tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post877314329001417750..comments2024-03-17T10:11:46.952-04:00Comments on Film Experience Blog: Hyperboles Gone WildNATHANIEL Rhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-79313492324208159392009-01-04T21:57:00.000-05:002009-01-04T21:57:00.000-05:00I really can't respect anyone's opinion when they ...I really can't respect anyone's opinion when they use the word "overrated," as that tends to mean "I didn't like it so I'll act superior to everyone who did."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-40907702301792799652008-12-31T19:21:00.000-05:002008-12-31T19:21:00.000-05:00I am a HUGE Eastwood fan. I feel he was underrated...I am a HUGE Eastwood fan. I feel he was underrated as an actor and director in the 1970s and 1980s. Perhaps he has been getting a little too much acclaim in recent years, but my favourite movies of 2003, 2004, and 2006, were Eastwood films: Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, and Letters from Iwo Jima. I was pleased when they were all critically acclaimed. I thought Changeling was a fine film, and Gran Torino, though not as polished, was very enjoyable. As Dirty Harry once said, "Opinions are like a--holes' Everybody's got one."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-44173997518451131092008-12-31T02:22:00.000-05:002008-12-31T02:22:00.000-05:00I agree with Nathaniel on The Dark Knight. Wheneve...I agree with Nathaniel on The Dark Knight. Whenever I see all the praise it gets and ythe OScar recognition, I think "where the hell was everyone when Batman Begins" came out. That was a more coherent story, it contained the novelty of this Batman world, and it had the first interesting "Batman" I´d ever seen. The Dark Knight was all over the place with its story and characters. I still really enjoyed it, but as an overall film, I felt Begins held itself together better as a film (couldn´t they have saved Two-Face for the next film?)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-35379267237103783882008-12-30T10:08:00.000-05:002008-12-30T10:08:00.000-05:00Kaifu --you're not alone. Rachel Getting Married w...Kaifu --you're not alone. Rachel Getting Married was quite divisive.NATHANIEL Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-61802564560261221252008-12-30T01:27:00.000-05:002008-12-30T01:27:00.000-05:00That's a good list, Nathaniel. However I think Ch...That's a good list, Nathaniel. However I think Changeling is far more worthy than Gran Torino, and of course the latter is the one getting all the attention now.<BR/><BR/>I finally saw Rachel Getting Married last week. I guess I'm alone on this but I don't get all the praise.kaifuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03958184537504956524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-59367881852621995852008-12-29T20:34:00.000-05:002008-12-29T20:34:00.000-05:00christine... er, no ;)but i do have big plans for ...christine... er, no ;)<BR/><BR/>but i do have big plans for next year as always IF i can figure out some way financially to write more than search for off-writing jobsNATHANIEL Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-47457797700806837042008-12-29T19:32:00.000-05:002008-12-29T19:32:00.000-05:00Good to know about the Isabelle Adjani post is co...Good to know about the Isabelle Adjani post is coming some time. Looking forward to it. Could the whole blog just be about 1980's foreign-language cinema, 1930's musicals, and horror films of all eras? I would contribute a deep enthusiasm, albeit no money or job prospects for you. Sorry, I have no connections, as I'm officially poor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-20230424520543155472008-12-29T15:56:00.000-05:002008-12-29T15:56:00.000-05:00Blood Work is Clint's best film of the decade.Blood Work is Clint's best film of the decade.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-31664623659319096472008-12-29T12:56:00.000-05:002008-12-29T12:56:00.000-05:00Thank you for continuing to highlight to overblown...Thank you for continuing to highlight to overblownness of Batman. Once the 2nd half of the movie started (wasn't this really 2 in 1) with Two Face, it was ridiculous.<BR/><BR/>I just saw Benjamin Buttons. I would say this is the hands down hyperbole of the year. It sucked. And was a three hour journey through cheese.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03042442019699807228noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-15763455363578697282008-12-29T08:40:00.000-05:002008-12-29T08:40:00.000-05:00raul Manohla also loved Flags Of Our Fathers... sh...<B>raul</B> Manohla also loved <I>Flags Of Our Fathers</I>... she has a CEP too ;)NATHANIEL Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-42571416875113372732008-12-29T06:17:00.000-05:002008-12-29T06:17:00.000-05:00Much like Nat would like to see a movie released w...Much like Nat would like to see a movie released without any Clint references to see what the reaction would be, I'd like to see Clint make something like <I>Blood Work</I> or <I>Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil</I> completely unchanged to see the reaction it gets.Glenn Dunkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05424659636310160482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-21750305807878739432008-12-29T01:25:00.001-05:002008-12-29T01:25:00.001-05:00There's something to be said when a critic as leve...There's