1. Nakadai 2. Kravchenko 3. Dunne 4. Stoltz 5. Mason Louis: Please watch Colonel Redl, Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters, The Trip To Bountiful, Pale Rider, Twice In A Lifetime and Re-Animator.
I can sort of understand her apprehension to Baccarin's role since that character was ultimately a damsel in distress in the grand scheme of things. But yeah, Psylock was barely a character. Really the villains were more or less catastrophic. It pains me to say it, but Isaac was totally uninspired, though not much he could do with that role and THAT appearance. I hope he enjoys his new summer home.
I actually really like this lineup. Nakadai is amazing of course, then there's Mason's final performance in which he's incredibly charming and stands out so poignantly in a big ensemble, Stoltz who is excellent in a surprisingly good film, especially in revealing emotion under all that heavy makeup (which is amazing), and Dunne who was hilarious and I hate ranking him 5th. Haven't seen Krachenko but I'm sure he's great too.
Robert: Isaac did his very best but ultimately, yeah. What a waste of Oscar Isaac for comic book films. I can think of several other characters he'd be far more suited to.
More I think about the film the less I like it outside of Evan Peters/Quicksilver + his big scene. And McAvoy who despite having a questionably written role at times still gave his all.
He's not tall enough probably but I could totally dig Isaac as Kraven the Hunter in the new Spider-Man films. Speaking of those, really hope Keaton is playing Vulture; too good an opportunity to pass up.
Fassbender has some really strong moments (though I HATE the clichéd way they set up his arc). But I agree Peters was probably the steongest of the cast. And yeah, McAvoy is never one for half-measures. Though I won't lie, I have to laugh at how phoned in Lawrence still is as Mystique.
Calvin: Keaton could probably be a good Vulture (although he's really not much of a character) but someone suggested him for J. Jonah Jameson and that's all I want to see now.
The film itself is a misfire, better than X-Men 3, as there's some good in there, but very problematic. Once again one can see Civil War's strengths through this film's weaknesses, as that film had the wisdom to focus firmly on two characters, while setting just the right range for the side characters. This one tries to make almost everyone equally important and in doing so falters. There are some good scenes but the film never finds the right path. This is in part due to Apocalypse not really working as villain, but even the way they build him up seems sloppy. The tone is rather questionable with Magneto's personal story line being so dark, especially with that Auschwitz scene, which does not fit well with Apocalypse and those extremely poorly developed other horseman. The film needed to choose some character to center on, as I think aspects worked in regards to Quicksilver, Professor X, Magneto, and particularly the young trio. I think the film probably should have focused on those three as basically the leads, as I liked the few moments we had, but there was far too little, with the little we had feeling quite rushed. The film unfortunately created a self-fulfilling prophecy by saying the third's always the worst, since this is indeed the worst of the new X-Men trilogy.
McAvoy - 3.5(Kudos for once again giving it his all and even managing to continue his arc from First Class into becoming the inspirational figure Professor X needs to be. He's unfortunately underused here, but does the best with what he has.)
Fassbender - 3.5(He was very effective in portraying his extremely rushed arc as I found he managed to bring the needed warmth at the beginning, the agony in the middle and the acceptance in the end.)
Lawrence - 2(I don't know why they gave her more focus when it's so obvious how much she's phoning it in at this point, and clearly how she definitely hates being painted blue. Her delivery is so flat most of the time, it sometimes is even a bit comical. I'd go lower but she still has presence and there's a few seconds where she seems to care, though not too many)
Isaac - 2(Isaac really left me hanging here since it seems he could not decide if he wanted to go quiet and brooding or full blown hamtastic hysterics. He never quite chooses, and leaves this as a disappointingly flat performance.)
Hoult - 3(Did his best to make up for Lawrence I felt as he really tried to give weight to those conversations with her, even as she seems slightly annoyed during them)
Byrne - 2(Like Lawrence there's a few seconds where she seems to care, but the rest of the time she clearly wasn't taking any of this seriously. She played it like she was in a comedy.)
Sheridan - 3.5(Sheridan is enough of a natural talent that he makes something out of cyclops even with how rushed his arc also was. He brought it though and again I really liked his chemistry with both Turner and Smit-McPhee)
Turner - 3(Again the chemistry is worth noting. She I think suffered the most out of the wavering focus of the film. That final moment needed to be built to from the start, but we only got like a glimpse of Jean's trauma before that point. I liked what she did, but she was severely undercut by the film)
Smit-McPhee - 3(Thought he did a very admirable job of replicating Alan Cumming's take on the character while never feeling like an imitation. He did well, and I would have loved to see the movie just about the young Kurt, Scott and Jean instead.)
Hardy, Shipp, and Munn - (Well they were there I suppose)
Peters - 4(He did everything he could to make every scene he was in a little better. Whether that was adding in some natural bit of humor, or just a real energy the film needed. He even really brought in portraying Quicksilver's personal conflict in the story, which was also rushed like the rest, but I thought he pulled it off.)
After sleeping on it, I upgraded Boseman to a 4 for Civil War. I was too harsh on his accent, (cause it's actually good, now that I think about it), and he handled his arc really well.
Louis: What did you think of the Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) scene? I mean I liked the film, less and less the more I think about it, but I still find that scene fantastic.
Does anyone else see a resemblance between Raul Julia and Oscar Isaac? Not so much in terms of appearance, more their sort of onscreen presence. I was working on a blog post comparing Isaac and Ben Foster to the second coming of Pacino/De Niro but am now swaying more towards young Raul Julia/James Woods.
I actually really want Penn to make a comeback. He's an insanely talented actor whenever he's on the ball and I don't even hate some of the performances he's notorious on this blog for (well except Mystic River).
Also regarding 1985 another thing that makes me feel good about it is that despite being fired from 'Back to the Future' at the very leasy Stoltz got a great role/performance in Mask, despite missing out on an opportunity of a lifetime.
I've seen footage of him as Marty and he's actually not bad at all. No Michael J. Fox of course but it's very unfair to compare someone who was perfect for the role to someone who did his best in it.
I respect Penn but he's not an actor that makes me interested in watching a movie because of him. I feel that Viggo Mortensen could play many of his roles better than him.
Alex: I think you have a point there. Mortensen could have done Casualties of War and Mystic River better than Penn, who doesn't seem to know how to do intense acting properly.
Michael and Alex: Dammit guys I tried to remove memories of those atrocious performances from my head. Casualties of War even more so because that role had SO much potential.
I liked the scene. Bigger does not mean better, but it still was very enjoyable. Like I wrote before the potential is clearly there, even realized in some moments, but they needed to narrow the focus.
Jackman - 3.5(I've come to find that his Wolverine is more admirable than I ever gave him credit for, and this is where he fully came into the role. He simply managed to become Wolverine here, and he does well in the various aspects of the character. Whether this is just being the straight stoic badass, or the reluctant leader, Jackman makes him work as both here. He manages to also bridge that while bringing the needed ferocity in the action scenes, and emotional trauma in the moments dealing with his past.)
