Saturday, November 29, 2008
Still Digesting...
I guess I'm still in a sort of turkey/stuffing/pie coma. Talk amongst yourselves if you've anything cinematic to say...
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22 comments:
I LOVE Laura Dern.....just saying
What do people think about Rosemarie DeWitt's chances for Rachel Getting Married?
I'm really gunning for her. I think she grounds a potentially grating character in something earthy and beautiful. She may be slightly better than Hathaway in my book, though I loved them both.
No love for Winger from me, though. I thought Demme didn't know what to do with her, and sort of let her flail about all actorly on the sidelines.
I'm with you on Laura Dern. She's amazing in Inland Empire.
re: Rosemarie DeWitt
For the nod? Easy - I'd be surprised if she was dropped. I expect her to lead the critics race, for the most part. For the win? No idea. Truth is, I can't imagine anyone winning the oscar yet. In any category, though, so that's my own thinking.
is listening to rachmaninov, genius!
"Australia" will grow in everybody's hearts little by little. Probably, "Australia" and the audiences were not meant to experience a love at first sight, but it will remain as one of the all-time epic romances of the silver screen!
Do not miss and/or forget this masterpiece, please! Members of the Academy of Hollywood should take the movie into consideration come nomination time. We want to see (Lady) Nicole Kidman nominated once again, and it would be a crime if Brandon Walters were missing from the list of nominees. Baz Luhrmann should be mentioned as well. He is one of the great masters of our age, and he needs a most deserving recognition. Seven years and a half (from 12.5/13 to 20, personally) from the masterful "Moulin Rouge!" has been an eternity!
With "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", "Slumdog millionaire" and "Australia", we are in front to one of the most masterfully romantic years of cinema in a very, very, very, very longtime.
Thank you for those ravishing kisses in the sunset!
Thank you to all the artists who so beautifully and creatively built "Australia"!
I am less sure of DeWitt than many... partially because I know that groupthink might be wrong about the supporting categories. A lot will depend on the way the wind blows with the first precursors... whether they're trying to predict Oscars --in which case you might get four December supp. actresses (from Benj Button, Doubt, Wrestler, Reader or Rev Road) plus Penelope Cruz -- or if they're just nominating the people they think are great in which case the field might be larger and who knows...
the only sure thing already released in this category is still Cruz.
oh and joshua & kevin hear hear on Laura Dern. But in general... not just in INLAND EMPIRE.
Just saw Milk (from cruddy 'up-in-front-and-to-the-side' seats as the place was packed; in fact, I think we got two of the last four seats :D ).
I went in skeptical (wary of the biopic formula and its treatment of an historical figure that I greatly admire, so on, so forth).
Well, I must be turning into a softy, because I fell for it all, completely, and with only some nitpicky hesitations. Loved the supporting work, loved the blend of real-life footage and so on.
Lots has been said about Penn and the wonderful attention-to-detail and score and so on, and I'm not going to lay down my two cents, except to say that I'm no expert on Milk, but I'm doggedly proud that I know more about him than lots of folk my age.
So I had one main hesitation before seeing the film: that it would just focus on a few so-called "defining" moments with lots of standard bombast (a la 'Walk the Line', for instance), which would make one think that they've seen a life unfold on screen, but really missed out on so much.
But what I feel the the film did wonderfully was present a well-defined picture of Milk the man (not hero or martyr or saint), and his surroundings.
There seemed to be just enough information (what happened, who was who, etc), but also a clear insistence that this is an important part of history to continue studying and discussing.
If anything, "Milk" made me want to revisit "The Mayor of Castro Street" and get even more info than I already have stored in my head. And I certainly was itching to discuss what I've seen.
To me, that kind of drive for involvement and reflection is a bullseye in terms of movie-making.
Wow, that sure was a ramble... So, um, a "yea" for the film from me, I guess. :)
So, I finally saw "Australia" last night after about a year of anticipation. It was...an epic disappoinment. However, I did enjoy your review.
I'm glad I was never expecting much out of Australia. The disappointment would've been rough.
Am I the only one who was annoyed by how CGI'ed the cattle looked?
There was some really good stuff there, though.
Rachel Getting Married could still go any number of ways. I could be the seemed-like-a-just-miss-even-though-it-was-really-far-from-best-pic oscar player (noms in actress, supporting, screenplay, director), or it could be a one-nom wonder (original screenplay). Right now I think it's noms for Hathaway & DeWitt and a win for Jenny Lumet, but it could swing any number of ways.