something to be said when a critic as level-headed and smart as Manohla Dargis raves about a Clint Eastwood film. Is it really Clint's fault that he has an excellent track record going into his 70's? You also seem to overlook the fact that there was a gap of 11 years before Clint was nominated again after "Unforgiven." Frankly, he didn't deserve to be nominated for anything during that period--except maybe for "A Perfect World." Since then he's made some choice films and each best director nomination since then has been well-earned, in my opinion.R.E.M. Borjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14334784720148950533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-63635977149426770482008-12-29T01:25:00.000-05:002008-12-29T01:25:00.000-05:00I'm not so sure Eastwood would win if nominated, a...I'm not so sure Eastwood would win if nominated, at this point. That's tough to manage, after you weren't even nominated for the globe or SAG. Unless the category is best supporting actress. I suppose if globe and SAG offer a split decision, he could swoop in. But right now, I'm thinking Sean Penn will win both.<BR/><BR/>Man, I really wish Murray or Depp had won in '03, so a Penn win this year would be a foregone conclusion.adam k.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13485604493059621307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-72667316473471255862008-12-29T00:26:00.000-05:002008-12-29T00:26:00.000-05:00Eastwood does have a seemingly rigid aesthetic tha...Eastwood does have a seemingly rigid aesthetic that could turn people off. I get that. I didn't particularly care for Changeling when I got around to it, but loved Gran Torino. I honestly think it's the best English-language film I've seen since The Queen, and the best since The Lives of Others. <BR/><BR/>The racial slurs were uncomfortable to hear. They also felt appropriate to the character and tone of the film. Eastwood plays an old man who probably doesn't understand why he's still alive yet lives like he's in the 1950's. Would the film have benefited from a broader vocabulary and fewer dog eating jokes? Possibly. But it's a minor quibble.<BR/><BR/>Now The Dark Knight...that's an overrated picture.Roberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00880244085871254217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-54949269288685544662008-12-29T00:18:00.001-05:002008-12-29T00:18:00.001-05:00christine sorry that isabelle adjani post was for ...<B>christine</B> sorry that isabelle adjani post was for a future project. it wasn't really intended to be "soon" :(NATHANIEL Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11597109147678235399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-53553169415163297182008-12-29T00:18:00.000-05:002008-12-29T00:18:00.000-05:00It's not just "mid-level" critics who worship at h...It's not just "mid-level" critics who worship at his altar. A.O. Scott, considered by some (himself in particular) to be high brown likes to sing his praises without a shred of objectivity. I saw him and Todd Field on a panel earlier this year and when Scott started comparing Eastwood's directorial style to Mike Leigh, I think I actually saw Todd Field roll his eyes a bit.<BR/><BR/>And to those crying to see Clint Eastwood get an acting win...really? Over Rourke or Penn? If it's about nostalgia and age, what about Langella who's never even been nominated? I pray that the Academy chooses not to complicate things and doesn't nominate Eastwood for actor. Even with the lack of precursor support, if he gets nominated, he'll win.The Pretentious Know it Allhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13279181033628364368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-12100067511651164212008-12-29T00:15:00.000-05:002008-12-29T00:15:00.000-05:00Was there really that much criticism over "Beauty ...Was there really that much criticism over "Beauty and the Beast" in BP that year? And enough of a stir was caused to get the animated category in play? It took the Academy ten years to get with the program then if that was the case.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-74811925492423986822008-12-28T23:41:00.000-05:002008-12-28T23:41:00.000-05:00Heath Ledger would have been the frontrunner for t...Heath Ledger would have been the frontrunner for the best supporting actor Oscar alive or not. The performance is that iconic, that great. Oscar history aside, voters wouldn't have been able to overcome the groundswell of critical and commercial acclaim for his work and the film itself to snub him or allow someone else to become the frontrunner. And frankly, in this meh year in supporting actor contenders, it wouldn't have been that difficult for Ledger to be the frontrunner in either case. If your biggest competition is Robert Downey Jr. in "Tropic Thunder," then yeah, whatever to that. I also think it's crass to suggest that the film made the huge BO it did b/c of Heath's death, or that his Oscar chances are solely tied into his death. I don't think people are that morbid. Sentimental, maybe, but people know landmark performances when they see them, and Heath's Joker is one.