Monday, October 04, 2010

What Were We Talking About?

When Sam Mendes and Maggie Gyllenhaal had lunch recently in NYC, what do you suppose they were talking about? I hope Maggie was saying "sorry about being such a one-dimensional cartoon in Away We Go -- but you weren't helping, mister man!"


What were they talking about? What were we talking about? What are we still talking about? (That actress list fo' sure and also the August: Osage County casting)  Here's some recent comments on older posts that I wanted to call your attention to. Yes, I read everything! Thank you to everyone who comments. It makes the work of writing of the blog more like fun.

silencio actually loves Perfume Story of a Murderer more than Se7en  in the serial killer genre. I don't hear that often. Truth (I haven't seen it. Shhhh). But it's funny that silencio should mention it since I have been thinking about Ben Whishaw all week. I'm fond but his part made-a me crazy in Julie Taymor's Tempest (for a few reasons... not really his fault. More on that later). How come I haven't seen Perfume?

Robby notices how many Oscar nominees are dropping off lately. Trust when I wrote that "still with us!" list in July I REALLY did not intend it as a morbid countdown. I just wanted to honor people while they were still with us. But yes it's already really out of date. Rough month of RIPs.


Kevin thinks the death of P.T. Anderson's The Master ought to free him up to do a musical. Wouldn't that be great?



Jordan ranks David Fincher's films and is fond of the Modern Maestro series as a whole. I didn't mean to scare y'all with saying that it's wrapping up soon. Robert is staying with us. I love the column too but it's time to switch it up after a short break.



james t rediscovered the huge voice / brilliance of Ellen Greene in Little Shop of Horrors and pointed me to this Patrick Wilson / Carrie Underwood version (what the he--uh?) I included an Ellen Greene version too (from the Tonight Show) because I can never get enough of her as Audrey and I'd never seen this clip... apparently Siskel & Ebert talked her up on the Tonight Show too back in the day.



And finally, I was pleased to see that in the Tangled post, there were quite a few people popping in to express their love for the music of Hunchback of Notre Dame. I'm glad I wasn't alone in thinking that Judge Frollo's songs really are special in that movie.

My point is this: Thanks for visiting The Film Experience every day! It was our biggest September over and I suddenly feel very enthused about the rapidly approaching awards season.

Consider this an open comment thread!
What's on your movie-lovin' mind?

*

33 comments:

Andrew R. said...

Perfume is great and underrated. Watch it.

I also pointed out that 5 Oscar nominees died in the same week, not to mention all the others this year.

David Fincher-I didn't see Social Network...sigh. Next weekend!

Hellfire is one of Disney's best songs.

Anonymous said...

Sam Mendes is a hack. She could can do better!

Arkaan said...

As good as Manville is in Another Year, I hope Sheen and especially Broadbent also get their fair share of the props. And the son's girlfriend is the same woman who played the flamenco dancer in Happy-Go-Lucky.

Oh, and Manville can justifiably be pushed supporting, which is where she'll go.

TanyaLou said...

Can we talk about underrated movies for a second? I saw two movies over the weekend that I feel were kind of underrated last year: The Messenger and Duplicity. I really enjoyed both films for different reasons obviously, but still I feel like they were both very smart, well-written and well acted.

NATHANIEL R said...

Andrew -- noted. I should at least watch it for Mr. Whishaw

Arkaan -- the campaign remains to be seen so i suspect they'll go wherever they think they have a shot (too soon to tell about supporting. that can always fill up so fast but it's awfully hard to see right now). P.S. i did not make the connection with the flamenco dancer. Fun!

TanyaLou -- i like both of those movies a lot too. I still don't get why people were so cold shoulder to Duplicity because it was F-U-N and theoretically people like fun movies.

Esther said...

Just wanted to mention that for two weeks in a row instead of waiting for a movie to come from Netflix I actually went to my local gigantiplex, to see Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and The Social Network. I can't remember the last time I did that.

Marsha Mason said...

Sucks that the Tempest reax is kinda lukewarm. That play's one of my favorites, as is Mirren. I like Whishaw but I don't like that he ends up in so many very Whishaw parts. Dylan, Keats, and Ariel all seem tailor-made for him.

I really need to see Social Network but it seems harder and harder for Ole Marsha to lug herself to the movie theater. Thanks, Netflix!

Caroline said...

How irrational people can be. (This pertains mostly to awful movie snobs and idiots alike who refuse to see movies on irrelevant, trivial grounds. Yes, I'm referring to The Social Network.)

On better notes, the full True Grit theatrical trailer is out. Lookin' great. I'm feeling very curious about Matt Damon's performance....he's never known to be a supporting scene-stealer.

Caroline said...

And Nathaniel, can you tell us a bit more about your meditation on Ben Whishaw? I was pretty enamored with him from 2008-2009 but he doesn't seem to be progressing much lately.

monkey said...

Ok so I'm a aspiring actor in my acting class in college and I was thinking of some movie ideas and cast. Here are some and tell me what you think.

