Film Experience Blog: Open Thread

Friday, March 19, 2010

Open Thread

What's on your mind (cinematically speaking)? We've had no time to breathe today. But at least it's gloriously pleasant weather! That's a change.

53 comments:

Jorge Rodrigues said...: Lucky you, here in Portugal it's pouring rain...

Well, I was actually thinking about Meryl Streep and her future filmography. Looking at her iMDB page, the projects that she has signed on to are not at all exciting. Even the Alexander Payne one (comedy?).

I want her to win her third Oscar soon or else she'll eventually grow tired of all this campaigning thing and give up.; 6:25 PM
NATHANIEL R said...: i think she's already tired of it. It seems to me that she lets everyone else do the campaigning for her these days. she just shows up and smiles and enjoys (or pretends to) herself.; 6:28 PM
Liz said...: How Remember Me undeservedly got trashed by critics. I just read cinematical's article on it and then Rope of Silicone and then Moviefones. Each did an in-depth essay about the reaction to the film. Intresting stuff - made me think about the merit of film critics if i'm being honest.

I've never seen a greater disparage between film critics rating and audience rating for any other film - popcorn trash included. After reading th above articles, something interesting is happening here - cant put a finger on it.

oh and, Pattinson can act y'all.; 6:31 PM
Ryan T. said...: I need a musical to get truly excited about. Nine was a bit of a disappointment last year. Is there anything coming up?

I miss 2007. Sweeney Todd, Enchanted, Hairspray, Once, Across the Universe... what a fun musical year it was.; 6:34 PM
Robert Hamer said...: I heard that there's going to be a remake of Overboard, with Jennifer Lopez taking Goldie Hawn's part...and I remember how disturbing that movie really was.; 6:44 PM
Jorge Rodrigues said...: Isn't Burlesque supposed to be a musical?; 6:46 PM
NoNo said...: I saw Broken Embraces and I think it's Almodovar's worst film of the decade. Despite being incredibly passionate it feels cold. There's a character that's in there that's only there to move the plot along. His motivations are never really explained.

A revelation towards the end of the movie was really unnecessary and two characters went upstairs for no reason but to set up a big scene.

I know this sounds like I hated it but I didn't, I actually enjoyed it. Below average Almodovar is better than 75% of movies so I'm more than willing to give this a second viewing.

I hope he makes Chicas Y Maletas into a feature film.; 7:04 PM
anna said...: The nominations for the Lolas (the German Film Awards) were announced today and, not surprisingly, The White Ribbon is leading the pack. It got a record-breaking 13 nominations (there are 16 categories in total)! The previous record-holder was The Lives of Others with 11 nominations.; 7:06 PM
FrenchGirl said...: i think about the famous Best Actress curse:does Meryl Streep really need another Oscar?
and does i want to see "clash of titans"(in preview) when i dislike the trailer?

PS it rains in France!; 7:20 PM
le said...: I'm thinking about how tired i am of hearing about the oscars. Until a few years ago, I obsessed over them. Now, they're just so irrelevant to me. Everything's so predictable, it's hella boring.; 7:23 PM
Andrew K. said...: I was just thinking about the last two movies I saw. Agora: will be as loved as it should be. I really think its Amenbar's best and I found it riveting (despite the few poetic licenses it takes) but it's such a harsh subject...

and The Greatest: it's strange how Carey Mulligan and Susan Sarandon cane both seem good and underwhelming at the same time. The film is clunky, but fair.I wish they had more to work with...; 7:25 PM
Burning Reels said...: Yes Nathaniel...think of us poor Europeans in the dour rain!:)

I'm thinking that I hope Tree of Life isn't treated as badly as The New World was (studio-wise) and still 50/50 on the potential of Baumbauch's Greenberg.; 7:35 PM
RobUK said...: Wondering whether I can be bothered to see either Shutter Island or Alice In Wonderland.

And why I found myself getting drawn in to Camp Rock whilst channel hopping. And why it was vaguely enjoyable until the concert at the end, which is probably the bit I'm supposed to enjoy the most.; 8:17 PM
BrianZ said...: Something that annoys me so badly; people who don't like movies where the characters are unlikable. Reading a few reviews for Greenberg, a stellar film, complaining how the characters aren't relatable is a terrible criticism.

