Thursday 14 December 2017

Alternate Best Actor 1965: Charlton Heston in Major Dundee

Charlton Heston did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Major Amos Dundee in Major Dundee.

Major Dundee, in its proper extended version, is a terrific western, despite a little bit of clashing between a traditionalist and modernist view of a western, about a Union cavalry officer calling upon the aid of Confederate prisoners in order to avenge an Apache massacre near the end of the civil war.

Charlton Heston, known for his roles as steadfast leads, seems well enough equipped for the role of the tough Union officer, however this is a bit atypical, particularly for the time for him, given it is a film by Sam Peckinpah, and his leads are never simple heroes. Heston's presence here makes for an interesting one in the film in the way it is used with the character of Major Dundee. Now on the surface Heston is in prime Heston form. He has all his stature, and the power of screen presence that is a consistent factor in all of his performances, even in lesser ones. Heston's innate confidence suits well Dundee as we first meet him in charge of a fort deep into west and out of the way of the main civil war, with the primary mission in housing a group of confederates lead by Captain Benjamin Tyreen (Richard Harris). Heston's blunt approach works effectively in establishing Dundee as this blunt force of will early on. Heston makes the character's determination convincing which is particularly important to the plot where he makes his mortal enemies work for him. Heston delivers in presenting Dundee as this unshakable force from the outset.

The point of Dundee is interesting though as watching it you initially believe the man as well given just how Heston brims with such a confidence. This is even as the film hints that the man is far more flawed than how he presents himself suggests. After all why would such a formidable soldier be practically a prison warden then, it is hinted at that his actions in the battle of Gettysburg were for his own glory than the overall success of the war. This actually can be taken as his motivation to avenge the massacre since Heston portrays this as somewhat dispassionate. In that he never portrays a direct anger or anguish towards those who died, rather his determination seems to only surround the idea of the daring of the task which involves catching such a sly prey, which even involves going into Mexico and risking coming afoul the French army posted there. Heston does not convey those humane ideas as settling at any point into Dundee's mind rather only seemingly the idea of the potential glory in the task through the strength of a man absolutely certain in this resolve. This choice is actually the proper one for the character, and again though watching the film it would seem this is because Heston is just making Dundee this type of unflappable hero, however that is not the case.

The truth is revealed as the film goes on but examining this performance it is two faced once you know this truth. During the beginning of the journey there are moments where Dundee is quiet honestly a jerk, and Heston doesn't hold back in these scenes. He's frankly cold in moments as he lobs insults at one of his men because he comes from the artillery, or questioning the loyalty of one of the Apache working with his battalion. At initial glance this may seem just a man who sufers no fools, but with the understanding of the whole of Dundee it is a palatable egotism that Heston reflects in his performance. Now to be sure this is not a case of Heston making this a pure negative rather he does find the complexity of this brashness of a soldier. On one point Heston does realize essentially the usefulness of this in any scene in which he initially comes to a battle of wills with Tyreen. The intensity of the man's daring that Heston provides shows effectively his ability to keep them inline. This is also seen in his moments of strategy against the enemy which Heston conveys the worthwhile nature of his passion for victory. There is a darkness within this though as Heston reveals such a lack of empathy as a man perhaps willing to risk everyone lives if it means a great victory.

Now I will say in part this is a performance that is aided greatly by his frequent scene partner in Richard Harris. As Stephen Boyd did in Ben-Hur, Harris provides the right type of foil against Heston's more direct work. What Harris does, which I will get more detailed on later, is essential in creating some of the complexity of the character of Dundee by the way he challenges the typical Heston presence. To be fair, unlike as Ben-Hur where he stays much more the hero, though here Heston challenges it a bit himself. This is mostly seen through a needed diversion where Dundee is wounded and must be taken to hospital in Mexico. In typical Peckinpah form this challenges the values of Dundee when he is without his army, without his pride, without even his physical power as a man. Heston does deliver in breaking down his presence to powerfully reveal a more vulnerable man as he struggles to stand and is even caught in caring for the results of his actions for a moment. Heston gives these scenes the impact they need, however I don't think he quite lets them influence the rest of his work enough. He tones the egotism a bit, but the last act should have brought a far more changed Dundee. We get a little change, but there was a greater potential there that perhaps a William Holden in the role could have brought out as he did in his own collaboration with Peckinpah. This stands as a good performance still from Heston which does subvert his work to an extent, but perhaps not enough.

95 comments:

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the rest of the cast.

