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| shannon |
 Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:20 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 1628
Location: NC
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Melody wrote: Rooney Mara (the future Lizbeth Salander) has the only substantive female role, and it's tiny. [Insert feminist diatribe.] But really, would it have killed you, Mr. Fincher, to show us just ONE blonde computer science major in a pastel pink sweater set?
*spoiling...
What about Rashida Jones? The film is bookended by the only two smart women in the film verbally kicking Mark Zuckerberg's ass. (These two characters, from what I understand, are both entirely fictional, as well) I think the absence of substantive females may have been precisely the point.
The omnipresence of hot Asian tech nerd groupies may be another point, but it's a point that I haven't dwelt on very much. |
Last edited by shannon on Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:25 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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| jeremy |
| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:23 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 6794
Location: Derby, England and Hamilton, New Zealand (yes they are about 12,000 miles apart)
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Continuing on from my comment on actresses having to conform to a certain stereotype; it's just a thought, but is it just a coincidence that, arguably, the two most successful actresses of Hispanic extraction in Hollywood at the moment, Cameron Diaz and Jessica Alba, are both blondes.
And while we're bringing race into the equation. Are critics not allowed to say that Queen Latifah is rubbish because she's black. |
Last edited by jeremy on Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:25 pm; edited 1 time in total
_________________
I am angry, I am ill, and I'm as ugly as sin.
My irritability keeps me alive and kicking.
I know the meaning of life, it doesn't help me a bit.
I know beauty and I know a good thing when I see it. |
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| shannon |
| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:23 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 1628
Location: NC
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| Jeremy - I think you've explained why the first Matrix worked so well and the two sequels failed so miserably. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:49 pm |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 9016
Location: Shanghai
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What about Penelope Cruz?
I didn't even know that Alba was Hispanic. |
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Killing your enemies, if it's done badly, increases their number. |
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| jeremy |
| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:58 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 6794
Location: Derby, England and Hamilton, New Zealand (yes they are about 12,000 miles apart)
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Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek may have been bigger stars, but neither are doing a lot of work in front of the cameras at the moment.
Any excuse, and definitely not a blonde. |
_________________
I am angry, I am ill, and I'm as ugly as sin.
My irritability keeps me alive and kicking.
I know the meaning of life, it doesn't help me a bit.
I know beauty and I know a good thing when I see it. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 5:43 pm |
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Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12944
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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shannon wrote: Melody wrote: Rooney Mara (the future Lizbeth Salander) has the only substantive female role, and it's tiny. [Insert feminist diatribe.] But really, would it have killed you, Mr. Fincher, to show us just ONE blonde computer science major in a pastel pink sweater set?
*spoiling...
What about Rashida Jones? The film is bookended by the only two smart women in the film verbally kicking Mark Zuckerberg's ass. (These two characters, from what I understand, are both entirely fictional, as well) I think the absence of substantive females may have been precisely the point.
The omnipresence of hot Asian tech nerd groupies may be another point, but it's a point that I haven't dwelt on very much.
It's probably that there weren't any women who were major figures in the founding of Facebook and the major characters are all based on real people. Eduardo's girlfriend may be based on a real person, and she could have been developed more. |
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Rocky Laocoon foretold of Troy's doom, only to find snaky water. They pulled him in and Rocky can't swim. Now Rocky wishes he were an otter! |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 5:58 pm |
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Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12944
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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Let Me In is mostly a scene-by-scene remake of the Swedish film. Notably the episode with the cats is cut out, presumably because it looked so silly in the original. The WTF shot isn't there. (Chloë Moretz is 13 years old, after all.) The two kids are very good, the atmosphere is just right but I could have done with less mood music. It's about 90% as good as Let the Right One In, which translates to a very good film.
One directoral quirk I noticed was a tendency to blur backgrounds or foregrounds to the point where it's hard to recognize what you're looking at. It's the direct opposite of deep focus. It's particularly noticeable in a scene where the boy is having dinner with his mother. I'm not talking here about the normal out-of-focus you get from regular shooting; this is more extreme. |
_________________
Rocky Laocoon foretold of Troy's doom, only to find snaky water. They pulled him in and Rocky can't swim. Now Rocky wishes he were an otter! |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 6:14 pm |
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Posts: 12944
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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Berardinelli noticed it too: Quote: Owen is a loner whose literally faceless mother (Reeves shoots actress Cara Buono in such a manner that the camera never captures her features) is little more than a footnote in his life |
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Rocky Laocoon foretold of Troy's doom, only to find snaky water. They pulled him in and Rocky can't swim. Now Rocky wishes he were an otter! |
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| jeremy |
| Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2010 6:37 pm |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 6794
Location: Derby, England and Hamilton, New Zealand (yes they are about 12,000 miles apart)
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Apologies if I am posting too widely too quickly, I don't mean to disrupt the flow, I just have a very short window of opportunity in which to post.