Skins. The U.S. Film Adaption of the successful U.K. T.V. Show
Logan Lerman as Tony Stonem
Keir Gilchrist as Sid Jenkins
Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Michelle Richardson
Keisha Castle-Hughes as Cassie Ainsworth
Me as Chris Miles
Emma Roberts as Jal Fazer
Max Thieriot as Maxxie Oliver
Kunal Sharma as Anwar Kharral
Rooney Mara as Sketch

This is a movie I thought of it's called (4). Were four people lives interact without even knowing each other.I know LiLo is kind of going though personal issue's but I just pictured her in this part.
Jeremy Renner as Jake
Scarlet Johansson as Katie
Lindsey Lohan as Lisa
Me as Tyler

Attract
Know is a movie remake of the hit Suspence/thriller movie "Fatal Attraction". But with a twist Its start out when a couple Alexander (N/A) and Katherine (Reed) but their relationship is taking a turn for the wrost. So he takes a vacation where he meets Kenny (Me) they develop a affair and kenny develops an Psychotic Attraction towards him.
I don't know whoo to cast as the lead actor can somebody give me some ideas. Somebody Attractive, and good chemistry with Nikki Reed.
Me as Kenneth "Kenny" Smith
N/A as Alexander Sanders
Nikki Reed as Katherine

Washington said...

The more times I watch Closer the less well Natalie Portman's performance holds up for me.

Has that ever happened to you? You watch a performance in a film and at first you think its great, but you watch it again later and you realize it doesn't hold up very well.

monkey said...

Nathaniel, guys tell me what you think?

NATHANIEL R said...

monkey -- i have only ever seen like 2 episodes of SKINS so i dunno the characters well enough to recast.

congrats on casting yourself in all your ideas though. What's that they say? The best jobs are the ones we invent for ourselves.

Caroline -- i just find him fantastically attractive in a weird sort of emaciated androgynous Brit way ;) even when painted all white as an elemental sprite in TEMPEST :)

monkey said...

but I also need help on casting a male lead in my third movie attractive, good-looking, good acting skills. Any suggestions anyone.

Clarence said...

I saw The Social Network on Saturday and thought it was really amazing. But there are two things that linger in my mind most: one, Brenda Song and her crazy Asian girlfriend character and two, the scene where the "Winklevi" brothers were rowing in England. That Scene was AMAZING!! It was my favorite scene in the movie. Something about the camera work, the sweat on the men's faces, and the gorgeous music made it so exhilarating.

RJ said...

Dear Internet, STFU about all the Social Network controversy. I realize film blogs need something to write everyday, even when news is slow, but this is like a dog chasing itself in circles. Internet bloggers creating controversy and then commenting on it.

Michael said...

Can we talk about Andrew Garfield for a sec. (or an eternity)? I know Justin Timberlake has the villain role that the Best Supporting Actor category just falls head over heels for, but supporting categories also love co-leads masquerading as supporting performers. Add this to Never Let Me Go, that lovely rendition of Bedroom Intruder, and that little project called Spider-Man, and he's so the hot ticket. I think, given the proper precursors, he's got a nomination. (And I personally think that he's the best in show for The Social Network, what does everybody else think?) ((P.P.S., I didn't leave the movie hating Mark Zuckerberg, did everybody else? And if you hate him so much, then don't go on Facebook. It's a lot harder than it looks. I've tried!))

Michael said...

OMG not to hog the conversation, but today my US History teacher nonchalantly told us that Lillian Gish is his great great aunt (I believe it was two greats, one more would seem too many, right?). Anyway, I positively died when he said that (Lillian Gish, as well as the AFI's other 24 Best Actresses of all time, was the background image for my laptop for a solid six months). And of course the entire class stared at him blankly, but what are you going to do? Not all of us can be "actressexual." (My teacher, Mr. Gish, also briefly touched on the fact that Lillian Gish helped found UA, but that's Mary Pickford... hahaha... some erroneous information.)

Anonymous said...

TSN backlash has begun. Eisenberg was best in show for me. Rooney Mara was really solid, I thought she was awful in The Nightmare on Elm Street Remake.

Caroline said...

I don't want to go "OMG", but that's exactly the same way I think of him, Nathaniel :) Jane Campion said it best, there's something inspiring and beautiful about his fragility. None of my Bradley Cooper-totin' friends can understand my attraction to him.

And Michael, I think one of the best traits of TSN is that it portrays all character rather ambivalently. Those who come out hating Zuckerberg have really gotten the wrong gist of it. And if you google the real person, it's even harder to hate him knowing the facts Sorkin altered (Zuckerberg comes off as a normal kid who's had the same girlfriend for the past seven years, and Saverin's actions were a bit douchier than his adorable onscreen character's)

Arkaan said...

Also, I saw Todd Haynes Poison yesterday. Interesting to see such a talent in it's earlier stages, even if the film isn't entirely successful. I'm sure it had a direct influence on Greyson's LILLIES at the very least.

Marshall1 said...

