So it seems like every month I start the "Recent Watches" section behind 5 or 10 films... and why should December be any different? Here's just a few of my recent watches that I hope to elaborate on here soon...
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Paris Je T'aime, Eastern Promises, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Scrooged and Talk to Me. I'm sure there's others I'm forgetting about too. Hopefully I'll write something or other about all of them soon.
The forums open...
19 comments:
3:10 to Yuma. A good movie that almost completely unravels at the end by allowing characters to act entirely out-of-keeping with the way they presented themselves for the previous hour and a half. But at least director James Mangold had the good sense to cast Russell Crowe and Christian Bale – easily two of the better actors working today – and pit them against (and in some cases with) one another out in the dusty old west. Bale plays an honest man trying to prove his worth to his family and his town. Crowe plays a criminal not trying to prove a thing to anybody. The basic outline of the story is Bale’s Dan Evans volunteers to help escort the notorious Ben Wade (Crowe) to the 3:10 train to Yuma. In doing so, he hopes to prove his meddle and earn some money for his family. Bale’s typically great, but it’s Crowe’s sly shyster smile that makes the movie. He may be a heartless killing thief, but hey, at least the man enjoys his job. And what kind of criminal would Wade be without his own gang? For the entire running time of the film, we’re headed towards the train alongside Dan with the gang on our tail… and Crowe’s smirk lets us know even he wants to know how this ends. B+
Talk to Me. One of the most purely enjoyable films I’ve watched all year. It doesn’t tread over any new ground, but damned if the path isn’t a fun one to take anyway. Don Cheadle portrays Washington D.C.’s own Petey Greene, a flashily-dressed ex-con (he prefers ‘miscreant’) who after finagling his way out of prison tries to worm his way into a radio D.J. position with a former inmate’s brother, Dewey Hughes (the fantastic Chiwetel Ejiofor). Being particularly adept at the gift of gab, Petey coaxes Hughes into giving him one chance to prove himself on the air and the people respond, even after he’s pulled within the first couple minutes. What blossoms from there is a great story of friendship, as Dewey fights for Petey and stands behind him as he almost forcibly pushes him to the top. I would have liked the film to get a little more into why Petey didn’t want to shoot for the stars himself… but as it is it’s terrifically acted, thoroughly entertaining and a pleasure to watch. B+
this has nothing to do with anything, but we just posted at the same time. awwww. we're too cute. ;)
Caught a couple Bergman films back to back.
Virgin Spring- perhaps Bergman's most linear story with little in the way of flashbacks or alternate story threads, but it still was a powerful piece of work. It tells the story of a young girl who is raped and killed by some herdsman. The story is a powerful one that shows that vengeance isn't always the answer and that faith will be rewarded. Max von Sydow once again shows up and he kicks some serious ass here. The imagery as you should expect absolutely gorgeous with such striking contrast.
Persona- this film is totally different from any other Bergman film. It actually starts with a several minute reel that shows a projector coming on and a cartoon be shown with spliced imagery of some of the most disturbing things including an erect penis (Tyler Durden at work?). Clearly this is to show that Bergman has no interest in making a film that has been done before. He is setting out to create something totally different. The story is about an actress who has gone mute from an event, and the nurse who takes care of her. Soon a role reversal takes place as the nurse becomes the patient to the actress's psychiatrist. The story spirals as we are left with creating our own interpretation of what it all means. Clearly David Lynch was a fan of this film. And much like Lynch, I admire the hell out of it, but can't say I really liked it. Still this film is quite risque with some very graphic sexual dialog. Oh my fragile little mind.