The film Africa United is being touted as this year's Slum Dog Millionaire, which probably means it will disappear without a trace. |
_________________
I am angry, I am ill, and I'm as ugly as sin.
My irritability keeps me alive and kicking.
I know the meaning of life, it doesn't help me a bit.
I know beauty and I know a good thing when I see it. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 2:28 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Location: Shanghai
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jeremy wrote: Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek may have been bigger stars, but neither are doing a lot of work in front of the cameras at the moment.
I've seen a lot of Cruz the last few years, and would have thought she was busier than Diaz.**
Maybe it's just that I like Cruz and don't particularly care for Diaz.
Since 2006, Cruz has been in two Almodovar films and one Woody Allen. Manolete was pretty much a starring vehicle, but its finance got all messed up and the release delayed for years. She was one of, oh, about 9 actresses in Nine, which I avoided.
And she has a role in the new Pirates of the Caribbean and a bit part in the most recent Sex & the C.
Pretty busy for a currently pregnant gal.
** Edit: Just checked and I haven't seen a Diaz film since 2005's In Her Shoes. I'd simply say that Cruz is in more intelligent and better films than the more commercial dreck that Diaz chooses. I'm not even sure if these Diaz vehicles do well at the box office, but they do get pretty mediocre to poor ratings at IMDb. |
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Killing your enemies, if it's done badly, increases their number. |
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| jeremy |
| Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 2:42 am |
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Location: Derby, England and Hamilton, New Zealand (yes they are about 12,000 miles apart)
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| My bad; I was confusing Penelope Cruz with Jennifer Cruz. For some bizarre reason, I didn'tthink of Spaniards as Hispanic! Regardless, in the context of the discussion, I think it is valid to regard those from Spain as separate from American Hispanics or those from countries in America's orbit. Penelope Cruz was already an established star before Hollywood and Tom Cruise came calling. At such she didn't have to conform to an American stereotype of a film actress. In some respects, her presence reinforces the point I am making. |
_________________
I am angry, I am ill, and I'm as ugly as sin.
My irritability keeps me alive and kicking.
I know the meaning of life, it doesn't help me a bit.
I know beauty and I know a good thing when I see it. |
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| gromit |
| Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 2:57 am |
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Joined: 31 Aug 2004
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Location: Shanghai
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| I've never heard of Jessica Cruz. |
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Killing your enemies, if it's done badly, increases their number. |
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| jeremy |
| Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 4:58 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 6794
Location: Derby, England and Hamilton, New Zealand (yes they are about 12,000 miles apart)
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| I am going doubly mad, I meantthe actress known to most as Jennifer Lopez. Jeez. |
_________________
I am angry, I am ill, and I'm as ugly as sin.
My irritability keeps me alive and kicking.
I know the meaning of life, it doesn't help me a bit.
I know beauty and I know a good thing when I see it. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 6:05 am |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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Penelope Cruz and Cameron Diaz are IMO equally talented in different ways. The fact that they are both of Hispanic descent is one of the only things they have in common. Cruz is very sexy and can be funny on occasion, but only with good dialogue to back her up. Her English is gettng better but she's still at her best in her native tongue. Diaz is a natural comedian who can do serious extremely well, as proved by her excellent perfs in In Her Shoes and Being John Malkovich (though I detested the movie). She's not as "sexy" as Cruz, but she's remarkably appealing and certainly holds her own in the "girl" department.
Jennifer Lopez has chops but doesn't often deign to use them. She's also still gorgeous, which helps. We'll be seeing a lot more of her soon when she becomes a judge on American Idol. |
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| jeremy |
| Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2010 6:38 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 6794
Location: Derby, England and Hamilton, New Zealand (yes they are about 12,000 miles apart)
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Billy,
I agree with your comments about Diaz and Cruz, but I have never been convinced by jennifer Lopez. Neither have I been taken by any of the characters. I think she either lacks warmth or the ability to project it as an actress. |
_________________
I am angry, I am ill, and I'm as ugly as sin.
My irritability keeps me alive and kicking.
I know the meaning of life, it doesn't help me a bit.
I know beauty and I know a good thing when I see it. |
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