Even read someone say, "Raging Bull is awful" because you can't relate to De Niro in it. Dud!!; 8:22 PM
Peter Chan said...: I'm still unsure what to make of Chris Evans getting offered the role of Captain America.; 8:23 PM
monkey101 said...: Does anyone think that lindsey lohan will ever get back on top. And have that movie to help; 8:24 PM
BrianZ said...: Liz - Have to disagree with you on Remember Me. My audience didn't shed a tear, and it was a loaded one. People were largely annoyed.

I think most of the criticisms of the film are dead on. It is a manipulative, poorly done film. I agree Pattinson is good in it, but little more good can be said about it.; 8:24 PM
Jude said...: I'm wondering what will happen to our dear Carey Mulligan in the next ten years. She has all that potential... I just don't want her career to tank. So many other people have had potential and charisma only to suffer that fate.; 9:27 PM
Jorge Rodrigues said...: Hmm I don't think we have to worry about Carey Mulligan. Of all the actresses of her age out there, she seems to be the surest thing to explode in a few years' time.

She's got the looks, the skills, the talent, the charisma and the willingness to learn. Plus, she's got a Leading Oscar nomination. I don't want to say «she's the new Kate Winslet» but she's as close as you can get, in my opinion.; 9:45 PM
Jorge Rodrigues said...: One that makes me worry is Saoirse Ronan. Not because I doubt her talent and her intelligence in role picking, it's just because, like Nat said and I agree, she does look like the kind of teen movie star that would abandon making movies for a while to focus on their studies and then return. I just hope her career waits for her when she comes back.; 9:48 PM
brandz said...: will Meryl Streep really need to top Sophie's Choice in order to win a deserved third Oscar?; 9:56 PM
Middle-P said...: i always cry when i watch finding neverland. always. often more than once. no other movie will do this to me. i think winslet was robbed of a supporting nom (and lead win that year but that is a different story...)

i recently read your review of it nathaniel and i was wondering if you have revisited it? i think you should. sure it has all the makings of every oscar-begging-weinstein-biopic, but it works...; 10:00 PM
Stella said...: I'm worrying about Sofia Coppola's next movie. It sounds too much like Lost in Translation, and though I personally loved Marie Antoinette, I think she needs to stretch herself creatively a little and not show that she's a complacent director.

And Middle-T, I love Finding Neverland. I think Depp's performance in it is fantastic. Whenever people accuse him of being a show performer and incapable of nuance, I just point to that film. The TFE podcasts always seems to find opportunities to laugh at Finding Neverland, however :(; 10:38 PM
Ryan Ray said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10:52 PM
Ryan Ray said...: Whoops

NoNo-I suggest you rent Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios then!

Still debating on whether to see The Ghost Writer or not.

I saw a clip of Remember Me on At the Movies, where they criticized Pattinson's acting. I'd have to agree, it looked terrible.; 10:54 PM
Clarence said...: For my English class, we were suppose to write a complaint letter and I wrote mine for the Academy regarding Streep losing the Oscar again.
I feel bad now because of Sandra's drama.

Sigh. Poor Sandra. She deserves better.

Anyway, I was also having a Meryl Streep movie marathon this week so I saw Postcards from the Edge, Music of the Heart, and Bridges of Madison County. I plan on seeing Silkwood and Ironweed this weekend ;); 10:55 PM
notanotherblog said...: I don't plan to see to see Repo Men, but apparently they have a great soundtrack (RZA, UNKLE). Those to artists should do more soundtracks.; 11:09 PM
Anonymous said...: Jennifer hudson defies the odds and gets a second nomination for "Winnie"; 11:11 PM
Henry said...: Out of these five films, which should I watch on this late Friday movie night:

Watchmen: The Director's Cut
Star Trek
Terminator: Salvation
Superman Returns
Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers Extended Edition

I may add A.I. or Up in The Air in there if I get bored with those selections.; 11:23 PM
Jared said...: The Departed was even better than I remembered. It holds up surprisingly well to multiple viewings. Could it be the best decision the Academy made last decade?; 12:54 AM
Robert Hamer said...: "Could it be the best decision the Academy made last decade?"

