5. Claude Rains in White Banners - Rains gives a properly dignified and endearing turn if in a rather limited role.
Best Scene: Finding out the truth.
4. Erich von Stroheim in Les Disparus de Saint-Agil - von Stroheim has fun playing around with his usual menacing presence to be a rather memorable part of the film's mystery.
Best Scene: Joining the investigation.
3. Charles Laughton in Sidewalks of London - Aside from his accent to an extent, Laughton gives a properly charming yet moving portrayal of a street entertainer.
Best Scene: Final performance.
2. Raimu in The Baker's Wife - Raimu gives a moving portrayal of the slow breakdown of a man by revealing the real pathos behind the humor of his simple baker and his predicament.
Best Scene: suicide attempt
1. Jean Gabin in Port of Shadows - Good predictions
Michael McCarthy and
Luke. Gabin delivers yet another great performance this time as a rather modest yet charming man who slowly comes out of his shell while also getting lost into a dark web of deceit.
Best Scene: Violent outburst.
Updated Overall
Updated Supporting Overall
Next Year: 1948 Lead, I'd appreciate any supporting suggestions as well.
73 comments:
Louis: Your top 10 wrong man performances in film.
Maybe Shimura in Drunken Angel if you feel like reviewing him.
Robert Mitchum - Blood on the Moon
Robert Donat - The Winslow Boy
Ralph Richardson in Anna Karenina (Supporting)
And I've heard great things about Spring in a Small Town.
Ray Milland, The Big Clock
John Garfield, Force of Evil
Rex Harrison, Unfaithfully Yours
Richard Conte, Cry of the City
Joseph Cotten, Portrait of Jennie
Robert Donat, The Winslow Boy
Jean Marais, Les parents terribles
Barry Fitzgerald, The Naked City
Dean Stockwell, The Boy with Green Hair
John Wayne, 3 Godfathers
Cary Grant, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
Paul Henried, Hollow Triumph
Gregory Peck, Yellow Sky
Supporting
Charles Laughton, The Big Clock
Pat O'Brien, The Boy with Green Hair
Richard Widmark, The Street with No Name
Richard Widmark, Yellow Sky
Cedric Hardwicke, The Winslow Boy
Louis: Your rating and thoughts on:
Edward G. Robinson in A Slight of Murder and The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
Errol Flynn in The Dawn Patrol
Jimmy Stewart in Vivacious Lady and Of Human Hearts
Clark Gable in Test Pilot
Henry Fonda in Jezebel
Shiumra in Drunken Angel(Never any harm in reviewing a Kurosawa performance)
Robert Mitchum in Blood on the Moon
Robert Donat in The Winslow Boy
Rex Harrison in Unfaithful Yours
I'm going to watch Spring in a Small Town, i don't know if there's a particular great cast member or if it's a directors film.
Fredric March-An Act Of Murder
Clark Gable-Command Decision or Homecoming
Pat O’Brien-Fighting Father Dunne
Fred MacMurray-An Innocent Affair
Dana Andrews-Iron Curtain
Barry Fitzgerald-The Naked City
Van Heflin-Tap Roots
I just want to say I watched Suburbicon against my better judgement, and I *hated* it. I want to give my ratings and thoughts on the cast, because I don't want to keep this in.
Damon-1(Worst performance I've ever seen from him. For most of the movie he's just really bland, but then when he tries to get dark, it's so awkward I almost started laughing. Just awful.)
Moore-1.5(Same as Damon, only I never found her laughable. She's just terribly bland throughout.)
Jupe-2.5(He's good at being a scared kid, but that's really all he has to do)
Isaac-3.5(THANK GOD! He single-handedly steals the entire film, and he's the only one who really seems to be able to work through Clooney's tone-deaf direction.)
Louis: Your top 10 Melvyn Douglas acting moments
Louis: Your top 10 films set in one location.
Louis: Your Thoughts on the rest of the Lead performances you've seen and any supporting performanceso with a 3.5 or higher.
Your Female Top 10s with ratings and other 4+ Honourable mentions.
My request is Christian Bale in Empire Of The Sun.
Ray Milland - The Big Clock
John Garfield - Force Of Evil
Rex Harrison - Unfaithfully Yours
Robert Donat - The Winslow Boy
Joseph Cotten - Portrait Of Jennie
Charles Laughton - The Big Clock
Ralph Richardson - Anna Karenina
Cedric Hardwicke - The Winslow Boy
Louis: Your 1938 winners.
