Screenings are coming! Paramount Vantage's schedule just arrived in the mail, and I will be seeing Defiance and Revolutionary Road during the second week of November.
I'm not bowled over by the Defiance trailer. Edward Zwick directed the film. Ed is a really good director. Ed is a brilliant guy. Ed is an amazing politician. Ed would make a great president...really, he would. I know Ed, I adore Ed, but his films always just miss the X. I don't know why. Blood Diamond came so close. Is a puzzlement. But I will be keeping my fingers crossed for this film.
Defiance also stars one of my favorite actors and people...Jamie Bell. Jamie saved Jumper, and did brilliant work in Mister Foe. Really would like to see him get a bump from this film.
Revolutionary Road looks to be a safer bet. Sam Mendes, Leo and Kate. Roger Deakins' photography? Could it miss? I do like the trailer for RR. Point and push to watch it here.
I fucking love Kate Winslet!
Paramount is also offering up The Duchess, but I just can't summon the excitement or the courage to take it on. I will have to "gut" that one out when it comes to Oscar predictions. Oh good grief, why wait?
Knightley...looked beautiful, has a British accent, shows promise, but no Best Actress nomination in this crowded year.
Ralph Fiennes...looked beautiful, has British accent, really is an accomplished actor and may receive a supporting nomination if it's not too crowded this year. Nominations for Best Costumes and Art Direction. Just misses out for cinematography and score. Okay, I've done The Duchess sight unseen. Bitch all you want, I'm still waiting until Netflix has this movie sometime next year.
Moving on...I actually just finished watching A Mighty Heart last night and There Will Be Blood the night before.
So, I have comments.
A Mighty Heart. For all the pundits that wondered and worried about why Angelina was not nominated for this movie, all I have to say is....um....really?
It's not that she's bad. No, she does a credible job with her role. There are even sparks of brilliance mixed in. But, when you are in a cast which includes some of the most authentic performances given by ethnic actors in an American movie, you don't want to be the one wearing contacts, a curly wig and tan make-up. Not to mention the accent. It just makes you look like what you are. A movie star trying to show your potential to be Meryl Streep. I just don't think it's ever a good idea to do black face, even if it's "mini" black face.
The other problem of course being, that the film just wasn't that good. I knew the end of course, but, the script nor the direction ever engaged me. It was rather limp and if not for the perfomances of Archie Panjabi, and Irfan Khan ( he's in Slumdog Millionaire by the way, hopefully, it's a substantial role) and the many supporting East Asian actors...well, honestly, I may have ejected the movie before it was over. With apologies to Daniel Pearl, and Dan Futterman...who was perfect in the role of Pearl.
I also found it odd that this was the film Marianne wanted dedicated to their son? Hmmm. I personally would hope he doesn't watch this. I'd rather think of him reading his dad's articles, and knowing more about Pearl's LIFE as opposed to his gruesome death.
As for There Will Be Blood...I now understand why No Country For Old Men won the Oscar. It was also very clear to me why Daniel Day Lewis won as well. Where the fuck did he come from? If they had asked me, I would have voted for him too.The movie, not so much. I just wasn't into the story. I like Paul Dano, and I thought he did a good job...he was just out of his league.
Plus, I will have to call foul on the soundtrack. Has any music in any movie ever grated on my nerves as much as this one? I don't know either, but, I found myself wanting to fast forward to escape the unrelenting and obviously placed score. Someone from Radiohead was responsible for that? Not since Casino's hour long voice over have I wanted to mute a movie so badly.
There are some really extraordinary things about this film. The photography is beautiful...truly. I think Paul Thomas Anderson is a genius. Punchdrunk Love is one of my all time favorite contemporary movies. I wanted to be blown away...I just wasn't.
3 comments:
There Will Be Blood, for me, is a great film and the best of the year The story now is made even more powerful viewed in the context of our current political and economic meltdown.
The inevitable self-destruction of life and soul by way of greed and narcissism of power over others, as portrayed by the two principle characters (one a ruthless capitalist, the second, a religious zealot) rings true to our times. Personally, I found the film riveting and watched it twice in one week.
When other male lead-actors in award contention saw Day-Lewis's performance they must have relaxed a bit and realized they had nothing to sweat — they had no hope of a win that year.
Beautiful cinematography with locations and production design spot-on accurate to the story made it a pleasure for this history-minded viewer.
I thought the minimalist soundtrack added to the tension and bite of the film that a schmaltzy, typical John Williams pseudo-classical score would have killed. The bit of Brahms injected added enough romantic sweetener.
This is an important film worth a second or third look.
I agree on almost all your points. Especially the cinematography and production design.
It just didn't turn me on the way I had hoped it would.
The music may have been minimalist, but in my opinion...it was too heavy handed and obvious in it's placement. As if it were hammering me to understand "this is important!"
I'll take a second look....but not for a while.
Love the blog but have to agree with Anon on There Will Be Blood. Keep up the great work! TravisBickle2008
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