Scrooged . A horrendous updating (a.k.a. bastardization) of A Christmas Carol with a solid premise (an Ebenezer Scrooge-like TV executive finds his life mimicking the classic Dickens’ tale he’s been put in charge of orchestrating for the holiday). Unfortunately the promising idea is blown on cheap laughs, ridiculous caricatures of human beings portraying real people and a phony-baloney moral about-face from Murray’s character. Whatever laughs are here seem improvised by Bill Murray in the Ebenezer role (stealing cabs from elderly ladies and ripping up the drawings of his assistant’s child). But his Frank Cross is so deplorable that it seems like a total copout when we get the cheery, cheesy happy ending. We were better off with the old curmudgeon. C-
The Nanny Diaries. It’s getting harder to make a case that Scarlet Johansson is a good actress. Especially in films like The Nanny Diaries and In Good Company when Johansson is supposed to play a ‘plain jane’ character… she just can’t do it. I don’t know what it is, but she can’t play normal, not even a little bit. She doesn’t have the ability that a Reese Witherspoon or a Kate Hudson have to make a blank slate, underwritten character into something likable just on her charm (say what you will about some of Hudson’s worst films, Kate & Leopold for one, at least she has a pleasing personality to soften the blow). Unfortunately, Hollywood hasn’t learned this yet and that’s why we keep getting subjected to these dreadful romcoms that Johannson’s own personality seems to be at total odds with. In this one, Johansson plays a recent college graduate who doesn’t know what to do with herself and walks ass backwards into a nanny position that she decides to go along with until she finds the right path. Seriously. Being dragged down with the ship are Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney and Chris Evans – all talented performers – wasted in menial roles. Honest to God, I can’t think of a single nice thing to say about it… except maybe that it’s fluffy. D
There wasn't anything good about either "Scrooged" or "Nanny Diaries." Here I was disappointed in a holiday film that's supposed to be based on a classic and the other one a novel that's average to begin with. What's with all the hype on that book anyway? I didn't see the humor or romance in the big apple. Guess it goes to show you that sometimes you have to leave things the way they were originally intended. I hope the upcoming movies in theaters (Juno, Atonement, There Will Be Blood, I Am Legend, and Charlie Wilson's War) make up for all this bad acting and forgettable screenplays. The Oscars need to go to a deserving winner.
I LOVE SCROOGED!!! It is a holiday classic in my opinion. You guys got that one completely wrong. Maybe it is because I grew up on it, but that is a film that I know many people religiously watch it around the holidays. It has been a couple years since I saw it, but I still think it is downright funny and Bill Murray is gold in it. I'll watch it again since I own it and see it any of your complaints have any merit. For my childhood's sake, I hope you are just a bunch of Scrooges yourself since I hold nothing but affection for it.
But my brother would agree with you completely. He doesn't like it either, but than again my brother doesn't like a lot of movies...Pulp Fiction, all Coen Bros film, all Cronenberg films, anything with subtitles, anything older than 1990, and most importantly, Labyrinth.
Scrooged is awesome...The ever fantastic Bill Murray aside, it also features Mr. Bobcat Goldthwait, and a cameo from Robert Goulet (RIP mon frere). I watch it every time I catch it on TV, and may now go out and buy it just because I don't like the thought of someone not liking it.
I figured I'd get some Scrooged backlash... but c'mon guys. Look at it critically and it's pretty much a total waste pile. In my mind, there isn't a single sincere moment in the whole film. Murray strikes a couple of good notes (like I said, probably improvising) but otherwise? Nada. Maybe it's because, again, I didn't see it as a kid (apparently my dad dislikes it too)?
Anyways, some new recent watches (as I fall further behind, having recently watched both Dial M for Murder and For Your Consideration in addition to these) --
Spartacus. One of the earliest films in the canon of Stanley Kubrick (it hardly resembles a Kubrick film at all), Spartacus is one of those sprawling epics that while good, seem to be largely relics of the past. Kirk Douglas plays Spartacus, a rebellious slave sold as a gladiator who gathers and leads an army of other slaves against their Roman oppressors. Douglas is good in the role – massive in stature with a touch of emotion – but the real quality of this movie is in its supporting performances. Laurence Olivier as the Roman senator and chief rival of Spartacus, Peter Ustinov as the gladiatorial trainer and profiteer Batiatus and Charles Laughton (who won an Oscar) as Sempronius Gracchus (Olivier’s rival in the Senate). It’s a moralistic tale about freedom and standing up for what you believe in, while also a love story and boasting quotes along the lines of Braveheart... only forty years prior, “When a free man dies, he loses the pleasure of life. A slave loses his pain. Death is the only freedom a slave knows. That's why he's not afraid of it. That's why we'll win.” A-
Breaking and Entering. There’s a resigned look of despair and self-disgust in Breaking and Entering that I’ve never seen on the face of Jude Law before. It fits him. Gone is the cocky, I’m-the-coolest-man-in-the-world grin of his, and in it’s place is a soul to his performance that goes further than skin-deep. Too bad it wasn’t in a better movie... because this Anthony Minghella one is about as thrilling as an afternoon catnap. They might as well hand you a nightcap and gown when you pop this baby in the DVD player. It's a really dull tale about a kid who continues to rob Jude Law's architecture firm and Law's infidelity (yep, he's still a wandering cock in this one). Oh, there's also a painfully bad Robin Wright Penn performance as his painfully boring wife (Juliette Binoche plays the hussy). So really, it's a bunch of good actors and a good director trapped inside a tedious script. C-
Got all the Bond DVD sets, so I going through them all chronologically.