Cox - 4(Some classic Coxian evil. Cox embraces the role whole heartedly, he's quite entertaining to watch in portraying the sheer pleasure Stryker gets form enacting his plan. However I think he's most effective in the scenes with Wolverine, and he conveys the past between the two wholly through his, properly, one-sided interactions with Jackman)
Cumming - 3.5(His approach to the part works rather well as he manages to merge the religious and happy go lucky sides to the character rather well despite the massively differing tones to each side. Cumming though brings the right humble passion when Nightcrawler speaks of his faith while simply carrying himself as an optimistic and endearing fellow)
Berry - 2.5(She seems to just drop the accent which is a better idea than her constant wavering one in the first one. She's just alright here as she does not makes Storm much of a character, but she has a few nice moments with Cumming.)
Stewart - 3(This professor X is not especially dynamic since he's set distinctly in that mentor role, but Stewart does do that well)
McKellen - 3(I've never loved McKellen Magneto as I've always felt he never quite goes for the jugular in terms of being a truly intimidating villain, though perhaps that's not the point, though if one has seen Richard III they know he's quite capable of being such a villain. This is the closest he comes in the series to that sort of moment, and does have one great diabolical moment in there that is indeed quite menacing. It is interesting that McKellen plays the rest of the time very low key in that he comes off as almost the same type of mentor as Stewart though with different ends)
Janssen - 3(Never quite loved her approach with the character as she stayed maybe a tad too lightweight in moments, though she has some good key moments, and I think her chemistry with Jackman works rather well.)
Romijn - 2.5(She plays Mystique as basically one note femme fatale. She does this well enough, but maybe she's too one note for her own good since there are scenes that perhaps could allow for more that fall rather flat.)
Stanford - 2.5(He's not bad but there's more than a little to be desired from his development of Pyro. I mean just imagine if say Ben Foster had taken this role in the series instead for a moment. That probably would have made much more of an impact.)
Ashmore - 2(He's very bland in the role, and his big scene doesn't really work that well because of his performance)
Paquin - 2.5(She has decent moments in there, but throughout the series, this film included, she never quite managed to make her Rogue really stand out in the way she was even written to)
Alex:
1. Joaquin Phoenix - The Master 2. Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood 3. Philip Baker Hall - Hard Eight 4. Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master 5. Melora Walters - Magnolia 6. Julianne Moore - Boogie Nights 7. Tom Cruise - Magnolia 8. Josh Brolin - Inherent Vice 9. Joaquin Phoenix - Inherent Vice 10. Philip Baker Hall - Magnolia
Anonymous:
Klaus Kinski Powers Boothe Boris Karloff Mads Mikkelsen King Vidor
Also, one who fits both categories, but you kind of take it for granted Clint Eastwood. Another one that sounds cool until you actually see the guy and hear him speak, Quentin Tarantino.
Louis, is Heath Ledger really only a 2.5 for A Knight's Tale? Because I just saw it recently and found him to be a pretty charming romantic/comedic lead. Then again, I also loved the movie.
Louis: Who do you think would have been the perfect choices for Al Capone in a late 40's and late 50's versions of The Untouchables? Although he was in his mid 30's, I think Steiger would have been great in a late 50's version.
@Luke: Yeah, I'd have Bettany, Addy, and Tudyk higher in the rankings than Louis does. Though Rufus Sewell's ranking of near the bottom is totally correct.
I watched it while revising for my exams on 'The Canterbury Tales' and despite having absolutely no relevance to the text I was doing, it helped instill so much enthusiasm into it.
I'd give Ledger and Bettany 4's very easily. Liked Addy and Tudyk too. Don't really remember Sewell all that well, so he must've been more forgettable than actively bad for me.
I was shocked at how phoned-in Sewell was. He didn't even bother to sneer, just stared blankly most of his performance. Missed opportunity for some fine scenery chewing.
I found the Nice Guys to be extremely entertaining, and is probably my favorite film of the year despite there being a few obvious flaws. The thing is those flaws are entirely related to the central mystery, particularly in the villains behind it, and in the end it doesn't really matter. Like say the Thin Man, the mystery is there, but it's not what makes the movie. What makes the movie is actually everything that surrounds that mystery. The vivid setting, the dialogue, the characters, and the chemistry between the actors with Crowe and Gosling both doing a nice change of pace. It's simply a delight.
Saving Crowe and Gosling.
Basinger - 2(The weakest actor in the film in that I'm not sure exactly what she was going for. She kind seems out of sync with everyone else as though she's in a different style of comedy than what The Nice Guys is. Her performance just doesn't work, thankfully she's not in it very much)
Bomer - 3(He's an enjoyable one note creeper here, and does anyone else think he looks like a combination of Jon Hamm and Ramsay Snow in this?)
David - 2.5(He's fine but when comparing him to say Rockmond Dunbar or Dash Mihok in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang he leaves something to be desired)
Knapp - 3(He's the entertaining little weasel he needs to be, doing Elisha Cook Jr proud)
Smith - 3(Nicely does not go too far with the daffy old lady bringing enough of a real weight to her character, while still being appropriately humorous)
Rice - 4.5(Flawless American accent by the way. I really liked her performance in a role that could have gone very badly in the wrong hands. She's wonderful though in she makes the spunky kid routine work as she manages to be endearing rather than annoying since she never overplays it to the point of becoming cloying. She finds just the right balance as she captures the right comic energy but never makes Holly seem unbelievable either. What's particularly special though is the great chemistry she has with both Gosling and Crowe. She works with both perfectly as she plays off them in an enjoyable comic way, yet always reinforces with a genuine serious connection with each. She's great and really I could have watched the three of them work the case all day)
Robert:
I'll admit it's been a long time since I watched it, and it wasn't necessarily under the best circumstances when I did.
Louis: Let me guess, he would be your choice for director of the late 50's version of The Untouchables. Who are your other choices for the rest of the cast?
To those of you that have seen Mask, what are your ratings an thoughts for Cher? Because I have a suspicion that a lot of people won't go for her performance, even though I personally thought she was brilliant.
Michael McCarthy: (5) I think her performance in Mask is her best, very easily for me, I think I knew exactly what she was, she was this tough, bitchy woman who just wouldn't take any shit lol from anyone and more importantly, loved her son and absolutely for me, showed her passion of her son wanting to get accepted no matter what, I thought it was excellent and I liked here a lot in Moonstruck 2.
What I love about her work is that she bridges the disconnect between the two sides of her character as written. The script has her being the plucky and unconditionally supportive mother in some scenes, and the neglectful self-destructive mother in other scenes. I believe Cher's performance is what makes these two sides into a cohesive character, since she never lets any of these scenes be one-dimensional. In the scenes where she's a "good" mom, underneath the wonderful chemistry she has with Stoltz there's an underlying sense that she might be better at being a friend than a mother. In the scenes where she's a "bad" mom, there's a sadness underlying her dismissive words and actions suggesting that she hates hurting her son, but sometimes her addictive personality and personal history make it almost impossible to help. On top of that, the way she plays her last big scene is astonishing. The look on her face when she receives the call that Rocky didn't show up for school shows that she not only knows exactly what happened, but that she's known all along that the moment was inevitable. Then when she tries to wake Rocky up, it's clear that she knows her efforts are futile but she can't help but try to reach out to him one more time, and her breakdown is less of a woman experiencing a terrible tragedy and more of a mother facing the devastation of a reality that she'd spent far too long trying to avoid.
