tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post139024247145265205..comments2024-03-17T10:11:46.952-04:00Comments on Film Experience Blog: Love 'em and Leave 'em? A Brief Memory of Russell Crowe.NATHANIEL Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-69321541797234205092010-12-01T22:31:09.847-05:002010-12-01T22:31:09.847-05:00It's really fun to read these comments, some o...It's really fun to read these comments, some of which I wonder what to make of. Edward Norton more surreal than DiCaprio in all his performances??? Really? What the heck does that mean? I've never actually found him to be terribly surreal in anything, although he can sound a bit dweebish at times. But with that aside, I can't really think of many leading men who haven't lost me at some point or other, and that includes both DiCaprio and Norton. Even the greatest actor can lose his audience, if only for awhile. Think Brando, think Clift, think DeNiro and Pacino, think even Kidman -- who has been known to knit her brow (when it wasn't overly botoxed, that is) a few times. Still, her greatest triumph for me was overcoming that awful nose in The Hours. She earned brownie points for that one. I think one actress who's mentioned here definitely deserves what seems to have become of her and that is Jennifer Lopez. She had real talent but where the heck has it gone?Sheila Kindnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-30452996689435599822010-11-13T09:03:13.230-05:002010-11-13T09:03:13.230-05:00George Clooney also for ONE&ONLY reason: i liv...George Clooney also for ONE&ONLY reason: i live in France and i see 70 times per day the "wat's else" coffee commercial so when i see a movie with Clooney, i see Clooney and not the characterpommenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-29011947218506196592010-11-11T18:33:41.412-05:002010-11-11T18:33:41.412-05:00Anthony Hopkins, definitely. After the emtional, p...Anthony Hopkins, definitely. After the emtional, powerful, undoubtedly draining work he did in Nixon, he stopped trying. Granted, he had some nice moments in Amistad, but everything else has been sheer boredom ever since.Markkunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-63291571725336143842010-11-10T10:04:37.782-05:002010-11-10T10:04:37.782-05:00There's showy, then there's naturalist, an...There's showy, then there's naturalist, and then there's "why would you praise a performance in this film?" The last is my personal feeling on L.A. Confidential. Phenomenal movie, but, like The French Connection, not one I'm enthusiastic about giving acting noms to. (I'd rather give acting noms to voice work than this movie, which is why I think Crudup is closer to making my lineup than Crowe.)Volvagianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-28461161945937901932010-11-10T09:37:14.160-05:002010-11-10T09:37:14.160-05:00To clarify: I like showy parts, yes, but so much o...To clarify: I like showy parts, yes, but so much of the movie is about gunfighting that I don't get it as a performance movie. Spacey is the only actor I'd nominate for it. Of the five I currently have as nominees, I'd say Eckhart will likely phase out Nicholson (he's good, but he's played the part too many times to really be any sort of surprise) and then Kinnear is next to go, if at all.Volvagianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-72517944308501778432010-11-09T18:48:55.685-05:002010-11-09T18:48:55.685-05:00Actually, I've only recently started to fall i...Actually, I've only recently started to fall <b>in love</b> with Cotillard. She was the best thing in <i>Public Enemies</i>, managed to take my attention away from Penelope Cruz for more than 5 seconds in <i>Nine</i> and was my favorite special effect in <i>Inception</i>. I'm in Nathaniel's camp when it comes to <i>La vie en rose</i> -- which I thought was a respectable (albeit godawful) misfire -- but I'll have to give that one another shot since I just found out Nick awarded it five stars and that guy usually knows what he's talking about.