The winners, the dresses, the show - it was all good. I was a bit sad that Julie Christie didn't win for Away from Her (she was awesome), but Marion Cotillard was also excellent so that was okay. Was glad that Diablo Cody won for Juno - what a great movie that was. Best dresses - Cate Blanchett, Julie Christie, Diane Lane. Worst looks - Cameron Diaz (buy that girl a hairbrush), Rebecca Miller (what was with the buttons on that dress?), Renee Zellweger (never wear a skirt slit all the way to the waist - it looks bad when you have to walk across the stage and everyone can see your undies).
Robyn's top 10 of 2007: Michael Clayton, Across the Universe, Away from Her, Once (I haven't seen this, but I've heard it is good), Juno, Eastern Promises, Into the Wild, Bourne Ultimatum, Transformers (yes, I really liked it), and La Vie En Rose (which I also haven't seen but anticipate liking based on the bits I've seen and what I've heard). Shocking statement: I think both No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood are over-rated.
February 29, 2008
February 7, 2008
A flurry of viewings and some hasty reviews
Who would have thought that travelling would actually be a great way to catch up on movie viewing? With the advent of in-flight entertainment systems and hotel movie channels that include current theatre releases, I've been able to see 3 and a half movies in the past week while on the road. Here are some quick reviews of what I've seen:
There Will Be Blood Wow - a long and dark and winding road. And yet at the end of it, I still felt there were things missing. While there are some scenes and segments that go on in excrutiating detail, there are others that are missing altogether, and so the story, like the soundtrack, end up being disturbing and in the end unfulfilling. In the midst of all that darkness and discomfort, there is Daniel Day Lewis, transformed into Daniel Plainview in a way so remarkable you can't take your eyes from him. You can see and feel the coil of rage and hate in him, and keep expecting it to explode, but even the outbursts there are seem to be unsatisfactory, feeding back on him and adding fuel to his angry fire. The film also looks good - you want to sneeze from the dust in the air and the feeling of dryness and desolation, and you can almost feel the rough stone underfoot, and the horrible cool of the pools of oil at the bottom of those wells. Can't say I'd recommend this film to anyone, but it will be one I likely revisit some time to try to figure out a bit more.
Into the Wild Saw this on the airplane and really wish I'd seen it in the theatre, mostly for the sense of freedom and adventure and solitude that Chris/Alex found on the road. Another in the recent trend of physically transformative portrayals (something I thought was the sole domain of Christian Bale until now), Emile Hirsch is the current champion in the skeletal category. Even without that, Hirsch is completely enthralling as the almost angelic Chris, embracing adventure, eschewing comforts (as well as rules) and living beyond the edge of society while taking only what he needed and giving back what he could in the form of his wisdom, friendship and love. His tragic end was made so poignant here, one can only hope the real story ended so lovely. Also tragic is that this film did not enjoy more popularity, as it was truly enjoyable and moving. I'd been led to believe that the ending was somehow unbearable to watch, but I found it a fitting conclusion to the story, and a beautiful tribute to a life lost in our world. Major kudos to Sean Penn for a wonderful film. Not sure I understand what the nomination for Hal Holbrook was for - no matter, he is no match for Javier Bardem!
In the Valley of Elah A kind of Courage Under Fire meets CSI, this is one of the first stories about soldiers returning from Iraq since the current invasion began 6 years ago. And yet the story isn't about that so much as that simply establishes a backdrop for the story that actually takes place. The soldiers here could have just returned from Vietnam, Grenada, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Somalia or any of the modern-day zones of quasi-war that soldiers now work in. They come back from those places with warped senses of identity and morals, and so the strange events that take place in this world feel seems perfectly alright to them (well, almost). Its just what they do. Charlize Theron is excellent in an understated role as a fairly novice detective taking on a lot all at once. Tommy Lee Jones is good, but I had a hard time distinguishing between his character here and the one in No Country for Old Men, so I don't understand what made this performance nomination worthy over the other, or at all for that matter. The film is written and paced very well, so it made for an enjoyable and interesting 2 hours, but in the end didn't really come up to the heroic proportions promised by the title.
