The Official Review Thread of 2010

[anonymous1980]

DUE DATE
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan, Juliette Lewis, RZA, Danny McBride.
Dir: Todd Phillips.

Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis both give really, really good performances and have genuine onscreen chemistry. Unfortunately, the script's attempt at the amalgamation of quirky road buddy comedy and the rude-crude stoner flick doesn't quite work all that much. There are some genuinely funny moments but the overall film is a bit of a clunker.

Oscar Prospects; None.

Grade: C



Edited By anonymous on 1289037798

[Precious Doll]

Oh. Okay. What'd you think?

Very good and one of the most playful of Resnais' work. I loved that the film felt so free and spontaneous, admitably like all of his work from the past decade . Resnais' work from the 60's, as great as it was, was so serious and academic, however since Stavisky onwards for the most part he has loosened up and shown us another side.

Wild Grass should be viewed in conjunction with Not on the Lips (a musical comedy) and Privates Fears in Public Places.

Currently Resnais is in pre-production with a new film. I for one look forward to it.

I really like Resnais' Providence so I ordered his boxed set of four films consisting of Life is a Bed of Roses, Love Unto Death, Melo and I Want to Go Home.

Precious what did you think of Melo?

When I first saw Melo in 1988 I loved it. My second viewing only a few weeks ago was a little disappointing. I didn't think the film as a dynamic as the first time I saw it. Ditto Life is a Bed of Roses.

However I much preferred My American Uncle on it's second viewing. I think I was too young when I first saw it to appreciate all the nuances. Wonderful stuff.

I also preferred Love Unto Death more the second. I found it very grim and depressing the first time and somewhat threatening but in my recent viewing of it I found it somewhat serene. It's simply that my attitude to death has changed over the years and things that I found disturbing or depressing seem less so now.

I haven't re-watched I Want to Go Home yet but will get around to it. Two reasons that I watched these particular films a few weeks ago was to experience them again myself and my partner had never seen any of them. I've had a French box set of 5 Resnais films for a number of years so it was a pleasure the view them.

Just a warning about I Want to Go Home. It's probably the only 'hated' film Resnais has made. Most of his films have received positive notices but most for I Want to Go Home (filmed mainly in English) for negative to hostile.

I myself enjoyed as nothing more then a mildly agreeable piece of fluff. It's really out of place in the box set and Resnais career for that matter.

[Reza]

Oh. Okay. What'd you think?

Very good and one of the most playful of Resnais' work. I loved that the film felt so free and spontaneous, admitably like all of his work from the past decade . Resnais' work from the 60's, as great as it was, was so serious and academic, however since Stavisky onwards for the most part he has loosened up and shown us another side.

Wild Grass should be viewed in conjunction with Not on the Lips (a musical comedy) and Privates Fears in Public Places.

Currently Resnais is in pre-production with a new film. I for one look forward to it.

I really like Resnais' Providence so I ordered his boxed set of four films consisting of Life is a Bed of Roses, Love Unto Death, Melo and I Want to Go Home.

Precious what did you think of Melo?

[Precious Doll]

Oh. Okay. What'd you think?

Very good and one of the most playful of Resnais' work. I loved that the film felt so free and spontaneous, admitably like all of his work from the past decade . Resnais' work from the 60's, as great as it was, was so serious and academic, however since Stavisky onwards for the most part he has loosened up and shown us another side.

Wild Grass should be viewed in conjunction with Not on the Lips (a musical comedy) and Privates Fears in Public Places.

Currently Resnais is in pre-production with a new film. I for one look forward to it.

[Sabin]

Oh. Okay. What'd you think?

[Precious Doll]

(Sonic Youth @ Oct. 31 2010,11:09)

**1/2
Wild Reeds

Do you mean Wild Grass? The Resnais?

Just for shits, what did you think of it? I thought I was the only one of the board who saw it.

I think a number of people on the board have seen Wild Grass, including myself.

[Sabin]

(Sonic Youth @ Oct. 31 2010,11:09)

**1/2
Wild Reeds

Do you mean Wild Grass? The Resnais?

Just for shits, what did you think of it? I thought I was the only one of the board who saw it.



Edited By Sabin on 1288639807

[Sonic Youth]

What a depressing year.

***1/2
Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World

***
The Social Network
Exit Through the Gift Shop
The Ghost Writer
Toy Story 3
Shutter Island

**1/2
The Secret in Their Eyes
Winter's Bone
Wild Reeds
The Kid's are All Right
The Town
I am Love

**
Let Me In
Mao's Last Dancer
Salt

*1/2
Inception
Easy A

*
Iron Man 2

No Stars
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

I may very well have forgotten a movie or two that I've seen. I can't get to the art-house cinema as easily as I used to, so I've missed other films I'd have liked to see. But still...

[anonymous1980]

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2
Cast: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat, Brian Boland, Sprague Grayden, Molly Ephraim.
Dir: Tod Williams.

I usually skip on horror sequels but the surprisingly decent reviews this one got made me make an exception. The best way to judge whether or not you'll like the sequel/prequel is whether or not you liked the original. This basically follows the same structure with a somewhat bigger budget. It expounds on the mythology created on the first one and there are some interesting and even scary moments in this but it feels old hat but I kind of liked the first one so I was entertained.

Oscar Prospects: None.

Grade: C+

THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer, Max Minghella, Joseph Mazzello, Brenda Song, Rashida Jones, Rooney Mara.
Dir: David Fincher.