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-88984556755187721062010-11-09T15:48:52.911-05:002010-11-09T15:48:52.911-05:00I'm starting to fall out of love with Marion C...I'm starting to fall out of love with Marion Cotillard. Ever since Inception, which I thought she was pretty awful in, my love has been dwindling. Hopefully she'll be in something soon that will make my love bounce back.Rahmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-9689975222388815752010-11-09T13:20:08.052-05:002010-11-09T13:20:08.052-05:00I'm with you with his performance in L.A. Conf...I'm with you with his performance in L.A. Confidential. He is one of the main reason that movie is one of my very favorite of all-time.<br /><br />Actors never become a personal fav simply because of a performance or even several of them but I usually know they will end up being a favorite down the road from seeing that big performance, if that makes sense.Castorhttp://www.anomalousmaterial.com/moviesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-80052369870384605962010-11-09T09:25:53.896-05:002010-11-09T09:25:53.896-05:00I could never choose Russell Crowe or Guy Pearce i...I could never choose Russell Crowe or Guy Pearce in that movie. Not enough acting. Nic Cage: Interesting choice, but could also be WAY too gimmicky for my tastes. Guest: Will have to see the movie.<br />Pacino and Depp in Brasco: Will have to see the movie.<br />Connolly in Mrs. Brown: Will have to see the movie.<br />Also: Have to see In the Company of Men all the way through to judge Eckhart.<br /><br />Probability of choices making it:<br /><br />Nic Cage: 35%<br />Guest: 40%<br />Connolly: 40%<br />Pacino: 45%<br />Depp: 55%<br />Eckhart: 90%Volvagianoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-76354279543082445152010-11-09T08:13:36.485-05:002010-11-09T08:13:36.485-05:00Nicolas Cage was awesome in Face/Off! Good call.Nicolas Cage was awesome in Face/Off! Good call.cal rothnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-76089775799059195932010-11-09T02:44:00.731-05:002010-11-09T02:44:00.731-05:00Oh, and Crowe isn't bad in The Next Three Days...Oh, and Crowe isn't bad in <i>The Next Three Days</i>, but he's not great in a way that's bound to be overlooked because the film looks so standard-issue, as happened last year with his offhandedly magnificent work in <i>State of Play</i>.NicksFlickPickshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04607501848596529493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-11274003957818386682010-11-09T02:43:05.410-05:002010-11-09T02:43:05.410-05:00Spacey and Norton are major candidates for me here...Spacey and Norton are major candidates for me here, too. Jude Law has experienced a pretty sheer drop-off in my estimation since being the best thing in <i>Cold Mountain</i>. But the real epitome for me during my moviegoing lifetime is Anthony Hopkins, who could not have been more exciting to follow than through the <i>Lambs</i>-<i>Remains</i>-<i>Nixon</i> trifecta and then, suddenly, Anthony was always bored. Almost always. And almost always boring. Total De Niro-itis, who is almost a patron saint of this phenomenon.<br /><br />At risk of being churlish about someone everyone seems to love, I really need Catherine Keener to take fewer roles or play them more distinctly. Stuff like <i>Cyrus</i> and <i>Please Give</i> just diminish too much of what was special to me about her persona before she got trotted out into so many movies to be neurotic or acerbic or both, in well-established ways. That said, I really appreciated her in <i>Where the Wild Things Are</i> and in her short bit in <i>The Soloist</i>, even though it was hardly a break from typecasting.<br /><br />(My '97 actors, btw, are Crowe, Guest, Nicolas Cage in <i>Face/Off</i>, Billy Connolly in <i>Mrs. Brown</i>, and Al Pacino in <i>Donnie Brasco</i>, though it pains me to leave out Samuel L. Jackson in <i>Jackie Brown</i>.)NicksFlickPickshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04607501848596529493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-72551231189849379272010-11-09T02:32:57.803-05:002010-11-09T02:32:57.803-05:00Umm... Angelina Jolie. Occasionally she shows flou...Umm... Angelina Jolie. Occasionally she shows flourishes of why I fell for her (I'm thinking <i>A Mighty Heart</i>, her cameo in <i>Sky Camptain</i>), but other than it its empty blockbuster movies and vacant prestige pictures. <br /><br />And Jennifer Lopez, actually. For a while there she was either giving great performances (<i>Out of Sight</i>, <i>Selena</i>) or appearing in really left field genre outings (<i>The Cell</i>, <i>U-Turn</i>), but then she fell victim to the "i want everyone to like me so all I'm going to make are romcoms HOLA!" curse and I've never looked back.Glenn Dunkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05424659636310160482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-85439378959352784762010-11-09T01:54:32.540-05:002010-11-09T01:54:32.540-05:00Sanaa Lathan in Love & Basketball really wowed...