Monday 30 March 2020

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1996: Results

5. Eric Tsang in Comrades: Almost a Love Story - Tsang delivers a moving portrayal of a gangster with more heart than you'd expected.

Best Scene: Many wives.
4. Ed Harris in The Rock - Harris, despite being in a dumb film, gives a complex portrayal of a soldier whose convictions slowly bring about his tragic downfall.

Best Scene: Breakdown of command.
3. Harry Belafonte in Kansas City - Belafonte gives a film stealing performance by subverting his typically affable presence, in his portrayal of almost demonic philosopher/gangster.

Best Scene: Racist joke.
2. Charlton Heston in Hamlet - Heston proves his measure with Shakespeare in making the words sing, but also offering such potent emotion within it.

Best Scene: Monologue
1. Peter Stormare in Fargo - Good predictions Razor and Bryan. Stormare offers the perfect other half along with Steve Buscemi, as two less than professional criminals, in his performance that works both as a hilarious deadpan comedic partner, and a chilling portrayal of a truly amoral killer.

Best Scene: Highway Massacre
Updated Overall

Next: Back to 1943 (will be brief)

65 comments:

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Ratings & Thoughts on:
Robert Carlyle in Carla's Song
Auteuil/Duquenne in The Eighth Day
Daniels/Paquin in Fly Away Home
Richard Jenkins in Flirting With Disaster
Albert Brooks in Mother

Your final Female top tens with 4+ honourable mentions.

Michael Patison said...

Not too sure about the quality of any of these, but this is what I came up with based on reviews etc.:
Lead:
Joseph Cotten in Journey into Fear
Hans Albers in Munchhausen
Ralph Richardson in The Silver Fleet
Dennis O'Keefe in The Leopard Man
Errol Flynn in Edge of Darkness
John Mills & Eric Portman in We Dive at Dawn
Cary Grant in Mr. Lucky
Walter Huston in Mission to Moscow
Massimo Girotti in Ossessione
Pierre Fresnay in Le Corbeau
James Mason in The Man in Grey
Robert Donat in The Adventures of Tartu
Dana Andrews in The North Star
Laurence Olivier in The Demi-Paradise

Supporting:
Walter Brennan in Hangmen Also Die!
Walter Huston in Edge of Darkness
James Mason in The Bells Go Down
Sydney Greenstreet in Background to Danger
Walters Brennan & Huston in The North Star
Thorkild Roose & Preben Lerdorff Rye in Day of Wrath

Calvin Law said...

Richardson in The Silver Fleet is my only recommendation. I’d give him a strong 4.5, Louis will probably like him enough to give him a 4. Also glad to see Buscemi kept his win.

RatedRStar said...

Luke: I could see lots of 4.5s for other HK performances but maybe not a 5, I don't know to be honest.

RatedRStar said...

Hans Albers - Münchhausen
Joseph Cotten - Journey In Fear
Monty Woolley - Holy Matrimony
Ralph Richardson - The Silver Fleet

Lucas Saavedra said...

Louis: ratings and thoughts on Dwight Yoakam in Sling Blade?

Luke Higham said...

Louis: If you haven't already, please re-watch The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp and The Song Of Bernadette.

Lucas Saavedra said...

Louis or anyone else: what are the rules that Louis uses to decide whether a movie is from one year or another?

Luke Higham said...

Lucas: The first theatrical release date, no matter what country it is.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Carlyle - 4.5(Carlyle delivers a terrific performance in one of his more average man turns. This bringing a low key charm to the part and just generally convincing manner. His performance creates the right understated grounding for the character, where he manages to follow effectively the sense of the character's growing interest in Carla throughout the film. Carlyle's work is terrific in terms of particularly balancing the shifts within the film by always offering such a sincere center of a caring man trying to best for the woman he comes to love. Carlyle makes even the dramatic shift of the second half work, by always maintaining this convincing humanity in his work.)

Auteuil & Duquenne - 4(WARNING SPOILER (though warning if one chooses to watch this film): The Peanut Butter Falcon if you wanted the guy with down syndrome to commit suicide at the end. Not making it up, and a shame as I don't think the film deserved such a darker ending, as much as it tries to sugar coat it with magical realism. I hated the ending, I hated it, as it honestly just felt like a betrayal of the rest of the story. Anyway Auteuil as typical gives a moving portrayal of the emotional desperation of the work alcoholic father and delivers on the oft portrayed arc, of the man finding himself/family again. He delivers on this in a believable way that makes the feel good overtones of the film work, even with that unneeded ending. Duquenne also gives a strong performance that goes far beyond just being this kind of detached personality, trying to find his own way, within a world that constantly rejects him. Duquenne's work is unique but also moving in finding moments of connection and heartbreak so effectively.)