Michael Clayton In what is becoming an annual tradition, I was able to watch only half of this film on the plane, and so am left dangling as to how it will end. The half that I've watched is excellent, and I'm very hopeful that I won't be disappointed like I was last year with my Departed experience.
And just a note about watching films on the plane (other than the obvious "make sure you have time for the whole thing" warning) - check all the lists before making your selection. I was 3/4 through Into the Wild (which I don't regret watching) when I noticed the woman next to me was watching La Vie en Rose, another that I would have dearly loved to see. That film was listed (for some reason) under the HBO options, and so I didn't see it in my perusal of the Movies list. So be sure you know all your choices before you pick (especially when you have to pay) so you don't get screen envy on the plane.
There Will Be Blood Wow - a long and dark and winding road. And yet at the end of it, I still felt there were things missing. While there are some scenes and segments that go on in excrutiating detail, there are others that are missing altogether, and so the story, like the soundtrack, end up being disturbing and in the end unfulfilling. In the midst of all that darkness and discomfort, there is Daniel Day Lewis, transformed into Daniel Plainview in a way so remarkable you can't take your eyes from him. You can see and feel the coil of rage and hate in him, and keep expecting it to explode, but even the outbursts there are seem to be unsatisfactory, feeding back on him and adding fuel to his angry fire. The film also looks good - you want to sneeze from the dust in the air and the feeling of dryness and desolation, and you can almost feel the rough stone underfoot, and the horrible cool of the pools of oil at the bottom of those wells. Can't say I'd recommend this film to anyone, but it will be one I likely revisit some time to try to figure out a bit more.
Into the Wild Saw this on the airplane and really wish I'd seen it in the theatre, mostly for the sense of freedom and adventure and solitude that Chris/Alex found on the road. Another in the recent trend of physically transformative portrayals (something I thought was the sole domain of Christian Bale until now), Emile Hirsch is the current champion in the skeletal category. Even without that, Hirsch is completely enthralling as the almost angelic Chris, embracing adventure, eschewing comforts (as well as rules) and living beyond the edge of society while taking only what he needed and giving back what he could in the form of his wisdom, friendship and love. His tragic end was made so poignant here, one can only hope the real story ended so lovely. Also tragic is that this film did not enjoy more popularity, as it was truly enjoyable and moving. I'd been led to believe that the ending was somehow unbearable to watch, but I found it a fitting conclusion to the story, and a beautiful tribute to a life lost in our world. Major kudos to Sean Penn for a wonderful film. Not sure I understand what the nomination for Hal Holbrook was for - no matter, he is no match for Javier Bardem!
In the Valley of Elah A kind of Courage Under Fire meets CSI, this is one of the first stories about soldiers returning from Iraq since the current invasion began 6 years ago. And yet the story isn't about that so much as that simply establishes a backdrop for the story that actually takes place. The soldiers here could have just returned from Vietnam, Grenada, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Somalia or any of the modern-day zones of quasi-war that soldiers now work in. They come back from those places with warped senses of identity and morals, and so the strange events that take place in this world feel seems perfectly alright to them (well, almost). Its just what they do. Charlize Theron is excellent in an understated role as a fairly novice detective taking on a lot all at once. Tommy Lee Jones is good, but I had a hard time distinguishing between his character here and the one in No Country for Old Men, so I don't understand what made this performance nomination worthy over the other, or at all for that matter. The film is written and paced very well, so it made for an enjoyable and interesting 2 hours, but in the end didn't really come up to the heroic proportions promised by the title.
Michael Clayton In what is becoming an annual tradition, I was able to watch only half of this film on the plane, and so am left dangling as to how it will end. The half that I've watched is excellent, and I'm very hopeful that I won't be disappointed like I was last year with my Departed experience.
And just a note about watching films on the plane (other than the obvious "make sure you have time for the whole thing" warning) - check all the lists before making your selection. I was 3/4 through Into the Wild (which I don't regret watching) when I noticed the woman next to me was watching La Vie en Rose, another that I would have dearly loved to see. That film was listed (for some reason) under the HBO options, and so I didn't see it in my perusal of the Movies list. So be sure you know all your choices before you pick (especially when you have to pay) so you don't get screen envy on the plane.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)