Always that problem of living in England which means when I am at work I have to find the 5 nominees (I had the first 4 in this list) I originally had in my list, which is at home lol because I wasnt expecting 1948 lol.
Best Actor
John Garfield - Force of Evil (definitely his best work)
Joseph Cotten - Portrait of Jennie (He is always worth a punt and Oscar winners for visual effects are always worth watching especially from this time period)
Dean Stockwell - The Boy With Green Hair (this is so bizarre it might be worth it, only seen bits of it)
Rex Harrison - Unfaithfully Yours (Preston Sturgess, nuff said)
Robert Donat - The Winslow Boy (Donat as a Barrister, yes please!)
Best Supporting Actor
Thomas Gomez - Force of Evil (He really was very good and the heart of the film)
Van Johnson - State of the Union
Charles Laughton - The Big Clock
RatedRStar: I personally was expecting 1948 when it was the 3rd year from that decade during the alternates.
I know you would like 1980 for Pacino and Heaven's Gate to come soon but If I manage to get Gaspard Manesse in Au Revoir Les Enfants from the next 2/3 lineups then I would prefer 1987 to come after 1975.
Louis: Your thoughts on A-ha's theme for 'The Living Daylights'.
John Garfield in Force of Evil
Joseph Cotten in Portrait of Jennie
Rex Harrison in Unfaithfully Yours
Robert Donat in The Winslow Boy
Ray Milland in The Big Clock
An important female performance to check out for this year is Joan Fontaine's performance in Letter From an Unknown Woman.
Louis: Your thoughts on the special effects of Videodrome and The Fly.
Luke: While I haven't seen it, Heaven's Gate looks gorgeous as hell. Might be interesting to see what Louis will think of its cinematography.
Luke: How would you rank the Mission Impossible films?
Tahmeed: I really liked A-ha's bond theme lol, apparently they hated working with the producers, I actually think a song called Under the Makeup would have been a great bond theme from them as well.
RatedRStar:
1. Fallout
2. Rogue Nation (I might rewatch it later tonight on Film 4)
3. Ghost Protocol
4. III
5. I
6. II (The only thing I like about this film is Han Zimmer's Injection piece)
Just saw "You Were Never Really Here", and for the moment I'll say its an effective piece, and that I hope it makes an appearance later in the year.
Luke: Wow I really liked Rogue Nation and Ghost Protocol, quite excited to see Fallout now.
RatedRStar: Fallout and Rogue Nation are neck & neck for my #1 spot. I think Fallout was a little more consistent with its Ensemble and Action sequences.
Ozu's "A Hen in the Wind" might be interesting to check out as well.
Louis: I'd like to switch Tony Jay in The Hunchback Of Notre Dame to Stellan Skarsgard in Breaking The Waves.
Luke: Out of curiosity, what are your thoughts on Keira Knightley as an actress? You seem to be up to date on all British actors and actresses and I'd like to know what you think of her.
Bryan L: I'm sure Louis doesn't care much for Knightley as an actress.
Anonymous: I'm asking Luke haha. Louis' thoughts on Knightley have been well-documented.
Bryan L: Oops, I meant Luke.
Louis: your ratings and thoughts on Fay Bainter and Bette Davis in Yezebel? And could you give your thoughts on Hereditary and the cast?
Louis: Your cast and director for a 70s Mississippi Grind? And your past film roles for Willem Dafoe?
For the leads I'd go for either Paul Newman and Robert Redford, or Robert Mitchum and Jack Nicholson.
Bryan L: I kinda liked her when I was alot younger but she's mediocre and she does irritate me when she over emphasises her line deliveries.
Luke: Thanks. I'm asking because I was thinking the other day about how some of her films (Pride & Prejudice, Anna Karenina, Atonement) would've greatly improved if they had just gone out and cast Carey Mulligan, since I think that in some ways, she's the more talented version of Knightley.
Calvin: Newman and Redford could've worked. I'd go with Elliot Gould and Jack Lemmon for the leads.
Bryan L: I wholeheartedly agree. :) Carey Mulligan is one of my favourite actresses currently and my #1 crush. Though I feel it would be a little disrespectful to Lena Headey who you could cast as Knightley's older sister in just about everything.