Daniels - 4(MVP of the movie is Caleb Deschanel, extremely well deserved sole Oscar nomination there, and frankly the movie I'd probably qualify as not good if not for Deschanel, he makes it worth watching. Having said that Daniels is also good, in portraying the sort of distant but mostly unsure father. Daniels is effective in that he makes the distance just a lack of familiarity rather than a true disconnect. His slow building of the connection is effectively realized, and delivers the needed heart to the film.)

Paquin - 3(How does one go from a thick New Zealand accent to a thick American southern accent? But I severely digress. Anyway for the most part she's more than fine in terms of the more emotional moments. I'd say where she is less successful is of making just a more endearing presence of her work. She doesn't make her character particularly likable and I don't think that was intentional.)

Jenkins - 4(Steals the film wholesale, I mean it's Jenkins in a comedic role, or any role really, he knows what he is doing, although I ponder how he still didn't breakout faster. This is a hilarious performance from Jenkins as he doesn't overplay either the character being a FBI agent in a homosexual relationship with his own partner or his extreme drug trip. Jenkins brings a directness to both that in turn is rather hilarious.)

Brooks - 3(I have to say I found Mother, a pretty lame film overall. It's not bad, it's just kind, eh. In turn Brooks, who I think is like a slightly more dynamic Woody Allen in his leading self-directed roles, doesn't push himself much here. He mostly coasts, which is still moderately entertaining on its own, but this is a far more forgettable effort on his end.)

Lucas:

Yoakam - 4(Yoakam is always good, but here is how to do a sleazeball drunk performance. This as Yoakam finds the right balance, while being as scummy as you'd need. Yoakam's work though isn't over the top importantly, bringing human moments in only that the guy can be casual at times, even slightly affable, but there is always the same casual quality in behaving just as a horrible person would with such ease. Most times these performances are one note, Yoakam fulfills the needs of the part, but does so without just a single setting.)

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Actress:

1. Emily Watson - Breaking the Waves
2. Frances McDormand - Fargo
3. Brenda Blethyn - Secrets & Lies
4. Lily Taylor - I Shot Andy Warhol
5. Victoire Thivisol - Ponette
6. Ghita Norby - Hamsun
7. Juliet Binoche - The English Patient
8. Marianne Jean-Baptiste - Secrets & Lies
9. Maggie Cheung - Comrades: Almost a Love Story
10. Oyanka Cabezas - Carla's Song

Supporting:

1. Courtney Love - The People vs. Larry Flynt
2. Kate Winslet - Hamlet
3. Fanny Ardant - Ridicule
4. Joan Allen - The Crucible
5. Renee Zellweger - Jerry Maguire
6. Phyllis Logan - Secrets & Lies
7. Katrin Cartlidge - Breaking the Waves
8. Rachel Griffiths - Jude
9. Diane Wiest - The Birdcage
10. Judith Godreche - Ridicule

And:

Alice Krige - Star Trek First Contact

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Your thoughts on Fly Away Home's Cinematography. I actually do recall seeing it though it was a long, long time ago.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Your ratings and thoughts on Dern and anyone else of note in Citizen Ruth? And thoughts on the film itself?

Also, question: if a character is played by two actors in one film, can I request both or just one?

Anonymous said...

Luke, I asked you for your overall thoughts on Ric Flair on the previous post

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: There's no one I find more compelling with his promo work than Flair, his late 90s WCW work is the stuff of legend, especially in his feud with Eric Bischoff. An amazing in-ring worker in the 80s with his '89 series of matches with Ricky Steamboat being the crown jewel of his career.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: Your top ten Wrestlemania moments.

Anonymous said...

Louis, Is there any one actor who's work you've seen enough of to call him utterly hopeless.

Anonymous said...

Luke, your top ten Wrestlemania moments

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: I would've said Anthony Franciosa but he was good in Career.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Along with Bruno Delbonnel, Caleb Deschanel is probably the most overdue cinematographer now that Deakins rightfully has two wins his possession. Deschanel is probably one of the best cinematographers of just nature in general, and his being a tangible nature, which is notable. This as you've likely experienced his shots yourself, but only when nature is looking its very best. We have a great deal of that here, as he makes such downright brilliant use of time of day, to create such gorgeous glowing shots, of all natural light, to make the most of what is there. Deschanel being given the go ahead, though to shot nature at the highest point, due to the abundance of flying shots, is what makes this such a notable achievement. This as every frame in the air is absolutely gorgeous in capturing nature in the most picturesque terms in his somehow flawless lighting, and composition and framing of shots that only amplify the lush nature.