This is definitely one of the best films of the year. The story of formation of Facebook and all the lawsuits and ruined friendships that happened along the way makes for really exciting viewing. Aaron Sorkin's intriguing script with his signature witty, rapidfire dialogue could've been bland, boring and talky but David Fincher's cinematic flourishes makes the entire film truly gripping and interesting. The cast shines, especially Eisenberg and Garfield. Not to mention the fact that I'm a Facebook user so that makes me part of this story a bit.

Oscar Prospects: Deserves Best Picture, Director, Actor (Eisenberg), Supporting Actor (Garfield and/or Timberlake), Adapted Screenplay, Original Score, Editing and Cinematography.

Grade: A-

[Mister Tee]

I assume few here will bother to see Conviction, and the only reason I did is, my wife wasn't up to going out (which eliminated the Social Network) and I've been getting antsy about seeing something/anything with Oscar potential. I've seen people touting Sam Rockwell despite the film's commercial weakness, so I gave it my two hours (and Costco coupon).

Well...it's not utterly dreary; certainly nowhere near Blind Side territory. But nothing exciting, either. I'd qualify it as a middle-of-the-pack TV movie -- not an Emmy winner; maybe an Emmy nominee in some acting categories. It mostly follows the inspirational/triumph over injustice formula, though it does juice the narrative up just a tad with a few characters.

Hillary Swank's Betty Anne is not one of those characters. She's pretty much the straightforward good ol' gal who adores her brother and is determined to set him free. This could almost be the "girl from a trailer park" of Swank's perennial Oscar speech in its purest form. Nothing new here. Minnie Driver also tries hard, and has a role that seems like it's supposed to inject some fun into the proceedings, but too much of her humor feels strained.

No, what minor jolts the film provides come from its characters that flirt with the bad side. Melissa Leo, though her role is woefully underwritten, gives us inklings there's more than meets the eye to her policewoman. (The film's failure to deal with her in the final reel is a sign of how limited the film's scope is; I'd love to have learned more about her) Juliette Lewis, in only two scenes, creates a really interesting portrait -- trash/basically honest/but no sap, and focused foremost on what's in it for her.

And then there's Rockwell, who does nothing to engage audience sympathy. This isn't to say he isn't likable and charming in his way (though the film overestimates that, having his girlfriend and sister get over a bar-fight way too quickly). But he's basically a lowlife, given to petty rages, not infrequently self-pitying. Thanks to all this -- which Rockwell conveys without a hint of vanity -- even though we all know the film wouldn't exist if he weren't innocent, part of us can look at the guy and say, well, I can see why some cops were ready to convict this guy. I can't say the performance is at such an elevated level as to break into the Oscar race despite the film's overall lackluster quality (and commercial performance). But I'd say he definitely deserves consideration, and is the prime reason to bother seeing the film.

[anonymous1980]

THE OTHER GUYS
Cast: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Steve Coogan, Eva Mendes, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Rob Riggle, Damon Wayans Jr., Anne Heche.
Dir: Adam McKay.

I've actually never seen a Will Ferrell/Adam McKay collaboration. Not even Anchorman. This is my first. I can see the appeal. There are genuinely funny moments in this film and Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg work very well together and it has some good ideas, parodying buddy cop movies and satirizing the recent financial meltdown in the U.S. but it never gelled the two together very well though I admire them for trying.

Oscar Prospects: Maybe one for Original Song? ("Pimps Don't Cry")

Grade: C+

[Sabin]

It's Kind of a Funny Story (Boden/Fleck)

That quiet, antisocial white kid in high school who clearly thinks he is a sensitive artist? This movie is like reading his blog. It's not funny, the humor is off-synch throughout, and it's embarrassingly emo. I have never seen a movie in my life act so self-defensive about its corniness and lameness, literally declaring "I know this is lame..." every twenty minutes or so. Borderline intolerable androcentric man-child nonsense.

[Big Magilla]

I Am Love with Tilda Swinton, Taylor Hackford's Love Ranch with Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci (I'll camp out for tickets for that one :laugh: )

Not to dampen your enthusiasm, but both of these are currently available on dvd.

Thanks for the tip. I did not mean to denigrate I Am Love; I actually think I would enjoy it (I know nothing about it other than what I read on imdb).

You don't have to denigrate it, Italiano and I already have, he more so than me though I probably rated it too high. Check out the Last Seen Movie thread.

[kaytodd]

I Am Love with Tilda Swinton, Taylor Hackford's Love Ranch with Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci (I'll camp out for tickets for that one :laugh: )

Not to dampen your enthusiasm, but both of these are currently available on dvd.

Thanks for the tip. I did not mean to denigrate I Am Love; I actually think I would enjoy it (I know nothing about it other than what I read on imdb) but Love Ranch sounds like Helen Mirren doing a little slumming to show she can be effective in a broad American comedy (I'll bet she is). She is getting good notices for Red as well and I hear it is a very entertaining film so she is showing she can be effective in a broad American action comedy. But the true story of the married couple who started the first legal brothel in Nevada directed by Taylor Hackford holds no interest to me. The fact that it is on DVD and I have no memory of a theatrical run tells me my instincts are correct. Anyway, I missed my chance to to take a long drive out to Chalmette to see it. I am getting ready to check out Howl tonight. Looking forward to it.

[criddic3]

I Am Love with Tilda Swinton, Taylor Hackford's Love Ranch with Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci (I'll camp out for tickets for that one :laugh: )

Not to dampen your enthusiasm, but both of these are currently available on dvd.