Even though I am not really fussed who gets in 1948, it would be funny to have 4 black and white images and then a green haired image of Dean Stockwell lol xD.
RatedRStar: It's a year that I hope we get through quickly because I'm not overly enthused on it either and I hope the pace of these reviews quickens abit especially if we do end up with a supporting lineup.
So did anyone see that Teen Titans... I mean, Titans trailer? Man, that was so edgy that makes me wanna cut my wrists.
Seriously, it was fucking awful.
Luke: Its not that I dont like 1948 I love years like this in which I have only seen one or two performances, get to see some hidden gems, in the case of 1948 just Garfields work is all I have seen, its just its one of those years where I am happy whoever gets in the lineup.
The Titans trailer look like a cosplay more than an actual trailer, terrible.
I love the original Teen Titans cartoon series it was quite mature for the time but also funny and had a creepy villain in Slade/DeathStroke, I really disliked Teen Titans Go! however, it just seems a little too Big Bang Theory like, constant pop culture references and not enough character or story.
RatedRStar: I do too in that respect but I really don't want the lead lineup to last over a month like 38. Also there's very few films that I'm interested in getting an opinion on. Those that I'm interested in are La Terra Trema and The Big Clock.
More interested in Supporting to be honest. I don't see any fives to come from Lead unless Shimura's being reviewed.
I was already turned off by the Titans trailer once Robin said 'Fuck Batman'.
I'm too interested in 1948 either, Shimura would be the only one i'd want to see reviewed for perhaps his second five.
Okay, so I LOVED Fallout. It's on the same page as Rogue Nation as a series peak.
Robert: What did you think of Cruise, Cavill, Ferguson and Kirby.
Luke:
Cruise - I'm glad they gave him more to work with this time around, and Cruise delivers in full. There's a sort of emotional exhaustion to his work that grounds Hunt and prevents him from being a pure escapist character. It's not quite Edge of Tomorrow-level great from him, but's still a great example of of how his charisma and pathos can blend so well.
Cavill - At the risk of spoiling anything, he seems way better suited for these types of roles than he does in stuff like Superman. He should probably play more heavies in the future.
Ferguson - Not at the level she was in Rogue Nation, but that was because she WAS Rogue Nation (and my Supporting Actress runner-up that year). Even with the more limited screentime, she's still great, and I loved how the film gives her the opportunity to build chemistry with Pegg and Rhames to fill the gap Renner left. I hope she comes back as a full-fledged team member in MI7.
Kirby - Great, and I loved the connection her character had to the first movie, but not in it nearly enough. Probably the film's most underutilized asset.
Saw Mission Impossible which I pretty much LOVED(might be my favorite of the year so far honestly), and Sorry to Bother You which I didn't love however I liked plenty of its weirdness.
Charles:
1. Cary Grant - North By Northwest
2. Griffin Dunne - After Hours
3. Jeff Bridges - The Big Lebowski
4. Henry Fonda - The Wrong Man
5. Robert Donat - 39 Steps
6. Harrison Ford - Frantic
7. Michael Redgrave - The Lady Vanishes
8. Robert Cummings - Saboteur
9. Ben Whishaw - Paddington 2
10. Farley Granger - Strangers on a Train
Anonymous:
Robinson (murder) - 4.5(A very fun performance from Robinson that essentially gets to do a light hearted Little Caesar again, which he'd take a little further in Brother Orchid. Again its very much Robinson in his zone and he excels in doing the gangster bluster along with the more humorous asides. His best moments are where he most plays with the type though particularly later on where he gets to be a bit more timid, where he's hilarious. It's a fun performance from him to be sure.)
Robinson (Clitterhouse) - 4(The film itself is very weird where John Huston as the screen writer seems to writing it as a dark comedy, while the direction plays it just like a standard drama which makes the film rather weird. Robinson though is one consistent element of the film by always playing the part with this distance as a doctor who is just being scientific in his experiment throughout. Robinson is consistent in that he never gets too emotional, even when murderer, and work as this strange man conducting an experiment among gangsters. The film fails to address this idea correctly, but Robinson's approach works.)
