I speak of ... Bobby. Rotten on the tomato-meter but now, a Golden Globe Best Picture nominee.I speak of ... Apocalypto. Which has been described by people I trust as a snuff film of sorts. Ewwww. And now it's looking like a possible Oscar nominee in technical categories.
I speak of ... Blood Diamond. Which looks like all the other Edward Zwick movies about the trials of ethnic folk and the white people who save them (The Last Samurai, Glory). I never like these movies and they make me angry because I l-o-v-e Zwick's television work (his true calling) and these white liberal guilt epics are preventing him from making them.
Argh!
This could be a very long weekend at the movies.
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19 comments:
Of the three, i've only seen Blood Diamond, which was actually a *really good* film. Much better than Last Samauri.
I honestly dug 'Blood Diamond' as well, but you have to go in there understanding it's Hollywoodized to its very core.
But I agree with aphrael, it's MUCH better than the tripe entitled "The Last Samurai".
Never saw 'Bobby', but immensely enjoyed 'Apocolypto'. Excellent direction, performances, structure... say whatever you will about the man, but he sure as hell knows how to make a film.
And I get where you're coming from on having to see these films because you feel obligated to.
I have to catch 'The Pursuit of Happyness". ugh
Bobby is still the best movie I've seen this year. There's no reason to dread seeing it.
Leo double.Leo double.Leo double.Leo double.Leo double.Leo double.Leo double.Leo double.
*is ecstatic*
I didn't love Bobby as much as JJ, but then I didn't hate it as much as QTA.
And there are truly wonderful moments from Sharon Stone, Shia LaBeouf, Freddy Rodriguez, Nick Cannon and Joy Bryant. There are awful moments too (hi Ashton! hi Christian! hi Helen!) but generally it's on the better side.
Mirren triple. Mirren triple. Mirren triple. Mirren triple. Mirren triple. Mirren triple. Mirren triple. Mirren triple. Mirren triple. Mirren triple. Mirren triple. Mirren triple.
Rob
Yeah, I'm not looking forward to sitting through Blood Diamond, Miss Potter, The Pursuit of Happyness, Hollywoodland, and The Good Shepherd in the coming weeks. It's like heading onto the executioner's block.
But I *have* to irregardless. You guys understand.
I know exactly what you mean. In Aus, so many of the good potential nominees arrive AFTER nominations, so it's frustrating when stuff like Blood Diamond and Happyness opens early and I end up seeing them in case they get nommed (and because a lot of the more interesting movies haven't opened yet). I think I draw the line at Apocalypto. Tech nods be damned (like little ol' gay me, as Gibson would have it!) - I don't feel the loss from never having endured Passion and Braveheart is the only Best Pic winner in 20 years I refused to see at a movie theatre (I jeered at it on video at a mate's house).
Don't be a moron, Nathanial. Apocalypto is a beautifully made film. HARDLY a snuff film. If you hate Mel for what happened, or just for his politics in general, then just admit it. Don't lower yourself and confuse the man with the art. And you call yourself a fan of film.
Like Beau said about Apocalypto= "Excellent direction, performances, structure... say whatever you will about the man, but he sure as hell knows how to make a film."
See the film before you judge it.
Ooo Nathaniel, Blood Diamond is a total mess. You'll have to see it, of course, and I totally understand the completist instict, but keep the expectations low. It is just as bad Samurai and feels exactly like every other Edward Zwick movie.
anonymous --it's hardly moronic to worry about a film that's been called among the most violent ever made. What does all the excuse- making for bloodythirstiness mean?
I felt physically ill watching The Passion and it wasn't because I don't like Mel Gibson. It was because I was watching torture.
oh and I've always admitted that I hate Gibson's politics. i've never pretended otherwise. what's your point about me admitting this?
There are more violent films than Apocalypto. It's certainly a lot less violent than The Passion.
Well, Apocalypto is indeed getting marginally better reviews than The Passion, so I think I will see it. I'll feel ill-informed if I don't. And some people like Blood Diamond, so I'll probably see that, too. If it's bad, I'll just zone out and concentrate on how beautiful Leo and Djimon are.
I've wanted to see Bobby for a long time so I'm still gonna see it anyway. Blood Diamond and Apocalypto.. I honestly don't care about seeing all the movies. I mean, so far this year I've seen 65 movies at the cinema (that included 2005 films that we only got this year) so I've deserved the right the skip the ones that look bad and wait for DVD.
I know EXACTLY how you feel.
Completism aside, I will not, I will not see Miss Potter. Please AMPAS, for the love of God, don't nominate it for anything that makes me have to chase it down. (Frankly, I'm not worried.)
I'm in a rut right now, too, of obligatory choices: The History Boys a couple of nights ago and The Pursuit of Happyness and Blood Diamond this weekend.
And Nathaniel: dread Apocalypto as much as you want. I would retort to "Anonymous" above that for everyone confusing the man with his art, there are just as many people confusing hating a director's work with hating a director as a person. Gibson's private life and sentiments don't even factor into why I find his movies empty of real ideas, overfull of violence, browbeating with themes that don't even hold together, and glossily photographed so as to package all of the above into something pretty and consumable. Plus, he films the same sequences over and over, repeating himself between and even within movies.
Just because I hate Ron Howard's directing doesn't mean I hate him as a person. Just because I do dislike Mel Gibson's personality doesn't mean that that's why I hate Braveheart and Apocalypto. (I was relatively okay with The Passion, though people who accuse me of "confusing the man with his art" in Apocalypto rarely seem to notice this.)
I am looking forward to your review of Bobby nonetheless, Nat...because I think if you hate the film liked I did, the review would be really funny.
Apocalypto is an is one of the most powerful and compelling films I've seen in a long time.
The cinematography is STUNNING. The Art Direction, Costume Design and Makeup are AMAZING.
And the Sound was BRILLIANT. I hope you get a chance to see it soon.
I really liked Blood Diamond, and I was not a Last Samauri fan. So give it a fair viewing, I'd say.
Leo is fantastic as usual.
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