Bryan:

Citizen Ruth, is actually a preview for the worst tendencies of Alexander Payne as a filmmaker not his best tendencies. This as he makes his film about criticizing both sides of a debate, by losing the humanity of the individual between them. Well, Payne is doing that himself by making everyone a caricature, even the titular Ruth. Of course as much as the plot is already tiresome, the film is brutally repetitive as Ruth goes from one side doing weird things to the other side doing things, then they go back and forth in this, until the film thankfully ends.

Dern - 4(Dern is the best part of the review, though in a way her performance illustrates the problem with the film. This as Ruth herself really is a caricature herself, it is the virtues of Dern's ability to do broad that manages to make her own performance work. This as she can deliver on the more comic ideas of the extreme mess of a woman, who seems coarse and lazy even for a drug addict. Dern though manages to even within that mess, finds at least an idea of human desperation within it that grants her character a little more substance than really is offered in the script that leaves every body as ridiculous.)

Smith - 3.5(Like Dern he manages to get over the hump of the script, in that while he has a caricature to portray, he manages to do so in a way where his performance doesn't in itself just become a cartoon. He's there to be hypocrite but where Smith can find nuance he does, particularly in his reactions towards Reynolds's even greater hypocrite. Limited work, but he finds what he can do within the limits)

If it'd make for a logical review, I'd consider it.

Anonymous:

You know I think that almost any actor/person, with the right director, can find a way for someone to work in at least someway. For example, Tommy Wiseau is obviously a terrible actor, but his cameo in The Disaster Artist worked. Now for some it may be in such brevity, or such constrictions, but I do think there is hope for almost any actor to be used for something of merit. Having said that here's some, where that possibility might be limited, or perhaps even unlikely:

Chris Rock (We'll see what Fargo Season 4 has in store)
Rob Schneider
Jaden Smith
Quentin Tarantino
Megan Fox

Anonymous said...

Louis what would you say are the 10 worst snubs in Original Score?

Luke Higham said...

Louis: What's your top 5 for 1996 Original Score and where would Dragonheart rank because I remember you loving the main theme.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: In no particular order.
Savage/Warrior - VII
Hart/Austin - XIII
Austin wins his 1st championship - XIV
Austin Heel Turn - XVII
Rock/Hogan - XVIII
Lesnar SSP Botch - XIX
Benoit/Guerrero - XX
Edge/Foley flaming table - XXII
Ric Flair retires - XXIV
Taker/HBK - XXV

Honourable mentions
Lesnar breaks the streak - XXX, I'm one of the few that was happy about it.
Bryan/World Champion - XXX

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

As always, based on the snub, in terms of how much the film was in the race, and if it wasn't disqualified.

1. Rocky
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
3. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
4. First Man
5. The Conversation
6. Psycho
7. Jurassic Park
8. The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
9. Cloud Atlas
10. Henry V

Luke:

1. Hamlet
2. The Hunchback Of Notre Dame
3. Dragonheart (If only the rest of the score were as good as the main theme.)
4. The Rock
5. Emma

Note: I had disqualify Fargo, as too much of the score is dependent on Burwell's arrangement of "The Lost Lamb", an amazing arrangement mind you, and the original material that is there, is also great, but can't quite include it.

Anonymous said...

Louis what would be your top five original songs for 1996?

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

1. "Hellfire" - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
2. "That Thing You Do" - That Thing You Do
3. "All My Only Dreams" - That Thing You Do
4. "The Bells of Notre Dame" - The Hunchback of Notre Dame
5. "Little Wild One" - That Thing You Do

An abundance of riches due to the combo of Hunchback/That Thing You Do.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the Better Call Saul episode 'JMM.'

Calvin Law said...

Louis: your thoughts on the ‘snuff film’ scene in The Dark Knight? One of the most underrated sequences in the films, imo.

Bryan L. said...

Alright, my winning requests (This round and from 1963 Bonus Lead)

Daniel Bruhl - The Edukators (2004)
Leandro Firmino da Hora/Douglas Silva (Same character) - City of God (2002)

Luke Higham said...

Bryan: Your ratings for those performances.

Luke Higham said...

