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| jeremy |
 Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 3:11 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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Befade,
InLa was referring to The Girl With Various Manifestations Of Her Inner Rage. |
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| inlareviewer |
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 4:08 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 1949
Location: Lawrence, KS
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jeremy: ROTFLOL!!! True, too true. At this rate, there'll be another sequel, ghostwritten by Camille Paglia or sump'n, and then it'll be Noomi Madness all the time.
lshap: Fiddle away, with my blessings. That is so kewl about the Barney's in-jokes and personal associations, and Spot The Director is one of my favorite games. Blame it on being raised on Hitchcock pix. Wasn't planning to see True Grit immediately, far too much on the plate these daze, but now I must, given the more measured reax here from those of colleagues in Screenville, most of them a virtual (rattle)snake dance over it. Hmmmm....
bartist: Oh, my goodness. Natalie's with child? By her dancing partner/film's choreographer? Who's straight? And French? Well. Alright, then. Her Oscar ante automatically goes up a major notch.
Found her way invested in Black Swan, even with my reservations about how much nuance the script/Mr. Aronofsky afforded her, she undeniably had a death-grip on the nutzoid factor, and obviously the dancing. New? Not so much, perhaps, but it was impressive, and sure proved that Ms. Preggersman can carry a film. Now, she's carrying a kid. There's a lesson there somewhere. Lisbeth Salander is an original, indeed, on the page, for starters (ate those books up like lutefisk), and how Noomi landed her paradoxes onscreen. Another reason I wish Hollywood would leave well enough alone, but, they don't listen to me, so I can only shake my head sadly and sincerely wish Ms. Mara the best of luck.
befade: You're very kind, merci, it's as ever recreational therapy for me. Have much the same dilemma, re: Ms. Rapace and the Millennium films. Dragon Tattoo carries the rawest actress-as-masochist stuff, Played With Fire maybe the largest measure of direct and indirect pathos, Hornet's Nest builds on the aforementioned, culminatory without dropping momentum; also, those elements you noted (love her dripping wet at the door with Michael, she riveted me during the face-offs with PsychoBro). It's a toss-up, since she does the yeoman thing through all three pix. It's difficult enough to maintain character continuity on one film -- but three? Really almost unfair to even mention her with the other notable wommyns of 2010....but that's never stopped me before, tee-hee.
I edit, therefore I is |
Last edited by inlareviewer on Wed Dec 29, 2010 5:38 am; edited 4 times in total
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"And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim |
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| bartist |
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 4:38 pm |
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Joined: 27 Apr 2010
Posts: 6944
Location: Black Hills
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INLA -- With two grandparents that came on the boat from Karlshamm, Sweden, I can tell you that eating something up "like lutefisk," means you avoided it like a plateful of cancerous fibroid tumors. No one gobbles down lutefisk, nobody. It is vile concoction of fish and sodium hydroxide and probably something else so unspeakable that it can only be found inscribed in ancient runes on the underside of a rock in what's left of Leif Ericsson's outhouse. Swedes only eat it as some kind of rite of passage, like one of those disgusting food challenges on Survivor. Actors in Bergman's stable, when preparing for a role of soul-scourging despair and angst, would dine beforehand on lutefisk to put themselves in a proper frame of mind. (but I knew what you meant....)
And yeah, good luck Ms. Mara. I will respect my court order not to launch into further tirades against pointless remakes and the abysmal intellectual decrepitude of a nation that can't read subtitles. |
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| inlareviewer |
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 5:21 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
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Location: Lawrence, KS
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bartist: LOL!!! I was essentially joking -- devoured the books more like, oh, potato pancakes -- having repeatedly survived lutefisk at annual Christmas Eve outings at the home of the Singing Dancing Therapist's Swedish mother. Much wine needed thereafter. Also, recalling that King of the Hill episode, when Bobby devoured new minister Mary Tyler Moore's potluck offering, Cotton reacted with matches to the ensuing men's room odors, am a tad wary of its gaseous properties. Am with you on the anti-TGWTDT remake front. I roll my eyes every time a new squib about it comes over the wire. Deep sigh.