Flynn - 4.5(Perhaps Flynn's best performance as it lacks any of the awkwardness that sometimes comes from his work which is surprising. The reason being that usually comes in his more overtly dramatic moments yet here there is very little charming Flynn and most his performance is built upon conveying the very real weight of the losses of war as well as the urgency of any given battle. Flynn delivers in this regard surprisingly well in what is often a rather subtle portrayal of a man slowing falling apart within in just taking what he must to perform his duties. It's incredibly powerful work at times with such an unexpected degree of nuance.)
Stewart - 3.5 (Vivacious Lady) - (He's actually little overshadowed by Rogers here and I'd say Stewart didn't wholly come into his own until Smith. He is of course still good here with the usual Stewart charm, and proper aw shucks comedic timing. He's never quite great as later Stewart performance typically are, but he's still delivers a properly charming turn.)
Stewart - 3.5(Of Human Hearts)(Again Stewart's not wholly into his own here, and his whiny kid scenes are not the best of Stewart to be sure. Once the character matures Stewart is much more into his element and begins to show off more of that sort of emotional honesty that define his later work.)
Gable - 3.5(Gable performances are often defined by how much charm he is allowed to unleash in a given performance. This partially charming Gable. The thing is when going full charm he doesn't cover up the dramatic scenes, he just seems more comfortable in them. Here there is a little discomfort, not too much, he's still good, but a lesser turn from him.)
Fonda - 2.5(Fonda is just rather bland here, and is completely overshadowed by pretty much everyone else in the film, especially extremely on-point Bette Davis)
Anonymous:
1. "You don't get it do you Hud" - Hud
2. Slaughter of the cattle - Hud
3. Final fight - I Never Sang for My Father
4. Before Hud goes on a drive with Lon - Hud
5. Rejecting Hud's solution - Hud
6. Losing the ranch - Hud
7. Fight with both kids - I Never Sang for My Father
8. Words of warning - Billy Budd
9. Making Ninotchka laugh - Ninotchka
10. Going to the home - Changeling
Anoynmous:
1. Stalag 17
2. The Hill
3. The Innocents
4. Rear Window
5. The Collector
6. Persona
7. Clue
8. Sleuth
9. Wait Until Dark
10. 12 Angry Men
Tried to be pretty strict about that, excluding say a brief intro or ending outside of the location, as say the Thing feels like a one-location film however they do go to the other camp, or something like Kiss of the Spider-man which has the whole ending as well as frequent flights of fancy out of the space.
Luke:
Laughton (Beachcomber) - 4(A fine performance from him once again sharing a charming chemistry with Lancaster. The are very enjoyable together in creating the proper sort of bicker towards love dynamic. This otherwise isn't Laughton most demanding role however he makes for an endearing enough sort of sea hobo, and brings in his few slightly dramatic moments in well by fashioning them through the character's easy going manner.)
Lyarsky - 4(A rather confident child performance particularly for the time. He gives a quietly moving portrayal of just the slow maturation of his character through the years. He delivers an often reactionary portrayal of sort of this growth however does so effectively. He captures sort the state of that maturation per period of his life.)
Huston - 3.5(Huston's best when he's having a little bit of fun with the role. He's not having much fun here sadly. He does fine in terms of bringing enough honesty within his character's steadfast attitude, and strict manner. He however only can take the role so far who is a little one note at times. Huston though finds a bit of nuance in moments actually to bring some insecurities in moments, but also a real desperation in the character's lower moments.)
Aherne - 3.5(Odd to what degree this film rips off My Man Godfrey. Well we get Aherne giving his take on essentially Godfrey, and he's not bad. Aherne has a good enough timing, a nice enough charm as the strangely assured hobo turned butler. He delivers this well, not as well as Powell, but not bad.)
Astaire - 3.5(A fine charming Astaire turn. As usual it is more about the dancing than the acting. He's great at the dancing of course, but does just fine with his little in-betweens with Rogers. There is a bit more for him to do here, but only a bit more in trying to be this "proper doctor' at times. These are extremely light dramatic moments though, and mostly this is just Astaire delivering a lightly entertaining turn. That is just fine.)
Takamine/Tokudaiji - 3.5(Both of their performances are kept at a certain distance through the film's direction which strives for a certain naturalism notable for the time. The two though do at least help grant honesty towards that idea in just portraying such a genuine earnestness in the two somewhat unusual masseurs.)
