling?
10. "District 9"
Perilous #2: We've heard a strong campaign is coming from Sony Pictures to support "District 9" which the critically acclaimed Sci-Fi thriller needs to make the cut. We're still waiting for any signs of said campaign.
11. "Crazy Heart"
Jeff Bridges tour de force is on the cusp of cracking the top ten. Will the Academy ignore some of the film's faults and emprace the heartwarming story as a whole. It's still unclear.
12. "A Single Man"
A strong film this prognosticator loved out of Toronto, but was hard to envision the gay-themed drama as more than a showcase for Best Actor candidate Colin Firth. But now, surprisingly, straight men are starting to fall for it more than its intended audience. Is it this year's dark horse? |
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| lady wakasa |
| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:31 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
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billyweeds wrote: Cameron Diaz is the very essence of the terrific actress who is downgraded because she's drop-dead gorgeous.
Actually, my dislike isn't because of her looks (I've actually never found her gorgeous - more like girl-next-door cute). I will, however, go along with miscast, which is my main beef; the performances I've seen are the ones you mention as not being her best.
I sort of wish you'd *asked* first, though. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 11:18 am |
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| gromit: I think they've omitted two films which I expect to get a lot of nominations, namely Avatar and The Lovely Bones. I expect to see both among the final ten. |
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