Dr. No- a good first Bond, but nothing great. Connery makes it his own right from the start. And my god does he bed a lot of women. Intriguing plot concept about manipulating our rocket launches and it has a very creepy villain, if only we got to see him for more than 5 minutes. Good start though.
From Russia with Love- this one was fantastic. Great plot, great action, great villains. Clearly Austin Powers was parodying this more than the others. Really great action scenes in the last half hour. One of the best Bonds I've seen.
And having nothing to do with Bond
Talk to Me- this really was an absolute pleasure to watch. Cheadle and Ejiofor are having a blast. The music is hot. The costumes are so over the top. Hell I even liked Mike Epps. The scene where Petey talks about Kings death was so powerful. There are some really honest and striking dialogue said here, just as Petey would have done. God it was just a lot of fun.
I'm gonna keep these short and sweet.
Rush Hour 3: Terrible. The best part was the outtakes as the credits were rolling. Don't waste your time.
Sweeny Todd: Excellent. I had hardly any idea as to what was in store but I was very happy with what I got. It is one of the best out of the ever growing Burton/Depp catalog. Only a minor downside is that the singing could have been stronger. Still a very solid (and bloody) film.
Layer Cake: I've come to hear this is becoming somewhat of a cult classic. I enjoyed the twists and turns to the plot as well as the cinematography but I came away from it feeling a bit like I had just seen a knock off Boondock Saints, albeit with an entirely different premise. I don't know...it just felt like it was trying too hard to be badass? Still, I'd recommend it.
Pirates of the Carribean 3: Everyone has already said everything possible about this so I'll just say "ditto."
Boogie Nights: Wow, what a movie. I think what I liked best was that all the actors are well known and all of their characters were ones that I never would have expected them to play. Very refreshing to see that. Poor William H. Macy though...I wonder if he gets tired of playing the spineless fool?
The Notorious Bettie Page: This is the story of Bettie Page, uber-successful 1950's pin-up model, one of the first sex icons in America, and the target of a Senate investigation (based on her bondage photos). I always like movies that attempt to reveal the true person behind their famous (or infamous) image. Anyway, this one does just that. I hadn't seen Gretchen Mol in anything before but she really does a great job as well as the rest of the supporting cast.
Last Holiday: This was a pretty cute movie. It's a feel good story with all the predicability you would expect. You just can't hate Queen Latifah.
Partial Watches--Never Going to Finish:
Perfect Stranger: Apparently everything important happens in the last 5 minutes...I didn't last an hour. And I really dislike Halle Berry so...there ya go.
Spiderman 3: Lasted about 20 min into this one. Heard I didn't miss much.
TV:
Extras The Complete Series: I very much enjoyed the first season. They had a formula and it worked. By far the best episode was with Kate Winslet. Then it all fell apart in season 2. There are still a few funny moments and the Daniel Radcliffe episode is a highlight but otherwise it just got depressing and sad.
Oh Rebecca, I had agreed with everything you said until you uttered sheer blasphemy.
Extras is brilliant...both seasons 1 and 2. Yes season 2 doesn't stick with the formula established, but you can't fault the guy for being more ambitious and wanting to tell a story instead of just trotting out cameos.
The Extras finale aired about a week ago, and once again Ricky Gervais has finished a fantastic story. Things don't end with everything tied up neatly much like Office, but it leaves you feeling like there is a resolution. It allows you to imagine what happens to these characters without literally seeing what happens.
This show wasn't as good as the Office, but than again what is besides Arrested. My mom never watched the show once, and she laughed out loud many times during the finale and she tends to not like British humor. So I think that shows just how damn funny it was.
Anyone a fan of Ricky Gervais should listen to his podcast and/or read his "children's" book, Flanimals. They are bloody brilliant.
OK...not posting on new watches, because, sadly, there haven't been many. But, I feel the need to weigh in on Chachi's post. I have seen only 1 episode of Extras (Kate Winslet's phone sex talk was brilliant), and am waiting until the entire series box set is released sometime next month to catch up on Gervais' Office follow-up. So, I can't comment on its brilliance, but I can comment on how awesome Flanimals are. Seriously, if you are a Gervais fan, you must go to Amazon right now and buy all 4 books. Don't hesitate. Trust me. Absolute brilliance. If you don't pee yourself by the time you find out what a Glonk is, I will eat a hobo. An entire hobo.
Atonement
OMG OMG OMGOMGOMGOG #@R$%$#@!$#@!! OSCARS OSCARS OSCARS @$@%#%@#!@#%!!!!!!!!!!
So.... that would be a positive review?