Will be giving quick spoiler-free thoughts on The Last Jedi shortly.

Anonymous said...

Luke how come you are unhappy that Disney bought Fox?

Luke Higham said...

Really looking forward to Harris' review.

Anyway, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is without question the most remarkable film in the series since Empire, though I agree with Calvin on that one subplot involving Boyega, Tran and Del Toro. I wouldn't say it was not needed but it went on longer than it should have and they didn't give Del Toro any interesting material, some of his moments were rather awkward. I also found it quite unpredictable in certain moments.

I'll say no more for now.

Ridley - 4.5
Driver- 4.5
Hamill - 5
Boyega - 4
Isaac - 4
Fisher - 4
Gleeson - 3
Tran - 3
Dern - 3
Serkis - 3
Del Toro - 2

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: Fox were actually taking creative risks with X-Men and knowing Disney, they don't have the guts to make an R-Rated movie. And I don't care what Iger said about Deadpool, I'll believe it when I see it.

Luke Higham said...

The only positive for me personally is we may finally get those theatrical cuts for the original Star Wars trilogy.

Luke Higham said...

Calvin: Your rating for Mark Hamill in The Last Jedi, I see you have him in 4th currently. Everything involving Hamill, Driver and Ridley was amazing.

Mitchell Murray said...

Well I've gotten two SAG nominees out of the way by seeing "Mudbound" and "The Big Sick" today.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Fucking loves Last Jedi. I even liked Finn's plot thread that people seem to have issues with. I really hope Hamill gets a review.

Louis Morgan said...

Guess I'll be the grump, I had a lot of problems with The Last Jedi, planet Neill Blomkamp was one of them, but not the only one. I didn't dislike the film but for any one thing I liked there was at least one thing I did not.

Well it was better than Roman Israel, Esquire though, which I watched due to Washington's nomination. It's Nightcrawler, if Lou Bloom was nicer, in the legal profession, and the film struggled to be about anything or have any resemblance of a real plot.

Matt Mustin said...

Louis: Ratings and thoughts on the casts of those films?

Michael McCarthy said...

I loved The Last Jedi in a thematic sense, particularly in the last half hour or so. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't find a lot of it underwhelming.

Bryan L. said...

Thoughts on this 2010s cast anyone?

David Finchers L.A. Confidential

Exley- Jesse Eisenberg (If Fincher gets another 5 from him)
White- Armie Hammer
Vincennes- Brad Pitt
Dudley Smith- John Carroll Lynch
Sid Hudgens- Jared Leto
Lynn Bracken- Rosamund Pike
Patchett- Tyler Perry

Anonymous said...

Louis and you guys: Your cast and director for a remake of On the Waterfront in the 2000s and 2010s, but set in Boston with Massachusetts actors.

Matt Mustin said...

Bryan: Pitt as Vincennes is kind of perfect.

Calvin Law said...

Robert: I liked the idea behind the plot thread and thought it paid off, but it wasn't executed perfectly imo. I'll agree with Michael that it was the last half hour that excelled the most.

Luke: I'll give him a 5, giving more thought. Still need to think about Boyega, Driver, Serkis and Fisher.

Bryan L. said...

Anonymous:

2010s Ben Foster as Terry, David Morse as Father Barry, James Spader as Johnny Friendly, Finn Witrock as Charlie, and Elizabeth Banks as Edie (Can't think of someone closer to Foster's age and from MA)

Matt: Vincennes would be a great fit for him indeed, as Pitt shines better in supporting roles but he would still get to use his charm for the part.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Your thoughts on "Lost Stars" from Begin Again, and U2's "The Hands that Built America" from Gangs of New York.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I’m surprised by how divisive The Last Jedi seems around here. I woke up this morning realizing it was my favorite Star Wars movie. Everything about it outside of one moment clicked with me perfectly.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Could I have more detailed thoughts on The Last Jedi without having to spoil the plot if possible.

Calvin Law said...

Robert: trust me, it's nothing compared to the screening I was at. There was one moment where reactions ranged from cheers to mild applause to groans.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the cinematography of McCabe and Mrs. Miller.

Bryan L. said...

Here's a couple of more 2010s L.A. Confidential casts

Martin Scorsese

Exley- Andrew Garfield
White- Jon Bernthal (Ruffalo might be too old now)
Vincennes- Leonardo Dicaprio
Dudley Smith- Liam Neeson
Sid Hudgens- Jude Law (Think Contagion)
Lynn Bracken- Vera Farmiga
Patchett- Ben Kingsley

Steven Soderbergh

Exley- Adam Driver
White- Channing Tatum
Vincennes- Matt Damon
Dudley Smith- Benicio del Toro
Sid Hudgens- Luis Guzman
Lynn Bracken- Catherine Zeta-Jones
Patchett- Don Cheadle


Robert MacFarlane said...