Finally saw Winter's Bone. Jennifer Lawrence is Going Places -- wholly gave herself to the stoic, stubbornly unshakable character. Dale Dickey continues to have a better handle on Southern Gothic gargoyles than almost anyone who isn't Beth Grant. The actor whose name I'm dropping that played Uncle Teardrop was remarkable. It's an unflinching, accurate-feeling portrait of post-millennial backwoods poverty, most notable in its refusal to over-explicate the multitudinous blood and near-blood relationships and its making methamphetamine a major character whom we almost never see. There are appreciably un-actor-ey performances, convincing locations and some spare, striking cinematographic effects. Those who've read the novel will have to comment on how faithful it is to its source. Although it held my interest, and thankfully never patronized its subjects, it didn't exactly move me -- there's something airless and overdeliberate about it. It is, nonetheless, the sort of film most people think of when they say "independent." Above all, it reminded me not to let my car break down in the Ozarks any time soon, lest I end up as hog feed. |
Last edited by inlareviewer on Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:04 pm; edited 1 time in total
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"And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:04 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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lshap wrote: True Grit as a bit better than Billy describes it, slightly more than good and less than great.
What works: the film beautifully captures the decrepitude of the old West in all its vintage, rusty charm. The vastness is invigorating, so is the basic story: Young girl, old Marshall and Texas Ranger follow the trail of a murderer, encounter villains and adventures along the way. Simple and exciting. The plot and the characters never stop moving.
What doesn't work: the character development. The three principles, Rooster Cogburn, Mattie Ross and LaBoeuf, are interesting sketches that never grew into real people. Mattie, the young protagonist of this whole thing, is especially underwritten. Sure, I get that she's smart, but what makes me care about her or her quest to find her father's killer? Nothing really, beyond her statement to that effect.
Jeff Bridges is fun to watch as Rooster, but even he's nothing more than a series of bullet points (pun intended). Damon is as good as his bland role permits. But here's the weirdest part: villain Josh Brolin - the Big Payoff of the story - is a virtual nonentity. And that's a big problem, 'cause you've got the two pivotal parts - aggrieved girl and murdering villain - as the two weakest characters in the film. So tell me again why Rooster got off his ass in the first place? And what's so important about what he's chasing? It's like the Coens built a beautiful car and forgot to put in an engine to make it go. The scenes work individually, but there's no motivation at the center of this story pushing anybody onward.
Granted, the Coen brothers aren't known for heavy backstories. Their characters are just there, exploding off the screen like weird-coloured fireworks, and we remember them because of how eccentric, funny or scary they are. Not so with True Grit. Strange to say, but I think the film needed to be longer, with an extra 30 minutes to be properly introduced to everyone.
Great synopsis of the faults and virtues of the movie, Lorne. I guess I was just less taken with the mise-en-scene and more turned off by the lack of character development. Also, despite Hailee Steinfeld's good work, Mattie just didn't grab me. She was humorless on purpose, but humorless isn't very engaging. And Bridges and Damon just weren't up to their top level.
Finally, you are so right about Brolin that I wish I'd said it. Ironic that this year Brolin gave perhaps his best performance yet in the practically forgotten Woody Allen movie You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, but the one with the publicity is kind of a cipher. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:30 pm |
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Did I write write anything about You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger? It got a limited release in Winnipeg. It is a very good picture with interesting characters who seem to want what they want and do some touching things and selfish things in the way of love, ambition, chicanery, fantasy, disillusion and desire. Many nice twists to how all this turns out. It is a great character study of people who are mostly lost in their situations and what they do in trying to realize their dreams. The acting is strong throughout and keeps you interested from start to finish.
In the upper shelf of Woody Allen films.
Of course, as is the custom nowadays, another Allen film that isn't appreciated. |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:37 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: New York City
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marantzo wrote:
Of course, as is the custom nowadays, another Allen film that isn't appreciated.