Everyone and their mothers (and I mean that literally) has seen this movie but Brian and I. However, we will definately be sharing our thoughts by the end of the weekend...can't wait! Be ready.
Joshua: Reason #3,937 I'm not having kids.
The Aristocrats: Pretty funny and interesting to see how this one joke bonds the comedian community. My favorite versions include Sarah Silverman and the dude doing it as Liza Minnelli.
To Die For: I always wanted to see this. Nicole Kidman is great in the role of Suzanne Stone although I think it would have been even more shocking to see someone like Meg Ryan do it. A very young Joaquin Phoneix is impressive. You have to see it if for no other reason than all the hideous outfits they put Nicole into.
Josie and the Pussycats: I could bad mouth this but instead I'm going to say that it was pretty entertaining in the sense of how over the top it was. Parker Posey, Seth Green, and Brekin Meyer are pretty funny and when you have a phrase like "I'm a trend pimp" coming out of Rachel Leigh Cook's mouth you just can't go wrong...right? Riiiiiiiiiiiight.
Corpse Bride: This story is decidedly different than anything I've seen before. Just like every other Tim Burton film. While I don't always love what he does, I can (and do) appreciate his work. While this film is very dark visually (and some would say subject matterwise as well) it retains a level of humanity and emotion that makes it quite endearing. I'd be interested to know how younger viewers reacted to it.
Once Upon a Time in America. Sergio Leone’s slow-boiling, nearly four hour long gangster epic that never actually concerns itself with the mob… instead Leone has decided to make a miniseries-length meditation on friendship, on loyalty and on the brotherhood of the neighborhood boys in Brooklyn and ultimately what becomes of those relationships after life starts to sink in. The length might be off-putting, but the story plays out beautifully and has enough to its story to make the time worthwhile. Plus, there are wonderful performances by Robert De Niro and James Woods and Leone never ceases to impress me. A-
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead. A depraved, mean little bastard of a film, Before the Devil is all about how tempting it is to go for the easy money. It also shows the worst case scenario for what could happen if you do. Ethan Hawke and Phillip Seymour Hoffman do an outstanding job of trying to dig their way out of a hole, all the while missing the fact that the hole is expanding exponentially around them. And as they get sucked further down, morals are just another bystander to what transpires. If not for a few plot holes and some storyline tricks that get repetitive (scenes backtrack and repeat, backtrack and repeat), Before the Devil could have been Year’s-Best quality. B+
Responses to some of your guys not-so-recent watches (sorry for the delay)…
Dr. No. Chachi, of all 23 Bond movies made, I’ve seen maybe 5. 2 were throwaway Pierce Brosnan films (Goldeneye and Die Another Day) that didn’t really amount to much. But I really enjoyed Dr. No, Goldfinger and Casino Royale. I’d be hard pressed to remember too many of the details, but from what I remember it was a very entertaining, and wonderful establishing movie for the James Bond character. I had no complaints. Still need to see From Russia With Love though.
To Die For. This is the movie that most resembles the screenplay that a buddy and me have been working on, very on and off, for a while now. It’s all about fame and seeking the American dream. It’s definitely dark, but comic and always entertaining. I remember Kidman’s performance as being especially good. Her best outside of Moulin Rouge!.
The Aristocrats. Good movie about a damned filthy joke. Gets a little repetitive hearing the comics tell variations on the same joke over and over again… but still, some are, uh, ‘creative enough’ to keep it fresh. Oh and Sarah Silverman was great, but you can’t leave off Bob Saget or Gilbert Gottfried. Hilarious.
The Corpse Bride. Was not a fan of this one. As one reviewer put it… it’s basically an ode to arranged marriages. Haha. I just didn’t think the story was developed enough. Interesting visuals, but not as satisfying as A Nightmare Before Christmas.
Boogie Nights. Fantastic movie. And for a movie about the porn industry, it’s got an amazing amount of heart to it. Plus, run down that acting list… Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Don Cheadle, William H. Macy, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Reilly, Julianne Moore. Also, P.T. is just a wizard with a camera. His best movie to date (could There Will Be Blood change my opinion this weekend? Who knows?).
”Extras”: The Complete Series. Rebecca’s right that Season 2 is not as solid as Season 1, nor is it as funny (mostly because I don’t think his achievement of fame or the “When the Whistle Blows” is all that funny and he kind of trapped himself into showing it in every Season 2 episode). Still though, that “Extras: Christmas Special Series Finale” was brilliant, more than making up for any lull – and there wasn’t much – in Season 2. It tugged at my heartstrings in a way like no movie outside of Into the Wild has done all year. Bravo.
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