Personally, I always hold my highest applause for their honoring No Country for Old Men. Still, The Departed was pretty damn great, and seeing Martin Scorsese FINALLY win an Oscar was just...amazing.; 1:14 AM
Rebecca said...: I'm thinking about how Paul Schneider leaving 'Parks & Recreation' means we will hopefully see another amazing supporting role soon.; 3:07 AM
ss said...: I'm thinking about how our national film industry (Belgium) can't get attention abroad.; 5:21 AM
Nick said...: On my mind...

That Olivia Williams excelled in a very Tilda Swinton-ish part in The Ghost Writer. (And of course it turns out Tilds was the original casting choice.)

Maybe Williams - following her brief adulation by Hollywood in the 90s - can now make a career by doing the films Tilda Swinton turns down or drops out of?; 7:30 AM
Iggy said...: To the topic of Meryl Streep getting a third Oscar, I think it's not going to happen, not in the near future.

She played Sister Aloysius last year, a part that on paper had Oscar written all over it, but then Winslet came not with one, but with two award caliber performances, and took it home.

This year she played a real-life person, one loved by the audience and lost to Sandra Bullock because it was the flavor/madness of the moment.

She has played probably two of the most baity roles in a row one can ever play to win an Oscar. And she has lost to two completely different type of actresses. Kate Winslet in, for many people, one of her lesser performances, but seen as overdue. And to Sandra Bullock in her so-called career best, but still not the best of the nominated ones (I think I've not seen anyone stating she was the best, at least). So what kind of competition should she have to win an Oscar? It doen's matter, she won't win.

The only possibility would be if she wasn't the frontrunner the entire year. That is, if she was a surprising nominee at the end of the year (à la Bullock), but that's impossible being La Streep. She gets buzz for anything (she even got some timid buzz for Mamma Mia! before the movie opened).

So, either she gets to play a meaty role in a big big movie with a prestigious director with a lot of Oscar potential (i.e. Aviator like) or her third will be in the supporting category, when she gets really old (in ten or fifteen years or so) in one of those scene stealer short parts.

But the way I see it now, she'll continue to have regular work for about 5 years more, and then she'll start playing supporting parts occasionally. One of the (many) things that baffled me from this last Oscar season was the people repeating that Streep would have many other opportunities. When? She's 60. How many good parts are there for actresses that age, even for La Streep?

If I were her, I'd stop playing this endless and fruitless game that only makes her to be the nominee most cited in acceptance speeches and Oscar ceremonies. Mo'nique said "it can be about the performance and not the politics", right? So why not for Streep? Maybe if she stops playing the game, they'll value her more than if she's always the available good sport.

(see? I can't shut up) :); 8:41 AM
Anonymous said...: Hello. And Bye.; 8:41 AM
Dominik said...: I rented "(500) Days of Summer" yesterday. It's not necessarily one of my favorite movies of all time right away, but it's really good, very nice. Different... though something made me think: "When Harry Met Sally" for today's generation? And the soundtrack is so great, I think it was the first time I even paid enough attention to the soundtrack of a movie to possibly love it... but wow, I did!; 8:57 AM
Liz said...: Brian, I know i'm in the minority but I thought it was really well done. I know what was coming from the first scene but it still hit me in th gut. Very tasteful. Very respectful. Someone described it as almost like a bee sting, and I agree. Before you know it, its happened.; 9:20 AM
brandz said...: @Iggy
i don't think Streep plays the game at all. i think she's taken for granted. i think she SHOULD play the game if she really wants to wins a third Oscar. but then again, playing the game seems to be beneath her.; 9:51 AM
mrripley said...: Pleasent weather it's pissing down here in the uk.; 9:58 AM
Unknown said...: I'm thinking when the media will stop bashing Nicole Kidman, lord, she is human!!; 10:25 AM
Lara said...: re: Meryl's third
I agree with brandz, if Meryl wants to win another Best Actress Oscar, she'll need to start reminding people about that.
Sandra campaigned like there's no tomorrow while Meryl slept through. Mo'Nique actually did more than Meryl, telling people constantly that it is about performance (and isn't that some sort of campaign too?). Meryl did nothing. And others have said it before, she needs a movie where she's firmly the lead and not co-lead.; 10:31 AM
NATHANIEL R said...: IGGY -- i agree with a lot of the things you say here and am beginning to think she wont' win a third. I knew that tying Hepburn would be unlikely (Hepburn didn't have to do too much to win 4) and that's one of the reason the Sandra-Of-The-Moment thing bothered me so much. It was such a perfect time to honor Meryl because the performance was funny, good, and in a hit film and her competition was either weak, uneccessary or GREAT (but the two great ones both could have been damaged by a win -- those early career resentment trophies).