Except by people on our forum, including me--and I've been one of the most constant Allen detractors recently. |
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| lshap |
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:37 pm |
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Joined: 12 May 2004
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| As an accredited Woody Allen fan, I'm morally bound to see You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger again so I can see what everyone except me seems to see in it. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 6:50 pm |
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| Well, Lorne, (even though you spelled centre the American way), I'll still respect you if you don't care for it on a second viewing. |
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| inlareviewer |
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 7:10 pm |
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Joined: 05 Jul 2004
Posts: 1949
Location: Lawrence, KS
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lshap wrote: As an accredited Woody Allen fan, I'm morally bound to see You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger again so I can see what everyone except me seems to see in it. |
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"And take extra care with strangers/Even flowers have their dangers/And though scary is exciting/Nice is different than good." --Stephen Sondheim |
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| chillywilly |
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 10:09 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 8250
Location: Salt Lake City
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lshap wrote: Granted, the Coen brothers aren't known for heavy backstories. Their characters are just there, exploding off the screen like weird-coloured fireworks, and we remember them because of how eccentric, funny or scary they are. Not so with True Grit. Strange to say, but I think the film needed to be longer, with an extra 30 minutes to be properly introduced to everyone.
The characters in No Country For Old Men was one of the reasons that made me clap with joy when it won best picture.
Hoping to catch True Grit soon so I can post my thoughts to this discussion. |
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"If you should die before me / Ask if you could bring a friend" |
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| billyweeds |
| Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2010 11:15 pm |
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Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
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inlareviewer wrote: lshap wrote: As an accredited Woody Allen fan, I'm morally bound to see You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger again so I can see what everyone except me seems to see in it. Everyone except you and I, with all due respect to the favorable reactions here. Quite liked Gemma Jones and the supporting peeps (Pauline Collins' ersatz psychic merited her own film)...
Gemma Jones should by all that's holy be picking up a Supporting Actress nomination, but 'tis absolutely not to be. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 12:33 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12889
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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The rash of movies about British monarchs has finally reached George VI, which I don't mind because I've thought him one of the better British monarchs since, well, Elizabeth I. The King's Speech concerns itself about how he and a speech therapist overcame Bertie's stutter enough that he could address his subjects, which were, at the time, about a quarter of the Earth's people. That would make me stutter too.
At first the aim is to allow Bertie, the Duke of York, to address his people, and the first attempt is disastrous. However, radio is coming in, the royals have to fit in with the times, and there's this chap running Germany who is looking more and more alarming. Worse, the heir to the throne is a partying womanizer who would rather bed other men's wives than run a country. Even worse, he is currently seeing a woman who is also seeing a German diplomat, and the future king is insistant that he will marry her, a marriage against both Church and country. He wouldn't at all mind seeing Hitler sort out Europe. So Bertie, who would rather be a family man out of the spotlight has to face the likelihood that his brother will be eased out and him assume the duties.
Colin Firth is fine (of course) as Bertie and George VI; Geoffrey Rush is the eccentric speech therapist with a touch of Henry Higgins, but also a devoted family man who likes to act out Shakepeare to his children. (He used to be a minor Shakespearean actor, but his audience has shrunk considerably.) Helena Bonham Carter is Elizabeth, Bertie's wife and the future Queen Mom. It's nice to see her in a non-eccentric role, and it reminded me how fine an actress Helena Bonham Carter is. She also has my favorite line in the movie. When one of the speech therapist is trying to cure Bertie's stammer by teaching the prince to speak with stones in his mouth (the Demosthenes treatment) she asks if this has ever worked since ancient Greece.
The strength of the movie is in the background; the duties of a king, exemplified positively by George V and George VI, and negatively by Edward VIII, and how England dodged a bullet by getting rid of Edward before war broke out. George telling stories to his children, who don't care about his stutter at all. The oncoming war, which makes curing the stutter a priority, and the hint that Bertie having the stutter made him a more effective speaker by forcing him to speak slower with more emotion.
This is a deliberately small movie, and like The Queen, I expect it may get an acting win, a bunch of nominations, and that's about it. Oddly, the movie has an R rating due to language (Bertie swears as part of his therapy), blocking it from the audience to whom it would mean the most. |
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| marantzo |
| Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 7:49 am |
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| I imagine it will get here. Very good synopsis, Syd. |
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| Syd |
| Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2010 11:11 am |
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Joined: 21 May 2004
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Location: Norman, Oklahoma
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marantzo wrote: I imagine it will get here. Very good synopsis, Syd.
It's only showing in two theater sin the Oklahoma City area so it may not be in wide release. The one I went to has a $3.75 matinee but it's also more than twenty miles away. |
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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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