If I remember correctly, a lot of the regulars on this blog liked Rogue One a lot last year, right? Because I was the one who thought it bordered on outright bad, so maybe me loving Last Jedi is just a taste thing.

Bryan L. said...

Robert: I thought Rogue One was ok, until the last thirty (30) minutes or so. Then I thought it was pretty good.

There appears to be a divide amongst audiences and critics on Rotten Tomatoes for The Last Jedi.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Bryan L: That's because alt-right/Snyder fan fuckwits have been raiding RT in swarms to lower the score. Also, because nerds re terrible.

Anonymous said...

Yup, that’s it...

Bryan L. said...

Robert: I'm hoping that's what it is since the scores for The Force Awakens and Rogue One are close.

Matt Mustin said...

Robert: I didn't like Rogue One that much.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Johnson - 3(He doesn't have a great deal to do however Johnson can do a great deal with just a few well placed grimaces. He manages to make an impact which is remarkable in its own right given he only has a scant couple of lines.)

Oates - 3.5(Both he and Johnson do feel as though they are simply waiting in the wings to a certain extent waiting until when Peckinpah will really allow them to let loose later on. Oates, like Johnson, adds something just through largely reactionary moments for much of the film. He's terrific though in his single scene where he is granted focus and is marvelous little pathetic, yet oddly affable, weasel.)

Coburn - 3.5(Another performer right at home in the Peckinpah world and Coburn's very good in his scenes that capture this wry and dark sense of humor towards his character's exposition. He also though brings the right underlying intensity in the way he also challenges Dundee as Coburn adds the right inherent criticism through his line deliveries even when they are not in the lines themselves.)

Anderson - 2.5(As the wet behind the ears greenhorn recruit he could be a lot worse. He's still a touch bland in the role, but thankfully not too bland.)

Berger - 3(Her performance is somewhat limited however I did find she brought enough of an urgency to the village scenes, while at least creating enough of a believable chemistry with Heston in their scenes together.)

Hutton - 3(I actually found his performance worked by being a little much as the gungho but straightforward soldier. In that his performance works best as a contrast to Heston's as someone who is far more honest in being a proper soldier but never seeking personal glory.)

Louis Morgan said...

It's difficult to speak further on the Last Jedi to completely avoid spoilers, therefore time to be vague. There were things I liked about the Luke, Rey, and Kylo story, there were things I did not. The easiest to identify off hand though without spoiling was the unneeded Marvel jokey nature of some of their interactions. Those moments smelled of Disney oversight "Uh oh this is a bit heavy we need a laugh here" there's nothing wrong with having some purely earnest scenes, Obi-wan's scenes in the original jokes didn't have random jokes, these scenes did not need them either.

I will say I understand Mark Hamill's problem to a certain extent when it comes to where they took Luke, though I did not hate that aspect. I didn't really care for plot B's extended second act nature, extended by filling in for both the first and almost the entire third act, but there were other problems. One being Isaac's subplot did just feel like filler to give them something to do, and then Finn's I thought had potential but also its own issues. Another being their ability to go to a completely different planet seemed very strange given the dire situation. The planet itself though was an even stranger one being it did not feel like a Star Wars film fully in execution, and that was exacerbated by the ham fisted nature of the social commentary. The extra character there also felt bizarrely pointless.

I did like much of what happened in the ship climax, though there were some problems there too, but not so much in the execution of it. I also question why there were basically two climaxes to the film when they could have wrapped everyone on the ship and I think it would have been a better film. It isn't that I hated the second climax, in fact I thought there were great moments within that, however I think many of those character moments could have been accomplished with a brief epilogue while leaving the major confrontation to the last film. That major confrontation which was at first amazing, then frustrating with the end result of it. I hated the last scene, especially since the previous scene would have been a fine roll credits moment, instead we are stuck with, and I know I'm perhaps being a little too cynical, "Hey kids buy your rebellion pins today". The film was rife with moments that did not work for me, Super Leia, breast milk, more once I can get into spoilers but again I didn't dislike the film. The action was well done, thematically it was interesting and many of the character moments did work. Overall though I was frustrated by it as often as I was entertained or thrilled by it.