<b>Sanaa Lathan</b> in <i>Love & Basketball</i> really wowed me the first time I saw it, as well as in previous viewings. After that, I liked her follow-up leading roles in <i>Disappearing Acts</i> and <i>Brown Sugar</i>, but soonafter, she kinda lost my interest. I didn't care for <i>Something New</i> at first viewing, but I revisited it (after a couple of years) just recently, and I liked her performance more now. However, lately I've lost track of her recent work, and her recurring voicework on <i>The Cleveland Show</i> doesn't entice me to watch it.George P.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-66697197679613819252010-11-08T23:19:04.820-05:002010-11-08T23:19:04.820-05:00Re: Russel Crowe ... I think he's an exception...Re: Russel Crowe ... I think he's an exceptional actor who just doesn't make a lot of films I'm interested in seeing. I'm not usually into the tough guy/cop/save-my-kid thing. He was sensational in L.A. Confidential, though--still my favorite performance of his. And, on a superficial note ... he was smokingly, ridiculously hot then. If he made Robin Hood in 1997, I would have actually seen it. And if he wore tights, I'd have bought the freakin' DVD. lol.<br /><br />In terms of actors I am no longer keen on that I used to love ... I'm pretty damn loyal. I hate to say this, but Julianne Moore almost lost me in the lean years following 2002. Too many bad, bad films without enough memorable performances. Thank God for A Single Man and The Kids Are Alright. I'm pretty forgiving when I love an actor, though ... Moore and Kidman and Pfeiffer have had some rough patches, but I'm in it for the long haul with those gals.<br /><br />A lot of people have mentioned Naomi Watts, but I think she is pretty sensational. I tend to not think of her when I think of my favorite actors, but she's quite gifted ... and Mulholland Drive is one of my favorite performances by anyone. Not many people bothered with it, but she was quite good in Mother and Child this year. <br /><br />Christina Ricci and Rene Zelwegger are good calls. I'd throw in Reese Witherspoon, too. I used to like all three and enjoy a number of their earlier performances ... but now I could really care less what they do. I was never a super-huge fan of any of them, though.<br /><br />I'll add a name to the list ... Winona Ryder. I used to really, really like her. I thought she was cool, glamorous, fantastic on-screen. Not the best actress ever, but she had something I liked. Then a series of turkeys, phoned in performances, straight-to-DVD films ... she kind of fell off the face of the earth for me (and for a lot of people, apparently). <br /><br />Oh, I'll add Jennifer Connelly as well. She's done some good work, but she's kind of descended into one-note moping. She was never the liveliest actress, but she's become more stiff over time, seemingly.Joenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-58394790472798453712010-11-08T22:08:54.201-05:002010-11-08T22:08:54.201-05:00Lindsay Lohan... after The Parent Trap, Freaky Fri...Lindsay Lohan... after The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday and Mean Girls I really touhgt she was THE next big thing, then she doas an Altman film and take a supporting role in Bobby and I tought she was uber-smart for doing so and start building a stronger career. She's great in Georgia Rule and I even think she's good in I Know Who Killed Me (I think she understands the tone of the film)... but then it seems to me like she stop trying...<br /><br />*Altough I think deep inside I wish for a comeback, she's too young for really be over...Fernando Mosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01910646761117970758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-54536294682680623162010-11-08T21:39:21.314-05:002010-11-08T21:39:21.314-05:00Would also pick Christopher Guest for Guffman.