Cooper - 3(Cooper doing light romantic comedy actually usually works out well. That is the case here. He doesn't actually have too much to do strangely enough in terms of comedic setups, his character is strangely straight forward at times, however Cooper acquits himself just fine. The role probably should have been played by say a Cary Grant or Maurice Chevalier though as it seems like the character was properly meant to be a bit more overt. Cooper's quieter turn though works well enough though.)
Marx - (Mid-grade Groucho)
Power - (Bland Power is bland once again.)
Taylor - (The blandest of the bland leading men at the time perhaps, either way he's bland.)
Jouvet - 4(Nord)(The film doesn't quite convey the character's situation well enough to really deliver the power of it, partially through its ensemble nature. Jouvet though is very good in the role in delivering the man almost hiding a charm, and sort of an exuberance for a life of the past. This is against the certain depression and darkness that Jouvet exudes as the overarching trend that defines the man's state haunted by what fate awaits him. Jouvet is quite effective in conveying every moment of the character's romantic intentions as this partial measures of a man who cannot seem to fully give himself to life. It is moving work even within the film's shortcoming particularly his final scene where Jouvet's silent reaction of giving up on life is rather powerful.)
Renoir - 4(Interesting to be able to compare his work to Morley's from the same year both playing the ill-fated French king. His performance is a bit different than Morley's though similair in that both sort take an overarching comedic approach technically within a dramatic work. Renoir though takes a less sympathetic approach presenting the man as overtly egoistical in his manner with his delivery of any moment of woe, or worry as more of an inconvenience than anything else. Renoir's approach is effective as he presents him less as a man who is too timid for the job, and more of a man completely lost in the power granted to him through it.)
Tone - 4(Tone has by far the most interesting arc, however I think that is also because his performance is by far the most effective. Tone throughout the film grants a far stronger dramatic edge to his performance. He portrays essentially this change towards hardening even beyond the war quite effectively. He does this well though in presenting it in almost this form of maturation towards becoming part of the underground movements rather any form of dissolution. I wish the film had honestly just been about his character.)
Jouvet - 4(La Marseillaise)(Jouvet doesn't have a lot of screentime but what he does have he makes the most out of. Jouvet comes in and delivers such a notable presence. He instantly takes command of every one of his scenes presenting a character who is somewhat there for exposition yet finds such nuance within this. He creates the right sense of the man who genuinely wants to try to create a peace through the revolution, and save lives. Jouvet offers the right strict conviction within that, but also the right understanding in his reactions showing a man astute enough to see what is coming.)
Coburn - 3.5(Fine if straightforward turn by Coburn.)
Carradine - 3.5(A rather surprising performance as the film calls upon Lincoln himself to almost randomly be a moral conscience. Carradine certainly pulls that off delivery the right striking one scene wonder with that strong voice of his that he tempers well though here. He delivers the power of the man as he should, but pulls back enough to convey a real warmth within the words as well.)
Actress:
1. Wendy Hiller - Pygmalion
2. Bette Davis - Jezebel - 5
3. Norma Shearer - Marie Antoinette
4. Margaret Lockwood - The Lady Vanishes
5. Katherine Hepburn - Bringing Up Baby
6. Katherine Hepburn - Holiday
7. Ginger Rogers - Vivacious Lady - 4
8. Elsa Lanchester - The Beachcomber - 4
9. Michele Morgan - Port of Shadows
10. Fay Bainter - White Banners
And:
Claudette Colbert - Bluebeard's Eighth Wife
Supporting Actress:
1. Lisa Delamare - La Marseillaise - 5
2. Fay Bainter - Jezebel - 4.5
3. Arletty - Hotel du Nord - 4.5
4. Dame May Whitty - The Lady Vanishes
5. Anita Louise - Marie Antoinette
6. Simone Simon - The Human Beast
7. Olivia De Havilland - The Adventures of Robin Hood
8. Claire Trevor - The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse - 4
9. Jean Arthur - You Can't Take it With You
10. Beulah Bondi - Of Human Hearts
Tahmeed:
80's overload perhaps with the sheer amount of synth, but I'm cool with a bit of 80's overload especially if it is A-Ha. Having said that there is perhaps a little too much aimlessness at times in the song, particularly the random sax inclusion. I do like the general sound of the song, even if it isn't particularly Bondish so to speak. The lyrics are a touch repetitive as well, however that is kind of a Bond staple in some ways. I still like it as a particularly light little ditty.