Matt:

Well I'll keep to ratings for the Last Jedi for the moment in order to avoid spoilers.

Driver - 4
Ridley - 4.5
Boyega - 3.5
Fisher - 3
Serkis - 2.5
Isaac - 3.5
Gleeson - 3
Tran - 3
Dern - 2.5
Del Toro - 2.5

Farrell - 3(The fact that I'll only be writing about Farrell says something about the film where there aren't really any other characters in the film besides him and Roman. Farrell's character though is even very limited to being slightly baffled, yet actually very supportive of Roman despite his behavior. Farrell delivers in bringing sort of the slick lawyer presence but with a real warmth within that style. It's actually an interesting performance however it's a shame the film barely lets him go anywhere with it.)

Calvin Law said...

4 for Driver? I thought he was an easy 4.5 verging on a 5, and I'm one of those who had a few reservations about him in TFA. I actually really liked Isaac's subplot as it was a pretty clever inversion of what you'd expect, and Boyega's too for that matter. I do think the major confrontation occurred when it should have occurred, though I also didn't like the final ending scene.

Calvin Law said...

Also, Louis, who would be your choice for Ken in a 2010s A Fish Called Wanda opposite Glen Howerton as Otto?

Louis Morgan said...

Tahmeed:

The Hands that Built America - (Well the song itself I do feel falls into sometimes oddly poor choice by Scorsese tonally in this film. Looking at the song itself I will say I never have been a big fan of U2 in a way that perhaps they are just not for me. In this particular song I find it to be over saturated in its score. I could potentially even like one facet of the overall song but the way its blended feels overly busy, I just don't care for it.)

Lost Stars - (It's an enjoyable enough song I will say the falsetto portion towards the end less so, but never too detrimental in that regard. I enjoy the overall melody of it and it evokes, although doesn't reach the height of, Falling Slowly a bit in terms of style owning I'd say to John Carney's preferences.)

Calvin:

Well I'd love to get into more detail on Driver, but it requires getting into spoilers. I will say what holds him back for me is the writing.

Martin Freeman

Louis Morgan said...

Calvin:

Well my biggest problem with the Isaac plot was probably that the conflict could've been easily solved in a one sentence explanation.

Anonymous:

Robert Altman is really known for the cinematography in his film, though it is usually good in a more reserved way. This is the most overtly stylistic working with the immensely talent Vilmos Zsigmond and the best to be featured in one of his films. It is not that it is overused in any regard rather it creates such a richness in those golden hues of the indoors providing actually greater atmosphere to then the more naturalistic yet still dynamic work in the outdoor scenes. It's a stunning looking film that captures wonderfully its framing and composition a powerful grandeur in the outdoor scenes, and palatable intimacy in the indoor scenes, along with lighting which grants the right gritty edge yet still romantic quality to the film's visuals.

Calvin Law said...

Louis: that's fair.

My own revised ratings for the timebeing:

Driver - 4.5
Ridley - 4.5
Hamill - 4
Boyega - 4
Fisher - 3.5
Serkis - 2
Isaac - 4
Gleeson - 3.5
Tran - 3
Dern - 2.5
Del Toro - 2

Robert MacFarlane said...

Hamill is probably my Supporting Actor win.

Calvin Law said...

*5 for Hamill

Calvin Law said...

Robert: he's my #3 now, made a typo above.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Is Dafne Keen a 4.5 or 5 for Logan.

Michael McCarthy said...

I had two main problems with The Last Jedi, the first being the out of place humor that Louis mentioned, and the second was that it seemed like several of the major plot movements came about a lot easier than they should've. Having said that, I didn't have a problem with any of the cast, Del Toro included.

I also treated myself to a triple feature today of Darkest Hour, The Shape of Water and Call Me By Your Name. Thought the first was okay, loved the second, and quite liked the third.

Calvin Law said...

Michael: sounds like quite a day. Would you say the Oscar contenders Oldman Hawkins, Jenkins, Spencer, Chalamet and Hammer/Stuhlbarg are deserving of noms?

Omar Franini said...

Michael: your thoughts on the Underground scene?

Anonymous said...

Louis: Thoughts on the diner scene from Five Easy Pieces.

Omar Franini said...

In Darkest Hour.

Luke Higham said...

Tahmeed: She's a 5 for Logan.

Calvin Law said...

Everyone: your top 5 ensembles of 2017? For me,

1. Get Out
2. Detroit
3. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
4. Dunkirk
5. It

HM: The Shape of Water, Okja, The Last Jedi

Omar Franini said...