@Louis: My big issue with The Nice Guys pertains to my own issues with some of the stuff with kids in danger. I could mostly handle the stuff with Rice, but when her friend got chucked out the window the movie suddenly hit a screeching halt for me. It bounced back, but that single tone deaf scene keeps eating at me.
I could be wrong about this but I think some people might be underestimating James Mason here, this is his final ever acting performance lol =( and I think he will do well here considering he was Yorkshires greatest actor =D.
Just saw A Man for All Seasons. It's a great film, filled with some fantastic performances.
Scofield- 5 (One of the most understated, yet powerful performances I've ever seen. He shows the man's intelligence, wit, and honor extremely well. His dignity is perfectly believable, and I simply love the final scene when he raises his voice against Rich's perjury. However, Burton still remains my win for 66 Lead)
Hurt- 5 (Hurt gives a compelling depiction of the fall of a potentially good man into an informant. His performance was even better than what I think the script intended. His best scene, I believe, is when he finally goes to Cromwell. The loss of conscience is so perfectly played by him)
Shaw- 4.5 (He made the very most of his two scenes. He was entertaining, likable and magnetic in his scene with Scofield, and I think he practically stole that scene from him. His final scene, where he thinks he saw Scofield, was also greatly performed)
York- 4 (She perfectly managed to show the intellectual side of her character, and she is very likable and charismatic. She is delightful in the moments she had with Shaw, and she was incredible in the scene where she tries to convince Thomas to take the Oath of Supremacy)
Welles- 4 (He was great in practically his one scene. He showed so many layers to Wolsey, and I do wish there was more of him).
Hiller- 4.5 (She has terrific chemistry with Scofield, and she is heartbreaking and amazing in her final scene with him)
McKern- 3.5 (He made the most of a pretty meaty role. I do wish he kind of downplayed it sometimes, and I feel Hurt managed to steal all the scenes they had together).
Davenport- 3.5 (He was great in showing the long history between him and More and made their friendship believable. His sudden transition to coldness could have been done better, but then again, he still does show a few cracks of warmth underneath the surface well. )
Last night's Game of Thrones episode was really good, in my opinion. It still functioned as kind of set-up, but I admired the execution. It finally seems as if Arya's storyline is gonna go somewhere interesting, and even better, it seems Jaime's going to stop being Cersei's lackey. The return of a specific character was also as exciting as expected, and it actually managed to give a little importance to last week's twist about the origin of the White Walkers. The alliance between the Faith Militant and the Crown isn't going to end up anywhere good, and I really doubt if Tommen made the right decision. I really appreciated the break from Tyrion's stagnant storyline. The final scenes with Daenaerys were also done well, and I feel Emilia Clarke gave her best performance on the show in a long time. Also, it finally looks like she's actually headed to Westeros, which relieves me.
I really liked the episode without exception even though it was a primer in some ways for the final four. Randyll Tarly lived up to the expectation. The final return of a certain character was well handled. The face off with the Faith was a great. I loved Mace Tyrell attempting to be a badass, and Jonathan Pryce's reactions throughout the scene were marvelous. I especially loved Arya's story finally taking the turn it needs, and am very much looking forward to see where it goes. The weakest element was probably the ending for me, but even that I felt was just fine.
Robert: I didn't realize she played the actress that portrayed Cersei until now. I thought she was excellent. My MVP was Pryce, with Faulkner a close second.
Louis: In your review for MFL, you said that Harrison's singsong style and his impression of Leslie Howard wear thin very quickly. Does that mean that you could downgrade his rating?
My Updated Top 5s for 2016. Best Film 1. Captain America: Civil War 2. The Witch 3. Deadpool 4. Eye In The Sky 5. Hail, Caesar!
Best Actor 1. Robert Downey Jr. - Captain America: Civil War 2. Chris Evans - Captain America: Civil War 3. Michael Shannon - Midnight Special 4. Ryan Reynolds - Deadpool 5. Josh Brolin - Hail, Caesar!
Best Actress 1. Anya Taylor-Joy - The Witch 2. Mary Elizabeth Winstead - 10 Cloverfield Lane 3. Helen Mirren - Eye In The Sky 4. Emily Blunt - The Huntsman: Winter's War 5. Mia Wasikowska - Alice Through The Looking Glass
Best Supporting Actor 1. Ralph Ineson - The Witch 2. Harvey Scrimshaw - The Witch 3. Alden Ehrenreich - Hail, Caesar! 4. Daniel Bruhl - Captain America: Civil War 5. John Goodman - 10 Cloverfield Lane
Best Supporting Actress 1. Kirsten Dunst - Midnight Special 2. Kate Dickie - The Witch 3. Elizabeth Olsen - Captain America: Civil War 4. Scarlett Johansson - Captain America: Civil War 5. Gal Gadot - Batman Vs. Superman
Captain America Civil War (5/5) Hail, Caesar! (5/5) Everybody Wants Some!! (4.5/5) Midnight Special (4.5/5) Deadpool (4.5/5)
Don Cheadle, Miles Ahead (5) Jake Gyllenhaal, Demolition (5) Michael Shannon, Midnight Special (4.5) Chris Evans, Captain America Civil War (4.5) Taron Egerton, Eddie the Eagle (4.5)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, 10 Cloverfield Lane (4.5) Helen Mirren, Eye in the Sky (4.5) Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins (4) Natalie Dormer, The Forest (3.5) Natalie Portman, Jane Got a Gun (3)
I'm sticking with Downey in supporting for the timebeing unless someone sways me.
Robert Downey Jr., Captain America Civil War (5) Alden Ehrenreich, Hail, Caesar! (4.5) Chadwick Boseman, Captain America Civil War (4.5) Aaron Paul, Eye in the Sky (4) Jack Reynor, Sing Street (4)
Kirsten Dunst, Midnight Special (4.5) Scarlett Johnasson, Captain America Civil War (4) Elizabeth Olesen, Captain America Civil War (4) Zoey Deutch, Everybody Wants Some!! (4) Tilda Swinton, Hail, Caesar! (3.5)
The Game of Thrones episode was really good. Absolutely loved the Tarly segment and also Arya's one with both Williams and particularly Davis being top-notch. I really liked King's Landing as well, with Jonathan Pryce being great as usual and I also have to say I absolutely love Natalie Dormer as Margaery and she does such a fantastic job in portraying how skilled she is at playing the game. Her facial reactions were key to the main scenr just as much as Pryce's. Also it seems like Jaime is finally going to do something of note (I actually thought Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was very good in this episode). Bran's segment was good as well and even if I absolutely can't stand him as a character his storyline is very interesting this season. I didn't care much for Daenerys' segment though. It seemed unnecessary and repetitive to me, even if Clarke was okay. I really don't know what to make of her portrayal of Daenerys honestly: she has screen-presence, and she is actually great in the emotional scenes (that's why her first season is by far her best) while the rest of her performance ranges from very good (the conquering of Astapor) to awful (when she sends Jorah away in the fourth season).
John Healey: Lee Marvin Holland March: Robert Redford Holly March: Diane Lane John Boy: Dean Stockwell Blue Face: Bruno Kirby Judith Kutner: Claire Trevor Amelia Kutner: Catherine Bach Mrs. Glenn: Lillian Gish
I haven't even seen The Nice Guys yet (comes out on Friday) but I dig that cast.