Anonymous:
The visual effects of both films are a highlight in each, which is saying something given both are great films on just about every front. Their use is brilliant and hold up in almost every way because of how they are used. Cronenberg very much stylizing them within the film to be part, and in that sense they are very gritty effects in a way. Rough in some sense, however rough in a way that works, and even so still extremely impressive for the time. They are in a sense gross, however I don't feel excessive, but rather create the right degree of discomfort whether it be every part of the Brundlefly transformation or the stomach VCR. Both amplify what the films are going for to create an all the more lurid horror atmosphere.
Omar:
Davis - (The film actually isn't the Gone With The Wind Ripoff it is claimed to be, the play it is based on predates that book. They do however share a similair protagonist in the more than a little morally questionable southern Belle. In that sense we do kind of get what would be Davis's own Scarlett O'Hara, however the character of Julie Marsden does not get to go in as interesting of a direction. Davis still gets her chance to potentially show her ability in the similair role. Davis wholly succeeds in this sense, as she often does in manipulative roles, in just bringing that power of personality. She does so brilliantly here though in always fashioning it through that certain southern hospitality. Her eyes make so much of this performance as she uses them to always create essentially the snake within the linen in any given scene. She wholly captivating in creating that sort of ambition within her performance at nearly every turn, even while being equally convincing in delivering sort of the proper manner of the period. Where this falls a little short, not on Davis's front, is sort of the moral walls the character needs to face, it's a little rushed. Davis's performance never feels as such though as she is quite powerful in portraying the slow reversal of that ambition in moments to reveal any genuine care for anyone else in her reactions. She's great, and this performance suggests she could have potentially pulled of O'Hara as well)
Bainter - (Bainter is terrific as well in a largely reactionary role though with moments of the right incisive impact. She actually fashions her performance in a similair way in creating that sort of front of the southern hospitality so well, however instead of showing something negative within that she shows something that runs deeper in terms of being truly caring for others. Her performance is pivotal in terms of making that right impact in even moments where she doesn't speak in showing the moral outrage at Julie's actions. She doesn't portray this with an overt judgement but rather a very striking empathy towards whoever the given victims may be. This is particularly effective as Bainter consistently makes the right impact in these moments by essentially offering the right reality to Julie's actions through those key moments of nearly despair towards Julie's amorality.)
Louis: Thoughts on both films and Ratings/Thoughts on the casts.
Bryan:
George Roy Hill with Redford and Newman.
Dafoe:
Note: Nosferatu would be a bit too obvious.
The Man Who Laughs
Alexander Sebastian
Roat
Louis: Thoughts on Delamare and Arletty.
Louis: Your top 10 lead performances from the 30's
Mark Hamill is confirmed to return as Luke Skywalker, BILLY DEE WILLIAMS IS BACK.
I also saw Sorry to Bother You and I did love it. It's absolutely bonkers but I was with it every step of the way, largely thanks to Lakeith Stanfield, who I knew was a good actor from his small role in Get Out and the bits and pieces of Atlanta I've seen, but this cements him as a genuine star, I think.
Stanfield-5
Thompson-4
Hammer-4.5
Fowler-3
Cross and Oswalt-3
Yeun-3.5
Glover-3
Crews-3
Louis: Your thoughts on the cinematography of Alexander Nevsky.
Louis: Your thoughts on the screenplay & cinematography of Doctor Zhivago.
Luke:
Won't get into either too much to avoid spoilers.
Mission Impossible is just great entertainment for every minute of its run time. The set pieces just are astonishing this time around however again each has purpose, and never do they feel superfluous. The pacing is of course fantastic, but I thought they found just the right balance in terms of the character moments. This is as no matter how brief they have the right impact. They are at times just intertwined beautifully in the action sequences, but also when they do stop for them it feels earned. Of course some good twist and turns as well in the plot, now I saw the main twist coming of course, however I loved the execution of it as I was actually surprised by how they went about it.
Start with the ratings:
Cruise - 4
Cavill - 3.5
Rhames - 3.5
Pegg - 3.5
Ferguson - 4
Harris - 3.5
Monaghan - 3
Bassett - 2.5
Baldwin - 3
Kirby - 3
Sorry to Bother You, which is a bit of Modern Times, Eraserhead mixed into a Charlie Kaufman blender, which is naturally as crazy as that sounds. As these types of films go, it had taht important factor which it did not lose the human factor in its social commentary laden darkly humorous madness. I did feel it had a few missteps, namely the "post credit" scene, however not enough to stop me from digging its crazed tapestry overall.