Calvin:

1. Detroit
2. I, Tonya
3. Blade Runner 2049
4. Get Out
5. The Beguiled / Okja

Luke Higham said...

Saw The Last Jedi again last night with my brother and my opinion has diminished quite a bit. I still love the Luke/Rey/Kylo storyline, but I really didn't care for the casino stuff, New characters that we didn't really need (Tran and Del Toro in particular), Didn't build on the Finn/Poe dynamic and they completely wasted Christie again. And more often than not, I groaned at the Marvel-esque humour. And Super Leia was unintentionally hilarious.

I'm putting Boyega, Isaac and Fisher down to 3.5s.

Anonymous said...

Louis: For Phantom Thread, Greenwood's original score is largely piano based, hearkening back to the late 40s early 50s films in the same vein. What are your thoughts on piano based scores?

Also, your ten actors that are great at portraying loutish loners or uncharismatic tough guys.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

The diner scene is perhaps truly the birth of Jack Nicholson the screen legend, although he's great in Easy Rider however that is a more passive role for him. This feels like the pure unfiltered Nicholson ID that made his work so special in the 70's. It's fascinating because really his character is being a jerk with the level of overreaction however that charisma within the rebellion that Nicholson brings so fantastically through his performance somehow endears him to the viewer.

Anonymous:

As someone who enjoys playing the piano himself, I love good piano based scores. Although no classic ones from the 40's or 50's spring to my mind, without doing any research into the matter, I do love the score to In Bruges, aka Carter Burwell's best score, which its piano based portions are especially excellent.

Gene Hackman
Russell Crowe
Robert Mitchum
Ernest Borgnine
Matthias Schoenaerts
Daniel Craig
Anthony Quinn
James Coburn
Lee Marvin
Victor McLaglen

Anonymous said...

Haven't watched The Last Jedi, but it'd be cool if Hamill got a 5 from Louis.

Michael McCarthy said...

Calvin: I was actually a fan of all of those performances. Oldman was really what made Darkest Hour worth watching, and the three from Call Me By Your Name were all strong.

As for The Shape of Water (which may be my favorite of the year) Hawkins was outstanding, and Jenkins was a wonderful presence. Spencer in the beginning mostly does her usual thing, which there's nothing wrong with, but in the latter half of the film she has some very strong scenes. I will say my favorite of the supporting cast was actually Shannon though.

Omar: A very refreshing scene as it's easily the liveliest of the film. It provides a great contrast with the constant bureaucracy of the rest of the film, which verged on monotonous. It's a sentimental scene, but the film earns it largely through Oldman's surprisingly sensitive performance. I should also mention that the Underground setting was the only time when the film's dusty aesthetic worked for me.

Luke Higham said...

Michael: Your ratings for the casts of Darkest Hour, Call Me By Your Name, The Shape Of Water and The Last Jedi.

Bryan L. said...

I'll give my ratings for The Last Jedi

Hamill- 4.5
Fisher- 3
Driver- 4.5
Ridley- 4
Boyega- 3.5
Isaac- 4
Serkis- 4
Gleeson- 3
Tran- 3
Dern- 3
del Toro- 2.5

Luke Higham said...

I think it's either gonna be Stanton or Day-Lewis for the Lead overall win this year.

Calvin Law said...

Luke: Obviously haven't seen Day-Lewis but I feel like there's no way Stanton is losing this.

Bryan L. said...

Calvin: I think it's good old Stantons' to lose.

1. Stanton
2. Oldman
3. Day-Lewis
4. Chalamet
5. Hanks (I see Franco as #6)

Luke Higham said...

Bryan: Hanks isn't getting a 5. Jackman has a far better chance getting in the top 5 than he does.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I’m thinking Gosling will be Louis’s win.

Bryan L. said...

Luke: I get the feeling that Hanks will pull off an upset in the final rankings, for some reason.

Bryan L. said...

Gosling did go up to a 5 for me on rewatch though.

Calvin Law said...

Bryan: my guess would be

1. Stanton
2. Gosling (agreed with Robert he also has a shot)
3. Day-Lewis
4. Oldman
5. Jackman/Franco/Chalamet

Calvin Law said...

Gosling is still a 4.5 for me, I like him a lot but not as much as some of the other top performances this year.

Luke Higham said...

Does anyone think Hamill will get a 5 for The Last Jedi, since I feel he's only gonna get a 4.5.