For other 2015 films,
Hail, Caesar! 1970s Version directed by Robert Altman
Eddie Mannix: Warren Beatty Baird Whitlock: Lee Marvin Hobie Doyle: Brad Dourif Laurence Laurentz: John Gieguld DeeAnna Moran: Ronee Blakely Burt Gurney: (no idea) The Thackers: Geraldine Chaplin
Batman vs Superman (1960s and make it a comedy) Batman/Bruce Wayne: Adam West Superman/Clark Kent: William Shatner Wonder Woman: Claudia Cardinal Lex Luthor: Gene Wilder Alfred: Michael Redgrave Perry White: Hume Croyn
Everyone: What are your favourite rating upgrades and downgrades.
Upgraded Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood John Hurt in The Elephant Man Brendan Gleeson in The General and The Guard Tom Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road
Luke: My favorite upgrades are of course those you have listed, Cagney in White Heat and Angels With Dirty Faces, and my favorite downgrades are those of Sean Penn in I am Sam and Mystic River. I think that Penn should be downgraded for Casualties of War as well.
Kravchenko-4.5(He's good in the very early scenes of portraying the restlessness and enthusiasm of a kid who wants to be part of a world that he truly knows nothing about. Then in the first scenes after he joins up he does well to show how quickly his fantasy of what war is like are broken down, and brings a palatable sense of hopelessness. After he meets Glasha, he strikes up a nice camaraderie with her that always seems slightly off-balance due to the circumstances of their meeting. In the latter half of the film after things take a turn for the worse, Kravchenko is mostly reduced to reactions of horror. Now these reactions are as intense as any actor would be capable of, and he's never forgotten, but I still found it somewhat limiting. Fortunately he more than makes up for it with his final scene, where he shows such a visceral fury with an undercurrent of total futility all with his face.)
131 comments:
1. Nakadai
2. Kravchenko
3. Dunne
4. Stoltz
5. Mason
Louis: Please watch Colonel Redl, Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters, The Trip To Bountiful, Pale Rider, Twice In A Lifetime and Re-Animator.
1. Nakadai
2. Kravchenko
3. Mason
4. Stoltz
5. Dunne
1. Krachenko
2. Nakadai
3. Mason
4. Stoltz
5. Dunne
Louis: Can I have your Thoughts on X-Men: Apocalypse and ratings & thoughts on the cast later tonight.
3. Mason
4. Stoltz
5. Dunne
1. Nakadai
2. Krachenko
3. Stoltz
4. Mason
5. Dunne
1.Nakadai
2.Kravchenko
3.Mason
4.Stoltz
5.Dunne
1. Nakadai
2. Kravchenko
3. Mason
4. Stoltz
5. Dunne
5. Stoltz
4. Kravchenko
3. Mason
2. Dunne
1. Nakadai (and end, finish this mystery Louis)
I bet Louis put Eric Stoltz wins, knocking the favorite Nakadai, and the winners William Hurt and Raul Julia (in Kiss of the Spider Woman).
As said William Holden in Stalag 17, "someone else want to bet?"
I know a few big fans of Stoltz's work, so I could totally see Louis being impressed enough to give him the win over the Spider Woman duo.
To those who've seen the new X-Men: Is anyone else bothered by Olivia Munn walking around in a purple monokini at Auschwitz?
1. Nakadai
2. Krachenko
3. Stoltz
4. Mason
5. Dunne
Robert: Yeah, though in a more general sense. Now you mention it though that whole scene was ill - conceived.
Munn had no right whatsoever to diminish Morena Baccarin's role in Deadpool when her own was so limited and unsubstantial herself.
I can sort of understand her apprehension to Baccarin's role since that character was ultimately a damsel in distress in the grand scheme of things. But yeah, Psylock was barely a character. Really the villains were more or less catastrophic. It pains me to say it, but Isaac was totally uninspired, though not much he could do with that role and THAT appearance. I hope he enjoys his new summer home.
I actually really like this lineup. Nakadai is amazing of course, then there's Mason's final performance in which he's incredibly charming and stands out so poignantly in a big ensemble, Stoltz who is excellent in a surprisingly good film, especially in revealing emotion under all that heavy makeup (which is amazing), and Dunne who was hilarious and I hate ranking him 5th. Haven't seen Krachenko but I'm sure he's great too.
Robert: Isaac did his very best but ultimately, yeah. What a waste of Oscar Isaac for comic book films. I can think of several other characters he'd be far more suited to.
More I think about the film the less I like it outside of Evan Peters/Quicksilver + his big scene. And McAvoy who despite having a questionably written role at times still gave his all.
He's not tall enough probably but I could totally dig Isaac as Kraven the Hunter in the new Spider-Man films. Speaking of those, really hope Keaton is playing Vulture; too good an opportunity to pass up.
Fassbender has some really strong moments (though I HATE the clichéd way they set up his arc). But I agree Peters was probably the steongest of the cast. And yeah, McAvoy is never one for half-measures. Though I won't lie, I have to laugh at how phoned in Lawrence still is as Mystique.
I hope it isn't the Vulture, that villain is SO lame.
Calvin: Keaton could probably be a good Vulture (although he's really not much of a character) but someone suggested him for J. Jonah Jameson and that's all I want to see now.
Luke:
The film itself is a misfire, better than X-Men 3, as there's some good in there, but very problematic. Once again one can see Civil War's strengths through this film's weaknesses, as that film had the wisdom to focus firmly on two characters, while setting just the right range for the side characters. This one tries to make almost everyone equally important and in doing so falters. There are some good scenes but the film never finds the right path. This is in part due to Apocalypse not really working as villain, but even the way they build him up seems sloppy. The tone is rather questionable with Magneto's personal story line being so dark, especially with that Auschwitz scene, which does not fit well with Apocalypse and those extremely poorly developed other horseman. The film needed to choose some character to center on, as I think aspects worked in regards to Quicksilver, Professor X, Magneto, and particularly the young trio. I think the film probably should have focused on those three as basically the leads, as I liked the few moments we had, but there was far too little, with the little we had feeling quite rushed. The film unfortunately created a self-fulfilling prophecy by saying the third's always the worst, since this is indeed the worst of the new X-Men trilogy.
McAvoy - 3.5(Kudos for once again giving it his all and even managing to continue his arc from First Class into becoming the inspirational figure Professor X needs to be. He's unfortunately underused here, but does the best with what he has.)
Fassbender - 3.5(He was very effective in portraying his extremely rushed arc as I found he managed to bring the needed warmth at the beginning, the agony in the middle and the acceptance in the end.)
Lawrence - 2(I don't know why they gave her more focus when it's so obvious how much she's phoning it in at this point, and clearly how she definitely hates being painted blue. Her delivery is so flat most of the time, it sometimes is even a bit comical. I'd go lower but she still has presence and there's a few seconds where she seems to care, though not too many)
Isaac - 2(Isaac really left me hanging here since it seems he could not decide if he wanted to go quiet and brooding or full blown hamtastic hysterics. He never quite chooses, and leaves this as a disappointingly flat performance.)