<BR/><BR/>I also agree that the demons that were in him (if we're to even call them that -- we don't know what was going on in his personal world other than his separation to Michelle Williams) were at play long before him filming this role. If the film's demands exacerbated those demons and led him to overusing the sleeping pills and such, that's unfortunate and terrible, but I believe that something else was going on beforehand, and the film's dark content shouldn't be the pointed gun in his demise. There have been plenty of villain performances done over time by actors who have managed to maintain their sense of well-being afterwards without diving into the abyss. Something else was going on. <BR/><BR/>Anyway, I'll be rooting for Heath Ledger and "The Dark Knight" all the way at the Oscars. Go get 'em!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-51524674538210410112008-12-28T23:26:00.000-05:002008-12-28T23:26:00.000-05:00"The Dark Knight" and "Slumdog Millionaire" are bo..."The Dark Knight" and "Slumdog Millionaire" are both excellent films that not only deserve the "hype" they've been getting and gotten, but also Best Picture nominations. I'd be thrilled with either film winning the Oscar there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-23267263215294370702008-12-28T22:25:00.000-05:002008-12-28T22:25:00.000-05:00I still say this Dark Knight hysteria would simply...I still say this <EM>Dark Knight</EM> hysteria would simply not have been the same had Ledger been alive. And that would've spilled into both the box office and awardage areas. But also, whoever said his death may have affected the editing and post-prod choices on the film has an excellent point.<BR/><BR/>Maybe it's not the Joker that killed him, as that is quite a leap to make, but I also think it's quite a coincidence that things started getting weird with him all during that shoot. I guess the demons make it possible for him to portray those characters, and also make him unstable. It all bleeds together in the end. <BR/><BR/>Also, Nat, please do keep doing the "overrated" and "worst" lists. They're very fun. Just keep them clever, playful and relatively free of spite, and it's all good.adam k.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13485604493059621307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-47949233390300777742008-12-28T21:53:00.000-05:002008-12-28T21:53:00.000-05:00Also, when's the Isabelle Adjani post that you pro...Also, when's the Isabelle Adjani post that you promised coming?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-90743951903815084242008-12-28T21:21:00.000-05:002008-12-28T21:21:00.000-05:00Glenn,For me this is the huge problem with sci-fi ...Glenn,<BR/>For me this is the huge problem with sci-fi or fantasy films. It's not that there are not some great films in those genres. It's that there are fans that are so devoted that you can't have a reasonable discussion with them about the merits of the films. It seems either you think the films they like are the best of all time or you are a loser/elitest/snob/misguided uninformed film-goer who doesn't recognize the genius of whatever film is being supported.<BR/><BR/>I want to support you, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror fans (I am, in particular, a die-hard horror fan), but how about some critical distance?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-51487268920147093372008-12-28T20:55:00.000-05:002008-12-28T20:55:00.000-05:00About ten years ago, I thought of Clint Eastwood a...About ten years ago, I thought of Clint Eastwood as the official Director of Sam's Club Studios. In other words, he, or his production team, seemed to be picking movies to make based on what books were in the 20% discount rack at Sam's Club--Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Bridges of Madison County, Mystic River, Flags of Our Fathers. It was really irritating and I never got over it. So Eastwood's movies come and go without making much of an impression on me. But I admire his work as an actor with Sergio Leone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-60568852124772316092008-12-28T20:42:00.000-05:002008-12-28T20:42:00.000-05:00I feel the same way about Clint Eastwood's directe...I feel the same way about Clint Eastwood's directed movies, but for some reason or another I want to see every film he acts in (which these days are one and the same). There is something about that steely-eyed glare that I just can't get enough of. Except for that monkey movie. I had enough of that after a few minutes.whitneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06048153758556096552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8256060.post-25032245568175801502008-12-28T20:25:00.000-05:002008-12-28T20:25:00.000-05:00I don't hate The Dark Knight but if you dare post ...I don't hate The Dark Knight but if you dare post anywhere that it is not the best movie ever made you will get attacked.<BR/><BR/>I gave The Dark Knight a 14/20 which is a very good score in my scoring method. Do I think it's the best movie ever/ of the year? Far from it. Do I want my money and time back? Not at all. (However, I think that without Ledger it would've been a 13 or 12)<BR/><BR/>--We are living at a time when motion pictures can be either masterpieces or pieces of crap, and that's definetely not the point. I understand when people don't like Moulin Rouge! or Dancer in the Dark as much as me (or even more divisible choices such as Margot at the Wedding) and I am able to respect their choice, as long as it's complemented by an appropiate explanation. This is something that fanboys should understand some day.--Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com