Calvin Law said...

I sure hope he gets a 5 but given Louis' thoughts I agree. Supporting is going to be unpredictable though outside of Rockwell getting a 5 and a win, since we don't know if some of the films/performances will degrade on re-watch.

Michael McCarthy said...

The Last Jedi:

Ridley: 4.5
Hamill: 4.5
Driver: 4.5
Boyega: 3.5
Tran: 3.5
Isaac: 4
Fisher: 4
Gleeson: 3.5
Dern: 3.5
Del Toro: 3
Serkis: 3

The top three are all verging on fives.

Darkest Hour:

Oldman: 5
Thomas: 3.5
Mendelsohn: 3.5
James: 3.5
Dillane: 2.5
Pickup: 3.5

The Shape of Water:

Hawkins: 5
Jenkins: 4.5
Shannon: 5
Spencer: 4
Stuhlbarg: 3.5
Hewlett: 3

Call Me By Your Name:

Chalamet: 4.5
Hammer: 4.5
Stuhlbarg: 4.5
Garrel: 3.5

Also, my prediction of Louis's Top 5:

1. Gosling
2. Stanton
3. Day-Lewis
4. Franco
5. Jackman

I actually think any of the top 4 could take the win, and some surprise like Kaluuya or Pattinson could end up in the top 5.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Your 90s cast and director for Brokeback Mountain? I'm thinking Ethan Hawke for Ennis and Matt Damon for Jack. Oh and what past film roles would Leonardo Dicaprio be perfect for, apart from Elmer Gantry?

Matt Mustin said...

Louis, how would you rank the John le Carre adaptations you've seen?

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Your thoughts on these scenes from Seven-
Chasing after John Doe
Somerset and Mills's discussion at the bar
"Innocent"

Giuseppe Fadda said...

I’ve seen The Killing of a Sacred Deer. I don’t quite have an opinion on it yet, but I think I liked it quite a bit. Quite loved the cinematography and I thought Farrell, Kidman and Keoghan were all fantastic.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

On a rewatch, Your Name/Kimi No Nawa might actually be my favorite film of 2016.
Louis: If it counts as a 2017 release, would you be able to watch it before the Oscar nominations?

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your casts and directors for 40's versions of The Sting and Dick Tracy.

Anonymous said...

Finally got around to seeing BR2049. Coming from someone who have no preference to his other minimalist performances, I did Gosling to be extremely impressive. It's not surprising thats such a role/performance is not up for awards conversation, but I do hope that he will at least be acknowledged from the Saturn Awards or something.

Louis Morgan said...

Bryan:

I can support those choices, though maybe River Phoenix for Ennis.

John L. Sullivan (Sullivan's Travels)
Elwood P. Dowd (Harvey)
Johnny Hooker

Matt:

1. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
2. The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
3. A Most Wanted Man
4. The Deadly Affair
5. The Constant Gardener
6. Our Kind of Traitor
7. The Little Drummer Girl

Tahmeed:

Chasing Doe - (An effective chase scene that very much emphasizes the atmosphere of the rotting city that Fincher's realizes so well through the downpour of rain that almost feel apocalyptic in a way. I'd also say it is a notable scene for Pitt's performance in the moment where Doe has the upper hand.)

Bar Scene - (I think this is a great example of partially Fincher's work when he's at his best as a director, as he is in Seven, where he knows when to show restraint, and here he properly just focuses on the actors delivering the potent dialogue. Both Pitt and Freeman are great in the scene. What I love about the scene, partially due to the acting partially due to the writing, which is it makes the pondering about the nature of the city with the differing views of the two men not only well realized, but naturalistic. It reveals the nature of the men's beliefs so well in an honest interaction that never gets lost into the idea of analyzing these beliefs.)

Innocent - (One of my favorite moments in the film as it reveals the true nature of Doe rather allowing him to be what he believes himself to be as other lesser serial killer films would do. The man beneath all the pretense is seen in his hate spilling fervor, that lacks any eloquence well realized by the performance behind it. Pitt and Freeman are great in the scene as well in the scene in their different reactions showing the men not really buying his bs.)

It counts as 2016 release by my rules however I will try to watch it during the wait till the nominations period.