Hoult - 3(Did his best to make up for Lawrence I felt as he really tried to give weight to those conversations with her, even as she seems slightly annoyed during them)
Byrne - 2(Like Lawrence there's a few seconds where she seems to care, but the rest of the time she clearly wasn't taking any of this seriously. She played it like she was in a comedy.)
Sheridan - 3.5(Sheridan is enough of a natural talent that he makes something out of cyclops even with how rushed his arc also was. He brought it though and again I really liked his chemistry with both Turner and Smit-McPhee)
Turner - 3(Again the chemistry is worth noting. She I think suffered the most out of the wavering focus of the film. That final moment needed to be built to from the start, but we only got like a glimpse of Jean's trauma before that point. I liked what she did, but she was severely undercut by the film)
Smit-McPhee - 3(Thought he did a very admirable job of replicating Alan Cumming's take on the character while never feeling like an imitation. He did well, and I would have loved to see the movie just about the young Kurt, Scott and Jean instead.)
Hardy, Shipp, and Munn - (Well they were there I suppose)
Peters - 4(He did everything he could to make every scene he was in a little better. Whether that was adding in some natural bit of humor, or just a real energy the film needed. He even really brought in portraying Quicksilver's personal conflict in the story, which was also rushed like the rest, but I thought he pulled it off.)
1) Kravcehnko
2) Nakadai
3) Stoltz
4) Mason
5) Dunne
After sleeping on it, I upgraded Boseman to a 4 for Civil War. I was too harsh on his accent, (cause it's actually good, now that I think about it), and he handled his arc really well.
Louis: Now you mention those flaws I definitely have to bump Isaac, and Lawrence down now. Maybe to 2.5's though because Munn and Hardy are 2's.
Tahmeed: :)
Louis: What did you think of the Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) scene? I mean I liked the film, less and less the more I think about it, but I still find that scene fantastic.
Lastly: thoughts and ratings for the cast of X2.
Louis: your top 10 performances in Paul Thomas Anderson movies
1) Karvchenko
2) Nakadai
3) Stoltz
4) Mason
5) Dunne
3. Stoltz
4. Mason
1. Nakadai
2. Karvchenko
3. Stoltz
4. Mason
5. Dunne
Glad Evan Peters is good in X-Men: Apocalypse. He's pretty great in American Horror Story as well, particularly in the second and fifth seasons.
I think William Hurt and Raul Julia will still win I think, I hope they do, I feel Hurt and Julia both deserve a win for their best ever work.
1. Nakadai
2. Karvchenko
3. Mason
4. Stoltz
5. Dunne
RatedRStar: I see very few changes to Louis' overall winners in either category, so Hurt and Julia will be fine.
I'm glad that Hurt and Julia are tied since both were great.
Does anyone else see a resemblance between Raul Julia and Oscar Isaac? Not so much in terms of appearance, more their sort of onscreen presence. I was working on a blog post comparing Isaac and Ben Foster to the second coming of Pacino/De Niro but am now swaying more towards young Raul Julia/James Woods.
Calvin: They're sort of chameleonic.
Anonymous: Your thoughts on Come And See & your rating for Olga Mironova.
Luke: It's been a long time since I've seen the film, but I remember loving it a lot. As for Mironova, probably a 4,5.
Anonymous: I hope Louis reviews Kravchenko either first or second.
RatedRStar: King Of Devil's Island had a 2010 release in Norway and The Deep Blue Sea had a 2011 release in the UK.
Luke: Looks like Sean Penn's latest film (Theron's in it) has been a failure. Poor Charlize. She deserved better.
Anonymous: I feel bad, not just for Charlize but for Javier as well, though I'm not surprised that it got torn to shreds at Cannes.
Luke: Penn's got one hell of an ego, which seems impossible to restrain.
1. Nadakai
2. Mason
3. Kravchenko
4. Dunne
5. Stoltz
1. Tatsuya Nakadai
2. Aleksei Kravchenko
3. James Mason
4. Griffin Dunne
5. Eric Stoltz
In fairness to Penn, he seems to be taking the critical eviciration in unprecedented stride.
I actually really want Penn to make a comeback. He's an insanely talented actor whenever he's on the ball and I don't even hate some of the performances he's notorious on this blog for (well except Mystic River).
Also regarding 1985 another thing that makes me feel good about it is that despite being fired from 'Back to the Future' at the very leasy Stoltz got a great role/performance in Mask, despite missing out on an opportunity of a lifetime.
I've seen footage of him as Marty and he's actually not bad at all. No Michael J. Fox of course but it's very unfair to compare someone who was perfect for the role to someone who did his best in it.
Calvin: Penn has talent, but there are performances that he should have toned down.
Calvin: Don't you at least hate him in I Am Sam?
I respect Penn but he's not an actor that makes me interested in watching a movie because of him. I feel that Viggo Mortensen could play many of his roles better than him.
Alex: I think you have a point there. Mortensen could have done Casualties of War and Mystic River better than Penn, who doesn't seem to know how to do intense acting properly.
Luke: Ill change them both then
1) Nakadai
2) Kravcehnko
3) Stoltz
4) Mason
5) Dunne
Michael and Alex: Dammit guys I tried to remove memories of those atrocious performances from my head. Casualties of War even more so because that role had SO much potential.
I think Penn is actually best with mannered work (i.e. Milk, Dead Man Walking).
Louis: Which actors and directors have the coolest names in your opinion?
I don't know how to pronounce it but Rutger Hauer is a pretty darn cool name.
Calvin: I think it's pronounced how you'd think. And I agree.
Lewis Milestone is a pretty cool name for a director IMO.
I think one of the coolest names for anyone ever is Sam Peckinpah.
1. Tatsuya Nakadai
2. Eric Stoltz
3. Aleksei Kravchenko
4. Griffin Dunne
5. James Mason
Don't deny it, Hunter McCracken is a badass name.
Saw The Nice Guys.
Calvin:
I liked the scene. Bigger does not mean better, but it still was very enjoyable. Like I wrote before the potential is clearly there, even realized in some moments, but they needed to narrow the focus.
Jackman - 3.5(I've come to find that his Wolverine is more admirable than I ever gave him credit for, and this is where he fully came into the role. He simply managed to become Wolverine here, and he does well in the various aspects of the character. Whether this is just being the straight stoic badass, or the reluctant leader, Jackman makes him work as both here. He manages to also bridge that while bringing the needed ferocity in the action scenes, and emotional trauma in the moments dealing with his past.)
Cox - 4(Some classic Coxian evil. Cox embraces the role whole heartedly, he's quite entertaining to watch in portraying the sheer pleasure Stryker gets form enacting his plan. However I think he's most effective in the scenes with Wolverine, and he conveys the past between the two wholly through his, properly, one-sided interactions with Jackman)
Cumming - 3.5(His approach to the part works rather well as he manages to merge the religious and happy go lucky sides to the character rather well despite the massively differing tones to each side. Cumming though brings the right humble passion when Nightcrawler speaks of his faith while simply carrying himself as an optimistic and endearing fellow)
Berry - 2.5(She seems to just drop the accent which is a better idea than her constant wavering one in the first one. She's just alright here as she does not makes Storm much of a character, but she has a few nice moments with Cumming.)