2002 Supporting (This is a really good year, be disappointed to see any of them miss out)
Brendan Fraser - The Quiet American
Ralph Fiennes - Red Dragon
Mads Mikkelsen - Open Hearts
Willem Dafoe - Auto Focus
Christopher Plummer - Nicholas Nickleby
Matthew McConaughey - Frailty
Leandro Firmino/Douglas Silva - City Of God

2004 Lead
Bill Murray - The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
Paddy Considine - Dead Man’s Shoes
Al Pacino - The Merchant of Venice
Christian Bale - The Machinist
Mads Mikkelsen - Pusher II
Yūya Yagira - Nobody Knows
Tony Leung Chiu-Wai - 2046
Denzel Washington - Man On Fire
Matthew Macfadyen - In My Father's Den
Daniel Bruhl - The Edukators

Bryan L. said...

Luke: For me, Bruhl is a 4.5, because I feel he's the most complex of the lead trio. Plus, it's another chance to explore a different side of him, as it's kind of a combination of his performance in Goodbye Lenin! and his English-language work.

As for the City of God boys, da Hora is a 4.5, but the main reason I included Silva is because he plays a younger version of the character. I just think it could be interesting to see how both actors play the same part over time, but it's up to Louis of course.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the direction of Uncut Gems?

Michael Patison said...

So glad to see Hamlet's score so high. Phenomenal work by Doyle there, perhaps even surpassing his amazing work on Sense and Sensisibility.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Fantastic episode once again, and in what I loved about Breaking Bad, got right to last episodes cliffhanger, rather than needlessly stretching it out, and instantly started getting the ramifications of it while changing that dynamic. Loved it, particularly as there was even a bit of genuine tenderness there even as thought of as a legal agreement. Also great though is the continued development of the cartel plot, with Tony Dalton continuing to provide one memorable villain turn.

Calvin:

I'd agree, as Ledger, through his voice only, is downright terrifying, I guess helping in that he apparently technically directed the scene himself. What is terrifying though is how blunt and "sloppy" it is, amplified only by Ledger's performance, with that particularly chilling switch in his voice showing when Joker's not joking he's all the more unnerving.

Bryan:

The Safdies direction, is working naturally in continuing their style of fantastic kinetic film-making. We get that again here, though as they take the idea within the character of Howard, and succeed in bringing us into his world, in more ways than expected. This as their work very much reflects Howard state at the time. When Howard is trying to deal with multiple things at once, we get that feeling in the editing, the sound mix, and just the way they ramp up the tension. When Howard is existed they bring the film into a different kind of overdrive invigorating it as Howard is, particularly the final sequence. What I love most is their additional mythic touch here around the opal, which they treat with a reverence that is alternate to everything else, that is a brilliant touch, as they show us what Howard and Kevin Garnett see in it. These different elements though are so effectively pulled together, as they show themselves to be experts in creating these scenes as flowing river, we keep a consistent, but not repetitive tension. This in creating both a film that creates anxieties but also a true exhilaration. Amazing work.

Michael McCarthy said...

I know it’s already a crowded year, but my request for winning 1996 Lead Actor is Linus Roache in Priest for 1994 Lead.

Calvin Law said...

Agreed on that BCS episode. Amazing stuff on both sides of the narrative, and I genuinely think this season could be Bob Odenkirk's ticket to an Emmy. He has been on fire every episode.

Louis: your MVPs for each episode this season so far? Mine would be

1 - Tony Dalton
2 - Michael Mando
3 - Rhea Seehorn
4 - Bob Odenkirk
5 - Giancarlo Esposito
6 - Bob Odenkirk
7 - Bob Odenkirk

Razor said...

Louis: Your thoughts on these performances if you haven't given them:

Bill Murray in Kingpin
Gary Sinise in Ransom
Robert Duvall in Phenomenon
Kiefer Sutherland in Freeway
Christopher Macdonald/Carl Weathers in Happy Gilmore

Luke Higham said...

1994 Lead (I sincerely hope Louis reviews De Niro as a bonus because this year's really stacked)
Ben Kingsley - Death And The Maiden
Tom Cruise - Interview With The Vampire
Kevin Bacon - The River Wild
Shah Rukh Khan - Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa
Bruce Greenwood - Exotica
Woody Harrelson - Natural Born Killers
Ge You - To Live
Temuera Morrison - Once Were Warriors
Albert Finney - The Browning Version
Linus Roache - Priest
Bonus: Robert De Niro - Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

I hate having to leave out Brandon Lee in The Crow.