Saving Stanfield.
Thompson - 4
Cross - 3
Fowler - 3.5
Oswalt - 3
Crews - 3
Hardwick - 3
Glover - 3
Yeun - 3.5
Hammer - 4
Luke:
Delamare - (She doesn't have too much screentime however she is brilliant every minute she does have as Marie Antoinette. Her performance is decidedly less sympathetic than her American co-part from 1938. Delamare however finds a fascinating balance with her performance to the point I wish we had only gotten more of her in the film. Her performance though captures a marvelous dynamic in making her Marie Antoinette so many things. In one place she delivers a definite charisma however that fueled by this ego she just oozes. This in turn reveals more of the bratty sensibility that she owns in such fantastic way as she doesn't use to turn one note, but rather makes it this natural element of her breeding in a sense. She never makes her a villain though which is what I love about her performance. She delivers such a endearing cunning within the character in her court interactions as she delivers lines and reactions of the woman who has her own type of cunning even if it forms more into her critical eye of those around her rather than truly benefiting herself. That's where the final layer comes in and where there just the dose of sympathy in there. In that she captures a certain exasperation fitting for a woman who was from the start technically trapped in her circumstances.)
Arletty - (A terrific turn from her as sort of cynical asides throughout. Her sort of eye rolls are great as the woman exasperated by the men around her. Arletty finds the right balance in terms of delivering a real desperation within this in moments to grant an honest empathy for the character, while also just delivering a genuine humor as well through that desperation as well. She manages the trick of balancing a both, and her brief moments throughout the film are really the highlights even if it is as side plot.)
Omar:
I'll try to get those thoughts on Hereditary soon sadly they were cut off while breaking up my comments, and lost em.
Anonymous:
Gabin in The Human Beast would move up to #6.
Louis: Okay, actually, I agree with you on the "post credit" scene. I thought that was completely unnecessary, but I loved everything else so much I'm willing to forgive it.
Louis: Also, who's your current pick for Best Director?
Stanfield is really good on Atlanta, though all four principals are (Bryan Tyree Henry is probably my favourite).
Louis: your top 20 tom cruise acting moments
Louis: Just for a bit of fun speculation, do you think that in a way, Phantom Thread is the closest thing we'll ever get to there being a film titled "DDL", starring Daniel Day-Lewis (like Jean Claude-Van Damme in JCVD)?
I think Day-Lewis playing the role added another dimension to the part, if that makes sense, though he's not playing himself like Van Damme did.
Bryan L: I get what you're saying, because no one else in the world could've played Reynolds like Day-Lewis.
Bryan: for sure. Another example would be Mickey Rourke and The Wrestler.
Calvin and Bryan: Potentially also Harry Dean Stanton in Lucky, although I've not actually seen that one yet.
Matt: That's a perfect choice, it is very much Harry Dean Stanton - The Motion Picture, from the smoking to David Lynch to its real-life parallels.
Louis: Your top 5 lightsaber fights/duels from the Star Wars movies?
Louis: Your top ten favourite war films.
Tahmeed:
1. The Good the Bad and the Ugly (Some of its best scenes are about the war)
2. Apocalypse Now
3. Bridge on the River Kwai
4. Lawrence of Arabia
5. The Thin Red Line
6. Paths of Glory
7. All Quiet on the Western Front
8. Schindler's List
9. Gallipoli
10. Stalag 17
The enthusiastic response to "Mission Impossible: Fallout" makes me anticipate the film all the more. Hopefully I'll see it some time this week. Also Calvin may be interested in knowing I finally checked out "American Made", which I think is decent by itself but wholly carried by Cruise. His performance gets better as the story goes along as he tempers his screen charisma appropriately, and while the movie comes up short in many ways, he still succeeds in realizing what little emotional substance there is.
I'll get to all comments on the next post.
The Black Swan (1950's version, directed by Powell and Pressburger)
Nina Sayers: Audrey Hepburn
Lily: Jean Simmons
Thomas Leroy: James Mason
Erica Sayers: Judith Anderson
Elizabeth "Beth" MacIntyre: Kathleen Byron
David Moreau: Richard Attenborough
Thoughts?
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