Stewart - 3(This professor X is not especially dynamic since he's set distinctly in that mentor role, but Stewart does do that well)
McKellen - 3(I've never loved McKellen Magneto as I've always felt he never quite goes for the jugular in terms of being a truly intimidating villain, though perhaps that's not the point, though if one has seen Richard III they know he's quite capable of being such a villain. This is the closest he comes in the series to that sort of moment, and does have one great diabolical moment in there that is indeed quite menacing. It is interesting that McKellen plays the rest of the time very low key in that he comes off as almost the same type of mentor as Stewart though with different ends)
Janssen - 3(Never quite loved her approach with the character as she stayed maybe a tad too lightweight in moments, though she has some good key moments, and I think her chemistry with Jackman works rather well.)
Romijn - 2.5(She plays Mystique as basically one note femme fatale. She does this well enough, but maybe she's too one note for her own good since there are scenes that perhaps could allow for more that fall rather flat.)
Stanford - 2.5(He's not bad but there's more than a little to be desired from his development of Pyro. I mean just imagine if say Ben Foster had taken this role in the series instead for a moment. That probably would have made much more of an impact.)
Ashmore - 2(He's very bland in the role, and his big scene doesn't really work that well because of his performance)
Paquin - 2.5(She has decent moments in there, but throughout the series, this film included, she never quite managed to make her Rogue really stand out in the way she was even written to)
Alex:
1. Joaquin Phoenix - The Master
2. Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
3. Philip Baker Hall - Hard Eight
4. Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master
5. Melora Walters - Magnolia
6. Julianne Moore - Boogie Nights
7. Tom Cruise - Magnolia
8. Josh Brolin - Inherent Vice
9. Joaquin Phoenix - Inherent Vice
10. Philip Baker Hall - Magnolia
Anonymous:
Klaus Kinski
Powers Boothe
Boris Karloff
Mads Mikkelsen
King Vidor
Also, one who fits both categories, but you kind of take it for granted Clint Eastwood. Another one that sounds cool until you actually see the guy and hear him speak, Quentin Tarantino.
Thoughts on The Nice Guys, and thoughts/ratings for the cast (though save Gosling and Crowe if that's your preference.
Louis, is Heath Ledger really only a 2.5 for A Knight's Tale? Because I just saw it recently and found him to be a pretty charming romantic/comedic lead. Then again, I also loved the movie.
Robert: I love it too. Bettany should be at least a 3.5.
Louis: Who do you think would have been the perfect choices for Al Capone in a late 40's and late 50's versions of The Untouchables? Although he was in his mid 30's, I think Steiger would have been great in a late 50's version.
@Luke: Yeah, I'd have Bettany, Addy, and Tudyk higher in the rankings than Louis does. Though Rufus Sewell's ranking of near the bottom is totally correct.
I watched it while revising for my exams on 'The Canterbury Tales' and despite having absolutely no relevance to the text I was doing, it helped instill so much enthusiasm into it.
I'd give Ledger and Bettany 4's very easily. Liked Addy and Tudyk too. Don't really remember Sewell all that well, so he must've been more forgettable than actively bad for me.
Also, love the soundtrack.
I was shocked at how phoned-in Sewell was. He didn't even bother to sneer, just stared blankly most of his performance. Missed opportunity for some fine scenery chewing.
Calvin:
I found the Nice Guys to be extremely entertaining, and is probably my favorite film of the year despite there being a few obvious flaws. The thing is those flaws are entirely related to the central mystery, particularly in the villains behind it, and in the end it doesn't really matter. Like say the Thin Man, the mystery is there, but it's not what makes the movie. What makes the movie is actually everything that surrounds that mystery. The vivid setting, the dialogue, the characters, and the chemistry between the actors with Crowe and Gosling both doing a nice change of pace. It's simply a delight.
Saving Crowe and Gosling.
Basinger - 2(The weakest actor in the film in that I'm not sure exactly what she was going for. She kind seems out of sync with everyone else as though she's in a different style of comedy than what The Nice Guys is. Her performance just doesn't work, thankfully she's not in it very much)
Bomer - 3(He's an enjoyable one note creeper here, and does anyone else think he looks like a combination of Jon Hamm and Ramsay Snow in this?)
David - 2.5(He's fine but when comparing him to say Rockmond Dunbar or Dash Mihok in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang he leaves something to be desired)
Qualley - 3(An enjoyable enough purposefully one note hippy dippy type.)
Knapp - 3(He's the entertaining little weasel he needs to be, doing Elisha Cook Jr proud)
Smith - 3(Nicely does not go too far with the daffy old lady bringing enough of a real weight to her character, while still being appropriately humorous)
Rice - 4.5(Flawless American accent by the way. I really liked her performance in a role that could have gone very badly in the wrong hands. She's wonderful though in she makes the spunky kid routine work as she manages to be endearing rather than annoying since she never overplays it to the point of becoming cloying. She finds just the right balance as she captures the right comic energy but never makes Holly seem unbelievable either. What's particularly special though is the great chemistry she has with both Gosling and Crowe. She works with both perfectly as she plays off them in an enjoyable comic way, yet always reinforces with a genuine serious connection with each. She's great and really I could have watched the three of them work the case all day)
Robert:
I'll admit it's been a long time since I watched it, and it wasn't necessarily under the best circumstances when I did.
Anonymous:
Orson Welles.
Louis: Let me guess, he would be your choice for director of the late 50's version of The Untouchables. Who are your other choices for the rest of the cast?
To those of you that have seen Mask, what are your ratings an thoughts for Cher? Because I have a suspicion that a lot of people won't go for her performance, even though I personally thought she was brilliant.
Michael McCarthy: (5) I think her performance in Mask is her best, very easily for me, I think I knew exactly what she was, she was this tough, bitchy woman who just wouldn't take any shit lol from anyone and more importantly, loved her son and absolutely for me, showed her passion of her son wanting to get accepted no matter what, I thought it was excellent and I liked here a lot in Moonstruck 2.
I second RatedRStar and she's probably my Best Actress winner of 1985.
What I love about her work is that she bridges the disconnect between the two sides of her character as written. The script has her being the plucky and unconditionally supportive mother in some scenes, and the neglectful self-destructive mother in other scenes. I believe Cher's performance is what makes these two sides into a cohesive character, since she never lets any of these scenes be one-dimensional. In the scenes where she's a "good" mom, underneath the wonderful chemistry she has with Stoltz there's an underlying sense that she might be better at being a friend than a mother. In the scenes where she's a "bad" mom, there's a sadness underlying her dismissive words and actions suggesting that she hates hurting her son, but sometimes her addictive personality and personal history make it almost impossible to help. On top of that, the way she plays her last big scene is astonishing. The look on her face when she receives the call that Rocky didn't show up for school shows that she not only knows exactly what happened, but that she's known all along that the moment was inevitable. Then when she tries to wake Rocky up, it's clear that she knows her efforts are futile but she can't help but try to reach out to him one more time, and her breakdown is less of a woman experiencing a terrible tragedy and more of a mother facing the devastation of a reality that she'd spent far too long trying to avoid.
@Louis: My big issue with The Nice Guys pertains to my own issues with some of the stuff with kids in danger. I could mostly handle the stuff with Rice, but when her friend got chucked out the window the movie suddenly hit a screeching halt for me. It bounced back, but that single tone deaf scene keeps eating at me.