There's also Tommy Lee Jones in Cobb, Ewan McGregor in Shallow Grave and Gary Oldman in Romeo is Bleeding but I see them getting 4-4.5s at most.

Mitchell Murray said...

Luke: I would absolutely be down for a review of Kingsley. I've said this before, no doubt, but its one of my favourite performances of his, and that end monologue is one of the finest scenes of his career.

I've also watched Exotica for a film class, and Greenwood is more than decent.

Luke Higham said...

Mitchell: What about Koteas.

Lucas Saavedra said...

Luke: what about Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber for 94 Lead

Luke Higham said...

Lucas: It's really good work from him but I don't necessarily think he needs one, unless an upgrade would potentially happen which is unlikely. The ten I've listed are of greater priority.

Luke Higham said...

But I'm really trying to find out who has the best chance of getting fives.

Mitchell Murray said...

Luke: I actually forgot Koteas was in it. It's been a few years anyways so my memory of the film is a little vague.

Luke Higham said...

Mitchell: At the moment, what rating would you give Greenwood because if he's a 4/weak 4.5, I'm willing to put Brandon Lee back in.

Mitchell Murray said...

Luke: Well...that's a tough question. When I first watched the movie I really wasn't in the mindset of reviewing its actors; Instead I was merely viewing it as an assignment. I'll say no one really stood out to me as truly outstanding, Greenwood included, but everyone was still competent from what I remember. And I just described Greenwood as more than decent, so...for the benefit of doubt right now, i'll give him a 4.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Have you decided on a rating for Keanu Reeves in Much Ado about Nothing, or is that one going to forever be in the “¯\_(ツ)_/¯” file?

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Your updated top 10 male lead performances of the 1990s, and your top 10 Max von Sydow performances.

Mitchell Murray said...

Also, I just watched "Body Heat" for the first time. It was....interesting, and honestly pretty well made as an example of it's sub genre. The acting is good, it moves at a solid pace, and the directorial/musical choices never become that distracting. Sure, its a bit dated in some aspects, but I have no major problems with the film overall.

Hurt - 4
Turner - 3.5/4
Rourke - 4 (Talk about a two scene wonder)
Danson - 3.5
Preston - 3
Crenna - 3

Luke Higham said...

Mitchell: I've abit of a request to ask you. Could you watch Excalibur (1981) sometime soon, because I'd like to get someone else's opinion on Williamson and Mirren.

Mitchell Murray said...

Luke: I will try, though I can't say for certain when I'll be able to.

Mitchell Murray said...

On that note, actually, has anyone here other than Louis seen "Body Heat"? And if so, what are your thoughts on it?

Louis Morgan said...

Calvin:

1 - Dalton
2 - Mando
3 - Odenkirk
4 - Odenkirk
5 - Seehorn
6 - Seehorn
7 - Odenkirk

Razor:

Murray - (His performance is one of the last bits of wacky Murray, before he transitioned (wisely) to sad Murray. It's a great, near sendoff, as he completely steals the film, that is okay outside of him, but absolutely hilarious with him. This being in just the unabashed ego that is coming out of his every pour in every scene. His "3 real strikes" moment is a particular highlight as Murray captures both a real energy actually for the win, but with also just the madness of the slimy character.)

Sinise - (Sinise is pretty much always reliable and this is very good performance from him in managing to find sort of the humanity of the villain. This is not to say he makes him sympathetic at all, but Sinise always shows a man who is also strategizing the situation just as Gibson's character is. There isn't a scene where he just plays into being the baddie, rather finding the very palatable motivation, of greed mind you, but still palatable real emotion within that motivation.)

Duvall - (The film itself is kind of going for a pseudo Capra thing, I think. Duvall best sells this though in doing down home wisdom better than anyone, with a strong moment to himself in lashing out in defense of Travolta's character.)

Sutherland - (It's a bit of a shame that his character is literally handicapped for most of the film, even though Sutherland is good in doing his "growl" drool face as he truly becomes the man wolf. Before that though he is terrific in being a genuine creep with finding such an effective combination through sort of a pompous moralizing undercut by a genuine vicious creepiness.)

MacDonald - (A good example of how to do the jerk role, as he's actually pretty funny while being a jerk, though John Vernon is probably still the high watermark for that. Anyway though MacDonald, even though he's playing the jerk, manages to be funny by so playing into the jerky mannerisms, particularly the "shooter" gestures that are just proper sundae toppings to his work.)

