I have to agree about Hirsch. His performance is actually a little embarrassing - it is what Penn's' could have been if he had not nailed it.Reza wrote:Milk (Gus Van Sant, 2008) 6/10
...Penn is superb and Josh Brolin also very good. I don't see why Emile Hirsch and particularly James Franco are being talked about in terms of awards consideration.
Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
Role Models - 6.5/10
The .5 is because this is probably the funniest out-and-out comedy of the year. David Wain encourages a lot of humor on the margins of this film and while the core of the film is incredibly formulaic, the entire cast especially Paul Rudd are hilarious and make it worthwhile. I thought this was a PG-13 film and was shocked to hear the profanity so I was a little caught off-guard by the F-bombs which might elevate it a little in my estimation.
The .5 is because this is probably the funniest out-and-out comedy of the year. David Wain encourages a lot of humor on the margins of this film and while the core of the film is incredibly formulaic, the entire cast especially Paul Rudd are hilarious and make it worthwhile. I thought this was a PG-13 film and was shocked to hear the profanity so I was a little caught off-guard by the F-bombs which might elevate it a little in my estimation.
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Big Magilla
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Charlotte Gainsbourg is the standout in the ensemble, IMO, but Blanchett is also quite good.dreaMaker wrote:I'm Not There (2007)
3/10
Some very good performances (especially Cate Blanchett), but extremely boring, dull and pretentious.
"The mantle of spinsterhood was definitely in her shoulders. She was twenty five and looked it."
-Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
-Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
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Big Magilla
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From the Criterion Collection DVD notes:
"The timing of Army of Shadows' initial French release, in the fall of 1969, could not have been worse. Most serious French critics, including those of the influential Cahiers du cinema, savaged the film for what they saw as its glorification of General Charles de Gaulle, who, then president, was despised as the betrayer of the May 1968 student rising. De Gaulle, in fact, is a marginal figure in this French resistance saga, and Melville depicts him with an irony that makes it clear his heroism would not outlive the extreme circumstances in which the war had placed him. Given the enormous influence Cahiers du cinema had over American art-film programmers and distributors during the heyday of the French new wave, it's not surprising the was ignored here for so long."
"The timing of Army of Shadows' initial French release, in the fall of 1969, could not have been worse. Most serious French critics, including those of the influential Cahiers du cinema, savaged the film for what they saw as its glorification of General Charles de Gaulle, who, then president, was despised as the betrayer of the May 1968 student rising. De Gaulle, in fact, is a marginal figure in this French resistance saga, and Melville depicts him with an irony that makes it clear his heroism would not outlive the extreme circumstances in which the war had placed him. Given the enormous influence Cahiers du cinema had over American art-film programmers and distributors during the heyday of the French new wave, it's not surprising the was ignored here for so long."
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Mister Tee
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Can anyone fill me in on the details of why Army of Shadows was held for release until recently? I apparently missed the discussion when it opened, and am curious about it.
I can certainly understand the film being controversial in 1969. Even now most people speak of the French resistance in only the most glowing, heroic terms. This film takes a, if not niilist, certainly fatalist view: that much of the work they did was futile, that the Brits didn't seem to much respect it, and that, within their own worlds, they made many judgments that were morally questionable. That would have been quite alot to swallow back then.
I can equally see why the NY critics were so eager to honor it now. It's got such scope, covers such ground in both plot and moral terms, that it dwarfs most anything I've seen this year. I found particularly interesting the way Melville seemed to opt to downplay suspense conventions. Not that there aren't fascinating caper-ish sections of the film, but even within them, I had a sense he was adding beats to prevent the sequences becoming gripping in the familiar cinematic ways. Given Melville's established success in the supense genre, I have to feel this was deliberate: that he was trying to convey, alongside the futility, the sheer sense of tedium that filled the days of these brave folk.
Oh, and the print looks great -- few famous films from the same era have survived in as impressive a fashion.
I can certainly understand the film being controversial in 1969. Even now most people speak of the French resistance in only the most glowing, heroic terms. This film takes a, if not niilist, certainly fatalist view: that much of the work they did was futile, that the Brits didn't seem to much respect it, and that, within their own worlds, they made many judgments that were morally questionable. That would have been quite alot to swallow back then.