Louis: top 5 actors for each of 90s, 80s, and 70s that gave greatest output for the respective decade?
Louis: 2000s and 2010s (so far) as well please.
I could be wrong about this but I think some people might be underestimating James Mason here, this is his final ever acting performance lol =( and I think he will do well here considering he was Yorkshires greatest actor =D.
RatedRStar: Have you watched all of the performances from this lineup.
Luke: I have not seen Kravchenko in about 9 years, or Mason at all, I just feel that James Mason in his final ever work, is gonna do well.
RatedRStar: I haven't seen him, but I'm not doubting his chances either, though 2nd to 5th is rather difficult to predict.
Robert:
Well if it isn't Gene Siskel....seriously though I'd agree with you that the window scene felt out of place with the tone.
Anonymous:
70's:
1. Gene Hackman
2. Jack Nicholson
3. Robert Shaw
4. John Cazale
5. Al Pacino
80's:
1. James Woods
2. Harrison Ford
3. Jeremy Irons
4. William Hurt
5. Robert De Niro
90's:
1. Gary Oldman
2. Morgan Freeman
3. Gene Hackman
4. Joe Pesci
5. Daniel Day-Lewis
Luke:
2000's:
1. Viggo Mortensen
2. Philip Seymour Hoffman
3. Brendan Gleeson
4. Christian Bale
5. Robert Downey Jr.
2010's:
1. Tom Hardy
2. Matthew McConaughey
3. Joaquin Phoenix
4. Ben Foster
5. Oscar Isaac
RatedRStar: For 2005, who would your Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor choice be for the HK film awards be?
Anonymous: Tony Leung Ka Fai and Alex Fong.
Anonymous: SPL is worth watching though.
I saw Love and Friendship earlier, and I'm pretty sure Kate Beckinsale gave my favorite performance of the year in it.
And just to add to the question, Louis, what are your top 5 actors for the 60s, 50s?
Anonymous:
50's:
1. Toshiro Mifune
2. James Stewart
3. James Mason
4. Alec Guinness
5. Kirk Douglas
60's:
1. Tom Courtenay
2. Toshiro Mifune
3. Richard Attenborough
4. Paul Newman
5. Tatsuya Nakadai
Louis: Thoughts on Blood Of My Blood.
Just saw A Man for All Seasons. It's a great film, filled with some fantastic performances.
Scofield- 5 (One of the most understated, yet powerful performances I've ever seen. He shows the man's intelligence, wit, and honor extremely well. His dignity is perfectly believable, and I simply love the final scene when he raises his voice against Rich's perjury. However, Burton still remains my win for 66 Lead)
Hurt- 5 (Hurt gives a compelling depiction of the fall of a potentially good man into an informant. His performance was even better than what I think the script intended. His best scene, I believe, is when he finally goes to Cromwell. The loss of conscience is so perfectly played by him)
Shaw- 4.5 (He made the very most of his two scenes. He was entertaining, likable and magnetic in his scene with Scofield, and I think he practically stole that scene from him. His final scene, where he thinks he saw Scofield, was also greatly performed)
York- 4 (She perfectly managed to show the intellectual side of her character, and she is very likable and charismatic. She is delightful in the moments she had with Shaw, and she was incredible in the scene where she tries to convince Thomas to take the Oath of Supremacy)
Welles- 4 (He was great in practically his one scene. He showed so many layers to Wolsey, and I do wish there was more of him).
Hiller- 4.5 (She has terrific chemistry with Scofield, and she is heartbreaking and amazing in her final scene with him)
McKern- 3.5 (He made the most of a pretty meaty role. I do wish he kind of downplayed it sometimes, and I feel Hurt managed to steal all the scenes they had together).
Davenport- 3.5 (He was great in showing the long history between him and More and made their friendship believable. His sudden transition to coldness could have been done better, but then again, he still does show a few cracks of warmth underneath the surface well. )
Last night's Game of Thrones episode was really good, in my opinion. It still functioned as kind of set-up, but I admired the execution. It finally seems as if Arya's storyline is gonna go somewhere interesting, and even better, it seems Jaime's going to stop being Cersei's lackey. The return of a specific character was also as exciting as expected, and it actually managed to give a little importance to last week's twist about the origin of the White Walkers. The alliance between the Faith Militant and the Crown isn't going to end up anywhere good, and I really doubt if Tommen made the right decision. I really appreciated the break from Tyrion's stagnant storyline. The final scenes with Daenaerys were also done well, and I feel Emilia Clarke gave her best performance on the show in a long time. Also, it finally looks like she's actually headed to Westeros, which relieves me.
Luke:
I really liked the episode without exception even though it was a primer in some ways for the final four. Randyll Tarly lived up to the expectation. The final return of a certain character was well handled. The face off with the Faith was a great. I loved Mace Tyrell attempting to be a badass, and Jonathan Pryce's reactions throughout the scene were marvelous. I especially loved Arya's story finally taking the turn it needs, and am very much looking forward to see where it goes. The weakest element was probably the ending for me, but even that I felt was just fine.
I think Essie would get my vote for episode MVP.
Robert: I didn't realize she played the actress that portrayed Cersei until now. I thought she was excellent. My MVP was Pryce, with Faulkner a close second.
Saw Breaker Morant. Excellent, now 1980s Lead Actor is all in a muddle again (I thought both Woodward and Thompson were equally great). Think I'd go:
1. Hurt
2. Nakadai
3. De Niro
4. Sutherland
5. Woodward/Morant
I hate having to knock Hutton out of my top 5 :(
Woodward/Thompson
Louis: In your review for MFL, you said that Harrison's singsong style and his impression of Leslie Howard wear thin very quickly. Does that mean that you could downgrade his rating?
Louis: When's the first review going to be posted.
Luke: I think we shouldn't pester Louis, let him take his time :)
Calvin: :)
Calvin & RatedRStar: What are your rating predictions for this lineup.
My Updated Top 5s for 2016.
Best Film
1. Captain America: Civil War
2. The Witch
3. Deadpool
4. Eye In The Sky
5. Hail, Caesar!
Best Actor
1. Robert Downey Jr. - Captain America: Civil War
2. Chris Evans - Captain America: Civil War
3. Michael Shannon - Midnight Special
4. Ryan Reynolds - Deadpool
5. Josh Brolin - Hail, Caesar!
Best Actress
1. Anya Taylor-Joy - The Witch
2. Mary Elizabeth Winstead - 10 Cloverfield Lane
3. Helen Mirren - Eye In The Sky
4. Emily Blunt - The Huntsman: Winter's War
5. Mia Wasikowska - Alice Through The Looking Glass
Best Supporting Actor
1. Ralph Ineson - The Witch
2. Harvey Scrimshaw - The Witch
3. Alden Ehrenreich - Hail, Caesar!
4. Daniel Bruhl - Captain America: Civil War
5. John Goodman - 10 Cloverfield Lane
Best Supporting Actress
1. Kirsten Dunst - Midnight Special
2. Kate Dickie - The Witch
3. Elizabeth Olsen - Captain America: Civil War
4. Scarlett Johansson - Captain America: Civil War
5. Gal Gadot - Batman Vs. Superman
Luke: Probably 5's for Nakadai and Kravchenko, 4,5's for the rest.