and now if they do ever deign to honor Streep with a third (which I'm doubting) it sseems to me like it will be at the expense of someone whose never won but has deserved to since tehre are so many of those players. And none of them were in the race this year.

I love Meryl with all my heart but it's going to be wee bit sad for me if/when she has to beat Julianne Moore Michelle Pfeiffer Annette Bening Laura Linney Joan Allen or whomever from finally picking up a trophy on their last shot as well, you know?

David -- i assume it'll happen eventually. these things are cyclical and when Kidman does have something of a comeback the media will act like they were rooting for her all along. it's the nature of hte beast.; 10:48 AM
BrianZ said...: Liz - I respect your opinion it, the film just struck me in the opposite way. I don't think most critics, including myself in my review, innately disliked the use of that real event, but how it was used as well. For me, it felt jammed in their for extra gravitas.; 11:01 AM
Iggy said...: Nathaniel, that's the worst possible scenario! And it's so sad to think it's so likely to happen...

@brandz, I equal playing the game with being visible. That is, attending events, smiling, politely answering the same questions, being gracious about the other nominees. So, to me she played the game, and rightfully so.

One that truly didn't play the game this year was Melanie Laurent. No idea if it was a deliberate decission or if she was just busy working, but she was invisible.

And I'd be ok with Meryl doing a hard campaign attending all TV shows, being on magazine covers, appearing humble, etc. If someone has earned the right to campaing hard for an Oscar it's her. But that's not going to happen, I don't think it's in her.

I agree with you, she's taken for granted not only in her performances, but they also assume she'll be gracious about losing again. That's why I think she should stop being gracious about it and send them a message by refusing to take part on it. But again, I don't think she'll change her persona to win an Oscar, if she's gracious about it, she just is and will continue to be so.; 2:24 PM
Craig said...: Streep -- like most top cinemactresses -- did her most acclaimed work in her 30s, and now has had somewhat of a career resurgence in more character-type, ensemble roles (not unlike Davis, Hepburn, Bergman, etc. who have had similar career paths.) Not to say that Streep won't garner another Oscar, but it may be in supporting.

In her favor, Oscar acting awards are won not just for the performance, but as a mix of good acting, popularity, overall career achievement, consulation for an overlooked performance, and what have you. We all know that the truly best perfomance isn't necessarily rewarded (if it was, Tilda Swinton would have won this year). That's why Sandra Bullock won this year -- and she wasn't even nominated by any critics' awards (except for D.C). So Streep certainly has a good shot at picking up another Oscar trophy with all of the goodwill she has in her favor.; 4:37 PM
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[b]PAUSE[/b] is the coupon code to be used at checkout for the 25% off, it is applied instantly.; 2:07 PM
Spongebob said...: I just saw the trailer for EAT PRAY LOVE and it got me thinking a tough question. Who's more bankable? Meryl Streep or Julia Roberts? It seems like an obvious question but I feel like Julia hasn't really made a hit. I don't count Valentines Day because it's more like a cameo than a performance.; 3:15 PM
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Jesus Christ! I mean, did she kill someone's child, dog or cat? Also, she must have the worst PR people in the business, they are absolutely USELESS.; 4:22 PM
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