Weathers - (Well in a way a bit of reprise of Apollo in Rocky 3, though more comedically inclined, although I'll take both, as honestly it is hard for Weathers to do anything wrong for me. He is a hoot in bringing so much energy to every instruction, "just give it a little tap", while also bringing enough of something genuine within that energy that makes him a mentor that is both funny while fulfilling that role.)

Bryan:

I mean it's a bit tricky, as his performance completely works, though it has obvious traits of a bad performance.

Tahmeed:

And yes, my estimation of Eastwood's work has only increased.

1. Richard Farnsworth - The Straight Story
2. Morgan Freeman - Seven
3. John Turturro - Barton Fink
4. Clint Eastwood - Unforgiven
5. Philip Baker Hall - Hard Eight
6. Russell Crowe - L.A. Confidential
7. Guy Pearce - L.A. Confidential
8. Max von Sydow - Hamsun
9. Ian McKellen - Richard III
10. Jeff Daniels - Gettysburg

1. Hamsun
2. Three Days of the Condor
4. The New Land
5. Shame
6. The Emigrants
7. Needful Things
8. The Exorcist
9. Citizen X
10. Hour of the Wolf

Luke Higham said...

Louis: With Sydow's top ten, is the lack of a #3 a typo or censored.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Typo, #10 would be The Seventh Seal.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Fair. Your rating and thoughts on Witherspoon in Highway?

Also, thoughts on that film, Crash and Flirting with Disaster? Advanced apologies if it's a lot; I've just been contemplating on checking those out.

Bryan L. said...

Louis: And ratings/thoughts for anyone else of note in the latter two?

Louis Morgan said...

Bryan:

Witherspoon - 3.5(Her performance is constantly bordering on being too much, I mean the film itself is too much, however I do think she just about makes it, though her performance is equivalent to the "Hey grandma" Red Riding Hood from Bugs Bunny. This as she is as brazen and ridiculous as possible, as trashy Red Riding Hood that is the film. This works within the tone, and one of the performances that manages to strike towards what the film attempts to do, but kind of fails to do. This doing absurdist broad version of a fairy tale, that is trashy as can be. She plays into that and doesn't fail, though the film as a whole does.)

Crash, I thought was terrible. Cronenberg is clearly making the film he wanted to make, which Roger Ebert basically described as a purposefully un-sexy version of a porno. This where the people have no chemistry in the sex scenes, and the whole thing is detached. Although here taken with a fixation on autocrashes/injuries as the fetish, that it thrusts upon the viewer. Well I thought Cronenberg's general statement was obvious, therefore the film just became repetition of that statement, with the characters only existing as particularly thin pawns of that statement. This making the whole experience tiresome quite quickly.

Flirting with Disaster I thought was one of David O. Russell's better films. This taking the road picture formula but making just a bit more off-beat than usual, for the time anyways. It succeeds in its intentions in making it a series of comic oddities, that are pretty enjoyable. It doesn't build to anything too substantial, but it is a fun ride.

Brolin - 3.5(It is always interesting to see an actor way before his breakout, as here I guess you could look at Brolin as a bit of William Holden in a way, in that he doesn't yet have that sort of defined masculinity that become an essential part of his presence yet. Although that is obviously the case here as his off-beat bi-sexual FBI agent. Brolin is entertaining though in the role, in playing against what would eventually be his type, and has a particularly enjoyable difficult chemistry with Jenkins.)

Anonymous said...

Luke, what was your favourite Wrestlemania 21 movie parody.

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous: My favourite's Basic Instinct though the best acting came from JBL in A Few Good Men.

Bryan L. said...

Pre-breakout Brolin and Jenkins are in that film? *Puts it on the docket*

Luke: Your thoughts on Excalibur (1981), and your ratings for the cast?

Luke Higham said...

Bryan: One of my favourite Fantasy films. It's more style over substance but boy do I love its style. Love everything about it on a technical level and the cast is good on the whole.
Cast:
Terry - 3.5 (I kind of wish they casted someone else as the Younger Arthur because he's quite good as an experienced king)
Williamson - 5 (Love everything about this performance. He brings so much nuance to the film whenever he can and has really great chemistry with Helen Mirren)
Mirren - 4.5
Clay - 2.5
Lunghi - 2.5
Neeson - 3/3.5 (You could certainly see his talent this early with his accusing Guinevere scene being pretty good)
Byrne - 3.5

Bryan L. said...

Luke: What about Stewart and Hinds? Unless they’re not in it much. Also, I’ll definitely try to watch it asap.

Luke Higham said...

Bryan: That is the case unfortunately.