Anonymous:

The Sting 1940's directed by Ernst Lubitsch:

Henry Gondorff: Clark Gable
Johnny Hooker: James Stewart
Doyle Lonnegan: John Carradine
Lt. Snyder: Brian Donlevy
Singleton: Otto Kruger
Kid Twist: Jack Benny
Billie: Carole Lombard

Dick Tracy 1940's directed by Howard Hawks:

Dick Tracy: Humphrey Bogart
Big Boy Caprice: James Cagney
Breathless Mahoney: Lauren Bacall
Tess Trueheart: Priscilla Lane
The Kid: Donald O'Connor
Sam Catchem: Walter Brennan
Bug Bailey: Donald Meek
DA Fletcher: H.B. Warner
Mumbles: Peter Lorre
FLATTOP: Boris Karloff
Itchy: Bela Lugosi
Pruneface: Lon Chaney Jr.
Lips Manlis: Sydney Greenstreet
Spud Spaldoni: George Raft

Anonymous said...

Louis: If Marvel were to make an animated adaptation of some Spider-Man comic, would you like Christopher Daniel Barnes in the role if they don't force him to constantly narrate?

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Thanks. Your choices for Alma and Lureen in the 90s version?

Luke Higham said...

Louis: What's your opinion on Disney's acquisition of Fox.

Giuseppe Fadda said...

I’ve just seen Star Wars: The Last Jedi and I thought it was great.

Ridley - 4.5
Hamill - 5
Driver - 4.5
Boyega - 4
Isaac - 4
Fisher - 4
Dern - 3
Serkis - 3
Gleeson - 3
Del Toro - 2.5
Tran - 4

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

I'd be fine with it.

Bryan:

Alma: Martha Plimpton
Lureen: Gretchen Mol

Luke:

I don't care for it. In terms of creativity I potentially see it as stifling any innovation within the properties returning to Marvel. Although Fox has no idea what they're doing with Fantastic Four, and very little sense when it comes to the main X-Men series, Deadpool, Logan, and Legion have been more interesting than the majority of Marvel's main output. There is a Disney machine that spits out very specific product to the point that it is starting to feel like product. It's also a problematic deal though in it grants Disney more power and they've already started to abuse this such as when they tried to box out the LA Times critics from screenings, and their requirements given to theaters for The Last Jedi.

Calvin Law said...

I'm just grateful they got Logan out of the way before this and I doubt they'll try and dabble in Deadpool. A Disney infleucned Legion could be awful though.

Matt Mustin said...

Louis, if you've seen any of it, what do you think of Christopher Lloyd's performance on Taxi?

Anonymous said...

Louis: What roles in film history would Emory Cohen be good for?

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Do you think one off scene/moment in an otherwise terrific film or performance is enough to downgrade it from 5 stars?
The one performance that puzzles me on that is Brad Pitt's work in Seven. I'm close to giving him a 5 every time I view it, up until that infamous scene for him.

Louis Morgan said...

Matt:

Not really.

Anonymous:

Hard to say given he was great in one role, and terrible in another both technically going for a similair thing just to better results. The rest of the time he's been so-so. I don't even know what he's right for currently.

Tahmeed:

Performance wise, yes though I'd qualify it has to be a whole scene not just a moment. I'd actually be slightly more forgiving to a film if it is so great the rest of the time. After all there are some films that I would give a five to even though they have an outright bad scene such as Psycho's psychoanalyst scene or the old potbelly scene in Pulp Fiction.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Any recent viewings.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Thoughts on that psychoanalyst scene? I thought it came out of nowhere.

Calvin Law said...

Louis: your thoughts on Benjamin Horne's bike memory scene?

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Oh and your thoughts on Pete Berg as a filmmaker?

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Stronger
Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Bryan:

It's a downright terrible scenes in more one ways then one. For one it comes at the worst time which is when the film should be ending the one piece of poor pacing in an otherwise brilliantly paced film. It's horribly written exposition with how clunky it is, but it's also terrible in conception since it seems to think the audience somehow did not see the film they just saw. It goes on and on in something we've already understood in potentially the worst case of telling rather than showing since we already were shown what they're telling us about. The only thing I can give it is Simon Oakland does his best to sell it. Thankfully the final Norman scene comes in to end the film on a high note, but it's a blight on the film.

Peter Berg I'd say is the next generation of Ron Howard. He's a workman director. In all his work whether okayish, Lone Survivor, The Rundown, or more than okay, Deepwater Horizon, Patriots Day, his style is very straight forward perhaps to a fault. It is also important to note that I have not seen his nadir of Battleship. The most idiosyncratic aspect of his work is he has kind of a heavy hand at times when it comes to certain moments. Now again workman isn't a purely negative thing, there is a level of competence there however when he goes out of his comfort zone is usually when his work falters a bit. It makes sense that he's come to true life events since it does require less of a certain kind of directorial vision. This however does only go so far. While his films can be good there is just certain bag of tricks that are easy to spot, and there are some moments where you can likely predict when he will over do it.