&q...Would also pick Christopher Guest for Guffman.<br /><br />"You know why I can't work with you people? Because you're BASTARD PEOPLE."<br /><br />Catherine O'Hara was also hilarious in Guffman. She needs an Oscar at some point. She's a national treasure. (Funny observation considering her appearance in For Your Consideration)Timothy Marshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02131297026714127049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-11978491883858962592010-11-08T21:35:32.853-05:002010-11-08T21:35:32.853-05:00parker posey was great in scream 3, but I really c...parker posey was great in scream 3, but I really can't understand her career since then...remynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-52117542771363133232010-11-08T21:28:00.049-05:002010-11-08T21:28:00.049-05:00For me, it's the BSA winners of '95: Kevin...For me, it's the BSA winners of '95: Kevin Spacey and Mira Sorvino. Both deservedly won their Oscars but, my God, what a quick sleigh-ride to mediocrity for those two. (I haven't liked Spacey since...LA Confidential, actually; and, aside from that Will & Grace episode, Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion was the last high-water mark for Sorvino.) Pity.Cluster Funkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07536270677455131262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-3137803486684927272010-11-08T21:06:15.522-05:002010-11-08T21:06:15.522-05:00I never thought it could happen, but I've fall...I never thought it could happen, but I've fallen out of love with Parker Posey. It's 100% her fault. No one put a gun to her head and made her get involved in that awful remake of one of the best psychological horror films of the past decade, <i>The Eye</i>, and now I can't take her seriously as an actress. Not when she goes along blindly, phoning it in, on a production that awful. I could accept her killing it in the otherwise awful <i>Scream 3</i>, but not here when she doesn't even try.OtherRoberthttp://sketchydetails.tknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-22462708000728621262010-11-08T20:51:46.963-05:002010-11-08T20:51:46.963-05:00i'm loving htis comment thread. it's so in...i'm loving htis comment thread. it's so interesting the ebb and flow of fandom.<br /><br />it must suck to be a star with a short run of love though.NATHANIEL Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-24428835508359615282010-11-08T20:07:36.491-05:002010-11-08T20:07:36.491-05:00If we're starting off with LA Confidential, it...If we're starting off with LA Confidential, it's Guy Pearce I'm frustrated with. He can be so fabulous, like in this and Memento, so why doesn't he do more work, get more jobs, so I can keep appreciating him?<br /><br />Russell Crowe (and Edward Norton) I still love, including their recent work. I adore Hugh Jackman, but why can't he make a movie that I want to see? And Rachel Griffith and Toni Collette - stop wasting your time.<br /><br />Usually though, it's the other way around. I grow to really like someone whose appeal I never got before. Sudden turning points, like Viggo Mortenson with LOTR, Nicole Kidman in The Others, and Johnny Depp in Finding Neverland.<br /><br />The one I used to like but cannot stand now is (shudder) Gerard Depardieu, and not for his admittedly current repellent outer self, but for the more repellent being within.adrinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-3558150857985019512010-11-08T19:29:55.239-05:002010-11-08T19:29:55.239-05:00RE: Edward Norton.
He got his hooks so deep in me ...RE: Edward Norton.<br />He got his hooks so deep in me at the start of his career that I've never lost interest or been that disappointed. And even though I'm not crazy about a good number of the films he's appeared in, in the past decade I've loved his work in <i>Stone, Leaves of Grass, The Painted Veil, The Illusionist</i> and <i>25th Hour</i>, and enjoyed his cameo roles (like the hilarious one on <i>Modern Family</i>).Paul Outlawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14223551781533342142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-60461044196580842232010-11-08T19:18:11.587-05:002010-11-08T19:18:11.587-05:00@ Hayden:
The King's Speech will change your ...@ Hayden:<br /><br /><i>The King's Speech</i> will change your mind. Lesley Manville needs to land in Best Actress, so that HBC can win Supporting this year. It's one of my favorite performances of hers EVER.Paul Outlawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14223551781533342142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-86381039430391276412010-11-08T18:57:49.459-05:002010-11-08T18:57:49.459-05:00I guess mine is an obvious one, but I have to go w...I guess mine is an obvious one, but I have to go with Vince Vaughn. I was discovering R movies when Old School came out, and thought his character was absolutely hilarious. Then Wedding Crashers came out a couple of years later and, while he was playing pretty much the same character, I liked that one too. Now, seeing Couples Retreat and The Dilemma coming out, I can't get the least bit interested.<br /><br />The same almost goes for Will Ferrell with me. Anchorman was good until it became a phenomenon. I thought Talladega Nights was great too. Step Brothers, I didn't care for the first time I watched, but after subsequent viewings I'm liking it more and more. However, I just don't find him funny anymore.Jakenoreply@blogger.com