Anonymous:
Nakadai - 5
Kravchenko - 5
Stoltz - 5
Mason - 4.5
Dunne = 4.5
Michael McCarthy: Can I have your thoughts on Come And See & rating and thoughts on Kravchenko.
Anonymous: From what you've seen, what are your top 5s for 1985 Lead and Supporting.
Luke:
Nakadai 5
Kravchenko 4.5
Stoltz 4.5
Mason 4.5
Dunne 4.5
My revised top 5's:
Captain America Civil War (5/5)
Hail, Caesar! (5/5)
Everybody Wants Some!! (4.5/5)
Midnight Special (4.5/5)
Deadpool (4.5/5)
Don Cheadle, Miles Ahead (5)
Jake Gyllenhaal, Demolition (5)
Michael Shannon, Midnight Special (4.5)
Chris Evans, Captain America Civil War (4.5)
Taron Egerton, Eddie the Eagle (4.5)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, 10 Cloverfield Lane (4.5)
Helen Mirren, Eye in the Sky (4.5)
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins (4)
Natalie Dormer, The Forest (3.5)
Natalie Portman, Jane Got a Gun (3)
I'm sticking with Downey in supporting for the timebeing unless someone sways me.
Robert Downey Jr., Captain America Civil War (5)
Alden Ehrenreich, Hail, Caesar! (4.5)
Chadwick Boseman, Captain America Civil War (4.5)
Aaron Paul, Eye in the Sky (4)
Jack Reynor, Sing Street (4)
Kirsten Dunst, Midnight Special (4.5)
Scarlett Johnasson, Captain America Civil War (4)
Elizabeth Olesen, Captain America Civil War (4)
Zoey Deutch, Everybody Wants Some!! (4)
Tilda Swinton, Hail, Caesar! (3.5)
*3. Tilda Swinton - Hail, Caesar!
I consider Downey co-lead because the entire third is completely from his perspective. But that's me.
*third act
Luke:
Lead 1985
1. Hurt/Julia
2. Nakadai
3. Fox
4. Kravchenko
5. Hackman
Supporting 1985
1. Lloyd
2. Glover
3. Lloyd
4. Walsh
5. Mull
Matt: You have a point. I'm rewatching it soon so I'll keep that in mind during then.
Retroactive Casting for 1985 films:
Kiss of the Spider Woman (2010s version)
Luis: Ryan Gosling
Valentin: Oscar Isaac
Blood Simple (1940s version)
Ray: John Payne
Abby: Teresa Wright
Julian: James Dunn
Loren Visser: Laird Cregar
The Breakfast Club (1950s version)
Claire: Natalie Wood
John: James Dean
Allison: Millie Perkins
Andrew: Vic Morrow
Brian: Sal Mineo
Clue (1960s version)
Wadsworth: Peter Sellers
Unsure about the others.
The Game of Thrones episode was really good. Absolutely loved the Tarly segment and also Arya's one with both Williams and particularly Davis being top-notch. I really liked King's Landing as well, with Jonathan Pryce being great as usual and I also have to say I absolutely love Natalie Dormer as Margaery and she does such a fantastic job in portraying how skilled she is at playing the game. Her facial reactions were key to the main scenr just as much as Pryce's. Also it seems like Jaime is finally going to do something of note (I actually thought Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was very good in this episode). Bran's segment was good as well and even if I absolutely can't stand him as a character his storyline is very interesting this season. I didn't care much for Daenerys' segment though. It seemed unnecessary and repetitive to me, even if Clarke was okay. I really don't know what to make of her portrayal of Daenerys honestly: she has screen-presence, and she is actually great in the emotional scenes (that's why her first season is by far her best) while the rest of her performance ranges from very good (the conquering of Astapor) to awful (when she sends Jorah away in the fourth season).
I really admire Dormer as an actress because she makes a lot even when given terrible/limited material, like The Forest.
I've been a fan of Dormer since her portrayal of Anne Boleyn in The Tudors.
For fun:
The Nice Guys 1970's directed by George Roy Hill:
John Healey: Lee Marvin
Holland March: Robert Redford
Holly March: Diane Lane
John Boy: Dean Stockwell
Blue Face: Bruno Kirby
Judith Kutner: Claire Trevor
Amelia Kutner: Catherine Bach
Mrs. Glenn: Lillian Gish
Robert:
I'd agree, she was great.
Anonymous: Yes.
About retro castings, I'd choose Victor McLaglen as Bill the Butcher in a 30's version of Gangs of New York. He simply looks the part IMO.
I haven't even seen The Nice Guys yet (comes out on Friday) but I dig that cast.
For other 2015 films,
Hail, Caesar! 1970s Version directed by Robert Altman
Eddie Mannix: Warren Beatty
Baird Whitlock: Lee Marvin
Hobie Doyle: Brad Dourif
Laurence Laurentz: John Gieguld
DeeAnna Moran: Ronee Blakely
Burt Gurney: (no idea)
The Thackers: Geraldine Chaplin
Batman vs Superman (1960s and make it a comedy)
Batman/Bruce Wayne: Adam West
Superman/Clark Kent: William Shatner
Wonder Woman: Claudia Cardinal
Lex Luthor: Gene Wilder
Alfred: Michael Redgrave
Perry White: Hume Croyn
Calvin:I would do anything to watch that version of Batman V Superman.
Saw Warcraft. The video game movie curse continues.
Saw The Nice Guys. Absolutely hilarious and loved every minute.
Gosling: 4.5 (verging on 5)
Crowe: 4.5
Rice: 4.5
Basinger: 2.5 (maybe a 2)
Bomer: 3
David: 3
Knapp: 3 (maybe a 2.5)
Qualley: 3.5
I actually think Crowe was better than Gosling.
Louis: In your opinion, which actress should have replaced Sofia Coppola in The Godfather III?
Alex: Marisa Tomei.
Oh cool, very nice choice.
Everyone: What are your favourite rating upgrades and downgrades.
Upgraded
Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood
John Hurt in The Elephant Man
Brendan Gleeson in The General and The Guard
Tom Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road
Downgraded
Sean Penn in I Am Sam and Mystic River
Luke: My favorite upgrades are of course those you have listed, Cagney in White Heat and Angels With Dirty Faces, and my favorite downgrades are those of Sean Penn in I am Sam and Mystic River. I think that Penn should be downgraded for Casualties of War as well.
Saw The Nice Guys. Pretty entertaining.
Luke:
Kravchenko-4.5(He's good in the very early scenes of portraying the restlessness and enthusiasm of a kid who wants to be part of a world that he truly knows nothing about. Then in the first scenes after he joins up he does well to show how quickly his fantasy of what war is like are broken down, and brings a palatable sense of hopelessness. After he meets Glasha, he strikes up a nice camaraderie with her that always seems slightly off-balance due to the circumstances of their meeting. In the latter half of the film after things take a turn for the worse, Kravchenko is mostly reduced to reactions of horror. Now these reactions are as intense as any actor would be capable of, and he's never forgotten, but I still found it somewhat limiting. Fortunately he more than makes up for it with his final scene, where he shows such a visceral fury with an undercurrent of total futility all with his face.)
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