I can equally see why the NY critics were so eager to honor it now. It's got such scope, covers such ground in both plot and moral terms, that it dwarfs most anything I've seen this year. I found particularly interesting the way Melville seemed to opt to downplay suspense conventions. Not that there aren't fascinating caper-ish sections of the film, but even within them, I had a sense he was adding beats to prevent the sequences becoming gripping in the familiar cinematic ways. Given Melville's established success in the supense genre, I have to feel this was deliberate: that he was trying to convey, alongside the futility, the sheer sense of tedium that filled the days of these brave folk.
Oh, and the print looks great -- few famous films from the same era have survived in as impressive a fashion.
Before the Rains: Beautiful, sensual and adjectives like that. I wanted to leap into the screen to feel that atmosphere. Plot's okay, but almost besides the point. 7/10
Synecdoche, New York: Boring. Dull. Moments of Beauty. Boring again. Insanely solipsistic. 4/10
Wanted: So so so stupid. But I had fun. Morally deplorable (Penelope, if you had problems with The Dark Knight, please skip this film). James McAvoy's clearly enjoying himself. Very well paced, so that you don't pay too much attention to everything that's wrong with it. 7/10, except it's more like 5/10 but I saw this right after Synecdoche and was feeling generous.
Synecdoche, New York: Boring. Dull. Moments of Beauty. Boring again. Insanely solipsistic. 4/10
Wanted: So so so stupid. But I had fun. Morally deplorable (Penelope, if you had problems with The Dark Knight, please skip this film). James McAvoy's clearly enjoying himself. Very well paced, so that you don't pay too much attention to everything that's wrong with it. 7/10, except it's more like 5/10 but I saw this right after Synecdoche and was feeling generous.
Slumdog Millionaire (2008; Danny Boyle, Loveleen Tandan) 9/10
See the Slumdog thread for my comments.
See the Slumdog thread for my comments.
"...it is the weak who are cruel, and...gentleness is only to be expected from the strong." - Leo Reston
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
"Cruelty might be very human, and it might be cultural, but it's not acceptable." - Jodie Foster
Quantum of Solace (Marc Foster, 2008) 5/10
Had heard it was terrible so was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying it. Preferred it to the overated Casino Royale. Harks back to the Connery films in feel and tone. Judi Dench is a standout.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Woody Allen, 2008) 6/10
I can't believe Penelope Cruz is winning and getting nominated for awards for this film. She is not bad but too much fuss is being made about her performance. None of the 4 leads made much of an impression on me because the characters they were playing were all so full of themselves. I liked Patricia Clarkson though. However, the REAL star of the film is Spain and the lovely architecture on display in every scene.
Edited By Reza on 1229832179
Had heard it was terrible so was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying it. Preferred it to the overated Casino Royale. Harks back to the Connery films in feel and tone. Judi Dench is a standout.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Woody Allen, 2008) 6/10
I can't believe Penelope Cruz is winning and getting nominated for awards for this film. She is not bad but too much fuss is being made about her performance. None of the 4 leads made much of an impression on me because the characters they were playing were all so full of themselves. I liked Patricia Clarkson though. However, the REAL star of the film is Spain and the lovely architecture on display in every scene.
Edited By Reza on 1229832179
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FilmFan720
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You're right....Elephant has a lovely one too.dreaMaker wrote:FilmFan720 wrote:Okri wrote:Paranoid Park: Should've been better. Staggeringly well shot with the last half in particular very effective. Best shower scene since Psycho. 7/10
I'm guessing you don't mean the one Van Sant himself shot? :;):
obviously Van Sant just loves shower scenes...
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Heh - definitely not. And I'm sure my hyperbole is unjustified, but I was just sideswiped by the sheer beauty of it.FilmFan720 wrote:Okri wrote:Paranoid Park: Should've been better. Staggeringly well shot with the last half in particular very effective. Best shower scene since Psycho. 7/10
I'm guessing you don't mean the one Van Sant himself shot? :;):
--FilmFan720 wrote:--Okri wrote:Paranoid Park: Should've been better. Staggeringly well shot with the last half in particular very effective. Best shower scene since Psycho. 7/10
I'm guessing you don't mean the one Van Sant himself shot? :;):
obviously Van Sant just loves shower scenes...
Edited By Big Magilla on 1276693494