Calvin:

Lynch at some of his best as he can offer such a genuinely earnest and downright poignant moment of warm remembrance of the past with a somberness attached to the future. This is further aided by Richard Beymer's incredible portrayal of the scene in revealing the better side to Benjamin Horne in such a moving fashion. Of course I love that there is still even a bit of humor at the end just with that extra "I loved that bike" that somehow in no way compromises what came before.

Luke Higham said...

Thoughts on the films and the casts.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Thanks. I've also seen Pete Berg described as the rich man's Michael Bay haha.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

I'll save Gyllenhaal as there just the smallest of chances that he pulls a Ruth Negga last minute sneak in, though I doubt it.

Stronger is better than I expected it to be. I'd actually say the two things that worked for me where the non-public inspirational moments, such as the scene where he speaks with the man who helped him, and the central relationship. The complexity of the central relationship actually is quite fascinating and emotionally potent to the point that I wished the film had narrowed even more in on that. The aspect of the film I did not care for was the BAHSTAN crowd/family element that just felt overdone and overly simplistic. As basically everyone besides Gyllenhaal, Maslany, and Sanz could just be described as "loud" and it would pretty much cover it.

Maslany - 4.5(I thought she was terrific and it's a shame the film's complete thud in its public release kept her from any recognition. She's great though by finding the complexity in the role which explores really this relationship beyond any sort of normal love story. There is that element to be sure which feel very honest when they do happen, however what I loved was how Maslany really made these earned moments. Earned in the way Maslany so effectively realized the frustrations toward Gyllenhaal's Jeff and his family. She never simplified this and even made is something that weighed on her work even when they seemed to be in a better state at times. She finds the complexity and difficulty in trying to be supportive while also dealing with these problems. I liked that her performance never once says love conquers all, but rather it can help however sometimes it's still not enough. This is one film that could have included the divorce and under card and I actually don't think it would have hurt the narrative.)

Richardson - 1.5(A problematic performance as she just plays into the caricature so hard. There is never any moment of any substance at any point. She focuses hard into the accent and every grotesque mannerism she can come with.)

Louis Morgan said...

I kind of hated the Golden Circle. Vaughn's work seemed on autopilot or frankly excessively indulgent. The writing is abysmal, and those who try to defend it by saying "but its like a Roger Moore Bond" are making a horrible defense. As being like a Roger Moore Bond should never be someone's aim. The film even as it was far too ponderous with far too many distractions still was extremely sloppy in terms of its failing to make anything out of its emotional moments. It's a film that took the praise of the first film a little too heart I think as they went from 11 to 35 when 11 was perhaps already a bit much.

Egerton - 2.5(No arc and just is on autopilot from the ending of the previous film. He's not bad, but he's not particularly engaging here either.)

Firth - 3(His plot line was horrendous however I did like the injection of Firth's charms to the proceedings. I hated what he had to do, but I did not hate the way he did it.)

Moore - 2(Also seemed on an autopilot of just a general evil yet she never becomes very engaging here or even present in the way she should be. It's oddly forgettable work all things considered.)

Strong - 3(While the film blundered the build up to his moment I will give Strong for singing his heart out, and doing his best to deliver the emotions of it.)

Berry, Bridges, Tatum - (Really had nothing to do, and where essentially wasted.)

Pascal - 3.5(Easily the best part of the film, though his last scene was not only a time waster but an extremely annoying plot development. His Burt Reynolds impression though was actually fairly entertaining and I will say I wish they had just simplified the plot to focus around him more closely.)

Watson - (Felt sorry for her.)

Elton John - 1(Are you kidding me? This was horrendous, and a proper personification for the indulgence of the filmmakers.)



Also did Steven Soderbergh, Matthew Vaughn, Ben Wheatley, and Bong Joon-ho all get sent the same John Denver CD for Christmas or something?

Bryan L. said...

Billy Lynns Long Halftime Walk: A bit long, but I didn't mind watching it

Alwyn-4
Hedlund-4
Tucker-3.5
Martin-3
Stewart-2.5
Diesel-3
Leigh-3.5
Nelson-3.5

Mitchell Murray said...

It seems I'm the Miranda Richardson apologist on this blog but I stand by my 3, at least until a rewatch.