I so want Demme to make it for his daring, distinctive, inspired direction, and I think it could still happen. But I think Aronofsky is a more likely lone director, for his newly low-key style and semi-comeback from The Fountain, and for being overdue. And because The Wrestler is more manly.
Also, does anyone else see Jenny Lumet as being locked and loaded for the Original Screenplay win?
Shades of Sofia Coppola with that one (though she didn't direct her film and it won't be up for best picture).
It also just seems like Rachel Getting Married vs. Milk this year is akin to Little Miss Sunshine vs. The Queen in '06. i.e. the latter will be more oscar'ed overall and will nab some early awards, but the former is more unique and will be seen more as a triumph of the writing (whether true or not).
Also, like The Queen, I think the biopic factor in Milk will lead people to believe it's a triumph of acting and not so much of writing. I think it's more likely to end up with a win for Penn or one of the supporting actors, or with no win at all, than with a token win in screenplay.
Eden Lake is v.g.
Turkey is delicious.
Changeling (which I saw last night) is HILARIOUS. I mean, I didn't hate it as fully as most critics, and there were moments where I was totally on board with what the film was trying to do, but then Clint would pull out the Standard-Issue-Crazies-With-Frizzy-Hair for a mental hospital scene that was so badly done it turned out comedic instead of disturbing. I couldn't help myself, I began to giggle in my seat, pressing my face into my scarf in case I would disturb the other patrons. Same thing with the whole "Silent Night" thing at the execution. I hope I'm not coming across as heartless or cold or anything, but that part just cracked. me. up.
And yeah, Laura Dern is fabulous. Cannot get enough of her in Lynch movies. I wish my face was that elastic.
@ Catherine
what disturbs me is that many people dont't seem to be bothered by the story
what happened to those boys is deeply disturbing, and it REALLY HAPPENED, and yet people act like "it's just a movie" or "she cries too much"
I'd be curious to see their reaction when they learn their child has been slaughtered like a chicken
I bet these are the same people who cry for days after getting dumped by their loved ones lol
Jessica, that was one of my biggest problems with the film. Throughout watching it, I kept thinking "...hold on, this is all true. These horrible things all happened. This is awful" but I just felt like Eastwood had tipped the scales too far in the direction of Hysterical Melodrama. I know most of the people in the story are dead by now, but if I were one of those involved and if I saw the film, I'd feel extremely hard done by - its almost made into a laughing stock. I wasn't the only viewer in my cinema to start laughing at inappropriate points.
Think of something like Silkwood (it just popped into my head). That's also based on a horrific true story and there are some overlaps in scenes (Jolie/Streep getting sprayed with industrial hoses). The way Karen Silkwood's story is told and acted and just generally put together, with real subtly and emotion - I was totally silent during it, cried buckets at the end and really thought about her true-life plight. The real people who suffered as a result of the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders deserve the same treatment, but it just wasn't awarded them.
I was thinking about Jenny Lumet. A nomination may be in the cards, but a win? I don't know...RGM, while an amazing film, hasn't really captivated audiences and critics across the board. It's, dare I say, polarizing. Plus, going back since 1980, only 6 films have won best original screenplay without a best picture nomination in those 28 or so years, and unless the critics and the precursors rally, I'm not sure a best picture nomination for "Rachel Getting Married" is in the bag. I can see the original screenplay win going to Dustin Lance Black for "Milk," since that film is more likely to get a best picture nomination. Or possibly even "The Wrestler." But a nomination for Lumet is pretty easy to see.
I'm now hoping Elsa Zylberstein creeps in on the coattails of Kristen Scott Thomas. Although, I haven't seen any of the Oscar contenders so I don't have a personal fave at the moment.
So I saw Quantum Of Solace last night... and can't quite seem to figure out what it's about!
I guess boiled down to its essence it's basically about "catching the bad guy", and that's it? The whole thing played like one long chase scene... where was the depth we so admired in Casino Royale? It had even less plot than the final Pierce Brosnan Bond, and that's not saying much!
So disappointed in the film, although I will admit to its being the usual adrenaline rush for a tight shoot-em-up / blow-em-up film. And I did enjoy peering into those blue eyes! ;o)
I continue to wait for Australia (released on Christmas Day in Mexico) even after the reviews.
However, I'm not entirely sure of why I'm so excited about it considering...
I worship Moulin Rouge!
I love Strictly Ballroom
I kinda like Romeo+Juliet
I don't think this looks like a film I should be ecstatic about considering this (and the crappy reviews)
Hey Nat, have you seen this?
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=38921980657
Anyone see the Little Ashes clip posted by variety's Anne Thompson?
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