I actually thought "God Help the Outcasts" is a great touching song. I teach it my piano studio a lot. Also saw the Korean movie Poetry today. I was deeply touched by it but was surprised how well written the writing and structure is. The lead actress is simply amazing, subtle but brave. In
my top 5 certainly this year.

OtherRobert said...

Perfume was very misunderstood when it came out. For one thing, it's based on that novel that Stanley Kubrick called "unfilmable." That'll certainly taint perspective. For another, the source novel is high-concept historical cross-genre and that was reinterpreted as urban fantasy for the film. How else were they going to sell a film based on the sense of smell?

I absolutely loved it at the CMJ screening years ago, though I was one of the only people in a rather packed house who did not walk out. The ending, if you accept that it's a historical urban fantasy, is breathtaking. If you still think it's a realistic drama about a murderer by the end, it's laughable. But that CGI handkerchief in the final scene is still the most realistic piece of computer animation I've ever seen. I spent a good minute trying to figure out how they manipulated a square of fabric before realizing the truth.

NATHANIEL R said...

arkaan -- yeah, poison is pretty cool. Have you seen DOTTIE GETS SPANKED and SUPERSTAR? They're also pretty telling about the filmmaker that will be.

marshall -- i'm glad you loved pOetry. i hope it gets an american release.

CHRIS na Taraja said...

Ellen Green! Thank the gods she was cast in the movie! Hollywood should learn from that! Hello, why not try the original cast for OSAGE COUNTY!

And why the hell has no one written a musical to feature Ellen's amazing pipes!!!!!

A.R. said...

I'm chewing on the notion that Perfume might be better than Se7en.
Perfume strikes me as a really divisive movie; I've talked to so many people who didn't really care for it. I'm a really big fan of the novel and had problems with the way Grenouille was adapted, though I *loved* Ben Whishaw's performance in the role. I had other problems with the movie, but I liked it well enough overall.

Dimitra said...

OMG, you haven't watched Perfume?! It's one of the best novel adaptations I've ever seen and one one of my favorite films in general. I've seen Ben Whishaw in this, I'm Not There, Criminal Justice and Bright Star, and this is my favorite performance of his so far. He has quality. When someone just sits in chair and talks and yet has your full attention and is one of the best things about the film (INT), that's talent.He should be getting more roles. And btw, does anyone know when we'll get to see all Signs Of Death.

The Social Network opens in November in my country. I wonder when I'll get to watch it...

Taylor said...

I have never hated a film as much as I hated Perfume. Ever. And that's coming from a huge fan of Ben Winshaw.

But I'm with you on The Hunchback of Notre Dame. That is an underrated movie. The whole hellfire sequence? Totally pushing it for Disney. LOVE IT.

Marshall1 said...

Hi Nathaniel, I think I love Poetry more and more,definitely one of my top 10 or even 5. I think it will make a great companion piece to the equally great The Social Network. One talks about alienation from the real world and human connections. The other talks about reconnecting with the world around us by looking and observing things and humans around us.
Let me say I'm very impressed by Jesse Eisenberg in TSN. I'm not sure about his Oscar chances(and the movie), but I think he deserves it.

Aaron said...

I haven't seen Perfume (mainly because everyone I knew who saw it despised it...scared me off a bit), but I adore Ben Whishaw...all the talk about him makes me more resentful that the Academy SHUT OUT Bright Star last year, with the exception of a flimsy costume design nomination (which it did deserve, I'm not complaining)...

...sigh. Whishaw and Abbie Cornish completely deserved Oscar nominations last year. I think if the film had had a better release date, it would've gotten more traction...

...and sorry to be so stream of consciousness, but thinking of Cornish's robbed Oscar nomination, it reminded me of how I completely detest last year's best actress lineup. God, it was one of the weakest ever IMO. Hated Bullock, Hated Gabby (sorry), Meryl was fine, but movie was [vomit sound], Carey was good but I wasn't wowed like everyone else, and Mirren was...Mirren....the category was just...uggghhhh...

...just think, if they had nominated Cornish for Bright Star AND Tilda Swinton for Julia (which is the best female performance of the decade for me...maybe best performance, male or female, period), the category would've been orgasmic. Missed opportunity.

NATHANIEL R said...

Aaron -- yeah, it's pretty crazy that Tilda gave two of the best performances of the entire decade even if you narrow it down to like a top 10 ;)

Volvagia said...

I don't know if I'd rank Karen Crowder that highly. But I haven't seen Julia yet to determine how strong that performance is.

My 10 Peformances of Last Decade (9 movies, 1 animated series):

RDJ, Tropic Thunder ("I know who I am! I'm the dude playin' a dude, disgusised as another dude.")
Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge!
Naomi Watts, Mulholland Drive
Saorise Ronan, Atonement
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Brad Pitt, Burn After Reading
Cilian Murphy, Batman Begins
Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Richard Steven Horvitz, Invader Zim

Aaron said...

While we're on the subject, does anyone know what's up with Tilda's We Need to Talk About Kevin? It seems like it's been in pre-production forever...such a great book and will certainly be a demanding role for her. Can't wait.